"We want to understand the foundation's concerns before we make any final decisions," said Mayor Michael Chang.

The Cupertino Library Foundation welcomes the friendly gesture from the city council.

"This is a great decision," said Barbara Rogers, chairwoman of the Cupertino Library Committee. "The city council needs to know the fund-raising challenges we have faced because of its change in the naming policy."

The naming issue began in July 2003.

To raise $1.2 million to furnish the new library, the city council unanimously approved a policy of naming city facilities after financial donors.

The controversy started when Vice Mayor Sandra James protested naming a community building after Asian American donor Fred Chan, who promised to give $250,000 to the foundation. James was accused of harboring racism. The relationship between the city council and the foundation has since turned sour.

A six-person team—made up of Chang, James, City Manager David Knapp, City Attorney Charles Kilian, and community leaders Don Allen and Rich Abdalah—then drafted a new policy on recognizing donors.

The city council approved the concept of the policy at its July 7 meeting and scheduled a final vote on the policy at its Aug. 4 meeting. But council members voted unanimously in support of having a study session with the library foundation.

"It is not wise to make a policy in the heat of controversy," said Councilman Richard Lowenthal, who also chairs the library fundraising campaign. "The city council has been talking a lot. It is time for us to listen."

The new policy states that no city buildings will be named after an individual, group organization or business as a result of a financial donation. But the city may recognize donors with a plaque containing specific language affixed to a city building. And all donations must be approved first by the city manager and then by a public vote of the city council.

Volunteers of the library foundation say the proposed policy already has a chilling effect on their fundraising campaign.

"Right now, all fundraising efforts are put on hold," said Nicôl Lea, member of the Cupertino Library Foundation. "We don't want to go out to ask people for money, knowing that there might be potential problems. Many of our donors don't want to contribute until the city council makes a final decision."

"What worries me most is that this is going to affect the foundation's other fundraising campaigns," Lea said. "Raising funds is one of the many things we do. Our focus is to support the library's daily operations."

The library foundation hopes through the study session, the city council can make guidelines that satisfy all parties involved.

"There will be a lot of negotiations and clarifications," Lea said. "I just hope when the controversy is over, the city and the foundation can join on a united front to make our library a top-notch facility."