2026-10-19 - Library Commission

00:05I'd like to call the meeting to order at

00:076:31 October 19.

00:11Um

00:12Welcome to the October 19, 2026 meeting

00:15of the Library Commission. This is a

00:17hybrid meeting with commissioners, city

00:20staff, and members of the public

00:22participating in person at the Alondra

00:25Library

00:26Family Recreation Center and remotely.

00:30Commissioners present include

00:32Laith Abdullah,

00:35Kim Crockett, vice chair,

00:38Sarah Sispa,

00:39Brian Westcott, chair, and Daniel

00:42Hughes.

00:44Staff present include Library and

00:46Community Services Director Nick Shenda,

00:51management analyst Ashley Dickson.

00:55Ashley will be helping facilitate the

00:57meeting. Ashley, will you please take a

01:00moment and provide instructions to the

01:02commission and members of the public in

01:04attendance on how the meeting will

01:06proceed.

01:07>> Thank you, chair. For members of the

01:09public who are attending this meeting

01:10virtually and wish to provide public

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01:26attending remotely who wish to speak,

01:27please take a moment to make sure your

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01:31or you may provide your name and the

01:33spelling as you're called to speak.

01:34Public comment will be heard in the

01:35order received and is limited to three

01:37minutes in length. For members of the

01:39public attending in person, ballot

01:40speaker cards are available on the

01:41table. Please complete one and turn it

01:44in to myself or another staff member

01:45before public comment is called for the

01:47item you wish to speak on. I will now

01:49turn it over to the chair.

01:52>> The public may

01:54under public comment, the public may

01:56address the commission on any subject

01:58not listed on the agenda.

02:00Each speaker may address the commission

02:02once under public comment for a limit of

02:053 minutes.

02:07You are not required to provide your

02:08name or city of residence, but it's

02:11helpful.

02:12The commission cannot act on items not

02:14listed on the agenda, and therefore the

02:16commission cannot respond to non-agenda

02:18issues brought up under public comment

02:22other than to provide general

02:23information.

02:25Do we have any public comment on items

02:27not appearing on the agenda?

02:29>> Are there any public comments on item

02:31C1?

02:34No public comment.

02:37>> Thank you.

02:38Study session. Uh first on the agenda

02:41tonight is a study session to discuss

02:43options for communicating library

02:45accomplishments to the community.

02:48Ashley, are there any public comments

02:50for this item?

02:51>> Are there any public comments on item

02:53D1?

02:54No public comment.

02:58>> If there are no further public comments,

03:00the item is now open for commission

03:02discussion.

03:04>> Yes.

03:06So, a little background on this. Last

03:09week at the meeting or last week, last

03:11month at the meeting um on September

03:1321st, there was some discussion about a

03:16quarterly report, and I thought we'd

03:19bring it back as a study session and

03:21maybe flush that out a little bit. Um

03:26there are some items to discuss. Uh what

03:29would be our target audience? What would

03:31be the desired relation to transmit? Is

03:35quarterly really ideal because we have

03:38to then prepare it, market it? Um

03:41reaching the right audience is annual

03:43better? Um really the world is kind of

03:46our oyster, so our thought was like

03:48let's get everybody's biggest, greatest

03:51wishes, and then go back to the team and

03:54go

03:55what's sort of possible from here

03:58and what is everybody have capacity for

04:00and what data do we have and

04:02and then we probably want to translate

04:03it and we'll have to bring in also

04:05probably our community engagement

04:07manager at some point in time discussion

04:09with her once things start to move along

04:11further.

04:12And also the other suggestion for the

04:15library team.

04:16So

04:19Are we good there? You want to add

04:21anything?

04:23>> No, I mean I think we started

04:25My recollection of the conversation was

04:28hey like let's make a cool infographic

04:32out of one of the statistics for a sort

04:34of sweep of statistics that we report on

04:37because that might have more impact than

04:40just the charts that we're getting every

04:41month.

04:42But I hadn't really considered all those

04:44other questions like who's the report

04:47and how many we're going to make and

04:49what's that we think. So that that

04:51that's I think this study session is the

04:54start of that discussion sort of find

04:57out are there things that would be

04:59better suited for that kind of I think

05:01the sweet spot would be like something

05:04that we think is important

05:06that the library does for the community

05:09important to the community that they

05:11don't know about

05:13that is easy to collect data on that we

05:16already have and we could make an

05:18impactful

05:20infographic out of it. So that's kind of

05:23a lot of circles to see if we can find

05:27almost in that way.

05:29>> And And I have a question. Is we should

05:32What is the goal of this? Is it to

05:34inform

05:35people that are already using library or

05:38to entice maybe other people that don't

05:42use some things like programs

05:44and inform them so that they might use

05:48the library more.

05:49>> Great question.

05:51>> I think it [clears throat] might be a

05:52little bit of both because what one of

05:55the instigating things I think was the

05:57comment from the dials when Kim was

06:00presenting the the library commission's

06:03work plan about oh 8,000 programs and

06:06like how many of those had one person in

06:09them or something.

06:10So there's you know here's this thing

06:12that the library commission and the

06:14library takes is really impressive. Look

06:16at all these programs that we do and the

06:20the

06:21public perception of that is or not even

06:23the public perception is that

06:26the sort of decision maker perception of

06:27that is oh that sounds nice but like is

06:30it really that impactful? So

06:34um

06:35I I think it may be twofold. People

06:37probably don't even library users

06:40probably don't know the scope of the

06:42programming that we do. We do a lot of

06:45programming.

06:45>> Yeah, it's a really big part of what the

06:47library does for the community.

06:50But even if you're going to story times

06:51you might not realize that that well the

06:54library is doing story times here but

06:55also doing child cares, also doing all

06:58these adult programs, all these teen

07:00programs and for seniors. So you may not

07:03know the scope of things that you're

07:05doing so

07:06it could be both depending.

07:09But but maybe in that case like programs

07:12it it might be it's programs is pretty

07:15broad. It's not just story times which

07:17is this one or programming. It's a

07:19little broader.

07:21But it might sort of open some eyes

07:23internally and externally.

07:27>> Yeah, I would just say that um since I

07:30was at the dial

07:32building that question

07:33I think what

07:35uh captures the attention of city

07:37council and everybody the most are the

07:40numbers that are reported in the annual

07:43report about that, how many people

07:45engage with library services and

07:47programs each year, and a further

07:50breakdown and illustration with some

07:52description.

07:54It's really probably the next thing that

07:57we need to do.

07:58Um so, maybe focusing on that first in

08:01terms of this because I think it's a

08:04it's a great story to tell, and it would

08:06be wonderful if everybody in Menlo Park

08:09understood what the library offers and

08:12how amazing it is.

08:15>> So, as we're collecting, I think I'm

08:18hearing from the group like for sure

08:19programs. We want to report on how much

08:22of those we do and how many people

08:23attend.

08:25Instructional hours, uh programs

08:28offered, or attendees, or all three?

08:33Or any infographic. What What would the

08:34commission see as the most impactful?

08:40Or is there some combination?

08:42>> I would say you want to inform them, but

08:44you also

08:46Is there there I know there's like an

08:48annual calendar.

08:52>> An annual calendar?

08:53>> Of of programs. So, we should think of

08:55it, right? So,

08:57inform them of the importance, you know,

08:59how many people are impacted by

09:01programs.

09:02>> Okay.

09:03>> Also, say these are the available

09:05programs

09:07and let them know how they can attend.

09:10And you might talk about how many people

09:13attend each so they get a feeling that

09:15this is a real community

09:18effort. So important.

09:20>> On the first infographic, the focus will

09:22be on the programs and sort of the

09:24different levels of impact and how many

09:27people, how many programs,

09:29um how many how often they're offered

09:31throughout the year.

09:33Um

09:34and maybe some of the variety of

09:36programs that we offer.

09:37>> Right.

09:39>> Um

09:41>> I mean, some people probably don't even

09:42know there are programs.

09:45>> Yes. That's a good point.

09:46>> and so you know, that's the group you

09:48want to reach is, you know, letting them

09:51know the programs, that there are

09:54programs, this is how it works, this is

09:56the number of people,

09:58but you know, not too much about the

10:00statistics.

10:01>> Is there a thought on

10:06the format for the infographic? Is it in

10:09your minds, is it digital

10:11or paper or is it something we release

10:15on our website or in the news?

10:18>> Yeah, it might be cool to add it to the

10:19website. I mean, all right, I think

10:21that's how a lot of people find

10:23events like either through the

10:25newsletter or

10:26the websites. And I there is a program

10:29and events section. Maybe just like a

10:30summary and like, "Look what a good job

10:33the library has done." And what is more

10:35accessible than that there's like if you

10:37don't go to the one meeting,

10:39you know, and you aren't listening or um

10:41but then that same material could be

10:43used for a presentation to city council.

10:45>> Yeah.

10:46>> I mean, it

10:47it it probably should be on the website

10:49because I know when I travel and I go to

10:51different libraries sometimes and

10:54you know, you want to see what's going

10:55on in that particular library.

10:57Um

10:58and having a place on their website

11:01where you see

11:03maybe the most vibrant or well-attended

11:06programs or whatever. Like those those

11:08types of things showcased alongside, you

11:11know, what's available in the whole

11:13county, but like really showcasing the

11:16game buster stuff.

11:18Which is a lot.

11:22>> Would it make sense

11:24to

11:25put it in the in the newsletter that

11:28everybody loves so much? You probably

11:29have like if we mostly decide to do

11:31something a year in review of the

11:33library or like

11:35library wrap-up or something like that

11:37as they like to do. Um and we had a

11:39couple of interesting statistics about

11:41program attendance, maybe materials

11:43usage or something like that. Put that

11:44in the newsletter, sent it out. That

11:46could also, as we say, form the basis

11:48for a presentation to city council. But

11:49I don't think we're going to be doing

11:50another presentation to city council

11:52until next spring or fall. Um so maybe

11:55that would be a half-year review or

11:57something like that. Um but I feel like

11:59if we want them most people to see it,

12:01on the one hand, the newsletter are

12:03people who are already engaged with the

12:04library, so I don't know if that's

12:06necessary, but that's also where else

12:08are you going to put it? Where else are

12:09you going to have to see it? We could

12:10print one out and put it in the library

12:12itself, but um and also put it on the

12:14website.

12:15>> Yeah.

12:16>> The newsletter is pretty um

12:18>> I I have a question. What do you track?

12:22>> So um

12:23>> Already I mean, I'm sort of laboring

12:25under the mis- We're we're Well, that's

12:27not really what the discussion is.

12:28>> Yeah, yeah.

12:30>> But first we could be finding something

12:31that we're already tracking.

12:32>> Yeah, what are you already tracking?

12:34What do you already prioritize to track?

12:36>> Let's see if I can share this screen.

12:38Cuz I did include I mean, there's

12:40obviously the stats. It's like the the

12:42first thing that we have that year and

12:44like this is fairly reliable and then

12:46collected monthly, so that's always

12:47available.

12:49So, these are the things that I just

12:52like really quickly could pull these out

12:54with no problem at all.

12:56>> And some things that we don't have one

12:58year would still be really easy to add.

13:01>> So like um

13:02instructional hours for our programs,

13:04like how many hours did people

13:06participate in those? And we could

13:08fairly easily figure out with just a

13:10little bit of basic math.

13:12Um

13:14but this is just kind of like to get

13:17the conversation going about what's

13:19here, so

13:21maybe so I thought maybe a cool thing

13:24and that um I've I with the librarians

13:26before for our internal team meetings

13:28has been

13:29and it's it's a bumper estimate

13:32which is like hours of reading that

13:35we've provided to the community which is

13:37usually the nuggets. It's it's

13:40and that's just a rough estimate because

13:41you have like children's books which you

13:43can find a minute that they maybe get

13:44read like 30 times because kids love it

13:46on repeat

13:47and then adults which there are adults

13:49who can engage in work.

13:52I got them up to 45 hours so you can get

13:54like a big variety there. But

13:57it's just for the impact. Yes.

14:00>> So I have a slightly different opinion

14:03um

14:03that

14:05I think if you go at it a a very like

14:07very particular goal and a very

14:09particular output you're either going to

14:11arrive at something that's going to take

14:12be fairly bit of work

14:14that is probably potentially either

14:16recurring work or one-time done in and

14:19then not achieving kind of the long-term

14:20goal. And this is it goes back to when

14:22we talked about signage. On one hand

14:24it's like yeah and you put up the sign

14:26you're probably not going to get at your

14:28goal but if you take a step back and

14:30evaluate like the long-term culture and

14:32impact of signs, right? Then like maybe

14:35it would be different. I think to me

14:37when I look at

14:39how I started to engage with library

14:41data after becoming a commissioner was

14:44that um there were a lot of hurdles

14:48for the data of culture of of to other

14:52culture of data to

14:54rise up and then get out to us as a

14:57commissioner as a commissioning body but

14:59then out to the people who are next

15:01connected to us in council etc. library

15:04users and whatnot. Um and I think that

15:06kind of takes

15:08thinking from the ground up of like

15:10what are the challenges to seeing the

15:12data? So my original presentation was

15:15just on visualization, right? Um so it's

15:18locked in a PDF um Um, how they see seen

15:21that data, where um,

15:23some

15:24governance bodies, they will produce

15:27that data that's available in an API,

15:29and then it connects to other things,

15:31and it connects to other things. Um,

15:32when I think we start to build those

15:34foundations, these things become easier,

15:36right? Auto-injecting into a newsletter,

15:38you know, that they get sent out once a

15:40week, putting on display on one of our

15:42TVs, or whatever, but there's a lot of

15:44hurdles to that, and I would go after

15:46some of those roots of like, why is it a

15:48lot of work?

15:50Um, especially with the tools we have

15:51today, you could probably make it not a

15:53lot of work, which is exciting, cuz the

15:55data is actually really interesting.

15:58Um, as an example of how this

16:00these hurdles are getting in the way of

16:02the data, I just went to our city

16:04website and asked, "What What is the

16:05name of the AI?" It has some name,

16:08Laurel. Laurel, yeah. I just asked

16:10Laurel many questions about the library

16:14involving data statistics, and it

16:16doesn't know that it exists. It told me

16:18to email the library to ask Laurel.

16:21Um, and that's just That's That's an AI

16:23directory that they have on our website.

16:25Think about the people that are using

16:27Gemini, and even people using Google

16:28Search, right? They're all going to lose

16:31out on that,

16:32um, because it's not even accessible

16:34from the from the get-go.

16:36Um, and I think

16:38maybe at the root, something can be done

16:41to make it more accessible, and then

16:43start to build those things, and do

16:44something like a newsletter. How hard is

16:47it to get a stat in the newsletter? I

16:49think it's going to be hard, but if you

16:51attack attack that, and say, "I would

16:52like this to be very easy. I would like

16:55for some staff member who's doing a

16:56newsletter, right, that they don't have

16:58to do extra lookups, or etc." And then

17:00And then there's a link for for members

17:03of the community to like, "That's a

17:04really cool stat. What else is here?"

17:06And they click on that link, and get a

17:07lot more that's not necessarily pre-get

17:09the tables.

17:11I think you can start and invest in that

17:13vision,

17:14um, and then make make a change, as

17:16opposed to let's get

17:18let's have a city council member, you

17:19know, think more about our data and be

17:22proud of what we have.

17:23>> So, the focus for you is on in

17:25automation of the data.

17:27>> I think I would ask I mean, that would

17:29be one that would be one aspect to it

17:31but really just about like why is this

17:33data

17:34here and not in a way that is accessible

17:37to where I'm asking for it, seeing it in

17:39a newsletter, going on T on the the

17:40televisions at the new library when I

17:42come in, or even like you know, pamphlet

17:44dates for you guys. You know, one of

17:45those stock cards you know, maybe once a

17:47month. Those are all a lot of work and

17:49there are good reasons why they don't

17:51exist. And if you were to try to do them

17:53monthly, there's good reason why they

17:54wouldn't be. But if that if you can

17:56figure out what those reasons were, I

17:58think you can unlock something.

18:00And I think this data is is being pulled

18:02when I'm talking to you, it's being

18:04pulled from various sources, right?

18:07But it but then it gets locked again

18:09because of the format it that it's being

18:11presented and and the where it's being

18:14presented. And you can see it when you

18:16try to ask social media or chatbots

18:20things about the library that it's an

18:21example of that accessibility not just

18:23for humans but for the tools that other

18:25people use.

18:28>> Yeah, those are some great points. As a

18:31non-technical person myself though, I I

18:34like my what I would have in mind like

18:36as an initial thing was just like much

18:38simpler. Maybe just like that initial

18:40question, just sort of answering that

18:41like

18:42cuz that that number of programs is so

18:45good. It sounds too good. So, just

18:47illustrating like maybe in a pie chart

18:49or something, just like for summary for

18:512026.

18:53Here's the programs and then here's like

18:55for story times, maybe it's X story

18:58times and then for book clubs, this.

19:01Just to break down wow, I can really see

19:03there are so many chunks and they're so

19:04great. We're doing so much. Like I think

19:06a visual could say a lot quickly.

19:08>> Let me just be clear. I I built those

19:10visuals and presented to the team. It

19:11took a fair amount of time. right? Just

19:14And and then and then they didn't tell a

19:15story. All I did was just say when they

19:17were in here, we are talking about

19:19telling a story. So, I I

19:21telling the story is where the human

19:23aspect comes into play. So, I I do think

19:25it takes time. You can do it once, and

19:27you know, if someone just

19:28burns the midnight oil, um but to me,

19:31like I think we're talking about doing

19:32it recurringly. That is where the impact

19:35gets had.

19:36>> But yeah, I think for now we're trying

19:38to decide how often we do it and the

19:40story. Cuz I I

19:44Yeah, I think we we have to interpret

19:46the data.

19:48I think most people are need to hear the

19:51story.

19:53They're not going to spend time looking

19:55at a lot of data in the library. I mean,

19:58for commissioners, yes, but

20:00um

20:02you know, I think we have to walk before

20:04we run.

20:06And so,

20:08you know, how how would we start in in

20:11the

20:12give a simple message? Maybe it's one

20:14off

20:16in January, February about the library,

20:19you know, the library in review for last

20:21year.

20:23And

20:24some simple infographics.

20:28And yeah, it might take work to to do it

20:31the first time.

20:33But you know, from there we might

20:35decide, okay, we want to

20:37we're going to need to automate this

20:39more, we're going to need to go to

20:40monthly.

20:42But maybe we start with just a

20:44newsletter that's also on the website

20:47with a couple

20:48infographics and

20:51you know, a simple message about the

20:53library. I I don't know what that

20:55message is. Should it be, you know, this

20:57is how the library is used with one or

21:00two

21:02you know, graphics, and here's the

21:04number of programs.

21:07Um

21:08I I'm not sure.

21:10But

21:11>> Well, since you do already track you

21:14already track foot traffic and library

21:17program attendance and room usage, if we

21:20can translate

21:22those two broad things and break them

21:24down just a little bit more to

21:26illustrate what the programs are and

21:28what the attendance is for those

21:29programs,

21:31I think that's the most understandable

21:32thing to the everyday person.

21:35>> Right.

21:35>> Um the other the other stuff is really

21:38important for the library, but probably

21:40more important for like the commission

21:43and and staff to understand about

21:45circulation and holds and questions

21:48answered, too. I mean,

21:51I think questions answered is a cool

21:53stat,

21:54um but I don't know if it resonates as

21:56much with everyday people as literal

21:59foot traffic and the program attendance.

22:03I think people are kind of wowed by

22:05that.

22:08And maybe we could just make that our

22:10simple first

22:11>> Yeah, first step.

22:15>> In terms of communities or audiences

22:19that we don't typically reach, like the

22:21first one that comes to mind, especially

22:23for something like this, is teens.

22:25Um so, of course, like really simple for

22:28them, maybe like a poster in the teen

22:29zone, but those are teens who are

22:31already maybe coming in.

22:33Any thoughts on

22:35either an additional audience that you

22:38know of that we should be thinking about

22:40as we think about reaching people um or

22:43about reaching teens specifically? Any

22:46thoughts around that?

22:47>> Well, could we

22:48we go to the schools

22:52and especially with programs, we could

22:54work with the school to publish or

22:58you know, what inform the teens of

23:01opportunities for

23:03>> The

23:03>> might uh um

23:06maybe tap in that our

23:08our teen advice group people

23:10>> Right. Could be, but

23:13And that goes beyond programs that are

23:15on Front C because there's the team

23:17center and

23:20>> I mean teen center, I guess.

23:22>> Is there any existing relationship

23:24between the Menlo Park City School

23:26District and the

23:27library?

23:29I mean

23:30>> I mean

23:30>> [clears throat]

23:31>> libraries did a lot of outreach there.

23:35Um

23:36I don't know if if that's still

23:38something that we do.

23:39>> Yeah. I mean school visits pretty

23:42constantly throughout the Menlo Park

23:44Library City School District. There's a

23:46lot of different schools in Menlo Park

23:49City School District schools.

23:51>> And do you uh for the weekly events like

23:54for the library newsletter that's the

23:56library community services newsletter,

23:59does that go to the school newsletters?

24:03But I don't know if you do that.

24:05>> Uh John Weaver does send out the monthly

24:10calendar to

24:13a long list of contacts including

24:17because we we know because it will pop.

24:20It pops up on like public radio

24:23sometimes on public television.

24:26Different events pop up, but I don't

24:28know whether that's from us sending it

24:30out or from people just looking for

24:32things and trying to get I I suspect

24:34that a lot of

24:36we could probably give it a look see but

24:38we wouldn't necessarily know

24:40if the school district was subscribed to

24:44you know, our library community services

24:47newsletter.

24:48Um

24:50>> I think about

24:51>> But he does he does push he does push

24:53things out sort of old school style of

24:56and of sending releases and Mickey sends

24:58like monthly event calendars out to a

25:01all of my people. But I could ask you

25:03about that of what list that was.

25:06>> All right. And then

25:07>> Daniel, and everyone, we might be

25:08getting we're going to say the same

25:09thing maybe.

25:10>> Uh oh, maybe. I don't know. Um I I I

25:12think that

25:13this is getting a little muddled

25:14actually because there's sort of

25:16two things going on here. One is this

25:18infographic which are emails which I

25:19think something is more targeted at uh

25:22decision makers maybe uh or their

25:24offices, i.e. the public at large

25:27valuing the library and understanding

25:29what what the library is doing for the

25:30community and all those sorts of things

25:32like that. And I think that that what

25:33we're talking about here by doing a

25:35little breakdown is great for that. But

25:38I I don't think that's going to for

25:39example resonate with teens very much. I

25:41don't think they care how many story

25:42times we do. But um I do think that we

25:46can reach out to them by talking to them

25:47about programs and of course we should

25:49be doing things like that and all these

25:50ideas we're talking about. But I I think

25:52they're two two different things with

25:53two different goals. And so they're

25:55makes sense to have the same

25:57the same PR that we make that we send to

25:59schools versus we send unless we're

26:01actually targeting the parents in this

26:03case. Great. Um but I I think it's kids

26:05that we want. No, I don't I don't think

26:07that that's going to be to be a big

26:09There's two different things with two

26:10different goals.

26:12>> Great. And so in your mind would it be

26:15better to do

26:18the same idea but with age specific

26:21ones? So like this is how many teen

26:22programs and then we have maybe an older

26:25and then release the two or just both?

26:27>> It depends on the the goal. If you're

26:28trying to get more people to come to

26:30programs, I feel like just information

26:32maybe about the programs which we're

26:33presumably we are sending um is is what

26:36we want. Like, "Hey, we have all these

26:38cool programs." Uh you know, advertise

26:40in a way that teens would engage with. I

26:42have no idea what that would look like.

26:43It would be very awkward if I did it. Um

26:45but something like that

26:47uh would be would be useful. Perhaps it

26:49includes some of the same data. But like

26:51I said, I don't know I don't know if

26:52they're do the same thing or if we

26:53should try and uh have them involved at

26:55the same time with the same in in the

26:57same light.

27:02>> So that's your only suggestion so far?

27:03>> Yeah.

27:05>> I think those are great points. I was

27:06just going to say that so if Michael

27:08gets going to open all, you know, one of

27:10the public schools and and

27:12it's so the library events are not

27:14included in Open Enrollment's letter and

27:16so

27:17I I think that would be an easy thing to

27:18add. I think it's sort of if if that's

27:21all that's on the agenda we're going to

27:22talk about for our action items have

27:24having library commissioners be a

27:26liaison. So like that would be an easy

27:28thing for me if if like

27:31you know, I if I if somebody agrees to

27:34do that and then I sort of liaison to

27:36Open Enrollment for example and just to

27:38for me to email the administration that

27:41you know, I would remind them of John

27:42Deever's thing and say, "Hey, could you

27:44include some of these in there which

27:45does include community events anyways

27:48that are relevant to people who are just

27:50restricted for that school." So I think

27:51that that could be um

27:53Well, we'll talk more about that later

27:54so that's all I have.

27:55>> [laughter]

27:58>> I was going to say so you feel teens we

28:00have underrepresentation with teens. Is

28:03that fair to say?

28:05>> Um I was just meaning it more in that

28:09who's harder to reach yet at the stuff

28:11like this. Teens are like the choice

28:13they are harder to stop with this.

28:16>> So should we given the comments, should

28:18we

28:20should we start with teens or should we

28:22start with general? Maybe we pick one.

28:25And

28:26try this, you know, try to attract or

28:29give a simple message. Is that right?

28:32Um cuz I agree it's

28:35different audiences. So we got to pick

28:37our audience.

28:39Pick

28:40what we, you know, the the message.

28:45Are we trying to inform them of how the

28:47library is used or are we trying to

28:49entice them to use the library more?

28:54>> From what I'm hearing, just trying to

28:57spread awareness about the work that we

29:01have accomplished. And I think the maybe

29:03the last piece would be to like tie it

29:05to positive community outcomes.

29:07>> Okay.

29:07>> Um which we haven't discussed yet, but

29:10maybe there's some thoughts around

29:14how we would be

29:16able to measure it. It's extremely

29:17important. It seems also very difficult

29:19to measure a positive outcome cuz it's

29:21kind of nebulous and it's certainly

29:24subjective.

29:26>> Well, we could tie it to participation.

29:29For instance, that's a positive

29:30community. The fact that so many people,

29:32I think everybody's kind of shocked with

29:35how many people use the library multiple

29:38times. So, that's a positive.

29:40>> So, every Yeah, I was just going to say

29:43the

29:44add on to what you're saying. Um

29:47every year you've got to do the annual

29:48report and you have to put in that

29:50number

29:51and we need to figure out if that number

29:55matters. So, maybe that's what we like

29:57to start cuz we have to do that work

29:59anyway, right? Whether to prepare for

30:01next year's

30:03things. So, for the 600 or 800 programs,

30:08how do you think about presenting that

30:10in that annual report? Maybe first doing

30:12it that way

30:14and kind of reverse engineering it

30:16because we're going to have to do that

30:18differently next year, I think,

30:21based on what

30:23um Drew comes up

30:25>> Right.

30:26But, now do you Do you think we should

30:29try for the overall community or the

30:31team? Probably

30:33>> I think the overall community first

30:35because it's such a big number and you

30:37reach so many people and that's

30:39marketing so many and that's that's

30:42loading the fruit, I think the

30:44>> [clears throat]

30:45>> show that first and then break breaking

30:47down various other programs.

30:50For teens, I think you just have to show

30:52them something that they want.

30:55>> Right.

30:55>> But you know

30:56>> That they want to like go to.

30:57>> We can also think about how we present

31:00anything that we get. So when we put it

31:03on the web, put it on a way that's

31:05accessible to the chat box so that

31:07people can then find it. You know, if

31:10it's PDF

31:11on the web on the website, it's not

31:13going to be crawlable in ways that

31:16the word data is.

31:17>> And that when you were bringing up some

31:20interesting points earlier, I thought

31:22that's

31:23that is very interesting and that it's

31:25kind of a blind spot. We didn't see that

31:28we have stats, but we're not calling

31:30them what they are, which is data.

31:32And if we just maybe simply label them

31:35correctly, like that's a very easy first

31:37step. It's sort of

31:39Yeah.

31:39>> Really what it

31:40>> It's not.

31:41>> Yeah.

31:41>> It's not even picking it up cuz it's not

31:44It's looking for data. Um,

31:47and maybe maybe that's worth it just

31:49testing it. We just put some of that

31:51>> Yeah, but also ask if

31:52which chatbot reads reads the PDFs.

31:55>> I don't think it does.

31:56>> It's close.

31:57It's close.

31:58>> Oh, okay.

31:59>> Yeah, I don't I don't manage for

32:02>> But yeah, no. But yeah, but it's it's

32:04also difficult.

32:05Here, I'll throw out an idea.

32:07Cuz I we got a couple specifics. We got

32:09one who is letter.

32:11We can run with that. You can do that

32:12very simply. It has its pitfalls, but it

32:14also has things. Here's another idea.

32:16You know, on our website

32:18you you label it data.

32:20You post PDFs of forget about

32:23a culture of data. Just you post PDFs as

32:26they are every month or etc., right?

32:28And so so they just so there's just out

32:30there, right? But it's just very it's

32:31very simply like this is the data page

32:34of how amazing the library is. You know,

32:36go at it, bought some people.

32:39The library runs once a month or once a

32:41quarter or or etc. Just kind of like

32:44kind of like the library did with the

32:46designer card. It's designer infographic

32:49for the month or for the quarter, right?

32:51Here's the data. We're taking

32:53submissions. The one that gets picked is

32:55the one that gets, you know, slip in the

32:57newsletter, gets a

32:59poster printed, and it gets on the TV,

33:01right? And then just kind of back out of

33:04the what is the right thing to to to put

33:06up and what are the right channels or

33:07etc. Just have put it out there. At the

33:11end of the day, the library spends its

33:13time organizing the data. Even if it's

33:15not perfect, at least it's out there and

33:16it's a web. Maybe other things will

33:18trickle. And then maybe the community

33:21will either not engage and then that

33:23will tell us something. Or, you know,

33:25maybe a team will see it one day and go

33:27like, I just learned this skill and I'm

33:29going to, you know, figure out what to

33:30do and submit it. You get two

33:32submissions and then you're like, oh,

33:34this is how someone in the community

33:37reinterprets the data for them.

33:40So, that's my

33:42data is

33:42>> The data is something we don't feel

33:46>> [clears throat]

33:48>> I mean, this is already posted publicly

33:51>> Right. It's right there in the panel

33:51anyway.

33:52>> Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's right.

33:54Yeah, it's all in the notebooks. Yeah.

33:57>> It is it is inside the

33:59>> It's locked.

34:00>> packets. Yeah. You have to like dig for

34:02it a little bit. Whereas if we said this

34:03is the library data that

34:05>> Yeah. Yeah.

34:06>> And to be clear, it's not still proposed

34:07work. That is not trivial, but at least

34:10it it's a foundational blueprint that

34:12can be built on.

34:13>> And in the transparency direction, too.

34:16That's very helpful to

34:19people, I think, knowing that they could

34:21get the data when they even if they

34:23don't ever go digging.

34:29>> I mean, I I can understand this, but

34:31again, going back to who are we trying

34:34to appeal to?

34:36I I I don't I think people that are

34:38interested in library and use it already

34:41might want to dig into the data, but

34:44people that aren't involved in library,

34:47I don't see how this is going to

34:50you know,

34:51actually have a brain that I'm in.

34:54>> I think the hope is that somebody will

34:56take all this data and make something

34:58make a really cool story out of it.

35:00>> [laughter]

35:00>> And then the story

35:02is pulling in people from

35:04from who aren't

35:06>> All right. I mean I am

35:07and then

35:08library open data portal.

35:12>> I mean that's yeah, that is what it was

35:13intended

35:13>> Right. That's the idea.

35:15>> what would be

35:16>> Yeah. I think you can make it very

35:17simple. Do do the newsletter thing. That

35:20can be done right now. It's work, but

35:22you could time box that work. But now

35:25the leaks, it was really interesting

35:27that presentation about the quotes. Mhm.

35:30And we know about the quotes because the

35:32quotes has a link.

35:33>> Right.

35:34>> Right. So you can do the same thing.

35:35We've got our we we've got our one staff

35:37at that staff and the newsletter. It has

35:41It has a constrained reach from who we

35:43know it is, but now we can link to you

35:45know, something that the vision of the

35:47data portal, right? And then now you can

35:49at least have a complete closed story.

35:52You can time box the work and so on and

35:53so forth, but you can get something out

35:55there and you don't have to invest in

35:57full infographic from the start.

36:00>> Look.

36:03Good ideas.

36:04>> Wonderful.

36:05>> Yeah.

36:05>> Wonderful.

36:06>> Yeah. I think we'll go over this next

36:07week.

36:08>> Mhm.

36:08>> And uh

36:09like you know, we come up with by

36:12next month.

36:15I mean I'm I'm not promising that we'll

36:17have something next month, but I think

36:18maybe we'll talk about it internally.

36:21And start to have some discussions about

36:22what we

36:23maybe can try.

36:25>> And maybe a January thing once I and And

36:27your report is done in December, we

36:29might take some of this into account.

36:31>> gives us cheese month. I think we start

36:33with

36:34one, you know, one month in

36:39year review in January or February.

36:43>> Okay.

36:44>> Further discussion?

36:46Thank you.

36:46>> Thank you.

36:47>> All right.

36:51Okay, so no other no further discussion

36:55on

36:56item D1.

36:58Under regular business then, the Library

37:01Commission recommendations

37:04considers recommendations from city

37:06staff on policy matters or

37:07administrative actions that require

37:09Library Commission approval.

37:12Um

37:14E1 is

37:16Next is the item E1, approving the

37:18minutes from the September 21st, 2026

37:21meeting. Ashley, do we have any public

37:24comment on this item?

37:26>> Is there any public comment on item E1?

37:29No public comment.

37:31>> Okay.

37:32Would a commissioner like to make a

37:33motion to approve the minutes?

37:37>> I do.

37:38>> Commissioner Crockett Uh

37:41Do I have a second?

37:44Commissioner McDonald seconds.

37:46>> Okay, there's a motion to approve the

37:48minutes from the September 21st, 2026

37:50Library Commission meeting.

37:52Commissioner Aguilar, how do you vote?

37:54>> Aye.

37:56>> Commissioner Crockett, how do you vote?

37:57>> Yes.

37:59>> Commissioner Sisneros, how do you vote?

38:00>> Yes.

38:01>> Chair Westcott, how do you vote?

38:03>> Yes.

38:04>> And Commissioner Hull, how do you vote?

38:05>> Yes.

38:06>> The motion passes.

38:09>> Okay.

38:10Moving on to item E2,

38:12uh report out from the ad hoc

38:14subcommittee on District 1 Library

38:17Outreach. Ashley, are there any public

38:19comments so item?

38:21>> Are there any public comments on item

38:22E2? No public comments on E2.

38:27>> So, very quickly, I think that at the

38:29end of last month's meeting,

38:32um there was a desire to sort of

38:36take the good work that the

38:38the District 1 subcommittee had done and

38:41kind of act on it in some way. And so,

38:45bringing it back for consideration about

38:50how to act on it if you want to act on

38:52it. Um but also to give the subcommittee

38:57um

38:58a little room to talk a little bit more

38:59about their thoughts about what they

39:01think next steps should be.

39:04>> Uh all right. Uh so, we met and talked

39:07about all of our recommendations. We had

39:09to come up with some concrete steps that

39:11we can take towards each one. Um

39:14and uh also dates so that it's like a

39:18real plan.

39:19Um so,

39:22uh I'm going to just go point by point.

39:24So, the first uh recommendation is about

39:27improving internal and external signage

39:30in the library.

39:32And so, there are two pieces of that.

39:34One is internal, the other is external.

39:36And for external, we assigned Smith a

39:40task, which is do it. And uh

39:44>> I

39:45I think it's interesting. I've I've

39:46actually had some discussions with the

39:48with the city manager about um some of

39:51these things. And

39:53it sounds like it might be interesting

39:55to try and could maybe pilot nothing

39:57fancy, like try some signs that might be

39:59sort of maybe brainers for now just to

40:02see like if we will get more

40:05interest, awareness about certain

40:07things. So, um going to look more into

40:10that and I can reach out to the

40:11subcommittee and talk about where should

40:13we hang them?

40:15Do I have permission to hang up things

40:16here?

40:17>> You only need

40:18we're not going to be able to meet in

40:19there.

40:20They would probably be new but they're

40:21not very expensive to produce. So,

40:25I'm talking about the kinds of things

40:27that you've seen produced all the time

40:29so they're promotional banners that you

40:32printed. But we could talk about if

40:34there's

40:35something else was in addition to that.

40:36Because the idea was to sort of build

40:38awareness in the community or in people

40:40driving by that the library is back

40:42there somewhere.

40:43Or also that the library is here on the

40:45campus when you drive into the campus.

40:47So both of those things I think that we

40:49can maybe try with banners. And we can

40:52hire a company to

40:54hang them and then behind it just back

40:56and forth.

40:57And then we're done.

40:58We're done. That's it. You have a next

41:00quarterly meeting and then of the

41:02friends of the library you ask them for

41:04that. And then we can ask them for the

41:05sign board.

41:08Oh yeah, that's true. And then we could

41:10sort of test like is it good at this

41:12location? Is like that's a good idea. Or

41:15maybe they're not costing us anything.

41:17That's true. We do have a mobile like

41:19traffic control sign board that we put

41:21around the city for various things

41:22including public meeting or notices of

41:25things.

41:26And then we have a good It's one of

41:27those flashing things. Now road closed

41:29next Tuesday for anything but library

41:31this way.

41:33Don't scare everybody.

41:35We can put a message on it.

41:37We can put a message to put on it or put

41:39it somewhere. It's a good idea actually.

41:41And let's do a request. I don't know.

41:44So they it's coming

41:45Great. It was all foundation work.

41:48Yeah, we we have put a deadline of

41:49October next year.

41:51So

41:52I think it's good.

41:54We get the idea.

41:56Well maybe we'll put that that March. Do

41:58so is do you share our plan B to add

42:01these to our overall execution plan that

42:02we have from before or

42:06that's what we were thinking is

42:08if it's possible then add these things

42:10there after we as a group think that

42:12they're

42:13fine that

42:14>> Yeah.

42:15>> Yeah, I mean that's you mean to add them

42:17to the like work plan

42:18>> Yeah, yeah, big work plan up.

42:20>> Yes.

42:21>> Yeah.

42:22Uh okay, so then um the other side is

42:25the internal signage we talked about if

42:27we can find a way to maybe try and

42:29improve the signage inside the community

42:32campus

42:33community center um

42:35and we we don't know what's even

42:38possible there because we're well that's

42:41space who has control of it what what

42:43what what are options there?

42:44>> We have

42:45We have control over it.

42:46>> [clears throat]

42:47>> Okay.

42:48>> It just It would just be a matter of In

42:50other words, I've seen things like um

42:53basically an arrow-shaped white board on

42:55a stick.

42:56And people use them and they write

42:57messages on them. So you could write

42:59library this way or I don't know. So we

43:02could try some things that relatively

43:05low cost at relatively low

43:08impact internally that weren't like

43:09making a metal thing and sticking it to

43:11the wall and see what works.

43:14>> And the main issue there being the all

43:16ages library and people not being aware

43:18that it's upstairs.

43:19>> Yes.

43:19>> And even when they get upstairs they

43:20don't they you know, where is it?

43:23>> But they see the the children's

43:26downstairs

43:28>> Yeah.

43:29>> Does that Does that building like all

43:31the library have a television with a

43:33remote or any slides?

43:36It doesn't. I don't

43:37I don't remember.

43:38>> It does, but it's not in a place where

43:41you would necessarily It's like upstairs

43:44into the left of the stairwell. It's

43:46nothing that you would

43:47>> Yeah, right there when you go

43:48downstairs.

43:49>> Yeah.

43:49>> But I'm thinking if like

43:51people see the kids library when they

43:53walk in

43:55I would just put out a big sign on the

43:56window that says like all ages library

43:58upstairs.

43:58>> Mhm.

43:59>> Or a cute one.

44:01That would be great.

44:02>> That would help.

44:03>> Yeah.

44:04>> I mean yeah, I mean that's the kind of

44:05thing that I think

44:07like sort of

44:08like we probably have a good bet.

44:10>> We can try it. Yeah.

44:11>> We can It's a bunch of stuff that we

44:12could try against an iron ferromagnetic

44:14expensive things that

44:15>> Wonderful. I love

44:17>> a nonstick or something. So

44:19>> Yeah.

44:19>> I think we were I'm not sure who it was.

44:21The last one we had the meeting at the

44:23Baldwin

44:24Library and

44:25we said the same thing. Why don't we

44:27just put all ages library center beneath

44:30the children on the

44:31>> I don't know. They're all upstairs.

44:34>> All right.

44:36Um so we had the action item two for

44:38staff to come up with some options there

44:40by March of next year. But which it

44:42sounds like is rather working a pretty

44:44achievable thing.

44:45Yes, I think it's solid. Okay, great.

44:48Okay, so then the next item on our

44:51recommendations was to improve the

44:53library

44:54accessibility. Library website

44:56accessibility, sorry. The library itself

44:58isn't

44:59that accessible.

45:00Um

45:01and

45:03we had assigned

45:05we

45:06uh job to coordinate with library staff

45:08to see if we could make the newsletter

45:10available on the website because right

45:12now it as far as we can tell it isn't.

45:15You can't find the newsletter on the

45:16website. Maybe it is and we just don't

45:18know where it is, but that's also a

45:19problem.

45:20>> Okay.

45:21It doesn't come up when when you search

45:23what or when you Is it not just like

45:26easily findable?

45:27>> I I I couldn't find it.

45:29>> Okay.

45:30>> I think that

45:31>> Maybe easier to find.

45:32>> So the the conversation was like

45:35the library staff had been interested in

45:37honing their own web web web space to to

45:40do some of the accomplished with the

45:42newsletter, but that has its challenges.

45:45Um and it's multifaceted. So what would

45:47be the smallest thing there? And so

45:48that's where this idea came from. It's

45:50like there is a web version of it.

45:53But it's it's challenging to connect to

45:56or find it for whatever reason.

45:58>> Loral couldn't find it.

46:01>> [clears throat]

46:01>> But

46:02it's interesting. Oh, maybe we should

46:04stop.

46:07>> It makes Laurel more friendly for us.

46:10>> Well, these are good. Yeah, we can make

46:11it more friendly, but we need to know

46:13the things that it's not.

46:13>> And that's why it's for that. This is

46:14promoted as like again like a small

46:16maybe this is small, right? We try to

46:18find extra hands that we believed and

46:20that didn't require massive budgets or

46:23anything like that to exist.

46:25Um so we want to follow up more on this

46:26website one

46:29later, but we're probably to the initial

46:31step, see how that goes, see what the

46:33challenges are and then maybe build up

46:34that.

46:35Um okay.

46:37Uh then the next bullet was to hire an

46:39outreach coordinator. Um

46:41and I'm realizing we actually assigned a

46:43lot of these to basically men.

46:44Um

46:46>> [laughter]

46:48>> Uh but there was talk of like having a

46:50position at the library whose job it was

46:52or not the library, sorry, at Del Haven

46:53whose job it was to sort of coordinate

46:55all different programs and make sure

46:56that their community connection was

46:58there and so we were like, "Yeah, that's

47:00I think that's what has happened."

47:02Basically, there's not much you can do

47:03except for that. If we want to do this

47:05recommendation, don't then nothing can

47:07come of it.

47:08Um

47:09and we put another good year-long

47:11uh timeline on this one as well.

47:13>> I think that's actually interestingly

47:15that is something that the city has been

47:18talking about

47:20for a while is creating a position

47:24not just for the library, but for the

47:25community

47:27in Del Haven to connect residents with

47:30resources in the city and in the

47:32community.

47:34Um

47:34and the

47:37I was looking to see if there was

47:39something on the upcoming city council

47:42uh agenda board to see if they were

47:44working on it cuz I heard about it. But

47:47so yes, a year-long that seems

47:50I will certainly have more information

47:51in a year. Okay.

47:54>> Um and then yeah, okay, so that's that's

47:56the only action for that one.

47:58Um the next one is

48:01um

48:02library commissioners acting as outreach

48:05to community groups. Um

48:07and

48:08for this one, uh we thought that this is

48:11on all of us to start by coming up with

48:13a list of possible community

48:15organizations we can partner with. So,

48:16we're already uh

48:18have liaisons with Friends of the

48:20Library Library Foundation, of course.

48:22Um there are other groups that perhaps

48:24we could

48:26um

48:27work from, and we didn't want to just

48:29leave it in every individual

48:31commissioner's hands to figure out, "Oh,

48:33this will be the one for me." If we

48:34could all together come up with a list

48:36of

48:37um groups that could that could benefit.

48:39But, staff would have to just say, "Oh,

48:41only we had better connection with

48:43so-and-so in our community groups

48:45there." That would be excellent. Um we

48:47came up with a couple off the top of our

48:49heads. One is there's a Bel Haven

48:52Neighborhood Association that might be

48:55relevant to Bel Haven specifically, and

48:57a group called Bel Haven in Action,

48:59although I'm not sure how much they're

49:01doing right now.

49:02Um

49:04individual schools, uh which Sarah has

49:06already mentioned as being a uh

49:09a useful thing to do. Um if you happen

49:12to have a school connection, it might be

49:13a little harder if you don't. Um

49:16religious organizations is another one

49:17that um

49:19are especially in the Bel Haven side a

49:21big driver of community engagement. Um

49:24but, again, that would have to be

49:25something probably that you are a member

49:27of rather than just busting in and

49:29saying, "Hey, guess what? I'm from the

49:30library. Do you want to talk about it?"

49:32Um yeah, so those are some of the

49:34initial ideas we had, but uh

49:37we put a deadline if we can talk about

49:39this in January, you put on your

49:41calendar to meet for all commissioners

49:43to come in with some ideas about what

49:45community groups might be a good fit for

49:46us. And then we can discuss maybe what

49:48what would work for for commissioners

49:50and staff.

49:52>> You sure you don't want it next month?

49:54>> Uh

49:56I mean, I guess we could do it next

49:58month.

49:58>> Good. I don't think next month is too

50:00busy for me.

50:01>> I'm sorry.

50:01>> Yeah, we'll schedule for next month.

50:04>> Sounds good.

50:06Uh so, that was the big one for that and

50:08then we'll have more action on that

50:09after we created the list, but we wanted

50:11to, you know, go one at a time. Uh the

50:14next recommendation was performance

50:17study of non-library users in Bell

50:19Gardens and find out

50:21why they're not library users. Um

50:24This one

50:25um we said we would like to work with

50:28concierge person once they are um hired

50:32to maybe perform a study and figure out,

50:35you know,

50:37what that would actually look like. This

50:39will probably cost money and time,

50:41though, so there's some questions there.

50:43Um and I gave myself a task of doing

50:47research to to

50:49provide an economic justification for

50:51why it would actually be good investment

50:54to do this versus just throwing money

50:55away in some sort of uh useless

50:58useless things to do. And I I said I

51:00would do that by March 2027.

51:04Um

51:06And then the last one is um

51:09trying to bring community members in to

51:11volunteer at library events.

51:16And we had two for this one. One was

51:19that uh we need to talk to whoever the

51:22new bros is and try and convince them

51:25uh

51:26or sorry, work with them to establish

51:28the parameters of what this might look

51:30like. Um and so, that that one doesn't

51:33have a deadline because we need the

51:35person to be in place and presumably,

51:36you know, ramped up and everything

51:37before we get in there and start

51:39hassling them. Uh and then the second

51:42thing is

51:44um uh we already had a suggestion

51:47sometime ago. I think it was from

51:49Christian Abdullah about

51:53volunteers

51:54distributing marketing materials. Like

51:56if there's like a

51:57pile of

51:58pamphlets or whatever about my programs.

52:01Hopefully our volunteers would have a

52:02whole aisle of free pieces to put them

52:03in XYZ places so that they get spread

52:05out in the community a little bit more.

52:07And we thought that might be a real low

52:09uh time investment way of starting to

52:12get volunteers involved in the

52:14community. And so we

52:17uh put that one also on library staff to

52:20uh see if they want to implement the

52:21suggestion.

52:24>> Yeah, that's interesting.

52:27I was thinking we already have a network

52:29of Little Free Libraries, so even if we

52:31put like one monthly calendar towards a

52:34free library

52:36that would be relatively time-consuming.

52:38But for a volunteer, it would probably

52:40just be a matter of a couple of hours a

52:42month.

52:43Which is something that volunteer

52:45might be interested in doing.

52:47Anyway, there's some ideas there. Yeah.

52:49>> Do we have email addresses for all of

52:51the people who

52:53sort of manage Little Free Libraries? So

52:54maybe we can come up with like a little

52:56distribution

52:57>> Oh, that's a better idea.

52:59Yeah, that's a better idea. So so this I

53:02The original idea was founded on case

53:05studies of other libraries. So just I

53:07want to engage with the community, but

53:08we don't have, you know, in-house

53:10volunteer jobs. So something like that,

53:12some sort of people have any idea

53:14they're interested either because they

53:16have a Little Library or they just said,

53:17"I want to volunteer. May Let me,

53:19right?" And then we're like, "Here's

53:20how. Here are We put these pamphlets out

53:22already on our counter. Come get them

53:24once a month. But we will connect with

53:26you once a month, and then we will say

53:27thank you once a month."

53:29>> And how that would connect nicely to

53:32also to like the affinity group

53:33liaisons.

53:35Um,

53:36cuz the liaison could kind of go to like

53:37any of the free churches and go get them

53:39to give you this material or just make

53:42sure you're aware cuz anything like

53:44that.

53:45>> It is a question in my reply that both

53:48fiber, is there a way for people to

53:50request or suggest programs they'd like

53:53to see? So, for instance, people that

53:56are not using the library but use other

53:58things

53:59at the same time.

54:01Could we ask them what program they

54:04might

54:05attend if they if we offered it?

54:08>> Yes, there are some

54:10>> There's kind of compliment to that. If

54:11you're going to do that work.

54:13>> I mean, not formally programs. The

54:15suggestion box is where people either

54:18can put stuff or write in to us. We do

54:20have on the rec side of the house, for

54:23instance, an instructor interest form.

54:26Like, so people who want to teach a

54:28class say, "Hey, I want to teach a class

54:30on ballroom dancing and here are my

54:32bonafides."

54:33Um,

54:34I worry a little bit if we

54:37put something that was like

54:38library programming interest form, we

54:40would get presenters who would say, "I

54:43want to give a presentation on interest

54:45on wellness and

54:48things like that. But, maybe we could

54:49figure out a way to sort of call it out

54:52on the program and events page. Like, if

54:55we're leveraging our existing programs

54:57and events page to do a couple things.

54:59One of them could be

55:00don't see a program that interests you,

55:02click here and suggest it. And maybe it

55:04just links them to suggestion box and

55:06then

55:07we work there.

55:08>> I just asked Laura on that question and

55:10I get four answers. Submit general

55:12feedback, ask the library directly with

55:14the link, call the library, or attend

55:16the library commission meeting.

55:19>> All right.

55:20>> But, but also if you're going to liaise

55:22if we come up with a list of groups,

55:25that might be something we ask the group

55:28that we

55:29absolutely work with is what program

55:32would interest them. So, maybe on a

55:34smaller scale.

55:35>> Yeah. Yeah.

55:37And the And the nice thing about being a

55:40combined department is maybe there are

55:43programs that people want that I I can't

55:45think of there are anything that would

55:46be sort of outside the purview of

55:48library programs. Probably not, but we

55:51could say, "Oh, that sounds more like

55:53something on the left side of the

55:54house." and provide that

55:56with direct staffing and board

55:59and facilities. So, we can get the same

56:01thing without necessarily putting

56:03>> Mhm.

56:03>> the library as well as the senior

56:04center.

56:07Those are all the uh

56:10I'm pretty sure the people said so. We

56:11have a couple of those.

56:13Those were all great. In case we didn't

56:15capture them all, could you send them to

56:18us and all of that would be great. And

56:20that would be also maybe just included

56:22in its own list in the

56:23in the minutes, too.

56:25But, it sounds like a lot of it we've

56:26already captured in the

56:29in the working document later, anyway.

56:31So, I'm Yeah, I'll send it on.

56:33>> Okay. And you have a

56:35>> We specifically fiddle with the number

56:37of the two positions.

56:38>> Next up.

56:39>> Yeah. Yeah, we can talk about community

56:41groups submission.

56:42>> And we'll put that in.

56:43Okay.

56:46So, I think at this point uh

56:48there are no motions that we have to

56:50vote on.

56:54So, thank you very much for the report.

56:57Uh I'd like to move on to item E3,

57:01ad hoc subcommittee updates on library

57:03and the future and near-term

57:05improvements. Ashley, are there any

57:07public comments for this item?

57:10>> Are there any public comments on item

57:11E3?

57:13No public comment.

57:14>> All right. Well, Commissioner Crockett

57:16will update um

57:18the commission on what the

57:21ad hoc subcommittee is doing at this

57:22point.

57:24>> Yeah.

57:25So,

57:26thank you. Um we've been busy this past

57:30month uh on talking to architectural

57:34firms and also talking to the friends um

57:38as well as the foundation about the

57:40project of we're initiating um a need

57:44study for the main library and what it

57:47is that we are going to need for um

57:50the main library with the idea that

57:52we're getting over 1,000 units of

57:55housing in Parkline coming down the Pike

57:57and Pike and um

57:59other

58:00developments and community development

58:02that we're going to have to support here

58:06at the main library. Um so, last week um

58:12I shared for as the liaison to the

58:14friends, I shared um

58:17an update similarly to the bank

58:19explaining uh what we're doing and also

58:23uh Jim, who's the president of the

58:25foundation attended that meeting as

58:27well.

58:29Um so, we had a kind of nice discussion

58:32all of us about um

58:34doing a request for proposal to these

58:37firms um so that we could

58:40ask about five or six architectural

58:43firms to weigh in on what it would take

58:46to do um

58:48like a three to six-month study, how

58:50much it would cost, what the parameters

58:52would be, what we would get um

58:54in return. And I think I I've already

58:58shared that I spoke verbally with Nolan

59:00Tan, who did the 2017 study. Um and

59:05Carol, who couldn't be here tonight,

59:08spoke with Group 4, another big

59:11architectural firm who's done a lot of

59:12work around here with libraries um in

59:14the Bay Area also actually nationally.

59:18And they they submitted a proposal. And

59:22so, the three of us talked about it and

59:24we're like, we need to a request for

59:26proposal uniform um to give out to these

59:30other firms.

59:31Um and so that's what we're working on

59:33with the draft. And we talked to the

59:36friends

59:38and the foundation about sharing in the

59:41cost of it and paying for it. And what

59:45that would look like and how that could

59:46be.

59:47Um and we have some questions to work

59:50through as in the foundation meets

59:54this monthly Thursday, so October 22nd,

59:58which is Thursday. Um and they would

1:00:00like to

1:00:01look at this first proposal and also

1:00:04look at the request for proposals and

1:00:07sort of parse through that a little bit

1:00:09more. The friends were less interested

1:00:11in paying for this because they thought

1:00:13it was outside of their

1:00:15mission. Um however,

1:00:19I think even though Steve Haas, who is

1:00:21the president of the friends, sort of

1:00:23immediately said, "We're not going to do

1:00:24it." I think that's not my laws.

1:00:27Several of the other members were more

1:00:30open to that. Um

1:00:32at least contributing maybe some money

1:00:34or looking into it. And they all are

1:00:36supportive or in participating in this.

1:00:40Um whether or not they give money

1:00:42towards it, they're still stakeholders

1:00:44calling for this needs study that will

1:00:47be interviewed and participate in the

1:00:49process alongside staff, of course.

1:00:52Um and and members of the public.

1:00:56Um

1:00:57So, the questions we Let me see. Cuz

1:01:01Carol also highlighted some questions

1:01:04that we have that we'd like to answer

1:01:07about this particular draft request for

1:01:11proposal and whether or not it comes

1:01:14from Currently right now as a draft, we

1:01:16have it coming from the Menlo Park

1:01:18Library Foundation, the Friends of the

1:01:21Menlo Park Library, and the Menlo Park

1:01:23Library Foundation. So, we're all on

1:01:25this information gathering

1:01:28type of quest.

1:01:30Um and find and with the idea that the

1:01:33foundation would be the primary funder

1:01:36for this. And the cost that I have so

1:01:39far have seen

1:01:41um for something like this would be

1:01:43somewhere between 75,000 and 125,000

1:01:47was the ballpark that Norman Chan gave

1:01:49me.

1:01:50Um not in a written form,

1:01:52but um

1:01:54that seems to be where Group 4 has sort

1:01:57of come back at too.

1:01:59Um

1:02:01so, that's sort of where we're at right

1:02:02now and

1:02:04uh I think with this group I wanted to

1:02:06discuss um or we wanted to discuss our

1:02:10library commission's role in this.

1:02:13Um we certainly wouldn't be

1:02:15fundraising

1:02:16um or

1:02:18paying for for this. It would have to be

1:02:21the friends and the foundation. And then

1:02:24as far as the city is concerned,

1:02:27um

1:02:28the discussion from from my perspective,

1:02:31it seemed as though if if the city is

1:02:34city doesn't have any money to pay for

1:02:35this right now. So,

1:02:37it feels important that the affinity

1:02:41groups

1:02:43fund it

1:02:44and then get to a point where we can

1:02:46present that to the city council and to

1:02:50other groups in order to um

1:02:53decide what's next.

1:02:55But, if we don't do that,

1:02:57um I feel like the civic center

1:03:01development and the the housing

1:03:03development is going to move forward and

1:03:04the library needs are going to be,

1:03:08you know, down at the back of the

1:03:10they're just going to be cast aside.

1:03:13So, it feels like a good investment

1:03:16because at some point they're to have to

1:03:18do some planning

1:03:21for the Civic Center campus and we want

1:03:23to have our needs

1:03:25well laid out, documented, and

1:03:28understood

1:03:30for the library.

1:03:32So, that's that's kind of the idea with

1:03:34us.

1:03:37Um and then maybe you can add on

1:03:40from the friends and the up and your

1:03:42perspective on on how the city's role

1:03:45versus give.

1:03:47>> So,

1:03:49um

1:03:49back in 2017,

1:03:52the uh library foundation paid for the

1:03:54initial library needs study

1:03:58and the city paid for some of it.

1:04:00But, the problem with the city paying

1:04:02for something like that, a study, is

1:04:04that it has to go through the city

1:04:06processes. So, it has to have a formal

1:04:08RFP and

1:04:10there are rules about who gets

1:04:13Yeah, versus becomes a much more formal

1:04:15or a slower moving

1:04:16process. So, you're right, the city

1:04:18doesn't have money set aside for this.

1:04:20And and at this point, even the city

1:04:23council hasn't given direction that they

1:04:25want the library commission to to do

1:04:28this sort of thing. But, they accept the

1:04:30the work that the sub committee has done

1:04:32before and we think that we're

1:04:33interested in it. They haven't They

1:04:35They're kind of busy with other things

1:04:37right now and so they haven't

1:04:39necessarily directed the commission

1:04:41to to

1:04:42sort of put more into this. So, I think

1:04:45probably going with the foundation and

1:04:47the friends is a good idea. Um the

1:04:51commission can still support that as

1:04:54being very interested parties and

1:04:57trying to help move the process along.

1:05:00Um I think there's a natural There's a

1:05:03natural progression. There's a sort of

1:05:05way that these studies progress through

1:05:07and it does start with a needs study and

1:05:10that needs study then is used as basis

1:05:13for a space study. In other words,

1:05:14you're trying to trying to convert the

1:05:18increased demands on the library from

1:05:21increased development into increased

1:05:23demands for library services, and then

1:05:25that increased demands for library

1:05:27services into upgraded or new library

1:05:30space. So, that's the kind of

1:05:32progression. But, I'll do where we're

1:05:35here this part where we're trying to

1:05:37demonstrate that there's going to be

1:05:39um

1:05:40So, that's kind of how I see it. I I do

1:05:43think that your characterization of the

1:05:45discussion of the

1:05:47uh library friends board was

1:05:49uh accurate, but I don't think that the

1:05:52friends as an organization will

1:05:54necessarily put money behind this, but I

1:05:56do think that there are many individuals

1:05:58there who would put effort and maybe

1:06:01money,

1:06:02but just not friends of the library

1:06:04money necessarily behind it. Um so, I

1:06:08think it's good work. I think it's work

1:06:10that needs to be done. I think some of

1:06:12it may even have been done already in

1:06:15the fiscal impact analysis and the

1:06:18environmental impact reports, but it's

1:06:20hard to get at. And it it doesn't make a

1:06:22lot of sense to the lay person when they

1:06:25say what they say about what the demands

1:06:28are going to be on the library. So, I

1:06:29think having that firm that does that

1:06:32sort of work and understands the

1:06:33library, but also speaks EIR

1:06:37as architecture firms do, could help to

1:06:40bridge that gap and then use these other

1:06:42interest groups sort of make this even

1:06:44more of a compelling story about why the

1:06:47library needs

1:06:50improved or more space.

1:06:53>> Yeah, and our discussion too about the

1:06:55both the friends and the library

1:06:57commission's role in in this request for

1:07:00proposal or the work ahead in this

1:07:02project would be

1:07:04I mean, it it's sort of it is our work

1:07:06plan to identify needs and so this would

1:07:09be

1:07:11doing doing it together with this firm

1:07:15just kind of taking what we did in

1:07:17report that we submitted last year

1:07:21and having somebody professional who's

1:07:23an expert to actually document things in

1:07:26a way that is going to be more official.

1:07:29Um

1:07:30so that

1:07:32I I was hoping that

1:07:34uh this commission would would support

1:07:37being part of the RFP even if it's if

1:07:40it's not

1:07:40>> Sure sure. Yeah, I'm not going to take

1:07:42you guys off the RFP. I'm just trying to

1:07:44say you're not going to pay for it. It's

1:07:46probably going to be the foundation.

1:07:47It's great.

1:07:48>> Oh absolutely.

1:07:49>> Yeah. So but to the extent that they

1:07:52that they are interested in having you

1:07:55sort of evaluate the results of the RFP

1:07:59process that they're paying for that

1:08:01would be appropriate to sort of look at

1:08:03these firms and go this one looks like

1:08:06they could help the community decide

1:08:09what the community is going to need

1:08:11in library services.

1:08:15>> Um I have a question about sort of

1:08:16general timelines I guess. Um so the

1:08:20civic center start Well, is there any

1:08:23sense of what the timeline on that

1:08:25outside library is like? What do we have

1:08:28to have a goal of how to kind of get it

1:08:29done and what it has to be done or

1:08:32or things like that?

1:08:34>> Outside of those environmental impact

1:08:36reports, I haven't seen any study about

1:08:39what the impacts would be on the civic

1:08:41center.

1:08:42So

1:08:43uh

1:08:44we were talking internally

1:08:46earlier today about

1:08:49sort of getting the parks and rec

1:08:50commission tuned into this because

1:08:52there's going to be increased demand on

1:08:54parks and recreational facilities too

1:08:56cuz it's going to be right across the

1:08:57street. So but as far as I know to date,

1:09:02the city hasn't Beyond the EIRs, the

1:09:05city has not

1:09:06um

1:09:08commissioned studies. So, I think there

1:09:10is a lot of good information in those

1:09:11EIRs, but it's pulling it out and

1:09:14translating it into like what does this

1:09:16mean then?

1:09:18>> Well, I I also wonder when we did do

1:09:20this, I think it was almost 10 years ago

1:09:22now that it was done the first time. So,

1:09:23obviously things have changed, but if is

1:09:25is it sort of like triangulating kind of

1:09:28with the EIR stuff with the old study

1:09:31and Yeah, it's hard to find other

1:09:32research as well. It's kind of similar

1:09:33to the last one.

1:09:35>> That's kind of how I see it. Yes, and I

1:09:36think that's kind of how the

1:09:38subcommittees sort of looking at it with

1:09:40this

1:09:41you know, draft RFP for these firms is

1:09:44There was a lot of good work done about

1:09:47the existing state of the main library

1:09:49for some of the even and what what sort

1:09:51of services

1:09:52it could support.

1:09:55Here are new conditions.

1:09:57You know, all this new development and

1:09:59the

1:10:00fiscal impact analysis and all those

1:10:02things from the EIRs. And then that's

1:10:04the newly information. Plus then there's

1:10:07just sort of the changes to the world

1:10:10and the library usage of the existing

1:10:14Menlo Park residents. What do those

1:10:16three things then mean now for library

1:10:20services that

1:10:21it converges?

1:10:23>> And the part of the part of the RFP is

1:10:25to actively have this group go out and

1:10:28get new information, survey the

1:10:30community, outreach.

1:10:32So,

1:10:34it's not just looking at reports in the

1:10:36past.

1:10:37>> Yeah, there was uh hold open houses and

1:10:41do some focus group or survey type

1:10:44things, but use the 2017

1:10:47um survey as a starting point. And so,

1:10:50that they have that as a maybe a

1:10:52foundation starting point to build off

1:10:54of.

1:10:55>> Okay. The reason why I asked what

1:10:56timeline is um

1:10:58I had this vision of 10 years from now.

1:11:00We're all saying that it's time to go to

1:11:02the next city and

1:11:04yes, we got this new core but things

1:11:06have changed. That's why I was asking

1:11:07like,

1:11:08you know,

1:11:10is the is the civic center 10 years away

1:11:13and we're doing this now and it's way

1:11:14too early or is it is it imminent we do

1:11:17it quickly or else they're going to move

1:11:18ahead in the line and we have to do it

1:11:19quickly or

1:11:21yeah, what's the what's the goal there?

1:11:22Yeah, I don't know that there's any

1:11:25even been any discussion about changing

1:11:28this to the civic center complex given

1:11:30all of the new development. I think

1:11:32Ottawa has been trailing sort of thing

1:11:35where suddenly the facilities are

1:11:38are obviously impacted by all the new

1:11:40residents and then you're like, "Hey, do

1:11:42we really need to do something about

1:11:43this?" So,

1:11:44the this study is kind of getting out in

1:11:47front of the change. Everybody's

1:11:48Everybody sees the change and kind of

1:11:51it's just who's going to be sort of

1:11:54ready to to

1:11:57And so the downtown plan with some kind

1:12:00of plan

1:12:01I mean the general idea for this the

1:12:03timing on this was to try to select a

1:12:06maybe firm to do the study by early, you

1:12:09know, January cuz then it's about a

1:12:126-month 30-month process. So then it

1:12:16would take until June.

1:12:19And the idea is to have something more

1:12:21concrete to actually market

1:12:24so [clears throat] people can say, "This

1:12:26is what's needed. Here's

1:12:28kind of a concept, you know, how does

1:12:30this fit in?" And then get that

1:12:32discussion going

1:12:34rather than just having someday a

1:12:36library

1:12:37which I agree would be, you know, 10

1:12:40years out.

1:12:41So the

1:12:43Parkland development which has been

1:12:45approved

1:12:47is

1:12:48jeez, do I want a handicap development

1:12:50in the park?

1:12:535 to 7 years away and I think it's going

1:12:56to be built in phases though as well.

1:12:59Yeah.

1:13:00So, some of the residential areas might

1:13:03be built before some of the commercial

1:13:06areas. I'd have to go back and I don't

1:13:08want to look at you like you're really

1:13:10familiar with the

1:13:12Um,

1:13:13You may be really You You may be very

1:13:16familiar with the Park Life Plan.

1:13:18Um,

1:13:19something I should have to go back and

1:13:20look at to see whether it's phased and

1:13:22which phase is supposed to be first.

1:13:25In my mind, I'm thinking 5 to 7 years

1:13:28for significant development there. But,

1:13:31how long does it take to raise money and

1:13:34plan for a new library? Or how long does

1:13:37it take to plan raise money for a new

1:13:39civic center facility? It takes a long

1:13:41time. So, I don't think it's too early

1:13:43to start doing this work.

1:13:46We might not be around to see.

1:13:49>> See. Yeah.

1:13:51>> It's not too late.

1:13:52>> You know, run out of You're going to

1:13:55only have two terms. So, this group will

1:13:57be gone.

1:13:57>> Yeah. But, that doesn't mean that you're

1:13:59not interested in staying.

1:14:03You know, your time Your time of service

1:14:05on the commission will be done.

1:14:07You'll still be around and interested.

1:14:09>> Well, I mean, I think we have a few like

1:14:12aspirational things. Like if we could

1:14:15get the study done and have renderings

1:14:18of what's possible. Like the 2017 study

1:14:22had some nice options.

1:14:25And they were presented to the city

1:14:27council and then Arriaga said, "Oh, fun.

1:14:30That looks great."

1:14:32And we're hoping something like that

1:14:33could happen again.

1:14:35>> I certainly think the library foundation

1:14:37would be interested in in the results of

1:14:39this survey and study because that's

1:14:41what they're That's their whole thing

1:14:43is.

1:14:44>> That's their marketing tool to so raise

1:14:47money. So, yeah.

1:14:49>> And and the thing to remember is funding

1:14:51for libraries is there are different

1:14:53categories than any other, you know,

1:14:57government building.

1:14:59So, there are opportunities to fund

1:15:01libraries that are, you know, aren't

1:15:03available for civic center and just

1:15:06general government buildings.

1:15:10So.

1:15:11>> Target fund raise for our budget plan.

1:15:14>> [clears throat]

1:15:15>> I don't really necessarily

1:15:17>> Or or pickleball court. Incredibly

1:15:20Don't say pickleball court.

1:15:23>> [laughter]

1:15:24>> Next week's meeting.

1:15:26>> Let's put pickleball court on the top of

1:15:27the

1:15:28library and then it'll go through

1:15:30quarterly.

1:15:33>> [laughter]

1:15:33>> There you go.

1:15:34>> Pickleball

1:15:35>> Pickleball. Think about it.

1:15:37>> All right.

1:15:38>> Well, anyway, we're in the process.

1:15:40That's the main We're going to try to

1:15:41keep moving it along

1:15:44because nothing gets done unless

1:15:46somebody starts it.

1:15:48Um

1:15:49and we'll we'll keep you

1:15:51updated

1:15:53on next month.

1:15:55All right. So, there's no nothing to no

1:15:58motions to pass.

1:15:59Uh

1:16:00next is informational items.

1:16:03Uh informational items are transmitted

1:16:05to the library commission and staff

1:16:07separate to provide an update on matters

1:16:09of importance to the commission.

1:16:11Informational items are not action

1:16:13items. However, a commissioner, city

1:16:16staff member, or member of the public

1:16:18may request to make a comment or ask a

1:16:20question on any of the informational

1:16:23items.

1:16:25First informational item is library and

1:16:27community services department updates

1:16:29and statistics.

1:16:31Are there any public comments on this

1:16:33item?

1:16:34>> Are there any public comments on item

1:16:35F1?

1:16:37No public comments.

1:16:38>> This item is open for commission

1:16:40discussion.

1:16:44>> And there's one call out this month

1:16:46that's just the uh

1:16:47some updates on the staffing. I think

1:16:50Frank you were going to mention about

1:16:51Desiree.

1:16:53>> Yes, we are losing our

1:16:55um

1:16:56our librarian Desiree Ball. It's sad.

1:16:59Yeah, a loss. [clears throat] She's

1:17:01moving on to a um

1:17:03for her a better position in uh with the

1:17:05city of Palo Alto.

1:17:07Um so

1:17:09um I'm not sure that the current

1:17:11recruitment is uh there's a recruitment

1:17:13currently underway for the teen

1:17:15librarian position. I don't know whether

1:17:18anyone in that pool of candidates will

1:17:20be

1:17:21um appropriate for um this vacant

1:17:24position. So, we'll have to see what we

1:17:26get back out of the candidates. Um but

1:17:28that process is ongoing. It's moving

1:17:30through

1:17:32It's already gone through the

1:17:32applications and the first screening I

1:17:35think is

1:17:36done uh this week. So, we'll probably

1:17:39have the public interviews next week

1:17:42for that position. So, we'll we'll have

1:17:44to see what what that candidate pool

1:17:45looks like. There's there is possible

1:17:47that there could be somebody in that

1:17:49candidate pool that could then use

1:17:51um to fill the Desiree position.

1:17:53Um so, that's

1:17:55sad, but that happens.

1:17:57Um

1:17:59and it's an opportunity for some some

1:18:02new folks to come in perhaps or for

1:18:03somebody to step up from our existing

1:18:06um group of

1:18:08on-call librarians.

1:18:10>> Do we have um

1:18:12people who worked at our Park Library um

1:18:16also at Palo Alto Library now currently

1:18:20or is Desiree the only one who is going

1:18:23to be part of that?

1:18:24>> I'm trying to think.

1:18:25>> amongst

1:18:27>> I can think of four or and it's top of

1:18:29mind because Redwood City Library was

1:18:31having its offsite

1:18:34>> [gasps]

1:18:35>> enrichment day here at the at the Rex

1:18:37Center today. So, I went to uh

1:18:39two two former Bendel Park librarians

1:18:42who are board trustees of the branch. I

1:18:44can't think of anybody currently who

1:18:48works for the city of Palo Alto library

1:18:49who worked for us before.

1:18:58Um the other thing to call out is

1:19:01the storytelling event

1:19:03festival is going on now in September

1:19:06creative storytelling

1:19:08in the fall and there's going to be a

1:19:10recurring

1:19:12sort of

1:19:14Um

1:19:15the library is going to be hosting

1:19:18a recurring a monthly meeting

1:19:22storytelling organization

1:19:25at the library. I can't think of the

1:19:27what one of that event is called. But it

1:19:29was an ongoing meeting that was

1:19:32uh

1:19:33further south on the peninsula. So,

1:19:34they're coming to Bendel Park monthly.

1:19:37So, they'll be open to the public but

1:19:38there's also a group of storytellers who

1:19:40meet

1:19:41monthly to sort of promote and engage in

1:19:45storytelling.

1:19:47Okay.

1:19:48Um any other updates?

1:19:54Any call outs from you?

1:19:55All right. Thank you. Glenn. Um

1:19:59then next item that two is tentative

1:20:02agenda calendar and work plan milestones

1:20:05and deliverables calendar. Are there any

1:20:08public comments on this item? Are there

1:20:10any public comments on item X2?

1:20:14No public comments.

1:20:16Okay, this item is now open for

1:20:17commission discussion.

1:20:20And I know

1:20:24See.

1:20:29I think this is fresh.

1:20:36>> Okay.

1:20:47>> So, maybe um

1:20:49on the next month's meeting, library

1:20:52future sub-committee demographics and

1:20:54community development

1:20:56we rephrase that

1:20:59um just update

1:21:02on

1:21:04uh

1:21:05needs assessment.

1:21:07>> Well, I'm I'm also working on the

1:21:09demographic.

1:21:10>> Oh, you are?

1:21:11>> Yeah. Yes. I mean, it it might not be

1:21:13in-depth, but we could add that. We

1:21:15could add it.

1:21:16>> Okay.

1:21:16>> We could add an update on the library

1:21:19future and

1:21:20>> Right.

1:21:21We can say updates and then

1:21:23>> Yes, right.

1:21:24>> Okay.

1:21:25>> We're not I'm not going to have them too

1:21:26in-depth, but at least a summary to try

1:21:29to see

1:21:30>> Okay.

1:21:32>> Cuz the actual numbers higher than the

1:21:34five zones. It's

1:21:36But anyway, we're going to look through

1:21:38those and look for something So, we

1:21:40should keep that something in there for

1:21:43November.

1:21:44And then we added the uh

1:21:48review of the age and groups for Bel

1:21:51Haven and

1:21:53And I I think that should just be for

1:21:55library.

1:21:58>> I have a question about that. Do Do you

1:22:01want to focus only on affinity groups in

1:22:04the Bel Haven, or do you want to open it

1:22:06up a little bit more so open it up a bit

1:22:08more?

1:22:08>> I think we Yes, that's the we have we

1:22:10Yeah, I think we should look for all all

1:22:12different parts.

1:22:14Yes, groups that might the library we

1:22:17can outreach to.

1:22:19>> Okay.

1:22:20And then we're going to calendar for

1:22:22the meeting calendar next year.

1:22:26And I think

1:22:27the

1:22:28Sorry, I have a question too.

1:22:33>> I think we're okay. And then so November

1:22:35we're we're pretty set.

1:22:38December

1:22:44>> That's a Wednesday. That's the right

1:22:45day. It's an odd day because of the

1:22:48where the holiday fall holidays fall for

1:22:51both.

1:22:52>> That was the first day.

1:22:54>> That's a Thursday.

1:22:55>> Yes.

1:22:55>> That's right. It's not It's neither a

1:22:58Monday or Wednesday. So it's neither at

1:23:00LC or PRC night. That's

1:23:02the day we are only available.

1:23:06And it's going to be here.

1:23:09>> What I would like to suggest we have we

1:23:11have a number of work items for November

1:23:14and then we'll gather but we should

1:23:15really work on the calendar for next

1:23:18year.

1:23:19>> Will the subcommittee for district one

1:23:21outreach have their report out in

1:23:23November do you think?

1:23:25>> I don't think we'll have anything new.

1:23:26>> Okay.

1:23:37Okay, so let's talk about this. I know

1:23:38we have some things to add for the

1:23:40district one outreach. Do you want to

1:23:43would the committee or I'm sorry

1:23:44commission like to do that first or just

1:23:47sort of go through

1:23:49one to

1:23:50>> Let's go through them quickly.

1:23:53quickly.

1:23:54>> So on February for a strategic plan

1:23:56update in February, he did talk about

1:24:00at the LCS [clears throat]

1:24:02staff retreat at the end of September.

1:24:06We did talk about outreach to different

1:24:09specific specific groups about the

1:24:11strategic plan. So we're sort of laying

1:24:13our groundwork there. We're a little

1:24:15behind but I should be able to get you

1:24:17up to date in February.

1:24:20So that I can say.

1:24:27I'm still debating shiny.

1:24:30Yeah, we did this one, so we're

1:24:32we're burning out.

1:24:37>> And then we're going to put a sign board

1:24:38up.

1:24:39Um,

1:24:41and we're going to look into ordering

1:24:43again.

1:24:45>> Well, I maybe we could say we'll get

1:24:46other

1:24:48uh,

1:24:49interior and exterior signs.

1:24:51>> Okay.

1:24:53>> Cuz we haven't necessarily figured out

1:24:55what

1:24:56particularly. We've got a lot of good

1:24:58ideas.

1:24:59Sign boards, white boards.

1:25:01>> Non-bronze.

1:25:02>> Non-bronze. Yes.

1:25:05Non-gold.

1:25:07>> Wood.

1:25:07>> Wood painted to look like wood.

1:25:09>> And did you have a month for that? I

1:25:11guess we could put we can

1:25:13>> Yeah, we have Yeah, I did I did I did

1:25:15that one. I'm going to send you the

1:25:17overall thing by week of March. March

1:25:1815th.

1:25:28Oh, that that one actually is a lot of

1:25:30that.

1:25:30>> Just that.

1:25:31>> Yeah.

1:25:33We'll look at it when you're done, I

1:25:35guess, but

1:25:36we're not impressed with the dude.

1:25:37>> Let us know how that goes.

1:25:41>> That would be an improvement to the

1:25:43>> Feels really arbitrary.

1:25:46>> Mhm.

1:25:47An interesting thing that I'll maybe

1:25:49surface

1:25:51next meeting.

1:25:54About something that's going to be

1:25:55happening in next year.

1:25:57Um, and and sort of part of improvements

1:26:01to those grant

1:26:03grant that we got

1:26:04for our

1:26:07our

1:26:08big hall.

1:26:10Yes, it was part of American Recovery.

1:26:14>> I think it's the COVID money that

1:26:16>> It's money. [clears throat]

1:26:16>> We got um,

1:26:18there's going to be some improvements to

1:26:21the um

1:26:23alarm and fire suppression system in the

1:26:26main library building.

1:26:28Which is going to require

1:26:30uh the main library to be closed for a

1:26:32while. And so this is about 9 to 12

1:26:36months out.

1:26:38Um it hasn't even gone out to bid yet.

1:26:40But there might be uh I started

1:26:42preliminary talks with public works

1:26:45about well, if I'm going to close for

1:26:47this work

1:26:49and is there other work that we could

1:26:50have done while the building is closed?

1:26:53And one of the things we had talked

1:26:55about were um accessible doors on the

1:26:58restrooms, which is something that we've

1:27:00been asking for for a while. So all

1:27:02these other sort of smaller

1:27:04uh capital improvements we're trying to

1:27:06cluster them again. So

1:27:09but I will come back and start talking

1:27:11to

1:27:12um the commission and

1:27:15to other affinity groups about this um

1:27:19closure for these maintenance issues.

1:27:23Starting now so that we can sort of plan

1:27:26for it.

1:27:29>> Once I come back, I'll start.

1:27:31>> Great.

1:27:39Okay. So you just wanted that um

1:27:43you just wanted the uh

1:27:45speak one of my team somebody

1:27:49list of tasks.

1:27:51>> Mhm. What

1:27:52what would be What would be What would

1:27:54be a nice format for you to receive

1:27:55those in? But I have a

1:27:56somewhat messy outline here.

1:27:59Um would like a table that looks like

1:28:00this be useful or

1:28:03>> A list would work.

1:28:04>> Like to keep it structured.

1:28:06>> Yeah.

1:28:07>> I have my team and that's fine.

1:28:08>> Yeah. Okay.

1:28:09>> I think I I think I got everything but

1:28:11it's like nice to see and hear some

1:28:13little context that works.

1:28:18What?

1:28:21>> Right.

1:28:23Very good.

1:28:25Any other comments?

1:28:28Um

1:28:29okay, so we can move on to commission

1:28:31reports. Would any commissioner like to

1:28:33make a short report out on items of

1:28:36interest to the entire commission?

1:28:40Anybody going anywhere?

1:28:45>> Anybody been to any library events

1:28:46recently?

1:28:48I went to the library board game at the

1:28:50library board game event and I had fun.

1:28:52So, that's my report.

1:28:55>> Thank you very much.

1:28:56>> I went to the San Francisco library and

1:28:59library card and it was Valkyrie

1:29:01sponsored.

1:29:02>> How was it?

1:29:06>> And is somebody who's going to be

1:29:07interested in learning this?

1:29:09>> So, do you think they'd sell the motion

1:29:11or would they give it for free?

1:29:13>> Well, the founda- the foundation, they

1:29:14don't sell them really, but you can get

1:29:17custom library cards from donating at

1:29:20certain levels to the library

1:29:22foundation.

1:29:23>> So, it's

1:29:23>> Of course, now we have our own custom

1:29:25library cards that we had and that

1:29:26design on them, but is there still other

1:29:28ones? Maybe I should tell them that they

1:29:30need to update them.

1:29:31>> You see if they have custom cards.

1:29:37>> Okay. Any other commission news?

1:29:39>> I'll move.

1:29:40All right.

1:29:42>> Very good. So,

1:29:44uh

1:29:45we can adjourn the meeting at 8:01.

1:29:51>> Ready.

1:29:52>> Thank you.

1:29:52>> Yeah.