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Library staff outline options to rehome 33,000-item collection during two-year move
Summary
With roughly 33,000 items and a temporary capacity of about 6,500, staff presented options including transfers to Monterey County Free Libraries, floating collections with neighboring libraries, donations to Better World Books, and keeping some items at the park branch.
The board heard that the library currently holds about 33,000 collection items and that the planned temporary site can accommodate roughly 6,500, prompting staff to present multiple rehoming strategies.
"We are moving from a much, much larger space into a much smaller space, with 33,000 approximately items into a space that can accommodate approximately 6,500 items," the Librarian said, framing the need for transfers and donations. Staff recommended transferring the 1,300-item CD/audiobook collection to Monterey County Free Libraries (which provides mail delivery), exploring floating collections with Monterey and Pacific Grove libraries, and donating materials to Better World Books for permanent rehoming or recycling. Staff also said some items would remain at the park branch and circulate between locations.
Trustees and staff discussed storage costs and preservation concerns for boxed materials and noted that long-term paid storage may not be cost-effective or protective for books. Librarian proposed policy changes and book-fostering programs with district teachers and increasing checkout limits to maintain access while the main building is closed.
