San Francisco Public Library outlines $114.5M FY2016 budget and accepts Friends' gift for teen digital media lab

City Librarian Luis Herrera told the Budget and Finance Committee the public library's FY2016 budget totals $114,500,000, about 67 percent of which is labor and benefits, and supports roughly 662 full-time-equivalent positions. Herrera highlighted expanded hours across the Main Library service units (including the History Center and Deaf Services), branch hour increases, a 10 percent rise in programs and nearly 7 million library visits in the prior year.

Herrera described technology and literacy investments: a 12 percent increase in e-collections, a technology lab serving the San Francisco Bay Area, a tech mobile repurposed from a bookmobile (six computer workstations for outreach), laptop lending kiosks, upgraded assistive technology and Wi-Fi in neighborhood branches. He previewed the Bridge at Main (about 5,000 square feet) and announced the Mix at SFPL teen digital media center opening on June 18, a roughly 5,000-square-foot space with maker and audio/video production facilities. Item 5 would authorize acceptance and expenditure of up to $480,000 in cash and in-kind gifts from the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library to support the Mix at SFPL.

Deborah Doyle, acting executive director of Friends of the Library, spoke in support of the gift. Supervisor Tang moved to file the library's FY2016 update and to send item 5 forward to the full Board with a positive recommendation; the committee took those actions without objection and Supervisor Mark was added as a co-sponsor of item 5.