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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3b - Accept Donations for Library"EM DATE: October 7, 2014 STAFF REPORT Library and Museum Services Department TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Mary Beth Hayes, Director of Library and Museum Services By: Darlene Bradley, Library Services Manager SUBJECT: ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF THE CHILDREN'S SUMMER READING PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY Recommendation: Accept SUMMARY Thirty -nine community donors gave a total cash donation of $2,450 and a variety of coupons for prizes for the 2014 Children's Summer Reading Program. DISCUSSION The Library's Summer Reading Program was once again very successful. A total of 1,716 children and 640 tweens participated in the program with 26,927 hours read during these six weeks. With the theme "Paws to Read ", younger children were encouraged to be read to aloud by their parents, caregivers, or older siblings. Older children were encouraged to read on their own with everyone reporting their weekly progress online. The program is specifically designed to encourage children to continue to develop a lifelong love of reading as well as to continue to practice their reading skills during the summer when school is out. Although major funding is provided by the Friends of the Arcadia Public Library, additional prizes and funds are solicited from community businesses and organizations to provide support as well as to foster community involvement and awareness of this important literacy -based program. Items received this year included gift certificates for free children's meals at local restaurants, passes to a variety of entertainment venues, and gift cards from a number of merchants. These gifts help provide an exciting mix of prizes for the participants and the Library is very pleased to have the broad involvement of the community in encouraging its children to read. Cash gifts totaling $2,450 were also received and much of these funds were used to purchase additional materials and supplies, which helped staff to enhance Summer Reading Program Donations October 7, 2014 Page 2 of 3 programming. Donors were recognized for their contributions with a letter and placard that they could put on display at their place of business showing that they were proud sponsors of the Arcadia Public Library Summer Reading Program. Donor names were also recognized on a poster placed prominently in the Jerry Broadwell Children's Room and on the Library's website. Community sponsors included the following businesses and associations: 3 -M Dodgers Baseball Advantage Ford Lincoln Golf `N' Stuff Angels Baseball Hometown Buffet Applebee's Restaurant Joe Ferrante Music Academy Aquarium of the Pacific Jumpin' Jammin *Arcadia Chinese Association Kids Art *Arcadia Friends of the Library Kidspace Museum Arcadia Partners In Rotary Legoland Auntie Anne's Pretzels Marie Callender's Benihana Japanese Steakhouse Matt Denny's BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse Old Spaghetti Factory Broken Rhythm Kickboxing Pacific Asia Museum California Pizza Kitchen Pasadena Ice Skating Center Cheesecake Factory Ralphs Chuck E. Cheese's Round Table Pizza Coco's Bakery Restaurant Souplantation Coldstone Creamery Teri & Yaki CVS Pharmacy Vroman's Bookstore Dave & Buster's Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill Denny's Restaurant These two groups gave cash donations not included here. They were separately acknowledged in a previous staff report. All gifts to the Library are subject to approval by the City Council pursuant to City Charter Article VI I I Section 809(d). FISCAL IMPACT The Summer Reading Program is funded through the generous donations from the Friends of the Arcadia Public Library, the Arcadia Chinese Association, and many additional community sponsors. The City provides funding for staff salaries but the Children's Summer Reading Program costs for materials, supplies, programming, performers, and incentives are exclusively based on donations from support groups and the community. The Children's Summer Reading Program costs approximately $14,300 each year, which averages about $7.30 Summer Reading Program Donations October 7, 2014 Page 3 of 3 per child. The $2,420 in cash donations and prizes help to offset overall costs and keep the program cost effective. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended the City Council accept donations from the community in support of the Children's Summer Reading Program at the Library. Approved_ Dominic Lazza City Manager