Agenda

Return

C. 79

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Melinda Cervantes, County Librarian
Date:	March 31, 2020

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Transfer of Historical Materials to the Historical Society

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/31/2020

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

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

Contact:

Walt 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 31, 2020
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Librarian, or designee, to execute an agreement with the Contra Costa County Historical Society, Inc., a California non-profit, for the transfer of historical materials and related furnishings effective April 1, 2020.

FISCAL IMPACT:

100% Library Fund. The Library will pay for qualified movers at a cost not to exceed $6,100.

BACKGROUND:

The County is the owner of approximately 3,050 items, consisting of maps, photographs, books, and other printed material related to the history of Contra Costa County. (Exhibit A) The Contra Costa County Library Collection Development Plan, 2011, identifies the Contra Costa County history collection as an invaluable and unique research resource that requires ongoing maintenance to retain its historical and research value. The collection is currently housed at the Pleasant Hill Library in a vault with temperature and humidity controls. The collection may be used by the public during regular open hours.

The Contra Costa County Historical Society (the “Historical Society”) desires to incorporate the collection into the materials it preserves and makes available to the public. The Historical Society, through its facility in Martinez, is better suited to preserve the collection. In addition to having space adequate to store the items, the Historical Society facility provides optimal environmental controls for preserving items. The facility offers:

· Secure facility with an automatic, central station perimeter alarm system.

· Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems maintain temperatures required for proper preservation.

· Automatic fire detection is installed throughout the facility and compartmentation is used throughout to limit the spread of fire and smoke.

· Light levels are controlled to avoid light-caused deterioration of materials.

· Supervision of archives users while they are using collection materials to ensure safe handling and to avoid loss.

In 1979, the County Board of Supervisors declared the Historical Society as the official historical society of the County. The County desires to convey, and the Historical Society desires to receive, ownership of the historical collection as well as selected furnishings needed to store the collection and tables needed for public use of the collection. The Library, at its expense, will oversee the transfer by contracting with qualified movers with experience in moving fragile library collections. The conveyance is being made in recognition of the public interest in safeguarding the collection and to ensure the public’s continued access to the collection.