Ventura Council Considers Hiring Library Consultant

The City Council is scheduled to decide tonight whether to hire a consultant to research the city’s library needs and identify the community’s desires for future library services.

The recommendation follows the council’s decision in May to spend $50,000 to develop a community library plan, as recommended by the Ventura Library Task Force.

The task force is composed of library supporters from across the city who have fought for increased funding for local branches. Their goal is to come up with long-term solutions to the funding shortage.

The consultant, who would be paid with funds set aside in the $50,000 expenditure, would assess the city’s needs and expectations for library services, and evaluate existing facilities and ideas for improvements.

That assessment would be achieved through questionnaires, community meetings and interviews with library users, educators, political and business leaders, and library staff members.

The timing of the consultant’s study remains a question. City officials are recommending a three- to four-month analysis to gather as much information as possible.

But because library supporters are interested in placing an advisory vote for a library assessment on the November ballot, city leaders may decide to shorten the time frame to collect the information before the fall election.

By having the research--including polls and demographics--on hand before the election, it would help library supporters in their campaign for funding, officials said.