FSCPL Option B Campaign
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The Friends of Santa Cruz Public Libraries (FSCPL), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with "members" and which accepts donations from City and County residents, is engaged in an extensive lobbying campaign to push acceptance of the Downtown Library Advisory Committee's Final Report with its Recommendation to the City Council. The DLAC recommends Option B, the abandonment of the now historical downtown library in favor of a new downtown library branch proposed on the ground floor of a multi-story parking garage.
Aware that there is growing individual and organized opposition to Option B, FSCPL has begun distributing pro-Option B propaganda emails to undisclosed recipients. These emails do not arrive via the regular FSCPL e-newsletter platform. Instead the emails (with FSCPL heading and sent with the Executive Director's email address) come via an independent online service that is used by many non-profits.
While it is probably within the purview of the FSCPL Executive Director and/or Board of Directors to support the recommendation of the DLAC, these promotional emails contain misstatements of facts and misleading suppositions that flow from the flawed DLAC process and as well as its Final Recommendation to the City Council.
One egregious misstatement of fact is that "The building will offer less workable space than the current library and will be 8,000 square feet smaller than Option B." Option A does not reduce the size of the existing library by 8,000 sq.ft. The useable building will remain at 44,000 sq. ft, not be reduce to 36,000 sq.ft. A big part of the problem with space in the current building is the result of housekeeping, as was evident on the tour of the entire building.
Since there are no architectural drawings or floor plans for either Option B or Option A, it is impossible to know what will or will not be provided in either option. Yet the FSCPL emails imply that only Option B can provide something or state authoritatively, with no evidence, that Option A will not provide those things. Examples, all of which can be challenged for veracity are:
Without having seen any floor plans, designs or construction bids for either Option A or Option B, the FSCPL emails state authoritatively that "Option B would offer more space for Additional Community Meeting Rooms for your club or committee, a Learning/Collaboration Space for S.T.E.A.M. & Makers Programs," and "Several quiet rooms for you to study or work with no distractions."
With no evidence, the FSCPL emails also state that "Annual maintenance and upkeep will cost more in Option A than with any of the other Options." They also mention that "the roof and heating are as old as the building," which implies that nothing can be done about either. They state that "windows will NOT be replaced even though the windows are single-pane," forgetting that the high ceilings that they tout as desirable in a new library will result in heat rising to those ceilings when patrons are standing or seated at a 6' height. Without an energy audit for both Option B as well as Option A, there is no way to know what the annual electric and/or gas costs to the Library will be.
Although the work of the DLAC was to "help design a library," FSCPL touts Option B for a library as solving the City's parking and housing problems, and implies that only Option B (not Option A) will increase the vitality of downtown or make downtown more walkable:
Don't Bury The Library is concerned that once these half truths are repeated often enough they will be accepted as factual. Nothing could be further from the truth.
UPDATE June 20, 2018 - At the City Council's June 19 Study Session, FSCPL passed out their new "Myths vs. Facts" handout, which lists 13 so-called "myths" about the library-in-a-parking garage project, many of which have never been stated by anyone opposed to the project. Seven "myths" are about the parking garage and have nothing to do with the library. This is a blatant attempt by FSCPL to promote the City's parking garage project, which if blocked by the public will also doom the DLAC recommendation for a new library in the ground floor of the parking garage.
Aware that there is growing individual and organized opposition to Option B, FSCPL has begun distributing pro-Option B propaganda emails to undisclosed recipients. These emails do not arrive via the regular FSCPL e-newsletter platform. Instead the emails (with FSCPL heading and sent with the Executive Director's email address) come via an independent online service that is used by many non-profits.
While it is probably within the purview of the FSCPL Executive Director and/or Board of Directors to support the recommendation of the DLAC, these promotional emails contain misstatements of facts and misleading suppositions that flow from the flawed DLAC process and as well as its Final Recommendation to the City Council.
One egregious misstatement of fact is that "The building will offer less workable space than the current library and will be 8,000 square feet smaller than Option B." Option A does not reduce the size of the existing library by 8,000 sq.ft. The useable building will remain at 44,000 sq. ft, not be reduce to 36,000 sq.ft. A big part of the problem with space in the current building is the result of housekeeping, as was evident on the tour of the entire building.
Since there are no architectural drawings or floor plans for either Option B or Option A, it is impossible to know what will or will not be provided in either option. Yet the FSCPL emails imply that only Option B can provide something or state authoritatively, with no evidence, that Option A will not provide those things. Examples, all of which can be challenged for veracity are:
- "Option B will allow you to keep and grow the library programs you love. An Option A remodel will require cutbacks."
- "Option B provides more space and more books for you to share with younger generations, or to enjoy as you do old friends!"
- "Option B offers you more room to enjoy and share the books you love."
- "Beyond an enhanced Genealogy Area, Option B would offer: A larger Children's Space - separate from the teen room - for programs, collections and dedicated computer stations. Up to an additional 69 computer stations reserved for adults. And room for the activities of your Friends of the SCPL!"
- "The Committee chose Option B because they realized that more of your funds would go to creating a great library ..."
- "... a remodel through Option A could result in smaller collections for the entire library system."
Without having seen any floor plans, designs or construction bids for either Option A or Option B, the FSCPL emails state authoritatively that "Option B would offer more space for Additional Community Meeting Rooms for your club or committee, a Learning/Collaboration Space for S.T.E.A.M. & Makers Programs," and "Several quiet rooms for you to study or work with no distractions."
With no evidence, the FSCPL emails also state that "Annual maintenance and upkeep will cost more in Option A than with any of the other Options." They also mention that "the roof and heating are as old as the building," which implies that nothing can be done about either. They state that "windows will NOT be replaced even though the windows are single-pane," forgetting that the high ceilings that they tout as desirable in a new library will result in heat rising to those ceilings when patrons are standing or seated at a 6' height. Without an energy audit for both Option B as well as Option A, there is no way to know what the annual electric and/or gas costs to the Library will be.
Although the work of the DLAC was to "help design a library," FSCPL touts Option B for a library as solving the City's parking and housing problems, and implies that only Option B (not Option A) will increase the vitality of downtown or make downtown more walkable:
- "Option B will also fit into the City's Vision to: Develop surface parking lots for multi-use needs, like HOUSING!"
- "Increase the Downtown's vitality, and encourage a more walkable community."
Don't Bury The Library is concerned that once these half truths are repeated often enough they will be accepted as factual. Nothing could be further from the truth.
UPDATE June 20, 2018 - At the City Council's June 19 Study Session, FSCPL passed out their new "Myths vs. Facts" handout, which lists 13 so-called "myths" about the library-in-a-parking garage project, many of which have never been stated by anyone opposed to the project. Seven "myths" are about the parking garage and have nothing to do with the library. This is a blatant attempt by FSCPL to promote the City's parking garage project, which if blocked by the public will also doom the DLAC recommendation for a new library in the ground floor of the parking garage.
Click on the files below to download the FSCPL materials:
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Want to Know the Latest About the Downtown Library? | |
File Size: | 412 kb |
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What Stories Will You Find in Option B for the Library? | |
File Size: | 527 kb |
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