[00:00:01]
AGAIN.[Library Board on August 7, 2023.]
YOU? HI, TERRY.OH, I, SO WHEN DO I DON'T TALK OFTEN IN THE NOTES THAT WE, SHE COORDINATED.
IT'S HOT THAT IT IS TO PUT IT NICELY.
SO OUR MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
UM, THE FIRST ITEM RELATES TO CITIZEN COMMENTS, AND WE HAVE A SIT HERE WHO HAS COME TO COMMENT.
UM, WAYNE MARTIN IS HERE AND HE WILL SHARE HIS THOUGHTS WITH US.
MR. MARTIN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND SIT, YOU CAN USE THE MICROPHONE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR VOLUNTEER HOURS.
I, I KNOW THAT IS A SACRIFICE THAT YOU'RE MAKING IN THE CITY, IS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
IF I CAN SPEAK ON, ON THE GRANDER SCALE FOR THE STAFF, I REALLY HOPE YOU'RE GETTING OVERTIME HOURS.
UM, I'M VERY MUCH A, A LIBRARY USER AND I AM SOMEWHAT, UH, CLOSE TO THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.
AND, UM, I'VE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE LIBRARY IS BEING RESTRUCTURED AND RE INNOVATED.
THE PROBLEM IS ALL THE HOURS OF A FULL SCALE CENTRAL LIBRARY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE EXPRESS LIBRARY THAT HAS MINIMAL SERVICES.
I WOULD THINK THE CITY WOULD BE FAR GREATER SERVED IF FULL FUNCTION LIBRARY HOURS WERE ALLOCATED TO FULL FUNCTION LIBRARIES RATHER THAN MINIMAL SERVICE FACILITY ON MONDAY, TUESDAY, SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE 12 O'CLOCK AND SEVERAL DAYS AFTER 6:00 PM THERE IS NO ACCESS TO A FULL FUNCTION LIBRARY.
IF YOU CAN'T GET IT OUT OF, OUT OF THE FEW THOUSAND BOOKS AT THE EXPRESS, YOU ARE OUTTA LUCK WITH THE CITY THIS SIZE.
WE NEED A FULL, WE NEED ACCESS TO A FULL SERVICE LIBRARY, AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY WE CAN'T PROVIDE THAT GIVEN THE OTHER FULL SERVICE LIBRARIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE TOWN.
THAT IS ALL I REALLY WANTED TO SAY.
UM, LET ME READ FROM OUR, UM, LET ME READ FROM OUR, UH, OUR AGENDA FOR THE DAY.
UH, PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS ISSUES NOT ON THE AGENDA MAY HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE LIBRARY BOARD.
THE LIBRARY BOARD IS PROHIBITED FROM DISCUSSING ANY ITEM NOT POSTED ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO, MR. MARTIN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO, I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE NORTH GARDEN LIBRARY.
I GO TO ALL OF THEM AT JUST THE ONE I CAN GET TO
AND SINCE I STARTED WITH MY MINUTES PAGE RATHER THAN MY AGENDA PAGE, I'M SEE, I'M ALREADY OUT OF ORDER.
UM, SO LET US REVERT BACK TO THE AGENDA AND CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF LIBRARY BOARD MINUTES FROM THE MAY 8TH MEETING.
I HAVE A FEW CORRECTIONS, UM, EDITORIAL CORRECTIONS FROM MICHAEL DEGAN ON THE BACK PAGE ITEM B RELATED TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
HE SUGGESTS THE BID REQUESTS FOR THE NEW WALNUT CREEK LIGHT.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUNCTUATION, NOT VERBIAGE.
[00:05:02]
THE FOLLOWING, THE BID REQUESTS FOR THE NEW WALNUT CREEK LIBRARY, CLOSED SEMI RATHER THAN, UM, IN THE NEXT SECTION, DIRECTOR ARCHIBALD REQUESTED THE BOARD TO CONSIDER ADDING COMMUNITY OR CULTURAL CENTER, AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO PUT THOSE TERMS IN QUOTES.AND THE, UH, NEXT ONE UNDER SUMMER READING ADVENTURE, THE FIRST STATEMENT WOULD BE, DIRECTOR ARCHIBALD PRESENTED THE BOARD WITH A SUMMER EDITION OF OFF THE SHELF.
THAT BEING A TITLE SHOULD BE IN ITALICS.
AND THE LAST ITEM, UH, UH, SECOND LINE OF THE PARAGRAPH, BEGINNING PUBLIC SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR.
THE SENTENCE READS, THE LIBRARY TRANSITIONED FROM PASSIVE PERFORMANCES TO HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES.
AND THAT WOULD BE STRIKING THE WORD ACTIVE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS RELATED TO THE MINUTES? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT THE MINUTES BE ACCEPTED AS CORRECTED.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED.
HAVING, UM, HEARD OUR CITIZEN COMMENTS REGARDING HOURS THAT THE LIBRARY IS OPEN, WE WILL MOVE ON TO INDIVI ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
AND THE FIRST ITEM IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND BOND PROGRAM UPDATES.
SO IT'S BEEN, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE, OH, I DIDN'T EDIT THE DATE ON THE, THE COVER OR THE FIRST SLIDE.
SO WE'VE HAD, UH, THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WHERE OUR BOND PROJECTS ARE CONCERNED.
ACTUALLY, ALMOST ALL OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE CONCERNED.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE ON THE NORTH GARLAND LIBRARY PROJECT, UM, WHICH IS THE, THE PARTNERSHIP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THAT PROJECT, AGAIN, JUST FOR THE, THE EXTERIOR FACADE, WENT OUT FOR BID.
UH, WE DID RECEIVE THOSE BIDS, UM, TO NO ONE'S SURPRISE, THEY CAME IN OVER THE BUDGET AMOUNT.
SO, UH, WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO PARE DOWN SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN PAIR DOWN ON THE PROJECT WITHOUT, UM, IMPACTING THE PROJECT IN A NEGATIVE WAY, BUT ALSO, UH, TRYING TO FIND, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO HELP BRIDGE THAT, THAT GAP.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA ALL WORK OUT VERY POSITIVELY.
WE SHOULD BE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
OUR LIBRARY MATERIALS KIOSK, OUR FIRST ONE WAS INSTALLED, UM, AND IT IS UP AND RUNNING AND FUNCTIONING.
IT'S WRAPPED IN THE STAY CURIOUS CAMPAIGN WRAP.
IT'S RIGHT OUT HERE ON THE CORNER, UM, OF STATE AND FIFTH.
IF IT WASN'T SO HOT OUTSIDE TODAY, I WOULD SAY WE COULD GO OUT FOR A FIELD TRIP AND USE IT, AND WE WILL DO THAT AT A DIFFERENT, UM, BOARD MEETING, BUT NOT AT TONIGHT'S BOARD MEETING MEETING UNLESS YOU REALLY WANNA GO OUT TONIGHT TO IT.
THE ONE THING THAT STILL HAS TO BE ADDED ONTO THIS, UM, KIOSK IS A SHADE STRUCTURE OVER THE, UM, THE KIOSK ITSELF.
OUR SECOND KIOSK IS SCHEDULED TO BE INSTALLED AT LAWN WIND PARK IN OCTOBER, AND IT WILL ALSO GET A WRAP TREATMENT.
IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO THIS WRAP TREATMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO GONNA COINCIDE WITH A PUBLIC ART PIECE THAT'S GOING IN AT THAT PARTICULAR FACILITY, WHICH I GOT TO SEE A LITTLE SNEAK PEEK OF WHAT THAT PUBLIC ART PIECE IS, AND IT'S GONNA BE REALLY PRETTY AND FANTASTIC.
KAREN, WHEN DID YOU SAY THAT ONE AT LONG WING WOULD BE AVAILABLE, OR THE OTHER? MID-OCTOBER.
I USED THE KIOSK THIS WEEKEND AND IT WAS FUN,
SO EVEN IN THE HEAT, I TOOK SOMETHING OUT AND I PUT SOMETHING IN JUST TO MAKE SURE I HAD THE FULL EXPERIENCE.
WHEN, UM, THE KIOSK OPENS AND YOU GET YOUR ITEM, AND IT'S COOL FOR A SECOND BECAUSE IT'S CLIMATE CONTROLLED ON THE INSIDE AND YOU CAN TOUCH IT AND IT FEELS REALLY NICE.
UM, BUT, BUT IT IS A COOL CONCEPT.
UM, JUST TO UPDATE YOU AS WELL.
UH, AND I'M COUNTING THE BRANDING CAMPAIGN AS KIND OF OUR, UH,
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ONE OF OUR BOND AND C I P PROJECTS.SO IT'S OUT OF A DIFFERENT POT OF FUNDS.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UM, THE EMOJIS THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR OUR BRANDING CAMPAIGN FROM, UH, N M R A, THE THE CONSULTANT.
SO OF THESE FACES, THE BRIGHTLY COLORED FACES, WE'RE HOPING THAT THERE IS A FACE THAT MOST PEOPLE IDENTIFY WITH THAT THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN, WHETHER IT'S THE, THE PERSON WITH STARS IN THEIR EYES, THE PERSON WITH THE LITTLE CAD EARS, UM, THE LITTLE ONE WITH THE MOHAWK, THE, THE GRADUATE, THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY REPRESENTING, UH, A FACE, REPRESENTING SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE OUR CURIOSITY, WHO IS NOW OUR OFFICIAL MASCOT OF THE LIBRARY, UM, WHO YOU'LL BE SEEING ON LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE COMING WEEKS.
IF YOU'VE NOTICED THOUGH, THE LIBRARY HAS A BIG BOX TRUCK THAT WE TAKE ON DELIVERIES.
UM, BETWEEN THE LIBRARIES, OUTREACH EVENTS, YOU NAME IT, DANNY TAKES THAT TRUCK ANYWHERE.
WE ALSO GOT THE TRUCK WRAPPED IN THE LAST, UM, FEW MONTHS.
GOSH, IT HAS BEEN, IT'S AUGUST NOW, UH, THE LAST FEW MONTHS WITH THE SAME CAMPAIGN.
UH, AND THERE'S EVEN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, CURIOSITY'S POKING HER HEAD, UM, TO THE SIDE RIGHT THERE.
SO IF YOU TAKE YOUR PHONE AND SCAN IT, YOU'LL GO RIGHT TO THE LIBRARY'S, UH, WEBSITE.
AND WE'RE GONNA START TO HAVE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS SOME UPDATES ON, UM, DIFFERENT PROJECTS, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND HAPPENINGS AT THE LIBRARY FROM THAT QR Q QR CODE.
SO THE TWO REALLY BIG PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, UM, CENTRAL LIBRARY AND WEST GARLAND LIBRARY.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, UM, THE BID AWARD FOR CENTRAL, UH, OR THE BID WAS AWARDED IN APRIL.
UM, WE HAVE OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY EXPRESS THAT'S BEEN OPEN SINCE MAY 1ST.
UH, IN JULY ALONE, WE HAD OVER 10,000 PEOPLE IN JUNE VISIT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY EXPRESS.
WE HAD OVER 11,000 PEOPLE IN JULY VISIT CENTRAL LIBRARY EXPRESS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
THERE ARE LOTS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THAT FACILITY USING THE FACILITY THERE FOR PROGRAMS. UM, IF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED, UM, AS OF LATE, I THINK IN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO, THE CONSTRUCTION FENCING AROUND THE CENTRAL LIBRARY HAS GONE UP, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.
UM, AND THEY'VE STARTED TO, UH, TAKE LOTS OF THINGS OUT OF THE BUILDING.
ALL OF OUR, UH, IF YOU REMEMBER THE BIG, UH, MATERIALS HANDLING MACHINE, ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN AND REMOVED OUT OF THE FACILITY.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN UNDERGOING LOTS OF, UH, FURNISHINGS, UH, FF AND E FURNISHINGS.
I COULD NOT THINK OF EQUIPMENT.
I COULD REMEMBER EVERYTHING, BUT THAT THE FIXTURES, UM, AND THEN DEMOLITION WILL BE GETTING STARTED.
ACTUALLY IT STARTED LAST WEEK IN THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME, OR TAKE A LOOK AT SOME PHOTOS OF SOME OF THOSE HAPPENINGS.
I'M EXCITED TO SAY AT THE JULY 18TH, UM, COUNCIL MEETING THAT BID WAS AWARDED.
UH, SO THAT PROJECT, UM, WE'LL BE GETTING STARTED.
AND THEN NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE SHOULD SEE SOME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HAPPENING.
PROBABLY BY THE VERY LATE SUMMER, THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY WAS HELD ON JULY 22ND.
UM, COUNCIL GOT TO PUT SHOVELS IN THE DIRT AND TURNED THE DIRT.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS EXCITING TO SEE THAT PROJECT BEGIN.
SO THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA RIGHT NOW OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY WITH THE GREEN FENCING AROUND.
WHAT'S NOT ON HERE ARE, THERE'S SOME SIGNAGE FROM THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE THAT'S UP SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, VISIT US DOWN AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY EXPRESS WITH SOME ARROWS, UH, GOING DOWN.
A COUPLE OF THOSE SIGNS ARE GONNA BE REARRANGED ON THE FENCING.
UM, SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE, THE ENTRANCE IS ACTUALLY INTO THE, THE WORK AREA OF THE FACILITY.
THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE INTERIOR OF CENTRAL NOW.
SO THIS, UM, WAS THE CIRCULATION WORKROOM AND THE A M H MACHINE CAME DOWN HERE AND IT WAS REALLY BIG IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
YOU SAW ALL THE BINS WHERE THE MATERIALS WERE BEING SORTED.
UM, THIS WAS REALLY TOWARDS THE END OF EVERYTHING GETTING MOVED OUT, BUT, UM, ODD AND END PIECES OF FURNITURE.
THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF ESPECIALLY, UH, THIS IMAGE ON THE LEFT OF JUST HOW, UM, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING IN THERE.
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IT'S, IT'S VERY OPEN.AND ALSO KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S A BIG PLACE WHEN EVERYTHING IS TAKEN OUT DOWNSTAIRS.
WE TOOK ALL THE SHELVING OUT, ALL THE SHELVES, THE, THE DESKS, THE TABLES, EVERYTHING.
IT'S JUST A HUGE OPEN BLANK CANVAS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UH, REBUILD THAT SPACE FOR CHILDREN.
WHERE ARE ALL THE BOOKS? UM, SOME OF THE MATERIALS ARE AT THE OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, BE CHECKED OUT.
WE'VE GOT SOME IN A KIOSK AND WE'VE GOT SOME, UM, OFFSITE IN A STORAGE FACILITY.
ARE THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE IN STORAGE FACILITY, ARE THEY, UM, STILL AVAILABLE FOR CHECKOUT OR ARE THEY, SO THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT IN THE CATALOG RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN, WE CAN STILL SEE 'EM, BUT STAFF, I MEAN, UH, PATRONS CAN'T, AND THEY CANNOT BE RETRIEVED, BUT WE CAN STILL GET, UH, ITEMS FOR PATRONS.
SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THAT WAS AT CENTRAL THAT, UH, IS NOT ON THE SHELF NOW, THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN GET THE MATERIALS FOR YOU.
WHETHER IT'S FROM ONE OF THE OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE SENT OVER TO CENTRAL LIBRARY EXPRESS TO CHECK OUT THROUGH INTERLIBRARY LOAN THAT COMES FROM A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LIBRARY SYSTEM.
OR WE CAN TRY TO REORDER A COPY IF THERE'S, UM, A BIG ENOUGH NEED AND LARGE ENOUGH DEMAND.
SO THERE'S, WE CAN STILL GET MATERIALS FOR PEOPLE, EVEN IF, IF IT'S IN STORAGE.
I MENTIONED, UM, FF AND E THE, THE FURNITURE FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO WITH THE ARCHITECTS, UM, AND THE, THE INTERIOR DESIGN DOWN TO THE DESIGN DISTRICT IN DALLAS TO LOOK AT, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UM, COMPANIES, UM, OPTIONS FOR FURNISHINGS FOR THE FLOOR, FOR THE PUBLIC, AS WELL AS FOR STAFF.
AND THIS GIVES YOU KIND OF AN IDEA.
IT WAS GOODNESS, WHAT, EIGHT PLUS HOURS OF SHOWROOM, SHOWROOM, SHOWROOM, SHOWROOM, CHAIR, CHAIR, CHAIR, CHAIR,
WE, WE GOT TO DO ALL THE, ALL THE THINGS WAS JUST, WE EVEN GOT TO DO SIT TESTS OF SITTING DOWN.
HOW DOES IT FEEL? YOU KNOW, HOW IS IT GONNA FUNCTION IN THE LIBRARY? DO WE LIKE IT? DOES IT, DOES IT WORK FOR THIS? WHICH WAS A, A LOT OF FUN TO BE ABLE TO DO.
I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD FALL HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH LIBRARY SHELVING, BUT IT TURNS OUT I CAN
AND THE, THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THESE ARE SPECIALLY MADE SHELVES, UM, ON CASTERS.
THEY CAN BE ROLLED ANYWHERE IN THE, THE BUILDING.
UM, BUT THEY ALSO COME LIGHTED.
SO YOU, IT REALLY SHOWS OFF THE COLLECTION IN, UH, IN THESE SHELVES.
AND THEN SOME DOWNSTAIRS WHERE THE CHILDREN'S AREA ARE, UH, TO HELP HIGHLIGHT THAT COLLECTION.
AND THEN THIS, THIS IS A REALLY COOL, SO THIS IS BASICALLY A STUDY ROOM WITHOUT BEING A STUDY ROOM.
IT HELPS PROVIDE A WORKSPACE, BUT ALSO NOISE DAMPENING SURROUNDINGS, UH, AND IT CAN COME, UM, A TWO-SEATER OR A SINGLE SEATER.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING SOME OF THESE ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A, A STEADY SPACE WORKSPACE FOR PATRONS WITHOUT HAVING TO DO INDIVIDUAL STUDY ROOMS. AND THEN ALL THE DIFFERENT KIND OF
FINISHES, UM, FOR THOSE DIFFERENT, UH, FURNITURE PIECES.
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL EXERCISES OF DETERMINING COLORS, PATTERNS, SOLIDS, HOW IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER.
BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH A REALLY, REALLY GREAT TEAM AT SEVEN 20 DESIGN, WHO HELPS US, UH, NARROW DOWN EVERYTHING AND THEN HELPS GROUP THINGS TOGETHER TO, TO WHERE IT ALL MAKES SENSE OUT ON THE FLOOR.
AND THIS IS JUST A SMALL SELECTION OF THE, UH, DIFFERENT FINISHES THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT.
[00:20:01]
HERE'S A, A SNAPSHOT FROM THE GROUNDBREAKING, UM, FOR WEST GARLAND LIBRARY.WE WERE ABLE TO, TO SET IT UP.
IT WAS, IT WAS QUITE WARM THAT MORNING.
OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE HAD TENTS OUT.
UM, AND WE SET IT UP WITH OUR LIBRARY TRUCK WITH EVERYBODY IN AND SOME BOOK CARTS AND, UM, GOT TO COMMEMORATE THAT, UH, SPECIAL EVENT.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT, UH, THE GROUNDBREAKING AND, AND FOR WESS TO GET STARTED.
WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?
SOME STAFF GOT TO, THAT'S WALNUT CREEK RIGHT THERE.
NONE OF YOU WERE SHOVELING DIRT.
YEAH, WELL, SOME STAFF GOT TO DO IT.
I THINK THAT'S KAREN ACTUALLY RIGHT BACK THERE.
AND THEN COUNCIL GOT TO, TO SHOVEL DIRT OVER HERE.
UH, THEY, WHEN THEY DID THE TOUR FOR, UH, BILL GARLAND DAY, HOLFORD WAS FIRST.
UM, THEN, UH, THE WEST GARLAND LIBRARY, I THINK THEY WENT TO TINSLEY TINSLEY PARK, YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND THEN, UH, LAWN WIND PARK FOR THE OPENING OF THE SPLASH PAD, WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN TO SEE THOSE KIDS EXCITED.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS AS BAD AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN THAT THERE WERE SOME CLOUDS, THERE WAS A BREEZE.
AND WHEN WE GOT READY TO LEAVE IS WHEN IT STARTED REALLY GETTING, BEATING UP.
YEAH, SHE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE DAY THOUGH.
SO I HAD EXPIRED BY THE END
AND THEN JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, UM, WES AND CENTRAL ARE, UH, ESTIMATED TO, UM, COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION IN PROBABLY EARLY WINTER 2024.
AND THAT'S BARRING ANY, UM, ANY DELAYS, ANY, UH, SURPRISES, ANY SURPRISES, ANY, UM, ISSUES WITH BEING ABLE TO GET EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, ANYTHING THAT WAY, UH, FOR THOSE PROJECTS? NO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH, CAN I GO BACK TO THE, THE KIOSKS REAL QUICK? SURE.
UM, DO YOU, UM, I, I'M SURE YOU DO, BUT, UH, HOW DO WE KEEP TRACK OF USAGE AND, UM, HOW, UH, UH, POPULAR THE LOCATIONS ARE? ARE WE, ARE WE KEEPING TRACK OF THAT? AND DO WE DO ANYTHING WITH THOSE, WITH THAT DATA? YES.
UM, THIS MACHINE TALKS WITH OUR INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM.
UM, SO WE'RE ABLE TO PULL STATS AND THE MACHINE ITSELF ACTUALLY KEEPS STATISTICS AND WE GET WEEKLY REPORTS ON THE USAGE.
OH, ACTUALLY WHAT'S TURNED IN, UM, IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH THIS MACHINE GOING LIVE, WE HAVE FOUND MORE PEOPLE ARE RETURNING MATERIALS TO IT THAN CHECKING MATERIALS OUT.
UH, SO WE'LL BE WORKING OVER THE NEXT, ESPECIALLY WHEN LAWN WIND COMES ONLINE AS WELL.
BUT WORKING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS OF TRYING TO DO SOME MARKETING AND SOME CAMPAIGN TO, UM, EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO AT THE KIOSK.
I ALSO THINK WHEN OCTOBER 14TH, WHEN THE SQUARE REOPENS, I THINK THAT'S GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT ON THIS PARTICULAR SITE AS WELL.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S BEEN A GOOD TESTING TIME FOR US TO, TO WORK OUT KINKS AND GET THINGS, UH, FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT, WHAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT.
WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT FEEDBACK, AND IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK.
UM, SOME PATRONS WANTED MORE MATERIALS FOR TEENS.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE WANTED MORE ROMANCE NOVELS.
WE'RE GETTING READY, UH, TO PUT SOME KITS IN, UM, THE MACHINE.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CHECK THOSE OUT AND THEN USE THEM AT THE SQUARE, LIKE SOME, UM, COLLAPSIBLE FRISBEES, UM, SOME KITES, SOME THINGS THAT WAY THAT YOU CAN PLAY WITH SOME OF THOSE THINGS OUT ON THE SQUARE.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME, SOME TRIAL AND, UH, FIND OUT WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T WORK, AND SOME EDUCATION TO DO AND MARKETING TO DO TO GET, GET THE MESSAGE OUT.
BUT WE'RE, WE EAGERLY WAIT EVERY SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR THAT REPORT TO COME IN TO SEE
ANY APPROXIMATE ESTIMATE OF WHEN AN OCTOBER WOULD OPEN? AND I'M ONLY ASKING 'CAUSE THAT'S MY DISTRICT OH.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE THERE, BUT I KNOW I HAVE BUSY TRAVEL IN OCTOBER.
WELL, I, UM, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO PLAN SOME KIND OF, AND IT WOULDN'T JUST BE WITH THE LIBRARY, IT WOULD BE, UH, US AND, UM,
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I THINK NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY, UH, TO DO SOMETHING TOWARDS THE END OF OCTOBER TO COMMEMORATE NOT JUST THE KIOSK, BUT I THINK A COUPLE OF OTHER HAPPENINGS THAT ARE BEING INSTALLED AT LAWN WIND.UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE INSTALLED UNTIL THE WEEK OF THE 14TH OR THE 17TH.
AND IT'LL TAKE ABOUT A WEEK TO GET EVERYTHING IN.
IT'LL TAKE THE, THE NEXT WEEK TO GET IT WRAPPED.
SO HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND I'VE SEEN LOTS OF, LIKE YOU SAID, MOM, UH, PARENTS, KIDS, AND LOTS OF, UM, PEOPLE COMING BACK TO THE PARK AND THIS.
SO IT'S KIND OF, IT'LL BE GREAT WHEN IT'S THERE.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'LL GET SEEN.
IN A VERY HIGHLY VISIBLE SPOT.
I USED THE KIOSK THIS WEEKEND, AND I THINK I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE KIOSK IS SMARTER THAN I EXPECTED IT TO BE.
SO I WANTED THE EXPERIENCE OF CHECKING SOMETHING OUT AND SOME, AND RETURNING SOMETHING.
AND WHEN I RETURNED SOMETHING, THE KIOSK KNEW THAT I HAD RETURNED IT.
SO JUST LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T, NOW IF IT GOES THROUGH THE WAY COOL CONVEYOR BELT LIKE IT DOES AT THE BRANCHES, YOU DON'T GET TO SEE THAT BECAUSE IT'S INTERNAL.
BUT, UM, BUT IT DID REGISTER THAT I HAD RETURNED THE ITEM.
SO THE ONLY THING I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, I, I WONDER IF THERE'S A RISK OF PEOPLE GIVING YOU THINGS THAT YOU DON'T WANT.
BECAUSE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SAY, RETURN THE ITEM AND THE DOOR OPENS AND YOU COULD PUT WHATEVER YOU WANT TO IN THERE.
YOU CAN, WITHOUT ADVERTISING IT.
YOU CAN DO THAT WITH THE A M H MACHINES AS WELL.
SO, BUT IT IS LIMITED TO A CERTAIN SIZE BECAUSE THE MACHINE WILL NOT TAKE IT, UH, AT A CERTAIN, AT A CERTAIN SIZE.
HOW OFTEN DOES THIS HAPPEN? VERY RARELY, YES.
BUT NOW THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT,
BUT I MEAN, I'VE HAD IT HAPPEN ON AND OFF DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT MY LIBRARY CAREER, WHETHER IT'S AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM OR THE MANUAL DROP.
I HAD AN EXPERIENCE AT CENTRAL WITH THE MANUAL DROP, AND SO IT, IF THEY WANNA DO THAT, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
THEY WILL, THEY WILL TRY TO DO SOMETHING UNFORTUNATELY.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THAT THE, OR TO, TO REALIZE THAT THE BOOKS WERE KEPT OR THE MATERIALS ARE KEPT COOL.
THERE'S A HEATER, THERE'S TO DE DEHUMIDIFY IT, AND THEN THERE'S THE, ALSO THE, THE AC TO KEEP IT SO THEY WORK TOGETHER.
IT'S REALLY AN AMAZING MACHINE.
HONESTLY, THAT IS, THE ENGINEERING IS INCREDIBLE.
AND TO YOUR COMMENT, IT'S NOT, UM, IT, IT'S A BUNCH OF TRAYS ON AN X, Y, Z AXIS.
UHHUH,
AND ALSO IT WILL MEASURE THE SIZE OF THE ITEM AS IT COMES IN, SO IT KNOWS HOW MANY, UM, TRAYS, HOW MANY SLOTS TO GIVE IT FOR THE SPACE.
SO IT'S A LOT OF WORK GOING ON IN THERE.
UM, NEXT ITEM, UH, FISCAL 2024 BUDGET OVERVIEW.
WELL, WE ARE, UM, THE CITY MANAGER JUST, UH, PROPOSED HIS BUDGET TO COUNCIL LAST WEEK AT THE, UM, WORK SESSION.
AND THEN AT, I BELIEVE AT, UM, THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL SESSION THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY.
AND ALL LIBRARIES HAVE A COPY OF THAT PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, THE LIBRARY HAS A HANDFUL OF ITEMS THAT WE ARE REQUESTING, UH, THIS YEAR AS UNFUNDED ITEMS. UM, A LOT OF THEM ARE, HAVE TO DO WITH OUR MACHINES OR STARTUP COSTS WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS.
ONE, UM, WE'RE REQUESTING SOME FUNDS FOR WEST AND FOR CENTRAL FOR JUST BASIC STARTUP COSTS OF TRASH CANS, BROOMS, UM, INCIDENTALS THAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO OPEN A NEW FACILITY BUT AREN'T NECESSARILY INCLUDED IN A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE CUSTODIAL TOOL TOOLS, EQUIPMENT STORAGE ORGANIZATION, KITCHEN AND UTENSILS, MINOR APPLIANCES, BULLETIN BOARDS, TRASH CANS, RECYCLE BINS, ALL THE UNGLAMOROUS THINGS ON THE BACKEND.
UM, OUR LIBRARY MATERIALS, KIOSKS THAT WE WERE JUST SPEAKING, UH, ABOUT AMAZING MACHINES.
BUT THEY DO HAVE ANNUAL, UM, SUBSCRIPTION FEES THAT GO
[00:30:01]
WITH THEM FOR SOFTWARE AND THE INTEGRATION WITH THE INTER, UH, INTEGRATED LIBRARY, UH, SYSTEM.SO WE HAVE ONGOING COSTS FOR, FOR THOSE, UH, FUNCTIONS.
UM, OUR LIBRARY BRANDING PROJECT, WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE STAY CURIOUS PROJECT, WE'RE WANTING TO TAKE IT INTO PHASE TWO.
AND SO TO DO THAT, WE'RE REQUESTING SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE, UM, TO ENTER PHASE TWO.
AND PHASE TWO WOULD INCLUDE SOME PHYSICAL ASSETS AS WELL AS SOME, UM, DIGITAL ASSETS.
UH, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING, UM, MURALS, PERHAPS A MURAL AT THE NORTH GARLAND LIBRARY ON THE BACK OF THAT BUILDING THAT, UM, UH, IS ALONG APOLLO, UH, WHERE THE, THE BROWN SECTION OF THAT WALL IS.
IT WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO BE ABLE TO, TO HIGHLIGHT LIBRARY AND, UH, THE MARKETING.
IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME, UM, FUNDS FOR OPENING DAY CELEBRATIONS FOR THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND FOR WEST GARLAND LIBRARY AS WELL.
AND JUST TO, TO REITERATE, THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE, THE PROJECT IS TO KEEP PEOPLE EXCITED AND ENGAGED, ESPECIALLY WHILE THE CENTRAL LIBRARY IS CLOSED AND WHILE WEST IS BEING BUILT, GET PEOPLE ANTICIPATING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN AND THEN EXCITED WHEN THEY DO HAPPEN.
OUR LIBRARY KIOSK, UM, LAPTOP KIOSKS, SO CENTRAL AND SOUTH BOTH HAVE, UM, A LAPTOP KIOSK AND WONDERFUL MACHINES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I GO OVER, ESPECIALLY AT SOUTH AND SEE THAT PEOPLE HAVE CHECKED OUT A LAPTOP.
THEY'RE USING ONE OF THE STUDY ROOMS. UM, IT GETS USED QUITE A LOT, BUT THERE ARE ONGOING, UM, LICENSING FEES AND MAINTENANCE COSTS, UM, FOR THIS MACHINE.
AND THEN RECLASSING SOME OF OUR VACANT POSITIONS.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE'VE, UM, OR I SHOULD SAY I HAVE KEPT SOME POSITIONS PURPOSEFULLY, UM, OPEN.
UM, AND THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT ARE VERY SILOED WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
SO, UH, WHAT THIS WOULD BE DOING IS COMBINING THOSE POSITIONS TO CREATE, UH, TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE MORE JACK OF ALL TRADE POSITIONS.
SO THEY DON'T JUST SHELF, THEY DON'T JUST, UH, WORK BACK OF HOUSE IN THE CIRCULATION AREA AND CHECK MATERIALS IN.
THEY CAN DO ALL THOSE FUNCTIONS, BUT THEY CAN ALSO WORK THE CIRCULATION DESK.
THEY CAN WORK THE REFERENCE DESK, THEY CAN WORK THE CHILDREN'S DESK.
THEY CAN HELP WITH PROGRAMMING.
THEY CAN DO MANY MORE FUNCTIONS THAN JUST VERY SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS.
AND THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE MOVING, UM, WITH STAFFING AND TRYING TO, TO CREATE POSITIONS AND HAVE STAFF WHO CAN DO A LITTLE BIT OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS INSTEAD OF JUST ONE OR TWO FUNCTIONS.
AND THESE ARE WITH VACANT POSITIONS.
SO CURRENTLY TAKING THESE POSITIONS AND, UM, PUTTING THEM TOGETHER TO HELP CREATE THESE TWO POSITIONS.
IT'S, IT'S NOT DISPLACING ANYBODY CURRENTLY IN A POSITION.
AND THEN OUR LIBRARY MATERIALS KIOSK, UH, AN ANNUAL SERVICE PLAN TO HAVE SOMEONE COME AND DO GENERAL MAINTENANCE AND ALSO BE ABLE TO GET A SMALL DISCOUNT ON, UM, ANY REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE KIOSK.
UM, SO ONGOING COSTS, IT'S A LITTLE OVER $68,000 THAT THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING, UM, EVERY YEAR.
ONE-TIME COSTS, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WOULD JUST, UM, BE ADDED INTO THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR TO FUND.
UM, SOMETHING FOR LIKE THE BRANDING PROJECT AND THE STARTUP COST FOR NEW BUILDINGS.
SO ALL IN ALL, WE'RE LOOKING AT JUST OVER, BASICALLY $362,000 FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THAT'S THE ADDITIONAL REQUEST.
AND HISTORICALLY, I MEAN, THE CONTEXT OF A REQUEST LIKE THIS, IS THIS NUMBER TYPICAL OR IS IT, IT JUST LIKE, IS IT A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET? I, I, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY FOR ME, LOOKING AT THIS, IT LOOKS LIKE A FAIRLY LARGE AMOUNT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE CONTEXT OR THE HISTORICAL NATURE OF LIKE DOING STUFF LIKE ADDING, REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND THOSE SORT OF THINGS.
FOR THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT, IT, IT IS A LARGE REQUEST.
SPECIFICALLY WHAT'S DRIVING IT IS THE,
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THE STAY CURIOUS, THE BRANDING PROJECT.'CAUSE THAT'S A HUGE CHUNK, $250,000 OF IT, BUT IT IS ONE TIME OF, UH, TRYING TO DO THAT CAMPAIGN.
SO WE WOULD COME BACK THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND ASK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS, BUT IT WOULD BE A MUCH SMALLER AMOUNT THAN $250,000.
UM, BUT IT, THIS IS A LARGER REQUEST THAN WHAT WE NORMALLY ASK FOR DURING THE OPERATING BUDGET SEASON.
AND DO YOU ANTICIPATE IT BEING GRANTED IN TOTAL OR PARTIAL, OR DO YOU HAVE A, AN IDEA OF THE REACTION OR, I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL
UM, IT, IT DID MAKE IT INTO THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET AND HIS, UM, PROPOSAL TO COUNCIL AND SATURDAY, PERFECT SEGUE.
SATURDAY DEPARTMENTS WILL BE, UM, MAKING, UH, THEIR PRESENTATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK.
SO HIS, HIS OVERALL BUDGET INCLUDES THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDS? CORRECT.
AND ALL DEPARTMENTS THAT, UM, OH, I SHOULDN'T SAY ALL DEPARTMENTS.
THERE ARE, ARE A LOT OF REQUESTS FROM MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THAT, UH, WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UH, WHAT DO WE NEED OUTSIDE OF OUR BASE BUDGET, AND THEN GO AND MAKE REQUESTS TO CITY ADMINISTRATION, UM, MAKE OUR PITCH.
SOMETIMES THEY MAKE IT, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
SOMETIMES IT'S A PORTION, SOMETIMES IT'S ALL, UM, BUT THAT GOES FORTH, WHATEVER.
UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO, TO PROVIDE AND, AND PUT INTO THEIR, UM, PROPOSED BUDGET, THEN GOES TO COUNCIL, AND COUNCIL DECIDES ULTIMATELY WHAT GETS FUNDED AND WHAT DOESN'T GET FUNDED.
AND TO GET A PART OF THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSAL.
WAS THAT SORT OF A DIFFICULT PROCESS OR DOES HE JUST SORT OF INCLUDE ALL THESE REQUESTS AND OR DOES HE SIPHON THROUGH REQUESTS AND SAY LIKE, HMM, I'M NOT GONNA PUT THIS IN EXCEPT, SO I CAN'T SPEAK FULLY.
FOR HIM, IT'S A HUGE PROCESS TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT, UM, CITY ADMINISTRATION.
THEY LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE REQUEST AND TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT, WHAT IS THE NEED, WHAT'S THE IMPACT GONNA BE? IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S SUSTAINABLE? THE ONE-TIME FUNDS ARE A LOT EASIER TO FUND THAN ONGOING FUNDS.
UM, BUT IT'S HAPPENING FOR ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT THAT'S COMING AND ASKING.
SO HE'S, HE'S GOT, AND HIS TEAM HAS A, THE BUDGET TEAM HAVE A HUGE, UH, SO DID HE ACCEPT IN TOTAL, THIS IS EVERYTHING THAT YOU REQUESTED, SO HE ACCEPTED EVERYTHING.
IT'S ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT WE REQUESTED.
NO, I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, UM, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE AT LAST MONDAY'S WORK SESSION, UM, MR. REX PRESENTED, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO COUNCIL, AND HE GOES INTO A LOT OF DETAIL OF HOW THEY GOT HERE, WHAT'S INCLUDED IN HIS, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET, THE NEEDS OF THE CITY, AND HOW THEY GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF BALANCING WHAT THE NEED IS, WHAT THEY CAN DO, UM, VERSUS WHAT THEY CAN'T DO.
'CAUSE THEY, THEY DO HAVE TO LOOK AT, UH, A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS WHEN DETERMINING CAN THEY, CAN THEY TAKE A BITE OR CAN THEY DO THIS LONG TERM? I KNOW, I THINK IT'S 44, UM, POSITIONS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT ADDING FOR THE CITY FOR DIFFERENT, UM, DEPARTMENTS AND INITIATIVES.
IT'S SIGNIFICANT AND IT'S A HUGE, HUGE, I CANNOT STRESS HOW, UM, BIG OF A PROCESS IT IS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE DEPARTMENT, ONE PERSON, IT'S MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, MULTIPLE PEOPLE GOING THROUGH AND, AND PUTTING THAT PACKAGE TOGETHER.
HAVE YOU HEARD ANY RUMBLINGS FROM ANY COUNCIL DISTRICTS ABOUT CONCERNS WITH ANY OF THOSE PARTICULAR REQUESTS? NOT AT THIS TIME.
AND IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO BE HELPFUL APART FROM CONTACTING OUR COUNCIL PERSON AND SAYING HOW IMPORTANT IT'S THAT THEY SUPPORT? YES.
CONTACTING YOUR COUNCIL PERSON AND TALKING WITH YOUR COUNCIL PERSON IS ALWAYS EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
THERE ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE BUDGET, UM, AND SHOWING UP IN PERSON OR HAVING,
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YOU KNOW, SUPPORT FOR THOSE, UH, AT THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS ALSO HELPS.AND PEOPLE HAVE A OPPORTUNITY AT THE PUBLIC HEARING TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET.
IT'S HELD IN TWO SEPARATE, UM, PARTS, BUT IT, IT NEVER HURTS TO HAVE, UH, IN-PERSON SUPPORT AT THESE MEETINGS.
SO, SATURDAY, AUGUST 12TH, WILL, UM, DEPARTMENTS WILL BE MAKING OUR PRESENTATIONS AND, UM, COUNCIL WILL BEGIN DELIBERATING TUESDAY, AUGUST 15TH IS THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET.
THAT PUBLIC HEARING IS AT SEVEN O'CLOCK HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
UH, TUESDAY, AUGUST 22ND AT 6:00 PM IS AN OFFICIAL WORK SESSION.
UM, THAT WILL INCLUDE A PUBLIC HEARING ON BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE.
AND THEN TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, UH, AT THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING WILL BE THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING ON BUDGET AND TAX RATE.
AND THEN THE, UH, BUDGET ADOPTION.
SO KAREN, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE, IT APPEARS THAT THE SATURDAY SESSION IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
I THINK YOU CAN COME, ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LISTEN TO ALL THE DIFFERENT
THAT CONCLUDES THE BUDGET OVERVIEW.
THE NEXT ITEM, FAMILY PLACE LIBRARY COLLECTION AND PROGRAM UPDATE.
IF YOU, UM, REMEMBER THE SOUTH CAROLINA LIBRARY, WE, UM, APPLIED FOR A GRANT, UM, TO BECOME A FAMILY PLACE LIBRARY.
WE WERE AWARDED THE GRANT AND DOROTHY SHEPHERD, KATIE MILLS.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE WORKED ON, UM, THE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS OF THE GRANT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS GRANT, UM, PROVIDES, UH, COLLECTION PROGRAMS. IT, UH, BRINGS EXPERTS IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN PERSON TO WORK WITH PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND INTERACT WITH, UM, LITTLE ONES.
IT IS FOR ZERO TO FIVE, BUT REALLY GEARED FOR ZERO TO THREE, REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THAT CRITICAL, UM, AGE WHEN SO MANY THINGS WITH CHILD DEVELOPMENT BEGAN TO HAPPEN.
THAT IF YOU CAN CATCH SOMETHING EARLY, YOU CAN, UM, YOU CAN HELP, UH, GET HELP AND, UH, SUPPORT FOR PARENTS OR FOR CAREGIVERS AND, AND HELP THE CHILD BE ABLE TO, UH, NOT HAVE SO MANY DIFFICULTIES WHEN THEY START TO SCHOOL.
SO SOME OF THE, UM, WE HELD SOME PROGRAMS, UH, THE YEAR BEFORE, BUT THIS SPRING WE BEGAN, UM, OFFERING THOSE WORKSHOPS WITH TRAINED PROFESSIONALS AT SOUTH.
AND IT WAS AT CAPACITY, ALMOST EVERY SINGLE WORKSHOP THAT WE HAD, UH, THE, UM, PROFESSIONALS THAT CAME IN, CAME ON THEIR OWN TIME.
UM, THEY, THEY DONATED THEIR TIME TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH, UH, THE CHILDREN, FAMILIES, CAREGIVERS, UH, THAT WERE SIGNED UP FOR THE PROGRAM.
UM, THEY HAD EXPERTS IN NUTRITION.
THERE WERE SOME WHO DID, UM, SENSORY ISSUES, UH, SOME WHO WORKED WITH HELPING PARENTS, UM, MAKE SURE THEIR CHILDREN WERE HITTING THOSE KEY MILESTONES THAT THEY NEED TO HIT AT THOSE AT PARTICULAR TIMES.
SO IF A PARENT WAS CONCERNED THAT THEIR CHILD MAYBE WASN'T HEARING, UM, THEY COULD WORK WITH AND TALK WITH A, A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL IN THE SETTING, ALL USUALLY WHILE THE CHILD IS PLAYING, THEY HAVE NO IDEA THAT THEY'RE BEING LOOKED AT OR, YOU KNOW, STUDIED A LITTLE BIT WHILE, UH, WHILE IT'S ALL HAPPENING.
AND THESE ARE SOME, UM, PHOTOS THERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE SHOWING JUST HOW MANY KIDS AND HOW MANY, UM, CHILDREN OR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS CAME, UH, TO THOSE WORKSHOPS.
IT'S REALLY, UH, IT'S SUCCESSFUL.
SO THIS ZERO TO THREE CHILDCARE PROJECTS THAT WOULD, WOULD THIS TYPE OF PROJECT PERHAPS HELP A PARENT IDENTIFY A CHILD WHO'S DYSLEXIC EARLIER IN THEIR LIVES? IT MAY.
IT, I MEAN, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FROM ZERO TO THREE TO IDENTIFY DYSLEXIA, BUT IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF, UM, LEARNING DISABILITY, IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ISSUE, THE, THE PROGRAM IS TO HELP,
[00:45:01]
UH, EDUCATE PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS ON THINGS TO LOOK FOR SO THAT THEY CAN HELP THEIR CHILDREN BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE.SO, FOR INSTANCE, SOME CHILDREN NUTRITION, I THINK WE TAKE FOR GRANTED SOMETIMES HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO, TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL YOUR, THE AMOUNT OF PROTEIN THAT YOU NEED, THE VITAMINS, THE MINERALS, ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS OF WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR A TWO YEAR OLD? 'CAUSE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR A TWO YEAR OLD IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT THAN, UH, PROBABLY THINK IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN A TEENAGER, BUT THEY NEED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CALORIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS, AND, AND THOSE, UH, PROFESSIONALS HELP DYSLEXIA.
IT WOULD BE A REALLY HARD ONE.
I THINK IT WOULD, THEY MAY HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT OLDER BEFORE, UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY DYSLEXIA.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S UNHEARD OF.
BUT I WOULD ALSO THINK THAT, UM, THE MILESTONES WOULD BE IMPORTANT IN THAT TEACHING THE PARENTS ABOUT THE MILESTONES.
SO THE PARENT WHO IS AROUND THE CHILD, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME, IF THEY'RE NOT HITTING THOSE MILESTONES, THEY MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT THEY WOULD KNOW SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.
THEY'RE NOT HITTING THE MILESTONES SO THAT THEY COULD THEN GO, UH, TO THEIR, THE PEDIATRICIAN OR, YOU KNOW, SEEK OUT SOMEONE, UH, ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL, A PROFESSIONAL THAT COULD HELP THEM WITH THAT AND GET IT DIAGNOSED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
HOW DO THEY GET THESE PARENTS? HOW, HOW DO THEY GET THE PATTERNS? UH, WE PUT OUT, UM, MARKETING AND DOROTHY WORKED WITH HER PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS THAT WERE COMING TO THE LIBRARY.
THEY WORKED WITH, UM, I THINK SOME DIFFERENT DAYCARES AND DIFFERENT PLACES TO GET THE WORD OUT.
AND THEN THE PARENTS HAD TO COMMIT AND SIGN UP FOR THE PROGRAM.
UM, PARENTS COULD COME TO ONE WORKSHOP, THEY COULD SIGN UP FOR ALL WORKSHOPS.
BUT IT WAS PRETTY IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU SIGNED UP FOR A WORKSHOP THAT YOU WERE ACTUALLY GONNA COMMIT AND COME TO THAT WORKSHOP BECAUSE OF, UH, IT WAS LIMITED SPACE.
WHAT'S THE AVERAGE LENGTH FOR A PROGRAM? ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS? MM-HMM.
SO, UH, THIS FAMILY PLACE IS THE SAME AS THE COUNSELING PROGRAM.
THAT THIS, OR THIS IS DIFFERENT.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN A COUNSELING PROGRAM.
THERE'S A FAMILY PLACE THAT IS COUNSELING PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
THIS IS A NAME OF A LIBRARY PROGRAM THAT KAREN AND, UH, DOROTHY GOT EXTENSIVE TRAINING WITH.
AND THEY WORK WITH LIBRARIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SO IT'S, I I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT IS NOT, UH, THEY'RE NOT THE SAME.
ONE OF THE THINGS, AND OR ANOTHER THING THAT COMES OUT OF THIS IS IT'S GIVES PARENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND, UM, FORM THOSE TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS TOO, WHERE THEY MAY NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, IN THEIR, IN A SITUATION WITHOUT THIS.
IT JUST LIKE STORY TIME, STORY TIMES, GIVE THEM THE, THAT OPPORTUNITY ALSO.
UM, IT'S JUST ANOTHER BENEFIT OF HAVING THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. I'M BUILDING THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM IN THE FALL.
UM, DOROTHY AND HER TEAM WILL BE, UH, OFFERING ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR SOME SAME, UM, BUT EXPANDING THE TYPE OF WORKSHOPS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS.
AND WE'LL BE EXPANDING THE PARENTING COLLECTION OUT SOUTH, AT SOUTH, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE AND THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
AND THE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT TEAM HAS WORKED WITH DOROTHY ON.
UM, AND OUR TECHNICAL SERVICES TEAM HAS WORKED ON GETTING THESE MATERIALS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT, UH, ARE PROVIDED IN THE FAMILY PLACE, UH, PROGRAM.
AND THESE ARE CIRCULATING MATERIALS.
SO IF A PARENT IS COMING FOR A CERTAIN PROGRAM AND THERE, THERE'S MATERIALS THAT THEY CAN THEN TAKE HOME THAT WILL HELP THEM CONTINUE LEARNING ABOUT THE PROGRAM OR LEARNING ABOUT THE, UM, CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
[00:50:01]
PROGRAM.ALL OF THE WORKSHOPS, ALL OF THE RESOURCES ARE FREE TO CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND CAREGIVERS.
SO IT MAKES A HUGE IMPACT OR CAN PROVIDE A, MAKE A HUGE IMPACT ON THAT, THAT CHILD AND THAT FAMILY HOPING THAT IT EXPANDS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS TO OTHER LIBRARY FACILITIES BESIDES SOUTH.
WHERE DOES IT FIT IN? LIKE IF SOMEHOW A PEDIATRICIAN MISSES IT AND THERE'S A TIME I NEED GLASSES, WOULD THIS, IS IT THE SENSORY? WHERE, WHERE WOULD THAT FIT IN? THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES.
THERE, WE WOULD HAVE SOMEONE COME IN AND, UH, WORK WITH ONE OF THE PROFESSIONALS MAY COME IN AND YES, IN FACT, WE'RE WORKING, GOING ONE STEP AHEAD HERE INTO A, UM, LIBRARY PROGRAMMING.
WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, VISUAL AID VOLUNTEERS NOW ON A PARTNERSHIP, WHICH I'M NOT GONNA STEAL MORGAN THUNDER.
MORGAN AND HER TEAM ARE GONNA COME BACK IN SEPTEMBER AND TALK ABOUT, UM, THE PARTNERSHIP AND WHAT THEY'RE WORKING TOGETHER WITH.
BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE, UM, POSSIBLE PROGRAMS THAT WILL BE COMING THROUGH THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILY PLACE.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS WITH THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND THIS IS ALL ENTIRELY GRANT FUNDED.
THE, UH, STARTUP FOR THE PROJECT IS GRANT FUNDED.
ALL THE TRAINING, UH, WAS COVERED WITH GRANT FUNDS.
SOME OF THE SEED MONEY FOR GETTING, UM, ALL OF THE MANIPULATIVES WAS GRANT FUNDED, THE PROGRAM FOR THE, UM, BRINGING IN THE EXPERTS.
ALL OF THAT IS THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, WORKING WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING AND GIVING THEIR TIME, UM, TO THE PROGRAM AND INCIDENTAL COSTS OF LIKE CONSUMABLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN THE PROGRAM.
IT'S A, IT PROVIDES, I, UH, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT $13,000, WHICH A HEFTY PORTION OF THAT WAS JUST FOR THE TRAINING FOR STAFF TO GO THROUGH.
SO IF IT'S SOME PARENTS AND ALL THEY ARE WANTING IS TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND AND KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY THE MILESTONES, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THE OTHER, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO FIT EVERYTHING IN THAT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
YOU CAN CHOOSE, OR YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS, OR YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR ALL OF THE WORKSHOPS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, TO GO TO ALL OF THEM.
I'M ASSUMING THE WORKSHOPS WERE ALL IN IN ENGLISH, OR WERE THEY IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES? UM, I BELIEVE THEY WERE ALL IN ENGLISH.
I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
I, I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ALSO PROVIDED IN SPANISH.
UM, BUT I THINK IT ALSO DEPENDED ON THAT EXPERT WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THEY WERE BILINGUAL.
BUT WE DO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS PROGRAM IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
AND HOW, HOW LONG DO WE EXPECT THIS PROGRAM TO, TO RUN? IS THIS AS LONG AS WE CAN MAKE IT RUN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS THE LIBRARY PROGRAMMING UPDATE.
UM, I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE, SO OUR LIBRARY PROGRAMMING UPDATE, THERE'S TWO THINGS, UM, THAT I WANTED TO HIT ON, BUT THE, THE FIRST IS A PROGRAM THAT WE HAD IN JUNE.
UH, AND AS PART OF THE LIBRARY, WE CELEBRATE EVERYONE.
IF IT'S IN CHASE'S CALENDAR OF EVENTS, WE, WE LIKE TO CELEBRATE IT.
UM, WE HELD OUR FIRST, UH, PRIDE, UH, PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY.
WE'VE HISTORICALLY HAD, UM, DISPLAYS, UH, COLLECTIONS, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WAY.
BUT THIS WAS OUR FIRST, UM, PROGRAM WE HAD.
IT WAS AT SOUTH GARLAND LIBRARY.
AND THESE ARE THE, THE DIFFERENT, UM, ITEMS, THE CRAFTS THAT PARTICIPANTS COULD MAKE.
UM, THE PROGRAM WENT OFF WONDERFULLY THE SATURDAY THAT IT WAS SCHEDULED, BUT LEADING UP TO THE, TO THAT PROGRAM THE WEEK OF, UM, WE WERE MET WITH SOME DISSENT, UM, THROUGH SOME FACEBOOK POSTS THAT THE CITY PROMOTED ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
THERE WERE A LOT OF, UM, SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS.
LIKE FOR EVERY NEGATIVE COMMENT THERE WAS A, A SUPPORTIVE COMMENT THAT CAME BACK.
UM, BUT IT DID, THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH ON ONE PARTICULAR POST THAT THE CITY PROMOTED OF THE
[00:55:01]
PROGRAM, UM, THAT QUITE FRANKLY, IT, WE WERE DISAPPOINTED.UM, THE TEAM THAT WAS PUTTING ON THE PROGRAM, I THINK WERE A LITTLE BIT ANXIOUS AND DISAPPOINTED ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE GOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
BUT ALL IN ALL, IT, IT ENDED UP BEING A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.
WE ENDED UP HAVING 18 PARTICIPANTS WHO CAME TO THE PROGRAM.
UM, THEY WERE ALL VERY APPRECIATIVE OF HAVING THE PROGRAM.
AND OUR PROGRAMMERS, UH, ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING SOMETHING NEXT JUNE.
IT DID NOT DETER THEM FROM WANTING TO CONTINUE TO OFFER SOMETHING IN JUNE IN THE COMMENTS, THE FACEBOOK, UH, THE LIBRARY'S FACEBOOK POST ONLY RECEIVED ONE, UH, A NEGATIVE EMOJI EMOJI.
ALL OF THE COMMENTS WERE POSITIVE.
IT WASN'T UNTIL THE LIBRARY, EXCUSE ME, IT WASN'T UNTIL THE CITY, UM, SHARED THE POST THAT SOME OF THE NEGATIVE, UH, COMMENTS STARTED COMING IN.
BUT LIKE KAREN SAID, YOU'D GET A NEGATIVE COMMENT AND THEN YOU'D GET MULTIPLE, UH, POSITIVE COMMENTS TO, YOU KNOW, AFTER THAT.
SO WAS THIS THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE DONE THIS? I DON'T REMEMBER.
IT'S THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE DONE A PROGRAM.
HISTORICALLY WE'VE DONE, UM, LIKE DISPLAYS IN THE LIBRARY, UM, HAD SOMETHING UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OR ESPECIALLY WITH, UM, LIBBY HAVING A COLLECTION THAT WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED, BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE A PROGRAM BEFORE.
DID THE COMMENTS DIE DOWN PRETTY QUICKLY AFTER THE EVENT OR AFTER THE, AFTER THE EVENT, YES.
I THINK THAT THURSDAY AND FRIDAY PRIOR TO THE EVENT, IT WAS PRETTY, UM, IT DIDN'T STOP
AND ALSO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT IT WAS THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE COMMENTING WERE NOT GARLAND RESIDENTS.
SO WE FOUND, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE WERE, WE WERE WATCHING, WE WERE LOOKING AT IT TO SEE, AND THEY, THEY WERE NOT EVEN AROUND HERE.
AND PEOPLE, SOME OF THE ONES THAT WERE COMING BACK WITH POSITIVE COMMENTS WOULD POINT THAT OUT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT EVEN, YOU DON'T LIVE HERE, KIND OF DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT SORT OF THING.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA, UH, TAKE A MOMENT TOO.
AND, UH, THIS WAS THE FIRST, UH, PRIDE EVENT, PRIDE, UM, PROGRAM FOR US.
IT, THE PARTICIPANTS LOVED THE PROGRAM THAT WERE APPRECIATIVE OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND IT, IT'S ALSO WHAT WE DO AT THE LIBRARY OF CELEBRATING PEOPLE, CELEBRATING CULTURES.
WE HAVE BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAMS. WE CELEBRATE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.
I MEAN, LITERALLY, IF IT'S IN CHASE'S CALENDAR OF EVENTS, WE, WE WANT TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY AND THE, UM, OUR COMMUNITY OF THE 18 THAT ATTENDED, WERE MOST OF THEM MINORS OR WERE THEY ADULTS? IT WAS A COMBINATION OF, I'D SAY TEENAGERS AND ADULTS.
DID I, DID I HEAR, UH, HEAR YOU TO SAY IN, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE CASE, BUT IS IT, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMENTS WERE FOCUSED ON ONE PARTICULAR POST, NOT A BUNCH OF POSTS, AND DO YOU THINK THAT THERE WAS SOME ISSUE WITH THAT PARTICULAR POST? I DON'T THINK THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THAT PARTICULAR POST.
WHAT WE DO IS ON, AND IF YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE LIBRARY ON FACEBOOK, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THE LIBRARY ON FACEBOOK.
WE, WE PUT TONS OF STUFF OUT ON FACEBOOK.
IT WAS A, ACTUALLY, IT WAS, UM, THIS, UH, GRAPHIC HERE, UM, THAT WAS PUT ON FACEBOOK, UM, ON UNDER THE LIBRARY'S PAGE OR LIBRARY'S ACCOUNT WE GOT, WE USUALLY GET A FEW PEOPLE WHO WILL LIKE IT.
A COUPLE PEOPLE WILL TAG PEOPLE OF, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS PROGRAM OR SHARE IT.
UM, LIKE KATHLEEN SAID, WE HAD ONE PERSON WHO PUT A FROWNY FACE ON IT, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF DIALOGUE BACK AND FORTH ABOUT IT UNTIL, UM, WE ALWAYS TAG THE CITY AND WE TAG G I S D AND SOME DIFFERENT ENTITIES WHEN WE, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROGRAM IS, UH, THE CITY SHARED OUR PROGRAM ON THEIR PAGE, AND WHEN THEY SHARED IT IS WHEN
[01:00:01]
WAS REALLY OFF OF THAT, NOT, NOT THE LIBRARY'S POST THE LIBRARY.I MEAN, WE HAVE A ROUTINE AND A, A MATRIX OF HOW OFTEN WE SHARE SOMETHING AND WE PUT SOMETHING UP.
THERE WAS ANOTHER, UH, POST OF JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER THIS PROGRAM'S COMING UP AND IT, IT ENDED UP GENERATING, I THINK BETWEEN 35 AND 40 COMMENTS.
BUT THOSE COMMENTS FROM THE LIBRARIES PAGE WERE, UM, BY FAR POSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE INSTEAD OF NEGATIVE TOWARDS THE PROGRAM.
WELL, I, I'M GLAD THAT IT WAS LIMITED TO JUST TO DIALOGUE ON FACEBOOK AND THAT THERE WAS NO IN-PERSON ISSUE.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE EVENT ITSELF WAS A SUCCESS.
AND SO I'M, I'M, UH, GLAD THAT THE LIBRARY DOESN'T, UH, SEEM DETERRED ON CONTINUING TO CELEBRATE DIVERSITY AND MAKE SURE THE LIBRARY IS OPEN TO ALL PEOPLE.
AND ANY SUPPORT YOU NEED FROM, FROM ME OR COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR CONTINUED, UM, USAGE STATISTICS ON VISITS TO CENTRAL LIBRARY EXPRESS AND THE KIOSK.
NO, IT, THEY'RE BOTH NEW TO US AND IT'S SURE.
A, A LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND AN AWARENESS ISSUE FOR, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
OH, BEFORE I FORGET, WE HAVE, UM, MAN,