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TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Anne Cain,Acting County Librarian
DATE: November 24, '1999
SUBJECT: Wilruss Children's Library Trust Annual Report FY 98-99
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)& BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
ACCEPT the Contra Costa County Library Wilruss Children's Library Trust Annual Report for 98--99.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
FINANCIAL REPORT:
Amount in the fund at the end of the previous year(6!30198): $1,851,726
Amount in the fund at the end of the current year (6130/99): $1,889,637
Amount earned during the current year: $ 100,687
Amount expended during the current year: $ (62,776)
Amount available for expenditure: $ 182,037
The money has been invested by the County Treasurer with interest rates varying from 4.87% to
5.79%.
BACKGROUND:
In April 1996, the County Library was advised that it had been named to receive the proceeds from the
Storm's Living Trust, valued at $1,707,600, which had been established by Mrs. Wilma Storms.
Conditions of the trust require that all proceeds from the trust be placed in a new trust fund (the Wilruss
Children's Library Trust)for the benefit of library services to children in Contra Costa County. Terms of
the trust authorize the County Librarian to expend earnings from the trust each year and to carry over
any unspent earnings from prior years. In no case is the principal amount to be invaded, other than to
pay approved Claims against the Storms Living Trust. There is also a provision for an annual reporting
to the Board of Supervisors on the Wilruss Children's Library Trust.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: El YES SIGNATURE:
I Al LIJRECOMMENDATION COUNTYADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
9 APPROVE E]OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON De c e mb e r 14 19 9 9 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED R.�_�
OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS:
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF
X�[JNANIMOUS(ABSENT — — — — — ) ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
AYES.,—NOES: SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ABSENT: ABSTAIN:
Contact: Anne Cain,Acting County Librarian 646-6423 ATTESTED December 14 , 19 9 9
PHIL BATCHELOR,C ERK OF THE BOARD OF
County Administrator
cc: CountyLibraryUPERVISORSAN OU TYADMIN TRATOR
Administrator
Joyce B.E111s,Trustee Storms Living Trust By Deputy
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4998-99 ANNUAL REPORT:
The goal of the Wilruss Children's library Trust program is to raise awareness of the library's potential
to improve the quality of life for Contra Costa County families by creating an exciting approach to library
services. The following represents the Strategic Initiatives of the program.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
Diversity Reflect the cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity of our communities in the
service we provide
Partnerships Build partnerships that will advance mutual goals
Involve Adults Actively involve parents and caregivers in the implementation of our programs
for children and adults
Target Young Emphasize services for children under 8
Children
Outreach Develop programs that take services out into the community
Reading/Family Promote reading, family literacy and the educational roleof the library
Literacy/Education
Public Relations Increase the public's awareness of the library's importance in the lives of young
children
Specific service programs that enable the library to carry out these strategic initiatives are:
Stories-to-Go
The Wilruss Library Specialist and the steering committee created thematic: kits containing books,
puppets and finger plays. Each kit was carefully developed to contain age appropriate books that
would promote preschool learning, such as alphabet and number books and books reflecting the
experiences of children from a wide variety of backgrounds including those for whom English is a
second language. Examples of themes are "Bedtime", "Families", and "Bathtime". Some stories are
also in Spanish.
A procedure was formulated for cataloging and circulating the kits to volunteers who visit the child-care
sites. Currently, there are 83 kits, housed at three locations: the Concord, Pittsburg, and San Pablo
library.
A training video was produced for use at future volunteer training sessions. The video illustrates the
use of rhymes,fingerplays and techniques that volunteers can use to enliven book presentations.
A small collection of books was housed at the three branches involved in the Stories-to-Go program.
These books are available to volunteers who want something extra to read during their visits. This
collection contains books in both English(approx. 80%) and Spanish(approx.20%).
This year, 21 volunteers provided service to 545 children at preschool or child-care sites in Pittsburg,
Bay Point, San Pablo and Concord.
Library Outreach
The Summer Reading Program was made available to children at child-care sites in collaboration with
child-care workers and "Stories-to-Go" volunteers.
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Community organizations were contacted in order to assess potential opportunities for partnerships.
Staff researched existing parent education and family literacy programs in adult schools, public schools,
organizations and other county agencies, and met with representatives of various agencies to discuss
the role that the library might play in their programs.
Parent Education
Staff began publishing a series of bimonthly newsletters for parents containing suggestions of books to
read to young children, nursery rhymes, finger plays and crafts. These are published in Spanish and
English. A bookmark titled "Now to Read to Children" was created for distribution in libraries and child-
care centers.
The steering committee and the Wilruss Library Specialist explored needs and appropriate formats for
parent education programming with the goal of establishing partnerships with other agencies and
organizations that serve families.
CONTRA COSTA CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
Applicability:
The goal of the program is to raise awareness of the library's potential to transform people's lives by
promoting early childhood reading and family literacy, by forging community partnerships and by
continuing to respond to the changing needs of our diverse county.
Contents:
1. Children Ready for and Succeeding in School:
This program supports the community outcome of ensuring that children are ready for and succeed in
school by promoting early childhood reading and family literacy.Volunteers reported enthusiastically on
the impact of their visits this year. They noted that children showed an improved attention span and
became happy and excited when the volunteer's visit was announced.
2. Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood:
Research clearly demonstrates that children who read, not only perform better in school as students,
but grow up to be life-long learners.
3. Families that are Economically Self Sufficient:
The parent education component of the Wilruss program introduces families to the library, including
the library's job resources. This can contribute to economic self-sufficiency.
4. Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing:
The parent education component of the Wilruss Program encourages parents to read with and to their
children and thus creates a nurturing and bonding family experience.
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