AGENDA TITLE:
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Receive the Library Assessment Report and Provide Guidance on Future Library Resources for Operations (CM)
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MEETING DATE:
January 28, 2025
PREPARED BY:
Laurie Montes, Assistant City Manager - Part-Time
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive the Library Assessment Report and provide guidance on future Library resources for operations.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Lodi Public Library plays a vital role in serving the community by providing educational resources, programming, and cultural enrichment. Over recent years, the City faced financial challenges and limited resources. These challenges prompted assessments of the City budget, operations, and internal controls across all departments, including the Library.
The City commissioned an assessment of Library operations to evaluate its performance and explore potential efficiencies to ensure its sustainability. The consultants interviewed several stakeholders and provided an assessment of current operations, as well as many recommendations.
During the last several fiscally constrained years, Library operations changed significantly. There has been a reduction in the number of professional library staff required to have a master’s degree in library science that resulted in an inability to properly manage the Library’s collections, challenges delivering appropriate programming and the lack of a career ladder, leading to increased turnover. There was heavy reliance on part-time staff resulting in service delivery and retention challenges. Despite competitive compensation, the Library faced challenges in keeping the role of director filled resulting in lower productivity, morale and quality of work and increased hiring and training costs.
The assessment identifies several operating and fiscal issues such as lack of programming, governance challenges, outdated technology and many others. The assessment provides three alternatives for consideration, each with distinct operational and financial implications:
• Option 1: Making Changes to Existing Department Structure and Services;
• Option 2: Combine the Library with the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department; and
• Option 3: Join the Stockton San Joaquin County Public Library.
Each of these options are briefly discussed below.
Option 1: Making Changes to Existing Department Structure and Services
This option preserves the Library’s current operational structure but recommends modest improvements, such as expanded community programming, modernized technology, adding a Librarian and creating clear documentation for the Board of Trustees. These and additional recommendations are described more fully in the Library Assessment. This option provides the least financial savings; however, it does address staffing, space, and programming needs.
Impact: Retains the most local control of the Library.
Cost Implications: Recommendations for this option include investing in self-service. This would require an additional initial investment of $100,000 to $200,000. Estimated ongoing annual savings after the initial investments would be between $30,000 to $100,000.
Option 2: Integrate Library with Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services (PRCS)
Many cities in California and across the United States opted to combine library departments with other city services, usually those that provide similar enrichment and wellbeing activities and have shared users. The most common approach is a combined library and recreation department. This alternative would provide some economies of scale and provide better financial sustainability than the current operating model. There are numerous opportunities for co-programming with recreational activities. Recommendations for this option include engaging with staff and stakeholders regarding merging the departments, making necessary organizational changes, and working with the Library Board of Trustees to determine their role and how best to share responsibilities with City Council for a combined department. These and additional recommendations are described more fully in the Library Assessment.
Impact: Enhances collaboration and efficiency across departments and creates opportunities for more co-programming between library and recreation. It increases the workload of an already very busy department. Retains local control of the Library.
Cost Implications: Some staff costs would be reduced through changes in the organizational structure. This combined with the changes and investments identified in Option 1 would provide ongoing annual savings of up to $150,000 after the initial investments for self-service.
Option 3: Contract with Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library (SSJCPL)
Description: This option would involve contracting Library operations to the SSJCPL system. Under the current statutory framework, the Library Board of Trustees would be responsible for determining whether to contract for Library operations. Lodi residents would still have access to library services, but management and staffing would be handled by the SSJCPL. Lodi is the only independent municipal library in San Joaquin County. All other county municipalities and unincorporated areas are members of the SSJCPL.
The Library Assessment provides an analysis of the budget, staffing, programming, and hours of operation. Based on this analysis, the City of Lodi can expect cost savings of up to $580,000 annually from joining SSJCPL while maintaining a similar level of staffing and programming. Efficiencies would be gained through shifting director-level responsibilities to the SSJCPL central administration, lowering materials costs through bulk system purchases, and a wider range of resources available to residents. A larger shared catalog would give users access to all materials throughout the system, including a wider selection of digital services and eBooks and a simpler process for placing holds and having items delivered to the Library. The fiscal benefits of this alternative, however, should be weighed against the more intricate process required to join another system. Additional information is provided in the Library Assessment.
Impact: Efficiencies would be gained through contracting operations to SSJCPL, however, local control would be changed from operating the library directly to managing a contract for library operations.
Cost Implications: Estimated annual savings of up to $580,000 in operating costs.
There are additional issues to consider when reviewing these options. Upon request of the City Manager, the City Attorney prepared a written opinion on this matter. The City Attorney advised that Options 2 and 3 may require a ballot measure to be approved by the voters. The City Attorney’s legal summary provides that any modification to the structure or oversight authority of library operations that is inconsistent with the Government Code, would be deemed invalid absent voter approval to no longer operate under the California Municipal Libraries Act. This item is intended to allow the Council to discuss these options, the state law requirements for municipal libraries, and to consider future library resources for operations. Council has authority for the City budget and appropriations, but whether Council would have to consider pursuit of a ballot measure if a change to the Library Board of Trustees responsibility to oversee operations is desired. Should Council provide direction to staff to pursue an option or request more information on one or more options, staff would prepare a item with information on the detailed requirements and procedures for Council consideration and potential action.
STRATEGIC VISION:
3A. Fiscal Health: Promote City's transparency & fiscal fluency.
FISCAL IMPACT:
At this time, the Council is asked to provide guidance to staff about which option or options to explore further and any other follow-up desired. There is minimal fiscal impact to the additional staff work.
At a later date, staff could bring back a recommendation to pursue any option. A summary of the estimated impacts for the options discussed herein are below:
• Option 1: Self-service expenditures of $100,000 to $200,000; estimated ongoing annual savings of $30,000 to $100,000.
• Option 2: Self-service expenditures of $100,000 to $200,000; estimated ongoing annual savings of up to $150,000.
• Option 3: An estimated annual savings of up to $580,000.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
Not Applicable.
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Scott R. Carney
City Manager