Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Friends of the Alameda Free Library for Five Years. (Library 21052300)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Friends of the Alameda Free Library (Friends) and Alameda Free Library (Library) seek to formalize their relationship through a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU outlines expectations and duties for both the Friends and Library.
BACKGROUND
Founded in 1974 as a nonprofit organization, the Friends support the Library and its programs through volunteer activities and fundraising. The Friends are governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors.
In 2016, the Friends merged with the Alameda Free Library Foundation, which was created in 1998 to raise money for the long-term support of Alameda’s libraries. The Friends were instrumental in the opening of the new Main Library in 2006.
Today, the Friends operates Books For Friends, a used bookstore in the Main Library, that is open Thursday through Saturday. Additionally, the Friends operates the Friends Café in the Main Library Monday through Saturday. The Friends also hosts multi-day book sales in the Stafford Room of the Main Library three times per year. In addition to these efforts, the Friends raises funds through donations and bequests from community members.
DISCUSSION
Through donations, fundraising, and volunteer activities, the Friends raises money that directly benefits the Library and by extension the City of Alameda (City).
With funds from the Friends, the Library offers a robust summer reading program each year, author talks and other events of interest to the community, and supplies for crafts events. The Friends is the sole funding source for the summer reading program. In 2024, more than 3,800 people of all ages participated in the summer reading program.
In 2025, the Friends’ support of the Library will total $145,000, which is equivalent to 2% of the Library’s operating budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25.
The MOU details the expectations and requirements of both the Friends and the Library. The funds will be held in a specific and segregated fund administered by the City, and the Library will use those funds to support library services, programs, initiatives, and special projects for the benefit of City residents. Of particular importance to the Friends is that the funds supplement, but do not supplant public funding, and the Library will not use funds from the Friends to pay employee salaries or benefits.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the City Manager to execute the Memorandum of Understanding.
• Direct staff to not pursue the Memorandum of Understanding and provide direction on ways to formalize the City’s relationship with the Friends.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The funds provided by the Friends supplement the resources provided to the Library through the budget and appropriation process. No additional funding is requested.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The MOU supports the City’s FY 2023-26 Strategic Plan Priority to Enhance Community Safety and Services. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project as defined in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and there no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Friends of the Alameda Free Library for five years.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Eitner, Library Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Acting Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Memorandum of Understanding