Minutes

LIBRARY CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Final Minutes

Meeting of February 20, 2008

Room 278, City Hall

San Francisco, California

Chair Sue Cauthen called the meeting to order at 6:05 PM.

Roll Call: Present: Ted Bamberger, Enne Braun, Sue Cauthen, Lucille Cuttler, Carlyn Halde, Roger Kallen, Margaret Lee, Rachelle Resnick, Douglas Ryan, Gladys Soto, Peter Warfield, Dan Weaver

Absent: Jan Seeman, Jenny Situ; 2 vacancies

Minutes: Joanna Schaller, a University of California English major about to begin teacher training, agreed to take the minutes for this meeting.

Public Comment: There was no public comment.

Presentation by San Francisco Public Library: Renovation Audit; Budget:

City Librarian Luis Herrera, Deputy City Librarian Jill Bourne and Edgar Lopez, manager of the library modernization project at the Department of Public Works, spoke about the BranchRenovationAudit and the library’s 2008-2009 budget. Ms. Bourne stressed that the Memorandum of Understanding between SFPL and DPW has been significantly revised, to effect improved communication and the sharing of information between the Department and the Library, in order to foster well-informed and timely decisions. This in turn is intended to allow them to effectively manage the bond program that is underwriting the branch renovations. This new Memorandum of Understanding provides that the Department of Public Works will manage the financial aspects of the program and regularly report back to the library to assure that proposals are implemented and projects completed on time, within budget.

The meeting recessed from 6:52-6:58 PM. Margaret Lee left at 7:10 PM.

Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Budget.

Mr. Herrera discussed the overall LibraryBudgetfor2008 – 2009, which has increased by 4.5% over last year’s budget to $81.6 million. The rise is primarily due to salary increases, a $2 million transfer to the BLIP (Branch Library Improvement Program) from the general fund as an advance on an anticipated development impact fee in District 10, and advances on certain library renovation projects. Over the next year it is anticipated that more funds will be spent on such things as: expanding branch library hours (at Presidio, Golden Gate Valley, Bayview, Glen Park, Noe Valley and Ortega, in addition to the expanded hours added last year) and adding an additional day of service at certain library locations; expanding bookmobile services; and expanding or improving services for underserved communities, senior centers, and public housing. An additional $2 million in acquisitions for the library collections raises the book and audio-visual budget to $10.7 million or 13% of the total budget. Also funded are improved access to technology, including the proposed laptop lending program; and a courier service for Link+, a program for borrowing from other libraries..

There were questions and concerns about the Link+ service and the $115 fine for lost books, and Mr. Herrera said he would have his staff look into the issue and respond to the Library CAC next month. Mr. Herrera also said they are working on the catalog issues, and once he gets an update from the catalog staff he will report back to the LCAC.

The chair suggested the Committee draft a resolution recommending monitoring the progress discussed in the Memorandum of Understanding. Instead, the members agreed to request a status report from the Library in six months, which would be presented at an LCAC meeting. The chair will put Link+ on next month’s agenda for discussion.

Officer Reports included a discussion of the tour of the refurbished first floor of the Main Library and of Project Read. Recruitment efforts are under way to fill the three vacant library-appointed seats and the District 4 seat, where the officers are working with Supervisor Chu.

Minutes: After an amendment proposed by Weaver, he moved to approve the minutes for the January, 2008 meeting, with Cuttler seconding. The motion passed 9-2.

Yes: Bamberger, Braun, Cauthen, Cuttler, Halde, Kallen, Resnick, Soto, Weaver

No: Ryan, Warfield

The next meeting will be Wednesday, March 19, 2008, at 6:00 PM in Room 278 of City Hall. 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 PM.