Dear Mayor Combs and City Council members:
I currently serve on the Menlo Park Library Commission; however, I am now
writing to offer comments for your consideration in my individual capacity
as a resident of Menlo Park for over 25 years. My comments are not made as
a representative of the Library Commission.
With regard to the proposed 2025-2026 Budget, as a Menlo Park resident, I
request a placeholder amount of at least $75,000 be added to the Library &
Community Services budget for a focused needs assessment of the Menlo Park
libraries (both Main and Belle Haven branch) that will result in a detailed
action plan to meet the current and emerging needs of the Menlo Park
community.
Why is this necessary now?
A focused needs assessment now allows the City to be directly responsive to
community input and feedback for its most utilized indoor location. The
recent Library, Recreation and Parks Survey conducted in April-May 2025 by
over 1,120 respondents showed that the Menlo Park Main Library is the most
visited indoor location (85% of respondents visit multiple times a year or
more, and only 6% "never" visit). The next most visited indoor location
(Arrillaga Family Rec. Center) has only 28% of respondents visiting
multiple times per year or more often, with 49% "never visit". However, of
all the indoor facilities in Menlo Park, the Main Library had the lowest
satisfaction rate (76% "very/somewhat satisfied" and 11% "somewhat/very
unsatisfied"). I believe these survey highlights demonstrate how important
the Library is to Menlo Park residents and express the communitys call to
action to address and resolve current deficiencies.
Additionally, a focused needs assessment would leverage City work
previously done with its stated goal of improving Library Systems that will
serve Menlo Park for the next 75+ years. As discussed in a 2019 Staff
Report No. 19-001-CC, multiple studies by the City in 2015, 2017 and 2018
concluded that the Belle Haven and Main libraries were outdated and
insufficient to meet community needs now and into the future. At the time,
City Councils 2018 work plan included the Library Systems Improvement
Project (LSIP) to address and resolve these critical community needs. In
2019, the Main Library portion of the LSIP was paused to rightfully
prioritize the Belle Haven branch, but between 2020-2024 both the pandemic
and the BHCC construction project prevented the City from completing its
LSIP process with regard to the Main Library. Now, in 2025 and looking
ahead, it is the perfect time to do an updated assessment of Library
Systems to achieve the overarching goal of better serving our Menlo Park
residents into the future.
With a focused needs assessment of the Menlo Park Libraries, the City will
be equipped to proactively consider how to plan for emerging needs. With
new housing planned and the forecasted additional families and residents
living near the Main Library, the City has a unique and timely opportunity
to assess how our libraries will meet the evolving needs of our growing
community.
On a personal note, I am passionate about our City libraries because they
serve as community hubs for learning, gathering and connection. I believe a
focused needs assessment of our Menlo Park libraries now will provide our
community actionable plans to improve this critical and beloved City
resource.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
Kim Crockett
1415 Bay Laurel Dr.
District 5
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*Kim Crockett*
*650.714.3059*
