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'TD: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Ernest Siegel, County Librarian Contra
Costa
DATE: November 29 , 1988 C;o ��
SUBJECT: LIBRARY PLANNING DOCUMENT �� ��7
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Board of Supervisors adopt the Contra Costa County
Library ' s Long Range Plan,. 1988-1991, and authorize distribution
to interested citizens , government officials and the library
community.
BACKGROUND:
Late last year the Bay Area Library and Information System (BALIS)
received a Library Services and Construction Act grant to apply
the American Library Association' s new Public Library Development
Program in seven of its member libraries. The. early phase of
this process produced a definition of institutional roles and a
Mission Statement which the Board of Supervisors adopted in April
of 1988 . The final published plan is now offered for endorsement
by the Board, so that the Administration and staff of the Library
can pursue the goals and objectives described therein in the
interests of the best possible libraryservice to the residents
of Contra Costa County.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S1:
ACTION OF BOARD ON December 20, 1988 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT IV AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TARN
AYES; NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: Librarian ATTESTED
County Administrator PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
k BY ,DEPUTY
M382/7-83
r
CONTRA.COSTA COUNTY LIBRARY
INTER-OFFICE MEMO
DATE: November 292 1988
TO: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator
FROM: Ernest Siegel, County Librarian
SUBJECT: LIBRARY PLANNING DOCUMENT
Here is the final printed version of the Planning document, of which I gave you an
executive summary at our last meeting. I would like to have it officially adopted
as a Determination item at the earliest possible meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
Although, as inevitably happens, there are a couple of typos and some possibly
confusing statistics, I think it is an attractive, professional document which we
should be proud to distribute. More important, I think it is a realistic, feasible
first step in what I hope will be a continuous cycle of planning. The plan is
consciously modest, directed at defining what we can do well with limited resources.
At the same time, we have tried not to dwell on our limitations, and to maintain a
positive service attitude.
We have 550 copies of the plan on hand which I would like to begin distributing to
Branches, staff, other libraries, Friends, and to fill requests which we get from
all over. I would like your approval and that of the Board to do this as soon as
possible.
E.S:if
41 Attachment
cc: T. McGraw
ContraCosta
County
LIBRARY
LONG RANGE E=
PLAN
19881991
k 4
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Contra
Costa
County 1913-1988 • 75 Years of Service
to Contra Costa County
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY LIBRARY
LONG RANGE PLAN
1988- 1991
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Tom Powers, District 1
Nancy Fanden, District 2
Robert Schroder, District 3
Sunne McPeak, District 4
Tom Torlakson, District 5
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Phil Batchelor
COUNTYLIBRARIAN
Ernest Siegel
1987-88 PLANNING CONMI=E
Ernest Siegel, County Librarian
Esther Helfand, Assistant County Librarian
Stella Baker, Coordinator of Young Adult Services
Janet Hildebrand, Coordinator of Children's Services
Rose-Marie Kennedy, Library Community Services Coordinator
Mary Roberts, Regional Librarian
Ruth Russell, Head of Central Library
Kristen Wick, Head of Reference
October 1988
Production of this publication was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Education,under
the provisions of the Library,Services and Construction Act,administered in California by the State
Librarian. However,the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S.
Department of Education or the California State Library,and no official endorsement by the U.S.Department
of Education or the California State Library should be inferred.
THE LIBRARY'S NIISSION
The Contra Costa County Library strives through its Central Library and
community branches to provide all residents with authoritative and timely
information to support daily living, occupational interests, educational pursuits,
and intellectual curiosity. The Library is also a source of the best in popular
reading for recreation, knowledge and cultural enrichment. A trained and
dedicated staff offers quality service in a welcoming environment. The Library
has a special responsibility to complement the educational system with books,
magazines, newspapers and other materials. This educational role includes a
commitment to work with preschool children and their parents to
instill a love of books and a lifelong habit of reading.
CONTRA COSTA COUN'T'Y LIBRARY
LONG RANGE PLAN
1988-1991
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
INTRODUCTION 7
A LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY 9
A LOOK AT THE LIBRARY 18
THE LIBRARY'S ROLES . 31 .
LIBRARY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 40
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE 47
APPENDIX A. Intellectual Freedom Statement 48
APPENDIX B. Library Bill of Rights 50
APPENDIX C. Detailed Community Characteristics 51
APPENDIX D. Materials Availability Survey 57
APPENDIX E. Summary of Role Setting Exercise 58
APPENDIX F. Brainstormed Goals 60
APPENDIX G. Contra Costa County Library System Branches 61
LL9T.0F FIGURES
}
Figure 1. Contra Costa County Library System Area 10
Ethnic & Racial Composition by Region
Figure 2, Projected Population Growth, Contra Costa 13-
County
3-County Library System Area
Figure 3. Contra Costa County Library System (Map) 16
Figure 4. Contra Costa County Library Organizational,Chart 21
Figure 5. Per:Capita Funding of Bay Area Libraries Serving 22
Populations Over 20,000
Figure.6. .The.Library's Share of Contra Costa County's Budget 24
Figure T. Floor Space Per Capita at Library Branches 26
Figure 8. Volumes,Per Capita at Library Branches, 28
Figure 9. Measures of Library Output 30
FDREW01RD
In commemoration of the County Library's 75th anniversary, this long range
plan is presented to the Board of Supervisors, County Administrator's Office,
library staff, and especially to the library's public, the ultimate benificiary of the
ideas and aspirations expressed in the pages that follow.
The planning process was undertaken during a period of great pressure, with
continuing budgetary constraints, increasing service demands, the opening of a
new branch in San Ramon, and the monumental task of converting to an
automated system all clamoring for attention. However, the opportunity to apply
an exciting new methodology in acooperative setting proved irresistible.
The process, which sought and received input from a broad spectrum of staff, has
produced the library's first Mission Statement, a clear definition of institutional
roles, and a strong list of goals and objectives. The latter, although necessarily
modest given the scarcity of operating funds, is not in any sense a retreat from
service excellence and commitment. The objectives are practical, achievable, and
are embraced with confidence that the library's fine tradition of service will,be
continued and strengthened, and that a firm base for future planning is now
established.
-ERNEST SIEGEL,
COUNTY LIBRARIAN
ACKNOWLEDGEMEhT7S
Production of this plan has been made possible by a Library Services.and
Construction Act (LSCA) grant from the California State Library. Appreciation is
thus due first to State Librarian Gary Strong and his staff at the State Library for.
recognizing the merit of this planning project.and awarding it funding in the
1987-8&cycle:.
Gratitude goes also to the many people involved in carrying out'the planning
process. System.Coordinator Ruth Foley Metz and her staff at the Bay Area
Library and Information System (BALIS) provided the administrative support
needed to see the project through. Nancy Van House, Project Consultant and a
co-author of the Public Library Development Project (PLDP) planning manuals,
rendered invaluable direction and advice as she led the library through the step-
by-step procedure. Facilitator Marilyn' Snider and her staff guided the library
expertly.through selection of its goals. The library has indeed been fortunate to
have had available the services of each of these people as it,has progressed
through the planning process.
Key library staff members have contributed substantial amounts of time and effort
to planning activities over this-past year.Among.these are the library's planning
committee members: Stella Baker, Judy.Bellamy, Linda Duncan, Esther Helfand,
Janet Hildebrand, Rose-Marie Kennedy, Hildah Pemberton, Mary Roberts, Ruth
Russell, Ernest Siegel, and Kristen Wick. The contributions of numerous other.
library staff members who have provided valuable background information as
well as many thoughtful comments on the.library's roles, goals and objectives
have also been extremely.significant.
A few other sources of assistance deserve thanks, as well. First is the.Contra
.Costa County Community Development Department, which proved extremely
generous with its provision of demographic data about the county. -In addition,
staff and administration from the other BALIS libraries participating in this
planning project -- Alameda City Library, Alameda County Library, Hayward
Public Library, Livermore Public Library, Oakland Public Library, and San
FranciscoPublic Library -- provided ongoing feedback on their experiences with
the process. Finally, thanks go to those Friends of the Library and volunteers who
assisted with our first output measures experiment.
This plan was written and produced by Katie Scarborough under contract to the
Contra Costa County Library. The cover and photo layouts were designed by
Barbara Garza. Desktop Publishing of Santa Rosa provided typesetting and text
graphics. The document was printed by Barlow Printing. Photographs were
taken by Adrienne Alvord, with the exception of: the cover photograph, taken by
Cassie Hassler;the photo on page 31, from Contra Costa County Library files; and
the photo on page 46, taken by Gordon Clark and courtesy of the Herald.
ii
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY LIBRARY
LONG RANGE PLAN
EXECUTIVE sTrn�rNra�Y
The Library's Mission
The Contra Costa County.Library strives through its Central Library.an'
community branches to provide all residents with authoritative and timely
information to support daily living, occupational interests, educational.pursuits,
and intellectual curiosity. The Library is also a source of the best in popular
reading for recreation, knowledge and cultural enrichment. 'A .trained and
dedicated staff offers quality service in a welcoming environment. The Library
has a special responsibility to complement the educational system with books,
magazines, newspapers and other materials. This educational role includes a
commitment to work with preschool children and their parents to instill a love of
books and a lifelong habit of reading.
Introduction
This year, as the Contra Costa County Library celebrates its 75th anniversary,it is looking
not only at the past but also to the future by applying the planning and role setting process
developed for libraries nationwide by the Public Library Association's Public Library
Development Project.
A key principle behind this process is the idea that no service institution can be all things
to all people. This is especially evident in an era of limited resources, when the library
budget suffers increasing strain. By planning, the library can strive to identify and.
allocate resources to those services of most importance to the community.
The library's participation in this planning cycle began in October of 1987, when'the Bay
Area Library and Information System (BALIS) received Library Services and
Construction Act(LSCA)funding from the California State Library to support evaluation
of the new planning methodology at seven Bay Area public libraries. At that time, Contra
Costa County Library formed a planning committee which led the library through the
planning process over the ensuing year.
The library collected.data about itself and the communities it serves, selected roles,
developed a mission statement, and formulated goals and objectives. This plan records
the results of that process and will be used as a working document by library staff as well
as an informational guide for community members,leaders and decision-makers.
The Community .
With an assortment of urban and rural communities, a spectrum of ethnic populations, a
mix of income levels, and natural.topography ranging from marshy lowlands to the Bay
Area's highest mountain peak, Contra Costa County encompasses a diversity of land and
people. Such diversity presents.a challenge to any agency attempting to serve it, and
certainly to the library.
1
To better understand the varied service needs of the county and the diverse communities
within it, it is important to'look at the nature of those communities. To aid in the
planning process, data about communities was collected from the Contra Costa County
Community Development Department, the 1980 U.S. Census, and branch library heads
familiar with the qualitative features of the communities they serve.
The information collected shows that Contra Costa County is the ninth largest county in
California with its 1988 population of 753,456(Contra Costa County Community
Development Department, Growth Trends [1988];p. 31). Originally settled as an
agricultural area,-its proximity to Bay and Delta waterways led to development of ports
and industrial centers along its coast. Suburban population flowed in after World War II,
while the most 'recent growth has been fueled by location of office complexes in the Central
County area.
Today,.Contra Costa County's residential communities house a significant proportion of
the Bay Area's population. New office space constructed in the county between 1980 and
1986 has greatly expanded the county's employment base. A growing percentage of the .
labor force is now employed in higher-paying managerial and professional jobs.
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) expects the county's population to
grow to 888,600 by the year 2005. The bulk of Contra Costa County's growth is expected in
the East County, in and around Antioch, Oakley, and Brentwood, but significant growth is
occurring`in the West County communities of Hercules and Pinole, and in the southern
and central parts of the county in Clayton and the San Ramon Valley.- As the county
nears the end of the decade, management of this growth is the major political issue it
faces.
There are eighteen incorporated cities in Contra Costa County; the library has branches
located in all but Clayton and Hercules. As the county continues'to grow, the library
system will need to address the changing needs of shifting population centers and
changes in demographics, such as growing ethnic populations and/or changes in
numbers of children and senior citizens in various communities.
The Mrary
Seventy-five years ago,in July of 1913, Contra Costa County established its County Library
System. The library system is a department of the county, and as such answers directly to.
the County Board of Supervisors and the county's voters. The County Librarian serves as
chief administrator of the system. A dedicated share of the property tax funds the library.
After the passage of Proposition 13 greatly reduced property tax income, the library's
budget'was supplemented by Special District Augmentation Funds.
Library funding in Contra Costa County amounts to$11.00 per resident, lowest of any
county library in the Bay Area,-and second-lowest of Bay Area libraries serving
populations of 20,000 or more. The library's budget status has resulted in a need to make
hard choices in allocating funds. Management and staff have.thus faced the challenge of
keeping needed services alive while educating the community about the library's
budgetary plight.
The lack of adequate space in its-existing facilities is another major issue facing the
library. With the opening of the new San Ramon branch early in 1989, the library system ,
2 .
will have a total of 21 'outlets: the Central.Library in Pleasant Hill, 20 branches, and
bookmobile service. However, all but four of the library buildings fall short of the standard
amount of floor space needed on a per capita basis to adequately serve the population-,
The library has an estimated 1,080,092 volumes in its collections overall. The most
extensive collections are held by the Central Library which houses 270,000 volumes.
Overall, the library owns about 1.6 volumes per capita,low for a library of this size; 2.0
volumes per capita is the median number for libraries serving populations between
,500,000 and 999,999 nationwide.
In addition to books, the library's collections include records, audiocassettes, microforms,
films, periodicals (magazines and newspapers), maps, pamphlets, local history
materials, telephone directories, government documents, and college catalogues. The
library's collections also include materials for special populations, such as Spanish
language materials, large print books, and adult basic education materials.
The library employs 167 people, not including student assistants. This amounts to 140.15 ..
full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, with 59.5.FTE as professional Librarians, and`the
remainder classified as support staff.. Librarians all hold Master's degrees from ALA-
accredited library" schools.
The library is a public service agency whose principal offerings are access to information
and recreational reading. Key features of the library's service to the community are the
reference assistance and reader's advisory provided both in person and by telephone at all
library branches. Services to children are also very important,throughout the library.
system, and offered by all branches.
Various measures of the library's performance indicate how its services are used by the
community. During the 1987-88 year, 38,097 users per week visited the library. A total of
30,486 attended library programs during the year. A total of 356,808 reference questions
were handled and 3,045,218 books and other items circulated during 1987-88.
The Library's Roles
The Mission Statement reflects the library's four major roles, selected by the library and
based on descriptions in the Public Library Development Project (PLDP) manual Planning
and Role Setting for Public Libraries. (Charles R. McClure, et al [19871). The planning
committee involved all library staff in selection of these roles.
The library's selected roles are:
Popular Materials Center-- The library features current, high-demand, high-interest
materials in a variety of formats for persons of all ages.
Formal Education Support Center--The library assists students in meeting educational
objectives established during their formal courses of study.
Reference Library--The library actively provides timely, accurate and useful information
for community residents.
3
Preschoolers'Door to Learning=-The library encourages young children to develop an. :
interest in reading and learning through services for children, and for parents and
Children together.
Library Goals and Objectives
GOAL k Provide safe,attractive and comfortable facilities.
Objectives:
By December 1, 1988'Ahe staff,of all units will meet,and"identify facility needs, including
building enlargement.
By January 1, 1989,,unit.heads will meet with supervisors to make recommendations
regarding,facility needs.
By March 1, 1989, supervisors will present facility needs and plans to Administration:
By May,1, 1989,Administration will develop a facility plan and present it to staff..
By July 1, 1989, the Administrative Services Officer will develop an'improved procedure for
prompt;and effective handling of building and grounds emergencies.
GOAL 2: Provide information and recreational materials in a variety of formats for all
ages.
O�j'ectives: .,
By July 1, 1988, the Assistant County Librarian will appoint a Collection Development
Committee to re-evaluate and recommend materials budget allocations in keeping with
the roles selected for the library system and branches/departments.
By April 1, 1989, the Collection Development Committee will present its recommendations.
By April 1, 1989, a subcommittee of the Collection Development Committee chaired by the
Coordinator of Community Services will evaluate and submit a supplementary report on "
the language and format needs of each community by comparative,study of community
assessments.
By six months after the automation systeis fully-operational, the'Head of Acquisitions
and age-level coordinators m inators will prepare fiction and;non-fiction'replacement lists based-on
information derived from the conversion process.
GOAL 3: Recruit,train and develop competent employees.
Objectives:
By March 1,1.989, the Training and Development Committee'will report its findings and
make recommendations regarding training and development needs of staff.
4
By July 1,1989,representatives of the library, appointed by the Assistant County
Librarian, will visit UC Berkeley and San Jose State library schools once each to recruit
applicants.
By July 1, 1989, the Head of Reference will give two presentations on the development and
management of the pamphlet/vertical file.
By six months after appointment, the Automation Manager will outline a plan to train
personnel, including substitutes, for automated circulation. .
GOAL 4: Encourage young children to develop an interest in reading and learning
Objectives:
By July 1, 1989, the Collection Development Committee will consider methods of allocating
funds from the materials budget to double the picture book.collection at Central and four
branches.
By July.1; 1989,.the Children's Coordinator will evaluate the current level of the Leading to
Reading program and make recommendations,for future support.
By July 1, 1989, the Children's,Coordinator will train two Children's Librarians to develop
and conduct Toddler Times.
During fiscal year 1988-89, the Children's Librarians at Central and branches will
maintain the current level of Picture Book Time,Toddler Time and other programming
for preschoolers and their parents.
GOAL 5: .Provide services and materials for children and young adults to support'their
educational pursuits.
Objectives:
By December 1, 1988, the County Librarian will communicate to appropriate school
authorities the library's Mission Statement and our role of providing support for formal
education.
By December 1, 1988, Head of Reference, Young Adult (YA) and Children's Coordinators
will meet to design a.system for preparing and distributing pamphlet lists aimed at filling
school assignments.
By July 1, 1989, age-level coordinators with assistance from YA and Children's Librarians
will explore school district interest in having tours of the local public library as part of in-
service training of teachers.
By July 1, 1989, YA and Children's Coordinators will collect information from school
authorities with a view to clarifying the roles of the school and public libraries.
5
GOAL 6: Provide a stable funding base adequate to maintain the desired level of service.
Objectives:
By January 1, 1989, Branch Librarians will identify and report to the County Librarian the
names of influential community members willing to work with the Alliance for Better
Libraries to assist the County Library in lobbying the cities for financial support for the
County Library.
By April 1, 1989, Coordinators, Regionals, and Department Heads (CORD)will evaluate
overall budget and staffing allocations and make recommendations for revisions to ,
Library Administration.
The County Librarian will,prepare at least.three significant news.features for publication.
during the fiscal year ending June 34, 1989. .
Monthly, the County Librarian will monitor and report on progress of significant
legislation to the librarystaff and county administration.
Planning for the Future
The library will use the Mission Statement,'roles, goals and objectives in this plan,as the
basis for entering into future planning cycles. New objectives will be generated for each of
the remaining two fiscal years in the three-'year period covered by this plan. By January
1991, the library expects to,begin developing goals for the next three-year planning phase.
Goals will be built on the basics in this plan, and new objectives will incorporate additional
challenges to enhance-library.services.
At the end of three years, the library will reassess the progress made on its goals and-
objectives, as well as the appropriateness of the roles selected and any need to resolve'
conflict between library roles. The effectiveness of the planning process itself in helping
the library to meet community service needs will also be reviewed.
One imminent improvement in library facilities which will greatly assist Future planning
is automation of the library's circulation system. The planning process itself revealed that ,
the library needs additional vital information about library services and how they are
being used by the community. Statistical features built into the automated system will
make more feasible the library's expanded use of output measures for this purpose,
significantly aiding the planning process and enabling the Jibrary to formulate more
ambitious goals and objectives in the future.
6
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*14
INMUCTION
This year., as the Contra Costa County Library celebrates its 75th anniversary,it is looking
not only at the past but also to the future by participating in a newly developed library .
planning process. Along with six other public library members of the.Bay Area Library
and Information System (BALIS), the library has applied the planning and role setting,
method developed for nationwide use by the Public Library Association's Public Library
Development Project(PLDP).
A key principle behind this process is the idea that no service institution can be all things
to all people. This'is especially evident in an era of limited resources, when the library
budget suffers increasing strain. By planning, the library can strive to identify and focus
on those services of most importance to the community. Resources can then be allocated to
these crucial services to improve their quality and to meet community needs.
The library's participation in this planning cycle began in October of 1987, when BALIS
received Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) funding from the California State
Library to support evaluation of the new.planning process at seven Bay Area public
libraries. At that time, Contra Costa County Library formed a planning.committee and
began the procedure by collecting information about the library itself, its performance, the
community being served, and the community's collective needs. Demographic
characteristics of each local area served were culled from U.S. Census and Contra Costa
County Community Development Department records. Librarians from each branch
7
prepared written profiles of their communities. The library also collected data on its
performance in filling patron needs with a standardized.output measure procedure.
Having collected'and evaluated this information'. the library moved on select roles-'and-
develop its Mission Statement. Roles were chosen from a list of eight common public
library functions described in the PLDP planning manual,Planning and:Role Setting for
Public Libraries. Wording of the.Mission Statement was then based upon the four roles
chosen.for the.library.
Goals to support the Mission Statement'were developed'at a professionally facilitated ,
session held in March, 1988, and attended by key library staff members, including the
planning committee. Suggestions for objectives to meet each goal were then collected from '
all staff;the planning committee culled final objectives for 1988-89 from these suggestions.
In its first application of this new process, the library chose to pursueplanning on a basic
level largely due to the concurrent commitment of staff time to automating the library's
circulation system. In spite of the impacts on staff time;there have.been advantages to
pursuing this planning process concurrently.with automating. Planning has made the
library aware of its shortage of vital data. By revealing the types of information most
useful to future planning, the process has helped the library select more appropriate data
tracking features in its circulation system. In.addition, the library has been able to
incorporate needed.steps in the transition to automation into its-goals and objectives. .
At every stage of the planning process, the planning committee encouraged widespread
participation by all levels.of library staff. .For"example, during selection,of roles and
development of the.Mission Statement, the County Librarian and Assistant.County
Librarian visited each branch and met with all staff to explain the process and solicit
feedback. Response to.these meetings.proved-enthusiastic, with.a high level of interest.in
the process and the library's future exhibited'by staff.
This document has been written not only to record results'of the planning process,but also
to educate the'community and its decision-makers about planning, management and
services within the library. It.,can serve-as a'tool for decision-making outside the library
as well as within it. But most importantly, it will serve as a working document for library
staff. Not only can staff refer to this document to.track progress in planning
implementation,but they can also-'use the statistical information incorporated into this
plan as a benchmark against which to gauge,changes in community'structure and check
improvements:in meeting communityinformation needs.
There are certainaspects:of library service considered so basic by this and other libraries.
that they are not addressed in the Mission Statement, goals and objectives herein.. These
basic principles will continue to be reflected in and/or govern library service; rather-than
replacing them,',the library's mission, goals and objectives will build'on these basic
principles to direct library services,to'best meet community needs.
Among these basic principles are the library's tcommitment to intellectual.freedom. The
Intellectual Freedom Statement adopted by the American Library Association expresses
the library's position on these precepts,(see Appendix A). The library also subscribes to
the American Library Association's, Library Bill of Rights,.guaranteeing the freedom to
read to.public,library users (see Appendix B). The library is, in addition,-committed to free
and equal library service to all community members, so as not to limit access to materials
and information on the basis of ability to pay. Finally, it can be assumed that the library. .
Will utilize moderntechnology as feasible to meet the demands of its.patrons.
8 ..
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A LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY
With,an assortment of communities from urban to rural, a spectrum of people°fromall,
ethnic backgrounds, a mix of income levels from wealthy to poor, and natural topography
ranging from marshy lowlands to the Bay Area's highest mountain peak; Contra Costa.
County encompasses'a diversity of land and people. Such diversity presents a challenge to:
any agency attempting to:serve'it, and certainly to the library: ,
To better understand the varied service needs of the county and the diverse communities
within it,it is especially important to look at the nature of those communities. This .
section examines characteristics of the county and specific cities and towns within the
library's system area, which includes all of Contra Costa County.with the,exception of the
.City of Richmond. Statistics presented here were.collected from the Contra:Costa County
Community Development Department land the 1980 U.S. Census. A tabular summary of
community demographic data is provided in Appendix C.
9
Figure 1
Contra Costa County Library System Area
Ethnic & Racial Composition by Region
(Based on 1980 Census figures)
West
County Central East Total
(excluding Richmond) County County SystemArea
White . 67..2%. 89.3% . 68.0%
Black 10.2% 1.2% 7.8% 4.1%
Hispanic 8.9% 5.2%, 17.2% ' . 8.2%.
American
Indian 0.5% 0.4% 1.0% 0.8%
Asian 9.0% 3.6% 3.6% 4.7%
Other 4.2% 0.3% 2.4% 1.7%
Total Number 113,017 361,392 110,837 585,246
Legend
Percentage
100 - other
i
f<. <: ® Asian
® American _Indian
60
Hispanic,
40
Black
2,0'. White
West County. Central County East County Total System Area
10
THE COUNTY OVERALL
When the first Spanish explorers arrived in the 1770'x, they found a few.hundred Native
American Indians populating the 470,000 hilly, oak-studded acres that now constitute
Contra Costa County'. Today, the county is the ninth largest in California with its 1988
population of-753,456, and contains within its boundaries a diverse range of communities,
from rural Brentwood to affluent Alamo to industrial Martinez.
Much of the change in the county's nature has taken place since the turn of the century.
Settlers came to Contra Costa County in the 19th century first during California's gold .
rush, and later as railroads transformed the county into a major distribution point for
agricultural products. But it was still a sparsely populated agricultural area as of 1900,
with fewer than 20,000 residents and only two incorporated towns, Martinez and Antioch.
The county's population began growing during the first two decades of the century, aided
by location of a Standard Oil refinery in Richmond in 1902. Population grew rapidly
during World War II; location of war-related industries in.Richmond was a major factor
in tripling the county's population from 100,000 to 300,000 during the 1940's. Other .
industries continued to locate along the Bay and Delta waterways at the northern edge of
the county, while inland areas remained largely agricultural.
With the suburbanization that began in the 1950's, the county's agricultural areas began
to give way to housing. This suburbanization continued through the-60's and 70's, often at
a rapid rate as growth pressures mounted throughout the Bay Area and much of the
state. Development remained overwhelmingly residential until the 1980'x, when
construction of large business parks and office complexes in the county began to shift the
balance between commercial and residential land uses.
Today, Contra Costa County's residential communities house a significant proportion of
the Bay Area's population. At the same time, the 15 million square feet of new office space
constructed between 1980 and 1986 have greatly.expanded the county's employment base.
Since the 1960's, most employment growth has taken place within service industries, such
as finance, insurance, real estate, health services, and business services. A larger LL
percentage of the labor force is now employed in higher-paying managerial and
professional jobs. '
As of 1987, 22%of jobs in the county were in retail trade, 21%in services, 15%,1
government, 10% in manufacturing, and 10% in finance, insurance, and real estate. The
largest employers in Contra Costa County are.Chevron U.S.A.,-Pacific Bell, Contra Costa.
County, Bank of America, and the Mt. Diablo School District. Major manufacturing
industries include chemical and petroleum refining, printing and publishing, and
manufacture of electronic components and instruments.
About 210,000 acres or 45% of county lands are still considered agricultural, primarily in
range and pasture lands that support livestock and dry farming of grains for animal feed.
Tomatoes are grown in the East County, as well as walnuts and almonds. However, .
increasing population growth and home construction projected for this area may decrease
the amount of agricultural land left.
Contra Costa County's 1988 population places it as the third largest county in the nine=
county Bay region. Average household size is 2.59 persons, a drop from 1970 and 1980
figures but close to the average of 2.56 persons per household for the San Francisco Bay
Area. The percentage of elderly in the population has been and will continue to increase,
11
while the percentage of children under 15 is expected to decrease^incoming years.
However,`the absolute number of children in the county will increase by about 202000 by the
year 2000; :.
G
Total population within the library s,service area, which includes all of the county except
the City.of Richmond,stands at 672,000 as'of 1988: The ethnic and racial composition,of
the library's service area is 80.5% white, 4.1% black, 8.2% Hispanic, 0.8.% "American: .
Indian, 4:7% Asian and 1.7% other. The striking regional variations in these"proportions
n
are showin Figure:1.
County residents support a range of religious affiliations, as'well asa number of.cultural,
fraternal and service associations. These groups include Chambers of Commerce, Rotary
Club, Lions Club, Soroptimists, League of Women Voters,.,historical societies; AAUW,
NAACP, Toastmasters, Democratic and Republican Clubs, senior citizens' groups,"
community"improvement"clubs, Boy.and Girl Scouts, performing arts,associations,.and
more. Some of these use library meeting room facilities, and/or display areas. Others
request book.talks from librarians for their meetings; many communities also.have book
review groups which use the library to find and research books and their authors..Most of
these groups-are city-based rather than countywide.
Institutions of higher education in the county include St. Mary's College in Moraga, John
F: Kennedy University in Orinda, Contra Costa College in San Pablo,Diablo:Valley College
in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos Community'College in Pittsburg, and the Contra Costa
Center of CSU Hayward. Elementary and secondary schools within the library's system
area total 241.' Of these,162 are public and-79 are,private schools. The 1988 enrollment for
these schools stood at approximately 129,000 students.
Each of the colleges named above has a library open to the public(St.Mary's College and
John F. Kennedy University are private, but make library materials available to non- .
students on a fee basis). Other.libraries in the county are maintained by.the California
Division of Mines and Geology, University,of California Agricultural Extension, Contra ,
Costa County Office of Education, and.numerous schools and businesses.
The Concord Pavilion, with 8,000 seats, is the largest outdoor performing arts center in the
county, and attracts world-class musicians and,cultural events. Other cultural amenities.
include the Contra Costa Symphony, based in Walnut Creek, and.a number of active
community theaters. Most recreation programs are,provided by city-based recreation
departments and/or schools.
In addition.,to having access to major Bay Area media sources based in San Francisco and
Oakland, Contra Costa County residents are served by local newspapers, radio stations
and television stations, including public access cable television. The largest newspaper is
the Contra Costa Times, published by Lesher.Communications Inc.. Other Usher
publications and,some small independent papers serve local areas within the county.
By the year 2005,the county's population is expected to grow to more,than 888,000.. Within.,
the Bay Area, only the,
Clara and Alameda counties will grow more. •"As shown in
Figure 2, the bulk of Contra Costa County's growth is expected in the'east, in and around
Antioch, Oakley,'and Brentwood. Most of the increase in the Central County will occur in
San Ramon Valley. Very little increase is expected in the west, with growth confined to�.,
Richmond and Hercules. As the county.nears the end of the decade, management.of;this
growth is the major political issue it faces.
12
Figure 2
Projected Population Growth,
Contra_ Costa County Library System Area
(Based on ABAG Population Projections; Figures given are in 1;000s)
%Cliange
1985 . L%O _ 1995 2000 2005 1985-2005
Antioch .50.9 55.3 65.2 78.9 91.1 79.9
Brentwood 7.3 11.8 16.1 23.7 29.5 304.1
Clayton 7.5 8.5 9.3 10.0 10.8 44.0
Concord 107.4 110.6 112.9 113.0. 114.9 7.0
Danville 32.1 35.0 40.2 41.6 43.3 34.9
El Cerrito 29.0 29.0 28.3 27.5 . 27.6 -4.8
Hercules 9:7 13.0 16.5 18.4 19.2 97.9
Lafayette 22.6 22.5 22.4 22.1 22.0 -27
Martinez 35.3 37.2 38.7 40.3 42.4 20.1
Moraga 15.,0 . 15.7 16.3 � 16.6 17.2 14.7
Orin- da 17.3 17.2 16.8 . 16.6 16.7 -3.5
Pinole 24:6 25.1 25.8 25.6 25.9 5.3
Pittsburg 50.6 55.5 56.6 58.1 . 63.7 25.9
Pleasant Hill 33.8 35.5 36.4 36.1 36.3 7.4
San Pablo 24.9 25.0 24.9 24.7 24.8 . -0.4
San Ramon 25.5 33.6 36.9 38.9 41.4 62.4
Walnut Creek 75.2 77.5 79.1 79.1 79.8 6.1
Alamo-Blackhawk 13.2 : 15:2 16.7 17.5 18.4 39.4
Rodeo-Crockett 11.3, 11.7 11.8 12.0 12.1 7.1
Rural East County, 16.5 22.3 29.5 34.9 40.8 147.3
Other.Unincorporated
Areas ' 6.1 6.5 7.1 7.8 8:6 41.
Total Library.
System Area 615.8 . 663.7 707.5 744.4 786.5 27.7 %
increase
overall
13
THE COMMUNITIES
There are eighteen incorporated cities in Contra Costa County. As Figure 3 shows, the
library has branches located in all but Clayton and Hercules, with both communities
expressing an interest.in building branch libraries. The following descriptions of the.
incorporated'cities, along with descriptions of unincorporated communities that have
branch libraries, can help explain the local contexts in which library services are
provided. ^
It is important to bear in mind the larger Bay Area community of which the Contra Costa
County Library system is a part, and which impacts on each of the localities described
below.' Some implications for library service stem from the fact that residents of these and
neighboring areas freely cross jurisdictional boundaries, and are in fact encouraged to•do .
so by adjacent public libraries. The resource sharing already done by these libraries is
enhanced by such cross jurisdictional library use.
The oldest incorporated city in the county,Antioch today is a community where most'
residents commute to jobs in other Bay Area locations, primarily Concord, Walnut
Creek, or Oakland. Affordable housing and proximity to Delta waterways have helped
spur rapid growth and attract a largenumber-of young families with children to the
community. Antioch'is expected to continue its rapid growth over the next twenty years,
and library services to families with children are expected to remain important.
The city of Brentwood, near the Delta and surrounded by apricot, walnut and almond `
orchards on prime-soils, is in the midst of a transition from agricultural to suburban
community. Projections indicate it and nearby Oakley may constitute one of the fastest
growing areas in the San Francisco Bay region in the next twenty years. Home to a.high
proportion of the'county's Spanish-speaking population, about a quarter of the residents
are estimated to be of.Hispanic background, and the library's Spanish language
materials are heavily used.
Clayton is a small incorporated city, currently about the same size as Brentwood,but
with a much slower rate of growth, at the southeast end of Concord. However; the
community may be impacted by the possible construction of a satellite California State
University campus in southeast Concord in the 1990'x. There is no library branch iri
Clayton; residents are.served by branches both in Concord and.in Ygnacio Valley.
The largest-city in the county, Concord is also a major transportation terminus, served
by BART, I-680; and an expanding municipal airport. Recent rapid growth in both office
and retail space (Concord now has 20 shopping centers) has,slowed but is expected to
continue. Population growth has increased the ethnic diversity of the city as well,as the'
number of senior citizens, and the library here will need to address the service.
requirements of both groups.
Crockett, an unincorporated community of about 3,000 people, sits on the (steep hills
along the south shore of the Carquinez Straits. It initially developed around the C&H
Sugar Refinery located here, but today is a.residential community with.very little
business other than antique shops and boutiques. A.recent influx of younger families
with small children has increased demand for children's library services here.
Danville is one of the county's more'affluent residential communities, with a median
family income of close to $40,000 per year. The area has or is near several parks,
14 ..
including Mt. Diablo State Park, some of which.offer community meeting rooms. The
Danville branch also serves the unincorporated community of Alamo.
El Cerrito, located along the densely urbanized I-80 corridor, is an ethnically diverse city
with a population that is over 16% Asian and nearly 10% black. Median family income
here is on the low side,,at.$30,093 per year. ABAG projections indicate that the city's
population may actually decline over the next 20 years. The library is used heavily by
community groups; its proximity to other libraries and cultural resources gives its users
a broad range of resources on which to draw.
El Sobrante is an unincorporated community east of I-80 and bordered by the cities of
Richmond, Pinole, and San.Pablo. El Sobrante is in some places more rural than
suburban; there are no large businesses in the valley, but on the community's borders
are the two major shopping centers, Pinole Vista Center and Hilltop Mall.
In.Hercules,the second fastest growing city in California in recent years, the rapid
population increase and a growing percentage of highly educated citizens has led the
community to be identified as "upwardly mobile Hercules also has a high percentage
of minorities, with over 36% Asians, over 12% black, and nearly 11% of Hispanic origin..
There is no library branch in Hercules, but the city has expressed strong interest in
locating a branch here; most residents currently.use the Pinole branch.
Although Kensington is unincorporated, it retains a strong sense of community identity.
Residences predominate on its hilly terrain, but thetown does have two small business
districts. With recent increases in the number of young families in the community, the
library is heavily used by children from local elementary schools and preschools. Use of
libraries in nearby cities (e.g., Richmond and Berkeley)by Kensington residents is high,
as is use of Kensington's library by patrons from other East Bay locations. Friends of the
Kensington Library is the largest Friends of the Library group in the county.
One of the Central County's residential communities,Lafayette is located along
Highway 24 between Walnut Creek.and Oakland. The city's population of just over
20,000 is predominantly white and enjoys a higher than average level of education and
income. The large number of families in the city result in a high demand for children's
services at.the library branch here.
Martinez is the seat of Contra Costa County's government, as well as the location of the
County Hospital,,Veterans Hospital, numerous halfway houses, and the County
Detention Facility. The branch of the library here is used heavily by county employees,
jurors, Amtrak passengers on layover, and recently released hospital patients and jail
inmates. Limited parking facilities near this branch may sometimes encourage
patrons to use other branch locations.
Like the nearby communities of Lafayette and Orinda,Moraga consists primarily of
residential neighborhoods;it has two shopping centers and no industry. It is home to St.
Mary's College, whose library is available to residents on a fee basis. The public library
houses the Moraga Historical Society Archives, and provides volunteer reference
assistance to those interested in the history of the Moraga Rancho.
The unincorporated community of Oakley, like.Brentwood to the south, is growing
rapidly and in the midst of a transition from agricultural to bedroom.community. The
area's more_affordable housing prices have from,
an influx of commuters and young
families into the community and greatly increased library use, bringing more children
into the library and resulting in requests for a larger library facility here.
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Orinda, an affluent residential community located near Highway 24 just east of the
Caldecott Tunnel, has the highest median family income of any incorporated city in the
county. Its{active Community Center,,which sponsors classes and the Orinda Art
Council, supplements the cultural services provided by,the library branch . Schools here
enjoy a good reputation; the town has a low crime:rate, but limited amenities.
Pinole,in the northwest portion of the county'along the I-80 corridor,is a residential-
co mmunity
esidentialcommunity with a significant number of large families and"children. The branch here
serves a larger percentage of children per capita than any other branch in the county.
This branch now serves patrons from both Pinole and Hercules.
In Pittsburg, unemployment is higher and median family income ($21,684)is lower than
in other parts of the county.. More than 20% of the population is black,and over 18%is
Hispanic. Because lower housing costs here attract families with young children, the
library provides significant services to children.
Pleasant.Hill, incorporated in 1961,is primarily a residential community, "built-out
and not expected to grow significantly. Younger families are increasingly moving into
the city; bringing larger numbers of school-age children. The Central Library is located
here, next to the Contra Costa County Schools Department, the city's largest employer.
Diablo Valley College is also located here, in the northern part of the city.
Richmond residents are served by the Richmond Public.Library,independent of the
county system and under jurisdiction of the City of Richmond. The closest Contra Costa
County Library branches to Richmond are El Cerrito, El Sobrante, and San Pablo.
Rodeo is largely a residential community, unincorporated and located along I-80 between
Crockett and Hercules. It is split by the highway into-an upper income area on the east
and lower income on the west. The community grew rapidly during the 70's and early
80's, but'growth has slowed recently. The small library branch here has limited hours.
San Pablo is,a relatively poor residential community north of Richmond between San
Pablo Bay and I-80. Ethnically diverse, the city also has a high senior citizen population.
The library is located within an area of low-income housing and functions best as a
neighborhood library. Community schools and daycare centers here may need
additional library outreach services.
The newest branch of the Contra Costa County Library system will open in San Ramon
early in 1989. This city has been the site of major business park and commercial
construction over the last few years, and the library might expect to serve some of these
businesses and/or supplement the reference services of business libraries, as.well as
serving the city's residents.
Walnut Creek's population of nearly 63,000 is mostly white, with a high proportion of
elderly residents: nearly 20% are over 65 years of age. The city's rapid growth,
dominated by high-rise office construction, and resultant citizen concern has
contributed to passage of growth-control measures in recent local elections. The city's
extensive community arts program is reflected in its plans to construct a Regional
Center for the Arts. The Walnut Creek library is also used by residents of Alamo.
The Ygnacio Valley branch, located in the eastern part of Walnut Creek, serves parts of
that city, Concord,'and Clayton. Its proximity to several junior high schools and three
high schools gives it a high percentage of children and young adults as patrons.
17
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A LOOK ATTIRE LIBRARY
The examination of Contra Costa County communities in the previous section provided
information on the context within which library services are provided, and helped shed
light on what library users may need. This section reviews what the library is providing,
how, and how well,it provides those services, and resources it draws upon in doing so.
HISTORY
Seventy-five years ago,in July of 1913, Contra Costa County established its County Library
System. The County Library was not the first library in the county,but its creation
marked the establishment of widespread, countywide library services for the first time.
Prior to 1913, libraries had been limited primarily to the county's few incorporated cities.
The first library in the county was a subscription library organized in Lafayette in 1860.
By 1883, reading rooms had been established in Martinez and Pacheco, and in 1893; a
library club formed in Antioch. The.first library building in the county:was constructed in.
1896 in Martinez. The City of Richmond dedicated the first Carnegie Library gift building
in the county in 1910. Early library service was also.provided by the State Library,which.
had established a Traveling Library System in 1903 to circulate books throughout the state.
18
In Contra Costa County Library's first year of operation, the county appointed Mrs. Alice
Grover Whitbeck, formerly the Richmond City Librarian, as the first County Librarian.
Branches were established in Antioch, Concord, Danville, Hercules, Iron House,
Martinez, Oakley, Richmond, Rust (now El Cerrito), and Walnut Creek.
Libraries in Martinez and Richmond which were located in their own buildings became
part of the system, while other early branches were established in post offices, churches,
private homes, stores, office buildings, fire departments, and schools. In Byron, for
example, a "county library deposit station" was opened in a candy store in 1915, and the
first Moraga Library opened in.the town grocery store in 1918. The Carnegie Corporation
funded construction of buildings for the Antioch and Walnut Creek libraries in 1916, and
the Concord library in 1917.
Additional branches were later opened and operated in a number of communities,
including Alamo; Ambrose, Avon, Bay Point (now Port Chicago), Bethel Island,
Brentwood, Byron, Canyon, Clyde, Cowell, Crockett, Giant, Jersey Landing, Kensington,
Knightsen, Lafayette, Liberty, Los Medanos, McCabe, Maltby, Moraga, Morgan Territory, .
Nichols, Oleum, Orinda, Pacheco, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Port Costa, Rodeo,
Rossmoor, St. Paul's Parish, San Pablo, San Ramon, Saranap, Selby, Sequoya, Walden,
and Winehaven.
Not all branches survived from year to year. Some, such as branches in Avon, St. Paul's
Parish, and Walden, were closed within a few years of opening and never reopened. .The
Richmond Public Library remained open, but ceased to be a county library branch when it
withdrew, from the county system in 1916. It was not until the 1960's and 70's, during a
period of rapid expansion for the library system, that most of the buildings for the present
branch system were erected.
Key events in the library's 75.-year history occurred:
--in 1925, when the first Boys' and Girls' Library was furnished in Martinez;
--in 1932, when the Great Depression led to significant cutbacks in library funding;
--in 1949, with establishment of reciprocal borrowing privileges between the El Cerrito "
branch and Richmond Public Library;
--in 1955, when the library's first Technical Services department was organized to handle
acquisitions, cataloging, processing, mending, and other technical library operations;
--in 1956, with the inauguration of bookmobile service by the library; this led to closure
and/or consolidation of some small branches;
--in 1958, with establishment of a policy to provide "core" collections of-basic titles to major
branches on a permanent basis;
--in 1961, with dedication of the Central Library in Pleasant Hill and concurrent
regionalization of library service;
-=in 1964, with establishment of teletype communications between Alameda and Contra
Costa County Libraries and the State Library in Sacramento, and between branches in
Contra Costa County; this was done in conjunction with formation of a cooperative
19
between Contra Costa and Alameda County libraries, the forerunner of today's Bay Area
Library and Information System ;
--in 1969, with installation of photocopying machines in 13branch libraries;
=-in 1970, when the library began its film collection and program by circulating 8mm
films;
--in 1971, when the John F. Baldwin Room was dedicated as a separate reference facility in
the Central Library;
--in 1977, with installation of a new microfilm catalog including not only all county library
holdings but also holdings of other libraries in the East Bay Cooperative Library System;
--in 1978, with passage of Proposition 13 which resulted in budget cuts and elimination of
nine full-time library positions;
--in 1979,with expansion of library services for the deaf under a Library Services and
Construction Act program, including purchase of captioned films and staff training in
signing; '
-- in 1980,with development of a.plan for library service, in cooperation with the Sheriffs
Department, to the county's new detention facility which ultimately received an-
Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties;
--in 1981, when thefull impact of Proposition 13 hit the library and resulted in,a reduction
of staff by 30 FTE's as well as a 20% reduction of library hours to the current 40 hour per
week schedule maintained by branches;
--in 1982, with the addition of a demonstration collection of Talking Books and equipment
for blind and visually handicapped patrons to the Central Library;
--in 1984, when it began participation in Project Second Chance, a system-wide literacy
program; microcomputers for public use were-installed experimentally during'the same'
year in conjunction with a microcomputer literacy program;
--in 1985, with the acquisition of the millionth volume in the library's-collection;
--in 1988, with the installation of the CD-ROM catalog.
ADMINISTRATION/ORGANIZATION
The library system is a Aepartment of Contra Costa'County, and as such answers directly
to the County Board of Supervisors and the county's voters. The County Librarian serves
as chief administrator of the system, while,
the Assistant County Librarian is responsible
for the day-to-day operation of the library.
Central Library Services consist of a Reference Department; Circulation Department,
Request Unit, and Age Level Services. Within Extension Services, the library system's "
branches are divided into two regions; each supervised by a regional librarian. Under the
regional supervisor,most branches are directed by branch librarians. The library's
organizational chart,`shown in Figure 4, illustrates this structure.
20
Figure 4
Contra Costa Count Library
Or ganizational 6hart
...........:::::::::County
Librarian . '
Assistant County
` Librarian
Technical Central Administrative _
Library
Services Services
Services -V
:
Catal `'s Duplicating:: ' `Acquisitions:,: Clerical Library Storeroom
og g q &Delivery
Section Unit Section Services Automation Services
h
Reference Circulation <. ? Request Age Level
Unit Services
.................... ................................
.
Extension Professional
Services Support Stag'
Age Level Community
Services Services
Project
Second Chance
Region Region Substitute Mobile Detention
East West Staff Library € Facility
BRANCHES: BRANCHES:.
Antioch El Cerrito
Brentwood El Sobrante
Concord Kensington
Danville Lafayette'
Martinez Moraga.
Orinda
Pittsburg: Pinole
Walnut Creek San Pablo
Ygnacio ValleyX. OUTLETS:
OUTLET: Crockett
Oakley Rodeo
21
Figure 5
Per Capita Funding of Bay Area Libraries
Serving Populations Over 20,000
1. Palo Alto $54.19
2. Berkeley 39.75
3. Burlingame 37.49
.4. Redwood City 35.34
5. Mountain View. 29:42
6. Sunnyvale 29.41
7. SAN MATEO COUNTY 27.79
8. Los Gatos 26.73
9. SANTA CLARA COUNTY 26.05
10. Menlo Park 25.03
11. SAN FRANCISCO(City & County) 24.51
12 -ALAMEDA COUNTY 23:41
13. Santa Clara(City) 22.43
14. .SAN LEANDRO 21.08
15. Richmond 20.91
16. San Mateo(City) 20:63
17. MARIN COUNTY 20.20
18. :San Jose. 19.78
19. South-San Franciso 19.68
20. SanBruno 17.67
21. Oakland 17.09
22. Livermore 16.57
23. San Rafael 14.51
24. Hayward 14.37
25. -SOLANO COUNTY 13.63
26. Alameda (City) 12.77
27. .Daly City 12.42
28. SONOMA COUNTY 12.05
29. NAPA(City & County) 12.00
30. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY 11.00
31. Benicia 8.05
30 " $27.79
$26.05
26 - ':; � } : $24,51 Per Capita Funding of Bay ,
''i' $23.41
Area Count Libraries
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. .'� .'• ,r\•.- ,4,; is}::v +»:::{:{:}'•;:
•:.{}:•>,; �: :< .:;::::�: $20.20
20
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>;• r,,ry,, ti}'"•+••vii •:;{x•,. %:}}s:. $18.63 13.63
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j� '+,y; ::•:%:;k;:ijn�•'�' }+.,'i:F { 4+;{}.+.,',,.i' :i{'t'C.htii%:• ti i,+.%;�:'i:}{ :'}kkti::>l, .'kr,:•.M.•,•, y' �;�,y,;••':'''•'�Ty�'•• ^
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San Santa San Alameda Marin Solano Sonoma Napa 'CONTRA'"
Mateo Clara Francisco COSTA'
The library is a member of the Bay Area Library and Information System, along with
eight other public libraries from Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties.
FUNDINGBUDGET
A dedicated share of the property tax funds the library. This funding source was greatly
diminished after the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978. The library received some monies
from the county general fund between 1979-80 and 1982-83 to help compensate for this
shortfall; otherwise, the library receives no general fund money. However, the bulk of the
loss due to Proposition 13 has been supplanted.by Special District Augmentation Funds of
approximately $1.7 million per year.
The library also receives funds from the Library Foundation Program operated by the
State of California. Additional revenues come from the state government under the
California Library Services Act, the Library Services and Construction Act, and other
programs. The library collects some revenue as well from fines and fees, and from coin-
operated photocopying machines.
Library funding in Contra Costa County amounts to $11.00 per county resident, the lowest
of any county library in the Bay Area, and second-lowest of any Bay Area library serving a
population of 20,000 or more (see Figure 5). The library's budget status has resulted in a
need to make hard choices in allocating funds. Management and staff have thus faced the
challenge of keeping needed services alive while educating the community about the
library's budgetary plight.
In addressing budget issue's, the library has had to be realistic about the availability of
funds in an era of austerity for local governments. Assistance with making hard budget
choices under these circumstances is an important benefit of the planning process, which
could also help lead to a more. optimistic funding futurefor the library.
The library's 1988-89 budget totals$8,354,500, up about 10%from,the 1987-88 budget of
$7,737,969. In addition to an increase in salary and general operating costs, additional
monies in the 1988-89 budget will cover allocations for materials purchases for the new
San Ramon branch, and loan.payments on installation of the automated circulation
system.
Of the total budget, roughly 67%is spent for salaries and employee benefits, while most of
the remaining 33%,purchases services and supplies. About 11% of the total budget is
spent on library materials, raised from the level of 10% spent about three years ago after
the library chose to increase spending on materials in another planning process. A
roughly equivalent portion of the budget pays for building occupancy costs. The county
also budgets capital improvements funds for the library, which amount to $10,000 for FY
1988-89.
The library's budget accounts for 1.8%of the county's total 1988-89 budget of$462,067,761.
Distribution of the county's budget is shown in Figure 6.
23
Figure 6
The Library's Share of Contra Costa. County's Budget
'1. 988-1989 Proposed 'Contra Costa County Budget
by Type of Services•Provided
(Excluding Enterprise Funds)
(in millions).
LIBRARY $8:6
1.8%
All Other* $90.1 " Public Assistance $171.0
19.6% � •••: ,� ,
37.0%
Health $70.3
15.2%. .
Public Protection $121.9
26.4% ,.
Total $462,067,761
All Other includes Public Works,Elections,Plant Acquisition,Financial and Personnel Administration,
Communications,Insurance and Reserves.
24
FACILITIES
With the opening of the new San Ramon branch early in 1989, the library system will have,
in addition to the Central Library in Pleasant Hill, a total of 17 branches, 3 outlets, and a
mobile library. A list of facilities is provided in Appendix G.
Branches are located in population centers throughout the county. Areas in which there
may be a need for additional branch facilities include San Ramon, in which the library is
constructing a branch to be completed in 1989 (prior to this time, many residents used the
Dublin branch of the Alameda County Library); Hercules, where the city has expressed a
strong interest in having a library; and the Concord/Clayton area, where population
growth may indicate the need for a new branch.
Facilities which need significant expansion, relocation or remodeling include the Central
Library in Pleasant Hill, and branches in Oakley, Martinez, Danville, and Walnut Creek.
The need to make budget choices, as outlined in the previous section, has contributed to
the deterioration of physical facilities in these locations.
Each branch facility provides access to and space for storage of collections; an area for
reference, the largest being at,the Central Library in Pleasant Hill in the John Baldwin
Reference Room; tables and chairs to provide seating and study areas for patrons; areas
devoted to children's services and collections; and areas devoted to young adult services
and collections. Some branches also have meeting rooms available for public use. All
libraries, except Martinez, provide some parking.
The total square footage of all service outlets now open(not including San Ramon)is
168,390 square feet;total seating capacity at all facilities is 1,450. All but four of the library
buildings fall short of generally accepted library space standards. The resultant
overcrowding causes poor access to the collection, inadequate seating, inconvenience to
patrons, and shortages in shelfspace and staff workspace. The Central Library, in
particular, is reaching a point where collection and service growth is inhibited by lack of
space, since it supports the entire library system and provides services for residents
system-wide. Thus, shortage of space is another major issue facing the library. Floor
space at branches is shown in Figure 7.
COLLECTIONS
The library has an estimated 1,080,092 volumes in-its collections overall. In addition to
books, the library's collections include records, audiocassettes, microforms, films,
periodicals (magazines and newspapers), maps, pamphlets, local history materials,
telephone directories, and college catalogues. The library's collections also include
materials for special populations, such as Spanish language materials, large print books,
and adult basic education materials.
Each branch attempts to build collections that reflect the special interests and composition
of its community. For example, a higher proportion of materials in Spanish are held by
branches located in areas with higher Hispanic populations; more large print books are
included in the collections of branches located in communities with significant elderly
populations. In this way, branches can best meet the demands of their local users.
25
Figure 7
Floor Space Per Capita at Library Branches
Increase
in Sq Ft Needed
Population Floor Space Sq.Ft to Reach Standard
Branch Served Sq Ft. Per Capita of 0.5 sq.ftJcap.
Antioch 54,400 11,000 .20 16,200
Brentwood 12,200 4,074 .33 2,026
Concord 101,090 12,640 .13 . 37,905 • .
Crockett 3,200 1,248 .39.' 352 _
Danville 65,900 7,019 .11 7,431
El Cerrito . 26,730 6,450 .24 6,915
El Sobrante 12,000 7,270 .61 ----
Kensington 5,200 5,094 .98 ----
Lafayette 22,800 6,720 .29 4,680
Martinez 37,800 6,172 .16 12,728
Moraga 15,500 10,500 .68 ----
Oakley 14,200 1,200 .09 5,900
Orinda 17,500 9,107 .52 ----
Pinole 37,050 14,700 .40 3,825
Pittsburg 53,900 7,075 .13 19,875
Rodeo 8,500 735 .09 3,515
San Pablo 24,900 6,400 .26 6,050
San Ramon 37,000 *18,000 --- 500
Walnut Creek 62,990 9,240 .15 22,255
Ygnacio Valley 32,040 13,500 .42 2,520
Pleasant Hill (Main) 655,800 28,246 --- ---
* Proposed
26
The most extensive collections are held by the Central Library which houses 270,000
volumes. Here, the 9,400 volume reference collection, including an extensive Business .
Alcove, is housed in the John Baldwin Reference Room. The library also contains an
environmentally-controlled vault which houses the Californiana and rare book collection.
The county library is in addition a depository for a large selection of documents of both the
state and federal government, with a collection of more than 65,000 items and 5,000
topographical maps in the Government Documents section of the Baldwin Room.
The number of volumes per capita held by the library is low'for a library of this size.
Contra Costa County Library now has about 1.6 volumes per capita. The Public Library
Data Service Statistical Report '88 indicates that 2.0 volumes per capita is the median
number for libraries serving populations between 500,000 and 999,999 nationwide. Studies
done by the library show that 13 of 20 branch libraries in the system have collections too
small for the populations they serve. These data are given in Figure 8.
STAFF
The library employs 167 people, not including student assistants. This amounts to 140.15
full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, with 59.5 FTE as professional Librarians, and the
remainder classified as support staff. Librarians all hold Master's degrees from ALA-
accredited library schools.
Services provided by Librarians consist of reference assistance, collection development,
children's programs, outreach, and branch and departmental management. The staff of
Librarians includes subject specialists assigned to the Central Library who provide
reference service and collection development in the areas of History and Social Sciences,
Business and Industry, Science and Technology, and Government Documents. Among
the professionals are also Age Level Specialists who provide services to children and
young adults. Support personnel handle circulation tasks, shelving, secretarial work,
telecommunications, equipment maintenance, materials repairs, data entry, and other
clerical jobs. Library assistants are paraprofessionals who provide assistance at some
reference desks.
'The library also operates a volunteer program, with volunteers providing an average of 7.5
FTE per week in services. Volunteers assist with such tasks as processing paperback
books for circulation, arranging displays, repairing book and record covers, delivering
and picking up books for convalescent hospital patients and shut-ins, updating
community resource files, tutoring, and genealogical research.
SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
The library is a public service agency whose principal offerings are access to information
and recreational reading. Key features of the library's service are the reference assistance
and reader's advisory provided both in person and by telephone at all library branches.
Services to children are also very important throughout the library system, and offered by
all branches. These services include ongoing programs for children to promote reading,
such as Toddler Time, Picture Book Time, story hours for older children, the summer .
reading program, and other activities. Because school age children use the library system
heavily, programs in cooperation with schools are also very important, such as library
tours, book talks, story programs, and outreach visits to classrooms by librarians.
27
Figure 8
Volumes Per Capita at Library Branches -
Number
of Volumes Needed
Population Volumes to Reach Standard
Branch Served Volumes Per Capita of 2 Vol./Cap.
Antioch 54,400 37,409 .69 71,391
Brentwood.', 12,200 27,178 2.23 ----
Concord 101,090 - 84,473 .84 117,707
Crockett 3,200 7,478 2.34 ----
Danville 65,900 40,827 .62 16,973
El Cerrito 26,730 47,347 1.77 . 6,113
El Sobrante . 12,000 37,332 3.11 ----
Kensington 5,200 33,819 6.50 ----. .
Lafayette 22,800 55,148 2.42 ----
Martinez 37,800 33,760 ..89 41,840
Moraga 15,500 46,005 2.97 ----
Oakley 14,200 13,895 .98 14,500
Orinda 17,500 54,926 3.14 ----
Pinole 37,050 44,791 1.21 29,309
Pittsburg 53,900 43,682 .81 64,118
Rodeo 8,500 6,111 .72 . 10,889
San Pablo. 24,900 30,994 1.24 18,806
San Ramon 37,000 *30,000 0.81 . 44,000
Walnut Creek 62,990 71,430 1.13 54,550
Ygnacio Valley 32,040 47,084 1.47 16,996
Pleasant Hill (Main)- 655,800 1,080,092 - ---
* Proposed
28
A number of library services have been initiated via grant programs. In recognition of the
extent of illiteracy in the county, Project Second Chance was first funded in 1984. The
project is a literacy program which trains and provides individual tutors to teach reading
and writing to functionally illiterate adults throughout the system.
The Leading to Reading project, first funded in 1984, encouraged use of the library by
toddlers and their parents. In addition to presenting story times.in local daycare centers
and training parents in storytelling, music and puppetry, the project developed a "starter
kit" of brochures, bibliographies, a board book, a book of fingerplays, and a library card
application to distribute to new mothers. Programs stemming from this project that still
continue are Toddler Time story hours and visits to the library by daycare centers.
Other special programs have included the Microcomputer Literacy project and Library
Services to the Deaf. As a result of participation in the latter project, the library retains
captioned films in its collection, and has staff who are trained to sign.
Additional services provided through the library include presentation of films, interlibrary
loan services, educational presentations such as nature programs, access to Weekend
Library Line (a toll-free telephone reference service sponsored by BALIS which operates
during weekend hours when the library is closed), access to statewide reference referral
services, and book talks.
PERFORMANCE
Various measures of the library's performance indicate how its services are used by the
community. As of 1987-88, the library system provided 38,783 hours of service to the
community; 38,097 users per week visited the library during.this time. A total of 30,486
attended library programs during the year. A total of 356,808 reference questions were
handled and 3,045,218 books and other items circulated during 1987-88. The library is a
net borrower of books on interlibrary loan;in 1987-88, 4,050 interlibrary loans were made to
other libraries, while 12,000 interlibrary loans were received from other libraries for
Contra Costa patrons.
These figures are summarized and shown with per capita use rates in Figure 9, which
also provides a comparison of circulation and reference transaction figures for 1986-87 and
1987-88.
In addition to monitoring these statistics on an ongoing basis, the library this year began
applying output measures by performing a materials availability survey in March, 1988.
This survey indicated that library users find specific titles they are looking for about 61% of
the time, find books on subjects or authors they are looking for about 69% of the time, and
find something to use or check out when browsing about 90% of the time. These fill rates
are shown in more detail in Appendix D. In the future, the fill rate data will help the
library in determining how it is performing in its selected roles.
29
Figure 9
Measures of Library Output
1986/87 Per 1987/88 Per
Total Capita Total Capita
Circulation
Central 635,755
Branches 2,494,894
Total 3,130,649 4.8 3,045,218 4.5
Reference Transactions
Central 102,163
Branches 278,143
Total 380,306 " 0.6 356,808 0.5
Visits 2,158,000 3.3 1,981,044 3.0
Program
Attendance 24,438 30,486
Interlibrary. Loans
To others 4,748 4,050
From others 9,774 12,000
30
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TIE LIBRARY'S ROLES
The Mission Statement reflects the library's four major roles, selected by the library and
based on descriptions in Planning and Role Setting for Public Libraries. This Mission
Statement was drafted only after selection of the library's major roles, and was written to
reflect the essence of the service commitment required by the library to meet each one.
The library's planning committee involved all library staff in the process of selecting these
roles by sending out instructions and a workform for this purpose from the PLDP manual;
shown in Appendix E. Staff were asked to indicate their perception of the library's current
and desirable level of commitment to each role using a point allocation procedure. The
results were then tabulated, also as in Appendix E, and the four most important roles
selected for emphasis throughout the library system.
During selection of roles and development of the Mission Statement, the County Librarian
and Assistant County Librarian visited each branch and met with staff to explain the
process and solicit feedback. This proved to be a very important part of the role selection
and mission development process. Response to these meetings demonstrated a high level
of staff interest in planning and in the library's future.
The library's selected roles are: Popular Materials Center, Formal Education Support
Center,Reference Library, and Preschoolers'Door to Learning. Their level of priority may
vary between branches and the Central Library, and from branch to branch. The following
descriptions of roles are based on language in Planning and Role Setting for Public
Libraries, adapted to better describe the circumstances at Contra Costa County Library.
31
Poaular Materials Center
In its role as a Popular Materials Center, the library makes available a wide
variety of current, high-demand, high-interest materials for people-of all ages.
These reading; listening and viewing materials are available to patrons who may '
wish to borrow instead of buy them. In this role, the library enhances and
supplements the offerings of community bookstores, media, and other popular
culture facilities.
The library supports cultural and leisure activities in this role, and adds to the
appeal of the community as a place both to live and to visit. The library actively
encourages the use of its collection with such methods as distributing special
booklists, sometimes in conjunction with children's story hours, young adult
programs, summer reading, or other library programs and special events. The
library includes popular materials in its services to jail inmates and other
community residents with limited access to library facilities.
To support this role, the collection includes current and popular materials in a
variety of formats., Duplication of these materials sufficient to meet demand is
desired, and achieved to the extent allowed by budgetary limitations. A
.substantial:percentage of the popular materials collection has been published.
within the past five years. Staff track current popular interests and strive to
anticipate publishing trends in selecting materials. Library staff strive to
promote browsing of popular materials with attractive displays and good signage.
The library recognizes that the provision of adequate and easily accessible shelf
space, casual seating, accessible locations, and ample parking are important in
encouraging library use.
32
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Formal Education Sagnort Center
In this role, the library assists students at all levels in meeting educational
objectives established in formal courses of study. This support is provided to
elementary and secondary students and participants.in the library's'adult literacy
programa Some materials and assistance for students enrolled`in adult basic
education, employment training programs, continuing education, and two-year
colleges are also available:
The library offers tours for classes and instructs students in the use of'library
tools. In-cooperation with local schools, it sometimes reserves special materials
to meet classroom-assignment needs. It provides materials such as directories.
and catalogues to identify providers of formal education and training.'
The,library system provides alternative study sites for students .to use when school
or academic libraries are inconvenient or unavailable. To benefit taxpayers, the
library strives to supplement rather than duplicate other area educational.
collections, and cooperates with other educational institutions to clarify its role. 'It .
may also initiate cooperative collection development in conjunction with.these
other institutions.
The reference materials, periodicals, and indexing services the library's
collection contains support this role, as does the library's access to interlibrary
loan. The collection contains other materials in a variety of formats at levels
appropriate to the educational levels supported by the library, and may include
materials listed as supplemental sources in locally used textbooks.
The staff-endeavor to work cooperatively with local educators and maintain a
current awareness of community educational programs. At least some staff are
knowledgeable about curriculum needs and educational principles. Library
facilities are accessible throughout the county, with some located near formal
educational institutions. The library strives to maintain space appropriate for
individual study in its buildings. The library considers student.needs.in
maintaining as broad a range of hours as feasible.
34
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Reference Library
In its role as,a.Reference Library, the library provides a,wide range of information,
to community residents,,both on-site and via "telephone reference services. Users
of reference services gain access'to information.needed on almost any subject for
almost any reason,including -- since the library participates in interlibrary'loan
and cooperative reference services -- information not available locally.` Library
users thus have convenient; timely access to information needed for daily:living
and decision-making.
In this role, the library contributes"to local economic.development by;responding;.
to the information-needs of businesses and supports local government..by
providing information for policy formulation and program management: -Thee
library strives to provide this information as accurately and in as timely a
manner as possible. The library may choose to identify,subject areas of particular
strength or emphasis in filling this role.
To support this role,-the library strives for.a collection emphasizing informational
materials to support individual, business, government, and community.interests
at all age and reading levels. The reference,collection includes such materials as
indexes,"atlases, encyclopedias, handbooks, and directories. The library,
maintains subscriptions to indexing services. Development of newspaper`
clipping files on"currentevents of local concern and the collection of local
documents and,local history are emphasized.
The staffare approachable and skilled in using reference tools and reference
interviewing techniques. The facility has a clearly identified location for
reference services that is staffed during all hours of library service. Telephone
reference.servvice* is available at the Central Library and all branches.
36 .
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Preschoolers'Door to Learn;n�►
In this role, the library provides services for children, for parents, and for parents
and children together, to encourage young children to develop an interest in
I
eading. The library promotes reading readiness from infancy, providing
services for self-enrichment and for discovering the pleasures of reading and
learning. Services may include such programs as daycare story hours,-
traditional
ours,-traditional storytelling, or book talks. The library cooperates with child care.
agencies in the community, and may provide outreach to daycare facilities, or
reading readiness programs, such as the Toddler Time and Picture Book Time
programs. This programming introduces both children and adults concerned
with children to a wide range of materials and formats. Materials on reading
readiness, parenting, child care, and child development are provided for parents .
and other adult caregivers.
The early reading and acceptance of reading that the library promotes can be
important factors contributing to success in formal schooling. In this role, the
library can reach children unserved by other community agencies while it
promotes lifelong use of the library and contributes to the library's visibility and
popularity in the community:
To support this role, the collection contains.a variety of materials and.formats for
preschoolers and for adults working with young children. ;Whenever possible,
considering budget'limitations, popular titles are available in multiple copies.
The staff have knowledge of children's literature and the use of these materials
with children-. They promote reading readiness to the community, guide
children's choices.of books and other materials, and plan and conduct programs.
Library facilities are in locations accessible to young children. Each facility
strives, within budgetary limitations, to include ample, inviting space for
programs and story hours, as well as shelving and furnishings which are
attractive, accessible and comfortable for young children.
38
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LIBRARY GOALS'AND OBJECTIVES
Thelibrary's Mission Statement and roles provide 'a general,basis for.library service to the
community. Goals and objectives, formulated to support the mission.and roles, determine
the actions the library will take as it strives to increase community access to information
'and'reaches out to more community members with its services.
After'selection of roles and drafting of the Mission Statement, the library's planning
committee organized a day-long session at which to formulate goals. With the assistance
of a professional facilitator, the planning committee generated six goals for the library to
focus on over the next three years.
Key concerns raised at the goal development session were reflected in the thirty-seven
goals-the committee had originally brainstormed before narrowing the list to six (see,,
Appendix F). Several of these goals dealt with the need to improve staffing, since the
library's funding level has made staff recruitment and retention more difficult.
Improving facilities and access to those facilities was also seen as important, as most
buildings are too small-for:their.communities and some have inadequate handicapped
access. Concerns about reaching more segments of the community and increasing
library use, particularly by special populations.such as seniors and children, were also
addressed.
40
Objectives were selected with participation by a wide range of staff members. The process
was open to allstaff in the library and began after the formulation of goals. The list of six
goals requesting suggestions on ways to meet each goal were distributed to staff.
Branches and departments then held their own brainstorming sessions to generate.
suggested objectives. Nearly 300 suggestions were collected. From this combined input,
the planning committee selected the most frequently.addressed ideas and wrote four
objectives for each goal.
Several concerns were raised by staff in conjunction with each goal as objectives.were
developed:
--To meet goal #.1, "Provide safe, attractive and comfortable.facilities", staff suggested
addressing a number of facilities problems.. For example,,at this time, not all branch
facilities provide adequate access for.the handicapped.:,Staff noted that furniture may
need attention to be made more comfortable and attractive,.especially for seniors and
children. Both signage and maintenance could be improved throughout the system.
--To "Provide information and recreational materials in a variety of formats for all
ages", as stated in goal #2, many staff suggested restoration of and/or addition to the
audiovisual budget, which was frozen in 1987-88. A general need for more book funds .
was expressed by many staff. It was also suggested that certain special populations in
the county may not be getting adequate" service,.including Spanish-speaking, shut-ins,
seniors, and children.
--Goal #3 for the library is to "Recruit, train and develop competent employees."
Because the library relies heavily on paraprofessionals to provide reference service, the
need to improve their training has increased. Continuing education for all staff has
not been.adequately,supported during lean budget years, and it was suggested that this
support could improve staff performance. In addition, the library has suffered from a
shortage of.children's and young adult librarians and needs to increase its recruiting
for these positions.
--Building on previous successful programs was suggested for goal #4, "Encourage
young children to develop an�interest in reading and learning." Both the Leading to
Reading,and Toddler Time programs were suggested for expansion. Staff suggestions
also pointed up needs for additional programming for school age children, improved
maintenance'of the picture book collections, and an increase in program publicity.
--Goal #5, ""Provide services and materials for children and young adults.to support
their educational pursuits", requires cooperation and coordination between libraries
and schools. Lack of communication between these institutions can create"problems
such as shortage of materials which support homework assignments. ,Thus,.library
.staff saw a need to take initiative in contacting schools and teachers both to inform
them about the library's resources and to gather information from them about school
library needs. Staff also saw the desirability of coordinating the library resources
available to support formal education on a system-wide basis.
\ --To provide the resources necessary to achieve the first five goals, goal #6,'"Provide a
stable funding base adequate to maintain the desired level of service", is essential.
Staff suggestions for objectives to meet this goal indicated a general recognition that
political support must be generated for additional sources of public funding. The
Alliance for Better Libraries, a core group of local activists, and Friends'of the Library
organizations are viewed by staff as important sources of such support.
41
Another.consideration in selection of objectives was the pending automation of the
library's circulation system. The library views automation as essential to achieve better"
control over the library's collections. Automation will also provide more'extensive-
information about use of the library by borrowers, and suggest opportunities for better
service to borrowers. This plan addresses the transition to automation most directly
under goal #3;with an objective'covering the need to train staff in use of the automated
system.
Two special programs of the library also complement the.goals and objectives. The
library's literacy program, Project Second Chance, has been in operation since 1984. In
addition, the library's offering of Toddler Time, an outgrowth of its Leading to Reading
program, is an important element of the role'of Preschoolers' Door.to Learning:
In some long range plans; objectives are further subdivided into and/or supported by a list
of activities. For the purposes of this plan,it was felt-that the objectives as written are,-
specific enough to dictate the activities necessary to achieve them. In any case where an
objective may not be so specific, formulation and performance of activities to meet it will be
considered the responsibility of the staff member or members named to complete it.
THREE-YEAR GOALS
L Provide safe,.attractive and comfortable facilities.
2 Provide information and recreational materials in a variety of formats for all
ages.
3. Recruit,train and develop competent employees.
4. Encourage young children to develop an interest in reading and learning.
5. "Provide services and materials for children and young adults to support their
educational pursuits.
6. Provide a stable funding base adequate to maintain the desired level of service.
42 ,I
1988-89 OBJECTIVES FOR EACH GOAL ;
GOAL 1: Provide safe,attractive and comfortable facilities.
Objectives:
By December 1, 1988, the staff of all units will meet and identify facility needs, including
building enlargement.
By January 1, 1989, unit heads will meet with supervisors to make recommendations
regarding facility needs. ,
By March 1, 1989, supervisors will present facility needs and plans to Administration.
By May 1, 1989, Administration will develop a facility plan and present it to staff
By July 1, 1989, the Administrative Services Officer will develop an improved procedure for
prompt and effective handling of building and grounds emergencies.
GOAL 2: Provide information and recreational materials in a variety of formats
for all ages.
Objectives: .
By July 1, 1988, the Assistant County Librarian will appoint a Collection Development
Committee to re-evaluate and recommend materials budget allocations in keeping.with
the roles selected for the library system and branches/departments.
By April 1, 1989, the Collection Development Committee will present its recommendations.
By April 1, 1989, a subcommittee of the Collection Development Committee chaired by the
Coordinator of Community Services will evaluate and submit a supplementary report on
the language and format needs of each community by comparative study of community
assessments.
By six months after the automation system is fully operational, the Head of Acquisitions
and age-level coordinators will prepare fiction and non-fiction replacement lists based on
information derived from the conversion process.
1
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43
GOAL 3: Recruit,train and develop competent employees
Objectives:
By March 1, 1989, the Training and Development Committee will report its findings and
make recommendations regarding training and development needs of staff
By July 1,1989,representatives of the library, appointed by the Assistant County
Librarian, will visit UC Berkeley and San Jose State library schools once each to,recruit
applicants.
By July 1,1989, the.Head of Reference will give two presentations on the development and
management of the pamphlet/vertical file.
By six months after appointment, the Automation Manager will outline a plan to train
personnel, including substitutes, for automated circulation.
GOAL 4: Encourage young children to develop an interest in reading and
learning.
Objectives:. . ,
By July 1, 1989, the Collection Development Committee will consider methods of allocating
funds from the materials budget to double the picture book collection at Central and four
branches.
By July 1, 19894,the Children's Coordinator will evaluate the current level of the.Leading to
Reading program and make recommendations for future support.
By July 1, 1989, the Children's Coordinator will train.two Children's Librarians to develop
and conduct Toddler Times.
During fiscal year 1988-89, the Children's Librarians at Central and branches will
maintain the current level of Picture Book Time, Toddler Time and.other programming
for preschoolers and their parents.
44
i
GOAL 5: Provide services and materials for children and young adults to support
their educational pursuits.
Objectives:
By December 1, 1988, the County Librarian will communicate.to appropriate school
authorities the library's Mission Statement and our role of providing support for formal
education.
By December 1, 1988; Head of Reference, Young Adult (YA) and Children's Coordinators.
will meet to design a system for preparing and distributing pamphlet lists aimed at filling
school assignments.
By July 1, 1989, age-level coordinators with assistance from YA'and Children's Librarians
will explore school district interest in having tours of the local public library as part of in-
service training of teachers. .
By July 1, 1989, YA and Children's Coordinators will collect information from school
authorities with a view to clarifying the roles of the school and public libraries.
GOAL& Provide a stable funding base adequate to maintain the desired level of
service.
Objectives:
By Januaryj, 1989,Branch Librarians will identify and report to the County Librarian the
names of influential community members willing to work with the Alliance for Better
Libraries to assist the County Library in lobbying the cities for financial support for the
County Library.
By April 1, 1989, Coordinators, Regionals, and Department Heads (CORD) will evaluate
overall budget and staffing allocations and make recommendations for revisions to
Library Administration.
The County Librarian will prepare at least three significant news features for publication
during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1989.
Monthly, the County Librarian will monitor and report on progress of significant
legislation to the library staff and county administration.
45
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46
i .
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
t
This plan outlinesthe library's three-year goals and lists objectives for the year 1988-89.
The library will not stop here, but will use the Mission Statement, roles, goals, and
objectives in this plan as the basis for entering into future planning cycles. New objectives
will be generated for each of the remaining two fiscal years in the three-year period
covered by this plan. The library will also study the results of any output measuresdt
implements and assess the implications of those results for modifying library services.
By January 1991;the library expects to begin developing goals for the next three-year
planning phase. Goals will be built on the roles outlined in this plan. New objectives will
incorporate additional challenges to enhance library services. The library will also
reassess the progress made on its goals and objectives in the first three-year cycle, as well
as the appropriateness of the roles selected and any need to resolve conflict between-roles.
The effectiveness of the planning process itself in helping the library to meet community
service needs will also be reviewed.
One imminent improvement in library facilities which will greatly assist future planning
is automation of the library's circulation system, scheduled to begin operation in 1989.
This year's concurrent commitment of staff time to planning and to the automation
project has limited the planning effort to a basic level. In'the future, the automated,
system with its built-in statistical features will aid in planning. . The planning process
itself revealed the library's need for additional information about library services and how
they are used by.the community. Automated circulation will provide such output
measures and user information, significantly enhancing the planning process.
This initial application of the planning process has introduced the library and its staff to
procedures that can help them better identify community needs and carefully plan
services to meet those needs efficiently and well. Objectives have thus far been modest, to
ensure a basic level of service. However, the library plans to build on this initial effort in
future planning cycles by incorporating challenges into its objectives that will improve and
enhance library services.
47
APPENDIX A
Intellectual Freedom Statement
An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
The heritage of free men is ours.
In the Biti.of Rights to the United States Constitution, the founders.of our nation'proclaimed certain
fundamental freedoms to be essential to our form of government. Primary among these is the
freedom of expression, specifically the right to publish diverse opinions and the right to
unrestricted access to those opinions. As citizens committed to the full and free use of all
communications media and as professional persons responsible for making the content of those
media accessible to all without prejudice, we, the undersigned, wish to assert the public interest in
the preservation of freedom of expression. Through continuing judicial interpretations of the First
Amendment to the United States Constitution,freedom of expression has been guaranteed. Every„
,American who aspires to the success-of our experiment in democracy -- who has faith in the
political and social integrity of free men -- must stand firm on those Constitutional guarantees of
essential rights. Such Americans can be expected-to.fulfill the responsibilities,implicit in those
rights.
We,.therefore, affirm these propositions:. ..
1. We' 'will make.available to everyone who needs or desires them the widest possible diversity of
views and modes,of expression, including those which are strange, unorthodox or unpopular.
Creative thought is',by its nature,new. New ideas are always different and,to some people,
distressing and even threatening. The creator of every new idea is likely to be regarded as
unconventional -- occasionally heretical -- until his.idea is first examined, then refined, then tested
in its political, social or moral applications: The characteristic ability of our,governmental system
to adapt to necessary change is vastly strengthened by the option of the people to choose freely from
among conflicting opinions. To stifle nonconformist ideas at their inception would be to end the
democratic process. Only through continuous weighing and selection from among opposing views
can free individuals obtain_the strength needed for intelligent, constructive decisions and actions.
In short,we need to understand not only what we believe,but why we believe as'we do.
2. We.need not endorse every idealcontained in the materials we produce and,make available.
We serve the educational process by.disseminating the knowledge,and wisdonitrequired for the
growth of the mind and the expansion of learning. For us to employour own political, moral, or
esthetic views as standards for determining what materials are pulished.or circulated conflicts
with the public interest. We cannot foster true education by imposing on others the structure and
content of our own opinions. We must preserve and enhance the people's right to a broader range
of ideas than those held by any librarian or publisher or church or government. We hold that it is
wrong to limit any person to those ideas and that information another believes to be true, good, and
proper.
3. We regard as irrelevant to the acceptance and distribution of any creative work the personal
history. or political affiliations of the author or others responsible for it or its publication.
A work of art must be judged solely on its own merits. Creativity cannot flourish if its appraisal
and acceptance by the community is influenced by the political views or private-lives of the artists or
the creators. A society that allows blacklists to be compiled,and used to silence writers and artists
cannot exist as a free society:'
4. With every available legal means, we will challengelaws or governmental action restricting or
;;,prohibiting the publication of certain materials or limiting free access to such materials:
Our society has no place for legislative efforts to coerce the taste of its members, to restrict adults to
reading matter deemed suitable only for children, or to inhibit the efforts of creative persons in
their attempts to achieve artistic perfection. When we prevent serious artists from dealing with
truth as they see it, we stifle creative endeavor at its source. Those who direct and control the
intellectual development of our children -- parents, teachers, religious leaders, scientists,
philosophers, statesmen -- must assume the responsibility for preparing young people to cope with
life'as.it is and to face the diversity of experience to whichthey will be exposed as they mature. This
48 .
5.
is an affirmative responsibility that cannot be discharged easily, certainly not with the added .
burden of curtailing one's access to art, literature, and opinion. Tastes differ. Taste, like morality,
cannot be controlled by government for governmental action, devised to suit the demands of one
group, thereby limits the-freedom of all others.
5. We oppose labeling of any work of literature or art, or any persons responsible for its creation, as
subversive, dangerous, or otherwise undesirable.
Labeling attempts to predispose users of the various media of communication, and to ultimately
close off a path to knowledge. Labeling rests on the assumption that persons exist who have a
special wisdom, and who, therefore, can be permitted to determine what will have good and bad
effects on other people. But freedom of expression rests on the premise of ideas vying in the open
marketplace for. acceptance, change, or refection by individuals. Free men choose this path.
-6. We, as guardians of intellectual freedom, oppose and will resist every encroachment upon that
freedom by individuals or groups, private or official.
It is inevitable in the give=and-take of the democratic process that the political, moral and esthetic
preferences of a person or group will conflict occasionally with those of others. A fundamental
premise of our free society is that each citizen is privileged to decide those opinions to which he will
adhere or which he will recommend to the members of a privately organized group.or association..
But no private group may usurp the law and impose its own political or moral concepts upon the
general public. Freedom cannot be accorded only to selected groups for it is then transmuted into
privilege and unwarranted license.
7. Both as citizens andp�rofessionals, we will strive b all legitimate means open to us to be relieved
of the threat of personal, economic, and legal reprisals resulting from our support and defense of
the principles of intellectual freedom.
Those who refuse to compromise their ideals in support of intellectual freedom have often suffered
dismissals from employment, forced resignations, boycotts of.products and establishments, and
other invidious forms of punishment. We perceive the admirable, often lonely, refusal to succumb
to threats of punitive action as the highest form of true professionalism: dedication to the cause of
intellectual freedom and the preservation of vital human and civil liberties.
In our various capacities, we will actively resist incursions against the full exercise of our
professional responsibility for creating and maintainin&an intellectual environment which fosters
unrestrained creative endeavor and true freedom of choice and access for all members of the
community.
We state these propositions with conviction, not as easy generalizations. We advance a noble claim.
for the value of ideas,freely expressed as embodied in books and other kinds of communications.
We do this in our belief that a free intellectual climate fosters creative endeavors capable of
enormous variety,.beauty, and usefulness, and thus worthy of support and preservation. We
recognize that application of these propositions may encourage the dissemination of ideas and
forms of expression that will be frightening or abhorrent to some. We believe that what people read,
.view, and hear is a critically important issue. We recognize, too, that ideas can be dangerous. It
may be, however, that they are effectually dangerous only when opposing ideas are suppressed.
Freedom, in its many facets, is a precarious course. We espouse it heartily.*
Adopted by the ALA Council,June 25, 1971
Endorsed by the Freedom to Read Foundation,Board of Trustees,June 18,1971
49
APPENDIX B
Library Bill of Rights
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for
information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their
services.
1. Books and other library resources should be.provided for the interest,
information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves.
Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of
those contributing to their creation.
2. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of
view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or
removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
3. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility
to provide information and enlightenment.
4. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with
resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
5. A person's right to use alibrary should not be denied or abridged because of
origin, age, background, or views. .
6. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public
they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless
of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
Adopted June 18, 1948
Amended February 2,1961,June 27,1967,and January 23, 1980,by the ALA Council
50
APPENDIX C
Community Characteristics
Brentwood-
Alamo Antioch Oakley
Total Population 8,505 45,961 20,890
Percentage of population:
Under 5 years of age 5.44 - 9.08 8.29
6-13 years of age 14.02 15.91 12.84
1.4-18 years of age 12.19 9.01 9.75
19-64 years of age 62.5 58.53 58.74.
over 65 years of age 5.84 7.48 10.37
Below poverty level 1.97 - - 8.81
Over 25,
didn't complete high school 5.62 - - 39.03
Over 25,
completed college 44.01 - - 9.65
Total number households 1,730 14,955 7,304
Household size 3.1 - - 2.86
Total number families 2,362 - - 5,855
Percentage population living alone 16.61 - - 22.69
Median family income 43,703 22,904 21,817
Racial/language/ethnic groups, %
Black 0.4 1.44 0.3
American Indian 0.1 1.35 1
Spanish origin 3.8 13.89 24.5
Asian Indian 0.22 0.15 0.02
Chinese 0.35 0.57 0.12
Filipino 0.28 0.83 0.67
Japanese 0.3 0.37 .0.36
Korean 0.38 0.24 0.02
Vietnamese -- 0.23 0.03
Total Asian 1.6 2.6 1.3
Blue-collar workers 18.84% - - 56.69%
White-collar workers 81.16% - - 43.31%
Self-employed 12.25% = - . 9.85%
Number of Schools
Preschool/Daycare - - 115 11
Elementary 3 8 5
Middle/Intermediate -- 2 3
High School -- 1 1
Vocational/Technical -- 2 . 2
Colleges -- - - 0
Convalescent Hospital Population 48 307 612
51
APPENDIX C
Community Characteristics
Concord Danville II Cerrito
Total Population 103,255 26,446 22,731
Percentage of population:
Under 5 years of age 7.09 6.83 4.09
6-13 years of age' 15 16.46 '8.59
14-18 years of age 19.73 11.25 7.03
19-64 years of age 60.78 60.55 64.39
over 65 years of age 7.4 4.92 15.91
Below poverty level 6 2.2 6.1
Over 25,
didn't complete high school 15.16 5.18 16.35
Over 25;
completed college 9.53 42.47 34.64
Total number.households 37,980 8,388 9,606
Household size 3.77 3.15 3.5
Total number families 27,373 7,388 6,502
Percentage population living alone 7.87 14.82 . --
Median family income 26,844 39,662 30,093
Racial/language/ethnic groups, %
Black 1.69 0.6 9.82
American Indian 0.7, 0.2 0.35.
Spanish origin 7.18 3.2 4.5
Asian Indian 0.45 0.34 -1.07.
Chinese 1.43 1.02 8.63
Filipino 1.43 0.3 .1.22
Japanese 0.76 0.32 4.58
Korean 0.25 0.1 0.2
Vietnamese 0.15 0.05 0.44
Total Asian 4.73 2.2 16.45
Blue-collar workers -- 20.93% - -
White-collar workers -- 81.65% --
Self-employed -- 11.05%. -=
Number of Schools
Preschool/Daycare 27
Elementary 17 5 9
Middle/Intermediate 7 4 1
High.School 7 3 1
Vocational/Technical 1 1 -
Colleges -- - -Convalescent.Hospital Population 1,173 163 45
52
APPENDIX C
Community Characteristics
II Sobrante Hercules, Lafayette
Total Population 10,535, 5,963 20,879
Percentage of population:
Under 5 years of age 6.43 11.66 5.34
6-13 years of age 12.9 2.25 11.64
14-18 years of age .7.66 6.45 9.64
19-64 years of age 66.2 60.29 63.35
over 65.years of age 6.81 2.6 10.03
Below poverty level -- -- 2.89
Over 25,
didn't complete high school 20.84 -- 7.14
Over 25
completed college 15.89 -- 48.64
Total number households 4,170 1,753 7,775
Household size 2.53 3.4 2.69
Total number families 3,005 1,537 5,754
Percentage population living alone 8.33 -- 29.65
Median family income 21,018 32,064 36,963
Racial/language/ethnic groups, %
Black 2.67 12.36 0.4
American Indian 1.17- 0.84 0.2
Spanish origin 7.99 10.77 2.5
Asian Indian 0.29 0.96 0.26
Chinese 1.41 10.01 1.36
Filipino 0.49 23.11 0.27
Japanese 0.73 1.51 0.69
Korean 0.06 0.52 0.22
Vietnamese -- 0.52 0.03
Total Asian 3.6 36.63 2.9
Blue-collar workers 41.94% -- 19.17%
White-collar.workers 58.06% -- 80.83%
Self-employed 7.03% - - 12.31%
Number of Schools
Preschool/Daycare -- -- 12.
Elementary 12 2 6
Middle/Intermediate 1 -- 2
High School 1 -- 1
Vocational/Technical -- -- 1
Colleges -. 0
Convalescent Hospital Population 79 22 88
53
APPENDIX C
Community Characteristics
Martinez Moraga Orinda
Total.Population 22,582 15,014 16,825
Percentage of population:
Under 5 years of age 6.29 4.82 5.34
6-13 years of age 13.03 12.96 11.95
14-18 years of age 8.76 12.37 .9.89
19-64 years of age 63.39 64.1 64.56
over 65 years of age- 8.53- 5.75 8.25
Below poverty level 12.9 3.34 2,89
Over 25,
didn't complete high school 15.75. 3.87 3.51
Over 25,
completed college 20:46 . 51.36 59.32
Total number households 8,406. 4,848,. 5,809
Household size 3.72 3.1 2.9
Total number families 6,076 3,944 4,972
Percentage population living alone -- 21.72 17.21
Median family income 28,793 39,915 41,481
Racial/language/ethnic groups, %
Black 1.8 0.9 0.65
American Indian 0.87 0.1 0.2
Spanish origin 7.68 3.1 1.9
Asian Indian - -. 0.23 0.3
Chinese 0.77 3.02 2.18
Filipino 0.97 . 0.18 0.2
Japanese 0.28. 0.64 0.53
Korean 0.38 0.33 0..19
Vietnamese 0.15 0.07 --
Total Asian 3.02 4.5 3.4
Blue-collar workers -- 12:88% 11.68%
White-collar workers -- . 87.12% 88.32%
Self-employed 7.75% 12.47%
Number of Schools
Preschool/Daycare 8 2 8
Elementary 5 3 4
Middle/Intermediate 1 1 1
High School 1 1 2
Vocational/Technical 2 0 0
Colleges -- 1 1
Convalescent Hospital Population 159 190 55
54
APPENDIX C
Community Characteristics
Pinole Pittsburg Pleasant Hill
Total Population 24,600 40,545 25,124
Percentage of population:
Under 5 years of age 5.8 10.76 5.71
6-13 years of age 14.24 15.73 1121
14-18 years of age 11.19 7.94 8.16
19-64 years of age 63.83 58.14 66.38
over 65 years of age 4.94 7.43 8.54
Below poverty level -- -- -Over 25,
didn't complete high school -- -- -Over 25,
completed college -- -- --
Total number households 8,051 11,087 . 9,771
Household size 2.91 2.98 2.57
Total number families -- -- 6,707
Percentage population living alone -- -- --
Median family income 32,500 21,684 26,884
Racial/language/ethnic groups, %
Black 4.69 20.19 . 0.94
American Indian 0.93 1.13 0.74 .
Spanish origin 7.78 18.44 5.57
Asian Indian -- 0.36 0.32
Chinese 1.5 0.71 0.69
Filipino 0.66 5.13 0.59
Japanese 2.31 0.22 0.84
Korean 0.3 0.1 0.17
Vietnamese -- 0.13 --
Total Asian 5.0 7.05 3.19
Blue-collar workers -- -- -
White-collar workers
Self-employed
Number of Schools
Preschool/Daycare 8 8
Elementary 6 7 6
Middle/Intermediate 1 5 2
High School 1 1. 1
Vocational/Technical 3 1
Colleges -- 1 2
Convalescent Hospital Population 17 224 525
55
APPENDIK C
Community Characteristics,
Walnut Creek ..
SanPablo San Ramon: (inc.W.C.West)
Total Population 19,750 : 22;356 59,536
Percentage of population:=
Under,5 years of age 912 10.04. 3.72
6-13 years of age 12.28 15.82 10.46'
14-18 years of age 7.5 9.38 .8.06
19-64,years of age 59A7 61.22 58.56
over 65 years of age 11.62 3.54 192
Below poverty level 18.4 1.64 . . --
Over 25,
didn't complete high school 38.82Over 25,
completed college. 4.71 3026 -
Total.number households 7,959 7,203' 25,829
Household size 3.92 3.1 2.31 .
Total number families 5,037 6,217 14,516
Percentage population living alone - 16.42
Median family income 17,424 32,834 . 32,317
Racial/language/ethnic. groups, %
Black 15.8 1.7
American Indian Indian 1.72 0.5_ 0.23
Spanish origin 1721 5.4 3:36.
Asian Indian 0.1 0.6 0.38
Chinese 0.3 1.69 1.63
Filipino 1.78 1.09 028
Japanese' 0.97 0.65 1.05-
Korean . _- 0.19 0.42
Vietnamese 0.65 0.09 '' 0.03
Total Asian 4.92 4.5 3.84
Blue-collar workers 58.27% '25.75%
White-collar workers 41.73% 74.25% -
Self-employed 6.34% -
Number of Schools
Preschool/Daycare 4 - 11
Elementary 7 6, 9
Middle/Intermediate 2 1 2
High School 1 2
Vocational/Technical - 1
Colleges 1 0
Convalescent Hospital Population 460 26 , 565
. 56 .
APPENDIK D
Materials Availability Survey
All branches and outlets, except the Mobile Library, Detention Facility and TOSS
Project, participated in system-wide fill rate measuring-- even if the branch or outlet
had a sample size too small'to calculate individual branch/fill rates. This statistical
procedure comes from OUTPUT MEASURES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES,2nd ed.
System-wide Title Fill Rate: 58-64% (61% with confidence interval of+/- 3)
System-wide Subject/Author Fill Rate: 66-72% (69% with confidence interval of+/- 3)
System-wide Browsers Fill Rate: 88-92% (90% with confidence interval of+/- 2)
Date of Survey: week of March 14-19, 1988
Total Number of Surveys.GivenOut: 5,097
Average Response Rate: 76%
Range.of Response Rates: 36% to 100%
SYSTEM RESPONSE
Number
Response of Surveys Title Subject/Author Browsers
Rate Given Out Fill Rate Fill Rate Fill Rate
Antioch 61% 304
Brentwood 92% - 233 * * 89-97%
Concord 76% 372 61-73% ' 65-77% 82-92%
Crockett . 100% 30,
Danville 63% 278 * * 89-97%
El Cerrito 86% 290 , 66-78% 67-79% 84-94%
El Sobrante 72%. 221
Kensington 81% 355 50-62% * 81-91%
Lafayette 61% 289 * * 84-94%
Martinez 81% - .204 * * 87-95%
Moraga 89% 283 .. 48-60% ' 58-70% 90-98% .
Oakley 96°!0 68
Orinda 88% 205
Pinole 36016 198
Pittsburg 71% 388 51-63010 59-71% 86-94%
Rodeo 96% 48
San Pablo 590/0 255
Walnut Creek 76% 374 57-69% 64-76% 92400%
Ygnacio Valley 83% 330 * 62-74% 83-93%
CENTRAL 56% 372 58-70% 67-79%
* indicates a sample size too small to make a prediction
Note: Title, subject/author, and browsers fill rates are expressed in a range. This allows for
statistical confidence. So, a title fill rate of 61-73%means:on the average, a person could
expect to find on the shelf a desired title at least 61%of the time.At most,this person would
find this same book 73%of the time.
57
APPENDIX E
Summary of Role Setting Exercise
CONTRA COSTA COUN`IY LIBRARY
INTER-OFFICE'MEHO
DATE: January 6, .1988
TO: All Library Staff
FROM: The Planning Team
SUBJECT: ROLE SETTING AND .THE PLANNING PROCESS
The Public Library Development Project's PLANNING- AND ROLE SETTING FOR
PUBLIC LIBRARIES outlines and describes eight basic roles from which public
libraries can select the role or roles they choose to fulfill. The roles
are profiles of library service emphases. No library can, fulfill all eight
roles. By .selecting those roles most appropriate to our circumstances, we
can set priorities and develop criteria for making the dmportant decisions
we face daily..
The planning team wants your assistance with the role setting stage of the
planning process. Attached you will find copies of the pages from PLANNING"
AND ROLE SETTING FOR LIBRARIES which explain the eight basic, roles and a copy .
-of a worksheet entitled Selecting Library. Roles. Please read, review and
discuss with other staff the eight roles. . Then, please individually complete
s
the worksheet, following the instructionon the worksheet. On the line
labeled "group" indicate which branch or library unit you are.currently
assigned .to. Return the. worksheet to Linda Feliz, Library Administration,
by Friday, January 22, 1988.
The planning team will review•-the results. of .this exercise, consider the.
results in light of the information the team has gathered about library
.work output and about the community the library serves, .select_ a set of
roles for the library system, and hold further discussions with staff before
drafting a mission statement and goals and .objectives for the Library.
If you have any questions about this exercise, you may contact any member
of the planning team. Their names and numbers are listed below:
Ernest Siegel, 646-6423
Esther Helfand, 646-6423
Mary Roberts, 222-3970
Stella Baker, 646-6427
Rose-Marie Kennedy, -646-6421
Ruth Russell, 646-6429
Kris Wick, 646-6422 `
KW:if
Attachments
58
StakAole Se Exercise Workform E 9
Setting 5
WORJMRM E Selecting Library Roles Worksheet
Composite
(Group)
In the columns below,please allocate 100 points.You need not divide points equally,and some roles may receive
no points. Note that 20 of the 100 points have already,been assigned to cover basic library activities and roles not
selected for emphasis. In the first column,distribute the 80 remaining points based on how you see c:srrent library.
activities being directed. In the second column, distribute the 80 points the way you feel library activities should
be directed. Rank
Role Central Branch Unspecified
Community Activities Center 8 7 7
Community Information Center. 6 6 6
Formal Education Support Center Tie
3 2-3 3
Independent Learning Center 4 5 5
Popular Materials Library
2 1 1
. e
Preschoolers' Door to Learning Tie
5 2-3 ¢
Reference Library 1 4 2 _
Research Center 7 8 8
Miscellaneous Activities and Roles Not Selected for Emphasis
Total
59 ,
APPENDIX F
Brainstormed Goals
1. Recruit, train, retain most competent people available.
2. Provide safe, attractive and comfortable facilities.
3. Provide library services appropriate to each community.
4. Encourage young children to develop an interest in reading and learning.
5. Insure access tot library facilities regardless of location or handicap.
6. Be identified as an information center by all segments of the public.
7. Provide a supplementary resource in meeting educational needs of elementary and
secondary students.
8. Develop a timely and accurate collection.
9. Provide information in a timely manner.
40. Provide complete and accurate information. .
11. Provide materials and services to the adult illiterate population.
12. Eliminate restrictive borrowing rules.
13. Evaluate overall budget and staffing allocation.
14. Provide best and most popular recreational reading.
. 15. Provide materials and services to pursue individual information needs.
16. Provide information and recreational materials in a variety of formats for all ages.
17. Run a smooth and efficient.operation. .
18. Recruit, train and develop competent employees.
19. Enlist Friends groups, community leaders and staff in building,or identifying
alternative sources of funding.
20. Provide access to a wide range of services and materials for children and young adults
to support their educational pursuits.
21. Provide materials and services which support the pursuit of knowledge and
information.
22. Provide a variety of access to library's services and materials.
23. Assure access to library facilities at times of day and week convenient to all patrons.
24. Provide programs,'and materials to introduce new parents-and preschoolers to the
library:
25. Provide recreational materials in a quantity and a variety of formats and languages.
26.'_Promote/publicize mission in community.
27. Provide materials to support the reference function of the library based on the-needs of
the community.
28. Provide new popular materials as quickly as book stores.
29. Match activities with resources.
30. 'Create a positive and nurturing work.environment in order.to encourage and bring
out the best.in each employee.
31. Provide materials for recreational reading and cultural enrichment.
32.. Promote involvement of employees in problem solving.
33.' Maintain a clean attractive physical plant.
34. Explore potential of new technology to improve library services.
35. Match time and budgetary resources available with level of activity chosen.
36. Maintain present level of public service.
37. Plan ahead.
60
APPENDIX G
Contra Costa.County Library System Facilities
CF.NTRAT.LIBRARY Hours
PLEASANT HILL Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu 10-9
1750 Oak Park Blvd. Fri&Sat 10-6
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
646-6434
LARGE BRANCHES
ANTIOCH Mon&Wed 12-8
501 West 18th Street Tue&Thu 10-6
Antioch,CA 94509 Fri&Sat 1-5
427-8541
CONCORD Mon&Thu 12-9
2900 Salvio Street Tue&Wed 10-6
Concord;CA 94519 Fri&Sat 1-5
6465455
DANV]LLE Mon&Wed 12-8
555 South Hartz Avenue Tue&Thu 10-6
Danville,CA 94526 Fri&Sat 1-5
837-4889
EL CERRUO Mon&Thu 12-8
6510 Stockton Street Tue&Wed 10-6
El Cerrito,CA 94530 Fri&Sat 1-5
526-7512
LAF'AYE nE Mon&Wed 12-8
952 Moraga Road Tue&Thu 10-6
Lafayette,CA 94549 Fri&Sat 1-5
283-3872
MORAGA Mon&Wed 10-6
1500 St.Mary's Road Tue&Thu 12-8
Moraga,CA 94556 Fri&Sat 1-5
376-6852
WALNUT CREEH Mon&Tue 12-8
1644 North Broadway Wed&Thu 10-6
Walnut Creek,CA 94596 Fri&Sat 1-5
646-6773
YGNACIO VALLEY Mon&Thu 12-8
2661 Oak Grove Road Tue&Wed 10-6
Walnut Creek,CA 94598 Fri&Sat 1-5
938-1481
61
SMALL BRANCHES
BRENTWOOD Mon 12-8
751 Third Street Tue Wed,Thu 10-6
Brentwood,CA 94513 Fri&Sat 1-5
634-4101
EL SOBRANTE Mon&Tue 12-8
4191 Appian Way Wed&Thu 10-6
El Sobrante,CA 94803 Fri&Sat 1-5
3743991
KENSINGTON Mon&Tue 1-9
61 Arlington Avenue Wed&Thu 10-6
Kensington,CA 94708 Fri&Sat 1-5
524-3043
MARTINEZ Mon&Tue 12-8
740 Court Street Wed&Thu 10-6
Martinez,CA 94553 Fri&Sat 12-4
646-2898
ORa1DA Mon.&Tue 12-8
2 Irwin Way Wed&Thu 10-6
Orinda,CA 94563 Fri&Sat 1-5
254-2184
PINOLE Mon&Wed 1-9
2935 Pinole Valley Road Tue&Thu 10-6
Pinole,CA 94564 Fri&Sat 1-5
758-2741
FUMURG Mon&Tue 12-8
80 Power Avenue Wed&Thu 10-6
Pittsburg,CA 94565 Fri&Sat 1-5
427-8390
SAN PABW' Mon 12-8
2101 Market Avenue Tue,Wed,Thu 10-6
San Pablo,CA 94806 Fri&Sat 1-5
3743998
OUrLm
CROCKE'iT
991 Loring Avenue Mon&Fri 10-4
Crockett,CA 94525 Wed 12-5
787-2345
OAHIEY Mon 1-6
118 East Ruby Street Tue 1-4;5-8
Oakley,CA 94561 Thu&Fri 2-5
625-2400
RODEO Mon,Wed, Fri 11-5
220 Pacific Avenue
Rodeo,CA 94572
799-2606
62