HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01182005 - C55 • 'I'O:. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS *A Contra
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FROM: Anne Cain, County Librarian �- >;p
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DATE: January 4, 2005 County
SUBJECT: Wilruss Children's Library Trust Report 0.,5-!5
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATIONS) & BACKGROUND AND
JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
ACCEPT the County Librarian's status report on the Wilruss Children's Library Trust.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Balance in fund at the end of the previous year(6/30/03) $1,962,745
Amount in the fund at the end of the current year(6/30/04) $15880,421
Amount earned during the current year $231,520
Amount expended during the current year $1053,844
Amount available for expenditure as of 6/30/04 $1721,821
The money has been invested by the County Treasurer with interest rate of 1.18%. It should be noted that
the actual amount booked as received in FY 2004 is $11,668, and will be reported when it is earned next
year.
BACKGROUND:
In 1996, the 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 design and maintenance of programs that promote literacy and a lifelong love of books and
reading in socially and economically disadvantaged areas of 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 the 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: ✓YES SIGNATURE:
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RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE PPROVE
OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
Y
ACTION OF B A DON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OT ER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS:
UNANIMOUS(ABSENThQYw' ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF
AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
AYES: NOES:
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED
UHN SWEETEN64LERK O THE BOARD OF
PEISORS AN OUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Contact: Anne Cain,646-6423 Py
By J ,DEPUTY
cc: County Library—Administration
0AB0Stwi1russ6.doc 1/4/2005 3:55 PM
Wilruss Children's Library Trust Report
January 4,2005
Page 2
County Administrator
County Auditor
2003-04 ANNUAL REPORT
The following represents the Strategic Initiatives of the Wilruss program.
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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 Children Emphasize library education and reading for children under 8
Outreach Develop library programs that take services out into the community
Reading/Family Promote reading, family literacy and the educational role of the library
Literacy/Education
Public Relations Increase the public's awareness of the library's importance in the lives of young
children
Reach Out and Read
The Reach Out and Read Program promotes family literacy through a partnership with Contra Costa
County Health Services. The Program expanded this year, offering services through 5 clinics to reach
over 5,560 children and their parents. Over 70 clinic staff,trained in the Reach Out and Read program,
provided encouragement, books and materials to families during well child visits to the clinics. These
messages about reading inform parents of critical developmental stages for children and provide
descriptions of age-appropriate pre-literacy activities. This is an ongoing effort in county clinics serving
children from ages six months to five years. By the time a child is ready for school, families have a small
library of books, a library card, and an awareness of the importance of reading.
Wilruss supports Reach Out and Read by recruiting and training volunteers to model reading to new
families in clinic waiting rooms. Twenty-three volunteers have been trained since the program's inception
and over the next year, more emphasis will be placed on working with the clinics to recruit additional
volunteers from their community and professional organizations. Wilruss also purchases and distributes
age-appropriate books that reflect the county's diverse population, and prepares grant applications for
additional funding to support and expand the program. In 2003-04,the County Library applied for and
received a Federal Library Services and Technology Act {LSTA) grant of$6,275.00 for the purchase of
books and received sustainability funding from the National Reach out and Read Organization in the
amount of$2,478.54.
Stories-To-Go
There were a total of 43 volunteers who participated in the program throughout 2003-2004, reading in a
total of 34 classrooms at 22 preschools on a regular basis. These volunteers worked a total of 1,427 hours,
providing story times to 850 children in 40 classrooms. The majority of the volunteers read once a week,
and several volunteers provided two story times at their visits. There are 218 Stories-To-Go kits located in
five community libraries for use by volunteers.
The Stories-To-Go program received two grants this fiscal year. The Contra Costa County First 5
Commission awarded $10,000 for the creation of 75 Books To Grow On kits. These kits are similar to the
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Wilruss Children's Library Trust Report
January 4,2005
Page 3
Stories-To-Go kits,,but may be checked out by preschools and daycare centers for use over a three-week
period. Planning and purchasing materials for 3 sets of 25 different thematic kits was a large project for
thisy ear and the kits will be ready for circulation during FY 04-05. A$5,000 award from Target funded
theproduction of two training videos on how to conduct story times and perform fingerplays for Stories-
To-Go volunteers.
Long-term Goals for the Wilruss Trust
In the next five years, the Wilruss Trust will maintain, and expand where possible, the Reach out and
Read, Stories-To-Go, and Books To Grow On programs, which incorporate all strategic initiatives
identified above. The Wilruss Trust will also integrate these programs and other activities into the County
Library's forthcoming strategic plan. Within this plan,the Wilruss Office will focus on collaboration and
other means to extend services that educate parents and caregivers on the importance of reading to young
children.
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