HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973-05-01; City Council; 894-2; Agenda Bill by Raymond Holt is missing
Agenda Bill # 894-2, dated 05/01/1973, concerning the presentation
of the Master Plan for the City of Carlsbad Library by Mr. Raymond
Holt, cannot be located. The referenced document, “Matching User
Needs: A Master Plan for the Carlsbad City Library”, dated March,
1973, is attached. Please see the Council Minutes for further details.
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MATCHING USER NEEDS
A Master Plan for the Carlsbad City Library
bv
Raymond M. Holt, Library Consultant
RAYMOND M. HOLT and ASSOCIATES . LIBRARY CONSULTANTS
Post Office Box 745 • Del Mar, California 92014 March, 1973
PROLOGUE
The function of this study has been to raise ques-
tions, explore new avenues of approach, and establish a
limited number of recommendations to assist those who are
responsible for the future of the Carlsbad City Library.
For the most part, techniques of implementation have been
left to those who will be involved in developing such
programs.
Throughout the course of this study Mrs. Georgina
Cole, City Librarian, and the members of her staff have
been extremely helpful and cooperative, providing quanti-
ties of information and sharing their knowledge of the
library and the community it serves. Library officials,
City officials, and other public officials in Carlsbad
have added much to the background of this study. A
special acknowledgment goes to Mr. Donald Agatep of the
Planning Department for the hours of conference time he
gave to this project.
The report that follows is broad in scope and the
recommendations stemming from the conclusions arrived at
during the study are far reaching. Taken as a whole, they
point to a new era in library service for the Carlsbad
City Library. The study is hereby commended to the li-
brary staff, the Library Board of Trustees, and members
of the City Council, and the citizens of Carlsbad.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER I. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1
Findings 1
Priorities and Recommendations 3
CHAPTER II. A LOOK AT CARLSBAD YESTERDAY, TODAY AND
TOMORROW 7
A Backward View 7
The Present City 8
A Glance at the Future 8
Population Projections 11
Characteristics of the Population 13
Chapter Summary 14
CHAPTER III. DIMENSIONS OF LIBRARY RESPONSE 15
Probable Demand Characteristics of the Population 15
Other Forces Shaping Carlsbad's Future Library 18
Financial Resources 20
CHAPTER IV.; THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY TODAY 22
A Profile of the Library in the Community 22
Library Usage 22
Collection Resources 24
Library Services 30
Library Personnel 30
Library Management 31
The Library Building 31
Community Support 31
Chapter Summary 33
CHAPTER V. THE CARLSBAD LIBRARY FAMILY 34
Public Libraries in the North Coastal Area 34
School Libraries 35
Academic Libraries 37
Interlibrary Cooperation 38
Chapter Summary 39
CHAPTER VI. THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY MASTER PLAN:
RATIONALE AND PRIORITIES 41
Rationale of the Master Plan 41
Priorities 42
Chapter Summary 43
CHAPTER VII. THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY MASTER PLAN:
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY ELEMENT 44
1.
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DIMENSIONS OF THE FUTURE CENTRAL LIBRARY 44
Recommendation No. 1 45
The Book Collection 45
Audio Visual Materials 45
Periodicals 45
Government Publications 47
Reference Collection 47
Special Collections 48
Business and Industry 48
Children's Collection 48
The Fiction Collection 49
Recommendation No. 2 49
Reader Information Services 49
Audio Visual Services 50
Circulation Services 50
New Services 50
Cable Television (CATV) 51
Recommendation No. 3 51
Bibliographer 51
Technical Services Supervisor 51
Public Services Supervisor 52
Children's Librarian 52
Long Range Personnel Goals 53
Recommendation No. 4 54
The Reader Information Services Area 54
Audio Visual Services 56
Circulation Services Area 58
Browsing Area 58
The Adult Reading Room 59
Use of the East Mezzanine 59
Use of the West Mezzanine 59
Staff Work Areas 60
Recommendation No. 5 62
Service to the "Inner City" 62
Attracting the Non-User 62
Recommendation No. 6 62
Work Flow 63
Circulation Control System 63
Recommendation No. 7 63
Structuring the Library Organization 63
Recommendation No. 8 64
Terms of Office for Library Trustees 64
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Recommendation No. 9 64
The Future Central Library Building 66
Size of the Future Central Library Building 66
Functions of the Future Central Library Building 66
Recommendation No. 10 66
Recommendation No. 11 67
The Purpose of a Cultural Center 67
Size of the Proposed Cultural Center 68
Recommendation No. 12 68
Disposition of the Present Library Building 68
CHAPTER VIII. THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY MASTER PLAN:
THE BRANCH LIBRARY ELEMENT 69
THE DIMENSIONS OF THE BRANCH LIBRARY PROGRAM 69
Recommendation No. 13 70
Library Branches 70
Recommendation No. 14 70
Types of Extension Facilities 70
Recommendation No. 15 71
The La Costa Branch Library 71
Recommendation No. 16 73
Conversion of Present Library to Branch Library 73
Recommendation No. 17 75
Future Branches 75
CHAPTER IX. THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY MASTER PLAN:
THE FINANCIAL ELEMENT 78
DIMENSIONS OF THE FINANCING PROBLEM 78
Library Finances 78
The Future Revenue Base 79
Recommendation No. 18 79
Financial Consultants 80
Recommendation No. 19. 80
Adequate Funding for Immediate Programs 80
Recommendation No. 20 80
Financing the La Costa Branch 80
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Page
Recommendation No. 21 81
Supplementary Sources of Library Finance 81
Recommendation No. 22 81
State and/or Federal Funding
BIBLIOGRAPHY 83
Books 83
Periodicals and Serials 83
Reports and Studies 83
Interviews 85
LIST OF TABLES
Table II-l - Table of Population Based on Comprehensive
Planning Organization Estimate of 84,000
People for 1995 11
Table IV-1 - Location of Residences of Library Registrants 23
Table IV-2 - Number and Age of Adult Titles Listed in Card
Catalog under Various Subjects 25
Table IV-3 - Comparison of the Number of Library Personnel
in the Carlsbad City Library with Other Libraries 30
Table VII-1- Average Number of Library Employees in Municipal
Libraries in California Serving Three Different
Population Groupings 53
TABLE VIII-1 - Budget for Developing the La Costa Branch
Collection 72
Table VIII-2 - Budget for Furnishing and Equipping the La
Costa Branch 73
Table VIII-3 - Annual Budget for Operating the La Costa
Branch Library 74
IV
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LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Figure II-l - Plan for Major Streets and Highways (From
the Proposed Circulation Element of the
Carlsbad General Plan, 1971) 9
Figure II-2 - Carlsbad Population Forecast 12
Figure IV-1 - Comparison of the Age of Materials in Four
Subject Categories by Publication Date 26
Figure IV-2 - Distribution of Adult Circulating Non-
Fiction Collection by Date of Copyright 28
Figure IV-3 - Percentage of the Total Adult Circulating
Collection in each of the Major Subject
Categories 29
Figure IV-4 - Current Library Organization Chart 32
Figure VII-1 - Suggested Layout for Reader Information
Services Area 55
Figure VII-2 - Audio Visual Services Area 57
Figure VII-3 - Prototype of a Future Library Organization Plan 65
Figure VIII-1- Basic Planning Areas for Future Branch
Libraries 76
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MATCHING USER NEEDS: A MASTER PLAN FOR THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY
CHAPTER I
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The study presented herein consists of a fairly comprehensive
review of the Carlsbad City Library in terms of its future opera-
tions. While most of the findings and recommendations relate to the
future, some necessarily concern the present. The target date of
1995 was selected in compliance with forecast data on population, etc.,
presently being assembled by San Diego's Comprehensive Planning Organ-
ization. The city's boundaries have been assumed to be those of the
Carlsbad Subregional Statistical Area, also known as the Carlsbad
Planning Area.
I. FINDINGS.
1. While every responsible agency anticipates explosive growth
for the City of Carlsbad, there are wide discrepancies in
the projections of population and the pace of growth.
2. The most recent figures received from the Comprehensive
Planning Department (February 1973) show an estimated
84,100 people living in the Carlsbad Subregional Statis-
tical Area by 1995.
3. It appears that a variety of forces will combine to make
the future Carlsbad resident above average in educational
attainment and personal income; both of these factors are
strong correlaries with high levels of library usage.
4. The City of Carlsbad is rapidly enclosing some 35 square
miles of varied topography within its city boundaries,
much of which is, or probably will be, available for resi-
dential, commercial, or industrial development.
5. Although a general master plan of streets and highways has
been approved, construction lags behind residential, com-
mercial, and industrial development, thereby complicating
movement from the more remote areas to the present library.
6. To meet the needs of a population projected as 84,100 in
the year 1995 - which is still far from the ultimate popu-
lation of 200,000 or more that might be reached - the
Carlsbad City library must plan to establish at some future
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date additional outlets as well as a new central head-
quarters library.I
1. The present range of services provided by the Carlsbad
City Library form a sound foundation for developing the
broadly based library program required to meet the needs
of tomorrow's resident.
8. The library now suffers from several major deficits:I
a. Insufficient personnel,
b. Inadequate collection resources, jp
c. Severe shortage of work space. t
9. A rearrangement of the public and staff work areas can
increase the effectiveness of li
efficiency of library personnel.
increase the effectiveness of library services and the W
10. The residents of Carlsbad are receiving a quantity of p
vital and otherwise unavailable materials and services |^
as a result of the Carlsbad City Library's membership
in the Serra Regional Library System. m
11. The Carlsbad City Library's continued participation in
a variety of cooperative endeavors with other libraries
and agencies in the community and the surrounding area m
is an important asset and appreciated by those involved. •
12. There is abundant evidence of strong community support p
of the library and its programs. j^
13. Library management has been seriously affected by the _
brief terms members have been appointed to serve on the )
Library Board of Trustees. **
14. Because of the necessity for the library to develop P
material resources, personnel, and services in advance Id
of need, the present tax rate does not supply sufficient
revenue. P
15. Unless the future assessed valuation increases faster and
to a greater extent than is presently anticipated, reve-
nues regularly received by the library from the current t
tax rate will have to be supplemented if the library is ^*
to effectively pursue its service objectives.
16. Special financial resources will have to be tapped to
provide the library with funds for branch library build-
ings and the future central headquarters library.
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II. PRIORITIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
For their full meaning, the priorities and recoiranendations of
this study must be read in context with the discussion of the find-
ings. However, those recommendations which appear in Chapters VII,
VIII, and IX, and constitute the Master Plan for the Carlsbad City
Library, are repeated here for convenience of the reader.
For maximum effect, appropriate Master Plan Recommendations
should be made a part of the city's new General Plan; recommenda-
tions not selected for inclusion in the General Plan should, after
due consideration by the Library Board of Trustees, be adopted,
amended or rejected, with a final list of recommendations submitted
to the City Council for approval as guidelines governing the growth
of the Carlsbad City Library.
A. PRIORITIES.
Three major priorities have been noted during the course
of this study:
1. The present Central Library must be strengthened and
specific programs adopted to improve (a) collections, (b)
staffing, and (c) space utilization.
2. Planning should proceed for a small branch library to
serve the La Costa area with operations beginning some-
time in the second half of the 1970's.
3. Ways and means must be found to adequately finance
the continuing development of the Carlsbad City Library.
B. RECOMMENDATIONS.
1. THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.
No. 1. The Library must enter into a long range plan
for the coordinated development of the library's collec-
tions, both print and non-print. (p.45)
No. 2. The Library should begin to identify and bring
greater visibility to present services, while developing
new services to be offered as the community and library
expand. (p. 49)
No. 3. The Library should improve its present ser-
vices and begin preparations for future growth by creating
and filling a variety of positions of which at least four
are critical: (1) Bibliographer, (2) Technical Services
Supervisor, and (4) Children's Librarian; additional
support personnel must be employed as needed. (p. 51)
No. 4. The Library should move forward on a compre-
hensive program to improve the utilization of its pre-
sent building, including the completion of the unfin-
ished mezzanine work area. (p. 54)
No. 5. The Library should regularly study the patterns
of usage and inaugurate programs designed to increase
library service to those who make little or no use of
the library. (p. 62)
No. 6. The Library should continue to increase the
effectiveness and the efficiency of the library staff
through improved work methods and the use of labor sav-
ing equipment. (p. 62)
No. 7. The Library should, after reasonable study, adopt
a new form of organization geared to the future develop-
ment of the library. (p. 63)
No. 8. The Library should gain additional benefits from
the services of the Library Board of Trustees by encour-
aging the reappointment of interested and effective mem-
bers to a second and possibly a third term. (p. 64)
No. 9. The Library should anticipate the design and con-
struction of a new Central Library building which will
serve as a Central Library and Headquarters for Carlsbad
and as a Reader Subject Center Library for residents of
the North Coastal area; active planning should be under
way before the city reaches 50,000 population, with occu-
pation taking place by the time the population approaches
75,000. (p. 64)
No. 10. In view of the future need for a new Central Li-
brary building, library officials should work with city
officials to develop a program which will lead to the
selection and acquisition of a suitable site before such
quantities of properly located land are either unavail-
able or prohibitively expensive. (p. 66)
No. 11. Library and city officials should give considera-
tion to the possibility of providing a cultural center
facility adjacent to the future Central Library building
because of the need and compatibility of these two func-
tions, (p. 67)
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No. 12. When the new Central Library building becomes a
reality, the present library building should be converted
into a branch library to serve the northwest quadrant of
the city's population. (p.68)
2. BRANCH LIBRARIES.
No. 13. In planning an extensions program, the library
must insure against the provision of branch services at
the expense of developing much needed Central Library
services and collections. (p. 70)
No. 14. Library officials must develop a flexible plan
of extending library services to the residents of Carlsbad,
utilizing a variety of techniques and facilities. (p. 70)
No. 15. A library facility of limited size should be
planned for operation in the La Costa Area sometime after
1975. (p. 71)
No. 16. As population warrants and financial resources
permit, the library should consider providing one or more
extension facilities in each quadrant of the city, using
the present library building to house the branch serving
the northwest quadrant. (p. 73)
No. 17. Library officials should work closely with city
officials to identify and set aside through appropriate
methods those locations which seem most apt to meet the
site requirements for future branch libraries and have
these designated as part of the city's General Plan.
(P- 75)
3. FINANCES.
No. 18. Library officials, in collaboration with city
officials, should seek guidance in determining the long
range financial capability of the city and the library's
share thereof. (p. 79)
No. 19. The Library should seek an immediate commitment
for sufficient funds to (1) hire needed personnal, (2)
improve space utilization in public and work areas, and
(3) begin a meaningful collections development program,
(p. 80)
No. 20. Library officials should begin working with city
officials to find methods of financing both the initial
outlay for a small branch library in La Costa and for in-
creasing the annual library revenues to compensate for the
cost of operation. (p. 80)
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No. 21. Library officials, in cooperation with city offi-
cials / should move forward on a carefully planned program •
to attract substantial gifts and donations from individuals, I
foundations and corporations to be used to supplement tax
revenue for the library; such funds can be used for future
capital improvements and/or endowments directed toward the W
improvement of collections and services. (p. 81) •
No. 22. Library officials should continue to investigate JP
and, where possible, utilize state and/or Federal funds ^
available for public library construction, operation and
special programming. (p. 81) pi
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CHAPTER II
A LOOK AT CARLSBAD YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW
Effective library service is the result of libraries meeting
the needs of their users. The public library may be regarded as a
department store of information. In this sense it is a "response
agency." Like the department store, the library's capacity to sup-
ply the needs of its clientele is dependent upon an adequate stock-
in-trade and the ability of its staff to give appropriate assistance.
Just as the merchant must study and understand his potential cus-
tomers, so those responsible for the library must examine the char-
acteristics of the population to be served then acquire suitable
resources to fit the anticipated needs.
Therefore, the first step in preparing a Master Plan for the
Carlsbad City Library must be to examine the people the library will
be serving in the future. As a proper background for such a study
it is necessary that this future population be placed in the per-
spective formed by the Carlsbad of yesterday and today.
I. A BACKWARD VIEW.
Carlsbad as an identifiable area had its beginning with the
"boom of the eighties" when John A. Frazier discovered mineral water
in a well located just west of the old railroad station. A south-
ern California spa named Carlsbad sprang up and attracted numerous
visitors. Some of these settled in the area - many to become farm-
ers and horticulturists. Here and there shops sprang up, but major
commercial activity was vested either in Oceanside or at the County
seat in the City of San Diego. Not until 1952 was Carlsbad incor-
porated. At that time there was a population of nearly 7,000 people
living in the original 7.5 square miles encompassed by the city
boundaries.
The small county library branch serving the community became
the nucleus of the present City Library. Growth has been the major
characteristic of both the city and the library in the years that
have ensued. The new library building, completed in 1968, was a
notable benchmark in the library's history, providing a facility
which has attracted an increasing number of users.
In spite of its official status as a city, to some extent
Carlsbad has continued its image as a village serving largely as a
bedroom for neighboring cities and as a recreational area. Of late
the city's mild temperatures have proven especially attractive to
increasing numbers of senior citizens.
Except for the Plaza Camino shopping center and the new auto-
motive center under construction on 1-5, extensive commercial de-
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velopment has not occurred in the city. This has left the older
portion of town, sometimes referred to as "the inner city," as a
collection of residences, small offices and professional buildings,
and various retail establishments. Most of the latter are specialty
shops. Still scattered among these buildings are some of the build-
ings connected with Carlsbad's earlier years.
Beginning with the general plan of 1965, the City of Carlsbad
has begun an active annexation program to bring within the city
borders most or all of the area included in the Carlsbad Subregional
Planning Area. This extends from Buena Vista Lagoon in the north to
Bataquitas Lagoon to the south and as far east as Rancho Santa Fe
Road. Some 35 square miles will be included within the city's boun-
daries when annexation is complete.
II. THE PRESENT CITY.
The present city of Carlsbad appears to be on the threshold of
far greater growth than anything it has experienced to date. A spec-
ial census recently completed placed the population estimate at 17,300.
Yet, the city's Planning Department has already given approval to re-
sidential tracts which, if constructed at the proposed density and
occupied, would more than double this population! Meanwhile, more ap-
plications from developers continue to flow into the city's offices
for processing. Since it is the policy of the city to annex all areas
within the Subregional Planning Area as soon as they are approved for
development, the city's boundaries stretch and grow in a somewhat er-
ratic manner creating pockets of population which are frequently semi-
isolated. This isolation is made all the more a fact of life for new
residents because the future circulation plan which includes an exten-
sive grid of major highways has yet to be implemented. (See Figure
II-l.) Newcomers are, therefore, more prone to identify with the
shopping areas they find most accessible rather than attempt to estab-
lish and maintain a close relationship to the older commercial areas
of Carlsbad. Similarly, when in need of library services and mater-
ials, new residents are often unaware of the location or even the
existence of any particular library. Therefore, they go to whichever
library they find most convenient.
III. A GLANCE AT THE FUTURE.
As noted above, the future City of Carlsbad may occupy as much as
35 square miles of land, making it one of the larger cities both in the
county and in the state. The new general plan study now under way will
do much to delineate the nature and location of the various elements of
growth such as industrial sites, commercial zones, and residential
zones. Meanwhile, there are certain guidelines which offer some indi-
cation as to the overall pattern.
For instance, it is anticipated that one of the controlling fac-
tors will be the continued existence of the Palomar Airport as a
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facility for private and executive airplanes. This airport, which
not too many years ago was of little interest or concern to most
Carlsbad residents and had little or no affect on the city's growth,
will now lie at the almost exact geographical center of the new and
ultimate city. Since it is necessary to maintain a substantial
corridor to protect the flight approaches and to avoid the possi-
bility of noise polution in residential areas, the influence of the
airport will exceed its size by many times. As a buffer zone, the
city is proposing to use adjacent areas for industrial zoning.
Until such time as industries buy and develop this land, presumably
it will be left as open space and devoted to agriculture.
For all intents and purposes, the airport will create a wide
band separating the northern portion of Carlsbad from the southern
half. The result of this belt at Carlsbad's waistline will be to
create a tendency for the division of the city into North Carlsbad
and South Carlsbad. The overall effect of the airport will be of
major importance to those concerned with future development of the
city.
The city's topography seems to indicate that the population
density will decrease as one moves away from the coastal areas. The
more hilly terrain of the portion of Carlsbad east of El Camino Real
is not as apt to support as dense a population as the area west of
this major thoroughfare.
Several other factors must also be taken into consideration in
looking ahead at the future of the city. For instance, in spite of
its potential for industrial growth, the city's desire to encourage
only light industry and that of a research and development nature, is
a constraining factor. Unless industry does locate in Carlsbad or
nearby adjacent areas, the population will grow at a less rapid rate
since population growth is obviously directly related to jobs - most
of which are supplied through industry. Another factor is the "zero
growth movement" which already appears to be taking hold. If the
trend to smaller families continues this will have a decided effect
on the total number of people living in Carlsbad at any particular
date.
Because substantial quantities of desirable residential land is
located near the coast and the large lagoons, the new Coastal Initi-
ative (Proposition 20) is likely to have a pronounced effect on the
amount, rate, and type of growth in these areas. Future zoning may
take sizable chunks of land out of the development picture. Limita-
tions on building heights and population density will be reflected
in the number of people which can be accommodated. Land values must
also be considered a major factor - especially along the coast.
Inland, the terrain becomes hilly and creates a different pat-
tern of residential development. Density is apt to be low except
where condominium apartments, mobile home parks, and similar devel-
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opments are concerned. The estate-type residence, so familiar in
the Rancho Santa Fe and Olivenhein areas will probably occur to
some extent.
IV. POPULATION PROJECTIONS.
A number of agencies and various business firms have attempted
to make population forecasts for the Carlsbad Planning Area. These
projections, extending in some cases to the year 2000 or beyond,
vary more than 100%. There seems to be general agreement that growth
will be more rapid in the next two or three decades. After achieving
about half of its eventual population, the rate of growth and the
numbers of new people moving into the community will slacken consid-
erably. The latest figures are those issued by the Comprehensive
Planning Organization in conjunction with its current transportation
studies. According to its prognostications, the City of Carlsbad can
expect a population of 84,100 in the year 1995. Assuming a straight
line projection from the present population of approximately 17,300
to the 84,100 figure results in a graph such as that shown in Figure
II-2. The anticipated population for the intervening periods is
summarized in Table II-l.
TABLE II-l
TABLE OF POPULATION BASED ON COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
ORGANIZATION ESTIMATE OF 84,100 PEOPLE FOR 1995
Years
1970 14,944 (1970 Census)
1972 17,300 (estimate)
1975 23,000 (projected)
1980 38,000
1985 53,500
1990 69,000
1995 84,100
It should be noted that the above projections by the Comprehensive
Planning Organization are based upon a computer model which includes
a wide variety of factors. This projection assumes a continuation
to at least 1995 of the present growth trends in the employment base,
a slight reduction in the birth and mortality rates, and a continu-
ation of the in-migration of retirement-aged individuals. Unless a
major change occurs in the housing industry, the rate of growth will
probably be somewhat erratic as housing first exceeds then falls
behind demand.
Interview with Mr. William J. Bamberger, Senior Regional Plan-
ner, Comprehensive Planning Organization, San Diego. February 20, 1973.
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FIGURE II-2
CARLSBAD POPULATION FORECAST*
89,009
70fOOO
60,000
50,000
40 i 000
30,OQO
20,000
10,000
0
t///
J
\ *A Straight Li
based on Comp
Planning Orga
cast of 84,10
84,10(
ne Projection
cehensive
nization Fore-
0 for 1995.
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995
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The figure, 84,100, does not, of course, represent the ultimate
population for Carlsbad. As already explained, this will depend upon
a large number of factors. Perhaps the most definitive study relat-
ing to the ultimate holding capacity of the area was conducted in
1960 in connection with the planning for sewage disposal in northern
San Diego County. The report, North Coastal San Diego Sewage Survey:
A Comprehensive Plan for the Collection, Treatment, and Disposal of
Sewage in North Coastal San Diego County, California, was written by
A. M. Rawn, Chairman of the County Board of Engineers and published
in 1960. Using a variety of techniques for population forecasting,
the study divided the entire area into drainage basins, then subdi-
vided these into tributary basins. A separate projection was made
for each of these in terms of its ultimate holding capacity. The re-
port furnishes detailed information from which can be extrapolated
the fact that within the Carlsbad Planning Area as presently defined
a population of approximately 250,000 people can be contained. It
seems reasonable to presume that the ultimate population will number
at least half of this total, or approximately 125,000. If the esti-
mates of the Comprehensive Planning Organization are accurate, this
figure will not be reached until sometime after the year 2000.
From the above figures, it is clear that the Carlsbad City Li-
brary must base its immediate plan on a population of some 84,000
people spread over about 35 square miles with provision for a growth
factor of at least 50% beyond 1995.
V. CHACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION.
The number of people the library must prepare to serve gives us
one dimension of the problem. However, in many ways the character-
istics of the population are of even greater consequence. Based on
the type of industry anticipated for the area, and other manifesta-
tions of the planned employment base, it can be assumed that the
future population will be better educated, have higher income, and
be even more mobile than the average in surrounding communities.
For similar reasons, the Carlsbad resident is apt to have more lei-
sure time available for recreational, educational, and cultural pur-
suits. The increasing number of residential areas devoted to retire-
ment communities seems to assure an above average number of people
of retirement age. These characteristics seem to forecast a popula-
tion which will be particularly susceptible to forces that will govern
much of society in the years ahead. An interesting analysis of some
of these forces has been described by E. B. Weiss:
By 1980, almost all families with heads between 20-30
years of age will include one or more college graduates -
many with masters and doctorates. These families will con-
stitute a mass market of affluent, educated adults - the
very first mass of its kind, ever! They will constitute an
intellectual and economic elite wielding a market power
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(and political clout) of enormous dimensions. Their educa-
tion, sophistication and affluence will lead them into re- ^
markable new life patterns. m
They will be demanding, demonstrative, articulate. They
will be exceedingly intolerant of advertising and marketing m
programs that do not match their intellectual standards. ... U
Amazing advances in communication technology in the next
eight years will make it possible to communicate with almost
anyone, almost anywhere, at any time, by voice, sight, or *
written message instantaneously. All communications will &*
be instantly recorded, instantly retrievable, instantly re-
produced. ... •
Increasingly, the public will put its money where its M
time is. For advertising and marketing, the interplay of
psychological, social and economic forces will revolve M
around time - both time-saving and more sophisticated time
use. 2 m
VI. CHAPTER SUMMARY. to
The future success of the Carlsbad City Library will be deter- •
mined largely by how well the library plans for the number and type L
of people who will make use of its services. Because the num-
bers of people and their characteristics are in constant flux, con-
tinued study and analysis is necessary, with plans adjusted accord-
ingly. This Master Plan is valid only within the context of con-
tinued evaluation.
c
P
H
P
2 PE. B. Weiss, in Advertising Age, Sept. 18, 1972. j^
-14-
CHAPTER III
DIMENSIONS OF LIBRARY RESPONSE
Before a master plan can be discussed, the nature and dimen-
sions of the Carlsbad City Library's response to a growing popula-
tion must be explored. It is the purpose of this chapter to
describe those factors which will be determinants in shaping the
library's reaction.
I. PROBABLE DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION.
Library growth correlates closely with the number of people
to be served and their characteristics. Using the Comprehensive
Planning Organization's forecast of 84,100 persons for 1995 as a
basis, it is important to determine where these people will live,
what they will do for a living, what kind of education they may
have, what their avocational and recreational interests may be,
how much money they may earn, what their age composition might be,
etc. Each of these items will be useful in planning how the li-
brary should develop its collections, services, and facilities over
the next twenty-five years.
A. WHERE PEOPLE WILL LIVE IN CARLSBAD BY 1995.
The new General Plan, to be completed by the Carlsbad City
Planning Department within the next nine months, will define
fairly precisely the various residential zones and the antici-
pated density of future population. In view of the careful
work going into the General Plan, it would be imprudent to make
advanced predictions. Rather, library officials should consult
the new General Plan for such information. However, it is rea-
sonable to anticipate that over the course of the next twenty-
five years the population will spread from one edge of Carlsbad
to the other. Here and there population densities may be fairly
great, although some pockets of undeveloped land may still re-
main. There is some expectation that the northeast quadrant
will become more densely populated at an earlier date than other
sections of the city. In general, though, the coastal areas
would seem to have the greatest potential for rapid and dense
development once the Coastline Initiative program has been
reconciled.
B. THE ECONOMIC PICTURE
The Comprehensive Planning Organization's population pro-
jection for Carlsbad is based partially on the supposition that
a variety of industries will be located within the city and in
adjacent communities. Most of these will employ professional
-15-
and highly skilled personnel. It is expected that these will
enjoy higher than average rates of pay.
On the other hand, Carlsbad's equable climate will un-
doubtedly continue to attract a sizable number of retired
individuals. Many of these will live in condominium apart-
ments and mobile home parks. Most of them will be living on
fairly fixed incomes.
The population mix will, of course, include as a third
group, the merchants, laborers, and professional workers who
provide supporting services, retail establishments, etc., for
the community. The incomes achieved by this group will vary
widely depending upon their particular occupations. It has
been assumed that the present "Inner City" area will continue
to house most of the unskilled and semi-skilled laborers.
C. EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT.
On the whole, the level of educational achievement of the
future population will continue higher in accordance with na-
tional trends. According to the 1970 Census, Carlsbad resi-
dents now have a somewhat higher average level of education
than residents of surrounding communities. This distinction
can be expected to continue and perhaps increase with the pass-
ing years.
D. AVOCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL INTERESTS.
Blessed with good educations, higher than average incomes,
and increased leisure time, future Carlsbad residents may be
expected to indulge in all manner of avocational and recrea-
tional pursuits. For many, the extra time will be used to
pursue a second career or job. Others will turn to arts,
crafts, and various cultural interests. The Carlsbad area
offers virtually unlimited opportunities for recreation. The
ocean and lagoons will attract many, and sailing, aquatic
sports, and fishing will be popular. Others will turn to golf,
tennis, and similar outdoor sports. Some will use spare hours
to learn more about the area they live in and to participate in
various social, philanthropic, and cultural group activities.
E. AGE COMPOSITION.
It is expected that the population will be somewhat older,
on the average, than is presently the case. The "Zero Popula-
tion" movement, if it continues, will result in fewer children
in the total population mix. Meanwhile, the number of older
people will increase, both as a result of in-migration and by
longer life expectancy. Family formation is apt to come more
-16-
often in mid to late twenties rather than in the late teens
and early twenties. In effect, the population will appear
more mature, somewhat more concerned with adult problems, per-
haps, than with childhood education, although schools and cur-
riculum will continue to be a compelling interest for many.
F. EARNING POWER.
Unofficial projections of family income made by the Com-
prehensive Planning Organization indicate that in terms of to-
day's dollars, the earning power of Carlsbad's residents may
increase as much as 42% between 1975 and 1995. This, of course,
is an average figure and will vary somewhat within given resi-
dential zones. Such earning power, coupled with other factors,
indicates an affluent and well motivated population.
G. POPULATION MOBILITY.
All factors discussed above indicate a high mobility - a
characteristic already associated with southern California.
Career advancement, economic wealth, and other pressures will
probably reinforce the present pattern wherein people tend to
move with some frequency. Much of this movement may be within
the city itself as residents seek residences to fit changing
life styles and family requirements. Apartments, condominiums,
and mobile homes will cater to numerous short-term residents.
An increasing number of people will probably have their "second
homes" in Carlsbad, using them as week-end and vacation retreats
until retirement. Unless unforeseen conditions impose them-
selves, mobility will be an accepted part of community life.
H. TRANSPORTATION PATTERN.
Even the most casual observer of the current scene must be
aware that transportation is a growing concern. Assuming that
people will continue to rely upon the automobile during the
foreseeable future for most of their local transportation needs,
the projected circulation pattern of major streets and highways
for Carlsbad (Figure II-l) becomes a primary concern. The
hilly terrain precludes the static grid common to cities lo-
cated on relatively flat land. At present, the City of Carlsbad
has not evolved a consistent policy with regard to the construc-
tion of these important highways. If they become the responsi-
bility of developers, then construction will remain spotty since
only those portions of these arteries running through a devel-
oper's project area would be built. On the other hand, con-
struction by the city and/or county would result in a well-
planned scheme offering reasonable access to residents wherever
they may live within the city. Such a program, however, ex-
ceeds the present financial capacity of the city and could not
-17-
o
be accomplished without large scale financial assistance from
the county, state, or other sources.
At some future date some form of mass transportation ap-
pears inevitable. The outlying areas of Carlsbad might well
be served by a municipal or regional bus system which would
connect at several points with rapid transit vehicles carrying
passengers north, south and east. If convenient, such a trans-
portation network may be utilized by large numbers of people
who find the highways too crowded, or for reasons of age, etc.,
prefer not to drive, or are unable to drive.
II. OTHER FORCES SHAPING CARLSBAD'S FUTURE LIBRARY.
Population and its characteristics are not the only determin-
ants in the Carlsbad City Library's future. Trends in the world of
library and information sciences will exert powerful influences.
The following discussion touches upon only a few of these.
A. THE KNOWLEDGE EXPLOSION.
It appears that knowledge begets knowledge in greater than
geometrical proportions. We are living at a time when new know-
ledge is being produced and recorded at an ever accelerating
pace. Mankind is increasingly dependent on easy access to an
unlimited variety of information. The public library has evolved
in response to society's need for an agency which would collect,
preserve, and make easily available mankind's accumulated know-
ledge .
The size of this task has grown as the amount of informa-
tion recorded in print and in other media expands. For instance,
the number of adult book titles published annually in the United
States alone has jumped from about 12,000 to more than 30,000 in
less than two decades. Hundreds of major subject fields, pre-
viously non-existent, are now represented on library shelves. Un-
like buggy whips which have almost passed into history and about
which little was written, such subjects as computers, ecology, and
space exploration appear to be with us for the foreseeable future
and have already amassed a substantial amount of literature. Cor-
respondingly, a function of educational attainment has been a
broadening of individual interests and a desire for more informa-
tion in a greater number of subjects.
B. THE MEDIA REVOLUTION.
Until recently, nearly all knowledge was recorded in printed
form - usually in the familiar book, periodical, newspaper, pam-
phlet, or journal format. The introduction of audio visual media,
computers, and micro form have changed all that. If a library
-18-
were to exclude all forms of media other than print, much in-
formation would be lost. Therefore, at the very time when the
amount of recorded information is multiplying at an unprece-
dented rate, libraries must also cope with an expanding number
of forms in which the information can be obtained. Since some
of these forms require special equipment for preservation and
utilization, they affect the size, space relationships, and
ultimate design of library buildings. Further, the handling
and use of these new forms of media have a profound effect on
library personnel and organization.
The media revolution has another side - one which seems
just on the verge of becoming a reality. Facsimile reproduc-
tion, cable television, and similar electronic marvels are apt
to become common household instruments providing libraries an
unusual opportunity for serving many information needs without
people leaving their homes or offices. Some libraries are al-
ready experimenting with CATV as a method for transmitting
certain kinds of information directly into homes and offices.
Telefacsimile machines, which are already being used by some
libraries, may serve a similar function when they become econ-
omically feasible for private use.
Man's ability to invent ways of recording, storing, and
transmitting information seems limitless now that an expanding
technology provides a basis for new creative efforts. The
miracle of microform, for instance, seems dwarfed by the possi-
bilities of the holograph. However, tomorrow's library will
still be filled with books for they remain man's most convenient
way of capturing and retrieving knowledge; but books will be
complemented by banks of audio visual equipment, television
screens, computer terminals, and other devices required to lo-
cate, secure, and reproduce information for the library user.
C. SOCIAL AWARENESS.
During the past decade or so, librarians have experienced
a growing awareness that portions of the population have vary-
ing information needs which the library should meet. Atten-
tion has been focused, for instance, on the needs of minorities,
on the disadvantaged, and on various age groups - from the pre-
school child to the senior citizen. Unlike the public library
of several decades ago, librarians no longer feel that filling
a building with books and then opening the doors is enough.
There is, instead, a growing social conscience which must be
reckoned with when planning future library facilities and pro-
grams.
D. TRENDS IN LIBRARY FACILITIES.
To further complicate library planning, the question of
-19-
library facilities and their service areas continues to undergo
change. At the turn of the century, libraries tended to develop
small extension outlets, or "stations," wherever it appeared
they would be useful. In the decades that followed the central
or main library received greater emphasis. Depression years
found public libraries caught between unprecedented demand and
limited funding. During the post-World War II years the small
library branch or station was recognized as expensive to main-
tain and too limited in its collections to be of real service.
Increasing use of the automobile and the mobility it provided
seemed to indicate that the public might be better served through
larger libraries oriented to the commuter rather than the pedes-
trian. This pattern picked up support as "suburbia" developed.
But now, questions are again being raised as society moves
through a new urban experience. Significant portions of the
population do not seem to be using the larger, better stocked
branch libraries, so there appears to be a move toward smaller
and more numerous outlets once more.
While maximum convenience to the user seems to be the key
to locating library outlets for many people, others are equally
willing and sufficiently motivated to drive some distance to take
advantage of more comprehensive collections and services. Un-
fortunately for those who must plan facilities today, the emerg-
ing pattern is far too complex - if not contradictory - to be
very helpful. While various libraries are beginning to experi-
ment with different sizes and kinds of outlets, the record of
experience to date is insufficient and inconclusive. Suffice
it to say that in master planning its future library facilities,
Carlsbad must be equally aware and responsive to the needs of
children, senior citizens and disadvantaged people who find it
difficult to travel out of their immediate neighborhoods, and
the extensive information requirements of others.
III. FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
Sooner or later implementation of the Carlsbad City Library
Master Plan must reckon with the community's financial resources.
Both library facilities and library operations must be paid for.
While new buildings are usually funded through general obligation
bond issues or other capital improvement methods, and current oper-
ations are financed by an annual tax on property, ultimately both
come from the same taxpayer. The wealth of the community in terms
of its assessed valuation and the mood of the taxpayer will be deter-
minants in fulfilling the Master Plan.
The schedule for library development must correspond with the
expansion of the tax base and the willingness of the taxpayer to have
his tax dollars invested in the growth of the library. Because of
this relationship, the financial implications of the proposed Master
-20-
c o
Plan are discussed in some detail in the final chapter of this report.
Suffice it to say, at this point, the community's financial resources
and the willingness of the taxpayer to have them expended for library
facilities and services will have much to do with the execution of
the Library Master Plan. It is, therefore, imperative that library
officials constantly appraise community response to the library and
utilize every feasible method for keeping the public fully informed
of current and future library plans.
IV. CHAPTER SUMMARY.
While many factors must be considered in developing a Master Plan
for the Carlsbad City Library, the most important of these concern the
number and characteristics of the population and forces at work in the
library world such as the knowledge explosion and media revolution.
The community's financial resources and the taxpayer's commitment to
the library form a third force which will continue to shape the Master
Plan and affect its implementation.
-21-
o
CHAPTER IV
THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY TODAY
Before moving into a master plan for the future, one more as-
pect of the present must be explored - the status of the Carlsbad
City Library today. The objective of this chapter is to draw a
brief profile of the library in terms of its current services, col-
lections, and operations. The evaluation is intended to be descrip-
tive rather than critical.
I. A PROFILE OF THE LIBRARY IN THE COMMUNITY.
The Carlsbad City Library must be reckoned as an agressive
and active force in the community. More than half of the city's
population has registered to use the library's collections and ser-
vices within the past three years. Even a casual visit will estab-
lish the fact that the library is busy indeed. At times the number
of users exceeds the capacity of the parking lot. All ages use the
library, from pre-school tots to the elderly. Besides those who
come to borrow materials, many others telephone or visit the library
to obtain information on a host of subjects. Still others attend
library related meetings and events, or come to view attractive ex-
hibits.
In addition to the residents of Carlsbad, some patrons travel
from other communities to use the library. Most of these are adult
users. The dimensions of this usage can be derived, in part, from
a study of Table IV-1 which indicates the place of residence for
registrants of the past three years and compares their number with
the record for the last six months. Although comparable data is not
available, there is reason to believe that neighboring libraries
such as the Oceanside Public Library might show a somewhat similar
pattern due to the lack of any large library facility in the North
County, and the ease with which users can drive from one library to
another. Although fairly numerous, non-residents probably do not
borrow as much material or make as great a demand on other library
services as do residents; intensity and certainly frequency of use
seems somewhat correlated with proximity to the library. There is
no doubt but that the Carlsbad City Library's membership in the Serra
Regional Library System with its commitment to permit free access
to all member libraries has intensified the use of the Carlsbad City
Library by non-residents and, by the same token, other libraries by
Carlsbad residents.
II. LIBRARY USAGE.
There is no single criteria by which the usage of a library can
be judged. Perhaps the number of volumes circulated per capita is
-22-
TABLE IV-1
LOCATION OF RESIDENCES OF LIBRARY REGISTRANTS
CITY
Percent of Total Percent of Those
Registration for Registering
Past 3 Years August 15, 1972-
January 31,1973
Carlsbad
Oceanside
Vista
Encinitas
Leucadia
Cardiff
San Marcos
Fallbrook
Del Mar
Solana Beach
Escondido
Other
63.3%
22.6%
3.7%
2.2%
1.5%
1.3%
.8%
.8%
.7%
.7%
.5%
1.9%
59.0%
21.9%
4.7%
4.5%
2.0%
1.9%
.6%
.4%
1.2%
1.3%
.6%
1.9%
100.0%100.0%
-23-
o
the most commonly quoted statistic. Comparing Carlsbad with other
libraries in California serving populations of 10,000 to 25,000,
Carlsbad residents appear to check out nearly 20% more material
per capita than those of other cities: 10.5 volumes per capita
vs. 8.8. The library also secured more volumes through interli-
brary loan for its patrons - 3.2 volumes for every 100 population
compared to only 1.9 per 100 for other cities. Unfortunately,
these figures do not reflect many of the most useful activities
engaged in by the library such as answering reference and informa-
tion questions, nor do they record the hundreds of people who come
to browse through the collections without checking out material.
Add to this the scores who visit the library to participate in
library-related programs and special events and one becomes par-
tially aware of the prominent role the Carlsbad City Library plays
in the lives of its public.
III. COLLECTION RESOURCES.
The library's ultimate ability to effectively serve the users
in the community depends largely upon its collection resources.
Until now the library's goals and limited funds caused it to de-
vote its attention to acquiring what might be called popular mater-
ials to satisfy the most evident needs of the user. Little money
has remained for increasing the scope of the collection or develop-
ing it in depth. The library's resources have, however, been en-
riched in the last several years by the addition of audio visual
materials. Unfortunately, the necessity for purchasing this mater-
ial from the book budget has further weakened the library's ability
to develop its basic collections.
To illustrate the limited amount of material that the library
can acquire each year in a variety of subjects, a quick survey of
the card catalog has been made. The results are shown in Table
IV-2. The number of titles found under each subject is listed
according to the date of publication to provide a second scale of
values. By reviewing this table, it is obvious that the library
lacks depth in its resources and that readers with more than a
casual interest in many subjects will soon exhaust the library's
collections. Beyond this, it is possible to see that current in-
formation is lacking in some subjects, while others suffer from a
lack of support from older titles which have become classics in
their fields.
Still another analysis was made from information supplied by
the library staff who recorded the dates of publication of all
adult non-fiction titles. A sampling of this information is re-
produced as Figure IV-1 and shows how the ages of the library's
titles vary according to broad subject groupings. It is not pos-
sible to determine how much or in what ways the size and shape of
the collection has been affected by the assimilation of numerous
-24-
o
TABLE IV-2
NUMBER AND AGE OF ADULT TITLES LISTED IN CARD CATALOG
UNDER VARIOUS SUBJECTS
YEAR OF PUBLICATION
Prior to
SUBJECT HEADING 1940
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
2 .
23.
24.
Advertising 1
Africa - Politics
Agriculture -
Economic Aspects -
American Fiction -
History & Criti-
cism
Airplanes, Piloting
Astronomy
Boats and Boating -
Communism, U. S.
Earthquakes
Ecology
Electronic Computers
Electronics
Music, American -
Painting , American
Personnel Manage-
ment
Public Administra-
tion
Retail Trade
Retirement
Russia-Foreign
Relations
Sailing 1
Sales: Management
Salesmen and 1
Salesmanship 1
Urban Renewal
United States -
Foreign Relations
1940-49 1950-59
, 1 5
1
- -
M o
-
1 6
1 2
6
1
- -
-
1
1 1
2
3
1
1
3
-
1
-
-
-
-
2 15
1960-66
8
5
1
3
2
7
-
2
-
10
4
8
1
1
6
-
4
6
4
4
1
7
-
19
1967-73
2
1
2
1
-
2
1
1
2
12
-
1
1
3
1
1
-
4
3
4
-
3
3
22
-25-
pf •
FIGURE IV-1
COMPARISON OF THE AGE OF MATERIALS IN FOUR SUBJECT
CATEGORIES BY PUBLICATION DATE
40%
35%
30%
Published
before
1940
Published Published Published Published
1940-49 1950-59 1960-66 1967-73
i\1 / A \1 /A \' / / '• \/ / / \ >
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
FIn
Social Sciences
- — — Science
Foreign Languages
Literature
fL
-26-I
I
gift books to supplement the limited number which could be purchased
with the annual book fund budget.
Older materials in the fields of science and social science
were found to be few in proportion to those in such subjects as
literature and foreign languages. While library collections should
be particularly current in both science and the social sciences
where vast changes are taking place daily, still there is need for
some of the older titles which have gained the status of classics.
Perhaps the most interesting fact to be derived from Figure IV-1 is
the sharp drop in the number of titles acquired during the period
1967-73 as compared to 1960-66 in three of the four subjects. This
is borne out by Figure IV-2 which shows the distribution of the total
collection of adult circulating titles.
A different type of collection profile is shown in Figure IV-3
which compares the percentage of titles in the various basic sub-
ject classifications. Unfortunately, a profile of the ideal collec-
tion for each must be tailored to the community it serves. However,
an awareness of the collection's composition on a broad basis is
helpful. For instance, it seems obvious that if the library is to
attract the user from business and industry the quantity of material
in the 500 classification - "Science" - and the 600's - "Technology"
- must loom larger in the total. It is also somewhat surprising to
find the library's collection in the fields of philosophy and psychol-
ogy - the 100's - so small: less than 4% of the adult non-fiction
collection.
These figures and the above discussion are not meant as a criti-
cism, but rather to point up the "thinness" of the library's book
collections. As the foundation for most of the library's basic ser-
vices, the book collection requires constant attention and nourish-
ment.
The library currently receives more than 300 periodical titles.
A fair portion of these are retained in unbound backfiles. The file
for the last five years is housed in the staff workrooms, while
longer files are kept elsewhere. In addition to the periodicals
subscribed to, the library frequently acquires additional magazines
and journals as gifts which help fill in missing issues and create
a more satisfactory collection for reference work. Most of the in-
dexes to periodicals are acquired by the library and serve as a most
useful reference tool.
Supplementing the library's printed collections is an array of
audio visual materials. Disc recordings, tape cassettes, and film
cassettes have proven extremely useful. Many of these items have
been secured as a result of the efforts and contributions of the
Friends of the Carlsbad City Library. To continue the acquisition
of such materials regularly a portion of the annual book budget is
used. The heavily used 16mm film service is one of the benefits
gained through membership in the Serra Regional Library System.
-27-
o
FIGURE IV-2
DISTRIBUTION OF ADULT CIRCULATING NON-FICTION COLLECTION
BY DATE OF COPYRIGHT
•VlPrior to 1940
10.8%
f!
to
Ml
E
I
-28-
FIGURE IV-3
PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL ADULT CIRCULATING COLLECTION
IN EACH OF THE MAJOR SUBJECT CATEGORIES
25%
21.8%
20%
16.4%
15%
10%
5%
3.6% 3.5%
.9%
14.1%
12.5% 12.4%
5.'
7.3%
000 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Biog
-29-
c f•b
IV. LIBRARY SERVICES.FThe Carlsbad City Library offers the usual range of services •
supplemented by a very active schedule of library-related programs.
Most services are centered around and near the Circulation Desk W
where borrowers are registered, materials checked out and discharged, ^
etc. Librarians are available to assist users and the reference
collection is located nearby. pi
Children's services are provided in the children's room which
has its own patio for story hours, etc. During inclement weather
and for movies the children use the library's conference room. In- ™
tense use is made of the library by children of all ages, beginning Ik
with the pre-school youngsters who are brought to the library for
special story hours. The children's registration files attest to p
the fact that most of the school aged children in Carlsbad visit L
the library through class visits and on their own.
V. LIBRARY PERSONNEL. fm
The staff of the Carlsbad City Library has been observed as a
conscientious and hard working group, often nearly overwhelmed by
the rising surge of user demands. For the sake of Comparison, Table
IV-3 shows the number of library personnel in the Carlsbad City Li-
brary contrasted with those in other libraries serving communities •
of a similar size. t
TABLE IV-3-1-
COMPARISON OF THE NUMBER OF LIBRARY PERSONNEL
IN THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY WITH OTHER LIBRARIES
Classification Carlsbad Other % Difference
I
Librarians*
Other Staff
Total Staff
Population per Staff Member
2.0
7
9
1/1933
2.8
10.6
13.4
1/1412
40%
52%
48%
37%mi •*Exclusive of Head Librarian m
H
Judging from the above data there is little wonder that the Carlsbad '
library staff has difficulty in keeping up with the daily needs of
the users. Nevertheless, the present staff members appear to be well _
motivated and effective in their respective jobs. The City Librarian ;
has been effective in conveying to her staff the image she wants the •"
library to have in the lives of people and as individuals in the com-
munity. •
News Notes of California Libraries, v. 67, No. 1, 1972. Ex-
trapolated from Table IV, p. 69. P
•
-30-
VI. LIBRARY MANAGEMENT.
The City Librarian and her staff are user oriented, well moti-
vated, and involved in community activities. The various staff mem-
bers have particular work assignments and share in giving service to
the public as user demands require. While there is a formal organ-
ization chart (Figure IV-4), management is generally informal in
nature - typical of libraries of this size.
The members of the Library Board of Trustees are concerned citi-
zens who give freely of their time and energies to meet their library
management responsibilities. Board members are appointed for a three
year term. Unfortunately, the frequent turnover precipitated by the
three year term of office affects the continuity of Board considera-
tion of library planning and policy development. The Library Board
members actively participate in some of the management functions such
as budget preparation.
VII. THE LIBRARY BUILDING.
The Carlsbad City Library is fortunate to occupy an attractive
building of about 23,560 square feet, including the two mezzanine
areas, completed in 1968. Space for the present services and collec-
tions appears adequate and a mezzanine will allow for some expansion.
The Circulation Desk provides a focus for most library operations and
a center for much of the contact with the public.
The staff work areas present a different picture. These rooms
are crowded with staff and materials, inhibiting work flow and creat-
ing a sense of disorder. With the exception of the City Librarian's
office, all have thereby been forced to cease functioning as origin-
ally planned. Unbound periodical files fill shelves and are encroach-
ing on desks which, in turn, impinge on the original function of the
room. Fortunately, the project to complete the unfinished mezzanine
over this work area will eliminate this problem and provide an oppor-
tunity for reorganizing the arrangement of library operations into a
smooth work flow.
VIII. COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
Active community support of the library is documented in many
ways. An active Friends of the Library organization provides a
channel for community participation in the library. Each year, hun-
dreds of books and other materials are added to the library through
donations made by members of this group and the general public. The
Friends have made numerous other contributions to the library and
assist the Library Board of Trustees in making the library needs
known to City Officials and the public.
-31-
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IX. CHAPTER SUMMARY.
The Carlsbad City Library plays an extremely active role in
the life of the community. The desire to render effective service
is limited only by a lack of resources and personnel. Besides the
usual array of book-oriented services, the library provides access
to a variety of audio visual materials. Special programming, sup-
ported by the Friends of the Library, attracts scores of people of
all ages. The children's program is particularly active, beginning
with the pre-schooler. The Library Board of Trustees and the City
Librarian work together to formulate policies, prepare the annual
budget, and plan for the future, though hampered by Board members
serving a single three year term. The library building provides a
pleasant space for housing the collections and services. However,
the staff has been working in increasingly cramped quarters and
will welcome the improved work space which will be available with
the completion of the unfinished mezzanine. A testimony to the
role of the library in the community is the strong community sup-
port accorded the library through the Friends of the Library and
in other ways. The community appears proud of its library and
anxious to give it full support. This is reflected in the library's
multifaceted effort to provide a wide variety of user-oriented ser-
vices and programs.
-33-
CHAPTER V
THE CARLSBAD LIBRARY FAMILY E
While the Carlsbad City Library is the library resource de- jj^
pended upon by most residents of the city, it does not stand alone.
Therefore, any master plan for library service must take into ac-
count the relationships of these other libraries. Libraries al-
ready exist in schools and academic institutions, and in the future
special libraries may be established in local industries. It is
the purpose of this chapter to take due note of the libraries in P
the Carlsbad area. Ik
I. PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE NORTH COUNTY COASTAL AREA. p
A. The first group of libraries to be considered consists of
neighboring public libraries:
1. Oceanside. I*
The Oceanside Public Library presently serves a P1
population within its own city limits approximately ta
three times the size of that served by the Carlsbad City
Library. At the present time its basic collections are p
both slightly larger and stronger due, in part, to a L
longer existence as a municipal public library, and
perhaps to greater financial support in the past. With-
in the past year the library has moved into a renovated r
market remodeled for the purpose, thereby easing its IB
immediate need for space. According to the recent Bank
of America Report-*- Oceanside can be expected to grow P"
faster between now and 1980 than any of the other North ^
County communities. Their projections indicate the
population of the city will move from 43,350 estimated _
for 1972 to about 66,000 persons by 1980. For the I"
short-haul, it would appear that the Oceanside library ^
will remain a slightly larger library, though the Carls-
bad City Library will gradually gain and eventually ex- P
ceed it in size if current projections prove accurate. In
2. Vista. p
Northeast of Carlsbad lies the burgeoning City of
Vista. This community is presently served by a branch
of the San Diego County Library. It is expected that ;
the Vista Branch of the County Library will eventually **
1Bank of America. Focus on San Diego County 3 1972, p. 17.
-34-
be designated as a regional branch and thereby qualify
for a larger than usual quarters, staff and collections.
However, in the context of present county planning, the
Vista Branch will not exceed the size of the present
Carlsbad City Library even in its ultimate foreseeable
growth.
3. San Marcos.
Immediately east of Carlsbad is the new community
of San Marcos. It, too, is served by the San Diego County
Public Library. The library services are presently housed
in a very small building and the pressure of population
growth in the San Marcos area will undoubtedly force the
County Library to move this branch into larger headquarters
eventually. However, according to the present plans, the
San Marcos Branch will continue to be subsidiary to the
regional branch in Vista.
4. San Dieguito.
To the south of the City of Carlsbad lies the region
known as San Dieguito. At present, the cities of Leucadia,
Encinitas, and Cardiff, which make up this area, are in the
throes of self-determination. It is possible that if their
present activity succeeds, this area will be united into a
single municipality tentatively called San Dieguito. Li-
brary service to this area is now provided by the San Diego
County Public Library through an attractive branch library
in Encinitas. A second and smaller branch - which is more
of a reading station - is maintained in Cardiff. The San
Diego County Library considers the Encinitas Branch to be
its major facility along the coast and expects to expand it
somewhat at a future date. However, as in the case of the
County Branch in Vista, the future Encinitas Library will
still be smaller than the present Carlsbad City Library.
II. SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
Most of the area within the present and future city limits will
fall within the Carlsbad Unified School District. At the present
time there are four elementary schools , one Junior High School and
a Senior High School. Unification of the elementary and high school
districts took place in 1971. According to William M. Lipkeman,
District Librarian,
"The four elementary schools . . . have full time personnel
working in a position which is called library assistant . . .
at the Junior High we have a full time credentialed librarian
-35-
with a library assistant . . . and the Senior High School
(has) a full time credentialed librarian and a library
assistant who is also in oharge of text books . . . the
standards that we have been working toward, as I am sure
all libraries are, are those suggested by the American
Library Association. At the present time in our library
program we have an average of 13 plus or minus books per
child in the K-6 schools3 12 plus in the Junior High, and
a shamefully low four books per child in the Senior High
School. A marked effort was made in last year's budget to
bring this law amount up. 2
The 1972-73 budget pertaining to library materials was given
by Mr. Lipkeman as follows: professional books, $1,200.00; per-
iodicals and subscriptions, $2,600.00; supplies for both library
and audio visual soft ware, $12,700.00; library books, $20,000.00.
He reports further that,
. . . in the K-8 libraries we have listening centers with
all the various multi-media hardware and soft ware which
is currently available. The High School, prior to unifi-
cation, had done little or nothing in this area . . . I
plan to place more emphasis on non-book materials in the
future. 3
He further noted that library personnel in each of the schools is
directly under the supervision of the school principal. At this
point there is no official projection of future student population
nor has the number or location of future schools been decided.
Interviews with Dr. Howard C. Harmon, District Superintendent
of Schools, Carlsbad Unified School District, and Mr. Lipkeman,
District Schools Librarian, revealed an understanding of the im-
portance of the Carlsbad City Library to student and teacher suc-
cess and an appreciation of the inter-related nature of the two
agencies. Mr. Lipkeman was enthusiastic in his endorsement of
the Carlsbad City Library's desire to cooperate and assist the
efforts of the schools. He also noted several areas in which act-
ive cooperation has proven beneficial and voiced interest in con-
tinuing exploration of additional ways in which unnecessary dupli-
cation of effort can be eliminated. Dr. Harmon, in turn, indicated
that the plans for future elementary school buildings would orient
class room activities around media centers. He voiced interest in
efforts to avoid overlapping of library services.
Since children of school age make up a good share of the li-
brary's clientele and workload, it is important for school and
^Letter from William M. Lipkeman, December 8, 1972.
-36-
o o
public library personnel to work closely in planning and operating
library service. The fact that an awareness of this has been
achieved along with actual cooperative effort augurs well. In the
future, it is hoped that through an informal structure, including
occasional meetings between members of the School Board and the
Library Board of Trustees, mutual problems and opportunities can
be given appropriate consideration.
III. ACADEMIC LIBRARIES.
Although no four-year college presently exists in the North
County area, the City of Carlsbad is within the MiraCosta Community
College District. Although Carlsbad does not fall within its juris-
diction, the Palomar Community College is also of importance in li-
brary planning. According to Dr.John MacDonald, President of Mira-
Costa College, total enrollment is anticipated to grow from 1,574
for 1972-73 to over 2,000 by 1981-82. Dr.MacDonald states that,
We plan no physical expansion of owe library in the foresee-
able future. Library space now occupied by administrative
and student personnel services may be converted for library
usage by 1980. If this takes place, proposed additions to
library services would include a graphics production facility,
areas for student conference and film use, a center for video
tape distribution, additional faculty offices and seminar
rooms, expansion of shelf space and reading room space. No
specific plans for library additions have been developed at
this time.^
During interviews, both Dr.MacDonald and Mr. Leland Russell, College
Librarian, voiced awareness of the important role played by the Carls-
bad City Library for many students. They ventured that the extended
day students, particularly, seemed to depend heavily upon the public
library. According to a recent study made by the Public Information
Office of MiraCosta College, 98% of the residents in the District
who responded to a questionnaire survey indicated a knowledge of the
college. Of the respondees, 34% had been on the campus to attend a
class, while 28% had visited the college for lectures. Because of
the evident overlap in interests and patronage, continued close co-
operation between MiraCosta College and the Carlsbad City Library
is essential.
Students from Carlsbad who enter a four year college or a grad-
uate school usually attend one of the colleges or universities in
the San Diego area. The relative convenience of such academic
^Letter from Dr.John MacDonald, November 28, 1972.
^Community Attitude Survey: Compiled by the Public Information
Office MiraCosta College. Oceanside, MiraCosta College, 1972,
pp. 3-4.
-37-
facilities encourages both full and part time students to commute
from their homes to classes. However, this pattern may be changed
for a growing number unless a new State College campus is estab-
lished in the North County area to supplement San Diego State Uni-
versity which is nearing absolute capacity. Although there has been
speculation that such a campus might be established somewhere in
the area - perhaps in Vista - the recent moratorium on new college
campuses has placed such a facility in limbo for the moment. Should
such a college be constructed at a later date, Carlsbad City Library
will be directly affected: usage will rise and the scope and depth
of the collections severely tested by students and faculty alike.
On the other hand, the college library would add a whole new dimen-
sion to the total library resources in the North County area.
IV. INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION.
To avoid unnecessary duplication of resources, personnel, and
facilities in the North County area, active interlibrary cooperation
must occur on several levels simultaneously. Fortunately, much of
the structure and mechanics for this have already been laid in place.
A. INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
Upon the invitation of the Carlsbad City Library, a group
known as the "North County Library Neighbors" was recently
formed consisting of representatives from the various types of
libraries in the North County region. The purpose of the
group has been to (1) get better acquainted, (2) become fam-
iliar with one another's libraries and objectives, (3) share
program information which might be mutually beneficial, and
(4) discuss common problems and seek solutions. These are
fairly broad-based goals which are entirely appropriate for a
group so varied in the types of libraries they represent. It
is doubtful that such a group should become involved in the
review of specific titles, for instance, but might well con-
cern itself with the purposes the various media serve in each
library, the scope of such collections, and the policies which
control selection and use. North County population growth
will make the activities of this group evermore important.
B. INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION BETWEEN THE CARLSBAD UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY.
Interlibrary cooperation between the schools and the pub-
lic library has already been touched upon. A suggestion has
also been made proposing that a structure for regular con-
sideration of mutual problems be provided. Such structure
should give recognition to the three levels at which coopera-
tion should take place: (1) Teaching Staff-Library Staff,
(2) District Schools Library Administration-Public Library
-38-
o
Administration, and (3) the Carlsbad Unified School District
Board of Trustees and the Carlsbad City Library Board of
Trustees. The areas of interest and the corresponding agendas
would necessarily differ; however, a framework would then
exist enabling matters which could not be solved or for which
there were specific recommendations to rise through the struc-
ture to the policy making or, in the case of the Library Board,
the policy advisory body.
C. INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION WITH OTHER PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
The structure for interlibrary cooperation between public
libraries is already well established and successful accomp-
lishments have been posted by the Serra Regional Library Sys-
tem. Library administrators constituting the formalized organ-
ization meet regularly. In addition, special committees which
concern themselves with particular matters provide opportunity
for in-put from each member library. The Carlsbad City Library
has played a prominent role in helping to get the Serra Re-
gional Library System organized; its users stand to gain much
through a continuation of the library's active participation.
D. INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION WITH OTHER TYPES OF LIBRARIES
OUTSIDE THE NORTH COUNTY AREA.
The users of the Carlsbad City Library appear to stand to
gain by any intelligent cooperative efforts among libraries in
San Diego County. The pending proposal for a "consortium" ar-
rangement among the academic, special, and public libraries of
the county is no exception. However, Carlsbad representatives
must be certain that this consortium strengthens rather than
weakens the Serra Regional Library System, while increasing the
ease of access to other library resources. For the foreseeable
future, it is unlikely that participation would pose any parti-
cular drain on the Carlsbad City Library's resources since they
are far from unique among those of other libraries in the county.
V. CHAPTER SUMMARY.
The Carlsbad City Library serves an area in which there are
numerous other libraries, including those in surrounding jurisdic-
tions. The strengths, weaknesses, and goals of these jurisdictions
must be taken into account as the Carlsbad City Library plans its own
future. Cooperation with the school libraries is essential to avoid
unnecessary duplication of materials and facilities. The proximity
of academic institutions will be reflected in a continued demand for
improved collections and services in the public library. Of greatest
importance is the fact that structures for cooperative relationships
with libraries of all types within the local area, and the entire
-39-
o PI
in
San Diego County area, are already in existence. Residents of the
City of Carlsbad stand to gain immeasurably through the library's p
membership and active participation since these open the doors of Hi
access to the not-inconsiderable resources of the combined libraries
of San Diego County and, through the library system network, to the P
library resources throughout the state of California. fc
Ik
P
m
P
-40-
CHAPTER VI
THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY MASTER PLAN: RATIONALE AND PRIORITIES
Some of the basic characteristics of the growing City of Carlsbad
and the Carlsbad City Library have been described briefly in the fore-
going chapter. Together, these provide the setting for the Carlsbad
City Library's Master Plan. For convenience, the Master Plan has been
divided into three chapters: Chapter VII, The Central Library Element,
Chapter VIII, The Branch Library Element, and Chapter IX, The Financial
Element. The present chapter serves as an introduction to the Master
Plan by supplying the (1) Rationale, and (2) the Priorities of the
Plan.
I. RATIONALE OF THE MASTER PLAN.
The rationale of the ensuing Master Plan is rooted in the projec-
ted characteristics of future Carlsbad citizens and their anticipated
library needs. The ability of the library to meet such a wide range
of needs will depend upon the expansion of its resources and facil-
ities, and upon the ability of library officials to interpret and pre-
pare for the community of the future. Adequacy of library response
will be determined primarily by the depth of collections, scope of
services, and effectiveness of personnel. For the time being, the
Central Library forms the foundation of present service and the key-
stone to the library's future. At a later date, when population war-
rants and financial resources permit, additional library outlets will
probably be required in the city's outlying areas to provide more con-
venient access to the first level^ of library materials and services.
The growth of population in Carlsbad and the surrounding North
County will eventually dictate the need for a library which can sup-
ply the second level of service.2 For a variety of reasons, includ-
ing the convenience of its location, accessibility by major highways
criss-crossing the North County area, etc., it seems logical that
Carlsbad's Central Library provide such a depth and scope of service
for its own residents and those in adjoining jurisdictions by becom-
ing the Area or Reader Subject Center Library for North County resi-
dents. This latter service presumably would be done through contin-
ued participation in the Serra Regional Library System and the evolv-
ing California Library Network.
Eventually, the present library building will be outgrown and
a new Central Library building will be required. This library will
•'•Lowell Martin and Roberta Bowler. Public Library Service
Equal to the Challenge of California* 1965. p. 72.
2Ibid. pp. 73-75.
-41-
o
serve both as the headquarters for the Carlsbad City Library and
as the Reader Subject Center Library. The selection of its site
must be done carefully to fulfill the criteria for effective li-
brary location and for a proper relationship to future branch
library locations.
The scope and depth of library services and resources such as
the Carlsbad City Library may be expected to provide are not cheap.
Therefore, continuing attention must be given library revenues by
library and city officials. From time to time, the demand may
exceed the funds which are the product of the library's normal tax
rate, and additional sources of revenues will have to be sought.
Harnessing the program to an inflexible revenue structure would
warp progress and, in all probability, would preclude meeting real-
istic library needs of Carlsbad Citizens.
II. PRIORITIES.
While the entire library program must move ahead more or less
as a whole, certain priorities do exist, especially in the immed-
iate future.
A. PRIORITY 1.
The primary task of those connected with the Carlsbad City
Library is to develop a strong and effective Central Library.
Activities and programs which distract from this goal and pose
a threat to the resources required for the library to meet its
objective should be avoided. Although heavily used now, the
Central Library suffers several deficiencies which should be
remedied before any kind of expansion program is pursued. To
implement the first priority a series of programs to correct
observed weaknesses in collections, personnel, and space util-
ization have been given special emphasis in Chapter VII.
B. PRIORITY 2.
The second priority is to provide library outlets at the
neighborhood level, beginning with La Costa. As discussed in
Chapter VIII, this priority will extend over a long period of
years with a variety of interim solutions precluding a rigid
plan.
C. PRIORITY 3.
The third priority pertains to financing the development
of the library. This subject is discussed at some length in
Chapter IX. Since the library can move ahead on its Master
Plan route no faster than funds permit, it becomes imperative
that this subject be given a high, continuing priority. Unlike
-42-
o
other goals which may ultimately be satisfied, the problem of
sufficient funds is seldom solved with finality.
III. CHAPTER SUMMARY.
There is an underlying rationale for the recommendations included
in the Master Plan, namely, matching user needs. While library pro-
grams are expected to move forward concurrently, three priorities
emerge: The Central Library, the branch libraries, and finances.
While additional sub-priorities will emerge as programs are organized
to achieve the recommendations, these three primary priorities are
expected to persist for the foreseeable future.
-43-
c
CHAPTER VII
THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY MASTER PLAN: THE CENTRAL LIBRARY ELEMENT
In considering the Central Library Element of the Carlsbad City
Library Master Plan, it is not possible to attach different priorities
to the various recommendations. By and large, these must work to-
gether since, almost without exception, they are inter-dependent. The
order in which they are discussed is solely one of convenience. Hope-
fully, programs of implementation will move forward simultaneously on
most, if not all, of these fronts.
THE DIMENSIONS OF THE FUTURE CENTRAL LIBRARY
Before discussing the more specific recommendations, it may be
helpful to place the Central Library in context with its future as
presently seen. Using the target date of 1995, the Central Library
must be several times the size of the present facility. Its collec-
tions should be increased four- to five-fold, and the full time li-
brary staff may well exceed fifty.
The standard library functions of circulating materials and pro-
viding assistance in locating information will be augmented by new
ones established to meet the more sophisticated needs of tomorrow's
population. The library will also provide the user with ready access
to the contents of virtually every other library in California, and
perhaps the nation, through a structured network utilizing a complex
electronic communications system. While printed materials will still
dominate the collections, other media will be much more widely used
than at present. Many services may be provided to the user in his
home or office through such instruments as CATV and telefacsimile.
The miracles of microform and holography will enable the library to
possess in its own collections vast resources presently considered
impossible. Computer data banks across the nation and around the
world will form still another resource.
In addition to its other functions, the Central Library will
serve as the headquarters for whatever library outlets or extension
facilities have been established to serve special areas of the com-
munity. Frequent delivery service and continuous electronic communi-
cation will provide better supervision and improved access to the
Central Library.
The foregoing description of the future Central Library is
sketchy but, like the tower of a suspension bridge looming across
a wide unspanned void, provides a point to which guidelines can be
attached to connect the unknown years that lie between. It is a
sense of the great distance which must be bridged that gives the
development of the Central Library No. 1 Priority.
-44-
THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE CENTRAL LIBRARY
I. RECOMMENDATION NO. 1.
THE LIBRARY MUST ENTER INTO A LONG RANGE PLAN FOR THE COORDIN-
ATED DEVELOPMENT OF THE LIBRARY'S COLLECTIONS, BOTH PRINT AND
NON-PRINT.
A. THE BOOK COLLECTION.
The weakness of the library's collection was described in
Chapter IV and need not be reiterated. Unfortunately, quantita-
tive standards for library collections are now in flux, previous
standards having proven inadequate. In 1966, Lowell Martin es-
tablished a range of "100,000-125,000 book titles with at least
40,000-50,000 acquired within the past ten years" as a minimum
goal for the Reader Subject Center Library. It is usually con-
ceded that this figure is somewhat lower than it should be.
Therefore, the Carlsbad City Library should aim at increasing
its book collection to not less than 150,000 titles by 1995.
With normal duplication, this would translate into 250,000 to
300,000 volumes.
B. AUDIO VISUAL MATERIALS.
In addition, the collection of audio visual materials will
need corresponding growth. Again, standards are non-existent
and the media continues to change so rapidly that quantitative
statements become outdated almost immediately. Therefore, it
will be necessary for those charged with the collection develop-
ment program to continually evaluate all types of audio visual
materials and make certain that the library is sufficiently sup-
plied to meet the legitimate demands for such items.
C. PERIODICALS.
A third area for immediate effort concerns the periodical
collection. The library has been engaged in securing backfiles
of various magazines. However, these are presently in unbound
files which are difficult to use and subject to loss. Therefore,
a program for binding the more frequently used periodicals
should begin immediately. Since periodical backfiles represent
one of the library's primary resources, a plan for pursuing this
objective is described at length.
The seeming high cost of periodical binding is offset by
the less obvious, but increasingly real, costs of personnel time
Lowel Martin. Ibid. p. 74.
-45-
o
Ik
required in retrieving material for the library user and then
reshelving it. Unbound files disintegrate much faster and are P
more subject to loss; bound files are more easily found and ||
used by the reader. While periodicals on mircoform have many
advantages, including the saving of about 98% in space, there _
is a certain amount of reluctance on the part of the public to W
use microform readers. Hopefully, this aversion will lessen
as improved models of microform reading equipment become avail-
able. The cost of binding magazine backfiles will average about JP
$6.00 per volume with an average of two bound volumes per year Jh
per title.
1. Careful records of the periodicals called for should j,
be kept over a two or three month period. This can be done
by asking the user to fill out a form with the title and
date of the magazine requested. At the end of the survey
period the forms can be tabulated by magazine title and
date of issue. The frequency of request could then be as-
certained and used as a part of the subsequent decision
making process.
2. Using the survey data on usage as a guideline, each p
magazine title should be reviewed to determine whether it fc
should be
a. Bound for permanent retention,
M
b. Left unbound,
""
c. Replaced by a microform file. ^
Frequency of use should be supplemented by other criteria
in the decision making process, such as completeness of the
unbound file, availability of replacement copies for miss-
ing issues, availability and cost of the title in micro-
form, etc. In general, the most frequently used materials p
should be bound, and the least often used - especially where it
long backfiles are to be maintained - should be acquired on
microform. Others meriting retention for occasional use •
may remain unbound and housed in paperboard files as at pre- E
sent.
This data should establish a pattern of its own. For f
convenience of the decision makers, it is suggested that •
some arbitrary guidelines be established with the knowledge
that they can be adjusted as work continues. To begin with,
for instance, the following might be useful:
Requested more than once a month - Disposition: Bind
-46-
Requested less than once a month but more often
than once every three months:
Disposition: Unbound and housed in boxes.
Requested less often than once every three
months:
Disposition: Replace with microform or leave
as unbound in boxes if mocroform
is not available or too expensive.
To establish a bindery program, one further step is
necessary: a determination must be made regarding the
length of file to be maintained. This must depend upon
both the intensity and span of usage.
Before entering into a binding program of this kind,
library staff members concerned with the binding operations
should visit a commercial library bindery, such as Kater
Crafts in Los Angeles, to review the program. Qualified
personnel there can give time and money-saving guidance in
the techniques of preparing quantities of materials for the
bindery, securing replacement issues for missing copies,
etc.
Finally, the purpose of this binding program should be
reiterated: the object is to create a useful and reason-
ably comprehensive periodical resource which matches user
needs and will be easily accessible to staff and public,
while requiring a minimum cost for retrieval and mainten-
ance.
D. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS.
It is essential that the library immediately begin build-
ing a basic collection of government publications. These should
represent Federal, state and local government agencies, includ-
ing the City of Carlsbad, neighboring North County cities, the
San Diego County government, and the various regional and quasi-
governmental agencies in the area. The Library should augment
this with a collection of Federal publications in subject fields
of interest to the residents of the Carlsbad and North County
area.
E. REFERENCE COLLECTION.
While every item in the library's collection, both print
and non-print, constitutes materials which can be utilized in
finding information and satisfying other user needs, a parti-
cular part of the collection, known as "reference," provides
a concentrated group of materials designed for this purpose.
-47-
o
By 1995, the reference collection, exclusive of periodicals
and government publications, should grow to about 15,000
titles. These must represent all fields of knowledge, but
provide particular strength in those subject of greatest
interest to Carlsbad residents. The development of an ade-
quate collection must be given heavy emphasis in the total
collections development program!
F. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS.
In the process of developing its general collections,
the library should continue to give attention to areas of
particular interest, such as local history, genealogy and,
perhaps, art. When the existence of such collections becomes
known, the library may expect to receive special donations
from individuals whose own interests and acquisitions, per-
haps, are in these fields. Special collections should be
given an identity of their own, but must not be isolated and
thereby lost to the general user.
G. BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.
To support a special service to those engaged in business
and industry, the library must seek to develop a comprehensive
in-depth collection of materials related to local industrial
and commercial enterprises. This will require subject exper-
tise on the part of staff. Acquisition of printed materials
should be augmented by audio visual materials. The adequacy
of such a collection depends, in large part, upon having both
the classics in each field and the most recent publications.
Current periodicals and government publications are particu-
larly important to these subjects. In addition, the library
should acquire files of materials on and by the local indus-
trial and commercial enterprises, such as photographs, reports,
news clippings, and product catalogs. Through coordination
with the local history collection, much of this material, ac-
quired for its current value, will remain and enhance the
library's local history collection.
H. CHILDREN'S COLLECTION.
The continued development of the children's collections
should be aimed at providing recreational and informational
reading. Unlike the adult collection, juvenile acquisitions
should seek to emphasize duplication of the best literature
and audio visual materials for each age and interest rather
than provide the most diversified array of titles. Continued
close cooperation with library and curriculum personnel in the
Carlsbad Unified School District is essential. The schools
should be encouraged to continue providing for the curriculum
-48-
c o
oriented materials in school media centers, while the public
library concentrates on supplementary titles - particularly
those which will enhance the joy of reading and thereby en-
courage acquiring a life-long reading habit.
As the children's collection continues to grow, some
thought should be given to maintaining a retrospective col-
lection of children's "classics," including but not limited
to, titles which have won the various awards for excellence
in the juvenile field. This collection should include audio
visual materials as well as printed items. Such a collection
would be of considerable value to parents, teachers and stu-
dents interested in the history of juvenile literature.
I. THE FICTION COLLECTION.
Little needs to be said concerning the fiction collec-
tion. In the future, the need to expand the non-fiction col-
lection is apt to reduce the proportion of the budget avail-
able for fiction. However, the library should continue to
purchase a diverse selection of fiction representing contem-
porary interests, with sufficient duplication to supply re-
sonable demand. Fiction plays an important role in the lives
of many readers, and this aspect of the library's book col-
lections cannot be overlooked. For novels of passing interest,
paperback copies may satisfy the need, while saving money for
more substantial fare.
II. RECOMMENDATION NO. 2.
THE LIBRARY SHOULD BEGIN TO IDENTIFY AND BRING GREATER
VISIBILITY TO PRESENT SERVICES, WHILE DEVELOPING NEW
SERVICES TO BE OFFERED AS THE COMMUNITY AND LIBRARY
EXPAND.
A. READER INFORMATION SERVICES.
At the present time, the Circulation Desk is the focal
point for most library services. Such a central desk has had
advantages in reducing personnel costs while the library
community was small. Now, however, there is increasing need
to separate the routines of circulation and registration from
those involved in providing reader information services.
Through such separation, as described under Recommendation No.
4-A, the ready availability of Reader Information Services will
be given needed visibility and emphasis.
-49-
B. AUDIO VISUAL SERVICES.
The library's growing program of audio visual services re-
quires an adequate home base which provides convenient patron
access and room for further growth. As discussed in Recommenda-
tion No. 4-B, the library is fortunate in having an area which
can be converted to such use. The present method of offering
audio visual service severely limits the amount of assistance
available to the user.
C. CIRCULATION SERVICES.
By separating the Reader Information and Circulation Ser-
vices , the circulation staff can better handle the routines and
concerns of users relating to registration and circulation.
The circulation of all materials as well as the registration of
all borrowers should be completed at this desk to assure effi-
cient use of personnel and equipment in effective routines.
(This does not preclude initiating registration of children in
the children's room, or audio visual users in the audio visual
area.)
D. NEW SERVICES.
1. Services to Business and Industry.
As soon as collection and personnel resources can be
developed, a special service to local business and indus-
try should be inaugurated. Some of the dimensions of
such a service have been explored in a recent demonstra-
tion project2 and are worthy of consideration in Carlsbad.
This service, if begun soon enough, should provide the
library with unusual opportunities for making a signifi-
cant contribution to the city's economic life.
2. Genealogy and Local History.
The proposal to create a genealogical collection and
service, presently in the planning stage, should be ac-
complished in the near future. To this collection should
be added the library's materials on local history and
Californiana. These combined collections will offer
the base for a service which will be appreciated by many
of Carlsbad's citizens.
2Raymond M. Holt, Focusing Library Services on the Economic
Community. 1971
-50-
3. Cable Television (CATV).
CATV will soon open new doors to the library and plans
should move ahead to utilize the channel provided by the
city. Besides making available such library-oriented pro-
grams as book-talks and story hours for various ages, the
library should consider programs for special groups such
as shut-ins and those not sufficiently motivated to visit
the library. Other special uses of CATV for providing
direct library service to individuals should be considered
as the experiences of libraries presently experimenting in
these areas become available for evaluation.
III. RECOMMENDATION NO. 3.
THE LIBRARY SHOULD IMPROVE ITS PRESENT SERVICES AND BEGIN PRE-
PARATIONS FOR FUTURE GROWTH BY CREATING AND FILLING A VARIETY
OF POSITIONS OF WHICH AT LEAST FOUR ARE CRITICAL: (1) BIBLI-
OGRAPHER, (2) TECHNICAL SERVICES SUPERVISOR, (3) PUBLIC SERVICES
SUPERVISOR, and (4) CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN; ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
PERSONNEL MUST BE EMPLOYED AS NEEDED.
A. BIBLIOGRAPHER.
Since collection development is a matter of first priority,
adequate staff to handle this function necessarily follows. The
position of Bibliographer should be created as a first step to-
ward coordinating library materials selection. This work is now
handled by the City Librarian who, though intensely interested,
has increasingly limited time to give to this all-important acti-
vity. While other members of the staff will be expected to con-
tribute their expertise to the evaluation and selection process,
development of the total collections requires the concentrated
attention of a single individual.
Specifications for this position should require a high level
of training and experience in selecting materials for public li-
braries. It will be important for the person occupying this
position to have contact with library users and with the commun-
ity. Therefore, the specifications should include commitment to
a limited amount of regularly scheduled work at the Readers' In-
formation Desk and in community activities.
B. TECHNICAL SERVICES SUPERVISOR.
The position of Technical Services Supervisor should be
established to coordinate the acquisition, cataloging, classi-
fication, and processing of all library materials. As the li-
brary's collection program accelerates, the volume and complexity
-51 -
o
of materials flowing into the library will increase drasti-
cally. Therefore, it is necessary that the responsibility for
planning and supervising an efficient flow of work be delegated
to one individual who has gained competency through training
and experience in this highly specialized field.
Specifications for this position should require training
and experience in technical services activities in a public
library. Until such time as the volume of work indicates other-
wise, this librarian will actively participate in the technical
services routines, possibly as the classifier and giving assist-
ance to the cataloger. To assure a user orientation to the cat-
aloging and classification product, the Technical Services Super-
visor would be required to participate in service to the public.
C. PUBLIC SERVICES SUPERVISOR.
The present organization chart provides for a "Head of
Adult Division" position. This position should be replaced by
that of Public Services Supervisor who would take charge of the
reference staff and all services rendered the public, both adult
and children. Such a position will take on increasing import-
ance as the staff expands in response to the development of the
library to meet community needs.
Specifications for this position should include training
and experience in providing a variety of reader information ser-
vices in public libraries. A profound interest in and respect
for people, expertise in group work, broad knowledge of library
materials, and supervisory qualities constitute other require-
ments .
D. CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN.
There is an urgent need for a Children1s Librarian to
supervise the wide variety of children's programs already under
way, to give competent assistance to individual children in the
selection of appropriate materials and reading, to counsel par-
ents seeking guidance in children's reading, and to develop the
children's collections. This position would have the additional
responsibility of coordinating collection development and services
with the local schools and other agencies involved in childhood
education, recreation, and training. The Children's Librarian
would provide important liaison with youth organizations and other
community groups concerned with children.
Specifications for this position should include training and
experience in providing services to children in a public library
and knowledge of juvenile literature. An understanding of formal
education goals and curriculum will be most helpful.
-52-
E. LONG RANGE PERSONNEL GOALS.
The positions outlined above are of immediate concern
and should be created and filled at the earliest opportunity.
Beyond these, however, the library must condition itself to a
long range program of staff growth and development. Such labor
saving devices as have been successfully employed in public
libraries to reduce the labor force have not, to any extent,
offset the increased personnel requirements brought about by
greater and more sophisticated user demand and the introduction
of new media. It would, perhaps, be helpful to look ahead at
future staffing complements. Table VTI-1 compares the average
number of staff presently employed by libraries serving cities
in three different population groupings.
TABLE VII-I3
AVERAGE NUMBER OF LIBRARY EMPLOYEES IN MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES
IN CALIFORNIA SERVING THREE DIFFERENT POPULATION GROUPINGS
Population of Community
10,000- 25,001- 50,001-
25,000 50,000 100,000
Number of Lib-paries in Population Group 31 27 31
Average Number of Staff*
Central Libraries
Librarians 2 .'8 6.5 10.6
Others 9.5 17.4 31.2
Sub-Total 12.. 3 23.9 41.8
Number of Libraries with Branches and
Extensions including Bookmobiles 4 6 21
Librarians 1.5 2.0 2.4
Others 5.8 8.0 10.5
Sub-Total 7.3 10.0 12.9
TOTALS:
Average No. Librarians per Library 2.9 6.9
Average No. of Other Employees 10.2 19.2
Total Average Employees 13.1 26.1
*Does not include maintenance personnel.
News Notes of California Libraries, V. 67, No. 1, 1972. Extra-
polated from tables on pp. 63-70.
-53-
The number of staff required relates directly to the library's
programs; where the library is providing a broader spectrum of
services, more staff will be necessary. The above table should
not be used as a standard for personnel growth - merely an in-
dication of the approximate number of personnel required to
meet the needs in the average community. Because of the above-
average composition and characteristics projected for Carls-
bad's future population, there is every reason to believe that
the library will have to exceed these averages.
In addition to the personnel on its regular staff, the
library should be encouraged to continue the training and use
of competent volunteer workers where such efforts can be ef-
fective. This program may eventually require and merit the
services of a special staff member to provide in-service
training and supervision of volunteers. Similar programs
have worked with great success and are commonplace in hospi-
tals . A corps of young volunteers, comparable to the hospi-
tal 's "Candy Stripers" would also be useful.
IV. RECOMMENDATION NO. 4.
THE LIBRARY SHOULD MOVE FORWARD ON A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO
IMPROVE THE UTILIZATION OF ITS PRESENT BUILDING, INCLUDING
THE COMPLETION OF THE UNFINISHED MEZZANINE WORK AREA.
The Carlsbad City Library is fortunate to occupy a handsome and
comfortable new building. Considerable growth in the library and
the community has occurred since the occupation of the building less
than six years ago, and dictates some changes in space utilization.
The goal is to provide for more effective use of available space for
public services and to create adequate room for the efficient con-
duct of staff work routines.
A. THE READER INFORMATION SERVICES AREA.
A Reader Information Services area should be created which,
in effect, would combine the traditional reader's advisory and
reference services. Formalization of such an area would provide
needed visibility and focus on these services.
Fortunately, the alcove area presently used for biography,
oversized books, etc., will accommodate the Reader Information
Services nicely and lies on the path most frequently used by
readers moving from the entrance to the present adult reading
area. One of the many possible arrangements of furniture is
shown in Figure VII-1. The strategic location of the Reader
Information Services desk makes it convenient for user and
staff alike. The proximity of the entire adult collection is
-54-
o
FIGURE VII-1
SUGGESTED LAYOUT FOR READER INFORMATION SERVICES AREA
I I I f
Q
1. Periodical Backfile
2. Reference Books
3. Card Catalog
4. Periodical Indexes &
Consultation Table
5. Atlas Case
6. Pamphlet Files
7. Reader Tables
8. Information Services
Librarian
-55-
an added bonus since these materials play an important support-
ing role in the reference processes.
Other items to be moved to this location include the per-
iodical files, periodical indexes, and the card catalogs.
Since the periodical backfiles are more extensive than can be
conveniently housed here, it seems that the library may wish to
continue its present practice of dividing the collection and
placing the most recent five year file in the Reader Information
Services area and the remainder on the West Mezzanine. The
previously recommended binding and microform program for period-
ical retention will be of considerable help in creating and
maintaining accessible backfiles and reducing the shelving re-
quirement .
In addition to its other functions, the Reader Information
Services desk can also act as a control point for the mezzanine
area. Fortunately, the adjacent elevator provides excellent
access to the mezzanine for retrieval of periodical backfiles
and other materials shelved there. This should, of course, be a
paging function. In rearranging the furnishings in this area,
most of the tables and chairs will have to be moved into the
adult reading room. The Reader Information Services desk will
require a telephone and another must be located in the mezzanine.
B. AUDIO VISUAL SERVICES.
The Carlsbad City Library has embarked on an ambitious pro-
gram in the field of Audio Visual Services. What is lacking is
a necessary point of focus. Therefore, an Audio Visual Services
area should be created adjacent to the Lobby where the present
phonograph records are stored. Figure VII-2 shows one of the
several ways in which this space can be arranged. The room used
for storage along the west side of this area can be converted
to a much needed audio visual workroom. The first step in this
transition would be to remove the booth-like fixture on the west
wall and replace it with record browsing units - three such
standard units would have a capacity of 750 records - somewhat
more than are currently housed in the present record bins. Units
which have shelf space below the bins can also be purchased with
more than double this capacity. The present record bin cabinet
should be removed so as to open up this space. A desk might be
located at the north end of this area to serve as the Audio Vis-
ual Services desk. Shelving at this point would provide room
for films and Audio Visual Reference materials. Tables should
be provided for using audio and film cassette playback equip-
ment. Additional electrical wiring and a telephone will be
needed in the public area, the workroom, and at the librarian's
desk. In the workroom, a partition will have to be built to
isolate the stair shaft leading to the mechanical room above.
-56-
FIGURE VII-2
AUDIO VISUAL SERVICES AREA
'1
1. Existing Exhibit Case
2. Cassette Viewing Table
3. Cassette Listening Table
4. Audio Visual Services Desk
5. Shelving for Films and AV Reference Tools
6. Record Bins (Replacing existing cabinet)
with closed storage beneath.
7. Audio Visual Workroom
8. New Partition and Door to Screen Stairs
to Equipment Room
-57-
Responsibility for actual checkout and return of mater-
ials would remain with the Circulation Desk; however, cleaning
and processing of films, records, etc., would occur in the
Audio Visual workroom which should be equipped for this pur-
pose. The Audio Visual Librarian will have a full schedule
providing assistance to those using audio visual materials and
booking films for future program use. A separate area devoted
to Audio Visual Services should further enhance the library's
efforts in this direction and seems the next logical step.
C. CIRCULATION SERVICES AREA.
Moving the reference materials and services into the
Reader Information Services area will free this space so that
it can be fully utilized for circulation purposes. The steel
book shelving should be removed and placed in the present adult
reading room to help accommodate materials presently housed in
the area to be occupied by the Reader Information Services.
Counter-height partitioning should be extended from the ends of
the Circulation desk to the south wall, thereby creating an en-
closure to be used as a circulation work area. All tasks per-
taining to registration and circulation functions should be
accomplished here. This arrangement will be particularly com-
patible with the conversion of the circulation charging system
to one using microfilm and transaction cards as discussed in
Recommendation No. 6. So-called "landscape furnishings" can be
used to create visual and acoustical baffles as necessary. By
concentrating these activities in this area, the circulation
staff can work at maximum efficiency, moving from the Circula-
tion desk to other duties with a minimum loss of time.
D. BROWSING AREA.
The creation of the Reader Information Services area will
empty the space west of the Circulation desk. It would seem
that this would provide an excellent opportunity to develop a
popular "Browsing Alcove" with lounge seating and a selection of
special books. A portion of the shelving could also be devoted
to large print books for the visually handicapped. Sections of
shelving might be set aside for the library's most recent ac-
quisitions - books acquired during the last six months., for
instance. Another few sections could be used for a rotating
collection of "books too good to miss:" titles which, during the
years past, have received special acclaim or popularity but may
have been missed by the reader at the time. Other sections might
accommodate rotating collections featuring material on current
events, holidays, and other topics of special interest. Paper-
back books might also be housed in the Browsing Alcove. Such a
feature should prove to be a major asset as the library collec-
tion grows. Readers who may feel intimidated by the larger
-58-
c
collection, or feel their time too limited to locate books
for pleasure reading in the large main collection, will be
most appreciative of this feature.
E. THE ADULT READING ROOM.
The creation of the Reader Information Services area and
the movement of materials and furniture associated with other
improvements in space utilization will be reflected in the
need to rearrange the present Adult Reading Room to accommodate
more materials and readers. New shelving will be required.
Looking forward to the collection development program, enough
additional shelving should be purchased at this time to accom-
modate growth for at least the next five years. The arrangement
of this shelving and other library furnishings should be done
to provide easy access and supervision while retaining, so far
as possible, the pleasant informality of the present arrangement.
F. USE OF THE EAST MEZZANINE.
It is understood that plans are afoot for creating an area
for genealogy on the Mezzanine East. This appears justified by
the interest many Carlsbad residents appear to have in this
subject. Because of their general relationship, it is hoped
that the library's material on California and local history, in-
cluding backfiles of California newspapers, can be placed in
this area also. Research in these fields sometimes requires
the services of a librarian trained in these subjects. There-
fore, a librarian's service desk, equipped with telephone, should
be supplied in this area as a matter of course. Shelving will
be needed for the collections and cabinets for the rolls of
newspaper and census microfilm. Fortunately, the area relates
well to the Reader Information Services area immediately beneath
and is connected directly with that area by elevator. To pro-
vide full control of the mezzanine when it is not staffed, it
may be wise to encourage use of the elevator which will be close
to the Reader Information Services Librarian's desk, rather than
the staircase - though it must remain open.
G. USE OF THE WEST MEZZANINE.
The West Mezzanine is presently used as a storage area
primarily for:
1. less frequently used books,
2. books given the library,
3. books selected for a future branch collection,
4. backfiles of periodicals extending beyond the past
five years.
-59-
o
The gift books and the branch collection should be moved
to the mezzanine above the present workroom when that space
becomes available. There, it will be more accessible to the
technical services staff and others who must work with these
materials. Eventually, collection growth will probably force
the placement of a part of the adult collection in the West
Mezzanine. Perhaps the best candidate will be the adult fic-
tion collection which can be better controlled in terms of
size than the non-fiction. Besides, it is important for the P
non-fiction materials to be kept together because of the |i
inter-related nature of subject matter and its use as an in-
formation and reference resource. When this occurs, it may be p
necessary to staff the mezzanine much of the time. L
H. STAFF WORK AREAS.
It appears that the original staff work areas were well-
planned. However, in the five or six years since its construc-
tion , library growth, compounded by changes in programs and p
operations, have created unbelievably crowded conditions. For- ^
tunately, through the completion of the mezzanine above the
present work area now authorized, relief is at hand. The addi- p
tional space will permit a complete reorganization of work t
functions which can be coordinated with the changes anticipated
for the public areas.
PP
1. Completion of the Unfinished Work Mezzanine. ill
The conversion of the presently unfinished mezzanine p
into useful and efficient work area must be an immediate L
goal. It is probable that this area will house the tech-
nical services operations of the library and provide space
for some storage. In any case, an elevator is a necessity
for transporting a volume of materials between the two
work levels. Plumbing for a sink will also be needed -
these requirements being above and beyond the normal needs
of adequate lighting for intense eye tasks, proper air
conditioning, acoustical treatment, etc.
IN
2. The Technical Services Work Area.
As noted above, it appears that this function can best
be located in the 'work mezzanine providing the problem of =
vertical transportation is solved. The actual arrangement '•
of work flow within this area will be devised during the
remodeling process. P
3. The Public Services Work Area.
The Public Services Work Area can be located in the
-60-
I
I
I
southeast workroom on the lower level. Desks and approp-
riate shelving will be provided each librarian and sup-
port staff as duties require. A portion of this room was
originally designed for storage of display materials and
as a work area for a display artist. This function can
again be given its full space.
4. Cable Television.
In many areas progressive libraries are in the fore-
front of the agencies which can and will make extensive
use of Cable Television. Because the Carlsbad City Li-
brary will undoubtedly be involved in such efforts in the
near future, space should be provided for a small produc-
tion facility in the work area. This would include certain
requirements for conduit and electrical in-put. At the
same time, steps should be taken to be certain that the
present conference room is adapted to serve as a studio.
The windowless nature of the mezzanine space makes it ideal
for CATV production, providing adequate electrical and
air-conditioning capability is present.
5. Interlibrary Loan Operations and Daily Delivery
Service.
One of the functions which has occurred since the de-
sign of the library is the interlibrary loan service pro-
vided through the Serra Regional Library System. As noted
elsewhere in this report, the volume of material being
received by interlibrary loan constantly increases. Films
as well as books, photocopies of magazine articles, and
other materials are delivered by van each day. The Carls-
bad library, in turn, loans material to other system mem-
bers by the same vehicle.
This flow is augmented by the System provision which
allows a borrower to return material to any System library
regardless of library of origin. The number of people
taking advantage of this convenience is increasing, which
adds substantially to the number of volumes which must be
handled.
Efficienr handling of these shipments, plus the in-
creasing amount of library materials received by the library
through purchase and gift, dictates the need for a carefully
organized shipping area. Fortunately, the original plan
provides space for this which can be used as soon as the
materials and functions now housed therein can be relocated
Among the space and time saving methods to be explored in
this connection is the use of plastic tote boxes and "tote
trucks." If properly utilized, these simple devices can
systematize the handling procedures while simplifying and
reducing the amount of labor required.
-61-
E
V. RECOMMENDATION NO. 5
THE LIBRARY SHOULD REGULARLY STUDY THE PATTERNS OF USAGE AND
INAUGURATE PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO INCREASE LIBRARY SERVICE TO
THOSE WHO MAKE LITTLE OR NO USE OF THE LIBRARY.
A. SERVICE TO THE "INNER CITY."
P
fc
In nearly every community certain portions of the popula- P
tion are not reached by the mere existence of a library and the in
usual public information programs employed to make the library's
usefulness known. Yet, in many cases, individuals within these m
groups are among those who would profit most from the use of L
library services. This is particularly true where minority
groups, the economically disadvantaged, and the handicapped are
concerned. In carlsbad, effort must continue, particularly H
within the "Inner City" area which finds access to the library ht
barred by the Freeway, among other things. The Carlsbad City
Library has already shown an awareness of this area and its p
special needs, but the situation cannot be noticeably improved ^
until sufficient funds are available for special programming.
Cooperation with the Carlsbad Unified School District, the m
city's Recreation Department, and coordination with various ;
community agencies working in this area is particularly im-
portant. The Serra Regional Library System's Media Mobile
would have a special impact in this area and should visit the ff
"Inner City" regularly. tm
B. ATTRACTING THE NON-USER. p
|*
As the community grows, the library will need to develop
a special sensitivity to the symptoms of unmet library needs
and provide remedial programs before the conditions become W
hardened. General community awareness should be supplemented "
by various types of surveys which distinguish between the
library user and the non-user. While some residents of the •
community may never use the library, nonetheless it is imper- f|
ative for the library to make a continuing effort to provide
a comprehensive public information program aimed at educating m
all of the public as to the library's full potential in the E
life of the individual.
VI. RECOMMENDATION NO. 6.
THE LIBRARY SHOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND
THE EFFICIENCY OF THE LIBRARY STAFF THROUGH IMPROVED WORK
METHODS AND THE USE OF LABOR SAVING EQUIPMENT.
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I
K
I
E
I
A. WORK FLOW.
The rearrangement of collections, services, and work areas
in the library will provide an excellent opportunity to imple-
ment efficient work methods and to introduce a logical pattern
of work flow, particularly in such areas as Technical Services,
Shipping and Receiving, and the handling of audio visual mater-
ials. Through visitation to other libraries and a study of the
processes involved the library staff, under the supervision of
the City Librarian, should develop suitable arrangement of fur-
niture and equipment to create a smooth flow of work in all
work areas.
B. CIRCULATION CONTROL SYSTEM.
The present charging system should be replaced by one re-
quiring less man hours of labor per unit of circulation. The
most effective charging system is one which employs microfilm
and transaction cards. The Eastman Kodak Company's Recordak
Star File Microfilmer is recommended. While a needlesort trans-
action system can be used in conjunction with Recordak, it would
be more economical in the long run to get into a data processing
system using IBM cards. This could be processed at a minimum
cost through an IBM service bureau or through one of the various
companies or agencies in the area willing to share time on their
equipment. The system should be designed as the first part of
the ultimate automated system which will include registration,
circulation, acquisition, and inventory control.
VII. RECOMMENDATION NO. 7.
THE LIBRARY SHOULD, AFTER REASONABLE STUDY, ADOPT A NEW FORM
OF ORGANIZATION GEARED TO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LIBRARY.
A. STRUCTURING THE LIBRARY ORGANIZATION.
The number of ways a library can be organized is many and
each has its own strengths and inherent weaknesses. At this
point, it is important for the library to adopt an organiza-
tional form into which it can grow as further development occurs.
One of the goals of such a plan must be to improve the City Li-
brarian's span of control and thereby increase her ability to
concentrate attention on the interaction of library and commun-
ity. The organizational plan should be sufficiently flexible
to allow for change and growth without undue strain or frequent
overhaul. Of course, it would be an unusual situation to find
that an organizational plan conceived today does not require
some modification tomorrow or the day after. One of the many
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organizational structures is presented in Figure VII-3 as a
point of departure.
VIII. RECOMMENDATION NO. 8.
THE LIBRARY SHOULD GAIN ADDITIONAL BENEFITS FROM THE SERVICES
OF THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES BY ENCOURAGING THE REAPPOINT-
MENT OF INTERESTED AND EFFECTIVE MEMBERS TO A SECOND AND POS-
SIBLY A THIRD TERM.
A. TERMS OF OFFICE FOR LIBRARY TRUSTEES.
It appears that most, if not all, Library Board members are
limited to a single three year term. While such a policy might
be harmless, or even advantageous for some municipal boards and
commissions, it is extremely detrimental to the public library.
This is especially true as the Carlsbad City Library enters a
particularly crucial period when consideration of long range
planning and extensive program implementation are the Board's
primary concern. Consistency in policy making and evaluation
requires continuity and perspective.
The members of the present Library Board of Trustees have
been observed as conscientious and concerned individuals who
take their responsibilities seriously. Such leadership is not
easy to find and should not be disturbed unnecessarily by arbi-
trary turnover. The frequent appointment of new members to the
Board prevents the Trustees from becoming an effective working
body and requires the City Librarian to spend a disproportionate
amount of her time on initiating new members to, and assisting
them in understanding their role in, the overall structure. It
is, therefore, considered imperative that the present practice
be amended to provide that, under normal circumstances, qualified
and interested Trustees receive reappointment with a three-term
maximum.
IX. RECOMMENDATION NO. 9.
THE LIBRARY SHOULD ANTICIPATE THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A
NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY BUILDING WHICH WILL SERVE AS A CENTRAL
LIBRARY AND HEADQUARTERS' FOR CARLSBAD AND AS A READER SUBJECT
CENTER LIBRARY FOR RESIDENTS OF THE NORTH COASTAL AREA; ACTIVE
PLANNING SHOULD BE UNDER WAY BEFORE THE CITY REACHES 50,000
POPULATION, WITH OCCUPATION TAKING PLACE BY THE TIME THE POP-
ULATION APPROACHES 75,000.
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FIGURE VII-3
PROTOTYPE OF A FUTURE LIBRARY ORGANIZATION PLAN
BIBLIO-
GRAPHER
BRANCHES
_L
LA COSTA
THE PUBLIC
CITY
COUNCIL
LIBRARY BOARD
READER
INFORMATION
SERVICES
ARD CITY
MANAGER
CITY
LIBRARIAN
PUBLIC
SERVICES
CHILDREN'S
SERVICES
ADMIN.
ASSIST.
CUSTODIAN
TECHNICAL
SERVICES
AUDIO
VISUAL
SERVICES
CIRCULATION
INTERLIBRARY
LOAN
ACQUISI-
TIONS.
CATALOG-
ING
PROCESSING
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A. THE FUTURE CENTRAL LIBRARY BUILDING.
As the library develops its collections and services in
accordance with the growth of the population, the present
building will prove inadequate. In addition, the spreading
of the city's population across its 35 square miles of incor-
porated area will dictate the need for the library to be more
centrally located.
B. SIZE OF THE FUTURE CENTRAL LIBRARY BUILDING.
The size of the future Central Library building will be
determined by advanced programming and planning. According
to current guidelines the initial building should contain ap-
proximately 55,000 square feet of usable space and be designed
for incremental expansion to at least double that size. In
addition, presuming that the automobile remains the primary
mode of transportation, adequate off-street parking will be
required. The building should contain space for 300,000 vol-
umes and 400 readers. The library will probably have a Central
Library staff requirement of 50-60 positions. Additional space
will be required for the library's auxilliary functions. Pro-
vision of electronic gear to handle the communications equip-
ment of that era will be a major factor in the structure's de-
sign.
C. FUNCTIONS OF THE FUTURE CENTRAL LIBRARY BUILDING.
The future Central Library building will serve as the major
library resource not only for Carlsbad residents but also for
the North County area. In this capacity it will be given the
status of a Reader Subject Center and become a part of the Cali-
fornia Library Network System now in its infancy. The building
will also be the headquarters for such other outlets as may be
created to provide additional library service to the residents
of the City of Carlsbad.
X. RECOMMENDATION NO. 10.
IN VIEW OF THE FUTURE NEED FOR A NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY BUILDING,
LIBRARY OFFICIALS SHOULD WORK WITH CITY OFFICIALS TO DEVELOP
A PROGRAM WHICH WILL LEAD TO THE SELECTION AND ACQUISITION OF
A SUITABLE SITE BEFORE SUCH QUANTITIES OF PROPERLY LOCATED
LAND ARE EITHER UNAVAILABLE OR PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE. THE
CHOSEN SITE SHOULD BE DESIGNATED AS PART OF THE CITY'S GENERAL
PLAN. -
A. The location of the future Central Library building should
be determined by the following criteria:
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1. The site must be easily accessible to the residents
of the City of Carlsbad and possess the same charac-
teristics of accessibility as would be found in a
successful shopping center, including convenience for
all major modes of local transportation.
2. The site must provide high visibility to the future
library building.
3. The site must be large enough to contain the library
in its ultimate development and configuration, in-
cluding adequate off-street parking.
B. Without attempting to pinpoint a location, it would seem
that the future City Central Library should be located in
an area bounded by Interstate 5, El Camino, and the
future extensions of Poinsettia and Cannon.
XI. RECOMMENDATION NO. 11.
LIBRARY AND CITY OFFICIALS SHOULD GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THE
POSSIBILITY OF PROVIDING A CULTURAL CENTER FACILITY ADJACENT
TO THE FUTURE CENTRAL LIBRARY BUILDING BECAUSE OF THE NEED AND
COMPATIBILITY OF THESE TWO FUNCTIONS.
A. THE PURPOSE OF A CULTURAL CENTER.
A cultural center in Carlsbad would serve as a point of
focus for a multitude of community interests, some of which are
listed below:
To begin with, there should be a children's arts and crafts
gallery for the exhibition of children's work in this area.
Studio space should be provided for instruction and practice.
Similar space should be provided for adults. Inclusion of a
"little theater" would provide a much needed training and stag-
ing area for children, young people, and adults interested in
music and the theatrical arts. The local area should be brought
into focus through a natural history museum which would feature
the flora and fauna of the immediate area using the medium of a
geological-botanical-zoological garden to supplement more static
exhibits. To preserve and disseminate the lore of local history,
a special exhibit area should be incorporated for displaying
artifacts, photographs, and memorabilia of various kinds - some
of which has already been collected by the library. Of great
importance would be a planetarium to provide insight into man's
exploration of space and to reveal both the old legends and the
new knowledge of the universe. An exhibit hall featuring dis-
plays from local industry and commerce would serve to educate
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individuals of all ages in the products produced and passing
through Carlsbad. Other portions of the exhibit could be •
devoted to displays related to Civic Life, Schools and Higher |j
Education, meteorology, and a special section for traveling
exhibits borrowed from other museums around the country. Such •
a cultural center would, in reality, be a further extension of P
the library's information services. The relationships between
the two facilities are definite, pronounced, and mutually com-
plementary .
B. SIZE OF THE PROPOSED CULTURAL CENTER.
1The ultimate size of the Cultural Center would be deter- . H
mined by the functions it houses. It is possible that the
facility would approximate the size of the future Central Li-
brary building and would require comparable parking.
XII. RECOMMENDATION NO. 12.
WHEN THE NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY BUILDING BECOMES A REALITY, THE
PRESENT LIBRARY BUILDING SHOULD BE CONVERTED INTO A BRANCH •
LIBRARY TO SERVE THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE CITY'S POPU-
LATION.
A. DISPOSITION OF THE PRESENT LIBRARY BUILDING. JPtH
Assuming that the future City Library building is construc-
ted within the next twenty or twenty-five years, the present P
building should, after refurbishing, have a reincarnation as a y
branch library to serve the needs of the northwest quadrant of
the city in general and the "Inner City" in particular. Col-
lections and services would be modified accordingly. Because
this building will inadvertently be somewhat larger than most
branch buildings, there will be an opportunity to do additional
programming and provide for special needs within this structure.
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CHAPTER VIII
THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY MASTER PLAN: THE BRANCH LIBRARY ELEMENT
Because the growth of Carlsbad's population is expected to be
somewhat uneven, both in numbers and where they choose to live, it
is not realistic to spell out a master Branch plan filled with
specific scheduled requirements. Instead, the ensuing recommenda-
tions and information should be used as guidelines and be modified
with additional data as the city grows.
THE DIMENSIONS OF THE BRANCH LIBRARY PROGRAM
There is little uniformity in the provision of branch library
service by municipal libraries. Standards and useful guidelines
are virtually non-existent. In fact, at this very moment the entire
matter of library extensions through branches is being thoughtfully
reconsidered by library authorities. Library philosophy and prac-
tice have run the gamut from a multiplicity of small outlets to pro-
viding a small number of large branches. Within the past few years
a mass of evidence indicates that no one pattern seems to satisfy
all library needs; minority groups and the disadvantaged fail to use
the large, more remotely located branches, while smaller extension
units fail to satisfy the well motivated reader. Meanwhile, the
rising costs of providing library service in any form must be reck-
oned with.
In a purely mechanical way, the future City of Carlsbad could
easily be divided into four regions and a plan provided for a branch
library in each. This may, in the long run, prove to be the best
plan. On the other hand, several decades will probably pass before
population density and highway development make such branches prac-
tical - to say nothing of financially feasible. The real problem
is how to supply library service in this interim period when pockets
of unserved population are apt to emerge in a number of places.
During the research phase of preparing this Master Plan, all
kinds of solutions have been considered. It is recognized that even
in an area as large as the future City of Carlsbad, the well moti-
vated library user will find and use the Central Library - and, in
fact, may prefer this to any other outlet. The problem is how to
provide effective library service at the neighborhood level for
those who find travel to the Central Library difficult, or are in-
sufficiently motivated regardless of their information and recrea-
tional reading requirements. Of particular concern are children,
senior citizens, and the disadvantaged - particularly those living
in relatively isolated areas.
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An overriding concern is that too many libraries have invested
so heavily in branch library facilities and services that the entire
population has been severely penalized by an inadequate central li-
brary. The increasing cost of branch libraries, in whatever form,
automatically reduces the funds available for reinforcing the central
library's collections and services. Carlsbad can ill afford spending
money for extension facilities while creating a strong Central Library.
Among the many alternatives considered was the bookmobile. The
reputation of the bookmobile as the answer to extension problems is
well known. However, it is usually considered most effective in
rural areas or when dealing with a particular segment of the popula-
tion. The comparatively small number of volumes available in the
average bookmobile collection, and the limited number of hours the
service is available each month at any given stop, are inherent dis-
advantages. While a bookmobile might be of some use in Carlsbad for
dealing with school children, senior citizens, and those in the most
remote areas, it does not provide a permanent solution to the needs
of the people.
I. RECOMMENDATION NO. 13.
IN PLANNING AN EXTENSIONS PROGRAM, THE LIBRARY MUST INSURE
AGAINST THE PROVISION OF BRANCH SERVICES AT THE EXPENSE OF
DEVELOPING MUCH NEEDED CENTRAL LIBRARY SERVICES AND COLLEC-
TIONS .
A. LIBRARY BRANCHES.
Library branches must not encroach unduly on the Central
Library's development. The Central Library is a major facility
for all of the people of Carlsbad. Branch libraries and other
forms of extension services are valuable in that they offer con-
venient access to at least a limited amount of library materials.
Both the Central Library and branch libraries may be necessary,
but neither can replace the other. The undue proliferation of
branches will impinge on the funds available for the development
of the Central Library.
II. RECOMMENDATION NO. 14.
LIBRARY OFFICIALS MUST DEVELOP A FLEXIBLE PLAN OF EXTENDING
LIBRARY SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF CARLSBAD, UTILIZING A
VARIETY OF TECHNIQUES AND FACILITIES.
A. TYPES OF EXTENSION FACILITIES.
While library extension outlets are usually thought of in
terms of branch library buildings or bookmobiles, other alter-
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natives are worthy of investigation. In some instances where
the population is too small to support any kind of library out-
let, consideration may be given to providing bus or limousine
transportation to the Central Library on a regular schedule.
This is likely to prove much cheaper and more satisfying than
a small outlet with limited hours of service and miniscule col-
lections. Collections of library books, supervised by volun-
teers and housed in a building conveniently located within a
neighborhood, is another possibility which might have applica-
tion in certain instances.
Library officials will want to keep abreast of current ex-
periments and changing trends in library extension efforts to
take full advantage of other librarys' experiences. Close
liaison with the city's Planning and Building Departments will
provide advanced warning of impending residential developments
which might become candidates for library extension service.
Pressure for neighborhood branches will be reduced where the
schools maintain active school libraries open to children after
school hours.
III. RECOMMENDATION NO. 15.
A LIBRARY FACILITY OF LIMITED SIZE SHOULD BE PLANNED FOR OPER-
ATION IN THE LA COSTA AREA SOMETIME AFTER 1975.
A. THE LA COSTA BRANCH LIBRARY.
Of all the areas undergoing large scale residential devel-
opment in Carlsbad, La Costa is the most remote. Occupying the
extreme southeastern section of the city, La Costa residents are
nine or more miles from the present main library. While begin-
ning as a relatively exclusive residential area centered on
certain recreational facilities, La Costa is rapidly becoming a
major residential community. Judging from the cost of housing,
the residents of this area have above-average incomes. While
a sizable number of people appear to be in their more mature
years, the construction and occupation of family dwellings in-
dicates that many more families with children are now moving in.
The master plan for La Costa contemplates development of approxi-
mately 2,900 acres containing a potential of 11,799 dwelling
units, according to information from the Carlsbad Planning De-
partment. If all of these units are constructed, the population
will run between 29,000 and 35,000 people.
La Costa cannot be considered in a vacuum since other areas
ripe for residential development lie to the immediate north and
west. One of these, Rancho Carrillo, has a potential of 4,583
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dwelling units, according to the City Planning Department. This
translates into a possible 10,000 to 14,000 people. Combined
with the figures for La Costa, the population of this portion of
Carlsbad may some day number between 40,000 and 60,000 people -
far too many to be without local library service.
However, to begin with, the library should probably be con-
fined to a store-front operation located in the neighborhood
shopping center now under construction on El Camino, or in some
kind of prefabricated structure nearby. An initial collection
of 5,000-8,000 volumes should grow to 12,000 or so. These titles
should be carefully selected to reflect the interests of the lo-
cal residents. Communications devices and daily delivery should
bring the branch into close and regular contact with the Central
Library.
In constructing the following cost estimate for developing
the La Costa Branch, full advantage has been taken of the nucleus
of a branch collection already assembled in the Central Library.
TABLE VIII-1
BUDGET FOR DEVELOPING THE LA COSTA BRANCH COLLECTION
ITEM 1st.year 2nd.year Total
I
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Library Materials
Selection and Acquisition
@$1.00 per Item
Cataloging and Processing
@$1.50 per item, includ-
ing supplies
Total
$26,925 $26,925 $53,850
3,325 3,325 6,650
4,987 4,987 9,974
$35,237 $35,237 $70,474
B
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Without considering the cost of providing a library build-
ing through construction or lease, a second budget was formu-
lated to estimate the costs of furnishing and equipping a suit-
able branch.
I
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TABLE VIII-2
BUDGET FOR FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING THE LA COSTA BRANCH
ITEM AMOUNT
Shelving $ 5,000
Seating 4,400
Card Catalog 1,400
Special Furniture such as Atlas and Dictionary
Stands 500
Librarian's Desk and Chair (2 @$350) 700
Record Bins 500
Circulation Counter 1,000
Equipment 1,800
Miscellaneous Items 850
TOTAL $16,160
A general notion of the annual cost for maintaining the
La Costa Branch can be obtained from Table VIII-3. It should
be noted that the budget is hypothetical, based on 1972-73
dollars, and excludes a number of items such as insurance,
fringe benefits for personnel, and maintenance of office and
library equipment. Since no decision has been made as to
whether the branch library building will be leased, or con-
structed and owned by the city, these figures do not include
the cost of housing the library. Based on current leasing
prices in the La Costa Shopping Center now under construction,
this might amount to $6,000.00 per year if a store-front type
structure were to be leased.
IV. RECOMMENDATION NO. 16.
AS POPULATION WARRANTS AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES PERMIT, THE
LIBRARY SHOULD CONSIDER PROVIDING ONE OR MORE EXTENSION
FACILITIES IN EACH QUADRANT OF THE CITY, USING THE PRESENT
LIBRARY BUILDING TO HOUSE THE BRANCH SERVING THE NORTHWEST
QUADRANT.
A. It is expected that other priorities, combined with
limited funds, will inhibit the addition of many extension
outlets prior to 1995 unless population and assessed valuation
growth exceed all forecasts. Hopefully, the future Central
Library can be occupied before very many extension facilities
have to be operated since each one places an additional burden
on the headquarters library. If a pattern of streets and
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TABLE VIII-3
ANNUAL BUDGET FOR OPERATING THE LA COSTA BRANCH LIBRARY
ITEM DESCRIPTION OR EXPLANATION AMOUNT
I. Personnel*
Branch Librarian @$750/month $ 9,000
Clerk @$550/month 6,600
Page/Custodian @$2.00/hour (3 hrs./day
x 6 days/week 1,872
Substitutes to cover schedule:
Librarian: 15 hrs./week @4.40 3,510
Clerk: 15/hrs./week @3.50 2,730
Sub-total, Personnel $23,712
II. Library Materials**
Adult Books: 1,000 non-fiction @$11.00 11,000 • |f
300 fiction @$5.00 1,500 Ml
Juvenile Books: 600 @$4.00 2,400
Periodical Subscriptions: 25 @$10.00 250 p
Pamphlets & Miscellaneous 50 •
Tape Cassettes: 100 @$4.00 400
Disc Recordings : 200 @$3.50 700
8 Track Tapes: 100 @$5.00 500 *
Art Prints (Children's): 12 @$25.00 300 «
Sub-total, Library Materials $17,100
IfIII. Operating*** ^
Acquisitions & Processing: 2,037 items
@$1.00 2,037 p
Utilities @$100/month 1,200 W
Telephone @$ 35/month 420
Central Library-Branch Library
Delivery (Daily) 1,140 W
Office & Library Supplies 600 ••
Sub-total, Operating Expenses $ 5,397
*TOTAL $46,209 {£
* The Personnel Budget does not include fringe benefits and
makes no allowance for the use of volunteers. ™
** The Materials Budget is minimal and anticipates continued
receipt of gifts, particularly in the area of popular adult P
reading. •
*** The Operating Budget does not include funds for insurance,
building repairs, lease or rental charges, and other items •
pertaining to the branch library building. ft
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roads develops which allows for easy access throughout the
Carlsbad area, preference should be given to larger branches.
In today's terms, such buildings would be in excess of 10,000
square feet and house collections of 50,000 or more volumes.
When such branches are placed in operation, smaller extension
units within the service area should be discontinued unless a
special reason for their continued existence is apparent.
Figure VIII-1 shows the city divided into the basic quadrants
each of which may become a branch service area.
RECOMMENDATION NO. 17.
LIBRARY OFFICIALS SHOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH CITY OFFICIALS TO
IDENTIFY AND SET ASIDE THROUGH APPROPRIATE METHODS THOSE LO-
CATIONS WHICH SEEM MOST APT TO MEET THE SITE REQUIREMENTS FOR
FUTURE BRANCH LIBRARIES AND HAVE THESE DESIGNATED AS PART OF
THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN.
A. The site requirements for a branch library, especially for
the size and purpose indicated here, are similar if not identi-
cal to those pertaining to the Central Library:
1. Convenience of access
2. High visibility
3. Adequate size for the structure and off-street
parking.
Branches are more vulnerable even than the Central Library
so far as location is concerned. On the whole, branch librar-
ies located adjacent to, or as part of community shopping cen-
ters, seem to enjoy greater patronage than those placed on
other sites. Land costs are a miniscule consideration compared
to the long term operating costs of a facility which, because
of a poor location, fails to garner its full share of use.
Until the new General Plan pinpoints future zoning for resi-
dential and commercial areas, and precise alignment of the major
highways is more certain, identifying future branch sites is
highly speculative. However, using the criteria noted above and
applying it insofar as possible to the future Carlsbad, these
appear to be the most promising locations:
1. Northwest quadrant; The branch library serving this
area will, in all probability, be housed in the pre-
sent Central Library on Elm Street.
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2. Northeast quadrant: The Branch for the northeast
quadrant would appear best located along Cannon Road
between El Camino Real and College Boulevard. Secon-
dary consideration might be given to a possible site
near Kelly and El Camino.
3. Southeast quadrant: At some future date the initial
La Costa Branch will be outgrown and a more central
location for a full scale branch to serve this quad-
rant may be found in the vicinity of Poinsettia and
El Camino.
4. Southwest quadrant: Since this Branch will be serv-
ing the coastal area, a location in the vicinity of
Poinsettia and Lowder seems to be fairly convenient.
All branch sites must be oriented toward their particular
areas of service while maintaining a proper relationship with
the site of the future Central Library building.
Since branch library construction on any considerable
scale appears to be several decades off, it is difficult to
determine how the choice branch sites can be held against
other uses without investing money in land for which the city
will receive little or no benefit for some years. On the other
hand, failure to acquire such property will certainly raise the
costs of branches in the future, and may preclude their loca-
tion where they will be most effective.
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CHAPTER IX
THE CARLSBAD CITY LIBRARY MASTER PLAN: THE FINANCIAL ELEMENT
Because many of the foregoing Master Plan Recommendations in-
volve the expenditure of public funds, this chapter has been included
to provide some estimates of cost, a variety of observations, and a
limited number of recommendations. It is certain that, regardless of
the merit of the library's future development, if must be considered
in the hard light of municipal finance.
How well the Carlsbad City Library will compete with other de-
mands for increased financing remains to be seen. In the past five
years, the library budget has remained at approximately the same por-
tion of the total city expenditures - .054%. Although the per capita
figure is somewhat higher than that for similar libraries in the state
- $8.96 compared to an average of $7.02 - future development will
require an even higher level of financial support. It must be con-
ceded that in spite of every effort to achieve efficient standards of
operation, meeting the higher levels of user demand from an increas-
ing number of people must inevitably result in larger per capita ex-
penditures for library service in the community.
DIMENSIONS OF THE FINANCING PROBLEM
I. LIBRARY FINANCES.
Before proceeding, a word about public library financing may be
in order. Municipal libraries in California have normally received
the bulk of their revenues from the property tax. In many .juris-
dictions the library tax rate has been separate from the general
tax rate supporting most municipal functions. This has allowed the
tax rate for library purposes to be adjusted, presumably, without
competing directly with the general tax rate. However, the recent
enactment of Senate Bill 90, placing a freeze on all property tax
rates is having the effect of placing a ceiling on the revenues
available for library support. Unless new sources of revenue are
found, competition between the library and other municipal functions
for the limited amount of dollars available is certain to increase.
Public libraries have yet to find major ways in which they can aug-
ment their revenues; fees for services - often suggested - have
proven impractical and are contrary to the principles and philosophy
of public library service. The small amount of money obtained from
fines for overdue materials, for instance, is seldom more than
enough to offset the costs of policing the collection to secure the
return of overdue items.
The Carlsbad City Library now has a maximum tax rate of 30C
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per hundred dollars of assessed valuation. A portion of the amount
raised by this tax is used to pay off the bonded indebtedness on the
new library building. Over the last several years, the library has
had an operating budget tailored to approximately 25C. Unless some
major change occurs, it would appear that any future increase in
library revenues will be a product of growth in the assessed valua-
tion against which the tax rate is levied. Since such increases in
assessed valuation do not necessarily coincide with the needs of the
library, the financial problem is a very real one. It is further
complicated by the fact that to keep abreast of community growth,
the library must anticipate user demand and develop its resources,
facilities, and staff accordingly. This obviously means that from
time to time good library management will dictate the commitment of
substantial funds in anticipation of such needs, and perhaps prior
to the time that commercial and industrial growth enhances the asses-
sed valuation sufficiently to pay the billI
When caught in similar circumstances, private enterprise can
resort to a number of devices, including the sale of stock or bonds,
and the borrowing of funds from lending institutions. These avenues
are not open to the library. Regardless of the wisdom and the de-
sirability of preparing in advance for rising demand the public li-
brary must operate within the constraints of the tax structure unless
other sources of revenue can be found.
II. THE FUTURE REVENUE BASE.
As of this date, projections of assessed valuation have not been
made. This is an extremely complex process with even more variables
to consider than in predicting population. However, it is understood
that an attempt to project the assessed valuation for the City of
Carlsbad will be made during the new General Plan Study now under way.
The results of this effort will be of extreme interest for library
officials since it will help determine the future goals. Residential
growth alone does not raise the assessed valuation sufficiently to
pay for the provision of municipal services. Therefore, the key to
the future tax base lies in commercial and industrial growth. If
Carlsbad attracts a sizable number of new industries and business
establishments the future will hold a great deal more promise than
if it continues as a bedroom city for neighboring cities. Since a
strong library is a meaningful asset to cities in search of new enter-
prises, dollars invested in sound library programs can be expected to
yield a fair return.
III. RECOMMENDATION NO. 18.
LIBRARY OFFICIALS, IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY OFFICIALS, SHOULD
SEEK GUIDANCE IN DETERMINING THE LONG RANGE FINANCIAL CAPABILITY
OF THE CITY AND THE LIBRARY'S SHARE THEREOF.
o
A. FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS
In view of the long term programs facing no only the
Library but other areas of city services, it would seem im-
portant for the city to employ municipal financial consul-
tants to explore various methods of financing future capital
improvement programs as well as annual operations. The find-
ings and recommendations of a competent consultant in this
area would provide a more realistic basis for planning and
scheduling various aspects of the library program. The Library
must avoid entering prematurely into programs which cannot be
adequately financed within the revenue structure.
IV. RECOMMENDATION NO. 19.
THE LIBRARY SHOULD SEEK AN IMMEDIATE COMMITMENT FOR SUFFI-
CIENT FUNDS TO (1) HIRE NEEDED PERSONNEL, (2) IMPROVE SPACE
UTILIZATION IN PUBLIC AND WORK AREAS, AND (3) BEGIN A MEAN-
INGFUL COLLECTIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
A. ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR IMMEDIATE PROGRAMS.
Specific needs have been previously described in these
three critical areas. Sound cost estimates muct be made and,
based on these, the library should request adequate supple-
mentary funding which will not impinge on the annual budget.
It is important that these various deficiencies be remedied
and the necessary changes made as quickly as possible. If
allowed to become part of a long term program financed by the
annual budget funded under the current tax rate, the funds for
continuing library operations will be reduced and/or these
goals will have to be achieved piecemeal.
RECOMMENDATION NO. 20.
LIBRARY OFFICIALS SHOULD BEGIN WORKING WITH CITY OFFICIALS TO
FIND METHODS OF FINANCING BOTH THE INITIAL OUTLAY FOR A SMALL
BRANCH LIBRARY IN LA COSTA AND FOR INCREASING THE ANNUAL LI-
BRARY REVENUES TO COMPENSATE FOR THE COST OF OPERATION.
A. FINANCING THE LA COSTA BRANCH.
Branch libraries, even the size of the one proposed for
La Costa, cannot be established overnight. Since the general
costs have been established in this study (except for the
building itself), the next step is to determine the level and
method of financing. Once this is known the library can begin
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detailed planning. Further development of the La Costa Branch
collection will be dependent upon the actual allocation of
funds.
A determination must also be made as to housing for the La
Costa Branch. Several suggestions have been made and progress
from this point cannot occur until library and city officials
concur on a particular approach or facility. Lead time is
necessary here as in collection development if each alternative
is to be carefully appraised.
VI. RECOMMENDATION NO. 21.
LIBRARY OFFICIALS, IN COOPERATION WITH CITY OFFICIALS, SHOULD
MOVE FORWARD ON A CAREFULLY PLANNED PROGRAM TO ATTRACT SUBSTAN-
TIAL GIFTS AND DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS AND
CORPORATIONS TO BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT TAX REVENUE FOR THE LI-
BRARY; SUCH FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
AND/OR ENDOWMENTS DIRECTED TOWARD THE IMPROVEMENT OF COLLEC-
TIONS AND SERVICES.
A. .SUPPLEMENTARY SOURCES OF LIBRARY FINANCE.
Public Libraries constitute a unique part of city govern-
ment and occasionally become the beneficiaries of meaningful
bequests. While such sources cannot be used as a substitute
for tax revenues and normal operating funds, they provide the
library with supplementary funds for improvements which would
not otherwise take place. While the potential of this program
may not be too great, it is worthy of effort and may be more
productive than it appears.
VII. RECOMMENDATION NO. 22.
LIBRARY OFFICIALS SHOULD CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE AND, WHERE
POSSIBLE, UTILIZE STATE AND/OR FEDERAL FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR
PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND SPECIAL PROGRAM-
MING.
A. STATE AND/OR FEDERAL FUNDING.
Although the present political climate appears to be veer-
ing away from special programs of assistance, this tack may
not persist. Meanwhile, library officials should formulate a
carefully synthesized program to City Officials for continued
funding through the present Annual Revenue Sharing Programs.
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The Carlsbad City Library currently receives indirect
support from both federal and state sources through its member-
ship in the Serra Regional Library System. Library officials
should be aware of impending changes in California's Public
Library Services Act and the Federal Library Services and Con-
struction Act. The Library Trustees should urge active citizen
and governmental support for retaining and strengthening the
provisions of these and any other programs which will result
in improved library service. Library officials should review
the programs of the Serra Regional Library System and advise the
City Librarian, their representative, as to ways in which the
System can best act to supplement and complement local library
efforts.
It is to the lasting credit of the City Librarian, the Library
Board of Trustees, and City Officials that this Master Plan of the
Carlsbad City Library has been undertaken. But this study repre-
sents only one of the many steps that the library and city officials
must take on the long path to matching library services to future
user needs. To the degree that the findings and recommendations of
this study provide guidelines for the future, it will have achieved
its purpose.
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C O
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
Brown, Eleanor Frances. Modern Branch Libraries and Libraries in
Systems. Metuchen, New Jersey, Scarecrow Press, 1970.
Coughlin, Robert E., and others. Urban Analysis for Branch Library
System Planning. New York, Greenwood, 1972.
Holt, Raymond M. Focusing Library Service on the Economic Commun-
ity. Del Mar, California, 1971.
Martin, Lowell and Roberta Bowler. Public Library Service Equal
to the Challenge of California. Sacramento, California State
Library, 1965.
PERIODICALS AND SERIALS
News Notes of California Libraries. Sacramento, California State
Library, 1972.
Planning Data: San Diego County. San Diego County Planning Depart-
ment. (Issues for 1970-72.)
Population & Housing: San Diego County. San Diego County Planning
Department. (Issues for 1970-72.)
"Business Conditions." Union-Tribune Index: A Monthly Summary of
San Diego Business Activity. (Issues for 1970-72.)
REPORTS AND STUDIES
Annual Review of San Diego Business Activity. San Diego, The Union-
Tribune Publishing Co., 1970-1972.
Arnold, Jack B. Annexation of La Costa: A Preliminary Report.
Carlsbad, City of Carlsbad, 1971.
Arnold, Jack B. Leuaadia Annexation Study: Preliminary Report.
Carlsbad, City of Carlsbad, 1970.
Arnold, Jack B. Provision of Services to La Costa and South Carlsbad.
Carlsbad, City of Carlsbad, 1972.
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Reports and Studies (cont.)
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. Community Economic Profile for Carls-
bad, San Diego County, California. Carlsbad, 1973.
Carlsbad City Library Annual Report: 1971-72. Carlsbad, Carlsbad
City Library, 1972.
City of Carlsbad Planning Department. Housing Element of the General
Plan, Supplement No. 1: Mobile Home Growth. Carlsbad, City of
Carlsbad, 1970.
Community Attitude Survey. Compiled by the Public Information Office,
MiraCosta College, Oceanside, 1972.
Comprehensive Planning Organization, San Diego County. Initial Housing
Element (Job No. 2240) San Diego, 1965.
Comprehensive Planning Organization, San Diego County. 1970 Census:
Age-Sex Data by Census Tracts. (Regional Information System
Report Vol. 1) San Diego, 1971.
Comprehensive Planning Organization, San Diego County. 1970 Census:
Subregional Area Data - Tables and Computer Maps. San Diego, 1972.
Comprehensive Planning Organization, San Diego County. An Open Space
System for the San Diego Region (Open Space Study: Report No, ")
San Diego, Livingston and Blayney, City and Regional Planners,
1972.
Comprehensive Planning Organization, San Diego County. Water Distri-
bution and Sanitary Sewerage Systems Background and Policy Study.
San Diego, 1972.
Economic Analysis and Projections for City of Carlsbad General Plan.
Los Angeles, Daniel, Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall, 1965.
Focus on San Diego County. Bank of America, 1972.
The General Plan: Carlsbad, California. Los Angeles, Daniel, Mann,
Johnson & Mendenhall, 1965.
North Coastal San Diego County Sewerage Survey: A Comprehensive Plan
for the Collection, Treatment and Disposal of Sewage in North
Coastal San Diego County, California. San Diego, A. M. Rawn,
Chairman, Board of Engineers, 1960.
Preliminary Analysis of Problems and Issues: The Inner City, Carls-
bad, California. Prepared by Duncan & Jones Urban Planning and
Design Consultants. Berkeley, California, 1971.
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Reports and Studies (cont.)
San Diego Gas & Electric Company. Community Survey: Carlsbad. 1971.
San Diego Gas & Electric Company. San Marcos: Economic Base Study.
Prepared by Glenn Erikson, San Diego, 1971.
San Diego Gas & Electric Company. Vista: Economic Base Study. Pre-
pared by Glenn Erikson, San Diego, 1972.
Housing Element Citizen's Committee. Housing Element of the General
Plan. Carlsbad, City of Carlsbad, n.d.
INTERVIEWS
Agatep, Donald A., Planning Director, City of Carlsbad, Carlsbad.
November 15, December 27, 1972, January 18, February 16, Feb-
ruary 21, 1973.
Arnold, Jack B., Carlsbad City Manager, February 8 and February 16,
1973.
Hamburger, William J., Senior Regional Planner, Comprehensive Plan-
ning Organization, San Diego, February 13, 1973.
Brookhart, Ray F., President, Library Board of Trustees, Carlsbad City
Library, Carlsbad, February 16, 1973
Chase, Lewis L., Carlsbad City Councilman, Carlsbad, February 8, 1973.
Dunne, David M., Mayor of the City of Carlsbad, Carlsbad, February
8. 1973.
Frazee, Robert C., Carlsbad City Councilman, Oceanside, February 8,
1973.
Harmon Howard C., District Superintendent of Schools, Carlsbad Unified
School District., Carlsbad, February 16, 1973.
Lewis, Claude A., Carlsbad City Councilman, Carlsbad, February 8, 1973.
Lipkeman, M. William, Carlsbad Unified School District Librarian,
Carlsbad, February 16, 1973.
McComas, Glenn E., Carlsbad City Councilman, Carlsbad, February 8, 1973.
MacDonald, John, President, MiraCosta College, Oceanside, February 16,
1973.
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Interviews (con.)
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Murray, Arthur, County Librarian, San Diego County Library, San
Diego, January 8, 1973. •
§
Russell, Leland E., Librarian, MiraCosta College, Oceanside, Feb-
ruary 16, 1973.
fStull, John, Assemblyman, California Legislature, Encinitas, Feb- •
ruary 23, 1973.
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