Help us STOP outsourcing of our Escondido Library- There is still time

If you support our Library

Mayor Abed, Gallo, Masson need to hear from you  

Last week, Escondido Mayor Sam Abed and Councilmembers Ed Gallo and John Masson voted to move forward to outsource operations of the Escondido Public Library to the private, for-profit, out-of-state corporation Library Systems and Services (LS&S) which specializes in taking over failing libraries. But, ours isn’t failing. 

We are proud of our library and its great staff and programs. Outsourcing would spell the end of our library as we know it.

Please join the 3,000 residents already opposing outsourcing the library because: 

·    We would lose local control of an important city resource.

·    Our local tax $$ would go to a corporate organization in Maryland, not stay here in our community.

·    The cost-benefit analysis did not correctly assess all impacts.

·    No alternatives (there are many) were publicly evaluated so that the best option could be selected.

·    This action will further divide the community and erode support for a bond for a new library.

·    This action will cause a loss of volunteers, donations, and skilled library personnel.

·    Outsourcing of our library is opposed by the Escondido Library Board of Trustees, Library Foundation, and American Library Association

Our library is more than a building; it is the programs and people who make it the soul of the community. We need to preserve our library as a true community resource, responsive to the needs of our residents. Although Council took one vote (3-2) to move forward, a contract has not yet been signed. Please speak out and stand up for our librarians, patrons, and library programs.  There is still time!   

WE NEED TO ACT NOW!

CONTACT Mayor Sam Abed, Ed Gallo, and John Masson.

Email or call Mayor's Office: 760-839-4610 , City Council's Office: 760-839-4638

Email them all at once using this link:   https://www.escondido.org/city-council-contact-us.aspx   or send a letter to 201 North Broadway, Escondido, CA 92025

Ask them to:

1.       Stop the LS&S contract process.

2.      Solicit, evaluate, and consider, at a minimum, proposals from the current library department and county through a public process.

3.      Impanel a Budget Committee to develop a comprehensive, sustainable plan to address the pension crisis and the paydown of pension liability

CONTACT LS&S and ask them to withdraw their proposal and step away from our library. 

President Paul Colangelo at 800-638-8725 Paul.Colangelo@lsslibraries.com

Ed Garnett, Vice President, Business Development, Ed.Garnett@lsslibraries.com

2600 Tower Oaks Blvd., Rockville, MD 20852, Office: 301.540.5100 Cell: 410.598.2921  

SHOW YOUR LOVE To our wonderful current library staff.  Email jaxelrod@escondido.org  

TALK to your friends and neighbors.  Help Save our Library services!  

SIGN UP Email us at SaveEscondidoLibrary@gmail.com

For more info: https://www.escondidoindivisible.com/2017/07/24/on-the-issue-escondido-public-library-privatization/

ENU letter to Mayor and Council to OPPOSE library outsourcing

Today, members of Escondido Neighbors United filed a letter to urge opposition to outsourcing our public library.   ENU comment letter to City Council on Library Outsourcing

Everyone is encouraged to communicate your thoughts with the Escondido Mayor and Council on this important topic.  You can file an email to them here .

Library Trustees agree with public, Vote unanimously to oppose outsourcing our library

Sporting library heart badges, over 150 residents were on-hand as the Board of Library Trustees voted unanimously to oppose the outsourcing of the Escondido Library.

Citing concerns about loss of transparency, accountability, volunteer support, and community cohesion speaker after speaker urged the Trustees to save the library and recommend against outsourcing.  A frequent theme of the commenters was a lack of trust and confidence in the current Council majority when it comes to libraries. It was very apparent the Council closing of the East Valley Branch is still an open wound for Escondido residents.  At the end of the meeting the Trustees voted unanimously to oppose outsourcing and the audience burst into cheers!

Media Release

This is a significant victory for Save Our Escondido Library Coalition who have worked tirelessly since the first heard about this threat to our library last month, but the fight is not over!  The City council still has to vote on this.  Please join the Save Our Escondido Library Coalition at the next City Council meeting on August 16^th.  A rally in front of City Hall will be held at 3:30 and residents are invited to speak to the Council directly on public comment at 4:30.

Please email Liz White at liz_white@me.com to be added to the Save the Escondido Library Coalition information list.  You can also visit On the Issue Escondido Indivisible