CITIZEN PUBLIC LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE — Dubberly’s “Process”

by Lori Rivas

The this article was offered as a hand-out to the Citizen’s Public Library Advisory Committee on the evening of March 10, 2011.

Committee facilitator and LSSI executive Ron Dubberly bases his committee “process” on the book The New Planning for Results: a streamlined approach, by Sandra Nelson for the Public Library Association.  Blatantly missing from Dubberly’s “process,” but vitally integral in Nelson’s book, is the input, education and expertise of current, local librarians, without whom the committee is driving blind.  It is my hope to garner better library services for Santa Clarita by encouraging library advisory committee members to seek the advice, expertise and input of our current, local librarians, in alignment with the “process” that Dubberly is leading.

Where are the local librarians?

Where are the local librarians at the CITIZEN PUBLIC LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE meetings? Developing Library Services or Re-inventing the Wheel?

by Lori Rivas

Where are the librarians?  Where is their expertise?  Their education?  Their insights?  Why is the Citizens’ Library Advisory Committee being asked to re-invent the proverbial wheel? Santa Clarita has a current library; we are not beginning from ground zero.  We have access to the people and the data which can afford a view of what works in our community.  With knowledge, we can either improve on the current services; without knowledge, we will, most likely, deplete the current services.

Part 2 – What Happened – Staff Bringing Back the Library Issue, the Process…?

CITY OF SANTA CLARITA PLAN TO LEAVE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES LIBRARY SYSTEM—A Short Timeline of Events

Below are emails between City staff and employees of LSSI, or documents regarding meetings with the City and LSSI. These were provided through many Public Records Requests by a number of individuals. These requests were made in an effort to paint a clearer picture of the City of Santa Clarita’s plan to leave COLAPL (County of Los Angeles Public Library.)  Attempts have been made to include all pertinent information, but the reader should remember that verbal conversations among City staff are not part of the public record, and therefore, cannot be accessed. Some transcriptions from public meetings have also been included. If additional pertinent emails or other information sources are found, this document will be expanded and updated. Click here for the complete file with documents. Highlights below:

Meetings with LSSI representatives prior to Council Meeting ofJuly 13, 2010…During the City Council meeting on July 13, 2010, Councilmember Ender discussed the possibility of the City’s operation of Santa Clarita libraries, and speaking on behalf of the Library Ad-Hoc Committee (she and Marsha Mclean), requested that the Council agendize the issue for consideration at a public hearing at the August 24th Council meeting. (Full statement here.) Ender:

“Uh… I also have some information to share.  I’m really excited about this.  I had mentioned libraries earlier, but, um… Mayor Pro-Tem McLean and I have been spending a lot of time talking about libraries….

Lori Rivas: Comments on the Citizens Public Library Advisory Committee

On December 9th, the new Citizens Public Library Advisory Committee met at City Hall.  In attendance were Deputy City Manager and Director of Administrative Services Darren Hernández, the thirty-seven citizen committee members, group facilitator and LSSI’s President of Public Library Management Operations Ron Dubberly, various City and LSSI staff, and a small contingent of citizen observers.  Introductions were made by City Manager Ken Pulskamp, Mayor Marsha McLean and Mayor Pro Tem Laurie Ender, though I don’t believe any of those three remained for the entirety of the committee meeting.

Committee facilitator Ron Dubberly repeatedly referred to the text The New Planning for Results: a streamlined approach, by Sandra Nelson (for the Public Library Association; American Library Association, Chicago and London, 2001) as his template for running the Library Planning Committee.  Dubberly handed out worksheets and graphs from the book, and the committee’s first task was an exercise from the book.

In order to better understand Mr. Dubberly’s trajectory for our committee, I, too, am reading  The New Planning for Results,

FAQs or Fictions?

On our Santa Clarita City Council’s website, there are erroneous and unclear answers to questions about our libraries once they have been taken over by LSSI. The ‘FAQS’ (frequently asked questions and answers) referenced in this document are found there.

Comments  below in bold are closer to the truth than what our City Council is telling us.

• Q: Can teens volunteer at the new library system?
• A: Yes! They will be considered part of the City of Santa Clarita’s amazing  volunteer network.  [Go to www.volunteerinscv.org for more information.]

What the Council is not telling you about student volunteering: Once LSSI takes over in July 2011, students will not receive Honor Society credit (or any credit for that matter) for their volunteer work as they do now at our libraries. To gain credit, student volunteers must work at non-profits, which LSSI definitely is not.

• Q: Is it true that the libraries will no longer be public but rather for profit, private libraries?
• A: No, the City of Santa Clarita Public Library system will remain public. The City has created a public-private partnership to run the libraries but it is the City that will be in charge of the libraries.

Our libraries are not remaining “public.”  LSSI, a for-profit company based in Maryland, will be running our libraries.  To see details on who does what: