DATE: June 21, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Darlene Bradley, Directory of Library and Museum Services Prepared by Roger Hiles, Library Services Manager
SUBJECT: PURCHASE ORDER WITH OVERDRIVE, INC. FOR EBOOKS,
EMAGAZINES, DIGITAL AUDIOBOOKS, AND STREAMING VIDEOS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $69,000
Recommendation: Approve
SUMMARY
It is recommended that the City Council approve a Purchase Order for electronic books, electronic magazines, digital audiobooks, and streaming videos from OverDrive, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $69,000. Sufficient funds are available in the City’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 Operating Budget.
BACKGROUND
Since 2011, the Library has utilized the services of OverDrive, Inc. to provide library patrons with access to electronic books, digital audiobooks, and streaming videos.
OverDrive, Inc. is the leading distributor of these materials to libraries. Titles purchased through them are available to library patrons on computers, tablets, eReaders, or smartphones.
DISCUSSION
The Arcadia Public Library has access to OverDrive through membership in the company’s group of local customer libraries, the Southern California Digital Library Consortium, which combines the digital collections of 25 member libraries to provide added selection for our patrons.
The Library also adds to its collection in the Consortium by purchasing individual electronic books, digital audiobooks, and digital videos from OverDrive. These titles include current best-sellers, older classic titles, and titles for adults, teens, and children.
Spending for these items has been growing with the increasing popularity of the format
Purchase Order with OverDrive, Inc. for Digital Materials June 21, 2022
(usage by Library patrons is up 53% since the start of the pandemic) and total spending for OverDrive is projected to reach $58,500 for the Fiscal Year 2022-23.
OverDrive, Inc. has recently acquired Kanopy, the Library’s supplier of streaming video content. Use of streaming video by Library patrons has increased 96% since the beginning of the pandemic. The budget for streaming video from Kanopy in the amount of $10,500 has been added to this purchase order.
Spending for both OverDrive and Kanopy will be approximately $69,000 for the Fiscal Year 2022-23.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
Sufficient funds have been approved in the City’s FY 2022-23 Operating Budget.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a project and is, therefore, exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and approve a Purchase Order with OverDrive for eBooks, eMagazines, digital audiobooks, and streaming videos in an amount not to exceed $69,000.