TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Philippe Eskandar, City Manager
BY: Eddie Covarrubias, Interim Community Services Director DATE: April 8, 2026
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF $13,000 DONATION FROM THE SAN
MARINO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION
STRATEGIC PLAN CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Efficient, Responsive, and Effective City Services
Fiscally Responsible and Transparent City Government
BACKGROUND
In March 2026, the Community Services Department, Library Division received a $13,000 donation from the San Marino Public Library Foundation.
The monies are to be used for adult programming and collection development.
The City’s Donation Policy requires a formal budget amendment to properly document and receive these funds (Attachment 1).
DISCUSSION
The requested budget amendment is administrative. It accepts and acknowledges the San Marino Public Library Foundation’s gift and approves revenue and expenditure budget amendments to the City’s Restricted Donations Fund.
The donation will support the Library’s Adult Services functions. The plan is to purchase high-demand, best-selling fiction and non-fiction materials.
Maintaining a comprehensive catalog of the latest research in nonfiction, as well the works of best-selling fiction authors such as James Patterson, Matt Haig, and Louise Erdrich, supports the Library’s mission of maintaining a book collection to serve the educational, cultural, and recreational interests of all Tony Chou, Mayor
Calvin Lo, Vice Mayor
Hunter Chang, Council Member
John Chou, Council Member
Gretchen Shepherd Romey, Council Member
people. These funds will also be used to provide diverse hands-on experiences and learning opportunities for the community. Programs serve to introduce community members to a broad range of cultural and enriching experiences that support a premier quality of life.
FISCAL IMPACT & PROCUREMENT REVIEW
The donation will have no impact on the General Fund and represents an unexpected benefit to the City’s Restricted Donations Fund budget (Fund No. 281) for this fiscal year. The below revenue and expenditure budget amendments are required:
Revenue: Account #281-91-3601-0000: Adult Material Donations – Other, $13,000
Expenditure: Account #281-91-4150-0000: Adult Other Contract Services, $3,000
Expenditure: Account #281-91-4370-0000: Adult Materials – Other, $5,000
Expenditure: Account #281-91-4376-0000: Adult Materials and Supplies, $5,000
This report requires no procurement review.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's office has reviewed and approved as to form.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Council accept the $13,000 donation from the San Marino Public Library Foundation, amend the City’s Restricted Donations Fund Account #281-91-3601-0000 (Adult Materials Donations - Other) by $13,000, amend the City’s Restricted Donations Fund Account #281-91-4150-0000 (Adult Other Contract Services) by $3,000, amend the City’s Restricted Donations Fund Account #281-91-4370-0000 (Adult Materials – Other) by $5,000, and amend the City’s Restricted Donations Fund Account #281-91- 4376-0000 (Adult Materials and Supplies) by $5,000. If the City Council concurs with staff’s recommendation, an appropriate motion would be:
“I move to accept the $13,000 donation from the San Marino Public Library Foundation, amend the City’s Restricted Donations Fund Account #281-91- 3601-0000 (Adult Materials Donations - Other) by $13,000, amend the City’s Restricted Donations Fund Account #281-91-4150-0000 (Adult Other Contract Services) by $3,000, amend the City’s Restricted Donations Fund Account #281-91-4370-0000 (Adult Materials – Other) by $5,000, and amend the City’s Restricted Donations Fund Account #281-91-4376-0000 (Adult Materials and Supplies) by $5,000.”
ATTACHMENTS
1. City Donation Policy