LSSI target Bakersfield raising a possible conflict of interest and Union concerns.

Library supporters concerned about privatization talk
http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x912902816/Library-supporters-concerned-about-privatization-talk

"The idea that Kern County might take its 25 libraries and bookmobile operation private has been whispered around the county since supervisors hired Kern County Library Director Nancy Kerr in late October.
Kerr previously managed the Valencia Branch Library in the Santa Clarita library system, which was run by Library Systems & Services LLC, a for-profit Maryland company that runs public libraries across the nation.
Kerr did not return calls requesting comment on the privatization proposal. Deputy County Counsel Mark Nations said because Kerr was an LSSI employee, she has been directed to stay out of the discussion for a full year."

Debate rages over civil service rules and library privatization
http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/quirks-county/x501561349/Debate-rages-over-civil-service-rules-and-library-privatization

"Talk of hacking civil service rules and privatizing the Kern County Library system seem to have put a crimp in the relationship between the Kern County Board of Supervisors and Kern's largest employee union."

for more on this story see;
http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Privatizing-Kern-County-libraries-296287011.html
http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/quirks-county/x186078575/Foes-rage-over-idea-of-privatizing-county-libraries
 

AB 583 (Gomez) Model Support Letter - Everylibrary.org

'EVERYLIBRARY' is lobbying to close a loophole in state law relating to the privatisation of public library services in California stemming from the AB438 Bill that was passed last year.

see below the model letter they are asking organisation and individuals to sign

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MMyTxYuKzLzTheJ4OHJJZvL0-LTTQJVNdfiYI_ECH_0/edit?usp=sharing

"Basically, you just need to ask the Assembly Member to support AB 583 and close the loopholes that allow cities to privatize their libraries without transparency and public involvement."

for more on AB438 see my previous posts on the subject;
http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/AB438%20Bill

and for AB583 see;
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0551-0600/ab_583_bill_20130220_introduced.html

"Would provide, until January 1, 2019, that a board of trustees, common council, or other legislative body of a city or the board of trustees of a library district in which a withdrawal from the county free library system becomes effective on or after January 1, 2012, shall comply with certain requirements before entering into a contract to operate the city's or library district's library or libraries with a private contractor that will employ library staff to achieve cost savings. The bill would make conforming and nonsubstantive changes. This bill contains other existing laws."

 

MORENO VALLEY: City Council considering library privatization - The Press-Enterprise - 28/03/13

http://blog.pe.com/moreno-valley/2013/03/28/moreno-valley-city-council-considering-library-privatization/

"The City Council has asked staff to look into privatizing Moreno Valley Public Library to save money."


http://blog.pe.com/moreno-valley/2013/04/02/moreno-valley-what-does-transparency-mean/

"The definition of transparency, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary:

a : Free from pretense or deceit.
b : Easily detected or seen through.
c : Readily understood.
d : Characterized by visibility or accessibility of information especially concerning business practices.
City residents repeatedly have heard since the beginning of the year that Moreno Valley officials are commited to being completely transparent.
Considering this mantra, I had no reason to expect on Monday, April 1, I would have trouble getting information about the city’s possible plans to contract with a private company, LSSI, for Moreno Valley’s library services."



 

Bankrupt San Bernardino looks to privatise libraries?

In San Bernardino, California, library opening hours have been slashed and full time staff forced to go part time in an attempt to keep libraries open in the face of severe budget cuts due to the city facing bankruptcy. The city council is also seeking quotes from private firms interested in running it's library services and LSSI have been named.

 

The city will also look at outsourcing library services by seeking bids from potential operators. Those include the county library system and LSSI, a private firm that operates several libraries including Riverside County's.

 

for full story see http://www.pe.com/local-news/politics/imran-ghori-headlines/20130318-san-bernardino-library-branches-threatened-by-bankruptcy-safe--for-now.ece

LSSI win contract in Palmdale, California.

http://www.lssi.com/palmdale_pr.pdf

"On December 5, the Palmdale City Council voted 5‐0 in favor of awarding a contract to

Library Systems & Services, LLC (LSSI) to operate the Palmdale City Library. Under the public

‐private

partnership agreement, the library will remain in the public trust, managed by the City of Palmdale and

operated by LSSI."

 

And here is a copy of the agreement;
http://palmdale.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1269&meta_id=91860

which states;

"LSSI will have

the sole and absolute right to hire and or terminate the employment of the Library Staff from

time to time to perform work under this Agreement. However, the City Manager will have

the right to approve the selection of Library Director. Notwithstanding the preceding, LSSI

will interview all current Palmdale City Library staff interested in seeking positions with

LSSI"

One of the questions that LSSI will probably ask existing staff during their re-employment interview is "do you belong to a union" and if they say yes they will probably not offer them a position, they also have a reputation for only employing their own staff.

See the comments at;
http://www.theavtimes.com/2012/12/06/library-systems-services-selected-to-operate-palmdale-city-library/
http://www.theavtimes.com/2013/01/02/palmdale-city-library-now-open-7-days-longer-hours/

And this worries me although i can't trace the original source!

LSSI.org Review

www.webutation.net/go/.../lssi.... - United StatesCached - Translate this pageShare

Shared on Google+. View the post.

You +1'd this publicly. Undo

Well talked to the people from LSSI. They are the company that is taking over the Palmdale city library. The city of Palmdale is laying all the library staff off ...

See also;

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080213/NEWS/802130312/-1/rss14
"A private firm that operates Jackson County's 15 libraries is being forced to recognize that a majority of its employees are members of a union to resolve a complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board."

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/places/Check-Out-the-New-Library-Sign-For-Profit-104085653.html
"To achieve profitability, Library Systems & Services typically slashes costs drastically, in part by replacing unionized workers."

www.albanyca.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=13001
"4. Contract with LSSI

LSSI employees are usually not unionized, but

are paid a prevailing wage."




 

Newhall library lacks a professional library staff - Save Santa Clarita Libraries - 10/07/12

http://savesantaclaritalibraries.wordpress.com/2012/07/10/newhall-library-lacks-a-professional-library-staff/

"In August 2010, when the city approved a contract with LSSI, a prevalent citizen concern was that LSSI would cut costs (and maximize profit) by reducing staff. Today, although we employ 14 municipal librarians, not one single librarian works primarily out of Newhall.
City manager Ken Pulskamp responds that the city employs a “team approach” to serving library patrons, ie, the Newhall library patrons are served *just fine* without their own librarians."

Please listen to the linked video of Lori Rivas speaking to the City Council about the de-professionalisation of the service under LSSI.

read also;
http://www.the-signal.com/section/33/article/69809/

I'm famous in Tracy!

Today Tracy tomorrow the world!

http://savetracypubliclibrary.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14538504-tracy-s-antics-have-gone-global-

"Yesterday, we received a letter from Alan Wylie in London, England. He copied us on a letter that he sent the Director of Community Services Rod Buchanan, as well as other City of Tracy staff. He also emailed Stacy Aldrich, State Librarian."

The City of Tracy fights to save it's one library from the 'Privatization Beast'!

http://savetracypubliclibrary.webs.com/
"The City of Tracy has one library branch and it is part of the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library System (SSJCPL).

In the spring of 2010, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors sent out a Request for Purchase to determine if there was another viable source to run the county portion of the library system. There was only one respondent to the RFP, a company called Library Systems and Services (LSSI). After much debate and a rallying of the community, the Board of Supervisors ultimately decided to keep the library system together and renew their agreement with the City of Stockton to administer library services.

On 12-6-11, the Tracy City Council sat through a presentation by Rod Buchanan, Director of Community Services for the City of Tracy. In this presentation, Mr. Buchanan asked for permission from the Tracy City Council to begin negotiation with the County to respond to a bid from another source to provide library services and terminate association with the current library service provider, the City of Stockton. There were many unanswered questions from this presentation, and public concerns and questions did not seem adequately addressed. The Council voted 3-0 to allow the City to begin these discussions"

Pomona rejects outsourcing of library management - Contra Costa Times - 20/3/12

http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_20214741/pomona-rejects-outsourcing-library-management

"POMONA -- After listening to residents speak in support of the Pomona Public Library and its employees Monday evening, City Council members rejected a proposal to pursue the outsourcing of library management services. "

http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_20194128/pomona-council-consider-outsourcing-pomona-public-librarys-management

"Maryland-based Library Systems & Services conducted an initial analysis of the Pomona Public Library's operations and determined it could operate the library for about $1.43 million, saving the city $160,000 compared to the current fiscal year's costs, according to a city staff report."

LSSI CEO Brad King Responds to Governor Brown Signing Assembly Bill 438

http://www.lssi.com/news/CEO%20Statement%20%20--%20AB%20438%20Becomes%20Law.pdf
A formal statement from LSSI in response to Governor Brown signing in the AB438 Bill. They accuse it of "masquerading as open government and transparency" which is a bit rich from a firm that hired lobbyists to try and shoot the bill down, luckily they missed!

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?

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

CALIX responses to Library Privatization and LSSI - Pacific Library Partnership

Fascinating discussion on LSSI taken from the Pacific Library Partnership website, you will notice that nearly all the pro-LSSI respondents are library Senior Managers (Directors, co-ordinators, administrators etc), funny that!

http://plpinfo.org/node/24782

Keep our libraries out of corporate hands by David Atkins - Ventura County Star 05/11/11

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/05/atkins-keep-our-libraries-out-of-corporate-hands/#comments

"Today, sadly, many American cities are abandoning the proud tradition begun by Franklin and Jefferson in a paroxysm of radical pro-privatization ideology. They are placing public libraries in corporate hands, despite strong community backlashes against doing so"

AB438 Bill passes senate vote!

Congratulations to Assemblyman Das Williams, Lori Rivas and all the others who have campaigned vigorously to have Bill AB438 passed.

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/sep/08/bill-limiting-local-governments-ability-to/#

AB438 and the battle for public libraries in California!

The battle against Library privatisation and LSSI in California, especially Santa Clarita, is being led by Lori Rivas, she is a passionate campaigner and regularly posts on the topic;
http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/lori-rivas/city-hall-seems-to-be-changing-history-the-signal-9411-footnoted-edition/10150271867536090
http://www.facebook.com/#!/SaveSCVPublicLibraries
Bill AB438 is due to be voted on on 7/9/11 and if passed would make it significantly harder for cities/authorities to privatise their library services without the consent of their local communities.

LIBRARY “OUTSOURCING” BILL PASSES SENATE POLICY COMMITTEE

http://www.cla-net.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=292  - AB438, the bill that would “impose requirements on a city or library district that intends to withdraw from a county free library system and operate libraries with a private contractor.” passed the California Senate Governance and Finance Committee on 6/7/11, this is an important step on its way to becoming part of Californian state law.

"AB 438, as you may recall, is sponsored by the Ventura Reader’s Book Group and supported by SEIU and the California Labor Federation. AB 438 is opposed by the California League of Cities, LSSI, and the California Chamber of Commerce. During debate on the bill, the supporters argued for the protection of jobs and for more public input on the decision to outsource, while the opposition argued that the “practical effect of the bill was to ban cities from contracting out services, which likely means staff layoffs and branch closures.” 

 

Huge cuts in public funding for libraries in California

http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/891201-264/in_california_all_state_funding.html.csp
"Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed the FY12 California state budget on June 30, the last day of the fiscal year, and it contains a double dose of bad news for public library funding. The budget also contains massive cuts to the state's higher education system.
First, as expected, the budget cuts state funding for public libraries in half, to $15.2 million. This includes $3 million for the Public Library Fund (PLF), $3.7 million for the California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Service, and $8.5 million for the California Library Services Act (CLSA).
Second, a "trigger" amendment attached to the budget would eliminate all state funding for public libraries at midyear if the state's revenue projections are not being met. Funding for the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program and the California Newspaper Project administered by the state library would also be eliminated, which would bring the total midyear cut to $15.9 million."

The Service Employees International Union tries to stop California cities from outsourcing library services.

http://www.city-journal.org/2011/cjc0609mc.html