DATE: July 9, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sally Gomez, County Librarian
SUBJECT: California Humanities Grant Agreement
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Chairman, the County Librarian, and the Library’s Project Director of this grant to execute a grant Agreement from California Humanities for a California Humanities for All Project Grant, to be used at the Betty Rodriguez Regional Library for the Communities Read Together project, effective June 1, 2024, through May 31, 2026 ($24,520);
2. Authorize the County Librarian, or her designee, to sign expenditure forms and activity reports for the recommended Agreement; and
3. Adopt Budget Resolution increasing FY 2024-25 appropriations and estimated revenues in the Library Grants Org 7517 in the amount of $24,520 (4/5 vote).
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. California Humanities (Cal Humanities) has awarded a Humanities for All Project program grant to the Library in the amount of $24,520, effective June 1, 2024 through May 31, 2026. Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Library to develop the Betty Rodriguez Regional Library: Communities Read Together project to encourage and strengthen family and/or household literacy through the middle grade novel, Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros. This item affects District 3.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may choose to decline the Cal Humanities grant award, which will result in the Library not developing the Betty Rodriguez Regional Library: Communities Read Together project to encourage and strengthen family and/or household literacy.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The $24,520 grant from Cal Humanities will be used for materials ($9,020), advertising ($500), and professional and specialized services ($15,000) associated with the project. The grant requires matching funds of at least 1:1 ratio. The Library will meet the grant matching requirements with an in-kind contribution, which covers staff costs to administer the Program with indirect costs calculated at 10%. Sufficient appropriations will be included in the FY 2024-25 Recommended Budget Org 7511 and will be included in subsequent FY budget requests. The budget resolution in the third recommended action will increase appropriations and estimated revenues in the Library Grants Org 7517 for FY 2024-25 in the amount of $24,520.
DISCUSSION:
California Humanities is a non-profit that promotes the humanities and an open state of mind for residents of California. The non-profit organization aims to support creativity and experimentation in public humanities programming among diverse populations. The California Humanities for All Project program aims to increase public participation in and access to humanities by providing relevant, engaging, and meaningful humanities-based programming. Awarded project grants will research, design, and implement real-time humanities learning experiences. Grantees, together with a Humanities Advisor of their choosing, will collaborate to co-design programs, reduce barriers for participants, encourage critical thinking, and foster greater cultural awareness and appreciation. The Project program will allow the Library to develop the Betty Rodriguez Regional Library: Communities Read Together project.
Betty Rodriguez Regional Library: Communities Read Together is a multifaceted project to encourage and strengthen family and/or household literacy through the middle grade novel, Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros. The project planning began in November 2023 to identify a book selection, early communication with community partners for support, and the research of potential partnerships and stakeholders for the project’s programs. We will continue to communicate with partnerships to gain community input and collaborate with other library departments. Beginning in November 2024, we will host a kick-off day to provide free copies of the book in English or Spanish, along with a suggested reading calendar. From January 2025 to May 2025, the library will host monthly programs that reinforce cultural competency and humanities-based learning experiences. The program will conclude with an author visit in May or June 2025. Using Efrén Divided as inspiration and in collaboration with community and academic organizations, the library will create a wide variety of programs for participants that will promote critical thought on contemporary issues, scholarly presentations, visual and performing arts performances and activities, community-led book discussions, and an author talk for all ages. These programs will explore the interconnections of immigration, social justice, identity, and families as it has affected our own Central Valley communities and households. Communities Read Together aims to bring our library’s community together through the simple act of reading to discover and share our lived experiences and individual voices to celebrate one another.
The recommended grant agreement contains a mutual indemnification provision, which is not standard in County agreements. However, the Department believes that the benefits of entering into the recommended agreement outweigh any associated risks.
Approval of the first recommended action will authorize the Chairman to execute a grant agreement from California Humanities for a California Humanities for All Project Grant. Approval of the second recommended action delegates authority to the County Librarian or her designee, to sign expenditure forms and activity reports for the recommended agreement.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Cal Humanities
On file with Clerk - Resolution (Org 7517)
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai