Moraga commissioner urges county ballot measure to expand Contra Costa library hours, highlighting Moraga’s high usage

Amanda Kung, Moraga commissioner to the Contra Costa County Library Commission, told the Moraga Town Council on May 14 that Contra Costa libraries are the lowest-funded in the Bay Area and that county commissioners are pushing to expand hours across the system.

Kung said Moraga Library ‘‘has the second highest percentage of households actively using the library behind Orinda’’ and noted the Friends of the Moraga Library recently gave $25,000 to buy new materials that will circulate countywide. ‘‘For our relatively small library in the county, we have a pretty massive footprint in terms of usage and utilization,’’ she said.

The presentation outlined current hours at the Moraga branch—Tuesday through Saturday for a total of 40 staffed hours—and a commission goal that all full-service branches reach 56 staffed hours weekly, including at least four staffed hours on Sundays. Kung said Concord is the only county library currently open on Sundays under a self-service pilot and that the county has indicated it will not add Sunday hours unless the systemwide funding model is changed.

Kung summarized a county-level analysis showing Contra Costa’s per-capita spending on libraries—about $36.31 per person—lags Marin, Alameda and other Bay Area counties. Commissioners are exploring funding options used by higher-funded counties, including parcel or utility taxes. ‘‘Imagine what else we could do if we had more funding,’’ Kung said, adding that commissioners plan outreach to cities and towns in the months ahead and that a ballot measure would likely be timed with a general election.

Council members and members of Friends of the Moraga Library asked questions on timing, local funding of extra hours, and youth and teen programming at the branch. Jane Lowe, a past president of the Friends of the Moraga Library, said the Friends previously paid for Sunday staff when the branch offered Sunday hours and that local towns (Orinda and Lafayette were cited) have paid for extra hours at their branches. Sally Whitaker, current Friends president, described teen programming, volunteer opportunities and the group’s role funding events and materials.

Kung said she would follow up to provide a county estimate of the funding required to raise all branches to 56 staffed hours. She asked the council to advocate for a county ballot measure ‘‘when a ballot measure to fund the Contra Costa County Libraries comes forth.’’

The council did not take formal action on funding but members thanked commissioners and Friends representatives for the briefing and asked staff to track follow-up information about cost estimates and how neighboring cities fund extra hours.