DEPARTMENT: Library
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Ramiro S. Salazar
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Interlocal Agreement with Bexar County for Library Services
SUMMARY:
This item is to request ordinance passage approving an amendment to the Master Interlocal Agreement between the City of San Antonio and Bexar County. A Master Interlocal Agreement was approved by City Council on August 15, 2013 and contains an agreed upon contract requirements, deliverables, and compensation amount for multiple City services including Library services. The Master Agreement was amended on October 16, 2014 provide a one year extension regarding Library services. The current agreement is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2015. This amendment to the Master Agreement pertains specifically to Library services.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Since 1936, Bexar County has entered into an agreement with the City of San Antonio to extend Library services to Bexar County residents who reside outside the City of San Antonio. The Interlocal Agreement for Library Services provides for Bexar County to pay the City of San Antonio for the extension of San Antonio Public Library services to County residents living outside the City of San Antonio. The County's FY2015 fee for Library services is $3,784,028.95.
In 2103, Bexar County established BiblioTech, an all-digital library, as the County's library system. Bexar County intends to continue to operate BiblioTech and expand its presence in the community. With the establishment of BiblioTech as the County's library system, Bexar County desires to collaborate with the City of San Antonio in delivery of library services to all City and County residents. As part of the proposed collaborative approach for the delivery of library services the 'fee' to be paid to the City is proposed to be restructured. The amended Interlocal Agreement for Library Services proposes a collaborative approach by leveraging the resources and services of both the BiblioTech and the San Antonio Public Library.
ISSUE:
In November 2014 City and the County staff agreed to renegotiate the existing Interlocal agreement by establishing a Staff Task Force. The Staff Taskforce commenced negotiation in January 2015 and has met several times. These meetings resulted in the following deal points:
· The collective goal of both parties is to provide full library services to all City and County residents:
o County will collaborate with San Antonio Public Library to deliver Digital services to City and County residents
o County will reduce payment to City by no more than $300,000 each year over the next four years:
· FY 2015-2016 COUNTY will contribute $3,484,028.95;
· FY 2016-2017 COUNTY will contribute $3,184,028.95;
· FY 2017-2018 COUNTY will contribute $2,884,028.95;
· FY 2018-2019 COUNTY will contribute $2,584,028.95.
o County will not reduce further its payment to City regardless of number of Biblio Techs established by the County;
o County will redirect the $300,000 (reduced each year) for purchase of additional digital services and resources for SAPL and Biblio Tech which will be made available to both City and County residents.
o Both Library and County will actively pursue strategies to achieve a seamless patron experience
o Both Library and County commit to aligning technology and collection development strategies, while maintaining oversight over respective budgets and plans.
o Staff from each library system will meet monthly to facilitate collaboration
o Both parties agree to maintain and preserve their respective brands.
o Both parties will coordinate the procurement of library resources for each respective library to minimize duplication of resources.
· Agreed to the following technology related milestones:
o FY2015-2016: BiblioTech and San Antonio Public Library will establish presence on each other's websites
o FY2016-2017: BiblioTech and San Antonio Public Library will co-promote specific services offered by both parties and make these accessible to patrons of both systems
o FY2017-2018: BiblioTech and San Antonio Public Library will pursue joining patron and collection information into one central database to create administrative efficiencies and make patron experience more seamless
o FY018-2019: BiblioTech and San Antonio Public Library pursue development of a joint website that makes accessing content and services of both library systems more convenient.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City may elect to not renegotiate this agreement which will then expire on September 30, 2015. Without an Interlocal Agreement the Library will have to reduce its budget by $3.78 million as well as discontinue library services to County residents who reside outside the city of San Antonio.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This agreement provides annual revenue to the General Fund related to the fee for library services as follows:
• FY 2015-2016 COUNTY will contribute $3,484,028.95;
• FY 2016-2017 COUNTY will contribute $3,184,028.95;
• FY 2017-2018 COUNTY will contribute $2,884,028.95;
• FY 2018-2019 COUNTY will contribute $2,584,028.95.
The direct impact to the Library department is a reduction of expenditures of $300,000 a year for FY2016, FY2017, FY2018 and FY2019.
RECOMMENDATION:
Library staff recommends approval of the proposed amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with Bexar County for Library Services.