Agenda ort
July 11, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Department of Libraries and Information Services
SUBJECT: RECOGNTION OF REVENUE FROM THE ESTATE OF ROBERT G.
LOW IN THE AMOUT OF $68,000 AND APPROPRIATION TO
SUPPLEMENT THE PURCHASE OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions
1. Find that the proposed action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 21065 of CEQA and Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines and, as such, no environmental document pursuant to CEQA is required for the project; and ,
2. Amend the Department of Libraries and Information Services Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Operating Budget by recognizing and appropriating $68,000 from the Estate of Robert G. Low.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City has demonstrated continuously its commitment to ensure Pasadena children and youth have the resources they need to succeed in school as evidenced by the fact that close to nine-in-ten residents surveyed agree that Pasadena's libraries play a critical role in educating our community's children and youth. In support of this commitment, the Pasadena Public Library (Library) appropriates funds on an annual basis for the purchase of children's books to .be made available to young readers at no cost to library patrons.
In May 2022, the Library received notification of a bequest in the amount of $68,000 to supplement its budgeted funds for the purchase of library books for children. The bequest, from the Estate of Robert G. Low, is in the amount of $68,000, subject to these terms and conditions: For supplementing the regularly budgeted funds for the purchase of books for children and young readers, and to improve, encourage, and expand reading skills and literary interests for the purchase of only books and not for the purchase of computers, tapes, or videos.
MEETING OF _O_J_/_l_l_/_2_2 __ AGENDA ITEM NO. _2 ______ _ RECOGNTION OF REVENUE FROM THE ESTATE OF ROBERT G. LOW
July 11, 2022
BACKGROUND:
The freedom to know is the foundation of our democracy. The mission of the Pasadena Public Library, a basic municipal service, is to be an information center for the Pasadena community in order to preserve and encourage the free expression of ideas essential to an informed citizenry.
The Library's collection development policy is intended to provide guidance, within budgetary and space limitations, for the selection and evaluation of materials and formats which anticipate and meet the needs of the Pasadena community. It directly relates the collection to the Library's mission statement.
As the community changes, the library will reassess and adapt its collections, formats, and technology to reflect new and emerging areas of interest and concern. Knowledge of the community enables the library to better serve its users. The primary responsibility of the Library is to provide a broad choice of materials to meet the informational, educational, cultural and recreational needs of the community.
The Library accepts gifts (including publisher's gift copies) for the Library's collection that fall within needed subject categories, as determined by the Library Director and the staff. Gift additions must meet the same selection criteria as purchased materials.
Monetary gifts to the collection are also welcome.
Under the City's Donation/Gift Policy, designated donations, such as this bequest, mean those donations that the donor specifies for a particular City department, location, or purpose. Offers of cash or items valued more than $10,000 must be accepted by the City Council. Staff has reviewed the conditions of the designated donation and determined the benefits to be derived warrant acceptance of the donation.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The action proposed herein is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Section 21065 of CEQA and State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15378. The recognition of revenue to supplement the purchase of children's books is a government fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. Therefore, the proposed action is not a "project" subject to CEQA, as defined in Section 21065 of CEQA and Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
Since the action is not a project subject to CEQA, no environmental document is required.
RECOGNTION OF REVENUE FROM THE ESTATE OF ROBERT G. LOW
July 11, 2022
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Pasadena Public Library is currently financed by an appropriation from the City General Fund, revenues that flow directly to the Library Services Fund (e.g., earmarked funds from the State) and a dedicated Special Tax on real estate parcels in the City.
The revenue from this bequest will be added to the Library Services Fund supplementing the City's budgeted funds for the purchase of library books for children and young readers, per the terms and conditions of the bequest. The average cost of a children's book in 2022 being $13.80, this revenue equates to approximately 4,928 books added to the Library's collection and available to the community.
Approved by:
anager
Respectfully submitted,
TIM MCDONALD
Acting Library Director
Libraries and Information Services