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WELCOME EVERYONE.UM, SO OUR FIRST AGENDA, UM, ITEM FOR TONIGHT IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
AND SINCE WE DID NOT HAVE A QUORUM IN MAY, IT'S ACTUALLY THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 13TH MEETING, WHICH IS IN YOUR BINDER.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 13TH, 2026 MINUTES AS PRINTED.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DON'T SEE ANY VISITORS TODAY.
I BELIEVE THERE'S ANYONE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
UM, SO WE'LL MOVE TO THE ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, UH, TONIGHT.
THE FIRST ITEM IS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN BOND PROGRAM UPDATES.
SO OUR TWO, UM, PROJECTS THAT WE'RE, UH, BRINGING AN UPDATE FOR ARE BOTH FOR, UM, THE NORTH GARLAND LIBRARY PROJECT AND THE SOUTH GARLAND LIBRARY PROJECT.
UM, NORTH, WE'VE MOVED FORWARD, UM, ON QUITE A BIT OF WORK ACTUALLY.
SO, UH, BETWEEN APRIL AND THE BEGINNING PART OF, UM, JUNE, THE PROJECT WAS ACTUALLY OUT FOR BID.
WE GOT A NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS, UM, FOR THAT WORK, FOR THE BID, FOR THAT WORK.
UM, WE FINALIZED THE, THE SELECTION PROCESS BETWEEN, UM, THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE, UH, LIBRARY DEPARTMENT WORKED WITH PURCHASING ON THAT.
CONTRACT HAS NOT BEEN SIGNED YET.
I GOT AHEAD OF MYSELF JUST A TOUCH THERE ON THE SLIDE.
STILL WAITING FOR THE FINAL SIGNATURES, BUT WE DON'T, UM, THAT SHOULD HAPPEN PROBABLY THIS WEEK.
AND THEN ONCE, UM, THAT CONTRACT IS SIGNED, WORK IN EARNEST CAN BEGIN.
UM, WE HAD ANOTHER MEETING TODAY, UM, TRYING TO FINALIZE FURNITURE SELECTIONS, UM, AND FINISHES FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, THE TENTATIVE START DATE THAT YOU SEE OF JUNE 8TH FOR CONSTRUCTION DID NOT, DID NOT HAPPEN.
UM, THAT WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN, IT WILL HAPPEN IN JUNE, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT WEEK.
UM, AND WE ALSO WE'RE ALSO, UH, HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITH THE CONTRACTOR, UM, IN TRYING TO SET UP THE EXPECTATION OF, YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARY IS STILL OPEN WHILE THIS PROJECT IS BEING, UM, WORKED ON BEING DONE, UM, AND WORKING THROUGH WAYS TO MINIMIZE IMPACTS TO STAFF AND MINIMIZE IMPACTS TO THE PUBLIC.
THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, TEMPORARY MOVES FOR SOME STAFF AND FOR SOME FUNCTIONS WHILE SOME OF THE WORK IS BEING DONE.
BUT THIS IS LIKE A, A TWO TO THREE WEEK TEMPORARY MOVE.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING, WE'LL WORK WITH, UH, THE CONTRACTOR OR WITH PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE AND IT, TO GET ALL OF THAT SET UP.
I DO THINK THE BIG, UH, IMPACT OUTSIDE OF THE, UM, THE WORK BEING DONE AROUND THE, THE MAIN SERVICE DESK TO, TO SHORE UP SOME LOOSE ENDS THERE, UM, IS WHEN WE GET ALL OF THE FURNITURE THAT COMES IN.
UM, ONCE IT'S ORDERED, WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO CLOSE, UM, FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WHILE THAT SHIPMENT IS TAKEN, UH, WHILE WE GET, UM, MOVE THE EXISTING FURNITURE OFF THE FLOOR, UNPACK EVERYTHING, PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND GET IT ONTO THE FLOOR.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS WILL BE WELL AFTER SUMMER READING HAS COMPLETED, SO IT WON'T HAVE ANY IMPACT FOR SUMMER ACTIVITIES DURING THAT TIME.
UM, BUT I, IT'S USUALLY ABOUT A 14, 15 WEEKLY TIME FOR SOME CASES OF FURNITURE.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL BE TO LATE, LATE SUMMER OR EARLY FALL BY THEN.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE WE'RE, WE'RE ALMOST, WE'RE AT THE
WE'RE STILL ON SCHEDULE TO, AT THIS POINT, UM, COMPLETE THE PROJECT WITH THE GRAND OPENING, RE GRAND OPENING, UH, GRAND REOPENING, I SHOULD SAY, IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2026.
AND I'LL PAUSE THERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT NORTH ON THE PREVIOUS SCREEN.
DID IT SAY MADE A COMPLETION? FOUR? YEAH.
UM, BUT I REALLY THINK WITH THE CONTRA ONBOARDED THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT UP JUST A TOUCH.
AND IS THE CONTRACTOR THAT HAD BEEN DOING,
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WERE THERE LIBRARIES OR THIS ONE IS A NEW CONTRACTOR? UM, WHO I, UNTIL THAT CONTRACTOR IS SIGNED, I CAN'T SAY THE, I WON'T SAY THE NAME A LOT.THEY DO HAVE EXTENSIVE LIBRARY WORK OR EXPERIENCE, UM, IN THE AREA.
HAVE WE DONE WORK WITH THEM BEFORE LIBRARY? UH, WE HAVEN'T.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANOTHER CITY'S THEM BEFORE.
WILL YOU GO BACK ONE SCREEN BEFORE THAT? SO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE TENTATIVE START DATE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN TODAY,
UM, ORIGINALLY WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO START IN EARNEST TODAY.
UH, BECAUSE THE CONTRACT HAS NOT BEEN SIGNED YET.
UH, WITH THE CONTRACT, IT'S GONNA MOVE A FEW DAYS FOR, WE HAD OUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR A, A START DATE OF TODAY.
WHY? JUST GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN, UM, THE, THE CONTRACTOR GETTING ALL THE, THE PERMITS AND THE, THE SIGNATURES FOR THE CONTRACT.
AND SO THE BOSS CITY MANAGER SIGNS THE CONTRACT, UM, SOMEONE OR HIS REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, PROBABLY WITH THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE TOO.
IT HAS SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES TO GO FOR SIGNATURE.
ANY OTHER, AND THEN OUR SECOND PROJECT IS WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA LIBRARY PROJECT.
WE'RE STILL IN, UM, THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PHASE.
WE WENT THROUGH THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE, UM, UH, GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REFINING, UM, THE OVERALL PLAN, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UH, OR I SHOULD SAY NEXT STEPS ARE TO CONTINUE TO REVIEW AND SELECT THE FINISHES FOR THIS PROJECT.
REMEMBER, WE'RE FOR THIS PROJECT, UM, IT'S SIMILAR TO NORTH.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SAFETY, SECURITY, SERVICE DESK IMPROVEMENTS, SOME FURNITURE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, AND THEN CONTINUE TO REVIEW AND TEST PROPOSED FURNISHINGS.
SO WE'LL GO AND DO SOME SITE VISITS AND SOME, UM, LIBRARY VISITS AS WELL AS SOME, UM, UM, STOP, GO TO SOME OF THE STORES TO, TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE PIECES FIRST, BE ABLE TO TEST SAME PROCESS THAT WE'VE DONE WITH ALMOST EVERY ONE OF OUR PRODUCTS.
SO THIS ONE, UH, THIS HAS A, IT'S, IT'S A BIGGER PROJECT.
SO THE TIMELINE IS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER WITH THIS PROJECT, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE.
UM, WE ARE, WE'RE GONNA BE FAST AND FURIOUS TO BE ABLE TO MEET ALL THE MILESTONES THAT, THAT WE'VE SCHEDULED WITH THIS PROJECT.
THIS ONE MAY, UH, QUARTER TWO AND QUARTER THREE.
THERE MAY BE SOME, UM, OVERLAP THERE WITH SOME OF THAT WORK.
BUT THE, UH, ARCHITECT SEVEN 20 DESIGN PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE AND LIBRARY TEAM ARE WORKING REALLY WELL TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO, UH, MOVE THE PROJECT ALONG AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOUTH, I WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE AN UPDATE ON THE EXTERIOR PROJECT THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, WHICH IS SOME VERY EXCITING NEWS.
UM, BACK IN, UM, MAY, THE, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM WHO IS, UM, HELPING US WITH THIS PROJECT, UH, CAME TO COUNCIL TO DO A MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, TO BE ABLE TO SHORE UP, UH, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS PROJECT.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT COUNCIL APPROVED IN THE WORK SESSION MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT.
AND SO NEXT WEEK ON THE 16TH THAT, UH, AMENDMENT IS BEING, UM, WE'LL GO FOR APPROVAL, FORMAL APPROVAL, ADOPTION, UM, AT THE COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION.
DO YOU REMEMBER, UM, THE CURIOSITY GARDEN, UH, AS PART OF THE, THE EXTERIOR PROJECT IS TAKING UP, UH, REDEVELOPING SOME OF THE, THE PARKING THAT'S IN THE FRONT OF SOUTH.
IT'S REALLY OVER PARKED, UM, AND TURNING IT INTO AN EXTERIOR, UH, PROGRAMMABLE SPACE FOR THE PUBLIC, IT'S GONNA BE AMAZING.
UM, THE, THE GREAT NEWS WITH THIS TOO, AND I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF MYSELF, OF, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH AN ARCHITECT WORKING WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, SPECIFICALLY JASON WILL HEIGHT, WHO'S BEEN GREAT ON THE PROJECT, UM, TO, TO FIGURE OUT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD PHASE THIS PROJECT, UM, USING THE FUNDS, UH, BECAUSE THESE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT WE'RE USING FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PROJECT.
UM, SO WE HAD A PHASE ONE, WHICH WAS JUST GONNA BE MOSTLY INFRASTRUCTURE AND A PHASE TWO THAT WOULD ADD SOME OF THE AMENITIES, FUND THINGS
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WITH IT.UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT COUNCIL, UH, APPROVED THAT MIDYEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT.
SO WE CAN DO PHASE ONE IN PHASE TWO AT THE SAME TIME.
WE DON'T HAVE TO PHASE IT FOR A FUTURE PROJECT.
SO, UH, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A QUESTION.
SO PHASE ONE, YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS, WE'RE GONNA DO DEMOLITION, IRRIGATION, DRAINAGE, ALL THE, THE NECESSARY THINGS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE FUN THINGS, THE PRETTY THINGS, ALTHOUGH IT DOES GREEN UP THE SPACE, WHICH I THINK ADDS A LOT TO THE EXTERIOR.
UM, PHASE TWO, THE VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION PHASE, WE WERE GONNA ADD DIFFERENT ELEMENTS TO IT THAT YOU, YOU GET TO SEE AND YOU GET TO INTERACT WITH.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT PLAY ELEMENTS TO AND COLORFUL ELEMENTS, UH, TO REALLY ENHANCE THIS SPACE.
SO YOU, YOU SEE, UM, THIS SPACE HERE IS, UH, AN OUTDOOR STAGE AREA.
SO WE GET TO ADD, UM, A BUTTERFLY STRUCTURE THAT ADDS A LITTLE BIT OF SHADE IN SOME PRETTY TO THE AREA.
I HAVE SOME DIFFERENT S FOR CHILDREN.
SO THIS IS A REALLY COOL FEATURE UP HERE.
THEY'RE, THEY LOOK LIKE FLOWERS, THEY LOOK LIKE TREES, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY MUSICAL, UM, INSTRUMENTS THAT YOU CAN PLAY.
SO IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE PERRO MUSEUM, BECAUSE YOU'RE WALKING UP IN THEIR OUTDOOR AREA, THEY HAVE SOME REALLY COOL MUSICAL FEATURE ON WHILE THEY'RE TO IT.
UM, A GIANT CATERPILLAR, UM, CATERPILLAR HERE.
THE CURIOSITY GARDEN THAT'S, UM, CONCRETE STRUCTURE.
IT'S COLORFUL, IT'S MADE TO WITHSTAND THE ELEMENTS AND MADE TO WITHSTAND AROUND IT.
AND THEN YOU SEE THE FLOWER, LIKE ADDITIONAL SHADE STRUCTURE, UM, THAT WILL BE ADDED.
UH, SO IT CURRENTLY LOOKS LIKE THIS.
YEAH, IT WILL, IT WILL LOOK LIKE THIS.
SO SOME OF THE OTHER COOL FEATURES WITH IT, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN SEE IS IT'S JUST THE BEST TOOL EVER.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY FUN, UNIQUE, UH, LIGHTED BALLARDS THAT WILL HAVE DIFFERENT COLORS.
IT'S GOT, UM, LIKE CUT OUT A LITTLE BIT OF AN ARTISTIC TREATMENT.
UM, BISTRO TABLES ALONG HERE WILL HAVE A PLACE FOR FOOD TRUCKS TO BE SET UP IN STREAM LIGHT.
AND THEN WHAT YOU SEE AGAINST THE LIBRARY UP HERE, WE COULDN'T AFFORD OR CAN'T AFFORD AT THIS POINT TO DO ANY MAJOR FACADE ENHANCEMENT, THE LIBRARY ITSELF.
BUT THERE ARE LIGHTING TREATMENTS THAT, UM, WERE AFFORDABLE THAT WE COULD ADD.
SO AT NIGHTTIME IT PROJECTS A IC IMAGE ON THE BUILDING, HELP MAKE IT LOOK ALIVE AND FUN.
THAT'S PRETTY, AND LIKE REALLY COOL THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
SO THAT'S AN EXCITING VISION, THAT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT STUFF.
DO YOU HAVE INFO ABOUT THAT OR IS IT ON THERE? BECAUSE JUST TO GIVE AN IDEA OF WHAT COULD BE, THERE'S NOTHING.
THERE'S NOT A PLAN AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
I THINK, UH, THERE THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PROPERTY.
PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PROPERTY USED FOR SOME DIFFERENT, UM, IS THE CITY ON THAT PROPERTY? NO.
THIS JUST GIVES YOU A COUPLE OF, THESE ARE, UM, IT'S INTERESTING YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE FOOD TRUCK.
IS THERE A FOOD TRUCK AVAILABLE HERE? THE CENTRAL LIBRARY? YES, SIR.
SO WITH CENTRAL AND WITH WEST, WHEN WE REDID THOSE OR REDID CENTRAL AND ADDED WEST, WE ADDED, UM, AT LEAST ONE, UM, FOOD TRUCK, UH, THE ELECTRICAL FOR, UM, FOR A FOOD TRUCK TO BE ABLE TO COME.
AND IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO, TO HAVE SOME, SOMEONE COME FOR SOME OF OUR BIGGER EVENTS AND OFFER REFRESHMENTS, UH, THROUGH THEIR FOOD TRUCK.
AND WE ALL REALLY THINK, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN SEE THE, THE BALL A LITTLE BIT, UM, SHOULD ALSO ADD THIS, UM, THIS IS A PLACEHOLDER FOR A PIECE OF PUBLIC ART.
THE PUBLIC ART HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED UPON.
WE, UM, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT FUTURE FUNDING OR AN, AN ALTERNATIVE
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FUNDING SOURCE TO BE ABLE TO INSTALL THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST PLACEHOLDER.WE'LL PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE FOR, I COULD BE ABLE TO BE ADDED LATER.
AND, UH, IS THE GRASS REAL OR SYNTHETIC? IT'S THE COMBINATION PART OF IT WILL BE REAL.
AND PART OF WILL THE REAL PART BE THE MAJOR SECTION THERE? YES, SIR.
INITIALLY THERE WERE SOME, UM, GILBERT REED STUDENTS INVOLVED IN COMING UP WITH CONCEPTS.
ARE WE GOING TO KIND OF KEEP THEM? I KNOW SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE GRADUATED, BUT
I WILL DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO MR. ORLEY AND THERE'S JUST, IT JUST STARTED THE MOST WONDERFUL WAY.
HOPEFULLY IT'S LOVE IT COMING ABOUT THE, AND THE BIDDING STARTS IN THE, THE WORK STARTS IN THE FALL, OR? NO, THAT WILL START, I'D SAY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND THAT'S BEING MANAGED THROUGH, UM, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
SO THE ONE THING I WILL SAY IS THIS IS FEDERAL DOLLARS HEAD FUNDS GOING FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND WHAT, WHAT FEDERAL DEPARTMENT IS HE? PARDON? OH, OKAY.
IT'S VERY EXCITING ADDITION FOR SOUTH GARLAND IN GENERAL.
I JUST THINK IT'S, YEAH, ESPECIALLY IN THAT SPOT AND BEING RIGHT ON A COUPLE OF BUSY STREETS AND HAVING SO MUCH VISIBILITY AND DRAWING MORE ATTENTION BECAUSE THE LIBRARY IS SO SET BACK.
AND I THINK THAT'LL BE GREAT FROM THE STREET TO BE ABLE TO SEE ALL THE THINGS GOING ON AROUND THERE.
THE OUTSIDE WILL MATCH THE YES,
AND I WOULD SAY I REALLY ENJOYED YOUR PRESENTATION TO CITY COUNCIL.
I THOUGHT YOU GOT REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK.
JASON AND BECKY DID AN AWESOME JOB.
DOES THAT CONCLUDE OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT UPDATES? YES, MA'AM.
THEN WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS 1000 BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM REFILL.
SO OUR YOUTH SERVICES LIBRARIAN FROM CENTRAL MEL JOHNSTON IS GONNA COME AND TALK ABOUT THE REVAMP OF A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT IT WAS TIME TO LOOK AT IT AND, UM, PUMP SOME NEW LIFE INTO IT.
SO MEL, COME AND DISCUSS THAT IN THE MIDDLE.
LIKE SHE SAID, MY NAME IS MEL.
UM, AND I'M HEADED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE, UH, UPDATE FOR A THOUSAND BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN PROJECT HAS BEEN MY BABY FOR A LONG TIME.
SO I'VE BEEN REALLY EXCITED, UH, ABOUT THE UPDATE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD A THOUSAND BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN BEFORE, IT IS A NATIONWIDE READING CHALLENGE THAT ENCOURAGES PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS TO BUILD THAT STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S EARLY LITERACY SKILLS.
UH, THE PROGRAM, UH, AIMS TO GIVE YOUNG CHILDREN CONFIDENCE TO BECOME STRONGER READERS AND, UH, MORE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL AND LIFE.
UH, AS THE NAME IMPLIES, THE GOAL IS TO READ A THOUSAND BOOKS WITH YOUR CHILD BEFORE THEY ENTER KINDERGARTEN.
AND I ALWAYS TELL FAMILIES IT'S MUCH EASIER THAN IT SOUNDS
UM, SO OUR HISTORY WITH THOUSAND BOOKS, UH, THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER OF 2020.
IT WAS IN PART TO BRIDGE SERVICE GAPS DURING THE, UH, COVID SHUTDOWN.
UH, WE USED BEAN STACK PARTICIPANTS COULD SIGN UP ON THE BEAN STACK APP AND TRACK THEIR READING THERE.
WE HAD A CONTRACT WITH THEM THAT ENDED IN MAY, 2020.
MOVED FROM, UH, IN PER, UH, WE MOVED FROM THE ONLINE REGISTRATION TO IN-PERSON RE UM, SO BETWEEN 2020 AND 2023, WE HAD GOOD 28 REGISTRATIONS.
AND THEN SWITCH TO IN-PERSON REGISTRATION BETWEEN
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23.IS THAT THE, UH, BETWEEN, UH, 23 AND MAY OF 2026? UM, SO 271, IT'S ALL GOOD.
UM, SO, UH, THE MAIN ISSUES THAT WE WERE ENCOUNTERING WERE, UM, SINCE WE DIDN'T HAVE BEAN STACK ANYMORE, REGISTRATION WAS BECOMING COMPLICATED AND INCONVENIENT FOR BOTH PATRONS AND FOR STAFF.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE PRIZE, UH, STRUCTURE WAS, UH, NOT ENCOURAGING, KEEPING MOMENTUM IN THE PROGRAM AND, UM, VERY LOW OF LIKE, WE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE SIGN UP AND THEN NOT GET TO THE FULL.
UM, SO IN ORDER TO CHANGE THAT, WE, UH, HAVE MOVED BACK REGISTRATION BACK ONLINE.
WE'RE USING, UH, AN EMBEDDED FORM SPECIFIC PAGE THAT, UM, WE'VE UPDATED READING MILESTONES.
SO PREVIOUSLY IT WAS ADMIN AND GET A PRIZE COSTS, BUT THEN ALSO WE ARE UPDATING, WE MOVED, THERE'S LIKE A, THERE WAS A BAG THAT YOU COULD GET WHEN YOU SIGNED UP.
WE'VE MOVED THAT TO, UH, END OF THE PROGRAM, COMPLETION PRIZE.
WE ALSO, UH, ARE GOING TO BE HOSTING A WHOLE THOUSAND BOOKS BEFORE PARTUM GRADUATION PARTY THAT CELEBRATES PARTICIPANTS WHO COMPLETE, UH, WE HAD THAT FIRST, UH, GRADUATION PARTY, MAY 16TH, WHICH WAS THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW PROGRAM.
AND SAY KIDS WHO, UH, CAME AND PARTICIPATED.
AND WERE, WE, WE GOT, UH, LITTLE GRADUATE, SORRY, UH, LITTLE GRADUATION ROBES, UM, FOR THEM AS WELL AS A, UH, SIGN.
THAT SAID, I HAVE, I'VE READ A THOUSAND, UM, AND I'LL ADD THE, UM, THAT GRADUATION CEREMONY.
SOME OF THE FUN THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE GRADUATION GOWN.
WE ABLE, THOSE WERE FUNDED THROUGH, SO THEY WERE THE FIVE YEARS OLD.
IS THAT ZERO TO FIVE? SO, UM, THERE WERE JUST, I'M GONNA JUST REAL QUICK SWITCH TO SLIGHTLY UPDATED VERSION OF THE PRESENTATION.
WELL, FIRST, UM, UH, PART OF THE REVAMP, UH, WE, UH, HAD A NEW LOGO MADE WITH COLOR VARIATIONS.
UM, AND IN FACT, I HAVE, UM, LITTLE MAGNETS THAT WERE PART OF THE WELCOME PACKET, UM, THAT, UH, EVERYONE HERE CAN HAVE CHOOSE A MAGNET OF ONE OF THE COLOR VARIATIONS.
SO YOU SAID THIS WAS A, A NATIONAL PROGRAM? YES.
RUN THROUGH THE, UM, THEY, THEY ARE THEIR OWN, UH, INDEPENDENT.
IT'S THE THOUSAND BOOKS FOUNDATION.
I WANNA SAY I'M NOT A, I CAN'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, BUT THEY'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 2004 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IT'S CHILDREN FROM ZERO TO FIVE ZERO UNTIL THEY ENTER KINDERGARTEN.
SO, UM, SO MOST KIDS THAT'S
UM, AND, AND THIS IS, IS NOT THEM READING, THIS IS PARENTS READING TO THEM? YES, PARENTS READING TO THEM.
UM, PARENTS BRINGING, LIKE, BOOKS THAT ARE READ AT, UH,
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A STORY TIME.UM, ANYBODY CAN, IT'S, IT'S VERY, UH, FORGIVING OR, OR NOT FORGIVING, I GUESS.
UH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF OPTIONS OF HOW TO HAVE THE BOOKS READ TO THE CHILD.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S A REALLY FUN, BUT THE BIG GOAL OF BEING THE SHOULDER READ TO HOW THAT INTRODUC LOVE OF READING AND THIS LITERACY SKILLS SO THEY CAN START SCHOOL EQUIPPED AND ARMED WELL AS POSSIBLE TO SCHOOL.
IS THERE ANY EFFORT TO AVOID REDUNDANCY WITH KINDERGARTEN OR GRADE BOOKS? NO.
ONE OF MY, ONE OF MY LIFELONG BEEFS HAS BEEN, I WENT TO PRIVATE KINDERGARTEN IN HOUSTON, AND, UH, THEN I MOVED TO OKLAHOMA CITY AND I WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.
THERE, THE SAME BLOOMING CURRICULUM.
AND I, I ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT, THAT, THAT THAT REALLY MADE ME NOT A VERY GOOD STUDENT FOR MY ELEMENTARY YEARS BECAUSE IT WAS, I WAS SO BORED
AND ALSO, THAT'S ONE OF THE FUN THINGS ABOUT JANE DICK AND JANE
YOU CAN READ A THOUSAND DIFFERENT BOOKS.
YOU CAN READ THE SAME BOOK A THOUSAND TIMES, AND IT, IT, OH, SO THAT COUNTS.
UH, SO, UM, THESE WERE PICTURES TAKEN AT THE, UH, GRADUATION CEREMONY.
SO WE HAD, UH, UH, I BELIEVE THIS BOY WAS, UH, 18 MONTHS.
UM, AND HIS MOM ACTUALLY ASKED, SHE WAS LIKE, CAN WE DO IT AGAIN? AND I WAS LIKE, I JUST CAN'T GIVE YOU ANOTHER BAG, BUT YES, YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN,
UH, AND THEN THIS, WE HAD KIDS BETWEEN ALL THE RANGE, SO LIKE, HE WAS LIKE FIVE OR SIX.
UM, AND UH, THIS WAS BECAUSE IT WAS OUR FIRST ANNUAL PARTY, UH, GRADUATION PARTY.
UH, WE INVITED THE, THE LIKE KIDS WHO COMPLETED THE PROGRAM BETWEEN LIKE 20, 24 THROUGH ESSENTIALLY WHEN THE PROGRAM, THE NEW PROGRAM WENT LIVE.
SO, UM, THE HOPE IS THAT WITH THE NEW REGISTRATION SET UP AND EVERYTHING, UH, WE WILL HAVE EVEN MORE GRADUATES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN US.
AND DOES THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDE READING LISTS, OR IS IT JUST, UH, THEY DON'T FOR ALL, THEY DON'T PROVIDE READING LISTS.
THEY DO OFFER LIKE DIFFERENT, LIKE, UH, TIPS FOR PARENTS MM-HMM
ON THEIR WEBSITE FOR LIKE, WAYS TO GET, UH, TO HAVE YOUR CHILD ENGAGE WITH THE READING AND, UH, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND I THINK, AND MEL CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK WE, UH, WITH SOME OF THAT INFORMATION HELP BUILD THAT MM-HMM
WITH PARENTS AND THAT'S ACTUALLY PART OF YOUR PARENTS CHOOSE.
THEY CAN, THEY CAN USE ANY BOOKS THE PARENTS CHOOSE MM-HMM
ANY BOOKS, THE PARENTS CHOOSE ANY BOOKS THE CHILD CHOOSES, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO SET LIST.
UM, SO THE WAY WE'VE RESTRUCTURED IT NOW IS, UH, WHEN THEY SIGN UP ONLINE, THEY'LL GET A MESSAGE SAYING, UH, THANK YOU FOR SIGNING UP.
UM, PLEASE VISIT YOUR LOCAL GARLAND LIBRARY TO PICK UP YOUR WELCOME PACKET.
AND THERE'LL BE A FOLDER, THEY GET A FOLDER AND A MAGNET.
UM, AND IT'LL HAVE A WELCOME LETTER EXPLAINING THE PROGRAM.
IT'LL HAVE THE FIRST READING LOG.
IT'LL HAVE, UM, WE HAVE A BOOK LIST THAT WE MADE, UH, THE LIBRARIANS, JUST SOME, LIKE SOME FAVORITE, UH, POPULAR TITLES, UM, EARLY LITERACY TIPS, UH, FOR HELPING, UH, PARENTS LIKE ENGAGE THEIR CHILD WITH THE READING AND THEN THE MAGNET TO PUT THEIR READING LOGS ON THE FRIDGE.
AND SO FOR EVERY, UH, 250 BOOKS THAT THEY COMPLETE, THEY WILL GET A PRIZE.
AND SO FIRST PRIZE IS THE CHARACTER STICKER.
SECOND PRIZE IS A STICKER PLUS A LITTLE, UM, MINI COLORING BOOK.
UM, THAT IS, UM, ZOO ANIMALS, WILD ANIMALS.
UM, THEY'LL ALSO, FOR THE SEVEN 50, THEY'LL GET A STICKER PLUS A LITTLE STUFFED TOY.
UH, WE'RE CALLING THEM READING BUDDIES.
UM, AND THEN WHEN THEY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM, THEY
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GET, UH, ALL OF THAT AGAIN, PLUS A PICTURE BOOK.AND, UM, THIS NEW TOTE BAG THAT WE, UH, HAD, WE USED THE NEW LOGO TO PRINT IT AND HAVE GIVE OUT AS, UM, THE COMPLETION PRIZE ALONG WITH A, UM, LITTLE CERTIFICATE AND A, UM, IN, THEY WILL BE INVITED TO THE NEXT, UH, GRADUATION PARTY WITH THE NEWLY RESTRUCTURED PLAN.
WHAT ARE YOU FINDING, YOU KNOW, HOW IT USED TO BE FROM THE WELCOME PACKAGE TO A HUNDRED MM-HMM
IS THAT, WHAT IS IT GONNA LOOK LIKE? UM, SO IT'LL BE A SLIGHTLY BIT LONGER, BUT IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE READER.
UM, EVERY, EVERYBODY KIND OF, IT'S MEANT TO BE A SELF-PACED PROGRAM.
UM, SO, UH, EVERYBODY'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT, UM, REALLY EXTENDS IT JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UH, AND THEN THERE WE HAVE THE NEW READING LOGS AND, UM, I'M SO SORRY.
RIGHT? SO WHEN WE GET FURTHER INTO THE, THIS REVAMP PROGRAM, PARENTS AND CHILDREN AND HAVE LIBRARIANS AND WHAT THEY'VE, THERE MAY BE EDITS AND JUST THAT IT'S, IT REALLY IS A FLEXIBLE PROGRAM.
THEY WANT IT TO BE, IT DOES DEPEND ON THAT FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM AS WELL.
SO THEY ARE STILL TRACKING MANUALLY MM-HMM.
WE DO HAVE ON THE, SO THOUSAND BOOKS, FOUNDATION HAS THEIR OWN APP WHERE THEY CAN LIKE, UH, TRACK THE, THE EXACT BOOKS THAT THEY'VE READ.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE LIKE THE QR CODES FOR THE APP DOWNLOADS, UM, FOR BOTH ANDROID AND APPLE.
UM, SO IF THEY WANT TO LIKE, KEEP TRACK OF THE SPECIFIC TITLES WE OFF, WE HAVE RESOURCE, UH, FOR THAT.
UM, BUT UH, THE PAPER LOG, GETTING A TRACKING SYSTEM LIKE BEANS STACK, UM, REQUIRES CONTRACTS AND BUDGET THAT, UM, I WANTED TO TRY TO SAVE ON.
CURRENTLY THE ONLINE FORM IS MICROSOFT FORMS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO.
SO THAT WAS MY METHOD OF LET'S BRING SIGN UP ONLINE AT LEAST.
UH, AND THEN, 'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO COME IN TO GET THEIR PRIZES ANYWAY.
SO PAPER LOG SEEMED LIKE THE WAY TO GO WITH THAT.
COULD YOU GO BACK AND EXPLAIN WHY YOU MOVED IT FROM A HUNDRED TO TWO 50? UM, SO I RE BY MOVING IT TO TWO 50, THERE'S LESS STOPS, LESS PRIZES THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE OUT SO WE CAN GIVE BETTER QUALITY PRIZES.
SO BEFORE IT WOULD, IT WAS THESE LITTLE PLASTIC FINGER PUPPETS THAT WERE NOT THE BEST
AND SO I WANTED TO UPDATE IT WHERE IT WAS BUILDING AND UH, BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PRIZES WE HAVE TO GIVE OUT, UH, THE NUMBER OF LIKE STOPS IN THE PROGRAM, UH, IT MAKES IT SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE BETTER PRESENCE.
UM, AND AS KAREN MENTIONED, THIS PROGRAM UPDATE WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY FUNDING FROM FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY AND, UM, DONATIONS FROM ALTRUSA GARLAND, WHO WE'VE JUST RECENTLY BEEN PARTNERING WITH FOR A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.
SO IT'S BEEN, UM, A LOT OF GREAT STUFF HAPPENING WITH PARTNERSHIPS.
ALSO WE HAVE WALMART GRANT AS WELL.
ALSO, THERE'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNER.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THAT UPDATE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR WANT ME TO GO BACK TO ANY SLIDES? SO HOW ARE YOU PROMOTING THIS? UM, WE HAVE POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
[00:35:02]
IN-HOUSE, UH, LIKE TV SLIDES THAT HAVE THE, UM, THEY'LL GO AUTOMATICALLY AND THEY HAVE THE CODE TO LIKE SCAN SO THEY CAN SIGN UP.UM, WE ALSO MADE SOME NICE HANDOUTS THAT WE CAN BRING TO OUTREACH EVENTS AND STUFF.
DOING A LOT WITH OUTREACH AND DOING A LOT WITH ADULTS ON THESE, BUT ALSO A LOT OF WORD OF MOUTH.
AND WE KNOW ASKING EVERY ONE OF YOU TO HELP US SPREAD THAT WORD.
IF YOU NEED PAMPHLETS OR NEED WIRES LIKE THAT TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT.
GISD IS ALSO HELPING US GET THE WORD OUT, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN WHO MAY HAVE YOUNGER SIBLINGS.
YOU THOUGHT OF CONNECTING WITH, INTERESTED IN HOW MANY TIMES? I'M ON FACEBOOK AND IT MUST HAVE PICKED UP MY LOGARITHMS FOR THE, THE LIBRARY BECAUSE I KEEP SEEING MORE AND MORE GOOD
I, I I GET A, YOU KNOW, IT MULTIPLIES ON ME, SO I'M GLAD IT DOES.
ELSE? Y'ALL ARE SURE WORKING HARD.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF CONNECTING WITH THE LOCAL CHURCHES? I MEAN, THEY WOULD BE, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
THEY WOULD HAVE THE PULSE ON LIKE, NEW BIRTHS AND SORT OF YOUNG FAMILY REGISTER REGISTRIES, THAT, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, THAT, THAT MIGHT BE AN INTERESTING RESOURCE.
I JUST, I MEAN, I KNOW AT MY CHURCH IT'S OF KIDS MM-HMM
LOTS OF FAMILY, THAT SORT OF THING.
THAT COULD BE A HUGE PLACE TO MAYBE SEND SOME FLYERS OR GOOD SHEPHERD RIGHT DOWN THE MM-HMM
I MEAN, THERE ARE TONS OF KIDS DOWN THERE, YOUNG FAMILIES, A GOOD SHEPHERD, UHHUH,
AND YOU KNOW, EVEN THE, THE JERSEYS AROUND HERE, I MEAN THE, OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE A, A PRETTY GOOD PULSE OF RESPONDING TO YOUNG FAMILIES.
AND I MEAN, I SAW THE SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL.
WAS IT, WAS THE GRADUATION TIMES WITH THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM KICKOFF? NO.
SO THE GRADUATION WAS MAY 16TH, UH, SUMMER READING KICKOFF WITH TWO WEEKS LATER.
I THOUGHT THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT APART.
I GUESS THAT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE GRADUATION AT, AS PART OF THE SUMMER READING KICKOFF.
'CAUSE IF KIDS AND FAMILIES SEE KIDS GRADUATING, IT MAY, I'M UP SOME INTEREST AND, YOU KNOW, HEY, I WANT MY CHILD TO DO THAT IS KIND OF HARD.
BUT THE KICKOFF
IF THEY'RE NOT, KIDS AREN'T OLD ENOUGH TO DO THEIR OWN READING PROGRAM, BUT YOUNGER KIDS COULD SIGN UP FOR THIS PROGRAM AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YOUNGER SIBLINGS THERE, THERE ARE THAT ARE ALIVE.
EVEN JUST DISPLAY ONE OF THE LITTLE GOWNS IN THE, IT WAS GRADUATION OUTFIT IN THE LIBRARY SOMEWHERE.
SOME OF THOSE PICTURES ARE SO CUTE.
THEY'RE VERY, I, I SAW THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE CLICK THROUGH WAS VERY ADORABLE.
I GUESS NATURAL SEGUE, WE'VE GOT NOW THE CLUB CURIOSITY SUMMER PROGRAM.
KATHLEEN IS GOING TO COME AND GIVE, UM, BRIEF OVERVIEW OF, WE'LL SAY, UH, WE'RE VERY, UM, EARLY LITERACY, UH, FOCUS TONIGHT WITH OUR, WITH OUR PRESENTATION.
IT'S A BIG, IT, IT'S, IT'S BIG.
I I WILL, WHILE KATHLEEN IS COMING UP, WILL JUST SHARE, WE'VE BEEN, UM, WORKING REALLY HARD ON ALL OF THE THOUSAND BOOKS, SORRY, A THOUSAND BOOKS.
OUR, OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM, LOVE CURIOSITY, ALL OF THAT
[00:40:02]
HELPS CHILDREN TO START SCHOOL READY AND BUILD THOSE LITERACY.SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED DOWN SOME LETTERS LAST THREE YEARS AT 3% DOWN, LIKE A LOT.
BUT WHERE I DO THAT BECAUSE THANK YOU.
SO, UH, THIS YEAR, UH, WE, FOR THE PAST DECADE, I GUESS WE'VE, WE'VE, UM, FOLLOWED THE COLLABORATIVE SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAM.
AND THIS YEAR IS THE THEME IS UNEARTH A STORY.
THIS IS ALSO THE SECOND YEAR THAT WE'VE USED CLUB CURIOSITY, UH, FOR OUR SUMMER READING AND ACTIVITIES PROGRAM.
AND OUR PROGRAM, UM, MEL MENTIONED IT, IT STARTED MAY 30TH AND IT RUNS UNTIL AUGUST 1ST.
THE PROGRAM IS OPEN TO CHILDREN AND TEENS FROM BIRTH THROUGH AGE 17, WHICH MEANS MOM AND DAD OR CAREGIVERS ARE GONNA BE READING TO THE, THE YOUNGEST.
UM, THE PARTICIPANTS ARE INVITED TO COMPLETE SIMPLE ACTIVITY BOOKMARKS AND THEN TURN THEM IN FOR PRIZES EVERY WEEK DURING THE PROGRAM.
THE TRACKERS ARE CUSTOMIZED BY AGE GROUP, UH, ZERO TO FIVE, SIX TO 12, AND 13 TO 17.
THE ONE THAT'S ON THE SCREEN IS THE SAMPLE BOOKMARK TRACKER FOR THE YOUNGEST GROUP.
AND THE PROGRESS IS TRACKED THROUGH EARLY LITERACY ACTIVITIES.
AS KAREN HAS MENTIONED, WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON EARLY LITERACY ACTIVITIES, NOT JUST WITH THIS, BUT ALSO IN OUR PROGRAMS. UM, AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE ON HERE, BUT IF YOU HAVE ONE OF 'EM OR IF YOU CAN LOOK AT IT ONLINE, THERE IS NOT JUST THE ACTIVITY, BUT IT EXPLAINS, UH, WHY EACH ACTIVITY SUPPORTS THE CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT.
FOR INSTANCE, ON THE FIRST ONE WITH TALK SUGGESTS TAKE TURNS, NAMING ANIMALS AND MAKING ANIMAL SOUNDS.
NAME ALL THE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY AND THEIR RELATION TO YOU OR YOUR CHILD.
AND THEN IT EXPLAINS WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT.
TALKING WITH YOUR CHILD HELPS THEM LEARN NEW WORDS, THE NAMES OF THINGS, AND LETS THEM PRACTICE THEIR SPEECH.
SO THAT GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
TALK, SING, READ, WRITE, AND PLAY.
SO WITH THIS GROUP, UM, THERE IS THE FOCUS ON EARLY LITERACY ACTIVITIES FOR PARTICIPANTS.
THEY FILL IN THEIR TRACKERS, TURN THEM IN EACH WEEK, AND THEY CAN COLLECT UP TO EIGHT PRIZES.
TEAMS TURN THEIR TRACKERS IN FOR CHANCES TO WIN ONE OF FIVE GRAND PRIZES.
AND, SORRY, IT'S, UM, THERE'S FIVE DIFFERENT PRIZE OPTIONS, BUT THERE ARE GOING TO TEAM WON TOTAL WINNERS.
SO WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE WENT BRANCH, WE WENT BY BRANCH, WE WENT BY BRANCH.
AND, UM, WE DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDING YET WHEN THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER.
UH, BUT, SO THERE'S ONE HUGE GRAND PRIZE, WHICH IS LIKE A MANGA COLLECTION AND THEN FOUR OTHER, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP HERE.
OR YOU COULD JUST USE THIS ONE.
UH, THERE ARE, SO THERE'S 21, UH, TOTAL PRIZES.
THE OVERALL GRAND PRIZE IS A MANGA COLLECTION.
[00:45:01]
PRIZES ARE WIRELESS HEADPHONES.UM, A SPECIAL, UH, LEGO SET, UH, THEMED OFF OF, UH, A POPULAR ANIME A I'M SO SORRY, I'M DOING THIS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
SO EACH OF THOSE OPTIONS WILL HAVE MULTIPLE WINNERS.
BUT THE MANGA COLLECTION HAS ONE WINNER.
AND THOSE PRIZES, I BELIEVE WERE FUNDED THROUGH, UH, THE T-L-A-H-E-B SUMMER AT THE LIBRARY GRANT, WE GOT $1,500 FOR THAT GRANT.
AND THAT IS FROM FUNDS THAT ARE COLLECTED AT CHECKOUT WHEN YOU SHOP AT, UM, AT HEB.
AND DO YOU REMEMBER HOW MANY LIBRARIES, UH, RECEIVED THAT? NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I ALREADY REMEMBERED A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS.
THINGS I NEVER WOULD'VE SPENT.
UH, JUST SOME OF THEM, THIS ISN'T ALL OF THEM.
THAT THE, UH, PARTICIPANTS AGES ZERO TO 12 CAN RECEIVE AS THEIR LITTLE SURPRISE PRIZES.
THEY GO IN, THE PRIZES ARE IN THE LITTLE CAPSULES ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM LEFT, THERE'S VARIOUS, UH, MACHINES.
BUT THEY, THEY ALL DO THE SAME THING.
THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE THAT, BUT THEY DO THE SAME THING.
WELL, WE'D HAVE THE, IT'S BEEN THE BEST THING EVER.
AND, UH, SO THE PRIZE IS A SURPRISE.
UM, BUT IT'S ALL AS MUCH DINOSAUR THEMED AS, AS WE COULD GET.
THE, THE LITTLE DUCKS, THE RUBBER DUCKS ARE, ARE DINOSAUR THEMED.
THE, THERE ARE DINOSAURS AND THE, UH, SQUISHIES OVER TO THE TOP RIGHT, THE TOP LEFT.
UM, BUT THEY ENJOY GETTING THESE, THEY, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY LIKE THE PRIZE MORE, MORE OR THE POLISH YES.
AND FOR SOME REASON, YEAR AFTER YEAR, ALL AGES, THEY LOVE THE DUCKS.
THEY JUST, I KNOW A 50-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO COLLECTS THAT.
SO I THINK LAST YEAR WAS, IT WAS LIKE COLOR YEAR WORLD WAS THE THEME MM-HMM
AND SO IT WAS, WE GOT JUST A BUNCH OF ART RANDOMLY COLOR DUCKS OR ARTIST THEMED.
AND THEN THIS YEAR IT'S ALL LIKE DYNO.
UH, WE DID HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH, UH, THE ACTIVITY WITH OUR, TO HELP WITH OUR SUMMER READING ACTIVITY PROGRAM.
UH, AS MEL MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERING, UH, RECENTLY WITH ALTRUSA.
AND THEY OFFERED, UH, FREE BOOKS FOR EVERY CHILD THAT, UM, ATTENDED THE KICKOFF PARTY.
AND YOU'LL SEE I'VE GOT THE NUMBERS OF HOW MANY WE GAVE OUT.
AND THEN FOR ONE OF OUR PERFORMERS THIS SUMMER, WE HAVE PERCUSSION THINGS AND WE GOT A GRANT FROM TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS TO HELP WITH THAT.
THOSE GRANTS PAY FOR HALF OF THE, UH, COST OF BRINGING A PERFORMER TO YOUR EVENT OR YOUR, UH, LIBRARY.
SO HERE IS KICKOFF PARTY BY THE NUMBERS
UH, THIS WAS LAST, LAST SATURDAY.
WE HAD OVER 1400 PEOPLE ATTEND THE EVENT AND WE, UM, WE WERE NOTICED
I THINK WE HAD AN EXPECT WHOLE COME.
UH, AND THEN IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT ALL OVER DOWNTOWN, EXCUSE ME.
[00:50:01]
TO FIND A PLACE TO PARK AND THEN JUST LIKE COMING PARKING PLACES.THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO
IF YOU WERE COMING INTO CENTRAL LIBRARY ON SATURDAY TO DO OTHER THINGS,
SO THE, WE HAD 566 KIDS PICK UP THEIR WEEK ONE ACTIVITY TRACKERS.
AND YOU HAD TO HAVE A WEEK ONE TRACKER TO GET A POPSICLE.
SO OUT OF THE 566 KIDS, 400 OF THEM DECIDED THEY WANTED THEIR, THEIR FREE POPSICLE 400 WERE ABLE TO GET
WE WERE LIKE, WELL, WE KNOW BETTER FOR NEXT TIME.
THEY RAN OUT TOO, CORRECT? I THINK SO.
AND SO WE HAD A TEAM OF 10 LIBRARY STAFF THAT ACT ACTIVELY WORKED THE EVENT.
BUT THIS IS A YEAR LONG PLANNING, UH, EVENT AND OR AN EVENT THAT'S A YEAR LONG IN PLANNING.
AND THEN EVEN ON THAT DAY, UH, EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING IN THE LIBRARY AT THE BRANCHES, UM, E EVERYBODY THAT IS AT THE LIBRARY IS WORKING IN THEIR SUPPORTING ROLE.
AND THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS.
AND THEN WE HAD, UH, 25 TEEN VOLUNTEERS AND THEY HELPED WITH VARIOUS ACTIVITIES.
AND AS WE DO THESE EVENTS, THE VOLUNTEERS, UH, I THINK BECOME MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT.
UH, WE FIND MORE AND MORE WAYS TO, TO USE THEM AND IT HELPS THEM.
SO, UM, AND THEY ENJOY IT TOO.
UH, THEY, THEY'RE, WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL KIDS WHO ARE RECURRING VOLUNTEERS AND, UH, THEY ARE ALWAYS TO SEE THEM COME BACK AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SUCH GREAT HELP.
SO SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAD, UH, AND I'VE GOT SOME PICTURES ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, DINOSAUR PHOTO OP WITH A T-REX.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY THREE T-REX
UM, WE HAD TWO AND WE HAD TWO.
AND ALTRUSA BROUGHT THEIR OWN.
UH, WE HAD A DINOSAUR CAKEWALK AND A PIN.
THE TAIL ON THE DINOSAUR GAME,
AND THEN, UM, UH, COLOR SCRATCH, UH, DINOSAURS AND THEN GIANT COLORING SHEETS.
THREE OF THOSE TWO, TWO, UH, WE HAD BALLOON ARTISTS AND FACE PAINTERS.
WE HAD, UH, PARKS, UH, OFFERED THEIR DJ AND THEN THEY ALSO BROUGHT LAWN GAMES.
AND THEY HAD AN INFLATABLE, INFLATABLE SOCCER GAME.
IT WAS THEIR BOUNCE HOUSE WAS, IT WAS A PLAYABLE SOCCER GAME.
AND THEN WE HAD A BOUNCE HOUSE FROM BOUNCING MORE
AND THEN, UH, GISD WANTED, THEY MET WITH US.
THEY WANTED TO GET INVOLVED WITH THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE KIDS THAT WE BRING.
AND, UH, SO THEY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM AND THEY WANTED TO, TO, UM, PROMOTE AND, AND GET THE GREATEST NUMBER, REACH THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PARENTS POSSIBLE.
SO THEY HAD, UH, CHEF KEVIN JENKINS, WHO GOES BY CHEF KEV FROM, UH, THE STUDENT NUTRITION SERVICES.
AND HE USED OUR MOBILE KITCHEN AND DID DEMONSTRATIONS FOR THE PARENTS AND THE KIDS.
AND THEN WE HAD A TABLE FOR THE, UH, OTHER PEOPLE FROM GISD AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THE SUMMER MEALS PROGRAMS. SO HERE WE HAVE SOME OF THE PICTURES.
AND, UH, THE BACKGROUND IS OUR STAY CURIOUS BACKGROUND.
AND THE KIDS COULD GO UP AND HAVE THEIR PICTURES MADE.
THE ONE JUST TO THE RIGHT IS, UH, A CLOSEUP OF THE COLORING SHEET.
AND EVERYBODY JUST, YOU COULD JUST PULL UP AND START COLORING.
[00:55:01]
SOME PEOPLE WERE A LITTLE MORE AVANT-GARDE THAN OTHERS.UH, THE NEXT PICTURE IS JUST A PICTURE OF THE CROWD.
JUST, UM, PEOPLE TRYING TO GO FROM TABLE TO TABLE AND, AND GET IN LINES FOR FACE PAINTING AND, UM, THE BALLOON ART.
AND IN THE LAST PICTURE IS CHEF KEV WITH SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS THAT HE WAS USING TO DEMONSTRATE THE, UH, NO COOK SNACKS FOR KIDS.
I WILL ADD, UH, ONE, ONE THING.
UH, SO KIDS CAME, FAMILIES CAME GREAT TIME.
THERE WERE A LOT OF OTHER TRACKERS.
OTHER THING THEY DID WAS THEY CHECKED OUT ON OF BOOKS.
SO WE ALREADY HAD THE PROBLEM.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT, GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE OF HAVING EMPTY SPACES ON THE SHELF FROM JUST THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING IN OUT MATERIALS.
BUT AFTER SATURDAY, SATURDAY, WHEN I WENT DOWNSTAIRS,
THERE WERE JUST, UH, SWATHS OF EMPTY SHELVES, UH, WAITING FOR MATERIALS TO BE.
AND IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING AND WONDERFUL, THE RESPONSE BEING SO OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT JUST LEAVING WITH ONE OR TWO THINGS.
SOME OF 'EM BRING THEIR WHACK.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ATTENDANCE.
WE ARE, IT MAKES US SUPER HAPPY, UH, WHEN WE SEE, 'CAUSE WE KNOW WE PUT THE EFFORT IN.
BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN IT, IF ANYTHING REALLY, IF IT DOESN'T, IF WE'RE NOT REACHING THE KIDS AND JUST THE, OUR, THE CITIZENS IN GENERAL, AND WE'VE BEEN, I ALREADY MENTIONED THIS ONCE, BUT WE ARE REALLY STARTING TO FOCUS IN ON LITERACY.
WE, WE'VE, UH, PURCHASED NEW BOOKS, DECODABLES AND PHONICS.
AND UM, WE'VE GOT SETS THAT WE, THAT HAVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PARENTS BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER THING YOU, YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PARENTS TO HOW TO USE THESE.
IT MAY BE A REALLY GOOD ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT KELLY CAN COME AND TALK ABOUT.
THE NEW THINGS THAT, 'CAUSE WE'RE GETTING JUST FOCUSED ON NURSING BUILDING.
WE'VE, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE HAD THEM, BUT WE'RE BUILDING IT.
I SAW ALL THE FAMILIES AND KIDS COMING FROM DOWNTOWN TO LIBRARY.
I THOUGHT, OH, MAYBE THEY HAVE LIKE SOME EVENT ON THE SQUARE.
AND I WALKED DOWN THERE, I'M LIKE, THERE'S NOTHING.
I'M LIKE, OH, THE LIBRARY IS THE MAIN EVENT.
WELL, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS.
THAT, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE IT AT THE LIBRARY.
SO OUT OF THE HEAT, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T THAT, THAT BAD THAT DAY.
NO, IT WAS, WE HAD CLOUD COVER AND A, A GENTLE BREEZE.
BUT, BUT IT WAS NICE TO HAVE THE OPTION TO GO INSIDE IF YOU NEEDED IT.
SO THIS PAST SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH TAPPED OFF THE FIRST WEEK.
SO WE PUT OUT THE, THE WEEK TWO ACTIVITY TRACKER ON JUNE 6TH ON SATURDAY.
AND THEN WHEN WE, THIS IS OVER, WE'LL COME BACK WITH STATS AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO I'D SO LOVE TO HEAR THAT GISD IS REACHING OUT TO YOU ALL TO OFFER RIGHT.
BE THEY WERE IMPRESSED WITH THAT TURNOUT.
THEY WERE A 30 THAT GOT THEIR ATTENTION.
UM, I HEARD ONE AGENDA ITEM FOR THE FUTURE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? QUICK REMINDER THAT WE'RE NOT MEETING IN JULY AS NOR USUAL, AND OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE AUGUST 10TH.
UM, SO WE'RE ADJOURNED AT SIX 50.