Placer Supes receive update on efforts to optimize library services

The Placer County Library provided the Board of Supervisors with an update on the Library Services Study during the Sept. 13 meeting. The study examined the library's current level of service within its nine locations, including the closed Applegate and Penryn libraries, and challenges such as the amount of funding, a gap in circulation compared to other communities and an all-hands-on-deck staffing approach. During the May 10 meeting, the consultant, Constructive Disruption, recommended steady and consistent investment as one of four paths to optimize services. The board directed county staff to review other library system models and work with library groups and the public to facilitate further discussion. Placer County Library Services Director Mary George advised the board would hear from Facility Services in the coming weeks regarding the future ownership of the Applegate library. George confirmed library administration would work with Facility Services and the Friends of the Applegate Library to "support efforts to successfully repurpose the library and strengthen the Applegate community." According to George, increased tax revenues in the library fund have been identified to support increasing library open hours, adding staff and growing programming in the Foresthill, Kings Beach and Tahoe City libraries. The increase in staffing will allow each location to be open for 38 hours per week, an increase of 10.5 public service hours. The initial investment will include adding a library specialist position to each location and transitioning part-time staff to full-time employment. Ongoing funding will be addressed in the budget process, George said. George also shared about $100,000 was spent on the Penryn Library utilizing one staff member based on a fiscal analysis completed in 2019. If the county reopened the Penryn location, George said an additional staff member would need to be added due to safety and human resource guidelines for breaks. District 3 Supervisor Jim Holmes asked if the library administration has been pursuing grant opportunities. George confirmed staff has applied for two Building Forward grants with the California State Library and Placer was selected for a $4.9 million grant for the Auburn Library if the county can provide matching funds. The board received three comments requesting the Penryn Library be reopened due to it being a service to the Penryn, Newcastle, Ophir and Loomis area, and for the county to find a way to fund reopening the location. Following the board's discussion, Placer Supervisors directed library staff to gather data regarding the use of the Penryn Library and the cost of reopening the location with current demographics and anticipated growth. District 1 Supervisor Bonnie Gore suggested looking into the cost of having additional services like mobile libraries. "We want to have library services. That's really important," Gore said. "Having the opportunity for children to participate and go to the library, we certainly want to see that. It's just how do we best do it in certain constraints." The full Library Services Study report can be viewed at placer.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/60633/2022-051022-On-File-Item-06A.