Publication Date: Friday, December 17, 2004
A lesson in the 'Palo Alto Process'
A lesson in the 'Palo Alto Process'
(December 17, 2004) Library director picks up the pieces after council decision
by Bill D'Agostino
Library Director Paula Simpson got a lesson in the infamous "Palo Alto Process" during Monday night's City Council meeting, learning that progress for the deteriorating libraries would take time.
"Maybe this isn't going to be corrected as quickly as I would like," she thought aloud on Wednesday afternoon, recalling the council's unanimous rejection of her proposal to close two of the city's five libraries to reduce redundancies.
Elected officials did conceptually approve Simpson's idea to eventually build a new full-service library in the city -- one that would include modern library services the current buildings don't have space to provide, such as group study rooms, author readings and a technology center.
But without closing branches or increasing the library's budget, there won't be enough ongoing funds to staff a new central library if it gets built, Simpson said. Mayor Bern Beecham warned his colleagues they were asking for too much, calling the council's decision "good-hearted and wrong-headed."
Councilwoman Hillary Freeman said afterward she hoped staffing dollars would come from expanding the existing Mitchell Park Library to become the new central library while reducing services at the Main Library. "We can build on what we've got," Freeman said.
That would help, Simpson said, but not enough.
On Monday, the council did not vote on the library director's alternative proposal to increase the library's budget by $850,000 next year. That would have modernized the library's collection, opened smaller branches more than a few scant days a week and increased services at the larger branches beyond simply circulating books and other media.
In a recently published annual report, Simpson wrote the libraries "fall short of meeting the needs of teens, seniors, and those who seek materials in languages other than English."
At an earlier meeting, City Manager Frank Benest said the community needed to have a "courageous conversation" about libraries. By asking for the "have your cake and eat it too" plan (keeping all existing branches while building a new central library) but not adding funding, the council essentially deferred that conversation until a later date.
In fact, the library's budget will likely shrink next year as the city faces a $5.2 million budget deficit and the likelihood of numerous layoffs.
"If we have to cut staff that means closing hours more," Simpson said, adding that she will likely propose -- despite an outpouring of support for the branch libraries on Monday night -- a greater portion of those cuts coming from the smaller, less popular libraries for the greater good.
Of course, it could be worse. The City of Salinas, the birthplace of "The Grapes of Wrath" author John Steinbeck, announced this week it was closing all of its libraries due to a budget deficit.
Still, Palo Alto's library director said she needed to do more education about the shortcomings of the library system, and how they impact the ability to make progress. For instance, many residents and council members argued the library should rely more on technology and volunteers to be more cost-effective -- but Simpson said overworked librarians don't have time to maximize those possibilities.
Adding more volunteers requires a staff person to train them. "We don't have anyone, anywhere to shepherd that project," Simpson said.
New self-checkout machines will help, and a few more are on their way for the two larger libraries, but checking out books is only one small part of the collection's circulation -- books also need to be checked in and placed back on the shelf, Simpson said.
The library director added that she'd love to expand services to include electronic books, something the New York Public Library started this year, but librarians don't have the time to study that until next year. Currently, they are working to merely upgrade the library's computer catalog.
Next year, the Library Advisory Commission will study how to build the full service library. The commission will also study how to continue distributing library services throughout the community, possibly changing the way branches do business. Chair Lenore Jones said she was pleased to have a vision from the City Council.
Around 100 people packed the council chambers on Monday night. Most speakers were in support of the branches and were satisfied with the council's action.
"I was just really happy that the City Council responded the way I hoped they would," said Elaine Meyer, a leader of the University South neighborhood, which includes the Downtown Library, one of the two that were threatened.
A few speakers supported Simpson's plan, including Palo Alto school board member Gail Price, who called it a "bold decision that is well overdue."
"It is my belief that we unfortunately no longer have the luxury of providing neighborhood services, as we have in the past, and we have a responsibility to look ahead to the needs of future generations," Price said. "Deferring these needed actions will only make future options more costly."
Staff Writer Bill D'Agostino can be e-mailed at bdagostino@paweekly.com.
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