Project Information

Bid Title

Library Digital Experience Platform

Issuing Agency

City of Berkeley

Location

California

Published Date

Jan 12, 2026

Closing Date

Jan 20, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

26-11754-C Reissue

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Library Digital Experience Platform

Due Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 - 2:00 pm

Attachment Preview

Finance Department

General Services Division

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Specification No. 26-11754-C Re-Issued

FOR

Library Digital Experience Platform

PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE OPENED AND READ PUBLICLY

12/12/2025

Dear Proposer:

The City of Berkeley is soliciting written proposals from qualified firms or individuals for a Library Digital

Experience Platform consisting of a Website Redesign with a Content Management System, and a Discovery Layer

for the Berkeley Public Library’s online catalog. As a Request for Proposal (RFP) this is not an invitation to bid and

although price is very important, other factors will be taken into consideration.

The project scope, content of proposal, and vendor selection process are summarized in the RFP (attached).

Proposals must be received no later than 2:00 pm, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Proposals are to be sent via

email with the “Specification No. 26-11754-C, Library Digital Experience Platform” clearly indicated in the

subject line of the email. Please submit one (1) PDF of the technical Proposal with the filename saved as,

“Proposal: Vendor Name - 26-11754-C, Library Digital Experience Platform.” Corresponding pricing proposal

shall be submitted as a separate document with the filename saved as, “Pricing: Vendor Name - 26-11754-C,

Library Digital Experience Platform.”

Email Proposals to:

City of Berkeley

Finance Department/General Services Division

purchasing@berkeleyca.gov

Proposals will not be accepted after the date and time stated above. Incomplete proposal or proposals that do not

conform to the requirements specified herein will not be considered. Issuance of the RFP does not obligate the City

to award a contract, nor is the City liable for any costs incurred by the proposer in the preparation and submittal of

proposals for the subject work. The City retains the right to award all or parts of this contract to several bidders, to

not select any bidders, and/or to re-solicit proposals. The act of submitting a proposal is a declaration that the

proposer has read the RFP and understands all the requirements and conditions.

For questions concerning the anticipated work, or scope of the project, please contact Alicia Abramson, Manager

of Library Information Technology, via email at aabramson@berkeleyca.gov no later than Tuesday, January

6, 2026. Answers to questions will not be provided by telephone or email. Answers to all questions or any addenda

will be posted on the City of Berkeley’s site at Bid & Proposal Opportunities | City of Berkeley (berkeleyca.gov). It

is the vendor’s responsibility to check this site. For general questions concerning the submittal process, contact

purchasing at 510-981-7320.

We look forward to receiving and reviewing your proposal.

Sincerely,

2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 Tel: 510.981.7320 TDD: 510.981.6903

E-mail: purchasing@berkeleyca.org Website: cityofberkeley.info/finance/

City of Berkeley

Library Digital Experience Platform

Specification No. 26-11754-C Re-Issued

Henry Oyekamni

Director of Finance

Page 2 of 33

Release Date 09/16/2025

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City of Berkeley

Library Digital Experience Platform

Specification No. 26-11754-C Re-Issued

Page 3 of 33

Release Date 09/16/2025

I.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Berkeley Public Library is seeking proposals from qualified vendors for all or part of a Library Digital

Experience Platform consisting of 1. A Library Website Redesign including a Content Management System (CMS)

and 2. A Discovery Layer for the Library’s online catalog. Our goal is to create a unified, modern, user-friendly,

multi-lingual and accessible Digital Experience Platform that provides enhanced patron engagement, and which

effectively delivers access to the Library’s physical collections, online resources and library services to our diverse

users. Content is to be delivered at a minimum in English, Chinese and Spanish.

1. Website Background

In 2024, in partnership with a consulting firm, the Berkeley Public Library (BPL) underwent the process of

developing a five-year technology plan. One of the top priorities to emerge from that planning process was the

improvement of the patron and staff experience when utilizing the Library’s digital information delivery systems,

such as the website and the online catalog. These two systems are often the first “entry points” that many users

access to learn what the Library has to offer in terms of hours, locations, library services, programs, research

databases and a myriad of materials, both physical and digital, including books, CDs, tools, eAudiobooks, eBooks,

eMusic, online movies and more. The specific finding of the final report was that a “comprehensive redesign of the

library's website is essential to improve user experience and access to information”. This includes redesigning the

website for modern usability and accessibility while appealing to a diverse audience and improving content

management.

The current iteration of BPL’s website was released in the spring of 2014. The Drupal Content Management

System (CMS) and the site hosting is managed in the cloud by a Library vendor. The site’s initial reception was

favorable—it received positive feedback from both staff and members of the public. It was, at the time, a great

improvement over the Library’s previous website which was text-based with no discernable style and poorly

organized information architecture.

As the site has aged, it has grown somewhat complex to manage and has an inconsistent design. Feedback from the

public and library staff have indicated that a more streamlined website with more intuitive navigation, better

organized content, that is more responsive, accessible and appealing to a wide variety of users of different

demographics and abilities, is desired.

Frequent complaints include that it is hard for users to find information they are looking for on the site; that the site

does not meet modern accessibility standards; and the navigational structure is not easy to use and often does not

lead users to the information they are seeking.

The website is not fully responsive, particularly in the mobile view. Additionally, the mobile version of the site

does not fully mirror the full site, specifically the navigation and content organization. To provide multi-lingual

access to users, the site currently incorporates a “Google Translate” widget, launched in 2024. Additional third-

party integrations include the Communico calendar and events system, and Google Analytics.

2. Discovery Layer Background

Berkeley Public Library currently uses the CARL ILS and its associated OPAC, which presents some limitations

that affect user experience and resource discovery. The existing system displays search results using a ranking

system that CARL does not disclose, making it difficult for users to understand or optimize how results are

prioritized.

It is sometimes challenging for users to efficiently locate the most relevant materials. The system offers limited

display customization options, lacks comprehensive record grouping for related materials, and has limitations in

handling authority records and cross-referencing capabilities. Additionally, the Carl ILS does not fully support

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City of Berkeley

Library Digital Experience Platform

Specification No. 26-11754-C Re-Issued

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Release Date 09/16/2025

printing of multiple languages, particularly with diacritics which creates challenges for creating shelf marks

(labels), organizing and accessing our multilingual collection materials.

To address these challenges and enhance our discovery services, we are seeking a discovery layer solution that will

provide improved relevance ranking to help surface appropriate results, more flexible display options that can be

tailored to user preferences and library needs, better record grouping functionality that connects related materials

such as different editions and formats, and enhanced authority control integration that improves cross-references

and variant forms. We hope the discovery layer will offer additional search capabilities including but not limited to,

search suggestions, and unified searching across multiple resource types.

As part of this work, the Library is enriching its bibliographic records with additional metadata to better reflect the

identities and perspectives of creators. This includes – but is not limited to-demographic, cultural, and community

identifiers that highlight authors and creators from historically marginalized or underrepresented groups. Such data

may be drawn from MARC fields (e.g., 386), authority records, and other emerging standards or vocabularies, with

the understanding that this is an evolving area of practice.

Additionally, Berkeley Public Library operates with a split CARL OPAC configuration to accommodate the Tool

Lending Library. The Tool Lending Library has specific business rules requiring both pickup and return of tools

exclusively at that location. The discovery layer should support these location-specific restrictions while

maintaining a unified search experience across all collections.

Vendors are encouraged to describe how their discovery solution can effectively incorporate and leverage this type

of metadata to support inclusive navigation. This may include features such as filtering, faceting, or curated views

that highlight underrepresented voices and perspectives. Solutions that demonstrate flexibility in supporting

multiple metadate sources, authority records, and evolving standards and that enhance the discoverability of diverse

creators are preferred. By enabling the use of enriched metadata the library seeks to foster a more intuitive and

equitable discovery environment, improving access to resources and better serving the community’s diverse

information and reading needs.

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES

a. The Library anticipates that work will begin on the Website and Discovery Layer in March 2026 and that

there will be a six-month implementation period followed by a three-year support, maintenance and

subscription period.

b. Services may be provided remotely with the expectation that there will be a minimum of 3 on-site, in-

person meetings with the contractor and designated Library staff involved in the project.

c. The Library will invite the most highly ranked proposers to an onsite presentation which would include a

question-and-answer period.

d. The following aesthetic, technical, and accessibility requirements will be deliverables of the contract:

REQUIREMENTS

PART 1: Library Website Redesign including a Content Management System, and hosting

1.1 Website Design and Development

• Complete redesign of library website with modern, clean aesthetic

• Website equitably serves a variety of patrons of different demographics who have varying needs and

technical abilities with a commitment to Equity Centered Navigation, Migration of existing specified

content from Library’s current website to newly designed website

• User-centered design with intuitive information architecture

• Fully responsive design for optimal viewing on all devices

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City of Berkeley

Library Digital Experience Platform

Specification No. 26-11754-C Re-Issued

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Release Date 09/16/2025

• International language support (including English, Chinese and Spanish)

• Capable of supporting the Communico calendar and events management system

• Website design aligned with Discovery layer branding and aesthetic

1.2 Content Management System (CMS)

• Implementation of robust, easy-to-use CMS

• User role management with granular permissions

• Content workflow management with approval processes

• Ability to roll back changes

• Media library with digital asset management capabilities

• Content versioning and scheduling capabilities

• Website content Staging (“Test”) and Production (“Live”) environments

• Template system for consistent content creation

• API integration with various Discovery Layers on the market (specify which are supported)

• Regular version upgrades and security patches

• Daily backup and restore

• Hosted securely on the cloud with 99.9% uptime guarantee

1.4 User Experience Features

• Real-time chat capabilities between patrons and staff

• Simplified, intuitive interface with reduced cognitive load

• Website search will produce highly relevant and the most recent content first

• Website search results will display summary content for each hit providing users with contextual

information allowing them to choose the most relevant result

• Website search will provide a passthrough search to the Discovery Layer for users searching for Library

materials

• Website search will include event results from the Library’s Communico events management system

2.1 Accessibility and Language Requirements

• Full compliance with WCAG 2.2 guidelines

• Screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation

• Accessible document formats for downloadable content

• Accessibility statement and feedback mechanism

• Ongoing accessibility maintenance plan

• Enhanced Accessibility: Features beyond minimum requirements

• Multilingual Support: Accessibility across supported languages

2.2 User Experience Requirements

• Information Architecture: Multiple and intuitive navigation pathways, and content organization

• Mobile Responsiveness: Optimal experience across all devices

• Simplicity: Clean, intuitive interface with minimal learning curve

• Advanced Search: An intuitive search interface with relevant, ranked results

• AI Capabilities: Exploration of AI for search and assistance

3.1 Project Phases

• Discovery and Planning: Requirements gathering, stakeholder interviews

• Design: Information architecture, wireframes, visual design with no fewer than three review phases

• Development: CMS implementation, front-end and back-end development

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Commodity Codes

• NAICS 518210Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services
• NAICS 519130Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals
• NAICS 541512Computer Systems Design Services
• NAICS 541519Other Computer Related Services

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