Tracy thinks it could save its general fund a quarter of a million dollars by operating its own library, and that savings has helped drive a push for independence.
Currently, the Tracy libraries are operated by the city of Stockton through a contract managed by San Joaquin County. Both bodies have opposed the potential pull-out from the county system, fearing that one withdrawal could reverberate throughout the rest of the branches. Furthermore, with one-less branch to share fixed costs, remaining libraries would be forced to shoulder greater costs during an ongoing budget crunch.
Currently, Tracy’s library is part of a local network that offers 900,000 resources to residents, and part of a statewide network that provides access to 9 million. Tracy hopes that even if it operates independently, software could allow it to continue to access those networks.
From the Record Net.com:
Tracy’s plan to take control of its own branch of the Stockton-San Joaquin County Library system hit another roadblock.
Tracy’s bid to plot its own course began last year when city officials said they would keep the busy library open more hours, add more materials and operate more efficiently.
They indicated those benefits as they explored pulling away from the 12-branch system managed by the city of Stockton.
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