HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-03-24 - AGENDA REPORTS - LIBRARY MATERIAL CONTRO
Agenda Item: 5
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
.` AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: March 24, 2026
SUBJECT: LIBRARY MATERIAL VENDOR CONTRACTS
DEPARTMENT: Human Resources and Library Services
PRESENTER: Gina Roberson
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
Award a one-year contract to Ingram Library Services LLC (Ingram) for physical books
and materials for the Santa Clarita Public Library for a total contract amount not to exceed
$800,000.
2. Approve a contract authorization increase to the City's existing agreement with Midwest
Tape (Hoopla) to provide audiobooks, eBooks, movies, and music in the amount of
$30,000, for a total contract amount not to exceed $79,999.
3. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute up to two additional one-year renewal
options for the above -mentioned agreements, not to exceed the annual contract amount,
plus an adjustment consistent with the appropriate Consumer Price Index, upon request of
the contractor.
4. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all contracts and associated documents,
subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
The Santa Clarita Public Library (SCPL) has three branches, including Canyon Country,
Valencia, and Old Town Newhall, which have over 93,391 registered users and provide the
community with a wide variety of print, audiovisual, and electronic materials for public use. The
SCPL's collection comprises approximately 236,496 print books, 21,235 audiobooks, Blu-rays,
DVDs, and 68,872 electronic books and audiobooks. Annually, SCPL circulates an average of
1.2 million physical and electronic items. In order to further develop its collection and meet the
community's growing needs, SCPL is seeking vendors to provide library materials.
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Physical Material Vendor
The City conducted a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals from qualified vendors to
furnish, deliver, catalog, and process SCPL's print and audiovisual material. The RFP was
published and circulated via BidNet on January 10, 2023. On April 25, 2023, the City Council
approved contracts based on the highest -scoring RFP responses with Baker & Taylor LLC
(Baker & Taylor), Brodart Co., Children's Plus, Inc., Midwest Tape LLC, and Tsai Fong Books,
Inc., as well as EBSCO Industries, Inc., and OverDrive Inc. The total contract amount to be
shared amongst these vendors was approved by City Council in an amount not to exceed $2.15
million for a two-year initial term, with the option to renew for up to three additional one-year
terms. The City is currently exercising the first year of the three optional one-year renewals for
these agreements.
Baker & Taylor, one of the contractors awarded an agreement based on the RFP, has since gone
out of business and closed. The closure of Baker & Taylor, SCPL's largest supplier of physical
materials, has caused significant supply disruptions and shortages, creating an unsustainable
situation for maintaining the Library's collection.
Ingram Library Services LLC (Ingram) submitted a proposal in response to the City's 2023 RFP
and was determined to be a qualified proposer. Although Ingram was not included in the original
group of vendors awarded contracts, Ingram received high scores during the RFP evaluation,
reflecting its competitive pricing and strong service offering. Ingram is a full -service library
vendor offering circulation -ready print books for all ages, with an inventory of over 19 million
items that includes both back catalog and new release titles. The vendor offers generous
discounts on fiction materials, typically ranging between 30-45 percent for adult, children, and
young adult fiction, with some variability in discount rates for other material types.
Staff recommends entering into an agreement with Ingram at this time to supplement the
remaining vendors and ensure a reliable supply of library materials. Utilizing a proposer from the
original competitive solicitation allows the City to address the supply gap created by Baker &
Taylor's closure while remaining consistent with the results of the 2023 RFP process.
The contract with Ingram will allow City staff the flexibility and resources to update outdated
materials, meet the needs of the public, and continue to develop a collection appropriate for the
size of the community while retaining compatibility and compliance with the City's existing
library system.
Digital Material Vendor
In 2021, Midwest Tape LLC (Hoopla) was approved as a sole -source procurement due to its
exclusive content offerings and unique instant -access service model that is not available through
other digital library vendors.
Hoopla is an all -in -one digital service for libraries that offers over 935,000 titles in its catalog,
which includes popular movies, television shows, eBooks, audiobooks, comics, and music.
Hoopla is the sole library provider for instant, on -demand content from MGM, NBC, Miramax,
Lionsgate, and many more. Library customers are able to instantly borrow and view titles with
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no waitlists or hold queues, which is not a feature available through the library's current digital
services.
Hoopla does not have a platform fee, and the pricing model allows for access to their entire
catalog without having to curate and purchase individual titles to build a collection. Hoopla also
offers content in over 70 languages at no additional cost, which is not available through other
digital library services.
As part of daily library operations, a contract amendment is needed to support an increase in use
of the platforms. Hoopla is a pay -per -use platform, and since 2022, the monthly average has
tripled. Staff recommends an amendment to the City's contract with Hoopla to authorize an
expenditure authority increase of $30,000, bringing the total contract amount to $79,999, to
provide audiobooks, eBooks, movies, and music.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adequate Public Library funds have previously been appropriated as part of the Fiscal Year
2025-26 budget to support the recommended actions to expenditure accounts 3098200-511120
(Physical Material) and 3098200-511121 (Digital Material). Funding for future fiscal years will
be contingent upon appropriations of funds by the City Council during the annual budget
process.
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