The proposal, which appeared online at the end of the business day Dec. 14 agendized for consideration three days before Christmas, has apparently been flying below the radar for some time; Richardson's agendizing memo says his action has the support of immediate past 9th dist. Councilman Steven Neal (for whom Richardson was Chief of Staff), NLB's LBUSD Boardmember Megan Kerr and a number of neighborhood groups (cited in the agendizing memo text below.)
9th district Councilman Richardson took office in mid-July 2014; Neal served one term in office before an unsuccessful Assembly run; Kerr was elected to the School Board in 2014.
Within hours, the agendized proposal drew opposition and counter-proposals from retired Vice Mayor/9th district Councilman Val Lerch and retired 9th dist. Councilman Jerry Shultz (who represented the 9th Council district for eight years each) and veteran NLB community advocate Laurie Angel, who urged naming the library for a local individual/somehow who had connections to Long Beach. We publish their emailed comments below.
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[Richardson memo text joined by Lowenthal, Price and Austin] Slated to open in the late summer of 2016, the North Branch Library will be the largest neighborhood branch library in the city and serve as state-of-the-art focal point for North
Long Beach. The 25,000 square foot facility will offer educational opportunities, such as
an expanded children's library, a story time theater space, a teen center and community
center with spaces for large and small gatherings.
According to City of Long Beach administrative policy (AR8-7), "City-owned land,
buildings and facilities will not normally be named after living persons unless the City
Council deems it appropriate to take such action on the basis of a significant contribution,
monetary or otherwise, which warrants a deviation from this policy guideline." The First
Lady Michelle Obama most certainly meets the exception to this policy. Naming the
library after Mrs. Obama will create not only a source of local pride, but national pride.
The naming would be a historic first for Long Beach as the only library in the city named
after a person of color. Mrs. Obama is the first African-American First Lady of the United States, and is a role
model for women and young girls everywhere. Her life work as an advocate for poverty
awareness, higher education and health living supports the values of the Long Beach
community. In addition, she is strongly committed to improving outcomes for young
people and those most at-risk.
Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, First Lady Michelle Obama shares many
similarities with the youth of North Long Beach and is a shining example of who they can
become with hard work and a dedication to their education. A product of public schools,
Mrs. Obama studied hard and earned degrees at Princeton and Harvard Law School. She
spent her career as a lawyer, the executive director of an Americorps program
encouraging youth to pursue careers in public service, and in higher education.
As First Lady, Mrs. Obama has continued her efforts to support and inspire young people.
Her main initiatives have been Let's Move, Joining Forces, and most recently, Reach
Higher, a campaign to encourage youth to pursue their education beyond high school.
The Reach Higher Initiative is directly in alignment with the library and the continued
Uptown Renaissance. The new library is a catalyst that will transform the surrounding
neighborhood with enriched academic opportunities and increased civic engagement.
Naming the library after First Lady Michelle Obama will serve as inspiration to encourage
youth to reach higher towards their goals by utilizing the services this facility will offer for
many years to come.
The North Long Beach community has shown strong support for the new north branch
library, and is eagerly anticipating its opening. The Ninth District Council office was
initially approached by youth from the Jordan High School WRAP Program to consider
naming the library after First Lady Michelle Obama. The Ninth District Council office
further discussed this idea with youth from Hamilton Middle School and the Andy Street
Community Association. While initial outreach has been strong, more outreach should
be conducted to build consensus within the community.
In addition, the naming of the library after First Lady Michelle Obama has support from
the following community leaders and neighborhood association presidents:
- Hon. Steven Neal
Former Ninth District Council member
- Board Member Megan Kerr
Long Beach Unified School District
- LaVerne Duncan, Executive Director
Andy St. Community Association
- Debra Shelton, President
College Square Neighborhood Association
- Dan Pressburg, President
Deforest Park Neighborhood Association
- Eileen Oien, President
St. Francis Neighborhood Association
- Jeff Rowe, President
Grant Neighborhood Association
- Hilda Gaytan, Chair
Hamilton Neighborhood Association
- Otis Hogan, Co-President
Houghton Park Neighborhood Association
- Julia Brown, President
- Longwood Neighborhood Association
James McWhorter, Co-President, Ramona Park Neighborhood Association
- Jimmy Murray, President
Starr King Neighborhood Association
Fiscal Impact
The estimated fiscal impact is $30,000-$40,000. Potential costs include architectural
services to design library branch signs and plaques with new name, increased cost of
larger signs and plaques, reprinting branch publications, and relabeling the library
collections for the new library. Ninth District one-time funds may be utilized to cover costs
if no other city resources are deemed available.
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Retired Vice Mayor/9th dist. Councilman Val Lerch (2002-2010)
It was late 1997 when we first walked the Atlantic corridor trying to determine where to place the new North Long Beach library. For the next 19 years we worked with the City to make sure we had a first class facility.
The people who worked so hard were OK with it being called the North Branch Library. But, now that it has been proposed to name it after a person, the people who worked so hard to get a library, believe it should be named after a person who has contributed to our community of Long Beach.
Many names come to mind but the name formost on my mind is Bill Baker. Mr. Baker lived his entire life in North Long Beach. He was a community leader. He was one of the driving forces behind the North Branch. He was Chair of North PAC during the libraries initial planning. He was the Chair of the RDA during its final planning stages. Actually if it were not for Bill we would not have the library. Bill has since passed.
Eleanore Schmidt who was the Director of libraries for Long Beach was very instrumental in the planning and design.
Willie McGinest and Snoop Dogg have contributed more to Long Beach than the First Lady. How about naming it the Veterans library?
The North Branch if named after a person should be named after a person who has a connection and has contributed to this great City of Long Beach. [Lerch notes text sent "while on the run."]
Retired 9th dist. Councilman Jerry Shultz (1994-2002)
I strongly oppose naming the new North Long Beach library after anyone who has not lived in the area and contributed to the neighborhood. I also oppose naming any public edifice after a living person, regardless of their contributions. The suggestion to name this library after a First Lady who has done nothing for NLB is preposterous. I support Val Lerch's suggestions. Keep it local.
Laurie Angel (veteran NLB community advocate, multiple involvements)
I was recently informed that Councilmember Richardson is considering naming the new North Library for Michelle Obama. First I find it very disconcerting that a politician with fairly new roots in the community would even be permitted to name a place of such significance.
Don't get me wrong, I have great respect for Mrs. Obama but I feel she has very little connection to North Long Beach. On the surface the naming appears more politically motivated than at all appropriate. I felt the same with the naming of the local post office on Market Street after Juanita Millender McDonald who had no real connection to this part of town. North Long Beach was not the heart for Ms. McDonald. I do not recall ever seeing her in North Long Beach in all the years she served.
I am confused as to why a city would permit the naming of such an important building based on the individual interests of a part time, local politician. Over the past several decades civic leaders have made an intentional point of suggesting names for parks, buildings and schools after individuals that had a substantive connection or contribution to the area: Houghton, Dooley, Chace, Davenport, etc. These names hold deep meaning for this community. It is important to remember and honor those that came before us and contributed to a history of a place. It helps us to understand our roots in the community.
There are individuals that contributed to this community for nearly their entire lives - who served and volunteered, such as Bill Baker, to make this area a better place. Bill was born here and lived and served his entire life in North Long Beach. I am disappointed that these naming opportunities are being done mostly for political recognition. It shows that we are devolving and lost the true meaning of what we stand for as a community. Maybe the North Library should be just that, the North Library, as it has been since the early 1930's until a deeply connected person with a passion for libraries should be so honored. Let it be. Respectfully, Laurie Angel
Developing. Further to follow.
