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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC- 5 Charter Membership Arroyo Seco Library Network/Library of California �nF ASG tft * The City of Azusa ,. q<IFOR16 Library & Community Services Department TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CI COUNCIL FROM: PAYMANEH MAGHSOU I, LIBRARY & COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR VIA: RICK COLE, CITY MANAGER 4C-, SUBJECT: REQUEST TO APPLY FOR CHARTER MEMBERSHIP ARROYO SECO LIBRARY NETWORK/LIBRARY OF CALIFORNIA DATE: SEPTEMBER 14, 2000 RECOMMENDATION The Azusa City Library Commission at their July meeting approved the Library's request for charter membership in the Arroyo Seco Library Network/Library of California and recommend approval by the Azusa City Council to authorize the Library&Community Services Director, Paymaneh Maghsoudi, to sign the membership application form. BACKGROUND: The Azusa City Library has been a member of the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System since 1967, initially under the authority of the Public Library Services Act and in 1977 under the California Library Services Act(CLSA). The 1977 CLSA created 15 regional cooperative networks statewide that have since been operating under individual joint powers agreements. The libraries that currently comprise the MCLS joint powers agreement are: Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Azusa, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Calabasas, Cerritos, Commerce, Covina, Downey, El Segundo, Glendale, Glendora, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Monrovia, Monterey Park, Oxnard, Palos Verdes, Pomona, Redondo Beach, San Marino, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Monica, Sierra Madre, Signal Hill, South Pasadena, Thousand Oaks, Torrance and Whittier. All cooperative systems provide numerous benefits to resident and libraries by expanding information resources beyond the local library. The key elements for residents are the ability to borrow from other member libraries free of charge either directly or through inter-library loan , and the ability to request that a reference question be sent on to a higher resource level if the local library can not answer it. For the member libraries, the State provides reimbursement for nonresident lending, offers communication and delivery services among the libraries and provides valuable staff training through workshops or one-on-one at the library. Azusa City Library through the years has benefitted immensely from being a part of the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System. aq// /v Honorable Mayor and members of the City Council Page 2 September 14, 2000 LIBRARY OF CALIFORNIA In 1998 the state legislature created the Library of California as a means of expanding the concept of cooperative systems beyond public libraries. The Library of California will provide users of all types of libraries access the collection and resources of public, school, government, academic, and special libraries throughout the state, i.e., " One library, - 8000 Doors." The Library of California, comprised of 7 regional networks, is intended to replace the 15 CLSA cooperative systems by the year 2004. Until then, however, both will run concurrently so that public libraries are able to maintain their benefits while the Library of California is being structured. ARROYO SECO LIBRARY NETWORK Under the Library of California, the 31 library jurisdictions in the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System, 9 library jurisdictions in Santiago Library System, and 3 Library jurisdictions in the South State Library System(greater Los Angeles area& Orange County) have been authorized to form as the Arroyo Seco Network. Because these 43 public library jurisdictions are members of existing cooperative systems, they meet the Library of California membership requirements and are therefore automatically qualified to be members. A formal application, however, must be made and approval given by the governing body. The Arroyo Seco Library Network is in the process of being organized as a 501c(3) non-profit tax-exempt corporation and is currently offering charter membership to anyone who wishes to join and qualifies: public, school, private, and university libraries. There is no cost to join and, in addition to the current benefits of MCLS membership, the Azusa City Library, as a member, would also be able to participate in new benefits that the Network is offering now and in the future. BENEFITS OF CHARTER MEMBERSHIP TO THE ARROYO SECO LIBRARY NETWORK Some of the programs that the Azusa City Library will be able to participate in as a member will result in tangible financial savings. They are: 1. Contracts negotiated for databases and other services that will take advantage of the buying power of libraries statewide and will reduce the cost for local provision of full-text databases and other services to our patrons. 2. Relationships with major academic and resource libraries statewide that have the potential to reduce or eliminate the cost for receipt of materials and information form these libraries. Honorable Mayor and members of the City Council Page 3 September 14, 2000 3. Statewide funding of telecommunications infrastructure development within and between regional networks, including installation of both hardware and software to develop and enhance all types of communications among member libraries, enhancement of local capabilities to enable connections to the network and development of communications and marketing solutions to address local needs. Also, the Library of California has provided grants to the Arroyo Seco Network for network programs at no cost to participating libraries. These programs include: 1. Subscription to the full text database of the Los Angeles Times or the Orange County Register. This would be a yearly savings of nearly $ 4,200 for the Library, as we currently pay for these subscriptions. 2. Subscription to the full text Spanish language database, Noticias, a yearly savings of$3,300. This would be an added service to the Spanish language collection of books and the newspaper currently owned by the Library. To take advantage of these opportunities, libraries must become members of the Arroyo Seco Network. Failure to do so will cause loss of access to these opportunities. CONCLUSION Staff highly recommends that Azusa City Library apply for the charter membership in the Arroyo Seco Library Network/Library of California. Membership at this time will make the Library eligible for State-funded programs at no cost and will also put the Azusa City Library in the position of participating in the Network from the beginning thereby influencing the discussion of plans for network activities and services in the future. FISCAL IMPACT There are no fiscal impact to the Library. The Library of California Act specifies that there can be no dues for membership, therefore, there is no membership fee to join the Arroyo Seco Library Network. All basic services for members will be funded by the State at no cost or reduced/subsidize cost. Enhanced services will be available to members for a fee; however no member will be required to purchase any enhanced services or participate in a reduced/subsidized cost program as a condition of membership. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE AZUSA CITY LIBRARY TO JOIN THE ARROYO SECO LIBRARY NETWORK THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE AZUSA CITY LIBRARY DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. RECITALS. The Governing Board of the Azusa City Library does hereby find, determine and declare, as follows: WHEREAS, the Azusa City Library desires to join the Arroyo Seco Library Network, and WHEREAS, the Azusa City Library agrees to comply with all provisions of the Library of California Act and Regulations and conditions of membership within the network, and WHEREAS, The Azusa City Council agrees not to reduce funding for library services as a result of network participation, and WHEREAS, the Azusa City Library agrees that as a participating library it will: 1. Share resources and services with other members of the Arroyo Seco Library Network. 2. Provide resources and services for other members of the Arroyo Seco Library Network. 3. Meet the minimum resource-sharing performance standards of the Arroyo Seco Library Network, and SECTION 2. That the Azusa City Council authorizes membership of Azusa City Library in the Arroyo Seco Library Network, and SECTION 3. That the Azusa City Council authorizes and directs Library& Community Services Director, Paymaneh Maghsoudi, to sign the Arroyo Seco Library Network Membership Application Form and take such other actions and execute such other documents as are deemed necessary to complete the membership process. SECTION 4. That the City Clerk of the City of Azusa shall certify as to the adoption of this Resolution.