Stacey shared CSL updates with the system directors:
- CSL budget... so far, no additional cuts for FY10-11 budget
- CSL strategic plan... completed and soon to be posted to CSL webpage
- CSL move... all materials moved out of library building to West Sacramento to allow for work on historic building; should move back in by 2012.
- CLSA and LOC... as the Library of California is no longer funded and there was some confusion about having both CLSA and LOC acts on the books, the State Library approached the governor's office with the idea of repealing the LOC legislation in order to focus on and restructure CLSA to be more responsive to the needs of today's libraries. The governor's office rejected the idea of eliminating the LOC Act and CLSA remains the vibrant program of the two. Stacey's plan is to get the LOC Board more engaged in CLA and CLSA activities and advocacy in the coming year.
- SUTRO Library... San Francisco State University is building a new library and the SUTRO materials will occupy the top two floors. Plans are to make the materials more available to the public, and to incorporate these historic docs into school curriculum planning for associated fieldtrips, student projects and cool displays.
- LSTA... slight increase in LSTA money for FY 10-11, from 16.8 million last year to 17.4 million this year. This comes from states that did not expend all of their LSTA allocations, so that money was re-distributed amongst all participating states.
Convening Focus ... new concept of libraries as neutral convening centers for hot button issues (Fresno County Library and symposium on gangs, Riverside County Library's work with the CA Council on Humanities and their successful hosted conversations, CA Forward project on what should CA government be?)
Digital Literacy Pathways in California (see prior blog post)
Broadband Connectivity and CA Public Libraries...
Building Broadband Sustainability Daily, people use public library computers to access government, find and apply for jobs, conduct research for school or work, connect to the world, find information to help them to be healthy, communicate with family and friends and participate fully in the social, economic, and civic fabric of their communities. Our California Public Library statistics for 2008-2009 show that public library computers were used to access the Internet almost 39,000,000 times statewide. Over 60% of public libraries in California are the only source of free Internet connectivity in their communities.
While connectivity is important, the speed of the network is even more crucial. The speed of the network determines the number of PCs or laptops that can be connected, the ease of access to media rich resources, and the ability of a person to use a public computer to fill out online government or job forms completely within the time limits of the library. The need for speed will continue to increase as people will need to access media rich information like medical records, and as technology changes.
In California, we have 181 public library jurisdictions and 1123 library outlets. In 2009 ALA/Gates Survey found that 42% of the library outlets were connected at 1.5 Mbps. The pie chart below shows overall percentages of connectivity.
We want to make sure that every public library outlet has the best possible connectivity so that their communities can connect and gain access to the online resources they need to be successful.
California was selected as one of seven pilot states by the Gates Foundation to participate in the Online Opportunity Program. Through the Opportunity Online Broadband grant program, the Foundation hopes to improve the connectivity in libraries where Internet access is insufficient to meet user needs, and in the process, to strengthen and improve the ability of all public libraries to keep their communities connected to the wider world.
We have been working with the Gates Foundation over the past year and a half to collect data about the connectivity in public libraries, design and hold the California Opportunity Online Broadband Summit, and create a grant to support building broadband sustainability in California public libraries. The California Opportunity Online Broadband Summit was held in Sacramento on December 14-15, 2009 in Sacramento. Over 200 participants from library jurisdictions, Cooperative Library Systems, and local and state community stakeholders attended. The goal of the Summit was to engage the community in a discussion around strategies for building sustainable broadband access for California Public Libraries. The Summit created productive discussions, new relationships, and action. The State Library is working with CENIC on possible ways to connect public libraries to the K-20 high speed backbone.
With our partner Califa, we have just completed a grant application to the Gate's Foundation for: 1) Increasing broadband capacity for 77 library outlets that currently have less than 1.5 mbps, 2) Funding to support the technical upgrades for these libraries to increase their bandwidth, and 3) Funding to support increasing awareness and participation in the e-Rate program for sustainable funding. The total funding requested is $600,595. We are grateful to the Gate's Foundation for helping California begin to move forward on ensuring that broadband access is a core library service for our communities.
By 2014, we would like to ensure that no public library branch in the State has less than 100 mbps connectivity to support community access.
- LSTA timeline... rethinking the LSTA timeline by implementing a "pitch a grant idea". Come up with a great idea for a project, call the CSL and work through it together. Plans are to set up a LSTA online application and grant portal to access all ongoing grants in any one jurisdiction
- PLSEP FY 11-12... since 1998, 1,031 students have received tuition reimbursements through this program. Plans are to have the CLSA systems administer these grants for students in each jurisdiction
- CLSA Plan of Service FY 11-12... will include more flexibility in how CLSA funds can be distributed across the 3 mandated programs: reference, communication & delivery, system advisory board. All agreed that more money is needed in communication & delivery as the volume of reference questions submitted continue to diminish
Sounded like an interesting meeting. I like that there will be more LSTA money available. Also the idea that the time line for grants may become more fluid.
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