City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: FEBRUARY 27, 2024 FROM: LIBRARY DEPARTMENT WARD: ALL
SUBJECT: ACCEPT $3,000 DONATION FROM RIVERSIDE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION FOR RIVERSIDE READS PROJECT – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Accept a $3,000 donation from the Riverside Public Library Foundation for the Riverside Public Library’s Riverside Reads project and appropriate expenditures in the same amount.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Accept $3,000 from the Riverside Public Library Foundation, and With at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or his designee, to record an increase in estimated revenues and supplemental appropriation in the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, Library Gift revenue and expenditure accounts in the amount of $3,000 to pay for Library materials, programs, and services related to the Riverside Reads Project.
BACKGROUND:
The City Charter requires all City funds, including private donations, to be deposited into the City Treasury. Gift funds are held in a Library Minor Gift Fund account pending appropriation to the General Fund.
The Riverside Reads program at the Riverside Public Library is an annual program that provides an opportunity for the community to have a shared reading experience and to participate in engaging discussions. The book title is selected based on topics that may be of social or historical significance to the community. In addition to print and digital copies that can be checked out from the library, free copies of the book are also available at all library locations.
DISCUSSION:
The Library Department is requesting that the City Council accept a $3,000 donation from the Riverside Public Library Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, and an appropriation of $3,000 to the expenditure gift account for use by the Library for materials, programs, and services related to the Riverside Reads project.
The book selected for Riverside Reads 2024 is There There by Tommy Orange, an award-winning novel that follows twelve characters from Native communities as they travel to the Big Oakland Powwow. “A contemporary classic, this astonishing literary debut places Native American voices front and center” (National Public Radio). Free copies of the book will be available at all eight library locations starting mid-February, while supplies last.
Programming will celebrate the vibrancy of local indigenous cultures by highlighting their history, artwork, and literature. Events will begin in March with a kick-off panel discussion at the Main Library featuring a Professor of American Indian Affairs from UC Riverside and representatives from Sherman Indian High School and the Museum of Riverside. There will also be a screening of the documentary film These are Not “Stories”: American Indian Boarding Schools in Southern California.
Scheduled throughout March and April will be community book discussions, an open mic teen showcase featuring students from Sherman Indian High School sharing their art and songs, and a local author showcase in collaboration with Inlandia.
The 2024 Riverside Reads program will be supported by funds from the Riverside Public Library Foundation. Prior to this meeting, a staff report was submitted for the Board of Library Trustees February 12, 2024, to accept and recommend that the City Council approve the gift fund donations from December 2023 in the amount of $3,000 from Riverside Public Library Foundation for the Riverside Reads 2024 program. In the past, the California State Library has provided opportunities to fund the program through their Book to Action grant; however, the grant opportunity was not made available this year.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority No. 1 Arts, Culture & Recreation and Goal 1.1 - Strengthen Riverside’s portfolio of arts, culture, recreation, senior and lifelong learning programs and amenities through expanded community partnerships, shared use opportunities and fund development.
The item aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust - This item aligns with Community Trust by minimizing the expenditure of City funds through community partnership and involving the community.
Equity - This item aligns with Equity by facilitating equitable distribution of services to every member of the community through programs funded by gift and trust funds.
Fiscal Responsibility - This item aligns with Fiscal Responsibility as the community would benefit with no financial implications to the City other than in-kind contributions of staff time.
Innovation - This item aligns with Innovation by continuing partnerships with the Friends of the Library and Riverside Public Library Foundation to secure funding for programming needs for the community.
Sustainability & Resiliency - This item aligns with Sustainability & Resiliency by providing fund development opportunity.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $3,000. Upon City Council approval, an increase of $3,000 in revenue will be recorded and an equal amount appropriation in the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, Library, Miscellaneous Donations revenue account number 5145001-374222 and Library Gift & Trust, Gift Expenditures account number 5145001-450201.
Prepared by: Angela Henson, Sr. Management Analyst
Approved by: Erin Christmas, Library Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director / Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra Norton, City Attorney
RPLF Donation fort Riverside Reads ● Page 2