The Escondido Public Library

Conclusions 5

• CL1
  The Escondido library facility inadequately serves the community. Fact: Data indicates a significant drop in the number of library programs since 2008/09, then a gradual increase. Fact: Program attendance after a spike in 2011/12 declined significantly in 2012/13, and then gradually increased.
• CL2
  The Escondido library’s programs do not meet the community needs. Fact: The Escondido library’s operating income has remained relatively stable. Fact: The Escondido library’s operating income has exceeded operating expenditures in all but one year since 2008/09. Fact: When library operating income exceeds operating expenditures the unused allocated portion remain in the City’s general fund. 16 City of Escondido, Council Meeting Agenda, October 19, 2016, https://www.escondido.org/Data/Sites/1/media/agendas/Council/10-19-16CCAgendaPacket.pdf (accessed 10/27/2016). 9 2016/2017 San Diego County Grand Jury (filed March 21, 2017)
• CL3
  Unused allocated funds from the Escondido Library operating budget are not used to benefit the library. Fact: The Escondido library publishes brochures, ads, and press releases concerning Library programs and activities. Fact: The Escondido library does not have a marketing plan.
• CL4
  An effective marketing plan is not being employed to attract more people to the library’s resources, programs, and activities.
• CL5
  The New Library Task Force in 2007 stated the library was inadequate and proposed the building of a new, modern, up-to-date library. Later, in 2010, the City Council heard another presentation. For a variety of reasons, neither renovation nor construction of a new library happened. After many talks, in March 2016 the City Council directed city staff to study the feasibility of the plan to build a new library.14 The feasibility report was presented to the City Council in October. Troubling downward trends have been seen in total registered users, circulation, and public use of internet computers. The lack of updated facilities may be a contributing factor to this decline. Public internet use, number of programs, and program attendance are showing a downward trend, although some show subsequent modest increase in growth. Especially encouraging is the increase in the number of library programs and program attendance. Nevertheless, the downward trends indicate that the library is not adequately serving its patrons. 14 Escondido City Council Minutes, http://www.escondido.org/Data/Sites/1/media/minutes/Council/3-23- 16CCMeetingMinutes.pdf (accessed 10/25/2016). 7 2016/2017 San Diego County Grand Jury (filed March 21, 2017) The library has a number of programs for children, young adults, and adults such as Shakespeare Saturdays, bilingual book clubs, literacy programs, and adult book reading clubs. However, library programs decreased sharply to 182 (2009/10) and increased slowly to 464 in 2014/15. When compared to other San Diego county libraries, the number of Escondido library programs was the lowest.15 Yet they are well attended, implying the programs are in line with the needs of the community. With the significance of good programming to ensure high-quality libraries, more programs are necessary. Library officials expressed an interest in offering more diverse, quality programs; however, they cited problems in space and staffing. Clearly there is room for improvement. Data pertaining to operating income and operating expenditures are shown on Chart 6. Since 2008/09, budgeted operating income exceeded operating expenditures every year except for one, 2009/10. When budgeted operating income is greater than operating expenditures, money allocated but not spent remain in the City’s general fund. This excess can become extensive over a period of years (see table 1). Since unspent allocated funds can be viewed as a surplus, it could be allocated to a special or existing fund that would directly benefit the library. The Grand Jury found that a cohesive marketing plan for the library does not exist. Current advertising efforts include brochures, ads such as those in Escondido’s Community Services Recreational Guide, and press releases about library programs. Further, the library does have some effective marketing ideas. For instance, the library recently partnered with some local restaurants so that the restaurants could offer discounts to library cardholders. Nevertheless, an effective marketing plan could be created and implemented to better inform the community of the library’s resources, programs and activities. Is the library inadequately serving the community of Escondido? City and library officials are slow to agree, stating that library staff works hard to serve the community’s needs. But they are hindered by lack of space and often by the low number of staff. The lack of space, a problem often repeated by library officials, is demonstrated by the downward trend of many library statistics. There was general agreement in interviews with City and library officials that the library was not adequately serving the community. There are two possibilities to solve the space problem: renovation or construction. Renovation of the current library is not appealing due to the wasteful use of resources. Grand Jury interviews with City officials indicated it would be a poor use of available funds to remodel a “20th-century library” that would not last as long as a new “21st-century library.” There is interest in Escondido in building a new library. City and library officials are eager. A study, authorized by the City Council and completed in January 2016, showed strong public support for a new library. On October 19, 2016, an initial Escondido Public Library Relocation Feasibility Report was presented to the City Council. The report, presented by the City Manager and the Director of 15 California State Library, http://www.library.ca.gov/lds/librarystats.html (accessed 9/22/2016). 8 2016/2017 San Diego County Grand Jury (filed March 21, 2017) Library and Community Services, found that construction of a new library was feasible. Three courses of action were recommended to the City Council. The City Council directed the City Manager to prepare a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) requesting firms that specialize in partnerships between private and public agencies develop plans for the new library. The RFQ “…would allow the market to determine the feasibility of the project and how to best maximize land values while meeting City Council objectives …”16 Escondido is taking a first step of many on its continuing road toward a new library. The Grand Jury encourages the City Council and the City Manager to continue their progress toward construction of a new library. FACTS AND FINDINGS Fact: The 2007 Escondido Mayor’s New Library Task Force specified problems with the Escondido library and recommended the building of a new library. Fact: In 2010, the Escondido Library Board of Trustees and the Escondido Library Endowment Foundation made a presentation to the City Council about the building of a new library. Fact: Library statistics indicate a downward trend in total registered users, circulation, and public use of internet computers. Fact: There is general agreement by City and Library officials that the present Escondido library facility does not meet the needs of the community. Finding 01: The Escondido library facility inadequately serves the community. Fact: Data indicates a significant drop in the number of library programs since 2008/09, then a gradual increase. Fact: Program attendance after a spike in 2011/12 declined significantly in 2012/13, and then gradually increased. Finding 02: The Escondido library’s programs do not meet the community needs. Fact: The Escondido library’s operating income has remained relatively stable. Fact: The Escondido library’s operating income has exceeded operating expenditures in all but one year since 2008/09. Fact: When library operating income exceeds operating expenditures the unused allocated portion remain in the City’s general fund. 16 City of Escondido, Council Meeting Agenda, October 19, 2016, https://www.escondido.org/Data/Sites/1/media/agendas/Council/10-19-16CCAgendaPacket.pdf (accessed 10/27/2016). 9 2016/2017 San Diego County Grand Jury (filed March 21, 2017) Finding 03: Unused allocated funds from the Escondido Library operating budget are not used to benefit the library. Fact: The Escondido library publishes brochures, ads, and press releases concerning Library programs and activities. Fact: The Escondido library does not have a marketing plan. Finding 04: An effective marketing plan is not being employed to attract more people to the library’s resources, programs, and activities.

Agency Responses 1

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.