PURPOSE

To request City Council approval to apply for the California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000 Funds and Approve the Agreement for Library Cooperative Joint Use Between the City of Burbank and the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD).

BACKGROUND

On March 11, 2003, City Council adopted an ordinance approving the Civic Center Master Plan, Planned Development PD 2002-2.  Part of this Master Plan, included the development of a new two story Central Library.   The City is being presented an excellent opportunity for major funding contribution to complete this project via the California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000 (�Bond Act�).  This Bond Act authorizes library construction grant awards on a competitive basis to communities for new or expanded library facilities. 

This Act allocates $350 million to be distributed to public libraries in three rounds over a three-year period.  The first round closed in June 2002, the second round closed on March 28, 2003, and the final round is scheduled to close on January 16, 2004. The maximum grant per project is $20 million.  The State will fund 65% of the cost to construct new or expanded public library facilities.  The grant applicant must identify a local funding match for the remaining 35% at the time of application.

The Bond Act requires each applicant to provide evidence of its ability to provide a 35% local match at the time of application.  On November 26, 2002, the Burbank City Council approved a Resolution to place a General Obligation Bond Measure (Measure L) on the February 25, 2003 ballot.  Measure L stated that the $14,000,000 raised by the issuance of General Obligation Bonds would be used to provide the City�s 35% local match required for the State Grant to construct its new Central Library.  The remaining money from Measure L would be used to finance construction of a new Northwest Branch Library.  Bonds would be issued contingent upon the City receiving the State Grant. 

On February 25, 2003, Measure L was approved by 67.9 percent of Burbank voters, receiving more than the required two-thirds majority vote.  With the passage of Measure L, voters showed their support for the construction of a new Central Library and a new Northwest Branch Library.  With Measure L approval, the City can guarantee its required 35% local match.

The City applied in the second round for the grant on March 28, 2003.  On September 28, 2003, the City learned that Burbank was not among the recipients of the second round award winners.  While Burbank�s application was a strong contender, competition was tough.  Much has been learned by having already gone through the process.  It is the City�s intention to reapply for the third round, submitting an application by January 16, 2004. 

Projected costs for the City of Burbank�s proposed new 65,500 square foot Central Library, including the Library�s 55%[1] pro-rata share for a five-level parking structure and common plaza area, is $33,379,963.

ANALYSIS:

State Grant Application

Why should the City apply for the Grant and build a new Central Library?   

Library services have changed � public access computers are a great example of a new library service need that wasn�t envisioned when the present Central Library was constructed in 1964. Other major facility inadequacies that need to be addressed are:

• Insufficient parking for public and staff

• Space needs for technology

• Inadequate electrical capacity

• Inadequate space for programming needs

• Recurrent plumbing problems

• Accessibility issues

• Lack of student study areas

The State Grant represents an excellent opportunity for the State to contribute 65%, or a maximum of $20,000,000, to the cost of constructing a new Central Library for the City of Burbank. The 35% balance shall be funded by City resources.  Since Burbank residents are already paying a portion of their property taxes to fund the Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond, applying for and receiving the State Grant allows the community to benefit directly from this tax.  

The State Grant Application and various addenda are attached as Exhibit A.  The requirements for application submittal to the State are quite detailed and have necessitated extensive inter-departmental assistance.  The State requires this information to assess the Grantee�s capability to build and operate the facility for the next 40 years.

With the passage of the Resolution before Council tonight, the Council is agreeing to the following items:

• Commitment of Local Matching Funds

• Commitment of Supplemental Funds

• Commitment to Meeting Cash Flow Requirements

• Certification of Project Budget of Application Form & Supporting Documents

• Certification of Accuracy and Truthfulness of Application and Supporting Documents

• Commitment to Operate Public Library Facility

• Commitment to at Least 40 years of Public Library Direct Service

The new Central Library�s anticipated occupancy is April 2008 once the State Grant has been successfully awarded to the City of Burbank.  We expect the State�s decision by early September 2004.  

Joint Venture Agreement Between the City and the BUSD

Under the Bond Act, first priority is given in the award of grant funds to joint use projects in which the public agency which operates the library and one or more school districts have entered into a cooperative agreement.  The Resolution before Council also includes an �Agreement for Library Cooperative Joint Use between the City of Burbank and the Burbank Unified School District� per Exhibit B.  The Agreement is part of the application packet and is contingent upon the City receiving the State Grant.

Project BLAST (Burbank Library and School Together) focuses on joint activities between the Library and the District at critical times in a student�s school career, to reinforce reading and research skills. The program focuses on children just entering the District-either through kindergarten or because they are new to the District, 4^th grade students as they begin to do research, and the technology needs of all students. In addition, the program provides a Homework Center for students in elementary and middle schools, with homework assistance staff and software. The description of each element follows:

• Kindergarten Enrichment Reading - The District and Library will partner to encourage all parents to read to their children.  The Library will prepare a brochure explaining the importance of parents reading to their children and including reading �tips�.  The District will translate the brochure into the languages needed at each school, print them, and distribute them to parents of the approximately 1,000 new Kindergarten students as part of their Back to School Night activities.  Each brochure will have a library card application and a coupon redeemable for a free paperback book for those who visit the library within a month.  All three Burbank libraries will be prepared to greet families and give orientations to the library�s resources for students.

• 4th Grade Information Literacy - Library research skills are taught by classroom teachers using curriculum designed by the District for elementary school grades. It is in fourth grade that students begin to do independent research. The BLAST program will reinforce the information literacy instruction 4^th grade students receive in classrooms, and at the same time introduce students to the resources of the Library. Each 4^th grade class will come to the Library for an orientation and introduction to research tools. The visits will take place when students are doing research projects, so the instruction can be put into practice immediately. Teachers and library staff will work together prior to the class visit to coordinate the instruction with the projects the students have been assigned to research.

For schools too far away from the library for students to walk, the City will provide bus transportation. The intent of this BLAST element is to strengthen student research skills and their ability to use the library�s resources. The sessions will be provided by the new Librarian hired to manage the BLAST program.

To coordinate with teachers for this element, Library staff will meet with 4^th grade teachers once a year as part of one of the three required in-service training days of the approximately 45 fourth grade teachers that take place before school starts each September.

• Technology Support � The District has developed a Technology Based Education Program and Standards to insure that its students are able to use technology effectively.  There are recommended skills for each grade level.  The skills range from keyboard use to PowerPoint presentations.

The Library and District will coordinate in the purchase of software used for technology instruction and specialized educational software so that students can use the same software in either location to practice and develop skills.  They will share subscriptions for electronic resources to make more available.  The educational software will be available in both the Homework Center and Computer Lab in the Library.  The District will create a link between the District�s Home Page and the Library�s Home Page of easy student access.  The Library will also dedicate at least ten hours per week in the Computer Lab for use by students.

• Homework Center and Assistance - There are two student needs related to homework. The first is the need for a place for students to do homework either individually or in groups after school and on weekends in an atmosphere conducive to study. Many students living in the area surrounding the Central Library live in apartments or share housing and do not have a quiet place to study. The second is the need of some students for assistance with homework and study assignments.

A Homework Center also provides a minimum of 32 seats at tables and 8 technology workstations. A Library Assistant dedicated to the BLAST program will supervise the Center. High school volunteers will be recruited and coordinated by the District from Service Learning students, especially those aiming for a Community Service Medallion (100 hours of service) and from the Key Club. The volunteers will be trained jointly by the District and the Library on a quarterly basis.

The Homework Center will have textbooks used in grades 3-12 supplied by the District, as well as reference books such as dictionaries and general and specialized encyclopedias. The Homework Center computers will have software used by students in their classrooms to build technology skills, homework assistance programs and links to Internet resources, and curriculum based skill-building software selected in concert with the District. The software will include resources for those building English language skills.

There will also be a minimum of three Group Study Rooms in the Teen and Children�s areas of the Library to provide space and acoustical isolation for up to six students working together on school projects or assignments.

• College Preparation -The District currently works with students who have been accepted to college to help identify sources of financial aid. A concern of the District is that the families with limited means in Burbank may not even consider sending their children to college because of the cost, and that they are not aware of financial aid resources. College Financial Aid - This element of the BLAST program provides seminars twice a year in the library for ninth grade students and their families from both public high schools and from local private schools to explain financial resources available for college education. The College Financial Aid seminars will be coordinated by the District and will include speakers from local colleges. The Library will participate, distributing information about print and electronic resources available in the library to these families, and demonstrating the college and financial aid electronic resources.

College Nights

The District will also sponsor bi-monthly College Night presentations by local colleges and universities on admission requirements and general college admissions information at the library, a neutral venue for the entire city, including both public and private schools.

SAT Classes

Many of the students from families with modest incomes cannot afford the expensive SAT preparation classes that are available commercially. The District�s Burbank Education Foundation coordinates a cost-recovery SAT preparation eight-class series for high school students about to take their SATs. The classes are limited by the space available at the schools. To supplement the classes offered at the high schools, the SAT preparation class will also be offered at the Library for students from both high schools.  In addition to providing a needed venue, the library will display SAT and other test preparation materials for these students, and highlight electronic resources.

• Student Production of Library Publicity - The two Burbank high schools each have classes that produce media for broadcast to classrooms in the schools and, in some cases, for viewing via Cable 6 TV. The Library and District will work together to produce publicity about the library�s programs for students, both for presentation within the schools and for broader viewing on Cable TV. The first projects will be publicity for the BLAST program. One publicity piece per school per year is anticipated.

• Parent Education - Parents are instrumental in encouraging their children�s success in school. The Library and District will partner in the area of parent education in two ways.

The District runs five CBET (Community Based Education Tutoring) classes; four are at elementary schools in the immediate service area of Central Library. These classes are designed to assist parents with limited English proficiency in helping their children be successful in school. The teachers will bring the parents to the library once during the 8-10 week class for a library orientation and tour provided by library staff. Staff will encourage parents to get a library card, introduce them to the Children�s Librarian(s), indicate where language and English language learning collections are located, explain the arrangement of the children�s collections, introduce the Homework Center and homework assistance program, and demonstrate the electronic resources available to support students.

The District and Library will co-sponsor two-part parent workshops three times a year on �Helping Your Children be Successful in School�. The first segment will be presented by a Burbank Adult Education instructor; the second will be an introduction to curriculum support resources in the library by the Children�s Librarian.

Under the terms of the Agreement, an Advisory Committee will be established to implement and evaluate the BLAST program. This Agreement may be modified as long as it meets the spirit and intent of the original cooperative agreement as well as the intent of the Library Bond Act. The City of Burbank and the Burbank Unified School District commit to providing joint use library services consistent with the intent of this agreement and build into the project a mechanism for review and modification of the conditions of the agreement. The commitment to provide services over the 20 year period is contingent upon the award of this grant funding.

FISCAL ANALYSIS

Projected costs for a new 65,500 square foot Central Library, including only the Library�s 55% pro-rata share for a five-level parking structure and common plaza area, is $33,379,963 per Exhibit C.  The 55% pro-rata cost share is based on the shared parking utilization between the future Development & Community Services Building (DCSB) and the proposed new Central Library, viz. 205 and 249 parking spaces, respectively.

Please note that the estimated costs given below were submitted with the application in Round Two.  At this time, the current estimated costs are still being computed.  These costs will be revised and made public as they become available.

Central Library costs are generally comprised of:

            1.         Library Soft Costs                                                     $    3,094,542

            2.         Library On & Off-site Work                                             1,406,339

            3.         Library Construction                                                      16,009,510

            4.         FF&E                                                                                3,243,000

            5.         Parking Structure & Common Plaza Area                    4,364,210

            6.         Other (State Ineligible) Project Costs                               880,095

            7.         Land Value Contributions[2]                                           4,382,267           

                                                                                                              -----------------

                                                      Total Estimated Library Cost = $   33,379,963

Total available funding resources, including the $20,000,000 maximum State Grant is $29,664,000; $9,500.000 from the issuance of the General Obligation Bonds approved through Measure L and allocated to the Central Library; and the allowable $164,000 Architect-Engineer (A-E) Application Fee the City has already appropriated.  In addition to the available funding sources, it�s important to note that the Bond Act also recognizes City-owned land as a viable project funding source.  Therefore, the total project cost in real dollars can be reduced by the $4,382,267 in land value contribution. 

The total increased recurring operating costs for the new Central Library is estimated at $662,413.  There is also a one time only cost of $479,573.  The current plan is to ramp up the additional necessary funding over a three year period, starting in fiscal year 2005/2006.  Corporate funding is another possible means of financing portions of the anticipated operating costs.

Based on Staff�s evaluation, we certify that the estimated cost for the new Central Library, including its 55% pro-rata cost of a five-level parking structure and common plaza area consistent with the previously accepted Master Plan, is $33,379,963; that the sum of the City�s local match, excluding land value, is $9,664,000; and that net of the State�s projected $20,000,000 contribution, the City will need to commit $3,715,963 in supplemental funds that is more than off-set by the combined $4,382,267 appraised land value. 

                        Total Estimated Library Cost                       $33,379,963

                        State Funding            20,000,000

                        Local Bond Match      9,500,000

                        A-E Fees (Paid)            164,000    

                                                             --------------

                                                                                                   29,664,000

                                                                                                   ---------------

                        Required Supplemental Funds                      $  3,715,963

Finally, please note that an additional $3,593,025 is required above and beyond the estimated Library project cost to address the 45% of the parking structure and common plaza area per Exhibit C.  The ultimate disposition of the existing Central Library, including a potential future sale, represents a viable consideration to off-setting this real project cost to complete the five-level parking structure and common plaza area.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that City Council approve a:

Resolution of the Council of the City of Burbank Approving Submittal of Application for Funds from the State of California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000; Certifying Project Budget, Local Funding Commitment, Supplemental Funds and Public Library Operation; Approving a Joint Use Agreement with the Burbank Unified School District.

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