October 20, 1999

Is this the way to keep both libraries open longer?

It would be great if Pacifica gets a new library, as has been suggested. This hypothetical civic improvement would be twice the square footage of our present libraries, and with all the latest in electronic connections and state of the art library improvements. Furthermore, because we would have sold the land where the present two libraries are located, we would concentrate all our open library hours in one schedule rather than two. Sounds good, doesn't it?

As a habitual library user (I started walking to the library at age eight) I would be delighted to make use of this fine new structure with all its bells and whistles.

Unfortunately I see a few problems with the structure as it is being proposed. (1) Its location: Vallemar. A beautiful area but at least a couple of miles away from both the northern and southern population centers of Pacifica. For practical purposes, service to many or most children would either be cut way back or cease. Only the few children who actually live in Vallemar would have access without parental taxi service or a few very infrequent buses. The time to develop library-use habits that will last a lifetime is in childhood. People don't start normally start using libraries in their twenties or thirties. The time to read books is when you're young. Most of the non-driving elderly would have to ride for miles on infrequent and unhandy bus connections, paying at least two fares each way in the process. The place was not selected after studying the best locations for library users, but because the city already owns the land.

(2) Its financing. The theory is that we build the new building with the cash from sale of the land under the old buildings. My guess is that the land where the present libraries are located will not bring enough money to build the fine new structure in our hypothetical future. Until the land is actually sold and the bids come in on the new building, we can only have educated guesses. Some educated guesses actually are accurate, from time to time.

The problem we have to face is that our library hours of service are being strangled, and in a few years will be cut back to 60 hours total for both libraries, an average of 6 hours a day five days a week per library. This is unacceptable to everyone involved.

I suggest instead we keep both libraries, which exist, but sell the unneeded land at Sanchez Library. Keep the money from that sale in a trust fund, with only the interest used to pay for the expenses incurred in keeping the library open longer hours. There has been a fear that future councils might raid this money for urgent needs, of which Pacifica always has many. I don't know the mechanics, but an initiative measure or a referendum to lock in this money only for library uses would seem appropriate. Since it would not raise taxes, I assume it would take only a simple majority to pass, and since it would not raise taxes, I assume it would be passed.

I also suggest the City Council create a library advisory committee, on the order of the Open Space Committee or PB&R Commission, recognizing that the city has a more active connection with libraries these days.