City Council
June 7, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Edward D. Reiskin FROM: Jamie Turbak
City Administrator Director of Library Services
SUBJECT: State Library Broadband Grant DATE: April 26, 2022
City Administrator Approval Date: May 23, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To (1) Apply For Grant Funds From The California State Library; And (2) Accept And Appropriate Said Funds In An Amount Not To Exceed $323,367.37 Through The Fiscal Year 2021-2022 For Funding High-Speed Broadband At Oakland Public Library; And (3) Apply For, Accept And Appropriate Future Grant Funds For Said Purpose Within The Grant Term, Without Returning To Council.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The proposed resolution authorizes the City Administrator to apply for grant funding from the State Library High-Speed Broadband in California Libraries Grant and accept and appropriate said grant funds in an amount up to $323,367.37 through Fiscal Year 2021-2022, as well as future grant funds without returning to Council.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The California State Library offers a grant opportunity to bring high-speed broadband to all California public libraries by connecting them to the California Research and Education Network (CalREN) — a high-capacity 3,800-mile fiber-optic-based network designed to meet the unique requirements of over 20 million users, including K-20 students together with educators, researchers, and others working in California’s vital public-serving institutions.
Money under this established grant program may be used to help pay for network equipment, equipment installation, and equipment configuration to ensure high-speed broadband connectivity at Oakland Public Library.
There is no prior legislative history regarding this particular grant opportunity and it is a one-time occurrence.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: State Library Broadband Grant
Date: April 26, 2022 Page 2
City Council
June 7, 2022
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
This grant award supports a Citywide priority to provide vibrant, sustainable infrastructure for the public by providing free access to the Internet.
Funding from this grant award will provide network hardware, installation and configuration support and costs associated with network design. Specifically, thirty (30) end-of-support network switches will be replaced and seven (7) switches will be added to extend the Oakland Public Library’s network connection needs. The existing switches were installed in 2014 and will reach end-of-support in June 2022. Oakland Public Library has been experiencing an increase in network disruption and failed connectivity across the Library due to failing network equipment. The new switches to be purchased, configured and installed with these grant funds will tremendously improve the Internet connection, including Wi-Fi and hardwired PCs, used by patrons at all library locations.
If this grant award is not accepted, network connectivity will continue to deteriorate, and the Oakland Public Library will not be able to help close the digital divide.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total project cost is $331,658.84 with a technology hardware expense of $297,658.84 and network configuration expense of $34,000.00. Per the broadband grant’s match requirement, Oakland Public Library is responsible for providing $8,291.47 of its own funding toward this project.
The proposed resolution authorizes acceptance and appropriation of grant funds in the amount of $323,367.37. Said grant funds will be appropriated to California Library Services Fund (2148), Organization 61211, Project and Program to be determined.
The Oakland Public Library will provide $8,291.47 in matching funds available in Oakland Public Library Trust Fund (7540).
This Council action will have no impact to the General Purpose Fund (1010).
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
This item did not require public outreach other than posting on the City’s website.
COORDINATION
This report and legislation have been reviewed by the Budget Bureau and Office of the City Attorney.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: State Library Broadband Grant
Date: April 26, 2022 Page 3
City Council
June 7, 2022
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: No economic opportunities have been identified.
Environmental: No environmental opportunities have been identified.
Race & Equity: There is a strong correlation between neighborhoods with poor Internet service and those that were “redlined” beginning in the 1930s. In Oakland, there are an estimated 36,951 homes unconnected to high-speed broadband, including more than 40% of African American residents who lack access to high-speed internet at home. Similar levels of disparity exist for other historically marginalized groups, such as Latinos (33.5%) and Asian Americans (25.2%) while only 14.6% of all white Oakland residents lack such access. Oakland Public Libraries provide free, high-speed Internet access at 18 locations across the City. This does not adequately eliminate the disparity of the digital divide, but it does provide important broadband access to those without it.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To (1) Apply For Grant Funds From The California State Library; And (2) Accept And Appropriate Said Funds In An Amount Not To Exceed $323,367.37 Through The Fiscal Year 2021-2022 For Funding High-Speed Broadband At Oakland Public Library; And (3) Apply For, Accept And Appropriate Future Grant Funds For Said Purpose Within The Grant Term, Without Returning To Council.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services at (510) 238-6610.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMIE TURBAK
Director of Library Services
Prepared by:
Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services
Oakland Public Library