The California State Library provides services to state government, members of the public, and California public libraries. These services include outreach programs, interlibrary resource sharing, and information technology development.
The budget includes $510,000 from the General Fund for capital outlay for the library. This amount includes $460,000 for planning and construction for alterations to the Sutro Library in San Francisco and $50,000 to study the feasibility of relocating the Sutro Library to a joint-use facility with San Francisco State University.
We recommend the Legislature delete $460,000 for alterations to the library because the department has neither identified the work to be accomplished nor substantiated the need for the requested amount. (Delete Item 6120-301-0001 [1].)
The budget proposes $460,000 from the General Fund for preliminary plans, working drawings, and construction for alterations to the Sutro Library. The Sutro Library facility (and collection) are operated by the California State Library and located on property leased from San Francisco State University. This request is related to a December 1998 report from the Department of General Services that identified several deficiencies in the library facilities. It is not clear from the report, however, that all of the identified "deficiencies" warrant funding. For example, the report identified some roofing work that should be undertaken in roughly ten years. Moreover, a large number of these deficiencies (such as replacement of air conditioner units and roof repair/replacement) are maintenance issues that should be addressed and funded in the library's support budget. (The Governor's budget proposes a $25,000 augmentation for these purposes in the support budget under Item 6120-001-0001.) Further, the information submitted in support of this request does not identify what work would be accomplished or substantiate the need for nearly $500,000. Consequently, we recommend the Legislature delete the $460,000 under Item 6120-301-0001 (1) for alterations to the Sutro Library.
We recommend the Legislature delete $50,000 for a study to relocate the Sutro Library to a joint-use library facility on the campus of San Francisco State University because there is no need to relocate the library. (Delete Item 6120-301-0001 [2].)
The budget includes $50,000 to study the possibility of relocating the Sutro Library to a joint-use facility located at the San Francisco State University. Since 1982, the library has been located on a university-owned site across the street from the main campus. The State Library has indicated that the Sutro Library needs to relocate because (1) the university has plans to develop the site where the Sutro Library is located and (2) the university will not agree to a long-term lease. These reasons to relocate do not appear valid. First, the current facilities master plan for the university (included in the university's five-year capital outlay plan) does not include any future development on the Sutro Library site. Second, the site lease agreement signed in 1982 does not include a termination clause and the agreement can be amended only by mutual agreement of the university and the library. Therefore, we recommend the Legislature delete the $50,000 under Item 6120-301-0001 (2) to study relocation of the Sutro Library.