Simi Valley council approves hiring private company to run library - Vantura County Star - 12/2/13

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/feb/12/simi-valley-council-approves-hiring-private-to/

"The Simi Valley City Council voted Monday night to hire a Maryland company, rather than Ventura County, to run the city’s library for the next five years.
The council voted unanimously to authorize the city to enter into a contract with Library Systems and Services LLC to start operating the library July 1. The company, the nation’s largest private library operator, already runs Moorpark’s and Camarillo’s libraries."

Simi Valley considers two proposals to run the city's library - Ventura County Star - 10/1/13

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/jan/10/simi-valley-considers-two-proposals-to-run-the/

"Ventura County and Library Systems and Services LLC have resubmitted proposals to run Simi Valley's library beginning in July, city officials said this week.
The first round of proposals from Library Systems and Services, the nation's largest private library operator with headquarters in Maryland, the county and Thousand Oaks were rejected last May by the Simi Valley City Council.
The council turned down the proposals because of a lawsuit filed against the city by Service Employees International Union Local 721 that challenged the city's withdrawal from the county library system, now down to 12 branches. SEIU represents about 20 library employees.
After Ventura County Superior Court Judge Henry Walsh ruled in the city's favor in July, the city reissued the request for proposals on Nov. 21. The city staff is evaluating the two proposals and expects to make a recommendation to the council next month, City Manager Laura Behjan said."
 

Simi Valley to weigh letting county run library for another year - Ventura County Star - 11/05/12

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/11/simi-council-urged-to-reject-proposals-to-run/

"The Simi Valley City Manager's Office is recommending the City Council reject three outside proposals to run its library in favor of letting Ventura County continue to administer it for another year.

An unresolved lawsuit against the city by Service Employees International Union Local 721, which represents more than 20 library employees, makes it infeasible to meet a July 1 deadline to have a new administrator take over the library on a more permanent basis, Assistant City Manager Laura Behjan wrote in a memo to the council. The council will take up the issue Monday night.
The lawsuit alleges the city acted improperly by approving a resolution in December to withdraw from the Ventura County library system. Superior Court Judge Henry Walsh heard arguments in the case last month and will issue a ruling at an unspecified date.
In the meantime, his order temporarily blocking Simi Valley from contracting with any private company to run the city's one library remains in effect. In response to a city request in February, Maryland-based Library Systems and Services LLC — the nation's largest private administrator of libraries — plus the city of Thousand Oaks and Ventura County submitted proposals to run the library."

Private firm that wants to run Simi library gets high marks, opposition - The Ventura County Star - 14/03/12

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/mar/14/cities-give-high-marks-to-private-firm-hired-to/

"The Maryland company that wants to run Simi Valley's library would do so over the objections of a county employees union and many residents.
Yet Library Systems & Services gets high marks from the cities of Moorpark and Camarillo, which hired the company to take over their libraries."


 

Judge Blocks Simi Valley from Privatizing, For Now - Library Journal - 20/02/12

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/02/industry-news/judge-blocks-simi-valley-from-privatizing-for-now/

"Ventura County Superior Court Judge Henry Walsh temporarily blocked Simi Valley from contracting with a private company to run its library. Although the city expects to receive proposals to run the library by the end of February, on February 7th, Walsh ruled that the city cannot contract with a private library services company such as Library Systems & Services (LSSI), which already runs two nearby libraries, until the case’s next hearing. At that hearing, on April 9, the plaintiffs will seek a preliminary injunction."

Simi Valley Council and LSSI tried to push through the privatisation process before AB438 came into force a bill which requires cities to show cost savings before privatising, and bans any loss of jobs or benefits for existing library staff. So much for democracy and accountability!

Union Sues to Block Library Outsourcing RFP - ALA Magazine - 18/1/12

http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/01182012/union-sues-block-library-outsourcing-rfp

"The union’s issue is with the timing of the vote, which was taken two weeks before a California law went into effect that mandates transparency when cities contemplate leaving a county library system in order to contract out library services in documenting anticipated cost savings. “We have an opportunity to take action in advance of that law going into effect,” Council member Glen Becerra said at the time of the vote."

I posted on several US sites warning them that Simi Valley and LSSI where trying to push this through before AB438 came into effect, their actions are totally undemocratic and dishonest!

see also;
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/jan/12/union-sues-to-block-simi-valleys-withdrawal-from/
http://unionlibraryworkers.blogspot.com/2012/01/seiu-local-721-files-lawsuit-against.html

Why I’m Against Library Privatization by Jesse Luna - Social Action Web 2/12/11

http://www.jpluna.com/socialactionweb/2011/12/02/why-im-against-library-privatization/

Cities see benefit in library transition—Really…? Not really - Save Santa Clarita Libraries

http://savesantaclaritalibraries.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/cities-see-benefit-in-library-transition-really-not-really/

Simi Valley City in California are pushing hard to privatise their library system before the AB438 Bill comes into force on 01/01/12, the bill would require them to undertake a cost-benefit analysis and to engage with users and the wider community. You have to ask yourself what is going on, why are cities and authorities behaving in this manner, what has happened to accountability, openness and fairness?

To The Residents of Simi Valley - Save Santa Clarita Libraries 2/12/11

https://savesantaclaritalibraries.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/to-the-residents-of-simi-valley/

Library control still an open book - Simi Valley Acorn 11/11/2011

The ongoing battle in Simi Valley, California, against the privatisation of the library sytem.

http://www.simivalleyacorn.com/news/2011-11-11/Front_Page/Library_control_still_an_open_book.html