AGENDA ITEM
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CARLO TOMAINO
CITY MANAGER
BY: CHARLES HUGHES
CITY LIBRARIAN
SUBJECT: LIBRARY COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
title
summary
Summary:
Assembly Bill 1825, the California Freedom to Read Act (AB 1825), requires all public libraries to maintain an accessible collection development policy to guide the selection and deselection of library materials. Specifically, AB 1825 requires that libraries maintain a policy that includes a process for community members to express concerns regarding library materials. Staff recommends the City Council review and approve the revised Signal Hill Public Library Collection Development Policy. Staff’s proposed updates to the Policy add clarifying language to ensure compliance with State law but do not substantively change its intent, practices, or application.
Strategic Plan Goal(s):
Goal No. 5 High-Functioning Government: Strengthen internal communication, recruitment, retention, systems, and processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of City services.
recommendation
Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve and adopt the updated proposed Signal Hill Public Library Collection Development Policy to comply with requirements under AB 1825, California Freedom to Read Act.
body
Fiscal Impact:
The law establishes that failure to adopt a Library Collection Development Policy could result in the loss of State-funded grant opportunities, including loss of access to significantly discounted library materials and publicly accessible high-speed internet. Staff estimates that the potential funding loss would be more than $200,000 per year.
Background:
On September 29, 2024, the California Governor signed AB 1825, the California Freedom to Read Act into law. The purpose of the California Freedom to Read Act protects Californian’s First Amendment rights to ensure access to a wide range of materials in public libraries, particularly those that discuss race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The State requires that cities adopt a Library Collection Development Policy (“Policy”) through a City Council action (Ed. Code §19802(a)(1)) to comply with AB 1825. Additionally, the law also requires the City to submit the adopted Policy to the State Librarian (Ed. Code §19802(a)(1)). The law requires that every public library jurisdiction that directly receives State funding establish, adopt, and maintain a written and publicly accessible collection development policy for its libraries by January 1, 2026. To remain in compliance with the law, staff submitted a draft Policy to the State Library for initial review in December 2025.
Analysis:
The 2017 Signal Hill Public Library’s Collection Development Policy acknowledges that the library’s collection serves the broad and diverse interests of the community, respecting both the library’s autonomy and the specific needs of the community. The policy also ensures that library materials are provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all individuals, presenting diverse points of view within the collection. The primary function of the Library’s Collection Development Policy is to provide a framework for librarians to select and deselect library materials. This process includes maintaining a collection that is comprehensive, diverse, and responsive to the needs of an evolving community, all while considering physical and budgetary limitations.
AB 1825 mandates that public libraries establish policies for developing their collections and allow public challenges to materials. Further, AB 1825 requires the Policy to include the following language:
1. Establish a process for community members to share their concerns regarding library materials and to request that library materials be reconsidered for inclusion in the library’s collection. (Ed. Code §19802(a)(1)(A).)
2. Guide the selection and deselection of library materials. (Ed. Code §19802(a)(1)(B).)
3. Acknowledge that the public library’s collection meets the broad and diverse interests of the community and respect both the library’s autonomy and their specific community needs. (Ed. Code §19802(a)(1)(C).)
4. Establish that the public library serves as a center for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas. (Ed. Code §19802(a)(1)(D).)
5. Acknowledge that library materials should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people, and should present diverse points of view in the collection as a whole. (Ed. Code §19802(a)(1)(E).)
6. Acknowledge the right of the public to receive access to a range of social, political, aesthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences. (Ed. Code §19802(a)(1)(F).)
The revised Policy includes the required language criteria to comply with the mandates of AB 1825 (Attachment A). Subject to the formal approval and adoption of the proposed Signal Hill Public Library Collection Development Policy by City Council, the City Librarian would post the updated policy to comply with AB 1825 and send it to the State for filing. Failure to comply with the new State mandate could lead to the potential loss of critical grant funds and other State funding sources, such as existing grants for CENIC high-speed broadband funding and various resources such as book discounts and career development tools. Staff recommends the City Council approve and adopt the updated Signal Hill Public Library Collection Development Policy to ensure continued compliance and sustain library services.
Reviewed for Fiscal Impact:
_________________________
Siamlu Cox
Attachment(s):
A. Revised Signal Hill Public Library Collection Development Policy