Board of Library Trustees Agenda Report
Meeting Date: November 5, 2024
From: Daniel Calleros, Interim City Administrator
Department: City Administration
Submitted by: Karla Washington, Management Analyst
Subject
Vernon Reads! Virtual Library Program
Recommendation
A. Approve the Vernon Reads! Virtual Library Program (Program) and recommend that City Council allocate $25,000 in funding to establish a budget for the purchase of e-readers, e-book subscriptions and online resources in support of literacy for Fiscal Year 2024-25 and subsequent fiscal years; and
B. Authorize any unused funds allocated to the Program to be used for the purchase of physical books.
Background
At its June 2, 2020 meeting, the Board of Library Trustees established the Library Ad Hoc Committee to work with staff to determine a plan to reestablish the Vernon Public Library. Since then, the Library Ad Hoc Committee has worked with staff to explore various opportunities for the provision of library services through creative means such as establishing a Little Free Libraries Program in the City. In consultation with the Library Ad Hoc Committee, currently comprised of President Pro Tem Ybarra and Trustee Lopez, staff proposes the Vernon Reads! Virtual Library Program (Program) to further facilitate and promote literacy in the City.
In the absence of traditional brick-and-mortar City-operated libraries, City staff has sought out creative solutions to encourage literacy, make books available to the community, and inspire a love of reading and learning. Research suggests that American children are reading for leisure at a declining rate compared to children in prior decades. Researchers also found that reading for pleasure is becoming less popular amongst adults, and those who still read for pleasure are reading less per day.
The Vernon Reads! Virtual Library Program (Program) would address such challenges by providing subscriptions for e-book services to Vernon residents, and Amazon Kindle e-readers with Kids+ Kindle Unlimited e-book subscriptions to TK-12th grade students living in Vernon. Ereaders further encourage reading because they allow readers easy access to a library of books on a single device, with the added benefit of an integrated dictionary and language translation.
Students will have regular on-going access to age-appropriate books, allowing them the opportunity to choose books based on their favorite genre or mood. The Kindle Kids e-reader costs $115 and includes a 2-year “worry-free” warranty and 1-year subscription service. The subscription provides access to thousands of e-books and audiobooks. The e-reader devices offer distraction-free reading as they do not have apps, videos, or games. Ongoing annual subscriptions are less than $100 annually.
For adult readers in the City, the Program would provide subscriptions to Everand (formerly known as Scribd) which provides access to millions of e-books, audiobooks, and magazines at a cost of $119 annually. Studies show that recreational reading for adults is an effective way to manage stress and has benefits for concentration, vocabulary, writing skills, and memory. The Program will not provide e-readers for adults as Everand is available as an app for Android and Item 2 Page 6 of 9
Apple operating system devices, making books accessible on mobile phones, tablets and computers. For adult readers, staff proposes a budget of $9,000 for approximately 75 subscriptions to Everand. Digital reading services vary as do individual reading habits. After considerable research, staff proposes Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited and Everand e-book services based on their available content and accessibility. The Program may offer other digital reading services in the future as subscription services improve or become more widely available.
To participate in the Program, Vernon residents must submit an enrollment form (see attachment 1 for reference). And, once enrolled, families that enjoy their e-reader subscriptions can apply with the City for an annual renewal. City staff will purchase annual subscriptions that residents can redeem with Amazon for their renewal. The annual re-application process ensures that the City only pays for subscriptions that are being used. Renewals in subsequent fiscal years would be based on available funding allocations for the Program approved by the City Council during the annual budget process.
Additional virtual reading/learning resources include a new City webpage with links to resources provided by LA County Public Library, serving residents of all cities in LA County. City staff will continue to work with LA County Library to participate in Vernon City events to raise awareness and connect residents with educational resources being provided by the LA County Library, including homework assistance, resume, and job application assistance, as well as signing up for library cards to access books and in-person resources available at the Huntington Park and Maywood branches of the LA County Library. Future program goals include the evaluation of additional virtual learning resources such as Coursera, BrainFuse, and Creative Bug.
To further support the program’s goal of encouraging a love of reading, literacy, and learning, future library program updates will focus on increasing access to physical books, which will be achieved in multiple ways. First, through donating new books to the public for personal book ownership in support of “home libraries” and creating a “Community Book Nook” at City Hall. City staff is evaluating options for building bookshelves outside Council Chambers, around the stairs and along the back wall. This location would provide the community convenient access to books during City events and make use of un-utilized space. Current estimates for custom shelving were over $50,000. City staff continues to explore other vendors and alternative publicly accessible locations. Books at the Book Nook are proposed to be a combination of new and preowned books and would function like the City’s Little Libraries, where the community can take books to keep or return.
Books for the Program would be acquired in several ways, including purchased with City funds, purchased with grant funds as well as acquired through donations from non-profit organizations and City partners like Libros Schmibros, who has already donated over a dozen boxes of preowned books to the City. In addition to building the Book Nook, staff proposes that the City also give away new books at City events, organize reading contests during Summer and Winter school breaks, and provide prizes for reading achievements.
The benefits of childhood reading are well known, but reading has so many lesser-known benefits for adults, including:
• Stress reduction: Reading can reduce stress levels by up to 68%. It can help you relax by slowing your breathing and relaxing your muscles.
• Brain connectivity: Reading can improve brain connectivity. • Lower blood pressure and heart rate: Reading can lower your blood pressure and heart rate.
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• Depression symptom fighting: Reading can help fight depression symptoms. • Cognitive decline prevention: Reading can help prevent cognitive decline as you age.
The Vernon Reads! Virtual Library Program encourages reading as a lifelong skill that improves memory, builds a robust vocabulary, and builds a foundation of knowledge and significant physical and mental health benefits for Vernon residents of all ages.
Fiscal Impact
Approval of the Program would require an appropriation by the City Council of $25,000 for the purchase of e-readers, e-reader subscriptions, and books in General Fund, Community Development, Good Neighbor Program Account No. 011-010-160-529715 from available Unassigned Fund Balance. The Board of Library Trustees recommends the City Council allocate said funds.
Attachments
1. Vernon Reads! Enrollment Form
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Vernon Reads! Virtual Library Program
Enrollment Form
Vernon Resident Name: ____________________________________________________ Family members may complete one enrollment form if signing on behalf of child(ren) in household.
Adult family members 18 and over must complete a separate enrollment form.
Residential Address: ____________________________________________________ Provide proof of Vernon residency (acceptable forms of proof: driver’s license, utility bill, or student report card).
Email: ____________________________________ Phone: ___________________ If enrolling for child(ren) in household, please write each child’s full name and age below. If not enrolling for child(ren), please write “N/A” below.
____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ I would like to:
☐ Request an Amazon Kindle E-Reader for child(ren), ages TK – 12th grade, listed above ☐ Request an annual subscription for Amazon Kindle
Subscriber Name(s): ____________________________________________________ ☐ Request an annual subscription for Everand
Subscriber Name(s): ____________________________________________________ ☐ Request an annual subscription for other (please indicate): ___________________ Subscriber Name(s): ____________________________________________________ ☐ Request renewal of an annual subscription (please indicate): ___________________ Subscriber Name(s): ____________________________________________________ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: By signing below, I confirm that the information provided on this Form is correct as of this date. If any information changes, I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to submit an updated Form.
Signature: ____________________________________ Date: ___________________ Item 2 Page 9 of 9