CC 06-11-2013 Exhibit Item 2 �C C� - I ( - 13 � 2
Karen B. Guerin
From: Rose Grymes [ragrymes@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 12:18 PM
To: City Council
Cc: Nidhi Mathur
Subject: Budget discussion 6/11/13
To the Cupertino City Council,
As Chair of the Library Commission and on behalf of my colleaques I wish to communicate our strong support for the
package of items related to the Cupertino �ibrary before you.
The continuing advancement of library programs and services represents a singularly stellar accomplishment for the city
and its residents. We are accustomed to routinely excellent seniice from our dedicated library staff and intelligent policy-
setting from their management.
The Library Commission attempts to bring the contributions of tlie Cupertino Library to the attention of the City Council
several times each year in part so we do not become complacent with respect to its achievements. Our library is one of
the most innovative and busy, not only in the Santa Clara County Library District, but in the country. It is supported by the
community-at-large, with ever increasing foot traffic, borrowing ��atterns, and attendance at focused programs, and by
committed community groups including, but not limited to, the Friends of the Cupertino Library and Cupertino Library
Foundation. The library brings us uncommon and sometimes lif��-changing experiences through, for example, the
Planetree Health Library and the new Technology Toolbar.
Cupertino has national and international stature not only becau:>e of its association with Silicon Valley and global
businesses and products, but because of our first-class quality ��f life indicators. One of those is our fibrary.
The items before you range from the small to the substantial, b�at all share a strong common theme: Access. Maintaining
opening hours and fixing ongoing issues with viewing screens �it the return terminals contribute to core access and ease-
of-use. These are unlikely to be controversial. The investment in renovation of the Story Room was the subject of a
previous note to the City Council from the Library Commission (5/22/13), in which we stated:
'....Further, we wish to enthusiastically endorse the re-purposirn� of the library's Story Room as a Community Room. The
Cupertino Library is justifiably renowned for its many programs touching on diverse aspects of the community and fulfilling
multiple educational, community-building, informational, cultura', recreational, literary, and artistic objectives, to name only
a few. Attendance at these programs frequently exceeds existir�g spaces and requires careful management of scheduling
in tandem with the availability of Community Hall. A new venue within the library would expand access for Cupertino
residents to these excellent and varied programs, and allow eve�n more creativity to flower in the development of
additional offerings."
Expansion of the Story Room would enable greater variety of lik�rary programming and encourage more in-person
attendance. These opportunities for residents to join together o�rer shared interests bring about the social exchange that
builds community. People interact beyond their neighborhoods, primary language, ethnic and religious groups, school and
work settings. Moving more library programs to this new facility will also free up Community Hall for other events. These
changes, cumulatively, will further stress the parking availability in the area, also impacting other city services and local
businesses and residents. For these reasons, and to address ttie historically challenging parking situation well-
appreciated for this area, we urge you to include a commitment to studying, evaluating, and implementing a long-term
solution. A parking structure is a reasonable first-step concept��nd represents the scale of solution required. Consultation
with all affected stakeholders will refine this idea by incorporatirig elements of public art, technology, and sustainability.On
implementation, we have no doubt the final construction will create a facility the community will use, and take pride in, for
decades.
Thank you,
Rose Grymes-Friedand
Chair, Library Commission 2013-2014
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