Daly City trustees authorize letter urging state to preserve library programs

On May 21, 2024, the Daly City Library Board of Trustees voted to authorize staff to draft and, if needed before the next meeting, send a letter urging state lawmakers to preserve funding for several statewide library programs targeted for cuts in the governor's proposed budget. The motion passed by voice vote.

Jayla Anderson, speaking as library staff, told trustees that the Pacific Library Partnership had identified priorities likely to be most harmed by state budget reductions, including the California Library Services Act (CLSA), a summer-meal-related "Lunch at the Library" grant and HelpNow, a statewide online tutoring contract provided through Brainfuse. Anderson said the CLSA funding proposal "is to cut that funding in half" and that removing HelpNow would eliminate 24/7, multilingual homework help that some libraries cannot afford to replace locally.

A trustee (speaker 4) moved that the board "write a letter in support of these program areas, to maintain funding" and "authorize Chela to draft that letter and, if it's something that needs to be sent prior to our next meeting, authorize her to send it out." The motion was seconded by another trustee (speaker 5) and approved by voice vote.

Board members discussed additional advocacy steps, including asking councilmembers or other commissions for letters of support and monitoring statewide library coordination. Anderson said some libraries may be able to absorb certain services into local budgets but that many libraries in higher-need areas would likely be unable to do so.

The board did not specify the exact text of the letter during the meeting; Anderson said she would circulate a draft for trustees' review. The motion was a formal direction to staff rather than a budget appropriation.

Actions: The recorded action from the meeting is a motion to draft and send a letter supporting continued funding for CLSA, Lunch at the Library grants and HelpNow/Brainfuse services; the motion was moved by Speaker 4, seconded by Speaker 5, and recorded as approved by voice vote.