Title
Recommendation to Receive a Report on the Alameda Museum Archival Activities on Behalf of the City; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Five-Year Agreement with the Alameda Museum in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $42,600 Annually for a Five-Year Total Expenditure of $213,000, for Collection, Preservation, and Exhibition of Alameda’s Historical Artifacts and Print/Digital Documents, with a Focus on Diversity and Inclusivity and including Collaboration with City Departments, Community Partners, the Expansion of Online Cataloging Systems, and Educational Programming. Library (21052300)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) has contracted with the Alameda Museum (Museum) for City archival services since 2007. The agreement helps fund the Museum’s archival and historical preservation services, as well as its free public museum. Staff worked closely with the Museum board members to develop a more comprehensive scope of work that focuses on diversity and inclusivity in the exhibits and educational programs, accessibility through technology, collaboration with the City Departments, and strategic growth planning that includes the hiring of professional staff. Staff is recommending another five-year agreement with the Alameda Museum based on the updated scope of work.
Additionally, the Museum is required to provide an annual report which is included as Exhibit 2.
BACKGROUND
The Museum is a local non-profit organization that conserves tangible artifacts relevant to the cultural and architectural heritage of Alameda. It is open to the public at its location at 2324 Alameda Avenue and provides educational access through exhibits and programs on the unique history and heritage of Alameda and its early pioneers. Examples of the Museum’s current presentations and programs include: Asian Heritage Month, Celebrating Filipino/a/x, hosting student classes, and assisting with the Alameda Japanese American History Project. More details of Museum visitor counts, programs, and lecture series are included in Exhibits 2 and 3. The Museum’s dedication to preserving the cultural heritage of Alameda has contributed to a civic identity that is unique to our island community and confers civic benefits to the entire community. The Museum has provided these archival and historical preservation services since 1948.
Furthermore, the Museum sought guidance on appropriately stewarding artifacts from the Ohlone community, including changes in display, storage, and repatriation. The Museum is actively engaging with the Chairpeople of the Muwekma and Ohlone tribes. They sent a letter (Exhibit 4) to three contacts of local Tribes and Corrina Gould of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan was the only one who responded and has been coordinating with the Museum regarding the artifacts.
In addition to operating the physical museum and collection warehouse, located at 2324 Alameda Avenue near Park Street, the Museum also operates the Meyers House Museum and Garden, located at 2021 Alameda Avenue. The property was transferred from the City to the Museum in 2013. It is a Colonial Revival historical home and the Museum offers monthly tours and maintains the house interior, which includes many historical artifacts, as well as the grounds surrounding the building.
On September 19, 2023, the City Manager approved a short-term 4-month agreement because the existing agreement expired September 5, 2023, and staff sought additional time to negotiate a broader scope of work while continuing the Museum’s funding. The current agreement expires on January 18, 2024. Funding is included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-25 budget from the General Fund Non-Departmental program in the amount of $42,600 annually.
DISCUSSION
The Museum stores historical records for the City and provides archival preservation including document and photo archives from the Library, City records, Fire and Police Departments, Planning and Building, Alameda Recreation and Park Department and other records.
This agreement includes the City’s payment to the Museum in a monthly amount of $3,550, not-to-exceed a total of $42,600 annually, totaling $213,000 for the duration of the five-year agreement. This monthly amount has not increased from the previous 5-year agreement in 2018.
The scope of work in the Agreement with the Museum (Exhibit 1) reflects both the Museum’s current operations and plans, as well as staff’s recommendations on how the Museum can best serve everyone in the city. The updated scope of work includes the following:
• Archival Preservation and Exhibition. The Museum is open to the public for no admission fee at least 8 hours per week, excluding holidays, and also available by special arrangement for free group tours and education-based groups.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Ensuring the Museum’s exhibits, displays, education programs, and collections represent the diverse history and contributions of all community members, inclusive of all backgrounds, as well as assessing what communities may not be currently represented and actively outreaching to under-represented communities.
• Collaboration with City Departments. This continued collaboration includes coordinating with staff from the Library, Recreation and Parks, Police, Fire, Public Works, Planning/Building/Transportation, Base Reuse and Economic Development and other Departments to gather historical data and artifacts as well as identifying current data and artifacts that may be relevant to their histories.
• Technology and Cataloging. Establishing a publicly accessible kiosk and expanding the online catalog of over 20,000 historical records, documents, photographs, city maps, annual budget reports, and memorabilia. Coordinate with the Alameda Free Library to include the Museum’s catalog link within the Library website.
• Research and Educational Programs. Facilitate and track research and information requests from historians, students and the general public. Respond to records requests from the public, via drop in at the Museum, by appointment and by email. This also includes providing at least twelve class visit opportunities and historical research information for City educational exhibits such as those at City Parks.
• Community Engagement. Collaborate with other Alameda museums, Chamber of Commerce, and other business associations to explore opportunities for coordination.
• Strategic Growth Planning. Pursuing a strategic planning process, which includes hiring an Executive Director to create and implement a fundraising strategy, professional staff development, and operations appropriate for the Alameda Museum.
ALTERNATIVES
• Receive the Museum’s Annual Report and approve the five-year agreement with the Museum.
• Provide direction to staff to negotiate different terms for the agreement with the Museum.
• Do not approve the agreement with the Museum.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The cost of the Alameda Museum service provider agreement is not-to-exceed $42,600 annually for a five-year total expenditure of $213,000. Sufficient budget for the agreement is provided within the adopted FY 2023-24 Budget and will be included in future Library Department budgets subject to City Council appropriations approval.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore 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
Receive a report on the Alameda Museum Archival Activities on behalf of the City; and authorize the City Manager to execute a five-year agreement with the Alameda Museum in an amount not-to-exceed $42,600 annually for a five-year total expenditure of $213,000, for collection, preservation, and exhibition of Alameda’s historical artifacts and print/digital documents, with a focus on diversity and inclusivity. It includes collaboration with City Departments, Community Partners, the expansion of online cataloging systems, and educational programming.
Respectfully submitted,
Marlon Romero, Acting Library Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Service Provider Agreement
2. Alameda Museum City Report 2024
3. Alameda Museum Visitors, Programs, and Lecture Series
4. Museum Letter to Ohlone