HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-12-1996 Library Commission Minutes Saratoga Library Commission Meeting
City of Saratoga Administrative Offices
Ju~e 12, 1996
7:30 p.m.
Action Minutes
I. Call to Ordgr
The meeting was called to order at 7:38 p.m.
II. Roll Call
Commissioners Present: Grantham, Manzo, McLaughlin, Sessler,
Foscato, Ceppos, Towse
Commissioners Absent: None
Others Present: Dolly Barnes, Janice Yee, Irene Jacobs
III. Report on Posting of Commission Agenda
Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda was properly
posted on June 10, 1996. This was a correction to the
incorrect agenda that was posted on June 7, 1996.
IV. Approval of Minutes of March 20. 1996 Meeting
Commissioner Grantham made a motion to approve the minutes.
Commissioner Ceppos seconded the motion. The motion carried.
V. Old Business
The Commission reviewed ideas for changes to the introduction
of the Library Needs Assessment. Commissioners Towse, Sessler
and Manzo handed out improvements that were discussed and
incorporated into the existing text. Commissioner Towse
agreed to compile the recommended changes and include them in
next month's agenda package.
Commissioner Ceppos made a motion that the Library
Commission's Mission Statement be reviewed at the end of each
calendar year and that a report be compiled summarizing all
that the Commission had accomplished. This report would then
be presented to the City Council at their joint meeting with
the Library Commission that is usually scheduled in January.
Commissioner Grantham, who accepted responsibility for
creating the report, seconded the motion. The motion carried.
Staff member Jacobs provided the Commission with summary
reports of the ideas that were generated at the June 1st work
session in addition to summary sheets of the detailed changes
that were recommended for the Library Needs Assessment.
There was general discussion among the Commission regarding
the agenda items that should be discussed at their next Work
Session and dates on which to schedule this meeting.
Commissioner Towse made a motion not to schedule a separate
work session but rather to keep the Library Commission's
regular meeting date and move the time up to 5:00 p.m. rather
than 7:00 p.m. Commissioner McLaughlin seconded the motion
and the extended meeting time as approved.
There was discussion about the role of the Library Commission
in relation to the library expansion. The Commission
revisited the actions of the previous Library Commission and
the Expansion Committee that was established. The Commission
shared that perhaps a visit to or contact with some of the
neighboring cities that are also planning to expand their
libraries should be planned.
VI. New Business
The Commission discussed the ideas shared by the Mayor and the
City Manger during their lunch meeting of June 11.
VII.
Susan Fuller~ County Librarian
Susan Fuller was unable to attend the meeting so Janice Yee
represented the County Library. She had nothing to report at
this time.
Dolly Barnes. Community Librarian
Dolly Barns reported that the dumb terminals in the library
would be replaced with PC's in August. Accessing the Saratoga
Library on the web would now require one to go through the
Santa Clara County Library home page and then access
Saratoga's branch.
Since the library will have its own home page, their will be
a library support page where people will be able to access
information about the Library Commission, Friends of the
Library and the Library Foundation. Dolly Barnes invited the
Commission to participate in establishing the text that would
be included on the page. Commissioner McLaughlin volunteered
his expertise.
Commissioner Manzo requested that Ms. Barnes schedule a short
orientation for the Commission during their next regular
meeting of the Saratoga Library Web Page.
Irene Jacobs. Staff to the Commission
Irene Jacobs reported on the two issues that the Library
Commission had requested that she verify; the required
parking space formula should the library be expanded and;
whether or not the library expansion would need to comply with
Measure G requirements.
Marcia Manzo~ Chair
Commissioner Manzo shared that she had attended the last Board
Member Meeting for the Friends of the Library and had asked
them if they would be supportive of the Library Expansion.
Cathy Foscato, Friends of the Library
Commissioner Foscato reported that the Friends are doing very
well in their fund raising endeavors.
Sally Towse~ Library Foundatio~
Commissioner Towse reminded the Commission that the Foundation
had scheduled a fund raiser at Jay Harris' house on September
6th from 5-7 p.m. The Library Commission was invited to
attend.
VIII.Oral and Written Communications None.
IX. AdjournRent
Commissioner Foscato made a motion to adjourn the meeting and
Commissioner Sessler seconded the motion. The motion carried
and the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Pr~ared By:
Irene M. Jacobs//
Administrative ~nalyst
THe Y[Aa ~.,010:
~/H[R[ ARE '~/£ GOING AND
~/H[R[ VILE V[ SIT VH[N V[ GeT THeRe?
UPDAT[D N££D$ AS$[SsM[nT [oR TH[ SARATOGA COMMUNITY L~^RY
INCLUDING 1991 NeeDs Assessment AND BUILDING PLAN
Prepared by the Saratoga Community Library Commission:
Marcia Manzo, Chair
Karen Ceppos
Cathy Foscato (Monte Sereno)
Jack Grantham
Dave McLaughlin
Ed Sessler
Sally Towse
August 1996
By every measure, the Saratoga Community Library has been a victim of its own success.
Since its opening in 1978, library usage has outstripped all estimates. Circulation has
grown by %, the collection is the size predicted for the year ~, and afternoon use
by local middle school students has reached a point where library usage by the rest of the
community is negatively impacted.
At the same time, based on the increased usage and the overwhelming support for
Measure A in t994, it is clear the community wants and needs a Library that can meet its
needs both physically and technologically.
The Saratoga Community Library Commission recently revisited the 1991 Needs
Assessment; the results of that study still hold true today:
· Expand the Library by 20,000 square feet in order to accommodate volumes.
· Create seating areas for quiet study and group study (glass-enclosed to contain noise
levels) and lounge areas for recreational reading.
· Provide a state-of-the-art Reference Department capable of handling technological
change.
· Enlarge the Children's Room; provide space for programs and class visits.
· Provide additional staff workspace. Space constraints impact staff efficiency.
· Install an easily-accessible book drop.
· Expand the parking lot; provide several 2-minute parking spaces for book drop use
only.
· Update lighting and electrical systems.
· Provide more checkout stations in a location apart from central service areas.
Some critical points to recognize as the 199t Needs Assessment is read in conjunction
with the Appendix - 1996 Up.~at¢ .to Needs Assessment follow:
· On page 10 of the 1991 ~eeds Assessment, reference is made to an estimated monthly
circulation of 45,000 in the year 2005 (an estimated 10% increase in the fifteen years
from 1991 until 2005). By the spring of 1996, the monthly circulation had reached
60,000 (an actual 32% increase in the intervening five years). With a collection size
of approximately 177,000 (including magazines), one third of the Library collection
"turns over" each month.
· Library usage has a direct correlation to the amount of staff(and, therefore, staff
workspace) needed and to the physical space needed to receive, store, process, and re-
shelve the collection.
· Library usage reflects the number of people physically in the Library; more chairs,
table space, and sheer physical space are needed when the number of people in the
building increase. Confined quarters result in rising noise levels, lack of necessary
facilities, and a negative impact on Library services.
HISTORY
Saratoga voters passed a bond measure in 1975 to build a new Library to replace the small
Village Library at the comer of Oak Street and Saratoga-Los Gatos Road. The new
Library, which opened February 1, 1978 at the corner of Saratoga Avenue and Fruitvale
Avenue, is leased to the Santa Clara County Library to serve as a branch library for the
surrounding community: Saratoga, Monte Sereno, and the adjacent unincorporated county
areas.
In 1978, the population served by the Saratoga Community Library was nnn, and the
annual circulation was mmrn. The Library was designed to hold www volumes and
approximatelyyyy magazines. Twelve years later, in 1990, the Library was stretching its
limits, the population served had grown to nnn and the annual circulation was mmm.
Instead ofwww volumes, the Library held 143,000 volumes plus ten thousand magazines;
the Librarian was forced to discard volumes to make room for any new titles purchased.
During 1990-1991, the Saratoga Community Library Commission and various community
members worked preparing a Needs Assessment and Building Plan for the expansion of
the Saratoga Community Library. The City Council appointed a citizens' committee to
use the Needs Assessment to solicit and select an architect to draw-up preliminary plans
for the proposed expansion. After many months of work, discussion, and negotiation, an
architect was selected, but municipal financial difficulties had arisen and the project was
abruptly shelved.
For several years following, the County Library and the City of Saratoga were in grave
financial difficulties due to cuts in funding from state government sources in Sacramento.
The open hours for the Saratoga Library were cut from xx to yy; staff were laid off; the
book budget was cut nn%.
In 1994, Measure & creating a Joint Powers Authority governance for the County Library
system in place of governance by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, was
handily passed in Santa Clara County. Voters also authorized a ten-year parcel
asSessment to collect money to offset the drastic cuts to the County Library budget which
had occurred since 1993(?). As a result of the Measure A assessments, the Saratoga
Community Library has been able not only to restore open hours and staffing but also to
increase the books and materials budget and begin installation and utilization of new
technology.
As a direct result of the abrupt end to the expansion planning process in 1991, concerned
citizens formed the Saratoga Community Library Foundation, with the mission of working
toward the expansion of the Saratoga Community Library and the creation of an
endowment to buffer the fortunes of our local public library. Focused on the long-term
future of the Library, the Foundation works with the Friends of the Saratoga Libraries,
who provide immediate and critical support, for the benefit of this important community
asset.
Earlier this year, 1996, the Foundation asked the Saratoga Community Library
Commission to update the Needs Assessment for the Community Library in preparation
for a new effort to expand the Community Library. Rather than re-write the 1991 Needs
ASSessment, the Library Commission has chosen to add an appendix to the previous Needs
Assessment, outlining and defining changes which have occurred in the Library situation in
the last five years.
CONCLUSION
Today, even more than in 1991, the Library needs expansion. With the % increase in
the number of volumes beyond the 80,000 for which the Library was originally planned,
book shelves have displaced emirs and tables. Aisles have been narrowed as much as fire
code allows. Lighting, although sufficient by 1978 standards, is today of poor quality and
very inadequate. There is no space for Children's Storytime within the Children's Room.
A Library is the hub of an educated community. Citizens have supported and will
continue to support library services. The Saratoga Community Library needs to be
expanded to meet the community's needs now and in the future.
BREF $UMMARIF$ Of THF 19~1 NEEDs Assessment & BUtI..DING PLAN AND OF THE APPeNDIx --.
1996 UfoATe ~'O NeeDs Asse;~smm'r