Agenda

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C. 51

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Melinda Cervantes, County Librarian
Date:	March 12, 2019

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Grant Opportunity from the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/12/2019

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

ABSENT:

Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor

Contact:

W. Beveridge 925-608-7730

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: March 12, 2019
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Librarian, or designee, to apply for and accept a two-year grant from the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation in the amount of $20,000 ($10,000 payable in 2019 and $10,000 payable in 2020) to provide library books and materials at the Juvenile Hall Library and at the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility Library for the period February 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No Library Fund match.

BACKGROUND:

Grant funding from the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation will allow Juvenile Hall and Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility Libraries to purchase new, current titles to augment the collection as well as materials to replace worn items. These items will be ordered on a monthly basis over the course of the project's two-year time span to ensure a continuous increase of new materials.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

All books and materials for both libraries' collections are purchased from revenue generated entirely through grants and individual donations. Because both libraries have been so successful in developing a love of reading for education and pleasure, many of the books in the collection need to be replaced annually due to wear and tear. Additionally, the teens are constantly demanding the newest titles by authors they admire or series they have read. In order to continue encouraging this special and unique population to develop habits of reading for pleasure and self-directed learning, it is important that the libraries are able to provide new titles that refresh the collection and to which teens can relate.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If the grant is not funded then the libraries will not have the needed materials for reading.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

As well as supplying Contra Costa County's population of incarcerated teens with books and encouraging a love of reading and a lifelong habit of self-directed learning, the materials will allow the youth to engage in creative, educational activities that many of the youth have never experienced before, exposing them to new ideas and allowing them to discover previously unknown interests and hidden talents. This meets the Children's Report Card outcome of Children Ready for and Succeeding in School.