Garrison Frost weighs withdrawal from the County library system

Beach Reporter ● September 14, 2000 So you want to pull out of the county library system BEACH TALK by Garrison Frost Back in 1994, it made a lot of sense for residents of Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach to talk about pulling out of the Los Angeles County Library system. You still hear a lot of talk about that now. Residents may recall that in late 1993, the county drastically cut back on spending for libraries. Although Manhattan Beach's library hours were cut, Hermosa Beach suffered most with only 14 hours of service per week. Understandably, Hermosa Beach city officials began the process of pulling out of the county system altogether and funding its own library. Officials in Manhattan made similar rumblings. Perhaps the only thing that kept cities like Hermosa and Manhattan from pulling out in 1994 was the fact that they would have to keep paying into the county system even if they were no longer a part of it. Cities that started up their own libraries would essentially have to pay for two libraries. Because of this, cities throughout California supported legislation that would allow them to take their tax money with them. As this legislation sailed through Sacramento, county officials realized that they needed to fund libraries fast or lose millions in tax revenue. Local library hours were quickly restored, if not quite up to previous levels. Even though much of the immediate interest in withdrawing disappeared, people in Hermosa and Manhattan have never been completely satisfied by the county's funding of their libraries. Last year, the Manhattan Beach City Council lent its support to a Library Commission recommendation that the city pull out of the county system. Arguing that the city needs a larger, better-stocked facility for its residents, the council embarked on a study of the potential costs of building and running its own library, but stopped short of giving the county formal notice of withdrawal. Also last year, the Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library convinced their city officials to make a formal request for more library hours. Just this week, the City Council again voted to investigate the feasibility of pulling out of the county system altogether. But the idea of pulling out of the county library system isn't nearly so simple as it was in 1994. Here are a few things people should consider: ● While the county system has its flaws, one should not underestimate the amount of service it provides. Hundreds of people enjoy the use of our local county libraries every day. Politically speaking, walking away from a library that only provides 14 hours a week is a lot easier than walking away from one that is paid for and open 35 or more hours per week. ● Although cities could possibly erect better buildings and provide better staffing, there is no way one city could ever provide the same resources. People forget that users can have any book from any county library delivered to their location, giving users access to millions of books. ● If the city withdraws, the county will take everything not bolted down when it leaves — including all the books, furniture, computers, staplers, pencil holders, wall clocks and wastebaskets. Furthermore, it will take everything ever donated by the Friends of the Library. ● Manhattan Beach residents currently pay about $1 million per year in taxes to support their library. A recent estimate put the cost of buying the library building and its furnishings from the county at somewhere between $2.1 million and $4.7 million, not including books. If the city wished to build its own facility, that would cost about $5 million. And these numbers have nothing to do with ongoing operating costs, which would likely eat up more than the $1 million each year. Hermosa Beach, which wouldn't have to pay as much to take over its library building, would still be hard-pressed to get a better library for the $375,000 it pays in annual taxes. ● Officials in Hermosa and Manhattan can learn a lot from Redondo Beach, which has long operated its own library. Back in the early 1990s, Redondo scored when it landed state bond money to build its opulent main library — money that would likely not be available for Hermosa and Manhattan. Furthermore, Redondo has proved that building a nice library is quite different from maintaining one. Although I would bet that Redondo's library offers more onsite services than its Manhattan and Hermosa counterparts, its holdings are dwarfed by what is available to users of the county system. Furthermore, ever since the new main library opened in 1995, Redondo Beach has struggled to finance its operations. A recent study by that city's Library Commission found that the Redondo library's budget was far behind comparable cities, and yet ranked up near the top in usage. Those are numbers that, unless the city allocates more of its limited resources toward the facility, don't bode well. I have actually seen arguments at Redondo City Council meetings over whether to spend money on public safety or the library. Do Hermosa and Manhattan residents really want their councils making those kinds of decisions? ● Hermosa and Manhattan might be able to achieve their goals of better service by building on what the county provides, rather than starting from scratch. In so doing, they could follow the lead of their Friends of the Library organizations. Through negotiation with the county, the city could purchase books and supplies, pay employee costs to keep the facility open longer or even chip in for a larger facility. Furthermore, it may be possible to negotiate to retain some ownership of the materials and infrastructure so that if the city does decide to pull out in the future, its money won't have been wasted. In this manner, it might be possible to achieve the goals of better facilities and service at a much lower cost than starting from scratch. The county will probably balk at some of this, but then again, the county has proved quite flexible when pressure is applied. Remember what happened in 1994. Of course, the cities won't have any bargaining chips at all if they pull out of the system now. When you're out, you're out — and on your own. Now That's Satisfaction! 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13 Beach Reporter ? September 14, 2000
So you want to pull out of the county library system
Back in 1994, it made a lot of sense for
residents of Manhattan Beach and Her-
would essentially have to pay for two li- braries.
mosa Beach to talk about pulling out of the Los Angeles County
Because of this, cities throughout Library system. You still
hear a lot of talk about that California supported legisla- now. tion that would allow them to Residents may recall that REACH take their tax money with
in late 1993, the county LALK them.
drastically As this legislation sailed cut back on spending for libraries. Al- by Garrison Frost through Sacramento, county
officials realized that they though Manhattan Beach's
needed to fund libraries fast library hours
were cut, or lose millions in tax rev- Hermosa Beach suffered enue. Local library hours most with only 14 hours of were quickly restored, if not service per week. quite up to previous levels. Understandably, Hermosa Even though much of the Beach city officials began immediate interest in with- the process of pulling out of drawing disappeared, people the county system altogether in Hermosa and Manhattan and funding its own library. have never been completely Officials in Manhattan made similar rum- satisfied by the county's blings. funding of their libraries. Last year, the Manhattan Beach City Perhaps the only thing that kept cities
like Hermosa and Manhattan from pulling out in 1994 was the fact that they would have to keep paying into the county sys-
tem even if they were no longer a part of it. Cities that started up their own libraries Council lent its support to a Library Com- mission recommendation that the city pull out of the county system. Arguing that the city needs a larger, better-stocked facility for its residents, the council embarked on a study of the potential costs of building and running its own library, but stopped short of giving the county formal notice of withdrawal.
Also last year, the Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library convinced their city officials to make a formal request for more library hours. Just this week, the City Council again voted to investigate the fea- sibility of pulling out of the county system
altogether. But the idea of pulling out of the county library system isn't nearly so sim- ple as it was in 1994. Here are a few things people should consider: ? While the county system has its flaws, one should not underestimate the amount of service it provides. Hundreds of people enjoy the use of our local county li-
braries every day. Politically speaking, walking away from a library that only pro- vides 14 hours a week is a lot easier than walking away from one that is paid for and open 35 or more hours per week. ? Although cities could possibly erect better buildings and provide better staffing, there is no way one city could ever provide the same resources. People forget that users can have any book from any county library delivered to their loca- tion, giving users access to millions of
? If the city withdraws, the county will
take everything not bolted down when it
leaves ? including all the books, furni-
ture, computers, staplers, pencil holders,
wall clocks and wastebaskets. Further-
more, it will take everything ever donated
by the Friends of the Library.
? Manhattan Beach residents currently
pay about $1 million per year in taxes to
support their library. A recent estimate put
the cost of buying the library building and
its furnishings from the county at some-
where between $2.1 million and $4.7 mil-
lion, not including books. If the city
wished to build its own facility, that would
cost about $5 million.
Now That's Satisfaction!
WINDOW SALE
SAVEup to 35% OFF
With this Ad"
Our Customer Thank You Collection Is Impressive!
Come visit our showroom and see what 20 years of ing space into a living environment that you'll enjoy for
WINDOW AND DOOR REPLACEMENT SUCCESS have years! Our employee installers will impress you with
brought us. After you've read what others have written, their detailed work and efficiency and since we don't
then treat yourself to a professional "Your crew arrived on the dot each day and were very tidy. On the first day, I came use subcontractors,
CADCECICO Call us home from work expecting to see evidence that a herd of buffalo had stampeded through many of our window
for a free in-home the house. But, nothing,
No little bits of vinyl shavings on the floor, no footprints, no nothing. Also, the dog hair in the front entryway had been swept up (thanks)." projects are priced up
visit and us to 32% lower than
transform your liv- "I wanted to let you know that the team of young men who installed our windows was Home Depot.**
wonderful. Not only were they professional, hard working, pleasant and just very nice, but they did a terrific job, "
"Clark, we interviewed several contractors before we found you. The minute we real-
ized what an absolute fuss-budget you were about doing things right, we knew we found our windows guy, "
And these numbers have nothing to do
with ongoing operating costs, which
would likely eat up more than the $1 mil-
lion each year. Hermosa Beach, which
wouldn't have to pay as much to take over
its library building, would still be hard-
pressed to get a better library for the
$375,000 it pays in annual taxes.
? Officials in Hermosa and Manhattan
can learn a lot from Redondo Beach,
which has long operated its own library.
Back in the early 1990s, Redondo scored
when it landed state bond money to build
its opulent main library - money that
would likely not be available for Hermosa
and Manhattan.
Furthermore, Redondo has proved that
building a nice library is quite different
from maintaining one. Although I would
bet that Redondo's library offers more on-
site services than its Manhattan and Her-
mosa counterparts, its holdings are
dwarfed by what is available to users of
the county system.
Furthermore, ever since the new main
library opened in 1995, Redondo Beach
has struggled to finance its operations. A
recent study by that city's Library Com-
mission found that the Redondo library's
budget -was far behind comparable cities,
and yet ranked up near the top in usage.
Those are numbers that, unless the city al-
locates more of its limited resources to-
ward the facility, don't bode well.
I have actually seen arguments at Re-
dondo City Council meetings over
whether to spend money on public satety
or the library. Do Hermosa and Manhattan
residents really want their councils making
those kinds of decisions?
? Hermosa and Manhattan might be
able to achieve their goals of better service
by building on what the county provides,
rather than starting from scratch. In so
doing, they could follow the lead of their
Friends of the Library organizations.
Through negotiation with the county,
the city could purchase books and sup-
plies, pay employee costs to keep the fa-
cility open longer or even chip in for a
larger facility. Furthermore, it may be pos-
sible to negotiate to retain some ownership
of the materials and infrastructure so that
if the city does decide to pull out in the fu-
ture, its money won't have been wasted.
In this manner, it might be possible to
achieve the goals of better facilities and
service at a much lower cost than starting from scratch.
Financing Available O.A.C.
CA Licensed and Bonded #390226
CLARK ADAMS CO.
Lomita Bivd.
WINDOWS AND DOORS
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The county will probably balk at some
of this, but then again, the county has
Call For Your Free In-Home
Estimate Today
27859Ja proved quite flexible when pressure is ap-
plied. Remember what happened in 1994.
Of course, the cities won't have any
310-316-3111
bargaining chips at all if they pull out of the system now.
800-773-3112
www.clarkadams.com
your own. When you're out, you're out ? and on**Wing *On Selected Brands
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