TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file report on the Seventh Annual Library Round Up.
DISCUSSION
The City has had to cut back on the materials and events budget of our libraries for the past several years. In 2007, the 5th Council District launched "Library Round Up" with the non-profit, Friends of the Long Beach Public Library, as a way to "round up" spare change that could be used for funding materials and events at Fifth District libraries. Collection boxes were placed in Ruth Bach and EI Dorado libraries and at local businesses. The spare change was collected and donated to the Friends of the Long Beach Public Library, which in turn contributed funds to restore an entire paperback book collection and to host several children's events.
In February, the Long Beach City Council voted to expand this program and place collection boxes in every Long Beach Public Library to raise funds to help with the purchase of books and materials for the City's libraries.
Library Round Up collection boxes were placed at the libraries for the months of February - April (National Library Month). Patrons of the City's libraries donated money by adding their spare change to the collection boxes when they visited.
During this year's "round up," libraries collected $800.09, and an additional $200 was donated through other sources.
Libraries collected as follows:
Main Branch: $109.79
Alamitos: $52.40
Ruth Bach: $74.40
Bay Shore: $94.27
Brewitt: $31.56
Burnett: $ .53
Dana: $55.20
EI Dorado: $134.05
Bret Harte: $65.60
Los Altos: $63.67
Mark Twain: $53.00
North: $65.62
FISCAL IMPACT
This effort provides $1000 to the Friends of the Long Beach Public Library, increasing materials and programming at Long Beach libraries.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, Fifth District