California Library Services Act: statewide communications and delivery collaborative network.

The California Library Services Act establishes the California Library Services Board and requires the board to, among other things, establish and maintain a statewide communications and delivery network between and among cooperative library systems, state reference centers, independent public libraries, and all other libraries participating in the programs authorized by the act. This bill would instead require the board to establish and maintain a statewide communications and delivery collaborative network between cooperative library systems, independent public libraries, and all other libraries participating in the programs authorized by the act. The bill would also authorize the State Librarian, with approval of the board, to enter into a cooperative agreement with a high-bandwidth, high-capacity Internet service provider for the purpose of providing services to all public libraries in the state, as provided. Existing law requires each cooperative library system, as defined, to annually apply for funds for intrasystem communications and delivery, and requires the proposals to be based upon the most cost-effective methods of exchanging materials and information among member libraries. This bill would specify that applications to the board for funds for intrasystem communications and delivery may include, requests for grant assistance for broadband capacity upgrades. The bill would also require that proposals be based on the most cost-effective methods for information and resource sharing, including electronic or physical delivery.