REPORT TO BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
SUBJECT
Title
Recommend that the City Council Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Amended and Restated Agreement Between the City of Sunnyvale and the Friends of the Sunnyvale Public Library.
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; and to stimulate gifts of books, magazines, desirable collections, endowments, and bequests. The Friends raise and expend private funds for the purpose of enhancing City funding for programs, services, and operations of the Library as requested by Library staff. The Friends also serve as advocates and assist with programs for the public and other events as requested by Library staff.
The City Council is scheduled to consider this item on June 25, 2019. The current agreement with the Friends expires on June 30, 2019.
EXISTING POLICY
Partnering with groups in the community to enhance library services, programs and materials to serve 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: Collection 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 6.2C: Provide library programs and publications to educate, enrich and enlighten library users
Policy 6.2F.1: Establish cooperative relationships to maximize the effectiveness of Library services
Policy 7.2.4 Relationships with Outside Groups Policy
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(4) and 15378(b)(5) in that it is a fiscal and governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment and does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potential significant impact on the environment.
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.
The existing agreement between the City and the Friends has been in effect since July 1, 2014. The proposed amended and restated agreement between the City and the Friends will be presented to Council for consideration on June 25, 2019 (Attachment 1). Besides edits for clarifications, the proposed Agreement contains the following changes:
• Adds an obligation of the City to provide program and meeting space at no cost to Friends at the discretion of the Director of Library and Community Services in acknowledgement of the Friends ongoing efforts to fundraise and support the City. Approved spaces may be utilized by the Friends for holding monthly Board meetings and up to four members-only events per year for the purposes of (1) conducting fundraising to support the Friends, (2) encouraging membership and participation in the Friends through special programming, teambuilding, and/or a holiday party, (3) recognizing the Friends contributions to the support of the Library, including volunteer recognition. In order to minimize the impact on the public, Friends events may be scheduled only when spaces are available during regular operating hours, or after-hours, subject to availability after regular city programming and public rental requests are fulfilled.
• Adds a provision allowing the Friends to apply for grants from third-parties for the benefit of the Library, where the Library itself is not eligible to submit an application due to the terms of the grant.
• Adds a provision allowing the Friends to maintain a web and social media presence in order to promote Library services and events, solicit donations, recruit volunteers and other activities that support the Library.
• Maintains the five-year term, and adds an option for the Director of Library and Community Services to extend the Agreement for up to two additional two-year terms, not to exceed a total term of nine years, with mutual agreement of the Friends and review by the Board of Library Trustee.
The Friends donate monies to the Library in response to specific funding requests made by Library staff. The Agreement continues the following services that the City provides to the Friends in exchange for their monetary contributions:
• 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 space to hold Friends book sales in the Library, when possible;
• The following staff assistance: collect money from the 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, fundraisers, and membership as appropriate.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Friends raise funds to enhance Library services to the community. In the past two fiscal years, the Friends donated more than $100,000 to the Library. The Friends also recently pledged $500,000 for furniture, furnishings, and equipment at the Lakewood Branch Library and Learning Center. The funds provided by the Friends 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 through posting of the Board of Library Trustees agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board, on the City’s website, and the availability of the agenda and report in the Office of the City Clerk.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Recommend that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager to execute an Amended and Restated Agreement Between the City of Sunnyvale and the Friends of the Sunnyvale Public Library.
2. Other recommendation as determined by the Board of Library Trustees.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Recommend that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager to execute an Amended and Restated Agreement Between the City of Sunnyvale and the Friends of the Sunnyvale Public Library.
Staff
Prepared by: Steve Sloan, Superintendent of Libraries
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Reserved for Report to Council
2. Amended and Restated Agreement Between the City and the Friends of the Sunnyvale Public Library