FROM: Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyist

RE: News From the Capitol and Call To Action

GOVERNOR NEWSOM RELEASES “MAY REVISION” OF THE 2026-27

STATE BUDGET

No new funding for library programs proposed

This morning, Governor Newsom appeared before the press corps in Sacramento and
released his “May Revision” of the 2026-27 State Budget. You will recall that in January, the
Governor unveiled his January Budget, but deemed it a “workload budget,” including very
little in terms of new spending proposals. At that time, Governor Newsom indicated that he
would wait to build out a more comprehensive budget in May when he had the benefit of
assessing the state’s April tax receipts, analyzing national financial trends, and determining
the impacts of Washington D.C. policies that could affect California’s revenue projections.
The May Revision process allows the Governor to make those necessary adjustments and
present his recommendations to the legislature for their review. Today the Governor unveiled
a proposed Budget that is not only balanced for 2026-27 but includes a proposal to balance
the Budget through July 2028. While there are some major spending initiatives contained in
Governor Newsom’s plan, there is no new spending proposed for public library programs,
similar to his January Budget.

At the outset of the press conference, the Governor highlighted California’s “dominance” in
manufacturing, agriculture, innovation and new business ventures, which has led to a strong
economy. However, the Governor cautioned that the state is going to continue to be
“impacted by the headwinds” in Washington D.C. as programs that Californians rely upon are
left vulnerable, specifically citing the deep cuts to Medi-Cal and CalFresh. Additionally, the
Governor’s May Revision notes the following: “Inflation is projected to accelerate
considerably in 2026 due to higher energy prices and tariff-related cost pressures...This
acceleration is driven primarily by the sharp rise in global oil prices due to the Iran war, which
is expected to affect a broad range of goods and services, as well as the delayed impact of
tariffs on consumer prices.”

Governor Newsom noted that the state has received $16.5 billion in new revenue beyond his
earlier projections in his January Budget, putting the state on much better footing than what
was anticipated several months ago. A large portion of that new revenue will be directed to
K-12 and community college funding per requirements in law, while another major portion will
go to the state’s mandated “rainy day” fund. In terms of new spending, the Governor’s May
Revision proposes one of the “largest investments in special education in the state’s history,”
he accounts for the $2.2 billion in federal cuts to Medi-Cal, proposes paying down a portion of the state’s unfunded long-term pension liabilities for CalPERS and CalSTRS, and creates a
new “Disaster Rebuilding Fund” for homeowners impacted by fires. The Governor expanded
upon the need to manage spending and balance the budget not only for 2026-27 but also
2027-28 by stressing there are “no big, new ongoing investments. We can’t afford to do that
right now. We need to tighten that belt.”

While it is disappointing that there is no new money proposed for the California Library
Services Act, English as a Second Language Literacy programs, or Lunch at the Library in
the Governor’s Budget, CLA has been actively meeting with legislators, Budget Committee
staff, and other key decision-makers in an effort to get funding included in this year’s state
Budget for these priority programs. No stone is being left unturned in our efforts to try to
secure those critical dollars for the stabilization and continuation of these valuable programs
for library patrons.

The Senate and Assembly Budget Subcommittees in each house have been meeting since
February, examining the Governor’s January Budget proposal and seeking information from
state departments and agencies regarding specific programs under their jurisdiction. For the
next few weeks, these subcommittees will convene regularly to examine the May Revision of
the Governor’s Budget and will begin to start shaping their versions of a Senate Budget and
an Assembly Budget. The legislature must deliver a Budget bill to Governor Newsom by the
June 15th constitutional deadline.

CALL TO ACTION: If you have not yet sent a letter to the individuals listed below,
please do so today. The legislature has received very few letters from CLA members and
supporters, and our collective voices need to be heard. The Budget process will move
quickly over the next few weeks, so time is of the essence.

The most impactful letters are those that contain personal anecdotes indicating why a
program is so critically important to your library, to children, or to literacy learners. Here is
some basic information that you can use to frame your letter:

Dear (Senator) or (Assemblymember):

I would like to respectfully request your support of funding in the 2026-27 State Budget for the
following issues that are so critically important to the public library community:

• 
  California Library Services Act – 6120-211-0001: A $3.2 million increase is
  requested to bring the baseline for this ongoing appropriation to $5 million. The CLSA
  is the collaborative loaning and lending program of the state. Funds are used for the
  physical transport of materials, as well as maximizing purchasing power to create the
  cost-effective sharing of digital resources throughout the nine regions in California.
• English As A Second Language (ESL) Instruction – 6120-213-0001: $3 million in
  ongoing funds is requested to continue this essential program which assists ESL
  learners in developing life-changing communication and literacy skills through a
  program at the library. The library is a welcoming environment where learners can
  thrive. The funding that was previously provided for this program will expire at the end
  of June 2026, leaving thousands of people without service. 
• Lunch At The Library – 6120-140-0001: $2.5 million in ongoing funds is requested,
  which would bring the baseline for this program to $5.5 million. Lunch at the Library
  serves hundreds of thousands of meals to children and teens during the summer
  months at the library or at pop-up events in conjunction with the public library. For
  some of our food insecure youth, this is the only meal that they will receive during the
  day.

[Please insert an example of how your library would benefit from these funds, or please
indicate how your library or program would be negatively impacted without the funds.]

Send your letters to:

The Honorable David Alvarez, Chair
Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance #3
1021 O Street, Suite 5320
Sacramento, CA 95814

cc: The Honorable Jesse Gabriel, Chair, Assembly Budget Committee

Please email Assemblymember Alvarez’s letter to:

assemblymember.alvarez@assembly.ca.gov

and

AsmBudget@asm.ca.gov (Assemblymember Gabriel and Budget staff will receive the letter
here.)

The Honorable Sasha Renee Perez, Chair
Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance #1
1021 O Street, Suite 6720
Sacramento, CA. 95814

cc: The Honorable John Laird, Chair, Senate Budget Committee

Please email Senator Perez’s letter to:

senator.perez@senate.ca.gov

and

SBUD.Committee@senate.ca.gov (Senator Laird and Budget staff will receive the letter
here.)

TO:                  CLA MEMBERS/ SYSTEMS/ NETWORK CONTACTS

FROM:           Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyist

RE:                 News From the Capitol

CLA REPRESENTATIVES ADVOCATE FOR LIBRARY BUDGET FUNDING AT THE STATE CAPITOL

During the month of March, almost two dozen library supporters including trustees, library directors, literacy tutors, and leaders from the California Library Association traveled to Sacramento to indicate their support for funding in the 2026-27 State Budget for three critically important library programs:  the California Library Services Act, Lunch at the Library, and English As a Second Language (ESL) Instruction at public libraries. 

As you may recall, when Governor Newsom unveiled his proposed 2026-27 State Budget in January he did not include any new funding for public library programs.  CLA leaders and I had met with the Governor’s Department of Finance Director and lead DOF Education Unit Leader in the Fall, arguing for new funding for the three programs noted above.  However, when the Governor released his budget, he referred to it as a “workload” budget, meaning that it mostly held the line in comparison to the previous years’ State Budget, and contained very few new spending proposals. The Governor indicated that he would like to wait until after the April tax receipts are received in order to get a better sense of the state’s fiscal picture and then make spending adjustments via his May Revision of the Budget, due by May 14.  In short, no new funding has yet been included, and advocacy efforts are now focused on influencing the Governor’s May Revision.

In the meantime, the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees in each house have been actively meeting as Subcommittees for the purpose of doing a deep dive into Governor Newsom’s budget to examine the various departments and agencies under each subcommittee’s jurisdiction.  (The Senate and Assembly Budget Subcommittees on Education Finance oversee the State Library Budget, for example.) 

On March 3, the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, Chaired by Assemblymember David Alvarez, welcomed CLA representatives, library trustees, and a literacy tutor to testify under “public comment” in support of the three library programs mentioned above.  In the Senate Subcommittee on March 12, Chair Senator Sasha Renee Perez invited a long line of library supporters to come forward to the microphone to comment on the need for funding in this year’s Budget. During their brief testimony, library directors presented clear examples of the fallout from cuts to the California Library Services Act and how the reductions have impacted staff positions and access to materials.  ESL library literacy tutors and literacy program leaders also reminded legislators that the funding previously provided for the adult learning program at public libraries is set to expire in June, which would jeopardize these valuable programs and leave thousands of individuals in need of ESL tutors.  No subcommittee action was taken on these items and Budget discussions will continue at the State Capitol through June.  I want to thank the numerous individuals who took time out of their busy day to join me in the budget subcommittees on March 3 and March 12^th.  Your presence in Sacramento was very important in helping to elevate these issues in the legislature.  The subcommittee members and staff appreciated your comments and engagement.

ACTION REQUESTED:  LEGISLATORS NEED TO HEAR FROM CLA MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS ON BUDGET FUNDING ISSUES

Decisions made in the May Revision will directly determine whether these programs are sustained, expanded, or reduced, making immediate outreach critical.

This year, members of the legislature are having to tackle the costly and programmatic impacts of HR 1 (the federal bill), on health and human services programs in the state budget.  Meanwhile, countless advocacy groups are hoping to secure funding for their programs affecting higher education, energy, climate change, homelessness and housing, child care, etc.  The competition for state budget funding this year will be fierce, and it is incumbent upon all CLA members and library supporters to send a very brief note to the legislators listed below in order to generate a high level of support and sense of urgency for the budget funding that CLA is requesting.  Letters need to be sent no later than April 30. 

The most impactful letters are those that contain personal anecdotes indicating why a program is so critically important to your library, to children, or to literacy learners.  Here is some basic information that you can use to frame your letter:

Dear (Senator) or (Assemblymember):

I would like to respectfully request your support of funding in the 2026-27 State Budget for the following issues that are so critically important to the public library community:

• California Library Services Act – 6120-211-0001:A $3.2 million increase is requested to bring the baseline for this ongoing appropriation to $5 million.The CLSA is the collaborative loaning and lending program of the state.Funds are used for the physical transport of materials, as well as maximizing purchasing power to create the cost-effective sharing of digital resources throughout the nine regions in California.
• English As A Second Language (ESL) Instruction – 6120-213-0001:$3 million in ongoing funds is requested to continue this essential program which assists ESL learners in developing life-changing communication and literacy skills through a program at the library.The library is a welcoming environment where learners can thrive.The funding that was previously provided for this program will expire at the end of June 2026, leaving thousands of people without service.
• Lunch At The Library – 6120-140-0001:$2.5 million in ongoing funds is requested, which would bring the baseline for this program to $5.5 million.Lunch at the Library serves hundreds of thousands of meals to children and teens during the summer months at the library or at pop-up events in conjunction with the public library.For some of our food insecure youth, this is the only meal that they will receive during the day.

[Please insert an example of how your library would benefit from these funds, or please indicate how your library or program would be negatively impacted without the funds.]

Send your letters to:

The Honorable David Alvarez, Chair

Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance #3

1021 O Street, Suite 5320

Sacramento, CA  95814

cc:  The Honorable Jesse Gabriel, Chair, Assembly Budget Committee

Please email Assemblymember Alvarez’s letter to:

assemblymember.alvarez@assembly.ca.gov

and

AsmBudget@asm.ca.gov  (Assemblymember Gabriel and Budget staff will receive the letter here.)

The Honorable Sasha Renee Perez, Chair

Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance #1

1021 O Street, Suite 6720

Sacramento, CA.   95814

cc:  The Honorable John Laird, Chair, Senate Budget Committee

Please email Senator Perez’s letter to: 

senator.perez@senate.ca.gov

and

SBUD.Committee@senate.ca.gov  (Senator Laird and Budget staff will receive the letter here.)

SENATE BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE CONDUCTS OVERSIGHT OF STATE LIBRARY’S ROLE IN DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM

CLA is closely monitoring recent legislative oversight related to the State Library’s role in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program. We remain committed to supporting transparency, accountability, and the long-term success of this important early literacy initiative.

A number of library directors and library staff have recently requested information regarding two Senate Budget Subcommittee hearings held on March 12 and March 19 at the State Capitol, pertaining to the State Library’s role in the implementation of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.  The level of interest in this issue by CLA members was a direct result of the media coverage of these hearings by print and television news outlets.  Several libraries and their local partners also have active Dolly Parton Imagination Library programs and are questioning what this media coverage and discussion at the Capitol means for the future of their existing programs. In light of these developments, here is some information regarding what has transpired to date. 

As you may recall, in 2022 Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) introduced SB 1183, which was also championed by then Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego).  The bi-partisan measure, supported by CLA, received overwhelming support from the legislature and was signed by Governor Newsom.  It created a Dolly Parton Imagination Library program in California, allowing children aged 0 to 5 years old to receive books at their home free of charge in participating communities.  The program currently operates in numerous states and is the brainchild of famous country singer, Dolly Parton herself.  Senators Grove and Atkins simultaneously pushed for the inclusion of $68 million in the State Budget for the program’s implementation and the legislation tasked the State Library with the roll-out of the program.  However, during the 2024 and 2025 State Budget deliberations, action was taken to remove approximately 90% of the $68 million in funding given to the State Library, due to concerns over delays and the implementation itself. 

On March 12, 2026 the Senate’s Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, Chaired by Senator Sasha Renee Perez (D-Altadena) asked the State Librarian Greg Lucas to appear before the subcommittee in order to address the subcommittee’s concerns regarding $650,000 in missing state funds from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program and to explain the creation of a related non-profit called the “Strong Reader Partnership.”  In a background document produced by the subcommittee, they note:  “Budget committee staff has requested from the California State Library corroborating receipts, invoices, and final bank statements from the Strong Reader Partnership to understand the expenditures with the stated activities in its report, and requested the additional information on the following dates:  1) November 5, 2025, 2) November 13, 2025, 3) December 3, 2025, 4) January 5, 2026, 5) January 22, 2026, 6) February 17, 2026.  To date, the California State Library has not provided these documents.”    At the hearing, Senator Perez told the State Librarian, “I find this to be incredibly concerning.  There’s $650,000 that’s been unaccounted for in a program, a bipartisan effort that was intended to increase literacy among children.  This is incredibly serious.”  While not a member of the subcommittee, Senator Shannon Grove was invited to sit in on the hearing in order to hear directly from the State Librarian regarding, among other things, why the State Library formed its own non-profit (including an Executive Director and board of directors) to implement the program, rather than working directly with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library team.  Senator Perez was clear in her insistence that the State Library must produce receipts and banks statements associated with the missing $650,000 by her deadline of Thursday, March 12.  CLA continues to engage with legislative partners and stakeholders to ensure that any concerns are addressed in a manner that supports the program’s stability and long-term success.

However, at the March 12^th Senate follow-up hearing, Chairwoman Perez announced that the subcommittee did not receive documents from the State Library until 5:45 p.m. the night prior, and thus, they did not have enough time to thoroughly review what had been submitted to their subcommittee.  A hearing of the State Library/Dolly Parton Imagination Library has now been noticed for Tuesday, April 6^th at 9:30 a.m. in the Senate Budget Subcommittee.  CLA will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as additional information becomes available.

Despite these developments, program operations and partnerships across the state continue. In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding your existing Dolly Parton Imagination Library program or are interested in creating a new program in your area, please feel free to reach out to the new California team that is in place, working directly with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. You may contact either State Director Melinda Ramos-Alatorre at malatorre@ca.imaginationlibrary.com  or Kalifa Madden at kmadden@ca.imaginationlibrary.com.   In a note to libraries and groups that currently participate in the program, Director Melinda Ramos-Alatorre writes: 

Dear Partners,

Some of you may have seen discussion related to a recent legislative hearing. We want to reassure you that the work of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in California continues and funding remains stable. Our focus is the same as it has always been expanding access to the program and getting books into the hands of young children across our communities. We are grateful for the work each of you are doing and for your continued partnership in helping children build a love of reading from the very beginning. There is no immediate concern regarding funding at this time. Our team is in close communication with Senate leadership in California and will revisit legislation when necessary.

For now, we remain committed to our purpose of providing young children across the state with access to books that inspire a love of reading.

TO:                 CLA MEMBERS/ SYSTEMS/ NETWORK CONTACTS

FROM:           Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyist

RE:                 News From the Capitol

GOVERNOR NEWSOM’S 2026-27 STATE BUDGET

January proposal unveiled on Friday is a “workload budget” with very few areas of new spending

On Thursday, January 8, Governor Newsom appeared before the California State Legislature in a joint session in the Assembly chamber, to deliver his final State of the State address as Governor.  The Governor used the event to highlight several of the major components of his 2026-27 January Budget, which was to be released the following morning.  Governor Newsom indicated that revenues were coming in billions of dollars higher than previously forecasted which, he noted, would help to address portions of the structural deficit that the State’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office has pegged as an $18 billion hole in the Budget.  The Governor’s Budget projects only a $2.9 billion deficit for 2026-27 by counting on these new revenues.  The Governor highlighted several major accomplishments of his Administration and the legislature during his time in office, including in the areas of education, public safety, childcare, housing climate change, and others. 

The following day, instead of presenting the 2026-27 State Budget himself, the Governor turned to his Director of the Department of Finance to present the Governor’s Budget to the press corps and the public watching via the livestream.   Of note, there are no proposed increases to any library programs in the State Library portion of the Budget – it is merely a status quo Budget, wherein all funding stays at its current budgeted levels.  For example, in 2025-26 the California Library Services Act was funded at $1.8 million in ongoing funds.  The Governor’s proposed 2026-27 Budget holds that funding at $1.8 million again.  Similarly, Lunch at the Library remains funded at $3 million in ongoing funds.  The only new library-related funding that was included in the Budget is a proposal to provide $6.8 million in ongoing funding for the popular California Parks Pass, which would create some stability in the program, rather than having to rely on “one-time” funding each Budget cycle.

During the Fall, CLA made a concentrated push with both the Department of Finance and individual legislators to try to obtain support for new funding in the January Budget for:  1) the California Library Services Act, 2) Lunch at the Library, 3)  English as a Second Language Instruction, and 4) Funding to create a statewide artificial intelligence and digital literacy learning network to help libraries, librarians, and communities access training, resources, and best practices.   When I reached out to the Department of Finance last Friday to get some clarity as to why there was no new funding included in the Budget for the four items that CLA is requesting funding for, their representative indicated that it was because “only workload budget requests were considered while we were building the Governor’s Budget.”  The representative cited a letter sent to all Departments and Agencies in August of 2025 which highlights concerns about the ongoing economic uncertainty and “elevated risks primarily due to recent federal policy changes and potential cuts in federal spending that could significantly impact core programs.”  As such, the memo reads, “Finance will consider proposals for existing or ongoing information technology and capital outlay projects, technical requests, and a limited number of workload budget proposals necessary to maintain current service levels for existing authorized services.” 

During the remarks made last Friday by the Director of the Department of Finance, Joe Stephenshaw at the presentation of the Governor’s Budget, he expanded upon the “workload budget,” by stating, “In the overall approach we are taking, similar to last year, we are building a workload budget.  But we’re not including any new significant changes, which means we are funding the cost increases and changes for existing baseline programs and services but we are not including any significant new adjustments or changes to the Governor’s Budget, and really want to wait and monitor the changes in revenues and spending over the next couple of months.  And, like the last year, really prepare for the May Revise.  And the plan is to ensure that we are taking everything into account and presenting a plan at the May Revise that balances not only in the Budget year but also looks at the framework – the structure of the Budget in the Budget year and beyond – and ensures that year is also fiscally sound.” 

Thus, the Governor’s 2026-27 Budget proposes that – even with the strong revenues coming in to the state right now, it would be more prudent to wait until California takes in revenue for the next few months - which would include the annual April tax receipts - and then create a spending plan in May, when the Governor releases his updated version of the January Budget, known as the “May Revision” or “May Revise.”  This approach means that CLA will have to appeal to legislators and legislative staff in the annual State Budget process to press for funding for the 4 library programs mentioned above.  In March and April, Budget Subcommittees overseeing various portions of the Budget, including the State Library, will begin discussing the Governor’s Budget and will hold public hearings.  After the May Revision is released, the Assembly and Senate will develop a “Budget” in their respective houses. They will begin negotiations in earnest with the Governor and his staff in late May and June to see if a compromise can be reached. 

Finally, you may be wondering how there could be such a sizeable delta between what the Legislative Analyst has projected in terms of the revenue forecast and the deficit versus the sunnier projections by the Governor’s Department of Finance.   Notably, what is driving the surge in revenues is higher tax receipts for personal income tax, largely driven by the boom in artificial intelligence and tech stocks.  Director Stephenshaw addresses the delta in this manner:  “The biggest difference in forecasts is the LAO forecasted a significant risk of stock market downturn into their forecast.  We don’t build in downturns and recessions into our forecasts.  What we have traditionally done is note those as risks.  We do note that if there is a stock market correction to the tune of about 20%, that would have an impact on our revenues in the budget window to the degree of up to $30 billion.”

In the coming weeks, CLA will provide helpful talking points, advocacy tips, and key legislator lists to the membership in the hopes that you will participate in grassroots advocacy on behalf of critical library funding over the course of the next few months. 

CLA 2025 Election Results

In accordance with Section XII, Article 6 of the CLA Bylaws, here are the certified results of the 2025 CLA Board and Officers Election.

213 votes cast

3 votes disallowed for not being a current member.

9 votes disallowed for not using a valid member number

*Note - Not everyone cast votes in every race

Tina joined CLA in 2010 when she was a student at SJSU’s iSchool and has been a member ever since. During her time in CLA, she has been a member of the conference Awards Committee, the Membership Committee, a co-founder of the Special Libraries Interest Group, and has been an active contributor to the annual conference. A common theme throughout Tina’s career has been mentoring other librarians, both those who are new to the profession and those who are looking to transition to a new area of librarianship. She is currently mentoring a library school student through LAPL’s mentoring program and has served in the past as a Conference Buddy for first-time attendees at CLA. She has presented at CLA on the topic of mentorship as a form of leadership and played a key role in developing and facilitating the 5-Minute Mentoring program at the conference for the last three years. Tina’s early involvement with CLA as a student was instrumental in helping her discover her career path and she loves sharing her enthusiasm for the organization with other members, especially students. Everyone who knows Tina, knows how much she loves a good conference and networking at CLA’s annual conference and meeting up with peers locally have been important to her throughout her career.

During her term on the Membership Committee, Tina generously donated her time and graphic arts expertiseto design the conference t-shirts and pins for the past three years. Despiteher term on the Membership Committee ending in 2024, Tina volunteered to stay on this year to design the conference t-shirt once again. In early 2025, catastrophic fires in Southern California caused indescribable damage, displaced scores, and destroyed individual and collective senses of community.  Tina was among those directly impacted by the Eaton fire in Altadena and was displaced from her home and community for most of 2025. Throughout this time, she continued to show up for her CLA community, worked hard to create this year's conference t-shirt, and kept a sense of joy and hopefulness within her that she continuously shared with the Membership and Awards Committees. We appreciate Tina’s thoughtfulness, dedication, and willingness to continue contributing to the CLA community in the face of tragedy. For this and everything else, we are proud to celebrate Tina Lerno as CLA’s 2025 Member of the Year!

• Shirley A. Coaston
  Shirley A. Coaston was awarded in 2020 the Trailblazer Award by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, the highest award given to a member in recognition of outstanding and unique pioneering contributions. She was an early member of the Northern California Chapter of the California Librarians Black Caucus (CLBC), and assisted to facilitate the transition to a single, statewide organization. Shirley has chaired the California Librarians Black Caucus Scholarship Committee for several years, and serves as mentor to library personnel ranging from students to early career and seasoned library staff. Despite being retired, Coaston, continues to be active in the library community, the college district and nationally, giving of her time and resources to advocate for libraries at the local, state and national level.
  

• Susan Curzon
  Susan Curzon’s distinguished career profoundly shaped library services in California, both in academic and public libraries, and her leadership left a lasting impact at the local, state, and national levels. As Dean of the University Library at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) from 1992 to 2010, she transformed the library’s collections and embraced digital innovation.  Following the devastating 1994 Northridge earthquake, she led the ambitious reconstruction of CSUN’s damaged 235,000-square-foot library.  Her impact extended to leading the development of a system-wide information literacy program across 23 campuses. She also championed the CSU Virtual Library initiative, which broadened digital access for students statewide. Previously, Sue directed the City of Glendale Library system and held key leadership roles within the Los Angeles County Public Library, managing adult services and multiple branches serving diverse communities.  Her influence extended far beyond California. She was named Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year in 1993, a national recognition of her leadership and innovation. She authored multiple books, including Managing the Interview and Managing Change, as well as co-editing Proven Strategies for Building an Information Literacy Program, which became essential reading for librarians nationwide. She was a sought-after speaker, delivering keynote addresses and presentations on topics such as disaster recovery, library management, and the future of libraries. She earned a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, writing her dissertation on executive dissent. She also holds a Master’s degree in Librarianship from the University of Washington and a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Riverside. 
  

• Holly Hinman
  Holly Hinman was a library trailblazer, first as the director of the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System, and then as director of Burbank Public Library, and Library Services Manager in Beverly Hills. From 1994 until 2015, when she retired, she was director of the Infopeople Project, the premier collaborative for library innovation and training in California. Following an extensive evaluation and review of previous library leadership efforts in California and elsewhere, she initiated the Eureka! Leadership Program in 2006, thus producing many of today’s library directors. Holly was president of the California Library Association in 1986 and CLA Member of the Year in 2004. She died in 2024.
  

• Dora T. Ho
  Dora T Ho worked for over 30 years at the Los Angeles Public Library including one of the first staff to serve in the then newly minted Young Adult Services Department in the late 1990s. For over 22 years, Dora was an ALA Councilor, including 3 years as an ALA Executive Board member. For over a decade, she has served as the Treasurer for the Joint Council of Librarians of Color. During her long career, she mentored many new librarians, both formally and informally, through the UCLA Mentorship program and the APALA Mentorship program, as well as through her involvement and connections with various other professional development organizations.
  

• Dr. Charles Monell, M.D. 
  Dr. Charles Monell, M.D. has demonstrated an exceptional record of leadership and dedication to California’s library community over more than four decades. He served with distinction as a member of the California Library Services Board from 1980 to 1994 — appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, Willie Brown — where he helped shape policy and funding priorities that strengthened library services statewide. He was also a founding board member of the California State Library Foundation. By championing state funding opportunities and building strong partnerships with civic leaders, he helped demonstrate the impact that committed local advocates can have on securing sustainable support for public libraries.
  

• W. Elmo Reavis (1877-1959) 
  W. Elmo Reavis established the Pacific Library Binding Company in Los Angeles in 1912 to focus solely on bookbinding for libraries. Mr. Reavis taught bookbinding classes at the Los Angeles Public Library Training School (1913-1932), and the Riverside Library Service School (1914-1922). It was important to Reavis that librarians understood bookbinding so they could make informed choices about what sort of binding and lettering, they needed in order to maximize their budgets. He patented several pieces of bookbinding machinery that were used universally, most notably a book sewing machine manufactured by the Oversewing Machine Company, a company that he co-founded to manufacture bookbinding machinery in 1918.
  

• C. James Schmidt 
  

  C. James “Jim” Schmidt was former university librarian and professor emeritus at San Jose State University (SJSU) School of Information. A career librarian, he previously served as library director at State University of New York at Albany and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He was also vice president and chief operating officer of the Research Libraries Group (1981-1989), a member and chair of ALA's Intellectual Freedom Committee (1985-1989), president of the Freedom to Read Foundation (1990-1992), a recipient of the Robert B Downs Intellectual Freedom Award (1990) and a recipient of the Beta Phi Mu Award (2009). Jim Schmidt was also a subject matter expert on joint-use libraries, following his involvement with the creation of the King Library in San Jose, which is jointly operated by SJSU and San Jose Public Library. Jim Schmidt’s extensive career in California included serving on the California State University Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology, California State University Council of Library Directors, the Networking Task Force for the State Library of California and the Network Advisory Committee on the Library of Congress. His master's degree was from Columbia University and he had a Ph.D. from Florida State University.

To read more about all of the inductees in the California Library Hall of Fame, all biographies (with photos) are here.

We encourage you to use these priorities as talking points when meeting with your local legislators. Every conversation helps reinforce the critical role libraries play across California and underscores the importance of restoring, sustaining, and expanding funding for vital programs.

Your advocacy matters. Legislators are more likely to support our shared goals when they hear directly from constituents about the impact libraries have in their communities. Please take the time to schedule a meeting with your legislators in the coming weeks to highlight these priorities and emphasize the urgent need for investment in our libraries. You can find a trove of advocacy resources on CLA’s webpage to get started. Reach out to members of CLA’s Advocacy & Legislation Committee if you need additional support.

Together, we can ensure California libraries continue to thrive as centers of learning, equity, and resilience for all.

Genesis Hansen, 2025 CLA President

2025 CLA PRExcellence Award Winners!

The PRExcellence Awards honor the highest quality efforts of California libraries in promoting and communicating their message to their customers.

The CLA PRExcellence webpage is being updated and will be available soon. Please check back for more information about the winning entries.

2025 PRExcellence Awards

Under $10 Million Budget  - Print

Entry: National Library Week 2024

Award Winner: Ontario City Library

Under $10 Million Budget  - Electronic 

Entry: Looking for a Book in Fiction

Award Winner: Camarillo Public Library

Under $10 Million Budget  -  Event or Campaign

(A tie between two entries)

Entry: Bob Lucas Memorial Library Closure/Renovation Campaign

Award Winner: Altadena Library District

Entry: Taylor Swift (Library Version) at Placentia Library

Award Winner: Placentia Library District

Under $10 Million Budget  - Wild Card

Entry: The Book

Award Winner: Fullerton Public Library

$10 - $30 Million Budget  - Print

Entry: Zombee’s Winter Reading Fest!

Award Winner: Anaheim Public Library

$10 - $30 Million Budget  - Electronic 

Entry: So Much To Do at the Library: Say Less!

Award Winner: Long Beach Public Library

$10 - $30 Million Budget  -  Event or Campaign

Entry: Celebrating 140 Years – Past. Present. Future.

Award Winner: Pasadena Public Library

$10 - $30 Million Budget  - Wild Card

Entry: Mr. Phil vs. Banned Books

Award Winner: Solano County Library

Over $30 Million Budget – Print

Entry: SJPL’s Student Library Card Folder

Award Winner: San Jose Public Library

Over $30 Million Budget – Event or Campaign

Entry: SJPL’s Doing the Fine Free Wave

Award Winner: San Jose Public Library

Best in Show

The award winner will be formally announced during the CLA Conference Awards Gala!

Awards Gala Event

Please join us as we recognize these (and many other award winners) at the CLA Awards Gala on Friday, October 24, 2025 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside, CA. Tickets may be purchased through the CLA conference website. 

Examples of all of the PRExcellence award winners will be on display in the Exhibit Hall throughout the entire 2025 CLA Conference. 

Finally, a BIG thank you to Sharon Tani, Chair and the members of the 2025 PRExcellence Committee for their great work!

It is with great pleasure to announce the recipients of this year's CLA awards and scholarships:

Awards

The John and Patricia Beatty Award

For Children’s, Barrio Rising: The Protest That Built Chicano Park by Maria Dolores Aguila

For Teens, Rising From the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992: Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire by Paula Yoo

Technical Services Award of Merit

Mary Kocman, Technical Services Department Head at Palos Verdes Library District

Outstanding Librarian in Support of Literacy

Leila Hassen, City Librarian at the Azusa City Library

Young Adult Services Award

Jessica Lundin, Teen Librarian at TeenHQ at San José Public Library

PRExcellence Awards

The PRExcellence Awards will be announced separately with 2025 Best in Show announced at the CLA Annual Conference Awards Gala.

Zoia Horn Intellectual Freedom Award

Al Muratsuchi, California Assemblymember, 66^th Assembly District

CLA President’s Award

Carol Frost, Executive Director, Peninsula Library System

Scholarships

The Begun Scholarship 

Emily Hammond, Student at San Jose State University

The CLA Scholarship For Black, Indigenous, People of Color Students In Memory Of Edna Yelland

Jennifer Perez Lara, Student at San Jose State University

Robert Karatsu Conference Scholarship

Britt Navarro, Student at University of Southern California

Jennifer Perez Lara, Student at San Jose State University

Krosheska Portillo, Student at University of Southern California

Starla Villalba, Adult Services Librarian at Ontario City Library

These remarkable librarians and leaders exemplify the very best of our profession, and we are honored to celebrate their achievements and contributions to California's library community.

Please mark your calendars and join us as we honor these award recipients at our CLA Awards Gala on Friday, October 24, 2025, from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. This special evening will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate these extraordinary individuals while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and networking with colleagues as we embrace our conference theme of "Telling Our Own Stories."

*Tickets are required, and we encourage you to reserve yours soon.*

We can’t wait to gather with you to celebrate and recognize the outstanding achievements across our profession.  Looking forward to seeing you in Riverside!

The conference planner is now posted. Visit the 2025 Conference planner website for the full line-up! 

Telling Our Own Stories - Conference Planner

The 2025 California Library Association (CLA) conference, “Telling Our Own Stories”, is now open for registration! 

This year’s conference will be held at the Riverside Convention Center from October 23^rd to the 25^th.  To learn more about the keynote speaker, hotel options, program schedule (the full program will drop before the end of June), fun things to do in Riverside and to register for the conference, head to: https://www.CLA-Conference.org.

We hope to see you in Riverside for the 2025 CLA Conference!

During a press conference in Sacramento this morning, Governor Gavin Newsom
released his “May Revision” of the 2025-26 State Budget, which includes his spending
priorities as well as his specific plans to close a $12 billion shortfall. In the May Revise
document released simultaneously with the Governor’s press conference, the Governor
notes that the state was actually on pace to be $7.9 billion above its earlier projected
revenue estimates and was expecting to have a “modest surplus in fiscal year 2025-26”
were it not for large expenditure increases in the state’s Medi-Cal program and the
substantial changes in federal policy, specifically broad-based tariffs.”

In his opening statement, the Governor indicated that “California is under assault” from
the federal government and expressed his disappointment with the Administration’s
suspensions and cuts to research dollars for universities, and “libraries and knowledge,”
and other critical areas. The Governor explained that the Administration’s actions have
caused “deep uncertainty” for the state when attempting to craft a balanced budget.
Tourism, the Governor stated, contributes $157.3 billion to California’s economy but is
down 11% in the month of March due to declines in travel traffic from Germany, the
United Kingdom, and Canada. There has also been a $10 billion decline in capital
gains taxes and a decrease of $2.5 billion in corporate taxable profits, among other
previously unanticipated decreases, due to fallout from federal actions.

In terms of May Revision actions affecting the California State Library, the Governor
does not propose any cuts to two popular programs – Lunch at the Library and the
California Library Services Act (and he did not propose cuts to those programs in his
January Budget). Currently, there is $3 million in ongoing funds for the Lunch at the
Library program in the Budget, and there is $1.8 million in ongoing funds in the Budget
for the California Library Services Act. This is the same amount of funding that was
approved in the 2024-25 Budget – no changes. CLA has requested that the legislature
provide funding restoration for these programs, as they were both cut in 2024-25.

The Governor does make two notes in his May Revision regarding the impact of the
loss of federal funding on the State Library operations and library programs. The
Governor acknowledges that it would be challenging to assume that the State Library
will receive any LSTA dollars for 2025-26 based on what is currently transpiring in
Washington D.C., and he and his Department of Finance are choosing to not account
for any of the previously anticipated $16 million for LSTA in this year’s Budget. It should
be noted that during the Governor’s press conference today, he reiterated that it will not
be possible for the state to backfill the loss of federal funds affecting various
departments and agencies due to the substantial size and scope of those cuts. He then
added that there are “some categories where we can address some concerns.” There
is no doubt that a $16 million loss of LSTA funds in California will affect critical library
programs and the impacts will be felt widely. The Governor also proposes shifting
unspent dollars in a current program at the State Library pertaining to digital
preservation, in order to backfill some of the State Library positions that are funded
through federal dollars. Here is the specific text from the Governor’s May Revision
pertaining to the State Library:

“In April 2025, the State Library received a notice from the acting director of the federal
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) informing them that their federal grant
through the IMLS was terminated. As a result of this mid-year action, the State Library
was forced to forego $3.4 million of an expected $15.7 million in federal grant support
for 2024-25. The grant funds supported both State Library personnel and grants to local
libraries to promote resource sharing across diverse populations within communities
and the implementation of equitable programming.

Prior to the federal grant elimination, the State Library estimated the federal allocation to
California to be $16 million in 2025-26. In recognition of the uncertainty created for the
proposed grant elimination, the May Revision removes the ongoing authority for these
funds beginning in 2025-26.

To provide resources to support federally funded positions at the State Library, the May
Revision reallocated $4.3 million one-time General Fund from a 2022 Budget allocation
for the Comprehensive Digitization Strategy Initiative to augment resources for Library
personnel in 2024-25 and 2025-26.”

In terms of next steps: the various Budget Subcommittees, assigned to specific
sections of the State Budget - such as K-12 education and the State Library - will
commence hearings on the May Revision of the Budget early next week. The
Subcommittees have the latitude to accept the Governor’s proposals, make reductions
or changes, and propose their own solutions. The Assembly Speaker Rob Rivas and
Senate President pro Tem Mike McGuire will enter into negotiations with Governor
Newsom during this period in an effort to send a Budget bill to the Governor’s desk by
the legislature’s constitutional deadline of June 15.

On April 1, 2025, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) abruptly terminated all active federal library grants, including the Grants to States program, citing a new Executive Order from President Trump. Over 21% of California’s 2024–25 grant funding remains unpaid, leaving critical programs unfunded and thousands of residents without support. Read the full press release from the California State Library here.

The sudden termination of IMLS funding threatens vital library programs across California — from early literacy and summer reading to broadband access, workforce development, and services for veterans, rural residents, and visually impaired individuals.

Library workers, Friends, trustees, volunteers — and most importantly, community members — must act now.

👉 Call your Congressional representatives, especially Republican members of California’s delegation, and tell them: Reinstitute and reauthorize IMLS and restore critical federal library funding.

Community members in these districts are strongly encouraged to contact your congressional representatives:

• Doug LaMalfa, 1st District, Phone (530) 343-1000
• Keven Kiley, 3rd District, Phone (916) 724-2575
• Tom McClintock, 5th District, Phone (916) 786-5560
• Vince Fong, 20th District, Phone: (559) 701-2530
• David Valadao, 22nd District, Phone (661) 864-7736
• Jay Obernolte, 23rd District, Phone (760) 247-1815
• Young Kim, 40th District, Phone (714) 984-2440
• Ken Calvert, 41st District, Phone (951) 277-0042
• Darrell Issa, 48th District, Phone: (760) 304-7575

These funds are not optional. They’re a promise to our communities, and it’s time to hold our leaders accountable.

Libraries are vital. These cuts are unacceptable. Visit SaveIMLS.org to make your voice heard. Find your representative here.

2023-2024, California received $15.9 million in Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)

funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, or 40 cents per Californian.

Federal funds support veterans, allow for group purchasing of materials, and improve literacy for

job seekers. LSTA funding fills gaps in library budgets and frees local funding to meet local

needs.

Click to see the infographic

Beth Wrenn-Estes is retiring as Executive Director of the California Library Association (CLA) effective March 31st, 2025. Beth has served in several positions with CLA including volunteering as a member, Board Member, and Treasurer before joining the staff as Business Manager in 2017. She has been Executive Director for the past two years. Her tenure demonstrates her commitment to organizational excellence and financial stewardship.

In addition to her work with CLA, Beth’s induction into the California Libraries Hall of Fame in October of 2024 showcases her many contributions to the profession. She has been a lecturer for San Jose State University for over 12 years, winning such accolades as the iSchool's Outstanding Teacher Award and The Most Distinguished Faculty Service Award. Her research pursuits and commitment to education ensure a legacy both within California and nationally, and her unwavering dedication to advancing the mission of libraries and empowering communities through knowledge and literacy is truly deserving of recognition and celebration. 

The CLA Board expresses our gratitude to Beth for her years of dedicated service, and wishes her the very best in her retirement.

LIBRARY LITERACY PROGRAMS CELEBRATE
FOUR DECADES OF SERVICE
Reception to be held in Pasadena, California

Pasadena, California - California Library Literacy Services, a program of the California State Library, will celebrate its 40^th anniversary at the Pasadena Convention Center on October 17, 6:30 p.m., during the California Library Association Conference. Library staff, volunteer tutors, and adult learners will gather from across the state to commemorate forty years of transforming the lives of thousands of adults through increased literacy skills. Attendees will include former State Librarian Gary Strong who launched the program in 1984 and the program's early staff members Al Bennett and Carole Talan.

Chef Curtis Aikens, a founding host and chef of The Food Network, will be the featured speaker. He will share his story of learning to read at the age of 26 at the Marin County Library, one of the first California Library Literacy Services programs established. Since then, he has authored seven books which highlight his struggles and successes and his passion of food and cooking which has given him place in Julia Child's kitchen located in the Smithsonian, and he has become an advocate and speaker for literacy.

Also on the program is an overview of California Library Literacy Services adapted from the newly released book A Guide to Literacy Services in California Public Libraries: A Practice  of Community and a screening of a new film to complement the book.

CLLS 40^th Anniversary Reception Tickets may be purchased in advance through EventBrite for $25, or at the door for $30. The event is sponsored by ProLiteracy/New Readers Press, a national organization that builds the capacity of adult literacy programs to transform lives and com munities, and by LearningQuest - Stanislaus Literacy Centers, as well as many other donors and supporters.

California Library Literacy Services was developed in 1984 as the first statewide library-based adult literacy program in the United States. Since then, library literacy programs have grown from 27 to 106 programs in California libraries and have helped more than 300,000 adult learners and their families achieve their reading, writing, digital, math, and other important goals and aspirations. These programs for adults and families are successful because public libraries are trusted spaces at the heart of the com munity. For more information contact Beverly Schwartzberg, Library Programs Consultant, at 916-701-6880, clls@library.ca.gov

--30--

TO:                 CLA MEMBERS/ SYSTEMS/ NETWORK CONTACTS

FROM:           Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyist

RE:                 News From the Capitol

1. “FREEDOM TO READ” BILL SENT TO GOVERNOR’S DESK

    

   August 31^st marked the close of the 2023-24 legislative session, when the California State Senate and Assembly raced to meet a midnight deadline to pass bills in their respective houses.  Over the course of the last week of Session, the legislature voted on approximately 1,000 pieces of legislation including major issues such as artificial intelligence, restrictions on the siting of warehouses in communities, regulating the use of plastic bags at stores, and several privacy bills.  A late-night stalemate between the two houses on the final evening caused several pieces of legislation to fail passage because they simply ran out of time.

   One bill of great interest to the California Library Association – AB 1825-Muratsuchi, pertaining to the “Freedom to Read” - passed the Senate and Assembly during the final days of Session and is on the Governor’s desk. 

   What is AB 1825-Muratsuchi?

   AB 1825, called the “Freedom to Read Act” was introduced early in the 2024 Session by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), the Chair of the Assembly Education Committee.  The bill would require public libraries that receive direct funding from the state, to adopt and maintain a written and publicly accessible collection development policy and submit that policy to the State Library for review by January 1, 2026.  Additionally, the bill states that policies:

• Should “create a process for community members to share their concerns regarding library materials and to request that library materials be reconsidered for inclusion in the library’s collection.
• Guide the selection and deselection of library materials.
• Acknowledge that the public library’s collection meets the broad and diverse interests of the community and respects both the library’s autonomy and their specific community needs.
• Establish that the public library serves as a center for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas.
• Acknowledge that library materials should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people and should present diverse points of view in the collection as a whole.
• Acknowledge the right of the public to receive access to a range of social, political, aesthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences.”

   

  The measure states all of the principles by which library materials shall not be excluded from a collection, such as race, nationality, gender identity, etc.  The bill also protects librarians, library media specialists, and other employees from termination for refusing to remove an item from the collection before it has been reviewed.  Finally, AB 1825 notes that the governing board (e.g. a city council or county board of supervisors) may not “proscribe or prohibit the circulation or procurement of, or access to, any library materials in the public library because of the topic addressed by the materials or because of the views, ideas, or opinions contained in those materials.” 

  What were the early challenges with AB 1825?

  The intent of the bill was laudable. However, as CLA members know, the devil is always in the details when it comes to legislation and creating new laws.  Thus, it may surprise some readers to learn that early in the legislative process, the CLA Legislative Committee and Executive Board had taken an “oppose, unless amended” position on AB 1825.  Initially, the author’s office crafted the bill using suggested language from the American Library Association and the ACLU.  The bill would have tethered individual library policies to the ALA’s “Bill of Rights and its interpretations.”  Not only is the “Bill of Rights” a voluminous, far-ranging document, but because it is a document sponsored by a membership association, it would be completely inappropriate to align policy statute with a document that has the potential to change on a regular basis.  The bill also contained a private right of action, which would have allowed anyone to sue a public library relative to a book ban or objection to the library facilities use policies.  AB 1825 also did not recognize the fact that California communities are diverse and, as a result communities need to have the flexibility to create policies that address the needs of their patrons.  Lastly, AB 1825 seemed to suggest that local governments and not public library staff could make granular library collection development policy decisions.  

  How were CLA’s objections resolved?

  CLA worked exhaustively over the course of several months attempting to amend the bill in a way that addressed the concerns of the public library community.  The bill was referred to four policy committees and two fiscal committees, which required extensive engagement with the legislature.  Assemblymember Muratsuchi is to be applauded for agreeing to participate in two separate hour-long meetings with CLA representatives, where we painstakingly went through the bill, line-by-line, until an agreement could be reached on the language.  Assemblymember Muratsuchi said it was very helpful for him to hear directly from library directors, who could explain how certain components of the bill would or would not work in a practical sense. State Librarian Greg Lucas also met with the Assemblymember and his Chief of Staff and offered technical assistance and a potential framework that was ultimately endorsed by CLA. 
  
  

  AB 1825 then headed to the Senate Education Committee for hearing in late June.  The newly incorporated amendments gave full authority to library directors and staff to establish library collection development policies, and also removed the private right of action and other objectionable pieces.  These new amendments allowed CLA to remove its opposition and move to a “support” position.  Crystal Duran, Library Director for the Belvedere Tiburon Library, testified in support of the bill in Education Committee, alongside a representative from the ACLU.  (Equality California was also a strong supporter.)  Crystal publicly expressed CLA’s gratitude to the author for working so extensively with the association in order to alleviate remaining concerns and stated that “library directors and staff believe in protecting intellectual freedom.  We support the right of California library patrons to have access to a diverse body of materials that educate, inspire, inform, and enlighten.” 

   

  The Senate Judiciary Committee was the final policy committee hearing, where I testified on behalf of CLA.  After spending time with the Senate Judiciary Committee consultant (an attorney who had studied case law in this area), she noted that additional clarifying amendments were needed in order to protect public libraries, and CLA agreed to those amendments prior to the bill’s hearing on July 2.

   

  When AB 1825 arrived on the Senate Floor on August 27^th, just days before the final adjournment, Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) presented the bill on behalf of Assemblymember Muratsuchi and it passed on a vote of 31 to 7.  The bill then headed back to the Assembly on August 28 for a procedural vote, concurring in the amendments taken in the Senate.  AB 1825 is currently on the Governor’s desk and CLA has sent a letter, requesting the Governor’s signature on the measure.  The Governor will have until September 30^th to sign or veto measures reaching his desk in the final days of Session. 

  A special thank you to several individuals who dedicated a great deal of time reviewing amendments, meeting with the author and policy committee representatives, and responding to inquiries regarding the bill:  Crystal Duran, Migell Acosta, Shawn Thrasher, Carol Frost, Peter Coyl, Christine Powers, Mike Eitner, and Scott Love, as well as representatives from the Torrance Library in Assemblymember Muratsuchi’s district.

   

  1. CLA SUPPORTS PROPOSITION 5 – 55% VOTE FOR LOCAL CONSTRUCTION BONDS

   

  Recently, the CLA Executive Board voted to support Proposition 5, which will appear on the November ballot thanks to the efforts of Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, whose implementing legislation (ACA 1 and ACA 10 of 2024) created the Proposition.  If passed by the voters in November, Prop 5 would authorize the passage of local construction bonds by a 55% vote instead of the current two-thirds local vote threshold.   The measure would provide this authority for public infrastructure construction bonds which includes:  police and fire protection, parks and recreation, libraries, flood protection, streets, water and wastewater facilities, broadband, natural disaster recovery projects, etc.  

   

  You may recall that CLA has sponsored three library-specific measures over the last three decades, attempting to lower the vote threshold for public library construction.  All of these measures failed in the legislature due to the composition of the Senate or Assembly at that particular time.   

   

  ACA 1/ACA 10 by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry was supported by a broad coalition of the League of Cities, the California State Association of Counties, California Special Districts Association, builders, architects, housing groups, and of course, CLA.   For more information regarding Prop 5, here is a link to their website: https://www.yesonprop5.org/

   

  1. CELEBRATING LIBRARY CHAMPION, SENATOR TONI ATKINS

It was a bittersweet moment when the state Senate adjourned the 2023-24 Session on August 31^st, as a true champion for public libraries, Senate President pro Tem Emeritus Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), is departing due to term limits.  Over the course of the last decade plus, no other legislator has been more effective and dedicated in championing public library programs at the State Capitol than Senator Atkins. 

As an example of her leadership:  If your library was a recipient of any portion of the $489 million in library construction grant funding that was provided as a result of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 state Budgets, Senator Atkins is largely responsible for those dollars.  If during those same budget years, you were provided a grant for a new bookmobile, early learning grants, English as a Second Language Learners grant, or funds to provide Career Online High School, Senator Atkins (in her position as head of the State Senate at the time), helped to bring that funding to fruition.

Respected by her fellow colleagues for her graciousness and strong leadership capabilities, Senator Atkins uniquely served as both the Speaker of the California State Assembly as well at the Senate President pro Tempore for many years.  It is no surprise that CLA President Shawn Thrasher awarded Senator Atkins with the CLA President’s Award for 2024 earlier this year, in a ceremony attended by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other local dignitaries.  The event was hosted and organized by San Diego Library Director Misty Jones and her team, as well as Beth Wrenn-Estes, CLA’s Executive Director.   CLA and I thank the Senator profusely for all she has done for public libraries. 

Grant Funds Available for All California Public Libraries to 

Support Nutrition Services & Programming for Children and Youth

Fall 2024, Winter 2024/2025 and/or Spring 2025

California Library Association’s Lunch at the Library Partnership Project has grant funds available for all interested California Public Libraries to support meal and nutrition services for children and youth. Working in partnership with the California State Library's Lunch at the Library program, CLA’s Partner Project provides grants to complement and extend the State Library’s Summer 2024 Lunch at the Library grant activities.

**To submit an application and for further information visit the application portal HERE.**

Which California public libraries can apply?

● California public libraries that have applied for and already received 2024 Lunch at the Library summer funding that are looking to expand the scope of their meal related programming to fall, winter and/or spring ‘24/’25 nutrition/meal/snack programming and enrichment; build or maintain partnerships with nutrition providers/community food banks, engage in nutrition/meal/snack promotion and outreach.

● Any California public library that would like to engage in fall, winter and/or spring ‘24/’25 nutrition/meal/snack programming and enrichment; build partnerships with nutrition providers and/or community food banks; engage in nutrition/meal/snack promotion and outreach.

Why Apply?
CLA’s Lunch at the Library Partner grant opportunity supports the Lunch at the Library program and helps connect more families with the USDA Summer Food Service Program; it increases and strengthens library and food bank partnerships; and supports other innovative efforts that connect more families to both nutritious food and library programming and services.

The program supports California public libraries establishing themselves as key community food and nutrition resources and/or distribution hubs throughout the year, resulting in increased summer meal attendance and awareness. Funds support efforts to establish libraries as essential partners, distributors and/or promoters of nutrition and meal information and resources to address nutrition and food insecurity year round, thereby increasing the number of families looking to the library as a nutrition resource when food insecurity is at its highest, during the critical summer months. 

When?
Applications for Fall and Winter 2024 and/or Spring 2025 funding will be accepted on a first come first served basis through February 15th, 2025. Funds should be encumbered by May 30th, 2025.

What activities can funds be used to support?
Funding can be used to support a wide range of activities including:

● Library Meal Sites and Enrichment Programming & Supplies: Jurisdictions serving fall, winter and/or spring ‘24/’25 meals and/or snacks and providing enrichment programming at library sites.

● Pop-Up Libraries at Community Meal Sites: Jurisdictions taking pop-up library programming out to community meal sites outside of regular school hours or during breaks (fall, winter and/or spring ‘24/’25).

● Food Bank Distribution Partnerships: Partnerships with food banks that support the distribution of produce and grocery staples at the library or at other food bank distribution sites and that provide enrichment programming and connections to library resources and services (fall, winter and/or spring ‘24/’25).

● Youth Development: Jurisdictions providing teens with workforce readiness skills as they assist with meal programs at library and/or community meal sites.

● Farm to Table Programming: Jurisdictions connecting children, teens, and families with locally sourced, sustainable food, and provide related hands-on food education and enrichment activities (fall, winter and/or spring ‘24/’25) as part of a library or community meal/snack program.

● Innovative Approaches & Ideas for Library Outreach and Promotion Efforts: Funds can support libraries that implement innovative and larger-scale efforts to promote and connect more children, teens, and families with nutritious meals and food resources during the summer.

● Research, Planning & Site Visits: Not serving summer meals at your library? Not providing pop-up programming at a community summer meal site? Curious and interested? Funds are available to support program planning and site visit travel to observe successful library fall, winter and spring meal sites and pop-up library sites.

● Libraries as Conveners: Funds can help libraries develop and build local or regional networks and coalitions that focus on connecting more families with nutritious summer meals and foster collaboration in working together to reduce summer hunger.

For details on unallowable costs visit the application portal HERE.

How do I apply for CLA’s Lunch at the Library Partner Project funding?

Complete a California Library Association’s Lunch at the Library Partnership Project Funding Application and upload the 2 requested documents.

**To submit an application and for further information visit the application portal HERE.**

Please contact CLA’s Lunch at the Library Partner Project team at latl@cla-net.org with any questions you have or ideas that you’d like to share. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Patricia Garone & Kari Johnson, Co-Project Coordinators
The CLA Lunch at the Library Partner Project
latl@cla-net.org

The CLA Lunch at the Library Partner Project is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

TO:                 CLA MEMBERS/ SYSTEMS/ NETWORK CONTACTS
FROM:           Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyist
RE:                 News From the Capitol – Budget Actions

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY ADOPT 2024-25 BUDGET PACKAGE:

Cuts Made to Lunch at the Library and CLSA

On Wednesday afternoon, the legislature announced a two-house agreement on the 2024-25 State Budget, and subsequently released a document entitled, “Joint Legislative Budget Plan,” which attempts to address the sizeable and challenging budget deficit this year.  Specifically, the plan proposes to make $16.6 billion in wide-scale cuts to programs housed under state agencies and departments in order to balance the budget.  While the legislature is attempting to minimize the cuts to K-12 schools, higher education, and health and human services, the deep cuts are being felt in various programs in the Department of Parks and Recreation, CalFire, the state water board, Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Energy Commission, Transportation agency, and on and on.  Unfortunately, two important programs under the purview of the State Library – the Lunch at the Library program and the California Library Services Act – were targeted for cuts in the joint Assembly and Senate proposal.  Those cuts were ultimately approved Thursday in a series of Budget hearings held by the Senate and Assembly.

You will recall that when Governor Newsom released his May Revision of the State Budget a couple of weeks ago, he proposed eliminating all of the Lunch at the Library funding – a total of $5.5 million.  The Governor also proposed a 50 percent reduction to the California Library Services Act which would take the funding from $3.6 million down to $1.8 million.  Over the course of the last few weeks, CLA members and most notably, the Systems (thanks to the coordinated efforts of Carol Frost and Christine Powers) have been actively sending compelling letters to the key budget leaders, requesting that the legislature reject the Governor’s proposed cuts.  During hearings in the Budget subcommittees on the State Library reductions, I have also been able to address these cuts on the record to indicate CLA’s strong opposition. 

Yesterday, the five Senate Budget Subcommittees and the full Assembly Budget Committee held simultaneous hearings in Sacramento, to adopt their respective 2024-25 State Budgets.

Ultimately, both adopted the following actions relative to these two programs:

Lunch at the Library:  Provides $3 million ongoing General Fund for the program.  Essentially, the legislature felt that the Governor’s $5.5 million cut/elimination would be devastating for this popular program which serves lunch to children and teens during the Summer months.  The Assembly and Senate restored $3 million for Lunch at the Library on Thursday, and they further noted that the $3 million in funding will be ongoing (versus “one time” in nature).  

California Library Services Act:  The legislature agreed with the Governor’s proposal to cut the CLSA by 50%.  The current baseline for the program was $3.6 million.  This cut will continue to provide $1.8 million in ongoing funds for the CLSA. 

During the hearing on Thursday in the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance where votes were taken, I thanked the subcommittee members under “public comment” for saving what they could of the Lunch at the Library program. I cautioned, however, that the cut may lead to some libraries dropping out of the program due to a lack of funding.  With regard to the CLSA reduction, I remarked that the subcommittee had been receiving many letters on the issue, as the Systems and library community were quite concerned that the cut would lead to a disruption of access to library collections throughout the state.  I asked the subcommittee to please work with CLA moving forward on finding ways to restore the harmful cuts to these two important programs. 

You will also recall that CLA was quite concerned in January when the Governor proposed taking the remaining $131 million (of $489 million) from the library infrastructure grant program.  At the time, the Governor’s Department of Finance believed that there might be $131 million in unallocated funds that the State Library had not yet sent out to grantees.  However, after doing additional research, the Department of Finance eventually learned that the State Library had already encumbered the money, the checks had been provided to grantees, and the only portion of the library infrastructure grant funds left unallocated was $4.4 million.  That $4.4 million figure represents library projects that did not get their required paperwork into the State Library by their deadline, or the locality could not meet the local match for the grant.  Thursday, the legislature approved an action to take the $4.4 million in remaining infrastructure grant funds to balance the Budget.  

Of note, the Governor’s May Revision and the Budgets approved by the legislature yesterday also make a 7.95% cut to State Library operations which could affect State Library staff and programs.  (All state agencies and departments are being targeted for a 7.95% cut in order to try to balance the budget.)

While the majority of the Budget has been buttoned up with Thursday’s procedural action, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate President pro Tem Mike McGuire will begin a series of meetings over the course of the next week or so with the Governor to hammer out the final details on some remaining high-level issues.  The legislature is required to pass a Budget by June 15^th and send it to the Governor. 

Thank you to all who took the time to write letters or make calls, most notably the Systems, the various Friends and Trustees, and CLA Legislative Committee members who made personal contacts with their legislators.