COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dawn Jackson, Library Director
DATE: March 3, 2026
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Approving an Agreement with the County of Santa Barbara and the Cities of Lompoc, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria for the Operation of a Free Countywide Library System for Fiscal Year 2025-2026
Description:
The City Council will consider adopting a Resolution approving an Agreement with the County of Santa Barbara to provide for the operation of a Free Countywide Library System for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt a Resolution approving an Agreement with the County of Santa Barbara, the cities of Lompoc, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria to provide for the operation of a Free Countywide Library System for Fiscal Year 2025-2026; and
2. Authorize the City Manager , or designee, to execute agreement and to appropriate, release, and expend funds and issue warrants to comply with the terms of the agreement.
BACKGROUND:
Since 1962, the County of Santa Barbara (County) has contracted annually with the cities of Lompoc, Santa Barbara, and Santa Maria to provide free library service to the cities and unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County. The cities of Goleta and Carpinteria have contracted with the County since the formation of their city libraries in 2018 and 2022, respectively. Library funding is a discretionary matter decided each year by the Board of Supervisors.
Each city library is responsible for a separate "zone." Santa Maria is designated as Zone 3 which includes the cities and unincorporated areas located within or in close proximity to Cuyama, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and Orcutt. With County funds, which have been allocated historically on a per-capita basis, the Santa Maria Public Library operates four 2 branch libraries in Cuyama, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and Orcutt. All County residents have free and equal access to all public libraries within the County.
Last year's Agreement for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 was brought to the City Council and approved on February 18, 2025.
DISCUSSION:
On December 16, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the Free Countywide Library System contract for FY 2025-2026. The per capita base allocation for FY 2025-2026 is $9.42 with additional funding allocated to County branches to mitigate a potential loss of open hours and programming reductions. The County contribution to library services in Zone 3 for FY 2025-2026 is based on a total population of 159,503. The fiscal year funding totals $1,756,300. This figure includes the additional allocation of $189,164 from cannabis funding, which provides an additional $18,408 for Cuyama , $30,249 for Guadalupe, $29,742 for Los Alamos, and $110,765 for Orcutt. Additionally, Orcutt will receive $55,000 in other County funding to be used for rent, and the Main Library will receive $8,900 from the small branch library fund to expand Bookmobile services to unincorporated locations within Zone 3, such as school visits and occasional stops that will not impact service to Santa Maria residents.
The term of the County agreement commenced on July 1, 2025, and continues until June 30, 2026.
The payments are to be made by the C ounty to cities in two installments: the first after execution of the Agreement by all parties, and no earlier than October 1, 202 5, but no later than February 1, 2026, and the second payment no earlier than March 1, 2026, but no later than April 1, 2026. Cities are to provide the County with an annual statement of receipts and disbursements no later than 60 days after the end of the fiscal year (Agreement Section 6D, Deposit of Allotment of Funds and Section 17, Reports of Receipts and Disbursements).
The County's Community Services Director is the designated representative for the County, and the city’s Chief Librarians are the designated representatives for each of their cities for the purpose of notices and correspondence (Agreement Section 1, Designated Representative and Section 22, Notices).
Alternative(s)
An alternative would be to decline the agreement and lose valuable funding to operate County branches.
Fiscal Considerations
Library Zone 3 (Santa Maria) will receive a total of $ 1,756,300. The City Main Library is allocated $1,098,939 or 63 percent of all County funds based on a population of 115,660 and small branch funding for the Bookmobile. The County branches will receive $657,361 calculated on a population estimate of 43,843 and cann abis funding allocated by the County Supervisors to cover projected deficits. County branch total budgets will be set 3 as follows: Cuyama $26,934, Guadalupe $112,349, Los Alamos $52,046, and Orcutt $466,032. These allocations are included in the FY 2025-26 Library budget.
Impact on the Community
The funds received under this Agreement are an important segment of the budget for the Main Library, as well as the County branches operated by the Santa Maria Public Library, located in Cuyama, Los Alamos, Guadalup e, and Orcutt. Renewal of this Agreement is essential to maintain funding for library programs and to continue providing library services to all Zone 3 libraries and surrounding communities.
ATTACHMENT(S)
A. Resolution Approving an Agreement for Operation of a Free Countywide Library System Fiscal Year 2025-2026
B. Agreement for Operation of a Free Countywide Library System Fiscal Year 202 5-2026 C. Santa Barbara County Library Zones Map