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Huntington Beach Looking To Outsource Library Operations
The Huntington Beach City Council considers outsourcing library services to a private company.
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Jill Replogle
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LAist
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Topline:
The Huntington Beach City Council is considering outsourcing the operation of its public library system to a private company. Tonight, the city council will discuss authorizing a request for proposals from a third-party contractor.
What’s new: The city says it was approached by the company, Library Systems & Services, which proposed that it could save the city money. A city spokesperson says the RFP’s “intent is to gather additional information on these services and the companies who provide them.” Some supporters of the library fear the move to outsource could lead to a decline in quality.
Other library changes: The library system has recently been at the center of fierce debates. Last fall, the council voted to take steps to remove books with quote “sexual content” unquote out of the children’s section. Tonight’s meeting will also discuss codifying a new parent and guardian panel that would review what children’s books the library could purchase.
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How to watch: You can tune in at 6 p.m. on the city’s YouTube page. https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofhb/streams
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