2026-10-07 - Library Board
Summary
Captions are manually created by the city but badly garbled in places; details below are limited to what could be read reliably.
- Minutes of the September meeting were approved, 5 in favor and none opposed; two members were excused.
- Staff report 26-154 on Library Newcomer Services: the library's newcomer services coordinator described partnership-based help for immigrant and Spanish-speaking residents, including connections to legal and health services, device access, literacy and citizenship classes, and a language-learning app offered free through a grant.
- The presenter described the library's response during the federal immigration enforcement surge: volunteers and staff coordinated mutual aid and about 3,250 deliveries of food, formula, medicine and supplies over about 21 weeks, and worked with the city attorney's immigrant and refugee office on citizenship help.
- Asked about budget, the library director said the community services team is in the general fund, with a three-year Mellon Foundation grant adding a temporary promotion and an additional Spanish-speaking community specialist; the services are expected to continue next year.
- A member asked whether more language-app licenses will be needed (about 130 now); staff said the grant supports the current number and they would revisit as demand grows.
- The next meeting is November 4; the meeting adjourned.
Sources
Video
Transcript
These are manually created captions from the city's video; names and numbers may still contain errors.
Transcript
05:51>> Call
05:57>> Make
05:57>> sure seeing. For President
06:013 s. Members. We. Yang and Kim
06:06who are excuse. Item number
06:11one approving the minutes.
06:15>> Sorry item number one
06:16minutes. 26 Dash 30 approving
06:19the 9/2/2026 line reported
06:20minute.
06:24>> So I will take a motion
06:27from council Rick Holman to
06:27approve the library board
06:28minutes from September. Is
06:29there any discussion? All
06:32those in favor say Aye, aye.
06:32All post. 5 in favor. None
06:36opposed. The minutes are
06:37approved. Item number 2 staff
06:42report 26 Dash one. 54
06:43newcomer service. Wonderful
06:48and out. Turn over to Director
06:50Hartman. And we also have with
06:51us Rihanna Govan. They say
06:54that right here to present to
06:55us today. And the welcome as
06:59well.
07:02>> Thank Every case.
07:06>> And back here and I'm
07:07really excited to introduce at
07:09currently the library's
07:10newcomer Services coordinator.
07:15>> then it has worked PPL
07:16since 2018 at a million. Her
07:17role as our Spanish speaking
07:20community specialist.
07:21>> look at the library.
07:22Adriana has continued her
07:22noteworthy career as educator,
07:26even winning coalition on
07:27Adult Basic Education Teacher
07:28of the Year award in 2024.
07:31Age. And his work has been
07:34particularly impactful in
07:36essential over the past 2
07:38years. She helps the library
07:39fulfill its role as a provider
07:43of trusted information to the
07:43community. And this rolls been
07:46necessary. Is the information
07:48landscape, particularly at the
07:49federal level, as we all know,
07:49has been changing on a near
07:50daily basis. This combination
07:54of relationship, building
07:57partnership, education and
07:59information provision made the
08:00grand. What's recent grant to
08:01the library through the
08:02friends, nation.
08:11>> Welcome. Well, thank In a
08:12survey commissioned, my had
08:13been an one in one of the
08:14community specialists. But no,
08:14I think I have a so for
08:18special role as a new comer
08:19services. Courtney needed,
08:23which means I don't do the
08:24work. I hill. In other help me
08:27support this work. I'm going
08:33to do my presentation in.
08:35Please feel free to ask any
08:35questions. Just things like to
08:45stress out and you have the
08:46bullet points there is that we
08:49cannot do this without
08:52partnerships and trusted
08:53information services. And I'm
08:57a true believer that education
09:00is power through the library
09:01is our commitment to provide
09:03reliable interest of
09:04information. An indication and
09:06we have this unique, very
09:10unique. The sign of delivering
09:12the services with a community
09:13approach.
09:17>> We started with something
09:19cylon that the school welcome.
09:22point at different branches,
09:23you can find information.
09:28>> That is Henri crts, legal
09:30providers. And this is not
09:31only immigration. Although
09:35mostly the need was
09:36immigration in the last. I
09:39will say 9 months and then
09:44he'll Hill services also
09:45preventive care. Physical
09:49care, dental care and one that
09:56really important is that the
09:57access ability in with that.
10:00We mean access to not only
10:01turn it but devices in which
10:06our community can connect to
10:07services can sell the Waste S
10:09we learned during COVID it
10:13that a lot of people in your
10:16community or left behind
10:16because they they have new
10:18access. And at that point, he
10:20was only perhaps to the
10:22library in on their partners.
10:22They we could get that
10:25accessibility to our
10:26community. We not only provide
10:31election, but we do actually
10:34picks up or it, which a lie
10:36picks up or we don't build a
10:38computer on a scratch, but we
10:41can help people to navigate
10:45the France all for using the
10:45devices. They have. In the
10:49other part is connect to
10:50social support services that
10:52are essential by coming to the
10:56diary or going to the
10:59community. We ensure that
11:01those poor services are not
11:03scammers custody the issue.
11:07With global population. You
11:12can see examples of some of
11:13the materials that we have in
11:15Basically. The open enough, a
11:21conversation if somebody has
11:23any questions about legal
11:24services, a power of attorney
11:27or how to talk children about
11:29the funding crisis at home,
11:32they can connect with library
11:35staff and the library staff
11:36connect to any of the
11:37community. Specialist. I would
11:42like to pass here because you
11:45see there, there's a power of
11:46attorney and we also had the
11:47bill which is the you knew the
11:50front in the low, 30. That's
11:52to the library will we'll
11:57completed some of this
11:58paperwork in also be in order,
11:59ice free of charge for people
12:00that need it. Sometimes money
12:07is tight specially people have
12:08be laid off or they haven't
12:09used their jobs because of the
12:10sickest. An sus. We have
12:18expanded also our education
12:19program literacy. Right now.
12:24We offer glasses fr bolts
12:28incur an Spanish and also for
12:32the African-American community
12:33in a very unique space and
12:35safe space. class is provide
12:43industry-recognized
12:44certification as the scene
12:46will probably live. Re is a
12:47member of the same people.
12:47Community latest to
12:48consumption. That Evers told
12:52the adult Basic Education
12:54services. So we're strong for
12:57use that is in Minnesota. I
12:58international needs do who is
13:00in for more. We'll show Hill
13:07people place us GD in
13:12citizenship through the adult,
13:14basic education because
13:18transportation something see
13:19such challenge Especially in
13:23our communities that afraid to
13:24call out. It can. We have it
13:27like can COVID. He put
13:32services. So a lot of for
13:34services are over the moon.
13:38We're not scrolling down doing
13:39Instagram. Okay. Caroline, the
13:42focus we sometimes have to
13:47pick up the call or text. We
13:48had we received text messages
13:49and emails. People to raeford
13:53or services. We continue to
13:57provide the get-go axes in the
13:58most. In 4th in that we use is
14:04sell it, which is application
14:06that not I it's a lighting
14:10structure. 24 hours that they
14:127 days a week. kill people,
14:16learn English. Citizenship
14:21classes. Parenting classes,
14:21though, starting English and
14:22Spanish. Also prepare for GD
14:26or the Minnesota pulled up to
14:26him. This is really important
14:32because they also special
14:34lessons to learn Spanish leave
14:36you any of you are interested.
14:39This is a free of charge for
14:40the you, sir, in the licenses.
14:42Art. Free. Just because we
14:48have this great every case
14:49through this grant. Very
14:54significantly during operation
14:55that research, we had the
14:57opportunity to help families
15:01to volunteers and the
15:02volunteers wanted to learn
15:05Spanish. So good group of
15:06volunteers who are using this
15:08app. Also to communicate with
15:09the families which they were
15:12receiving the services. Lead
15:16to just be quiet for a field
15:19seconds. I want you to read
15:21what we have. During operation
15:23that research.
15:40What really
15:41strong in that slight. Is
15:43toward homebound. Because
15:48people could not pull out.
15:51Have access, not even to basic
15:52needs. The lively responded.
16:00And to Re Farrell's to help
16:02provide years because people
16:04who are not attending their
16:05medical appointments. Then
16:07told services. So we had to
16:11operations in partnership, the
16:16opportunity to every inch
16:17this. It's for a lot of the
16:18families not only in Saint
16:20Paul but in the metro need
16:22even greater Minnesota. So we
16:26had the opportunity to connect
16:27families to those services.
16:30Then we were really close with
16:33office. The city attorney's
16:35office in the meager new
16:38refugee services. So one thing
16:41that is 4th in the social to
16:42have the right information in.
16:43No, you're right. So we had
16:45clinics in. What they were
16:49doing person. But we have to
16:49chief to a digital form. So
16:53how to make sure that families
16:56in and even school staff will
16:57have access to this
16:58information. child who
17:03screenings we have to pay for
17:04it, that it closely with the
17:08farm Hill's info link services
17:09at the front counties to make
17:10sure the children got there
17:12screen in some time. You know,
17:18when to ask you to look at
17:21this picture, this the Hill we
17:22Farrell's during the search.
17:26One of dude was the first
17:27picture. Every person, the
17:28collaboration. It even members
17:34our community, members of the
17:36same library that volunteer to
17:39help us the lever, all of the
17:41information services basic
17:42needs good. We So far locally
17:50we could free for families
17:52too. And these laws that we
17:54know because after that,
17:56people were just referring
17:58amongst themselves. So we have
17:592 babies that were born home
18:02with 2 pediatricians, the wind
18:03and this it right after and
18:06then we make sure the people
18:06that formula. By the home
18:10loan, lot of the families were
18:12not able to go in up week. So
18:15he was to volunteers that work
18:16with us at the library in
18:21funding in the stations that
18:22were interested enough to pick
18:22up that week to shopping for
18:26the families and the for it.
18:28Also, medicines. Prescription
18:34So this is how we to There was
18:40rapid mutual aid that with the
18:44community specialists. Saint
18:46Public Library staff. In
18:49numbers community. Including
18:54school churches. culd
18:56grassroots. Delivery of
18:59service. And he was from AC
19:02help. The whole community
19:07responded to provide donations
19:09to be able to deliver. We were
19:12not equipped to do for We
19:16collaborated with whoever was
19:17doing deliveries, we were able
19:23cleaning supplies, high
19:26personal supplies, formula in
19:28the numbers are 3,250
19:31deliveries. This is a and he
19:34was not only means It was 21
19:39weeks, perhaps felt longer,
19:41then call it at this point
19:46because in specific case,
19:50everybody by then was affected
19:51one way and not to. This is a
19:57reading or communities are
20:01very susceptible or be victims
20:06a So legal support services
20:08that we can provide ace to
20:11trusted resources. Probe on
20:13because Too expensive to try
20:17to afford an even to get Copy
20:24of birth certificate needs to
20:25be notarized. We the
20:32citizenship To through city
20:39Attorney's Office of Immigrant
20:40Refugee Services in the
20:40country. Park in Mnneapolis
20:43that we had at that
20:44opportunity to have an
20:45in-person 2 people 2
20:49completely virtual
20:49citizenship, fair. Same try to
20:53encourage people that legible
20:54to become citizens. not state.
20:58It continue wth the with the
21:00process. part in the most
21:06important perhaps the fees
21:11were waived through the
21:12library to have documents
21:13order ice for fitness. Other
21:18support. Well, this reports
21:27also required mental health
21:30support supports for school
21:30staff. needed to. Help
21:34families that work bound to
21:38use that thing knowledge you
21:40can without having the devices
21:40that we during COVID. So what
21:44we had it was a group of
21:45parents are newcomers. They
21:49didn't all they have to walk
21:50through the digital services
21:51in. We could help all the
21:53staff in the from the schools.
21:58Mainly Saint Paul Minn. They
21:59collaborated with the school
22:02Minneapolis for one important
22:03thing. The slaying which X.
22:07Sometimes understand they
22:10could do technology and then
22:11on top with that, perhaps you
22:14don't know English. So that
22:15makes it huge challenge in to
22:19that. You need to sign up for
22:20community specialist COVID
22:23lever that connection Some
22:27money, Spanish What that we
22:34plan to continue doing for
22:37molten This is a learning tool
22:41in which people can 45
22:42minutes. So they we some of
22:46our features that are cleaning
22:48offices and they have 5 and
22:53that's it. That's You want a
22:53court to Facebook, but just
22:54checked the sun. You can learn
22:565 minutes a day with the life
23:00We're working having a ticket
23:02for the library staff in which
23:05we're going to update it. We
23:06started already this tool kit.
23:07We're going 8 providers in
23:12website they can. Rely on
23:16perhaps can all there, members
23:21community. And even if
23:23somebody calls from other
23:25delivery systems or other
23:26CD's, because that happened to
23:27us. That is research. We
23:30collaborate with like I
23:34mentioned before the city
23:35attorney's office in the
23:36league refugee. We're going to
23:40continue to collaborate with
23:43Contra 40 Minneapolis. We
23:44currently also worked with the
23:45city. So trail, including
23:46don't. So simple with people,
23:51would the very We have to can
23:55still spread ships and make
23:56sure that all of us are
23:58connecting our community free
24:01of scams in free of
24:03misinformation. And that's it.
24:09You guys have any questions.
24:11It's Well, thank you as living
24:16for your presentation and just
24:18kind of change little bit
24:18about your work.
24:21>> I gess we are in the
24:21middle of budget season and
24:23I'm just wondering, kind of
24:23puts included in. The
24:24services. And Mike could use
24:28that. You share also where
24:28they're located, like which
24:31player is your beef out of 4
24:34where you're located and then
24:35also just how much money
24:37you're working with.
24:41>> And the money wise, you
24:42need to talk make a are at
24:47every single night every not
24:49ceding it won, although we
24:50have an office at the from the
24:51library.
24:53>> But all the community
24:54specialists are going through
24:55every single branch sometimes
24:59in a parking lot in a clinic
25:01you will see see is a
25:04community cmmunity
25:05gatherings. You will see us
25:06rec centers. I can even tell
25:12you sometimes we have to work
25:13out of 5 must stop. People
25:16will be We'll contact the
25:22library because trust double
25:23place in a safe place?
25:25>> And this is spree
25:29interesting because I don't
25:30sing anybody's heath. The
25:31library a little
25:37>> notched down being social
25:39workers. But we are this by
25:41providing which acts we to
25:44trust.
25:45>> Off te community and then
25:46we can connect to do social
25:49services or he also possesses
25:50or legal providers. tend to
25:54meet people where they are.
26:01Anyways, churches, restaurants
26:02specially during that
26:02research. It was more Having
26:08the volunteers being also
26:11ambassadors incoming 18 with
26:14other services the families
26:15may need to. We're not one
26:16place. For a long time. We're
26:21just a rounding you can see us
26:22around the
26:31>> Barger just come summer
26:32Johnson, I can speak to the
26:33money
26:37>> One of the things that is
26:40less visible to the public is
26:41the teams that we have like
26:43injury on us that are not
26:43based in branch. So it's
26:44easiest to see.
26:48>> Our locations and the work
26:49that they're doing and not
26:51fun. If you're an a as part of
26:53our community services team
26:55and they deliver their
26:58services citywide. the
26:59community services team,
27:01including in Gianna's Ft is in
27:01our general fund the support
27:05from the Marburg Fund has
27:06given her a temporary
27:09promotion and additional
27:10resources with which to do the
27:11specific newcomers work a few
27:15months ago. Rebecca presented
27:16to you on the Mellon
27:17Foundation Grant, which we
27:18have for 3 years. And that
27:20builds on some of Indiana's
27:21excellent work by hiring for 3
27:25years. So grant funded an
27:28additional occur can community
27:29specialist as well. And as
27:34additional Spanish speaking
27:35community specialists, which
27:37well supplements and it's very
27:40much needed in Gianna's.
27:41Excellent work here. But in
27:42securing that Mellon
27:45Foundation grant Adrianna as
27:46well as some of excellent work
27:47that we've built on in order
27:49to receive those spots. So I
27:54guess so. Basically these are
27:57services that are provided by
27:57F to use that are supported by
27:58the general fund. And there's
27:59also some grants. But
27:59basically this is.
28:02>> We don't need to be
28:02concerned about this like for
28:04next year's budget like these
28:05are services will continue.
28:09>> concern for just yes, as
28:09far as any services will
28:12continue. But this is in our
28:13ongoing budget. This to Any
28:16other questions. some point.
28:21Thanks to toast question. Just
28:24a this was a very partial
28:25presentation and I'm really
28:26grateful for the work that
28:28you're doing. Your team is
28:30doing and thinking back to how
28:36quickly folks needed to pivot
28:36during surge and build the
28:38trust that have been
28:39established and the resources
28:41in the community ties and
28:41everything else to do
28:45completely different job of
28:46are unbelievable. Time to come
28:47senses makes me. Proud to be
28:51library board. motion for
28:52talking about this. But it's
28:53just it's really incredible
28:54and I'm so grateful.
28:57>> and thinking about how to
28:58ensure city's resilience if
29:00something like that were to
29:01ever happen again and know
29:01that their people, the city
29:04who live to that expertise and
29:05shown the ability to pivot so
29:07quickly and to have such
29:09incredible positive impact.
29:09People's lives turned such a
29:11hard time. It's very powerful.
29:13Very important. So thank you
29:15so much. Thank you. And I like
29:16to just say something.
29:20>> I thing COVID talk of a
29:24lot. So we're kind and that
29:27this time we head to enhance
29:28it. And spread it facts. It
29:33was a quick response. We won't
29:40be able to without the support
29:41of our supervisors. The
29:46support every one of the staff
29:47that came and see. We need to
29:51help. And they are the ones to
29:54help us do our jobs support
29:57cannot be.
29:58>> Although we everywhere, we
30:00cannot be everywhere at So our
30:01co-workers are the ones school
30:03call those and they have that
30:07confidence to call this and
30:08say I have this person here.
30:11Can I put him on the and then
30:14that's what I've some I I tell
30:14you sometimes we have to do
30:17it. Well, we are in the bus.
30:17Stop like, okay. Tell me how
30:19can we do? So the mst
30:24valuable to we have a citrus.
30:28And then but it will come.
30:30Eventually we good or chopped
30:33right. But trust is the most
30:34part you will that we have and
30:36the people that we in support
30:40our job like you could Thank
30:44you. Any other questions or
30:45comments.
30:49>> have a comment and a
30:50question. I also just this is
30:52just such a wonderful
30:53presentation. I learned so
30:55much more about the services
30:56that we provide every time.
30:59>> We have a library board
31:01meeting and I really
31:03appreciated the stories that
31:04you shared around the
31:06services. I mean, a couple
31:07that stand out to me. Were you
31:08talking about?
31:09>> 2 babies were born at home
31:11during Operation Metro Surge
31:13in the way that it's that the
31:14library was there to support
31:15them with, like you said, the
31:16stress. I mean, that's I can't
31:18think of less situation of And
31:24and also the cell I didn't
31:27know about that. And that's
31:29very interesting. I loved how
31:32>> community members wanted to
31:33Spanish other languages.
31:36>> Incentive for that app. I
31:37just think that's so inspiring
31:38and really speaks to our
31:41community and especially the
31:41way that we showed up for each
31:42other during that time. And
31:46also this presentation just
31:50and it represents our values
31:51as a city and how the library
31:53always there for people in our
31:55community. Whenever they need
31:57the and really go above and
31:59beyond. And with that, my
32:00question is so with the cell
32:01ad. I think I read that there
32:05may be like 130 licenses or
32:06something like that. Do you
32:10think that?
32:10>> We might need more
32:12licenses. Yes, okay.
32:15>> can speak to like maybe how
32:18many licenses would do think
32:19we need in.
32:21>> And how much would that
32:22cost us? of the things and I
32:24appreciate you your question.
32:27Cause someone to keep you a
32:27little bit of context that
32:28bought the sell it. So that
32:35>> For more good for all ivory
32:36all night resistance in the
32:36state. Maney diary systems. I
32:42will all the Ponce. People are
32:46not interested So they ended
32:48up free licenses. That's how
32:52we ended up with their
32:55license.
32:55>> Just a week we were OK, and
32:59people that trust it. Right
33:04now, we're the only diary
33:05system that offers that with
33:11grant. It gives us the
33:13opportunity to continue to
33:15offer because we cannot turn
33:16anybody down just because they
33:17believe is
33:18>> They're our neighbors. In
33:21their community, too. It is
33:28important to have access to
33:30any indication in any
33:31information that the strongest
33:31double. People were not able
33:37go to their classes anymore or
33:41to offend parent teacher
33:42conferences, sell i. also the
33:46opportunity to connect to a
33:49life person. They also added
33:51of No, you're right. Lesson
33:52this. The most important of
33:59all of this is to award
34:00amounts. Use the neighbor
34:06Niestadt or the volunteer
34:09needs to enough But this is an
34:10accomplished like 3 levels.
34:11They've received a
34:11certificate. Eat.
34:14>> So is something it. By.
34:19Full feeling the need and the
34:20challenge coming chaos in
34:25person. This compliments
34:26helps. Also the community to
34:29continually.
34:35>> That's s were they on
34:36diary since then they have
34:36sell it.
34:40>> Rebecca has something to
34:41say. money they can answer,
34:42sell budget qestions as to
34:43how many licenses we should
34:44have. I don't know and make
34:45looking forward to Sunday
34:47hitting the ceiling of that
34:48number. But it's well
34:53supported through I Alan
34:56Grant. fact, I am working on
34:56the contract right now.
34:59>> Well, maybe we can. We can.
35:02>> As time goes on, if that if
35:02we get a better sense of
35:06>> or need or or anything like
35:07that we can we can continue to
35:08have those conversations.
35:10>> Well, thank you so much,
35:16Jennifer. Coming really
35:17wonderful presentation and
35:19look forward to hearing about
35:20all the work that you're
35:21doing. So thanks so much for
35:22being here. One of as
35:23community specialists, you
35:24need to know that.
35:25>> We were aso scare.
35:26>> Yeah. You will guide us.
35:36Never stopped you Didn't stop
35:37us. Thank you. Think. Yeah.
35:40Thank you so much. You push
35:42for more that.
35:51>> All right. Well, thank you,
35:53everyone for your
35:53participation in month's
35:54library board meeting, which
35:57again did not disappoint. And
35:59I look forward to the next
36:00meeting which will November
36:034th uly. And with that, we
36:03are