CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
D
ecember 18, 2023
TO
: City Council
F
ROM: Office of the City Manager
S
UBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT FUNDING FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY ’S CALIFORNIA LIBRARY LITERACY SERVICES
GRANT PROGRAM FOR ADULT LITERACY SERVICES AT THE SIMI
VALLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY AND APPROVAL OF A SUPPLEMENTAL
BUDGET REQUEST
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that City Council authorize the acceptance of a $46,430 California Library Literacy Services ( page 4) and a $38,890 English as a S econd Language grant award (page 45) from the California State Library for Adult Literacy Services (ALS) at the Simi Valley Public Library (Library) and approve a Supplemental Budget Request of $85,320 in the Library Fund (Fund 250).
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
In 2022, the Board of Trustees (City Council) adopted the Library’s 2023- 2027 Strategic Plan. On May 15, 2023, the City Council approved an amendment to the contract with Library Systems and Services (LS&S), LLC. for enhanced Library services to include the addition of in-house Adult Literacy Services. LS&S applied for grant funding to offset the cost of the program on behalf of the City with the California State Library and received confirmation on September 11, 2023, that they were successful. The Library was selected for its commitment to serving the literacy needs in the community and its promising sustainability. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24, the Library was awarded the California Library Literacy Services and the English as a Second Language grant award in the amount of $46,430 and $38,890 respectively for Adult Literacy Services, for a combined total of $85,320.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
The 2023- 2027 Library’s Strategic Plan was developed after an extensive community engagement campaign and analysis of the statistics and trends from annual reporting.
The Plan was subsequently adopted by the Board of Trustees (City Council) in November 2022. In May 2023, the City Council approved an amendment to the contract with LS&S for Adult Literacy Services (ALS), which included the addition of a LS&S part-time Literacy Coordinator/Instructor (0.5 full-time employee equivalent). The Coordinator/Instructor is 19/11-23
AGENDA ITEM NO.
Consent (3)
2 19/11-23
solely dedicated to literacy services, which also includes English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction for adults . Their responsibilities include training volunteer tutors, assessing the literacy needs of the learner and matching them with the appropriate tutor, assessing progress, collecting data and keeping records, facilitating learning programs and social events, ordering materials and supplies, processing of background checks for volunteers, and establishing contacts with other organizations to identify partnership opportunities for providing services. Per the amendment, the City’s total annual cost for Adult Literacy Services is $33,400.
LS&S has experience operating established Literacy Services programs with other California Libraries, who are currently receiving full or p artial State Grant funding and applied for grant funding on behalf of the City to offset the ALS and ESL program cost.
In order to be eligible to receive grant funding, LS&S joined the California Library Literacy Services (CLLS) program, a regional literacy network, which mandates that the Library meet CLLS Mission, Values, and Program Essentials and reporting requirements. As a result of LS&S commitment to serve the literacy needs in the City community, the Library was awarded funding from CLLS for both adult literacy and English as a Second Language. The grant award for adult literacy amounted to $46,430 for FY 2023-24. As the adult literacy grant cycle awards funds based upon a four-year cycle, LS&S will have to apply annually to receive additional funding in future years . Additionally, the Library was awarded $38,890 this fiscal year for ESL instruction and will apply for continued funding during the remaining two-year grant cycle.
Staff is recommending that the City Council authoriz e the accept ance of a $46,430 California Library Literacy Services and $38,890 English as a Second Language grant award from the California State Library for Adult Literacy Services at the Simi Valley Public Library and approve a Supplemental Budget Request of $85,320 in the Library Fund (Fund 250).
The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Authorize the acceptance of a $ 46,430 California Library Literacy Services and $38,890 English as a Second Language grant award from the California State Library for Adult Literacy Services (ALS) at the Simi Valley Public Library and approve a Supplemental Budget Request of $85,320 in the Library Fund (Fund 250) for expenditure of the grant funds;
2. Provide staff with other direction.
Staff recommends Alternative No. 1.
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I move to authorize the acceptance of a $46,430 California Library Literacy Services and a $38,890 English as a Second Language grant award from the State of California for Adult Literacy Services at the Simi Valley Public Library and approve a Supplemental 3 19/11-23
Budget Request of $85,320 in the Library Fund (Fund 250) for expenditure of the grant funds.
SUMMARY
LS
&S applied for grant funding with the California State Library on behalf of the City and was awarded the California Library Literacy Services grant in the amount of $46,430 for Adult Literacy Services. In addition, the Library will receive an English as a Second Language award through the California Library Literacy Services program in the am ount of $38,890, for a combined total of $85,320. Grant funds will be used to offset the Adult Literacy Services annual program costs, while providing an even greater value for a more impactful program for the Simi Valley community. Staff recommends that City Council provide authoriz ation to accept funding from the California State Library’s California Library Literacy Services Grant Program for Adult Literacy Services at the Simi Valley Public Library and approve a Supplemental Budget Request of $85,320 in the Library Fund (Fund 250) for expenditure of the grant funds.
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_________________________________
Linda Swan
Assistant City Manager
P
repared by: Anna Medina, Deputy Community Services Director INDEX Page
E
xhibit 1 – California Library Literacy Services Grant Award ........... 4 Exhibit 2 – English as a Second Language Grant Award ............... 45 EXHIBIT 1
4 5
6 7
8 9
10 11
12 13
14 15
16 17
18 19
20 21
22 23
24 25
26 27
28 29
30 31
32 33
34 35
36 37
38 39
40 41
42 43
44 EXHIBIT 2
45 46
47 48
49 50
51 52
53 54
55 56
57 58
59 60
61 62
63 64
65 66
67 68
69 70
71 72
73 74
75 76
77 78
79 80
81 82
83 84