JUN 16 2017 D City of Choic June 12, 2017 The Honorable Jeffrey B. Barton Presiding Judge of the San Diego Superior*

The Escondido Library facility inadequately serves the community. City Response to Finding 01: The City disagrees partially with the finding. The City acknowledges that the Escondido Public Library has limited space to conduct large or numerous programs or to provide individual study areas for community use. However, the Report states that "[I]ibrary statistics indicate a downward trend in total registered users, circulation, and public use of internet computers." While true, the Report fails to acknowledge that these statistics reflect trends impacting libraries nationwide. For example, on of the Report, the definition of "public use of internet computers" does not account for the use of personal electronic devices on the Library's high-speed wireless connection. In fact, use of wired, desktop computers increased 3.3 percent in 2016. Moreover, statistics gathered by the City from May through December of 2016 indicate that wireless network use accounts for 64.9 percent of all public computing in the library. Further, the decline in "total registered users" of the computers is a reflection of the City's purposeful decision to remove inactive users from the patron database. Sam Abed, Mayor John Masson, Deputy Mayor Olga Diaz Ed Gallo Michael Morasco June 12, 2017 Therefore, the decline in total registered users, circulation, and public use of internet computers does not necessarily mean that the Library facility is "inadequate to serve the community."

The Escondido library's programs do not meet the community needs. City Response to Finding No. 02: The City disagrees partially with the finding. The City would respectfully submit that the finding that "library programs do not meet community needs" is a conclusion not necessarily supported by a fair assessment of all relevant facts. Program attendance and participant feedback reflect certain levels of service. The 2016 Escondido Public Library Statistical Report survey showed that the Library is widely used with four out of five respondents having visited the Library in the last five years. It is true that the number of programs hosted decreased 24 percent in 2016, however, attendance at those events decreased by only 4.4 percent. The incongruence of the numbers could suggest that the programs are of high quality and the staff time to plan and implement the programs, together with the marketing of each program, may be more effective than in previous years. The following is a brief overview of the quality programs and services the Library has provided for the community: 1 gbps Broadband internet service (upgraded from 50 mbps) Enhanced wireless internet service for use with personal electronic devices or Chromebooks circulated by Library staff Chromebook Lending Library for in-Library use Community Room reservation opportunities of a 2,100 s.f. meeting space · Virtual Library with authenticated online electronic research resources for children, teens and adults (databases) Downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks Downloadable Zinio full-text eMagazine database Online access to digitized photos and historic records from the Pioneer Room local history archive An annual monthly concert series Monthly book club discussion meetings for adults, teens, and children, including a bilingual group Monthly Writers Group for adults June 12, 2017 Special events for adults and youth that celebrate holidays, cultural milestones, and Escondido's history • Special programs such as financial literacy, a Scrabble-thon Tournament & Fundraiser, author speaking engagements, lectures, and community-related interests, such as water-wise landscape design Annual campaigns for Library Card Sign-Up month with events such as Read Local, Shop Local, a partnership with downtown Escondido businesses National Library Week celebrations which is extended throughout the month of April Annual Summer Reading Challenge specifically designed for age groups and reading levels targeting adults, teens, and children Annual Food for Fines drive in partnership with Interfaith Community • Services Monthly Friends of the Library used book sales Annual recognition events, such as the Library's Annual Volunteer Luncheon and Literacy Learner Recognition appreciation Outreach services that include school visits to local public and private K-12 schools, preschools, and partnerships with local organizations including the Chamber of Commerce; California Center for the Arts, Escondido; San Diego Children's Discovery Museum; Interfaith Community Services; Cruisin' Grand; the Escondido Arts Partnership; and many of the City's departments It appears that the Report bases its conclusion about the quality of the Library's programs on the number of programs provided, however, quantity does not equal quality. Nevertheless, lack of program space and a reduction in staff who plan and implement programs account for a decrease in the number of programs hosted. The City believes there is room for improvement and that the number of programs and the community attendance rate should increase.

Unused allocated funds from the Escondido Library operating budget are not used to benefit the library. City Response to Finding 03: The City disagrees partially with the finding. The Report bases this finding, in part, on the fact that "[w]hen library operating income exceeds expenditures, the unused allocated portion remains in the City's General fund." As a routine City practice for all City departments, unspent allocated annual operating funds are not returned to City departments for future use. This fact is not unique to the Library nor is the general budget practice unique to the City of Escondido. June 12, 2017 However, with the exception of the General Fund budget, the Capital Improvement Program allocations and all of the Library's Trust Fund allocated accounts are rolled- over to the next fiscal year if the funds have not been expended.

An effective marketing plan is not being employed to attract more people to the library's resources, programs, and activities. City Response to Finding 04: The City disagrees with the finding. The Report acknowledges that the City publishes brochures, ads and press releases, but also states as a "Fact" that the "Escondido Library does not have a marketing plan." This finding is not supported by a fair assessment of the relevant facts related to the Library's efforts to market its services to the public. In fact, the Library has in place extensive, prescribed marketing plans and workflows for event publicity. A Program Planning Committee (comprised of key staff assigned to plan, implement, promote, and publicize Library programs) coordinates the development and execution of program-specific timelines and procedures related to graphics, news releases, scheduling, and implementation details required for the planning and execution of every program conducted by the Library. A Social Media Team focuses exclusively on the digital marketing of Library programs and services with planned daily and weekly features on the following social media networks targeted to specific audiences: Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter. Library programs and services are advertised through the following means: Monthly print calendar available in-Library, at local businesses, and on the Library's website News releases posted on the City and Library websites and widely featured by local newspapers - 88 news releases were published in 2016 (as a point of comparison, Oceanside Public Library published 61 news releases in 2016) Library website slideshows and RSS event feeds Monthly email newsletters that include a general eNewsletter distributed to 13,859 readers as well as special interest newsletters issued by Literacy Services and Teen Services Library programs and services are regularly featured on the following websites: City of Escondido's news release webpage Mayor's Letter on the City's homepage Visit Escondido website o EventBrite CityTalk, the City of Escondido's monthly employee newsletter June 12, 2017 Street banners ٠ Lexus Centre digital display board off I-15 City of Escondido Recreation Guide (distribution of more than 100,000) City of Escondido water bill inserts Escondido Magazine (Chamber of Commerce) Neighborhood Services eNewsletter • Flat panel monitors throughout the Library feature a rotating display of • digital ads for Library services Flyers distributed to local school districts both in digital and in print formats Participation at community events such as Cruisin' Grand, street fairs, back- to-school nights, Educator's Night Out, and Recreation's Summer Kick-off event