Title
Approve amending the scheduled hours of operation for the Monterey County Free Libraries effective September 2, 2017.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Approve amending the scheduled hours of operation for the Monterey County Free Libraries effective September 2, 2017.
SUMMARY:
The Board of Supervisors, as the governing body of the Monterey County Free Libraries system, is empowered to establish the County Library's operating policies, including the hours of service. The County Library has experienced an increase in the gap between operating expenses and revenues. The requested modification of open hours will improve efficiency, overall service to the public, and improve sustainability of the level of services.
DISCUSSION:
The Monterey County Free Libraries system regularly evaluates the public service hours at its branches to ensure continued balance between efficient use of library resources and provision of excellent service to the community. The County Library has experienced an increase in operating costs associated with delivery of services, personnel costs and other operating costs. In addition, the staff workload varies from branch to branch based on the number of library users using the premises, attending programs, checking out books, and using the computers and numerous library services, and staffing levels may be reevaluated based on these variations.
Between December 2016 and January 2017, the library conducted an extensive survey to solicit public input regarding scheduled public service hours. The new schedules were formulated based on the results of the survey and other considerations including the following:
* Efficient public service hours designed around peak use and staffing constraints
* Balancing community service needs and budget limitations
* Equity in service hours between mid-sized branches, small branches and regional branches
* Equity and efficiency in staffing levels at branches
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