HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-06-17; Update on Library & Cultural Arts Services (Districts-All); Barberio, GaryTo the members of the:
CITY COUNCIL
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Council Memorandum
June 17, 2021
To:
From:
Via:
Re:
Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
Suzanne Smithson, Library & Cultural Arts Director
Geoff Patnoe, Acting City Manager @
Update on Library & Cultural Arts Services (Districts-All)
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID #2021121
This memorandum provides information related to expanding services and hours of operation in
the Library & Cultural Arts Department including recent and upcoming adjustments as the region
emerges from COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Background
The Library & Cultural Arts Department reduced services and closed for in-person services on
March 16, 2020. Since that time, staff have initiated new services, developed new ways of
presenting services, and are now on the path to full reopening.
Discussion
The attached document presents a synopsis of Library & Cultural Arts' restoration of services and
a schedule for increasing future services in the next six months. The attachment also includes
information on numerous vacant staff positions. Current staffing level challenges prevent the
Library & Cultural Arts Department from immediately restoring all services and hours of
operation to pre COVID-19 pandemic levels.
Next Steps
Library & Cultural Arts staff will follow city, county and state guidelines as they continue to
evolve. Staff will analyze and review new and adjusted services, adjusted open hours, and the
role of both of these as they relate to customer and community satisfaction.
Attachment: A. Library & Cultural Arts Services Update and Timeline
cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Suzanne Smithson, Library & Cultural Arts Director
Community Services Branch
Library & Cultural Arts Department
1775 Dove Lane I Carlsbad, CA 92011 I 760-602-2011 t
Attachment A
Library & Cultural Arts Services Update and Tir11eline -JUNE 2021
The following timeline represents a brief review as well as a schedule of re-
introduction of services and use of space for the Library and Cultural Arts Department
as tier restrictions are lifted on June 15. Following the timeline are factors Library &
Cultural Arts Leadership took into consideration when developing this plan.
March 16, 2020:
• Library doors are closed for in-person services; patrons may connect with library staff
via phone, email, text, or chat
• Standard hours of operation pre-pandemic were:
o Cole and Dove: Mon-Thurs 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri-Sat, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun 1-5 p.m.
o Learning Center: Mon-Thurs 9 a.m. - 8 p.m., Fri-Sat, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun closed
o Cannon Art Gallery: Tues-Sat 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
o Schulman Auditorium: open for programs, events, and as a rental space
• Support for the public transitioned to Mon-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. via phone, email, text,
chat at all sites
• Programs quickly adjusted to virtual presentation such as Facebook Live storytime, book
clubs via Zoom, webinar classes, an increase in digital books available for checkout,
streaming performances and art instruction
June 1, 2020:
• Curbside service is launched and library materials may now be returned via book drops
• Arts program supplies and summer reading rewards may be picked up via curbside
• Hours for curbside service reflect hours of staff support:
o Mon-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at all sites
• The annual Summer Reading Adventure began with an all-virtual format
September 29, 2020:
• Patrons may now use computers and manage their accounts inside the libraries. Gallery
visitors are permitted with limited occupancy
• Hours for curbside service and virtual staff support continue:
o Mon-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at all sites
• Hours for internal services rotate between sites
o Cole open Mon & Wed, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
o Dove and Learning Center open Tues & Thurs, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Hours for Cannon Art Gallery at Dove campus correspond to Dove library open hours
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Attachment A
L&CA Services Update and Timeline -June 2021
April 5, 2021:
• Following San Diego County's move to the orange tier, a major step towards pre-
pandemic library service was represented with the introduction of in-person browsing;
Patrons can now come inside and look for materials rather than place holds ahead of
time for pick-up at curbside.
• Hiring process begins in earnest.
• Hours for curbside service and virtual staff support continue:
o Mon -Sat, 10 a.m;-5 p.m. at all sites
• Hours remain the same for all internal services:
o Cole open Mon & Wed, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
o Dove and Learning Center open Tues & Thurs, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
o Hours for Cannon Art Gallery at Dove campus correspond to Dove library
open hours
May 10:
• Hours increase for inside services in libraries until 7:00 p.m. and now include Saturdays
at the Cole Library.
o Cole open Mon & Wed, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
o Dove and Learning Center open Tues & Thurs, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
o Cole open Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Hours for curbside services continue Mon -Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Hours for Cannon Art Gallery at Dove campus correspond to Dove library open hours
May 24:
• Library hours, including curbside services, expand to a full day of service 6 days per
week at all sites
o Mon-Thurs, 10am-7pm and Fri -Sat, 10am-5pm
• Cannon Art Gallery hours expand to 5 days per week, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues-Sat with
expanded hours on Tues & Thurs open until 7 p.m.
• All staff recalled from teleworking and report for all shifts on-site to cover expanded
hours
June 9:
Following San Diego County's move to yellow tier, library and gallery removed all
COVID-related occupancy restrictions
In-library computer use extended from one-hour sessions to two-hour sessions
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Attachment A
L&CA Services Update and Timeline -June 2021
June 15:
• With the elimination of California's tier system, increased inside services allowing for
limited seating -increases connection with the public but overall minimal staffing
impact
• Mask wearing still in effect
July 6:
• Current library and curbside hours continue:
o Mon-Thurs, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at all sites
• Gallery hours continue:
o Tues -Sat 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. with extended opening until 7 p.m. on Tues & Thurs
• Mask wearing still in effect (or adjusted in accordance with state, county, and city
guidelines)
• Virtual TGIF In Your Backyard series begins streaming (through August 29)
• Exploration HUB re-opens--use of creative technologies equipment is available for 2-
hour reservations; space is monitored by staff
• Literacy tutoring resumes-requires the first-wave of returning volunteers (at Library
Learning Center only)
• Quarantine of library materials ends-approval pending Risk Management's evaluation,
but ending quarantine is recommended by library staff. Once quarantine is lifted, we
can begin to phase in amenities such as magazine and newspaper browsing, and
community consumables such as tax forms, local information and flyers. The end of
quarantine also reduces the need to use study rooms for boxes of returned library
materials
• City-wide technology project to cutover to city fiber network complete
August 9:
• Current library and curbside hours continue:
o Mon-Thurs, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at all sites
• Gallery hours continue:
o Tues -Sat 11 a.m. -5 p.m. with extended opening until 7 p.m. on Tues & Thurs
• Regular materials circulation rules return; 3-week circulation periods instead of 6 weeks
• Volunteers return to support tasks such as donation sorting
• Anticipated re-opening of Friends of the Library book store
• Study rooms are once again available for reservation by the public
• All seating returns
• Staffing levels begin to build back up as hiring processes conclude
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)
Attachment A
L&CA Services Update and Time line -June 2021
September 7:
• As staffing levels increase from filling vacant positions, department leadership will
evaluate the costs, benefits, and effectiveness of returning to pre-pandemic early
morning, late evening, and Sunday hours in the libraries.
o Library current hours:
• Mon-Thurs, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at all sites
o Library pre-pandemic hours:
• Cole and Dove: Mon-Thurs, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri-Sat, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday
1-5 p.m.
• Learning Center: Mon-Thurs, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri-Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday
closed
o Gallery current hours:
• Tues -Sat 11 a.m. -5 p.m. with extended opening until 7 p.m. on Tues &
Thurs
o Gallery pre-pandemic hours:
• Tues-Sat, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Evaluate COVID-era services like curbside and virtual programming for potential
adjustment based on costs, benefits, and effectiveness
• Collections/materials levels will have plateaued
• If staffing levels can support it, begin to re-introduce hybrid and in-person programming
• Limited Schulman programming resumes. Film series and programming to support
Cannon Gallery exhibitions debut
October:
• Anticipated return of regular Schulman programming
• Continue thoughtful expansion of service hours
January 2022:
• Establish revised services and hours based upon 4th quarter 2021 evaluation.
This timeline could change based on CAL-OSHA's meeting this week, and/or guidance changing
from the California Department of Public Health, the State Library, and even national agencies
like the CDC or American Library Association.
While staff are eager to return to full service and hours of operation, there are many factors
that affect the department's ability to do so. Embedded in this document are several
considerations that could change and influence the timeline should they themselves change.
Some of these variables are outlined below.
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Attachment A
L&CA Services Update and Timeline -June 2021
1) Staffing:
a. L&CA has eight full-time positions currently vacant (15% of 53 full-time
employees). Two have transferred within the city for promotional positions, one
retired, one moved out of state due to a spouse's job opportunity, and four ·
departed for non-city employment opportunities. In addition to the current
vacancies, there have been four other full-time staff departures and six full-time
staff on boarded during the 15 months of the pandemic.
b. Over the four years prior to the pandemic, L&CA averaged about 190 active part-
time employees who worked within a total department full-time equivalent of
61.66 FTE. Of the department's total part-time employees, 41 part-time
employees departed during the pandemic (22% of part-time positions are
currently vacant; L&CA currently has 147 active employees). The majority of the
departing part-time employees moved on to full-time positions in other
agencies, while others retired, or elected to not return to work due to health and
safety concerns.
c. Department leaders delayed filling vacancies after departures because of the
limited services being offered, the uncertainty of the pandemic, and to minimize ·
expenses.
d. While cost savings have been significant, recruitments are now in process. Most
recruitment efforts take approximately 3-4 months. Some service and hours of
operation expansions will be affected until positions are filled.
e. Some pandemic-era services that require additional staff service roles will
remain in place as they have proven extremely desirable to the community, e.g.
curbside service and virtual programming. Staffing requirements for these
services have an impact on scheduling and other services.
2) Changes to community need
a. As stated above, curbside service has proven to be popular and requested by
patrons to continue beyond the pandemic. Families with small children, those
with mobility issues, and our vaccine-hesitant community are a sample of library-
users who benefit from this service.
b. The pandemic shifted many people into a virtual environment. L&CA may need
to allocate more of its personnel resources into managing virtual spaces such as
e-books, virtual programming, streaming products, and other electronic
resources.
c. Early morning (9am -10 am), Evening hours (8 pm - 9 pm), and Sunday hours (1
pm - 5 pm) have seen a reduction in use over the past decade as more services
have become available digitally. Staff will review and evaluate usage and needs
over the next six months.
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Attachment A
L&CA Services Update and Time line -June 2021
3) Masking and distancing requirements:
a. The number of public computers offered, meeting room gatherings, and in-
person programming are examples of services affected by masking and
distancing requirements.
4) Risk Management requirements:
a. Staff are currently required to wipe down public-touch areas in between uses,
such as public computer stations and self-checkout stations.
b. The elimination of the need to quarantine items will allow for some services to
return.
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