The Harrison Memorial Library Board of Trustees voted to recommend the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove to share cataloged materials and coordinate delivery among the three municipal libraries.

“Much of the success of this I can attribute to Ashley Wright, who’s the former library director,” Interim Library Director Melinda Cervantes said, explaining the MOU’s background. The agreement allows patrons to search a shared catalog and request items from any of the three libraries; items will be delivered among the partner libraries. At launch, pickup and drop‑off will be at Harrison Memorial Library, with a future option to use the Park Branch as an alternate pickup location.

Cervantes said the MOU carries no financial obligation: city attorneys have reviewed and approved the agreement, and the city administrator may sign it if the board recommends approval. The arrangement is expected to increase access to titles, expand availability of popular items, and boost delivery service to five days a week among the three cities; the libraries will continue three-day-a-week deliveries across the broader Monterey Bay cooperative network.

The board made a motion to recommend approval of the agreement and voted unanimously. Donna Jett, Marie Claire Gorham and Mary Jo Williams recorded “yes” votes during roll call; the motion carried.

Votes at a glance:
• Motion to approve minutes of the Sept. 24, 2025, regular meeting — outcome: approved (Donna Jett, Marie Claire Gorham, Mary Jo Williams: yes). The motion to approve minutes was made and seconded during the meeting; no further details were provided in the record.
• Motion to recommend approval of the resource‑sharing MOU (City of Carmel-by-the-Sea; City of Monterey; City of Pacific Grove) — outcome: recommended/approved by the trustees. The MOU was reviewed by the city attorney and requires no immediate city funding.

Trustees asked whether Monterey and Pacific Grove libraries had larger collections; Cervantes said those cities likely have more items because of their size, and staff expects the shared catalog to simplify borrowing and reduce on-site storage needs while Harrison is closed for renovations. With the trustee recommendation, the administration may execute the MOU.