Library - 5/28/26

The Sacramento Public Library Authority Board of Directors met on May 28, 2026, to discuss the upcoming fiscal year budget, major challenges in library collection services, and several community milestones.   Friends of the Sacramento Public Library Update   Devon Graves, Vice President of the Friends of the library, reported a highly successful Big Day of Giving, which raised approximately $120,000, significantly exceeding the original $85,000 goal. He also highlighted the success of the "Booked-in" facility, which serves as a community hub for students and seniors. An "All Friends" meeting is scheduled for June 28, 2026, at the Carmichael Library.   Collection Services and Vendor Crisis   Michelle Gordon Hartman, Collection Services Department Manager, provided a "pull back the curtain" look at the massive administrative challenges caused by the sudden closure of Baker & Taylor, formerly the library's primary book vendor.

• Logistical Chaos: The library had to cancel and reorder tens of thousands of items and quickly onboard new vendors like Brodart and Ingram to ensure opening day collections for new branches were not delayed.
• Processing Complexity: The board learned about the intensive labor required for every item, including assigning call numbers, applying RFID tags, and creating complex bibliographic records.
• Digital Trends: Digital circulation is growing rapidly and is expected to break 5 million circulations this fiscal year. However, digital materials are significantly more expensive; for example, a $30 physical book can cost $80 in digital format and often comes with a limited two-year license.

Operational Highlights and Construction Executive Director Peter announced that the library received an Epic Award for its new branding. He also highlighted the kickoff of the Summer Reading program on May 30th at Tahoe Park, featuring the theme "Read Freely". Construction projects for the Martin Luther King, North Sacramento Hagginwood, and Elk Grove libraries remain on schedule, with staff currently outfitting the King branch.   Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget   The Board approved the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes $65.3 million in revenues and $69.3 million in expenditures.

• Deficit and Diversions: The budget reflects a $4 million net use of fund balance. This is largely attributed to a $2 million diversion by the City of Sacramento to fund construction projects and a $1.1 million structural deficit on the city’s side.
• Measure E: Approved by voters in 2024, Measure E provides a stable property tax revenue stream that consolidates previous measures and is adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
• Staffing Changes: The budget includes a net reduction of 3 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions. While 10 full-time positions were added, 13 limited-term library assistant positions were eliminated due to city budget constraints.

Future Concerns   The Board discussed long-term sustainability, noting that maintaining 12 branches within the City of Sacramento may become problematic after 2029-2030 if structural deficits persist. Directors engaged in a robust debate regarding the use of Economic Uncertainty Reserves, which are currently maintained at 17% for the city and 35% for the county. While the library is currently meeting its reserve requirements, members requested future policy discussions on how to handle potential "harder cut scenarios" if economic conditions do not improve.