Supervisors vote to consider private management of county libraries

  The only company that has apparently shown an interest to this point is Library Systems & Services, which is based in Germantown, Md. It also manages the library systems in Redding and Riverside County in Southern California.

   Before the more than one hour of public testimony, Haffey told supervisors the library system needs to cut $400,000 in the upcoming fiscal year.

 County Librarian Mary Ann Trygg has proposed a number of cuts to balance the budget, including closing the branches in Penn Valley and Bear River and the Doris Foley Historical Library in downtown Nevada City, which is open for six hours on Fridays, and the Literacy Program. There are also branches in Truckee, Grass Valley and Nevada City.

  The library system is expected to receive approximately $565,000 in voter-approved sales-tax proceeds in the upcoming fiscal year, which prompted outsourcing opponents to ask the supervisors to accept the recommendation of the county librarian rather than let a private company decide what gets cut.

  “We can’t lose the libraries,” Don Herrmann testified. “It’s almost a hallmark of a civilization.”

One man, who identified himself as member of the Friends of the Library, said the group donates 12,000 to 13,000 hours a year and raises money for the library system. He said he doubted the group would support a private company with the same enthusiasm.

“Many volunteers are concerned about helping a for-profit company. They don’t want to help them make a profit,” he said. “We’ll have to make up for the loss of volunteer and library support.”

Darell Ford of Chicago Park, who said he has experience working in county government and with libraries, said the only way a private company can make money in this situation is by cutting wages and benefits. Haffey's proposal would let a private contractor have the final say in all personnel matters.

"That's how a contractor achieves savings," he said.

A librarian asked if the private company could determine what books are in the library.

   Supervisors Nate Beason, Ed Scofield, John Spencer and Hank Weston all agreed with Owens that they were obligated to consider proposals from private companies before deciding how to respond to the library system’s budget shortfalls.

"This option might be the one to save these services," Scofield said.

  Haffey said that time is of the essence and that a decision needs to be made by the end of this year.

  “I don’t want this to drag out like the chamber money manner,” he said.

  The Friends of Foley, a group of supporters of the historical library in Nevada City, have asked the supervisors to not include that library in any proposal to contract out services.