Joint Use Cooperative Agreement Between the San Francisco Public Library and the San Francisco Unified School District

Ortega Branch Library

A.P. Giannini Middle School

Sunset Elementary School

This Joint Use Cooperative Agreement is entered into on (insert date) by and between  the San Francisco Public Library (Library) and the San Francisco Unified School District (District) on behalf of Ortega Branch Library, A.P. Giannini Middle School and Sunset Elementary School.  The purpose of this Agreement is to provide for certain joint venture projects as specified in Education Code section 19994(a) and Title 5 Library Bond Act Regulation 20440(e)(3)(G).

Whereas, the Library and the District have demonstrated a sustained collaborative working relationship; and

Whereas, the joint activities described in this Agreement are in addition to a long-standing relationship in arranging class visits to the Library and school age children’s participation in various Library reading programs (e.g. the Summer Reading Program); and

Whereas, the District supports the Library’s goal of informational literacy of all students; and

Whereas, the Library supports the District’s goal of increased academic achievement of all students; and

Whereas, extensive consultation with the community and school staff during the in-depth needs assessment for the Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond act of 2000 application clearly identified a need for family literacy support and homework assistance;

No therefore, the San Francisco Public Library and the San Francisco Unified School District find that it is mutually beneficial to continue and expand upon the collaborative partnership in a way that will reinforce and strengthen the learning process of K-8students.  The parties agree as follows:

1.  The Library and the District agree to engage in joint venture projects in at least two areas, Family Literacy and Homework Center as described below.  This agreement is contingent upon the Library receiving grant funding from the Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000, which will result in a newly constructed Ortega Branch Library of the San Francisco Public Library with the necessary space and equipment to conduct these activities.

A.  Family Literacy Center.  Based upon needs assessment findings, a Family Literacy Center will fill a high priority need for the community served by the new Ortega Branch Library.  A.P. Giannini Middle School and Sunset Elementary School have a strong commitment to encouraging student school success through family literacy.  The Library would become an active partner in this effort through a variety of activities in conjunction with the schools.  These activities would expand upon the Library’s more general literacy support function by providing a series of programs designed to establish the Ortega Branch as an additional, more publicly accessible, partner in a community approach to developing strong family literacy within the area.  In support of this effort:

• The Library will provide appropriate supportive collections to assist with overall family literacy, emphasizing books-on-tape for children and adults as well as materials in languages relevant to the schools and the community.  In addition, the Library will support A.P. Giannini’s and Sunset’s need to encourage students reading below level as well as high achieving students by emphasizing high-interest collections and challenging collections for advanced students.

• The District will actively promote use of the Library and its resources to parents in these neighborhood schools at their ongoing meetings, verbally and through the distribution of printed information about the Library and its programs.  Relevant Library information will be posted in the schools and sent home with students in an attempt to build awareness of the Library as a general community resource and an additional support for student success.  Sunset Elementary School will, as part of its Academic Plan, encourage parents to visit the Ortega Branch at least once a month.

• The Library and the District will co-sponsor a minimum of two Cultural Literacy nights annually.  They will work together to develop a calendar for these events that will be promoted in the school newsletters.  School and Library staff will develop the programs and will participate in the presentations.

• Through Project Read, the Library’s adult literacy program,  the Library will provide one-to-one tutoring and small group instruction for adults who need help with their reading and writing skills.  Project Read will recruit and train tutors to work with parents in the neighborhood.  The District will provide access to Project Read staff to enable them to speak at the schools to recruit tutors and students.  One of the primary motivators for adults to improve literacy is the desire to read to their children and to help their children succeed in school. The Library will work with Project Read and the District to develop additional workshops or events to increase participating parents’ comfort level with children’s books and reading to their children as part of this program.

• Working with A.P. Giannini Midle School, the Library will develop a joint parent/student book club where adult and student participants will read and discuss books together.  The group will meet bi-monthly and be planned and mediated by selected school and library staff.

• Library staff will update teachers on new reading materials for students through booklists, email and other agreed-upon forms of communication.  Library staff will also aid teachers in encouraging reading by providing book talks for classes.  All promoted materials will be made available at the branch.

• The Library will seek to enhance the schools’ Enrichment opportunities by providing programs featuring poets, fiction and nonfiction authors and related literary events to which classes will be invited.  Teachers and Library staff will work together to prepare students for these events prior to the visit.  Such preparation may include assigned reading of the author’s work, relevant historical and social background, introduction to genre and more.  More general story telling and reading activities will also be developed on an annual basis.  Enrichment opportunities will be offered during school hours and for after school programs.

• Sunset Elementary School and the Ortega Branch Library will develop a joint school year reading program.  This program will be developed in support of the school curriculum.   In addition, the school will encourage school-wide participation in the Library’s Summer Reading Program.  The librarian will forward names of participating students from the previous summer to the school at the beginning of the school year.  The school will announce or post those names to honor participants. 

B.  Homework Center.

A supportive space in which to do homework can have a major impact on a student’s ability to succeed in school.  The Library recognizes that the area schools are not open to students in the evening and that a home situation may not be conducive to such an activity (e.g. too crowded; no support materials; family members who may not be able to help).  Therefore, the Library, which already provides a variety of supportive resources, will establish a formal Homework Center function  for the students of the A. P. Giannini Middle School and the Sunset Elementary School.

• The Library and area school staff will collaborate to train high school and adult volunteers to assist K-8 students with their homework at the Ortega Branch Library.  Area school and Library staff will provide three trainings per year for the program, including one reflective/evaluative program at the end of the school year.  The school will promote the program to parents and students.  High school youth participating as volunteers as part of the District’s Community Service requirement by serving as tutors, will be expected to commit to a minimum of one semester of service.  Adult volunteers will be expected to commit to six months.  The Library will work with the District to establish the most appropriate hours for the program and will provide space within the planned meeting room on a regularly scheduled basis.  The room will be committed to that use during those times.  In addition the Library will provide access to on-line homework assistance through Tutor.com or similar program on a year-to-year basis, dependent upon annual evaluation and use.  The area schools will distribute information on these programs to all parents at the beginning of each school year.  The Library will advertise the service in its monthly list of programs and activities.

• For A.P. Giannini Middle School, Library staff will work with school staff to build an ongoing supportive relationship through the school’s departments.  Training for teachers on library resources will be provided in a targeted manner each year (i.e. the English Department one year, Social Studies the next, and so forth).  The department will be selected and time line will be developed jointly by the Library and school.  For Sunset Elementary School, the Library will work with all staff and will be guaranteed access to staff meetings to promote library resources and instruction. 

• The Library will provide student instruction on use of print and electronic library resources to support school curriculum and assignments.  Such instruction will be a priority for this branch.  Instruction will be offered within the branch as scheduled by teachers and the librarian or, if school infrastructure permits, the librarian will offer training within the schools, including instruction on how to access library resources on-line.  The Library will respond to a variety of needs which will include, but are not limited to:

• Teacher’s individual assignments
• General instruction on how to use the library and its resources
• Support of Sunset Elementary School’s annual Science Fair project through introduction of relevant materials in branch collection
• Support of Sunset Elementary School’s annual Water Week through introduction of resources in branch collection and participation in the environmental fair /water day
• Other special events or school-wide projects

        In addition the Library and schools will develop a vigorous program of class visits to the Library

        for general library use in support of developing an overall love of reading.

• School staff will notify the Library of class assignments for which Library support would be helpful in advance.  Notification may be provided in person or via email.

• The Library and school will provide one program per semester for parents on how they can assist their children with their schoolwork.  The program will be held at the Library, and will be developed and presented by school and Library staff.

• The school will commit to participating with the Library in the ALA library card project with the goal of having all students obtain a library card to aid in school success.  The library will work with the school to register students and will supply the cards.  The school will provide an award or prize for the first class at each grade level to achieve full library card registration. 

• The Library and the District will provide a minimum of one program (either in the evening or on the weekend) to orient parents to the preparation necessary for the next school level (e.g. from elementary to middle, middle to high school, high school to college).

• The Library and District will sponsor a yearly teacher night at the Ortega Branch to promote use of the facility and positive relationships. Although open to all teachers, new teachers will be targeted for this event. In addition, the branch librarian will have a standing time slot once every two months on the faculty meeting agenda to discuss relevant programs, services and resources.

Future Projects

The Library will work to expand cooperation with other schools within the Ortega Branch service.  In addition, it will work with the College Access Center program, a program that provides assistance and information to students about choices after high school,  housed at the Main Library to encourage A.P. Giannini Middle School students to consider college options as they advance into high school.

Funding for Collaborative Projects

Funding for the furniture and equipment for the delineated projects within the Ortega Branch Library will be provided by the Friends & Foundation of the San Francisco Public Library.  Funding for building construction will be provided by San Francisco’s Branch Library Facilities Improvement Bonds, supplemented with revenues from the California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000.  Ongoing operations of the Ortega Branch Library, and the staff required to run the branch and programs, will be funded by Library dedicated property and City General Fund revenues under the requirements of the Library Preservation Fund.  The District will provide staff time and relevant resources for the Family Literacy Center and Homework Help Center within the bounds of the school site plan and District priorities.

Supervision of Staff

Supervision of teachers and all other school personnel will be the responsibility of the District.  Supervision of Library staff (including technical support) and volunteers in the Homework and Family Literacy programs will be the responsibility of the Library.  Project Read staff will supervise literacy volunteers.

Hours of Service

Library hours of service for students and the public at the Ortega Branch Library are:  Mondays from 10:00AM to 6:00PM; Tuesdays from 10:00AM to 6:00PM; Wednesdays from 1:00PM to 9:00PM; Thursdays from 1:00PM to 9:00PM; Fridays from 1:00PM to 6:00PM; Saturdays from 10:00AM to 6:00PM.    The Library will be open 45 hours per week. Library hours are adjusted every five years after a series of public hearings, as required by the Library Preservation Fund.

Library Location

The proposed joint use projects will be located at the newly renovated Ortega Branch Library at 3223 Ortega Street (at 39^th Avenue).  The branch sits between and immediately adjacent to the A.P. Giannini Middle School and Sunset Elementary School. 

Ownership of Library Building and Responsibility for Operations

The Library will be the owner of the Ortega Branch Library building.  The Library also will own all furnishings and equipment in the building as well as the entire book and materials collection and all computer equipment. 

The Library will be responsible for facility operation and management for the Ortega Branch library and will provide building and equipment maintenance, including maintenance of all computers, telephones, TV/Video and/or future electronic equipment installed or placed in the Library unless specifically excluded through other grants or lease arrangements.

Review of Agreement

During the first year of this Agreement, an equal number of representatives from the Library and the District will meet quarterly to review, evaluate and modify the conditions of this Agreement.  During the second year, an equal number of representatives will meet biannually (twice a year), and in the third year and beyond, representatives will meet biennially (every two years) to review and modify this Agreement.  At any time, review and modification meeting may be called as needed by either party with a 30-day written notice.

Field Act

The Ortega Branch Library project is not subject to the Field Act requirements for review of plans and specifications by the Division of the State Architect for structural safety, disabled access and fire/life safety.  The rationale for this determination is that student attendance at programs or instruction at the Ortega Branch Library will be provided as part of a class visit to the Library.  No part of the Library will serve as a classroom or permanent teaching site for students. 

20-Year Agreement

The term of this Agreement for joint use library services shall be for a period of 20 years following completion of the project.  The project shall be deemed completed when the City determines that the construction of the Ortega Branch Library is substantially complete and the building is ready for occupancy. 

Forty-Year Public Library

The Ortega Branch Library shall be dedicated to public library direct service use for a period of forty years following the completion of the project.  Education Code Sections 1999 and Title 5 Library Bond Act Regulations 20220 (e)(3)(G) are incorporated herein to this Agreement.

Dispute Resolution

If any party defaults in its performance, the aggrieved party shall promptly notify the defaulting party in writing.  Any dispute shall be first addressed at an administrative level between the parties.  If a successful resolution cannot be obtained at the administrative level, the dispute shall be forwarded to the governing body of each party for final resolution.

Indemnification

A.  City agrees to indemnify and hold harmless District and their employees, agents and elective and appointive boards from and against any damages including costs and attorney’s fees arising out of any negligent or intentional acts or omissions of City, its employees or agents. 

B. District agrees to indemnify and hold harmless City, their employees, agents and elective and appointive boards from and against any damages including costs and attorney’s fees arising out of any negligent or intentional acts or omissions of District, its employees or agents.

Changes and Amendments

A.  Any party may request changes in the scope of services.  Any mutually agreed upon changes shall be effective when incorporated in written amendments to this Agreement.

B. The party desiring the revision shall request amendments to the terms and conditions of this Agreement in writing.  Any adjustment to this Agreement shall be effective only upon the mutual agreement in writing of the City, the District and the Library.

C. No verbal agreements or conversations prior to execution of this Agreement or any requested Amendment shall affect or modify any of the terms or conditions of this Agreement unless reduced to writing according to the applicable provisions of this Agreement.

D. If the contemplated funding for these programs should become unavailable, the parties will re-negotiate the joint venture services to be provided under this Agreement.

By:  ________________________________                             By:  _________________________________

         San Francisco Public Library                                            San Francisco Unified School District

Date:  _______________________________            Date:  ________________________________