REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a Five Year Agreement Between the City of Sunnyvale and the Friends of the Sunnyvale Public Library for FY 2014/15 - FY 2019/20
Report
BACKGROUND
Since FY 2004/05, there has been an agreement between the City of Sunnyvale and the Friends of the Sunnyvale Public Library (Friends). Prior to FY 2004/05, the Friends was a co-sponsored group and a contributor to the Library for more than 20 years. The group has tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. The purpose of the organization is to focus public attention on library services, facilities and needs. In addition, they encourage and collect donations of books and other materials to the library and sell donated items and library discards. The Friends contribute proceeds from the sales to the Library, allowing the Library to acquire materials, equipment/furniture, programs and other needs as requested by Library staff to supplement the operating budget. The Friends also serve as advocates for the Library and assist with programs for the public and other events as requested by Library staff.
EXISTING POLICY
Partnering with groups in the community to provide assistance for the Library, library services, programs and materials to service the public is supported by the following City goals and policies:
General Plan, Chapter 4 - Community Character
Goal CC-7: Maintain library facility and purchase materials that are easily obtainable and appropriate based on changing community needs
Policy CC-7.2: Maintain a full service library adequate to meet community needs
Goal CC-8: Provide a broad and diverse collection of books and other materials to meet the varied interests and needs of the community
Policy CC-8.1: Provide a collection of materials in print, audiovisual and electronic formats in support of all library services
Policy CC-8.2: Give high priority to the following: Collections of materials for children and their parents, teachers and caregivers; Collections that support reference services; Providing educational support for library users of all ages; Developing the library's collection of popular materials
Council Policy
Policy 7.2.4 Relationships with Outside Groups Policy
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
N/A
DISCUSSION
The Relationships with Outside Groups Policy facilitates the provision of programs that provide a community service, or promote an informed interest in the City's objectives, services, facilities and programs for the benefit of its residents and businesses, and/or have as their purpose the raising of funds and provision of financial support for the City's programs.
Staff provides the proposed new five-year Friends agreement dated July 1, 2014, for Council consideration (Attachment 1). Besides edits for clarifications, the proposed agreement is largely unchanged from the previous agreement.
The existing agreement between the City and the Friends has been in effect since July 1, 2011, and is due to expire on June 30, 2014. The Friends donate monies to the Library in response to specific funding requests made by Library staff. . The Friends may make monetary contributions of up to 10% of the total monetary donations distributed to the City in the previous fiscal year to other literacy-related initiatives. They will also advocate for the maintenance and improvement of library services, facilities and materials. The City will provide the following to the Friends:
· Books and other materials donated to the Library and discarded Library materials;
· As available, physical space to collect, sort and store books and other donated and discarded materials for Friends book sales;
· A location within the Library for an ongoing Friends book sale where appropriate;
· The following staff assistance: collect money from Friends' lobby area sales, a Library manager to serve as liaison to the Friends, maintain records of the Library's expenditures from Friends' donations, provide copies of these records to the Friends, and publicize the Friends events and membership as appropriate; and
· A space to hold Friends book sales in the Library, when possible.
The Friends are defined as independent contractors to the City and are not considered to be City volunteers. The Friends maintain, at their own cost, commercial general liability insurance as well as automobile liability, worker's compensation and employer's liability insurance, as required by law.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Friends raise funds to enhance Library services to the community. In the past two fiscal years, the Friends group has donated more than $100,000 to the Library. These funds permit the purchase of materials, equipment/furniture, programs and other items which support the goals of the Library and help supplement the Library's budget. The Agreement between the Friends and the City states that the Friends will give at least 90% of the total monetary donations it receives to the Sunnyvale Public Library.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve the five-year agreement between the City and the Friends of the Sunnyvale Public Library, in substantially the same form as set forth in Attachment 1, and authorize the Interim City Manager to enter into the agreement by June 30, 2014.
Staff
Prepared by: Steve Sloan, Administrative Librarian
Reviewed by: Lisa G. Rosenblum, Director, Library and Community Services
Approved by: Robert A. Walker, Interim City Manager
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
1. Agreement Between the City and the Friends of the Sunnyvale Public Library for FY 2014/15 - FY 2019/20