Bill Supports Transparency in Contracting Library Services
SACRAMENTO — On Saturday, October 8, 2011, Governor Jerry Brown signed a key piece of legislation authored by Assemblymember Das Williams (D- Santa Barbara) that could prevent the dismantling of free County library systems by requiring cities or library districts to reach a series of performance and financial benchmarks prior to employing a private contractor to run library services.
Governor Brown's support for AB 438 comes following hard fought opposition in both the Assembly and Senate by lobbyists hired by Library Systems and Services LLC (LSSI), the country's top private library service provider.
"With a vital public service like our free public libraries, it is essential to have clear and ample opportunity for public input before a city or library district makes the call to privatize services," Assemblymember Williams said. "During these tough economic times we shouldn't be so desperate that we are willing to make hasty decisions to sell away our community's future."
When the law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2012 cities or library districts intending to contract with a private company to run library services, must first offer public notice, demonstrate cost savings for the duration of the contract, participate in competitive bidding, prove the qualifications of the contractor among other measures to ensure that taxpayers have access to important information about one of the community's essential public services.
"This is the kind of information you would want if contracting work out on your home, this would put a process to get similar information to the ultimate consumer, the taxpayer," Assemblymember Williams added. "If local elected officials feel that privatizing library services makes the most financial sense for them, they simply must prove it."
Exempt from the provisions of the law are non-profits or friends of the library groups that are not subsidiaries of a for-profit entity and the work is then not subcontracted out.
"Public libraries are a cornerstone of our democracy and our communities," said Marianne Coffey, a member of the City of Ventura Library Advisory Committee and San Buenaventura Friends of the Library. "I am so thankful Das Williams has recognized the importance of preserving the transparency and quality of our public libraries. AB 438 will insure that our public libraries operate to enrich our children and our citizens, and not as a source of profit for a private business entity."
The bill gained significant support from social and economic justice groups, Friends of Library groups and labor organizations. While opposition mounted from municipal associations and some of their member cities.
The law sunsets in 2019.
Website for Assemblymember Das Williams: http://assembly.ca.gov/Williams
Contact: Susan McEntire, 916.501.1514
