Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2n - Donation of the Children's Summer Reading Program DATE: September 5, 2017 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Darlene Bradley, Director of Library and Museum Services SUBJECT: DONATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $850 FROM THE COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF THE CHILDREN’S SUMMER READING PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY Recommendation: Accept SUMMARY Twenty-nine community donors gave a total cash donation of $850 and a variety of coupons for prizes for the 2017 Children’s Summer Reading Program. The Library’s Summer Reading Program was once again very successful. There were 1,080 children and 308 middle school youth who participated in the program with 36,078 hours read during these six weeks. The number of hours read increased 12,264 over last summer’s total. With the theme “Reading by Design,” younger children were encouraged to enjoy stories read aloud to them by their parents, caregivers, or older siblings. Older children were encouraged to read on their own, with everyone reporting their reading progress online. The program – through incentives, programs, and reader’s advisory – is specifically designed to prevent “summer slide” and encourage children to practice their reading skills over the summer. 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 additional 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 $850 were also received and these funds were used to purchase additional materials and supplies for the program. Donors were recognized Donations from the Community for the Children’s Summer Reading Program at the Library September 5, 2017 Page 3 of 3 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: Advantage Ford Lincoln Dave and Busters AMF Bowling Square Lanes Denny’s Aquarium of the Pacific *Friends of the Arcadia Public Library Arcadia Chinese Association Golf N Stuff Arcadia Partners In Rotary Jump ‘n Jammin Auntie Anne’s Pretzels KidsArt Benihana Japanese Steakhouse Kidspace Museum Book Rack Legoland Broken Rhythm Kickboxing Matt Denny’s California Pizza Kitchen Olive Garden Cheesecake Factory Pasadena Ice Skating Center Chuck E. Cheese’s Round Table Pizza Claim Jumper Vroman’s Bookstore Cool Cat Craft Club Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill *The Friends of the Arcadia Public Library gave a significant cash donation 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 VIII Section 809(d). FISCAL IMPACT The Summer Reading Program is funded through the generous donations from the community including the Friends of the Arcadia Public Library, the Arcadia Chinese Association, and the Arcadia Partners in Rotary. This year, there were 28 community donors and $850 in cash donations. The Friends of the Library continued to be the largest contributor to this program fully funding the performers and other significant costs as acknowledged in a staff report in July 2017. 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. Donations from the Community for the Children’s Summer Reading Program at the Library September 5, 2017 Page 3 of 3 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended the City Council accept donations in the amount of $850 from the Community in support of the Children’s Summer Reading Program at the Library.