Meeting Date: March 21, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor and Honorable City Council Members
From: Sebastopol Library Commissioner Fred Engbarth
Subject: Request for Authorization for Mayor to Send Letter of Support for Additional Adequate Staffing for the Sebastopol Branch of the Regional Library
Recommandation: That the Council authorize the Mayor to send a letter in support of additional, adequate staffing for the Sebastopol Branch of the Regional Library, to be received prior to the Library’s first Budget Hearing on April 4, 2023
I apologize for not being able to attend this meeting in person or by Zoom.
I whole-heartedly support this request. Our Sebastopol library branch could do so much more for our community if it received the financial support to increase its staff by two (2) FTE.
The Sebastopol Library has long been recognized as the most visited public building in town.
At the same time, Sebastopol’s patronage has grown and continues to grow; Sebastopol now stands third in circulation in the Sonoma County Library system.
The Sebastopol Library staff strives to provide professional public service. However, the current staffing levels for Sebastopol are not on par with other branches in the system, contrary to the requirements of the JPA. Inadequate staffing impacts service to patrons as well as adversely impacts the staff's ability to perform outreach to groups within the community, such as schools, and through participation in community events.
The Sebastopol Library branch needs and deserves two more full-time librarians: one adult librarian and one children’s librarian.
While there is a clearly identified need for a larger library facility, the pressing need is for staffing levels for the branch to be increased. “Provide Sebastopol with the Library Staff that is Warranted,” is the message needed right now for the Sonoma County Library administration and commission.
cc: Deborah Doyle, Chair, Sonoma County Library Commission Erika Thibault, Director, Sonoma County Library