TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Jonathan Serret, Cultural and Community Services Director DATE:January 14, 2025
SUBJECT: Library Circulating Materials
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize expenditure in an amount not to exceed $600,000 per vendor in FY 2024-25 (with all vendor combined purchases remaining within the $729,436 budgeted amount) for Library circulating materials (books, databases, periodicals, electronic books, audio books, etc.) from A/C #110-7220-673-3231 (Materials, Circulating Books) for the following vendors: Ingram Library Services LLC (St.
Louis, MO), Overdrive Inc. (Cleveland, OH), Gale Cengage Learning Inc. (Farmington Hills, MI), Baker & Taylor Inc. (Atlanta, GA), Midwest Tape (Holland, OH), Ebsco (Ipswich, MA), Newsbank (Naples, FL), Proquest LLC (Ann Arbor, MI), Library Ideas (Fairfax, VA), Mango Languages (Farmington Hills, MI), and CALIFA Group (San Francisco, CA).
2. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: Yes
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. $729,436 is included in the Adopted FY 2024-25 Library Fund Budget for circulating materials. No single vendor will exceed $600,000 and all vendor combined purchases will remain within the $729,436 budgeted amount.
BACKGROUND:
Books, physical and electronic, are exempt from the City’s Purchasing Ordinance as indicated by Thousand Oaks Municipal Code section 3-10.105(b). As a form of transparency to City Council and the public, this report is provided annually to inform City Council of potential purchases with the vendors named above.
Library Circulating Materials
January 14, 2025
The breadth and depth of the Thousand Oaks Library (Library) physical and digital collection is something that patrons have cited as one of its best features. In the library industry, the quality of the public library is judged based on its collection. To provide the wide variety of materials in the Library, staff purchase collection materials from multiple sources: publishers, retailers, and vendors. These outlets provide several services, from simply supplying the item requested to offering “value-added” features like library cataloging information, spine labeling, and radio frequency identification tagging. These value-added features make it easier to place the item directly on the shelves, from the moment they are delivered. Such additional services help reduce staff time necessary for labor- intensive tasks associated with maintaining the Library’s collection.
Ingram, Overdrive, Gale, Baker & Taylor, Midwest Tape, Ebsco, Newsbank, Proquest, Library Ideas, Mango Languages and CALIFA are leading book and online content vendors offering large and diverse selections of print materials, reference, electronic books, and audiovisual items to public libraries and other outlets. For libraries, they also include tools useful to staff in helping to build and manage a robust library collection.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
Library staff routinely evaluates vendors providing collection materials to ensure the City is receiving the best return on investment. Having multiple vendors allows for flexibility to procure popular, high-demand items, and lesser known more niche publications and materials to support a well-rounded collection. The Library subscribes to several electronic databases and purchases a substantial portion of physical content from these vendors. These purchases occur throughout the year as materials become available and to meet the community’s information and entertainment needs.
By continuing the Library’s relationship with such vendors, staff efforts shift from routine tasks to added-value tasks, and enhance the Library’s service to the public.
LEVINE ACT (California Government Code § 84308):
This item is subject to the Levine Act. City Councilmembers who have received a campaign contribution of more than $500 (aggregated) within the preceding 12 months from a party or their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant involved in this proceeding may do either of the following: (1) disclose the contribution on the record and recuse themselves from this proceeding; or if applicable (2) return the portion of the contribution that exceeds $500 within 30 days from the time the official knew or should have known about the contribution, and participate in the proceeding.
Library Circulating Materials
January 14, 2025
All parties and their agents/representatives must disclose on the record of this proceeding any aggregated contribution of more than $500 made to any Councilmember within the preceding 12 months. Councilmembers are prohibited from accepting, soliciting, or directing a campaign contribution of more than $500 (aggregated) from a party, their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made. In addition, a party, their agent/representative, or a financially- interested participant is prohibited from contributing more than $500 (aggregated) to a Councilmember during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
A. Create a more equitable, accessible, safe, welcoming, and inclusive government and community regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, language, education, and/or socio-economic status.
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
G. Continue City's commitment to community and cultural programs and services (such as Performing Arts/Theatres, Libraries, TOTV, Visual Arts, Youth and Senior Programs).
H. Participate in public-private and multi-jurisdictional opportunities to ensure residents have access to high levels of parks, recreation, education and leisure programs and services.
PREPARED BY: Lisa Frattali, Sr. Administrative Secretary CCS:950-10\sy\H:\COMMON\Administration\staff report\01142025LibraryCirculatingMaterials.doc