Title
Library Department recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize acceptance of a local assistance grant of $107,510 from the California State Library, to be utilized for staff, supplies, travel and a mobile services vehicle to implement the Senior Mobile Outreach project; and
2) Authorize the Department Head to sign the Financial Claim and Grant Award Certification required to accept this grant funding for expenditures in FY 2020-21.
FUNDING: Bringing the Library to You: Mobile Library Solution grants from California State funding administered by the California State Library.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The 2019-20 California state budget contained $8 million for the State Library to provide grants to local public library jurisdictions to implement early learning and after school programs, and to support mobile library solutions. These new grant programs will increase Californians' access to health, educational, workforce and other services, while also increasing the mobility and accessibility of public libraries. Bringing the Library to You (mobile library solutions grants) will help libraries implement new ways to bring literacy, technology and other services to those who face challenges visiting their local library. When Californians lack transportation, live far from their library, or work long hours, mobile library solutions make it possible to access library services and programs.
The Senior Mobile Outreach grant in the Bringing the Library to You category was awarded to El Dorado County Library system to develop and implement senior resources/supports through an interactive senior mobile outreach program with aging services agencies to provide equal access, promote healthy quality of life, support lifelong learning, and reduce social isolation. Improved social and health outcomes will be the focus of intergenerational senior/youth support activities through this mobile outreach project. This project will fund an all-wheel drive mobile outreach vehicle with mobile WiFi capacity that will be able to provide services in the South Lake Tahoe area year-round for seniors, early learning programs, schools, and outreach events. This project will also fund teen programming funding for our teen councils in Placerville and Cameron Park to work with seniors, and is expected to lead to a second mobile outreach vehicle donated by the Placerville Friends of the Library.
The Department will work with Fleet to determine the appropriate type of mobile service vehicle authorized by the terms of the grant, and will purchase a vehicle for this purpose in FY 2020-21. The Library Department and Fleet will return to the Board with an FY 2020-21 Budget amendment to add revenue and appropriations to their respective departments and add a vehicle to the Fixed Asset list once the funding is acknowledged and received.
ALTERNATIVES
If the Senior Mobile Outreach grant is not accepted, the Library will not implement the project, and the California State Library must be notified of the grant refusal. The California State Library has encumbered these funds for our Library system and they must be notified at least one week in advance of the ending of their fiscal year (June 30, 2020) if the funds cannot be accepted. Any funds that are not accepted/encumbered by June 30, 2020 will be forfeited by the California State Library.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Fleet will assist in the purchase of the mobile service vehicle for the Library Department with these grant funds.
County Counsel has reviewed the grant documents.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no Net County Cost associated with this item. The required grant match of $21,502 will be met with in-kind staffing as follows:
South Lake Tahoe Library Assistants = $6,480 (these hours are already being used for senior center outreach - 2 staff x 2 visits per month x 6 months x 3 sites)
South Lake Tahoe Librarian Supervisor = $7,200 (8 hours per month x 20 months)
Director of Library Services = $8,400 (5 hours per month x 21 months)
The Library Department will return to the Board with a budget transfer in FY 2020-21 to amend revenue and appropriation budget once the grant is received.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Carolyn Brooks, Director of Library Services