Manhattan Beach Library Commission: Regular Meeting - September 14, 2026

The City of Manhattan Beach Library Commission held its regular meeting on September 14, 2026. The main procurement-related discussion concerned the October 24 Michael Connelly event at Mira Costa. Library staff said they planned to purchase 1,000 copies of his new book through Pages for distribution to attendees, instead of paying an honorarium; no unit price or total cost was stated, and the purchase was not presented for a vote. Commissioners and staff also discussed event logistics, marketing, accessibility, and possible poster and banner promotion, with banner availability dependent on budget and scheduling.

The commission discussed prospective speakers for 2027 and a speaker-series budget of approximately $150,000 for the fiscal year. Potential guests included Ina Garten, with an estimated fee of $60,000 plus travel and accommodations (about $66,000 total), and Jenna Bush Hager, whose representative reportedly indicated a $60,000 all-inclusive fee; no fee was yet available for Abby Wambach. These were planning options, not approved selections or awards. Staff planned to check availability, with no procurement vote or contract award identified in the transcript.