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CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
June 24, 2024
TO: City Council
Simi Valley Library Board of Trustees
FROM: Office of the City Manager
SUBJECT: 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
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that City Council authorize the acceptance of a $ 46,430 California Library Literacy Services grant and a $19,895 English as a Second Language grant awarded from the California State Library for Adult Literacy Services (ALS) at the Simi Valley Public Library (Library).
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. On behalf of the City, LS&S applied for grant funding to offset the cost of the program with the California State Library and received confirmation on September 11, 2023, that they were successful. T he Library was selected for its commitment to serving the literacy needs in the community and its promising sustainability. For Fiscal Year (FY) 202 4-25, t he Library was awarded $46,430 for California Library Literacy Services and $19,895 for English as a Secon d Language, for a combined total of $66,325.
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 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 solely dedicated to literacy services, which also includes English as a Second Language
AGENDA ITEM NO.
Consent (6)
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(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 partial 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 community, the Library was awarded funding from CLLS for both adult literacy and English as a S econd language.
The grant award for adult literacy amounted to $46,430 for FY 2024-25. 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 $19,895 this fiscal year for ESL instruction.
Staff is recommending that the City Council authoriz e the acceptance of a $46,430 California Library Literacy Services and $19,895 English as a Second Language grant award from the California State Library for Adult Literacy Services at the Simi Valley Public Library. Funding was included in the FY 2024- 25 Library budget (Fund 250) and approved by the City Council on June 3, 2024.
The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Authorize the acceptance of a $ 46,430 California Library Literacy Services and $19,895 English as a Second Language grant award from the California State Library for Adult Literacy Services at the Simi Valley Public Library;
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 $19,895 English as a Second Language grant award from the State of California for Adult Literacy Services at the Simi Valley Public Library.
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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 amount of $19,895, for a combined total of $66,325. 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 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. Funding was included in the FY 2024- 25 Library budget (Fund 250) and approved by the City Council on June 3, 2024.
____________________________________
Linda Swan
Assistant City Manager
Prepared by: Anna Medina, Deputy Community Services Director
INDEX Page
Exhibit 1 – California Library Literacy Services Grant Award ........... 4 Exhibit 2 – English as a Second Language Grant Award ................. 5 Dear Stephanie and Kelly,
Please find below the projected California Library Literacy Services (CLLS) award amount for the upcoming 2024-2025 program period. You will use this projected amount to construct your Adult Literacy Services budget in your 2024-2025 CLLS Continuing Libraries Application on Counting Opinions.
Please note: CLLS award calculations for the 2024-2025 fiscal year have changed. More information is below and will be discussed during our information sessions.
This email represents a preliminary notification of your projected CLLS award amount for 2024- 2025. It is intended to help you complete your 2024-2025 CLLS Continuing Libraries Application.
It does not replace the formal award letter and award packet.
All projected award amounts are tentative and subject to change. They cannot be confirmed until the state budget is passed in July 2024. The award letter and award packet are expected to be sent via DocuSign after July 1, 2024, to your library’s authorized representative(s). After the DocuSign packet is completed with no errors, it will take approximately 10-12 weeks for the funds to arrive at your library.
For the 2024-2025 program period, the following changes have been made to the CLLS award calculation:
1. The baseline has increased from $20,000 to $25,000 for all CLLS Adult Literacy Services programs.
2. For programs that offer Family Literacy Services, programs will now be provided one award amount in a “block grant” model.
General Projected Award Calculation Information
CLLS receives $7.32 million in ongoing funding for Adult Literacy Services and Family Literacy Services. The projected CLLS award amounts have been calculated using data reported in your library’s 2022-2023 CLLS Final Report unless your library has made a specific funding request. For those libraries whose CLLS programs began in 2023-2024, your awards remain the same for the first three years of CLLS program participation.
Please note: For libraries who applied for CLLS English as a Second Language (ESL) funding during the final application round for 2024-2026, please review the information that has been auto filled, but do not make any adjustments to the ESL sections on the 2024-2025 CLLS Continuing Application.
Projected Award Information
Simi Valley Public Library’s 2024-2025 projected CLLS award amount is $46,430.
EXHIBIT 1
4 Library – Courts Building 916-323-9759
P.O. Box 942837 [email protected]
Sacramento, CA 94237-0001 www.library.ca.gov
26 January 2024
Kelly Behle
Simi Valley Public Library
2969 Tapo Canyon Road
Simi Valley, CA 93063
Dear Ms. Behle,
We’re pleased to provide funds to support your English as a Second Language program and the important work you, your staff, and your volunteers do for your community through the California Library Literacy Services program.
In 2021-2022, the state budget included $15 million in one-time California Library Literacy Services funding for English as Second Language Services. These funds were to be allocated over a five-year period. This award letter provides a combined award covering Year Four and Year Five. Your total award is $39,790.
Your award for the 2024-2025 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, is: $19,895.
Your award for the 2025-2026 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, is: $19,895.
Year Four award funds must be spent between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, and must be fully expended by June 30, 2025.
Year Five award funds must be spent between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, and must be fully expended by June 30, 2026.
All funds must be spent in accordance with your approved budgets included in this award packet. Additionally, all California Library Literacy Services English as a Second Language funds must be fully expended by June 30, 2026, in accordance with the timeframe dictated by the California State Legislature.
Please review the California Library Literacy Services Allowable and Unallowable Expenses guidelines to ensure that program expenditures are consistent with the California Library Literacy Services allowable expenses. If you have any questions about expenses or expending your award funds, please contact Allyson Jeffredo at 916-603- 6709 or [email protected].
To streng
then your program, we strongly encourage your program staff to develop and maintain community partners, attend regular regional library literacy network meetings, participate in your local Adult Education Consortium, and participate in library literacy DocuSign Envelope ID: 434ED48B-6CFF-432B-A000-B850FEEDF565 In Process
EXHIBIT 2
5 Library – Courts Building 916-323-9759
P.O. Box 942837 [email protected]
Sacramento, CA 94237-0001 www.library.ca.gov
training opportunities offered by the regional networks and the State Library to meet the CLLS Mission, Values, and Program Essentials. Additional California Library Literacy Services resources can also be found on the California Library Literacy Services webpage.
Y
ear Four and Year Five funding will be distributed in separate claim processes:
• The payment process for your Year Four funding begins when we receive your c
ompleted and signed budget modification form (if needed), claim form, c
ertification form, and State Funded Grants Award Agreement and Certificate o
f Compliance (attached). All forms should be completed and signed through D
ocuSign to be processed for payment.
• The claim process for Year Five funding will begin after the successful completion o
f the 2024-2025 CLLS Mid-Year Report. Once the report is complete, the payment process for your Year Five funding will begin when we receive your completed and signed budget modification form (if needed), claim form, and certification form. All forms should be completed and signed through DocuSign to be processed for payment.
Our library literacy staff is available to assist you throughout the year. Please contact your Advisor Beverly Schwartzberg, [email protected], and your Grant Monitor Allyson Jeffredo, [email protected], with any questions.
Th
ank you for your willingness to do so much for those in your community. Best wishes for a successful year.
Respectfully yours,
Greg Lucas
California State Librarian
Cc: Beverly Schwartzberg, [email protected] A llyson Jeffredo, [email protected]
State F iscal Office, [email protected] S tephanie Erbe, [email protected]
Kelly Duffy, [email protected]
Enc: Re: ESL21-4-56: Claim form, certification form, and State Funded Grants Award Agreement and Certificate of Compliance
DocuSign Envelope ID: 434ED48B-6CFF-432B-A000-B850FEEDF565 In Process
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