Staff Report
PREPARED BY : RYAN BAKER
Library Director
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 40 8 -354 -68 32
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 06/05/2018
ITEM NO: 13
D ATE : MAY 23 , 2018
TO : MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LIBRARY BOARD TO UPDATE
THE LIBRARY’S OPEN HOURS TO THE PUBLIC TO 11:00 A.M. TO 8:00 P.M.
MONDAYS THROUGH THURSDAYS, AND 11:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. FRIDAYS
THROUGH SUNDAYS, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 20, 2018
RECOMMENDATION :
Approve the recommendation of the Library Board to update the Library’s open hours to the
public to 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fridays through Sundays, effective August 20, 2018 .
BACKGROUND :
The Library is currently open to the public 54 hours a week distributed as: Monday and Tuesday
11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesdays through Fridays 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays 10:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Library Board, working with Library s taff, has been working to dete rmine if these hours of
operation give the greatest benefit to the public or i f the se hours could be redistributed to
better serve public demand. At its May 9, 2018 meeting, the Library Board voted to
recommend to the Council to change the Library’s open hours to the public to 11:00 a.m. to
8:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fridays through Sundays,
effective August 20, 2018.
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SUBJECT: APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LIBRARY BOARD TO UPDATE THE
LIBRARY’S OPEN HOURS TO THE PUBLIC TO 11:00 A.M. TO 8:00 P.M. MONDAYS
THROUGH THURSDAYS, AND 11:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. FRIDAYS THROUGH
SUNDAYS, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 20 TH , 2018
M AY 23, 2018
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS \2018 \06 -05 -18 \13 Library hours \Staff Report.FINAL.docx 5/25/2018 1:49 PM RB
DISCUSSION:
To analyze the optimal hours of operation , Library staff collected data on actual dai ly and
hourly public usage patterns inside the Library over the course of the year as well as
comparative open hours and usage statistics from neighboring library systems. Staff
additionally sought community input on Library hours by releasing a survey to the community
that was accessible through the Town’s website, Library social media, and in -person within the
Library. The survey was advertised via Nextdoor and Town social media , and resulted in 430
responses from the community.
Based on the statistica l data combined with community input, the Library Board and Library
s taff determined that a redistribution of the Library’s 54 weekly open hours to the public be
updated to better serve public needs. T he Library Board voted to recommend changing the
Librar y’s open hours to the public to 11.00 a:m: to 8.00 p:m: Mondays through Thursdays, and
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, effective August 20, 2018.
This change will create consistent opening times 7 days a week, consistent closing times on
weekdays and weekends, and increase the number of weekdays the Library is open in the
evenings without adding or subtracting from the overall total of 54 hours that the Library is
currently open to the public each week. The effective date of August 20 th co incides with the
beginning of the school year and allows the Town ample time to communicate the upcoming
change to the community via print and social media outlets.
Library s taff will continue to record data on public use during open hours and the Librar y Board
will review the impact of the proposed changes after a period of one year.
FISCAL IMPACT :
The proposed change does not add or subtract from the total current public hours of operation ,
as such there is no direct impact to the G eneral F und.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT :
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.