About our Journey

The Pacific Library Partnership (PLP) was established in 2009 as a consolidation of four library systems, BALIS (Bay Area Library and Information System), serving Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties; PLS (Peninsula Library System), serving San Mateo County; MOBAC (Monterey Bay Area Cooperative Library System), serving Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties; and SVLS (Silicon Valley Library System), serving Santa Clara County. There are 43 libraries within PLP, including 35 public libraries and 8 academic libraries

The purpose of this regional system is to improve the services of its constituent member libraries by maintaining existing CLSA (California Library Services Act) programs, leading research and development efforts to ensure that libraries are best positioned to respond to demographic, economic, and cultural changes through innovative and collaborative approaches to programming and services and the enhancement of collective resource building and sharing.

PLP is one of nine cooperative systems, which were formed through a statewide effort by the California State Library to consolidate library systems throughout the state to achieve efficiencies and realize further economies of scale. A map of the systems may be found here. PLP works cooperatively with the other systems and provides support for state-wide initiatives such as adult and early literacy, immigration, and veterans resources.

The member libraries of PLP meet once a year in May as the PLP Administrative Council. PLP is governed by an Executive Committee consisting of 8 Library Directors and the PLP CEO. The Minutes and Agendas may be found here. The Executive Committee allocates the CLSA funds towards initiatives, and provides direction for bringing value back to member libraries through programs such as the Innovation and Technology Opportunity Grants, Library Leadership Programs, and support for system-wide LSTA grants.