TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Anthony Halstead - Director of Library Services and Community Outreach
REPORT BY: Anthony Halstead - Director of Library Services and Community Outreach
SUBJECT: Acceptance of a grant and Adoption of a Resolution Amending the Napa County Policy Manual Part I: Section 29 to include language required by the grant
RECOMMENDATION
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Director of Library Services and Community Outreach requests the following actions related to receiving project grant funds from the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC):
1. Authorization to accept a grant from the ECF for cost reimbursement not to exceed $208,000;
2. Approval of a Budget Adjustment increasing appropriations by $208,000 in the Library’s General Operation Budget (Fund 2020, Org 2020000) to provide broadband connectivity and laptops to be circulated throughout the library locations with offsetting revenue from the grant funding (4/5 vote required); and
3. Adoption of a Resolution Amending the Napa County Policy Manual Part I: Section 29 to include language required by the FCC upon grants acceptance.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Napa County Library has received a grant funding opportunity of up to $208,000 in cost-reimbursement from the FCC. Today, the Library is requesting Board acceptance of the ECF grant. Approval will enable the Library to provide expanded general access to mobile broadband hotspots and laptops for students and members of the community. The Library is further requesting that the Board update Part I: Section 29 of its Policy Manual to include language required by the FCC upon grant acceptance.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Where is it budgeted? |
The funds for the purchases related to the grant will be budgeted in the Library General Operations budget. |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
To provide expanded hotspots for public use and add laptops to our circulating collection. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
Yes. Service for hotspots will commence once received, therefore reimbursable services may extend beyond the current fiscal year. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Library will be unable to add laptops to our circulating collection and will be unable to increase hotspots for patron use. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Livable Economy for All |
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California
Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The FCC's Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) is a $7.17 billion program that will help schools and libraries provide the tools and services their communities need for remote learning during the COVID-19 emergency period. ECF will help provide relief to millions of students, school staff, and library patrons and will help close the Homework Gap for students who currently lack necessary Internet access or the devices they need to connect to classrooms.
For eligible schools and libraries, the ECF Program will cover reasonable costs of laptop and tablet computers; Wi-Fi hotspots; modems; routers; and broadband connectivity purchases for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons.
Congress authorized the ECF as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
The Library applied for grants not to exceed $208,000 to expand our existing hotspot collection from 100 to 400 and to establish a collection of 100 laptops (Chromebooks) to be distributed throughout the Napa County Library locations. The broadband access through these hotspots will be fully paid through this program for a maximum of 12 months and will commence upon receipt of the devices.
The FCC’s ECF Order states that before providing a patron with ECF supported equipment (e.g., tablet) or services (e.g., internet access), the library must give the patron a copy of the library’s internet use policy explaining that the use of FCC funded equipment and/or services is intended only for patrons who do not have access to equipment or services sufficient to meet the patron’s internet connectivity needs. The Napa County Library needs to update their policy, “Internet and Electronic Use” section to incorporate the FCC aforementioned language.
Today's requested action is for the acceptance of a federal ECF grant with a total maximum reimbursement of $208,000 and approval to increases appropriations in the Library’s General Operation Budget with offsetting revenue from the grant. The Library is further requesting that the Board adopt a resolution amending the Napa County Policy Manual Part I: Section 29 to include language required by the FCC for the duration of the grant.