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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12142010 - C.44RECOMMENDATION(S): APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Administrator, or designee, to apply for and accept, on behalf of the Library Department, a Bay Area Library and Information System Technology Opportunities Grant in the amount of $53,000 to offer museum passes to the public and create an online museum pass management system for the period January 1 through December 31, 2011. FISCAL IMPACT: No Library Fund match. BACKGROUND: The Contra Costa County Library will apply for a BALIS Technology Opportunities Grant to offer museum passes to the public APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 12/14/2010 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Cathy Sanford, 925-927-3228 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: December 14, 2010 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: June McHuen, Deputy cc: C. 44 To:Board of Supervisors From:David Twa, County Administrator Date:December 14, 2010 Contra Costa County Subject:Authorize the County Administrator to Apply for and Accept a Bay Area Library and Information System Technology Opportunities Grant BACKGROUND: (CONT'D) and develop and pilot a consortia-based museum pass reservation system. Interest in circulating passes to local cultural institutions has been expressed by library customers, library commissioners, museums, and members of local library Friends and Foundation groups. Branded as The Discover&Go Program, this is another example of an innovative and convenient technology that the Contra Costa County Library is known for implementing, such as the Library-a-Go-Go ATM style book lending machines. Description of the program: The service will be branded the Discover&Go and will allow library patrons to reserve, download, and print free and discounted passes to participating museums and venues. Patrons will not be required to come into a library to pick up or return their passes. The pass will expire automatically so that no fines and fees will be charged and the pass will automatically be made available for the next patron to reserve. While museum pass reservation systems are available for circulating physical passes, there is currently no program that allows for multiple libraries to create and access a single system for reserving and printing passes online. In order to make the museum pass program successful and appealing to a wide range of library customers, the Library will seek the involvement of many Bay Area museums and other cultural institutions. The technology will allow the Library to meet the terms and conditions set by the participating organizations in making the passes available, such as the ability to target populations by age or geographic area. Benefit of the program to the County and its residents: The Discover&Go Program is aligned with the Contra Costa County Library’s top four strategic initiatives: reading, lifelong learning, collaboration, and branding. The Discover&Go Program will maintain the Library’s brand as a learning center by encouraging curiosity and providing avenues for discovering information on a broad array of topics and will positively position the Library with respect to other educational and cultural institutions in the community. The Discover&Go Program will address the following needs and preferences identified in the Community Needs Assessment conducted for the Library’s Strategic Plan: • Demonstrate that the Library is active in delivering services to kids and teens • Show a clear tie-in with the arts • Reaffirm the view of parents that the Library is an easy access point to art experiences • Meet preferences for one-stop shopping and ease of use Staffing requirements: No additional Library staff will be required to develop, implement or deliver the museum pass program. The Library will work with Quipu Group, the developer behind two of the Library’s most innovative service offerings: the self-service library e-Card registration and the recently launched “Snap & Go” mobile patron support system. Cost of project and available revenue: The entire cost of the program is $53,000 and will be funded through the grant. The system will require minimal to no ongoing involvement from staff as library customers will be able to reserve and print passes online from their Discover&Go account. Additional benefits of the program: The museum partnerships that the Library is envisioning will generate innovative programming and exhibits and will create new opportunities for outreach. As informal education institutions, museums and libraries share similar missions and values and can benefit from forging partnerships. Benefits include resource sharing, outreach to new audiences, access to expertise and the potential for increasing goodwill and support between the organizations and the broader community. As a pilot project, the Discover&Go Program will initially be limited to patrons from both the Contra Costa County and Alameda County libraries. Piloting with another library system will allow Quipu Group to test patron authentication on disparate integrated library systems in order to extend the service to other library systems throughout the Bay Area. The service will allow Bay Area libraries to work cooperatively with local museums rather than each Library developing their own service and working independently with local museums. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: If the board order is not approved, the library will not be able to offer museum passes to the public and create an efficient and self-service reservation system. CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: Children Ready for and Succeeding in School: Offering museum passes to County residents will allow parents to take their children to museums and to participate in numerous early literacy resources and programs as well as encourage the love of reading by recommending and offering books and materials that coordinate with museum exhibits and programs. Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood: Libraries provide a place for study, education and learning for children and teens and museum passes will extend the library’s ability to meet this goal. Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families: Like libraries, museums provide a safe place for children and teens after school, support the formal education provided by schools, and provide life-long learning opportunities for families and people of all ages.