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NOVEMBER 9TH MEETING OF OUR LIBRARY BOARD TO ORDER.UH, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, SO WE'LL PROCEED WITH TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
OUR FIRST ITEM OF, UH, TONIGHT IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR OCTOBER 12TH MEETING.
SO TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK OVER.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS? OKAY, HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UM, OUR NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? NO.
NO REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
UH, THE FIRST ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND BOND PROGRAM UPDATE.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KAREN.
HOPE EVERYONE'S HAVING A GOOD NOVEMBER THUS FAR.
SO STILL HAVE TWO LIBRARY, UM, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN THE WORKS OR, OR IN, IN MOTION RIGHT NOW.
ONE IS THE NORTH GARLAND LIBRARY PROJECT.
UM, AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU SOME REALLY GREAT PHOTOS.
SO TODAY BEGAN THE PROCESS OF THE INSTALLATION OF ALL THE, THE NEW FURNITURE ON THE PUBLIC FLOOR.
UM, AND JUST A REMINDER, WE ARE CLOSED, UH, NORMALLY CLOSED ON MONDAYS, BUT CLOSED, UH, TODAY, TOMORROW AND WEDNESDAY, OPENING BACK UP ON THURSDAY, REGULAR OPERATING HOURS FOR THAT FURNITURE INSTALLATION AND FOR THE IT AND FACILITIES DEPARTMENTS TO BE ABLE TO GO IN, UH, CONNECT PCS AND TECH EQUIPMENT BACK UP TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
WE ALSO HAVE HAD, UH, A DATE CHANGE FOR THE, THE OPEN HOUSE CELEBRATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOR NORTH.
IT'S BEEN CHANGED TO DECEMBER 12TH, WHICH IS A SATURDAY AT 10 O'CLOCK.
A COUPLE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT ARE DELAYED.
TH SHOULD GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO GET THOSE PIECES IN, BUT THEY'RE INTEGRAL PIECES TO THE, TO THE PROJECT.
THIS IS, UM, I DON'T HA - I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY PHOTOS OF THE, THE FINAL INSTALLATION, UH, BECAUSE IT'S STILL IN THE, IN THE PROCESS AND WORKS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT WAS COMING OFF, UM, THE, THE TRUCKS TODAY, WHAT THE INSTALLERS WERE PUTTING IN BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
SO YOU HAVE ANTONETTE, UM, NEW COMPUTER TABLES HERE, UH, READER CHAIRS HERE, LOUNGE CHAIRS.
IN THE KIDS AREA, UM, YOU REMEMBER THE NEW CARPETING THAT WE HAVE OVER IN THE, THE TODD'S AREA.
THIS IS A REALLY COOL LEGO TABLE, UM, THAT WE ADDED.
IT'S SIMILAR, SIMILAR, NOT EXACTLY LIKE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE AT WEST AND THAT WE HAVE IN CENTRAL.
UM, BUT I WILL ALSO ADD THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WAITED UNTIL THE END OF THE PROJECT TO SEE COULD WE AFFORD OR NOT AFFORD SO IT'S NOT TAKING SOMETHING, UH, TAKING FROM SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, NEW OTTOMANS AND STOOLS FOR CHILDREN, THE ORANGE AND THE POLKA DOTS.
THE LEGO, IS THAT DRAWERS THAT SLIDE IN AND OUT? IT IS.
UM, THERE'S A, THERE ARE BINS ON EITHER SIDE TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE REALLY BIG, LIKE THE DUPLO BLOCKS AND THEN MAYBE ON THE OTHER SIDE, THERE ARE BIG DRAWERS THAT YOU CAN OPEN SO WE CAN PUT A LOT OF, UM, DIFFERENT TYPES OF BLOCKS FOR STORAGE IN THERE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, LET'S SEE, ON THIS SIDE, THIS IS A REALLY COOL CONFIGURATION.
IT'S NEW AT NORTH AND ONLY AVAILABLE SO FAR AT NORTH.
UM, IT'S, WE TRIED TO SECTION OFF AREAS TO GIVE MORE OF A STEADY AREA OR PRIVATE READING AREA FOR PATRONS WITHOUT IT BEING PRIVATE.
SO WE HAVE READER TABLE OR READER CHAIRS, UH, LOUNGE CHAIRS AND LITTLE TABLES, BUT THE, THESE PIECES THAT YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE ARE MOBILE WHITEBOARDS, UM, THAT YOU CAN MOVE AROUND THE, THE LIBRARY.
THE OTHER COOL THING ABOUT THEM IS THE BOTTOM PART HAS THE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THE MATERIAL THAT YOU USE FOR SOUND ABSORPTION, SO IT WILL HELP MUFFLE THINGS.
THAT TOP PART IS THE, THE WHITEBOARD SO YOU CAN USE IT IF YOU'RE STUDYING OR, OR WORKING ON SOMETHING THAT WAY.
AND THEN NEW, UH, READER TABLES THROUGHOUT OVER HERE, UM, THE RIGHT.
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A COMPUTER TABLE OVER IN THE CHILDREN'S AREA AND IT HAS A DIVIDER THAT'S THAT SAME TYPE OF MATERIAL FOR SOUND ABSORPTION AND HAS A COOL, UM, DESIGN IN IT DOWN THE MIDDLE, THE SAME SHADE OF YELLOW THAT THE NORTH GARLAND LIBRARY SIGN IS.SO WE REALLY WANTED TO TIE THAT BACK INTO THE LIBRARY.
AND THEN FOR THE FIRST TIME, UM, DEDICATED TEEN SEATING, UM, WITH THESE ROCKERS HERE.
WE'VE GOT FOUR VERY, UH, BOLDLY COLORED, UH, ROCKERS THAT ARE FOR, FOR TEENS.
AGAIN, JUST LIKE CENTRAL, THEY CAN RECONFIGURE THEM HOW THEY WANT TO IN THE SPACE.
THEY'LL HAVE THE TEEN, UH, COLLECTION AROUND THEM.
WE'RE GONNA READJUST SOME OF THE SHELVING.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU THAT YEAH, WE'RE READJUSTING SOME OF THE SHELVING AROUND TEENS
WHAT'S IN THE BACKGROUND THAT LOOKS LIKE LITTLE PINK MULTICOLORED WALLS? IT'S A PROJECT, A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECT THAT NORTH IS WORKING ON.
UM, SO WE, WE SHOULD FINISH UP WITH THE INSTALLATION THIS WEEK BY THE END OF DAY WEDNESDAY.
UM, ANY FINAL TOUCHES WITH IT AND FACILITIES WILL HAPPEN THURSDAY MORNING IF THAT.
REOPEN AND THEN GET THOSE TWO FINAL PIECES OF EQUIPMENT AND HAVE THE, UH, OPEN HOUSE CELEBRATION ON DECEMBER 12TH.
FORMAL INVITATION WILL FOLLOW.
I'LL PAUSE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT NORTH.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE DURABILITY OF THE FURNITURE.
I KNOW THAT THE, THE HEAVY WOOD FURNITURE THAT WAS UPHOLSTERED HAD ITS OWN PROS AND CONS.
UM, BUT THIS IS THE KIND OF FURNITURE I'M SEEING NOW IN NEW LIBRARY SPACES AND SIMILAR TO WHAT'S IN OUR LOBBY IN THIS BUILDING.
IS IT, IS IT DURABLE? IT'S DURABLE.
IS IT AS DURABLE AS WHAT WE BOUGHT MANY, MANY YEARS AGO? PROBABLY NOT.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYTHING IS QUITE AS DURABLE AS, AS WHAT WAS PRODUCED, UH, A LONG TIME AGO.
UM, BUT THIS IS, IT'S COMMERCIAL GRADE.
IT'S, UH, MADE FOR A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR.
THE FABRIC, UM, OR THE COVERING THAT WE'RE CHOOSING FOR ALL OF THEM HAS BEEN TESTED, UH, RETESTED, CAN TAKE A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR AND CAN TAKE A LOT OF CLEANING AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE BIG THINGS THAT WE LOOK FOR WHEN LOOKING FOR PUBLIC FURNISHINGS.
AND ALONG WITH THAT, IF THEY'RE DAMAGED, ARE THEY EASILY REPLACED OR DO WE HAVE REPLACEMENTS ON STANDBY OR? UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE REPLACEMENTS ON STANDBY.
THEY'RE ALL UNDER WARRANTY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, BUT WE DO TRY TO ALLOCATE SO MUCH, UM, IN OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT, BUT IF WE NEED TO REPLACE A CHAIR, HAVE SOMETHING RECOVERED, REPAIRED, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHIN OUR OPERATING FUNDS.
ANY FINANCIAL OVERRUNS OR ARE WE? UH, AT THIS TIME WE'RE ON BUDGET.
ARE THEY, ARE THEY SPILLPROOF THAT THEY LOOK LIKE, BOY, IF A SODA GOT DUMPED ON THEM, DO THEY NEED A HUGE STAIN? VINYL.
WE CAN TAKE IT OUT BACK AND...
UM, JUST A SMALL UPDATE WITH SOUTH GARLAND LIBRARY, UM, MAINLY WITH THE SANITARY SEWER REPAIRS.
THOSE WERE COMPLETE IN OCTOBER.
UM, FACILITIES, UH, IS FINALIZING THAT STRUCTURAL REPAIR, UM, TIMELINE AND THE SCOPE OF THAT PROJECT.
AND THE TEAM WILL BE TAKING THIS NEXT MONDAY TO CITY COUNCIL FOR REVIEW, UH, UPDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL AND THE DIRECTION ON TEMPORARY SERVICES FOR, UM, SOUTH GARLAND LIBRARY.
I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
THAT'S THE, THE UPDATE FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN UPDATE ON THE RECENTLY LAUNCHED SEED LIBRARY AT WEST GARLAND LIBRARY.
BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO MILLIE, IF YOU HAVEN'T MET MILLIE, SHE'S THE WEST GARLAND LIBRARY MANAGER.
SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR THREE YEARS? THREE YEARS.
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THREE YEARS.UM, BUT THIS, UH, WAS A PROJECT THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MILLIE'S HEART.
UM, SHE WANTED TO, TO START THIS ACTUALLY SOME TIME AGO AND BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN THE LAST YEAR, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ON THE LIST.
IT JUST WASN'T HIGH ENOUGH ON THE LIST UNTIL WE, UH, RECEIVED A CALL FROM, UM, UH, I BELIEVE DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM DUTTON, UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO.
AND SHE WAS ABLE TO HELP, UM, REACH OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO, TO BEGIN COLLECTING SEEDS, WHICH WAS A HUGE LIFT OFF OF MILLIE AND HER TEAM TO DO.
SO I WILL TURN THE PROJECT OVER TO MILLIE.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT CARISSA DID NOT INVENT THIS, BUT THIS LADY DID? IT WAS A JOINT EFFORT.
MILLIE WANTED TO DO THE PROJECT A LONG TIME, FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT WAS A PROJECT THAT, UM, COUNCILWOMAN DUTTON ALSO WANTED AND, AND SHE HELPED WITH SOME HEAVY LIFTING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.
SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE PICTURE HERE IS WHAT THE SEED LIBRARY LOOKS LIKE.
SO IF YOU COME TO WEST GARLAND, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE.
AND THE SEED LIBRARY WAS LAUNCHED ON AUGUST 15TH, AND IT WAS REALLY, UH, A BIG OCCASION.
IT TURNED OUT TO BE WELL ATTENDED.
WE HAD THE CITY MAYOR THERE, SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER, AND SOME ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE TOTAL WAS ABOUT 89, BUT I THINK IT WAS MORE THAN THAT, BUT I WAS SO BUSY, SO I WASN'T ABLE TO COUNT AS WELL.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS THE PICTURE WHEN THEY WERE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
UH, THEY CHANGED, THEY, THEY STARTED - RETIRED A FLAG.
THEY RETIRED THE FLAG AND PUT IN A NEW ONE.
AND THIS IS THEM COMING INTO THE BUILDING.
UH, AND THEN SOME PHOTOS OF US GETTING READY AND I INCLUDED SOME PHOTOS JUST SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY THEN LOOKED LIKE.
AND OVER HERE, I THINK WE WERE LISTENING TO THE SPEECH.
AND THEN OVER HERE, PEOPLE ARE ALREADY LOOKING AT THE SEEDS AND DECIDING WHAT TO TAKE.
AND THEN WE HAD, UH, PEOPLE, SOMEONE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW TO PLANT SEEDS, AND SO THAT IS THE CLASS.
WAS THAT A MASTER GARDENER? NO, THAT WAS FROM THE SPRING - OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
SHE CAME AND GAVE A TALK ON HOW TO PLANT SEEDS AND ALL, ALL OF THAT.
AND SHE BROUGHT US SOME SEEDS.
UH, THEN WE GO TO THE PURPOSE OF, AND THE GOAL OF THE SEED LIBRARY.
SO WE DECIDED TO START THE SEED LIBRARY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE, UM, UH...
SO THE SEED LIBRARY PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE FREE VEGETABLE HERB AND FLOWER SEEDS TO THE GALLERY COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE EVEN BEFORE WE ACTUALLY LAUNCHED IT, I'VE HAD, UH, CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT COME INTO THE LIBRARY AND WE TALK ABOUT GARDENING, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY COME TO CHECK OUT BOOKS ABOUT GARDENING.
I'LL ALWAYS TALK TO THEM ABOUT, ARE YOU GROWING FLOWERS? ARE YOU GROWING ANYTHING IN YOUR BACKYARD? AND I'VE HEARD THAT ALSO.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY WHO DO BACKYARD GARDENING.
AND WE ALSO WANTED TO ENCOURAGE HOME GARDENING AND SEED SHARING.
SO, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HOBBY LIKE TO SHARE WHAT THEY ARE, LIKE IF THEY ARE GARDENING, THEY LIKE TO SHARE THEIR VEGETABLES, THEIR SEEDS.
AND SO WE WANTED TO PROVIDE A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND GET SOME FREE SEEDS AND ALSO TO SHARE THE SEEDS THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE.
UH, WE ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT GARDENING.
AND SO COMBINING THE SEED, SEEDS WITH GARDENING RESOURCES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, IT CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, HEADS-ON LEARNING, AND A HEALTHIER, MORE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY.
AND IN TODAY'S COMMUNITY, I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FOOD THEY EAT.
AT LEAST I'VE HEARD THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
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DOES IT HAVE CHEMICALS? IS IT GMO? IS IT ORGANIC? AND SO THIS WILL HELP THEM, UH, UM, HAVE, MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON THEIR PLATE IF THEY GROW THE FOOD THEMSELVES.SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE HELPFUL TO THEM.
AND THEN THE OTHER GOAL THAT WE HAVE WITH THIS IS TO PROVIDE A SHARED CIVIC SPACE WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SHARE HOMEGROWN SEEDS AND BORROW SEEDS THAT OTHER GARDENERS HAVE DONATED.
SO, UH, PEOPLE CAN DONATE AND THEY CAN ALSO BORROW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE, UH, GROWN AND DONATED.
AND THEN PROMOTE BIODIVERSITY AND THAT IS ENCOURAGE THE PRESERVATION OF LOCAL HEIRLOOM AND LOCALLY ADAPTED PLANT VARIETIES THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE DISAPPEAR.
AND THEN, UH, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, PLANTS GROWN AND SAVED LOCALLY OVER MULTIPLE SEASONS, ADAPT BETTER TO THE LOCAL WEATHER PATTERNS, DROUGHT AND SOIL CONDITIONS, MAKING THEM MORE LIKELY TO THRIVE.
SO IF YOU GROW, LIKE I CAN GIVE AN EXAMPLE, LIKE IF YOU GROW SOME CROPS AND THEN YOU DON'T HARVEST ALL THE SEEDS AND THEN THEY SHOW UP NEXT SEASON, IN MOST CASES THEY ARE REALLY BETTER.
THEY DO REALLY WELL BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY ADAPTED TO THE CLIMATE THAT THEY ARE IN.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE.
UH, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS FOOD SECURITY AND ACCESS BECAUSE GROCERIES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN PROBABLY GROW SOME CERANTRO IN THE BACK, SOME HERBS, AND BE ABLE TO SAVE SOME MONEY.
AND ALSO THIS WILL HELP CUT DOWN THEIR GROCERY COSTS IF THEY CAN GROW SOMETHING IN THE BACKYARD OR EVEN IN CONTAINERS AND NOT GO TO THE GROCERY STORE TO BUY.
AND THEN IN THE, THE OTHER THING THAT WE WANT TO DO, ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE LIBRARY IS TO PROVIDE LIFELONG LEARNING.
SO WE ARE PROVIDING WORKSHOPS, CLASSES AND RESOURCES ABOUT GARDENING AND COMPOSTING, SEED SAVING, FOOD PRESERVATION SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN BE, UH, THEY CAN BE ABLE TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING.
AND THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP BUILD COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND HOW THE SEED LIBRARY WORKS.
SO THE SEED LIBRARY IS FREE TO ALL CA - ALL, ANYBODY THAT WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR CAN GO TO THE SEED LIBRARY AND GET WHATEVER SEEDS THEY WANT.
SO WE ARE NOT LIMITING IT TO WHERE THEY NEED TO SHOW LIKE A LIBRARY CARD OR SHOW US ANYTHING.
IT'S ACTUALLY HARD FREE RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE IT WHERE PEOPLE COME IN AND WE HAVE A BIG SIGN THAT YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT IS AND THEY CAN JUST GO UP THERE AND GET THE SEEDS THAT THEY NEED.
AND WE ARE NOT LIMITING THE NUMBER OF SEEDS THAT THEY CAN TAKE, BUT WE USUALLY JUST TELL THEM, "JUST TAKE WHAT YOU NEED.
LEAVE SOME FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING." BECAUSE I NOTICED LIKE THE, AT THE BEGINNING, ALL THE HERBS AND THE, THE FLOWERS WERE GONE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT.
AND THEN WE HAD SOMEONE DONATED SOME BLUE BONNETS AND THEY WERE GONE IN A FASHION.
SO WE WERE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE RARE SEEDS, JUST TAKE WHAT YOU NEED BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU TAKE A WHOLE BAG OF WATERMELON, YOU PROBABLY NEED JUST TWO SEEDS.
YOU DON'T NEED THE WHOLE BAG OF THEM.
SO WE ARE NOT SAYING, WE'RE NOT LIMITING THEM TO WHATEVER THEY CAN TAKE.
WE'RE JUST SAYING TAKE, IT'S A FRIENDLY RESOURCE, TAKE WHAT YOU NEED AND HAVE, SAVE SOME FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR.
AND THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T KNOW THAT I TOOK THEIR PICTURE.
THEY WERE LOOKING THROUGH THE SEED.
AND THESE ARE FOR PEOPLE THAT PROBABLY THEY WANNA TRY OUT GARDENING, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA WORK.
SO WE HAVE KITS FOR ADULTS AND KITS FOR, FOR CHILDREN.
IT JUST HAS BASIC GARDENING TOOLS AND THIS IS THE ONE FOR THE KIDS.
AND IT'S PART OF OUR LIBRARY OF THINGS COLLECTION, UM - YEAH.
ACTUALLY, LIKE ONE TIME THERE WAS ONLY LIKE ONE KIT LEFT.
SO PEOPLE ARE CHECKING THEM OUT AND WE ARE HOPING THAT ONCE THEY CHECK OUT THE KIT AND THEY FIND THAT THEY LIKE GARDENING, THEN THEY'LL BUY THEIR OWN KIT SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED.
BUT IT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO CHECK OUT.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO ARE TAKING DONATIONS FOR THE SEEDS.
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A PICTURE OF SOMEONE WHO FOUND OUT THAT WE HAD A SEED LIBRARY AND THEY WERE SO EXCITED.SO THEY BROUGHT US A BUNCH OF SEEDS AND WE HAVE DONATION GUIDELINES, BUT THE DONATION GUIDELINES ARE, UH, ON THE, THERE'S A DONATION BOX AT THE SEED LIBRARY.
SO THERE'S A IN- INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO DONATE AND HOW TO DONATE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A WEBPAGE ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN CLICK AND FIND ALL THE INFORMA - ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, THE SEED LIBRARY WITH SOME GUIDES ON, UH, LIKE LINKS TO THE MASTER GARDENER AND ALL OF THAT.
SO, UH, WE LAUNCHED IT ON THE 15TH OF AUGUST.
AND SO FAR, WE HAVE GIVEN OUT 884 PACKETS BECAUSE WE KEEP TRACK OF WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO LOG.
YOU, YOU WRITE WHAT YOU, YOU PICKED AND THEN YOU WRITE HOW MANY.
SO IN MOST CASES, THEY ARE DOING THAT.
AND SO I'VE COUNTED 884 PACKETS AS OF SATURDAY WHEN I UPDATED THIS.
AND IN AUGUST, WHICH WAS ONLY 15 DAYS, WE GAVE OUT 281 PACKETS.
AND THAT SHOWS US THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS REALLY, REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS RESOURCE.
WE ALSO HAD LIKE A SURGE OF PEOPLE THAT CAME LIKE ONE DAY THEY WERE JUST COMING IN AND WERE LIKE WONDERING WHAT IS...
WE WERE HAPPY, BUT WE WERE LIKE EXCITED WHERE THE DUO COME FROM AND WE FOUND THAT SOMEONE HAD PUT A SEED LIBRARY ON TIKTOK.
AND IT BROUGHT PEOPLE FROM MURPHY, FROM WHEREVER, AND THEY ALL CAME LOOKING FOR SEEDS.
AND OUR BIGGEST MONTH WAS SEPTEMBER WHEN WE HAD 449 PACKETS DISTRIBUTED.
BUT IT'S ALSO RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT A GROWING SEASON, SO IT HAS KIND OF SLOWED DOWN.
SO IN OCTOBER WE ONLY HAD 154, BUT I'M THINKING THAT IN JANUARY, WHEN PEOPLE START PREPARING TO PLANT, WE ARE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER SURGE WHERE PEOPLE JUST COME AND TAKE AS MANY SEEDS AS THEY NEED.
AND ALSO IN THE SPRING, BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER SEASON THAT YOU CAN PLANT HERE IN NORTH TEXAS.
AND THEN, UH, WE'VE HAD REALLY A POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT...
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY NEGATIVE COMMENT.
WE'VE HAD COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT, LIKE THEY WANT SPECIFIC CLASSES AND ALL OF THAT, BUT EVERY COMMENT WE'VE HAD HAS BEEN A POSITIVE COMMENT.
AND, UH, KAREN ALREADY MENTIONED THAT THE INITIAL, ALL OF THE SEEDS THAT WE HAVE WERE LIKE A HUGE DONATION FROM, UH, CARISSA DARTON.
LIKE ALL OF THOSE, SHE GOT A DONATION FROM SOMEWHERE AND THEN SHE BROUGHT IT TO US.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING OFF RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD A LOT OF SEEDS DONATED FROM THE COMMUNITY AND SOME OF THEM ARE HOMEGROWN AND SOME OF THEM...
MOST OF THE ONES WE HAVE HAD FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE HOMEGROWN, LIKE WHAT THEY ARE GROWING IN THEIR GARDEN AND THEY HAVE HARVESTED.
UM, AND IT'S ABOUT INDIVIDUAL, MAYBE, MAYBE 25 TO, 20 TO 25 INDIVIDUALS, BUT DONATING A MULTIPLE OF SEEDS.
AND SO I THINK THAT IT HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED AND PEOPLE REALLY, REALLY LIKE IT.
AND I TOOK A SCREENSHOT OF SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE LEAVE BECAUSE IT'S A, A PLACE TO LEAVE A COMMENT.
AND THIS PERSON CAME FOR DESERT WILLOW, BUT THEY WERE, BUT I THINK WHATEVER SHE TOOK WAS RED, YUCA AND TEXAS BLUE BONNET, AND SHE SAYS THOSE ARE GREAT.
SO SHE CAME FOR ONE THING AND LEFT WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
AND SOME OF THESE WERE LIKE THE TEXAS BLUE BONNETS WERE DONATED BY SOMEBODY.
AND THEN THE DESERT WILLOW WAS ALSO DONATED.
SO EVERYTHING HERE HAS BEEN JUST A POSITIVE, UH, EXPERIENCE.
AND THEN THIS ONE SAYS, "THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE INVESTMENT INTO OUR COMMUNITY." SO MOST PEOPLE WILL LEAVE A COMMENT, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT FOR US BECAUSE THEN IT GIVES US AN IDEA OF WHETHER PEOPLE LIKE IT OR IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT.
BUT IN MOST CASES, THERE'S ALWAYS A THANK YOU.
THEY, SOMETIMES THEY STOP AT THE DESK AND SAY THANK YOU AND ASK US QUESTIONS.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN WELL RECEIVED.
AND, UH, SINCE WE LAUNCHED THE SEED LIBRARY, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD TWO CLASSES SO FAR.
AND THE FIRST CLASS WAS, UH, FALL GARDENING, AND WE HAD A MASTER GARDENER COME AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT HOW TO START A FALL GARDEN.
AND THAT CLASS WAS WELL ATTENDED.
WE HAD 28 ADULTS CAME TO THE CLASS AND THEY WERE FROM ALL OVER GALLUP, WHICH WAS REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE I HAD CONVERSATIONS
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WITH SOME OF THEM AND THEY WERE LIKE, "MY MOM HAS A GARDEN IN MESQUITE IN HER BACKYARD.I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT." SO WHEN I SAW THIS CLASS, I DECIDED TO COME TO THE CLASS AND SEE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
AND THEN WE HAVE HAD A COMPOSTING CLASS THAT WAS DONE BY SANITATION, AND THAT ONE HAD ABOUT, I THINK, FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE.
AND SO IT'S ALSO, THIS SEED LIBRARY IS ALSO PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND ALSO FOR THEM, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE IN THERE, THEY WERE TALKING AMONG THEMSELVES, SO THEY ARE SHARING KNOWLEDGE.
IN, IN MOST CASES, WHEN PEOPLE COME TO THOSE CLASSES AND THEY DON'T HAVE A LIBRARY CARD, THEY END UP HAVING A LIBRARY CARD BECAUSE IF THEY TALK TO ME, I'LL NOT LET THEM LEAVE WITHOUT ME.
SO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, UH, BRINGS PEOPLE THAT WOULD NOT MAYBE TYPICALLY COME TO THE LIBRARY, EVEN THOUGH THEY LIVE IN THE AREA, BUT THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE NEED TO COME.
NOW THEY WANNA COME BECAUSE THEY WANNA EITHER TAKE THE CLASS WITH THE MASTER GARDENER OR SEE ABOUT THE SEEDS.
SO IT'S A VERY GOOD, UM, ADDITION TO WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
AND THEN IN, IN, UH, IN THE COMING SEASON, WHICH IS THE WINTER, WE HAVE A CLASS SCHEDULED WITH A MASTER GARDENER.
IT'S GONNA BE ON JANUARY 9TH, AND HE'S GONNA SH - TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO START SEEDS INDOORS SO THAT THEY CAN GET THEM STARTED.
AND THEN WHEN IT STARTS TO WARM UP, THEN THEY CAN GO OUTSIDE AND PLANT.
AND IN THE SPRING, WE HAVE A CLASS PLANNED FOR A MASTER GARDENER AGAIN TO COME AND TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO PLANT WHAT THEY STARTED A SEED, PLANTED OUTSIDE.
SO WE HAVE ALL OF THAT, UH, SCHEDULED.
AND THEN, UH, FUTURE, UH, OPPOR - GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES, WE HOPE TO EXPAND, UH, THE SEED CO- COLLECTION THROUGH CONTINUED COMMUNITY SEED DONATION AND LOCAL GARDENING ORGANIZATION.
SO WE'LL STILL CONTINUE TO ACCEPT DONATIONS AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET MORE VARIETY THAT'S GONNA BE DONATED TO US.
AND THEN, UH, STRATEGIC, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL GARDENING CLUBS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.
SO WE ALREADY KIND OF, NOT REALLY PARTNERING WITH THE MASTER GARDENER, BUT THEY ARE PROVIDING MOST OF OUR CLASSES.
SO I JUST REACH OUT TO THEM AND THEY'LL SEND A MASTER GARDENER TO COME AND TEACH A CLASS.
AND THEN, UH, SKILL BUILDING WORKSHOPS AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF SEED LIBRARY RESOURCES.
SO WE'LL STILL CONTINUE TO ADD MORE SKILL BUILDING WORKSHOPS FOR THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY CAN BE EQUIPPED TO PLANT THE SEEDS THAT THEY COME AND GET FROM THE LIBRARY.
WE DON'T WANNA JUST GIVE THEM SEEDS AND NOT GIVE THEM THE SKILLS.
SO WE WANNA EQUIP THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE ABLE TO GROW SUCCESSFULLY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THEM.
UM - I HEAR YOU SAYING SEEDS, BUT WHAT ABOUT BULBS LIKE IRIS BULBS, YOU KNOW, THEY GROW ABUNDANTLY IN THE DOWNTOWN GARLAND AREA.
THEY STARTED AT MIKE HASLIB'S GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE 1500 YEARS AGO, BUT THEY, THEY MULTIPLY VERY EASILY.
BUT YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE A CUTTING OF THE ROOT.
COULD, COULD WE BRING SOME AND DONATE SOME? I THINK SO.
WE WERE, WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THIS IS WHEN THEY GET PLANTED.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THE, UH, WE HAVEN'T, UH, HAD ANY DONATIONS OF BULBS OF ANY KIND THUS FAR, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T ACCEPT THE DONATIONS OF, OF BULBS, ESPECIALLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE AMARILLOS AND DIFFERENT, UH, WHAT IS IT? THE CALLADIUMS AND DIFFERENT - WHO TAKE THEM? YES.
AS LONG AS THEY'RE IDENTIFIED.
BECAUSE WE HAVE, THE GUIDELINES FOR DONATING IS YOU HAVE TO TELL US WHAT IT IS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA JUST GIVE THINGS AT RADLE.
THERE'S A DONATION FORM THAT YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE WHEN YOU COME.
SO HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL DONATE SOME BULBS AND IF THEY DON'T, MAYBE WE'LL PLAN TO BUY SOME.
WE WERE TALKING, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK TOO, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE, OUR STORES ARE RATHER LOW RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT SOME MARKETING AND SOME DIFFERENT THINGS TO DO TO ENCOURAGE DONATIONS.
IF IT'S NOT JUST A ONE-TIME THING, IT'S A CONTINUAL THING.
YOU'VE GROWN, PROSPERED, NOW, YOU KNOW - SHARE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS.
I CAN REALLY TELL THAT YOU LOVE...
[00:30:01]
REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT IT.UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
SO THE MASTER GARDENERS WHO TEACH THE COURSES, ARE THEY VOLUNTEERS? MM-HMM.
WE GIVE THEM AN HONORARIUM, UH, THEY SUGGEST ON THEIR WEBSITE.
UM, I THINK IT'S USUALLY LIKE $100 HONORARIUM WHICH IS SENT TO THEM.
UM, AND THEN I KNOW BECAUSE SEEDS AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE IRIS BULBS AND EVERYTHING, SO THEY, UH, DO YOU KEEP OUT LIKE WHAT'S IN SEASON OR IS EVERYTHING AVAILABLE ALL THE, ALL THE TIME? WE HAVE EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE, WE TRIED TO HAVE THE FOUR SEEDS, BUT THEN WE WERE RUNNING OUT, SO WE HAVE NOW EVERYTHING, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.
LIKE THAT'S THE DONATION THAT WE HAVE.
SO AT A FUTURE POINT WHEN YOU GET MORE DONATIONS, IT MIGHT BE LIKE ROTATING? YEAH.
IF WE END UP HAVING A LOT OF LIKE SEEDS FOR THIS PARTICULAR SEASON, THEN WE WILL REVISIT HOW WE ARE DOING IT AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE IF WE ARE GONNA JUST DO THE SPRING, THE FALL.
UH, BUT WE ARE STILL LIKE LEARNING.
WE ARE CHANGING SOME THINGS, WE ADOPTING SOME NEW THINGS.
SO RIGHT NOW IT'S, UH, EVERYTHING IS OUT THERE.
YEAH, BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT LOUIS, YOUR, YOUR IR - YOUR IRIS BULB SUGGESTION BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, DIG THEM UP AND KEEP THEM OUT INDEFINITELY.
THERE HAS TO BE A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD OR YOU HAVE TO KEEP THEM COOL, I THINK, AND DAFFODILS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE SOMEWHERE.
FOR A WHILE, YOU DON'T WANNA JUST SIT THERE AND DRY OUT.
I THINK IF WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE'LL DO LIKE A QUICK MARKETING SOMETHING.
SO WE HAVE THIS PUT OUT A SOCIAL PODCAST.
I THINK NORTH HAVEN GARDENS HAS LIKE THEIR, THEIR IRIS DAY OR WEEKEND OR SOMETHING WHERE EVERYBODY JUST GOES AND GETS ALL THE IRIS BULBS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE PURCH - IF YOU DETERMINE THAT YOU NEED TO PURCHASE SOME INVENTORY, IS THAT A GENERAL FUND BUDGET ITEM OR IS THAT SOMETHING THE FRIENDS ARE HELPING WITH? UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE EVEN CONTEMPLATED THAT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD TO PURCHASE ANY SEEDS THUS FAR.
I HEARD HER SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT Y'ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER TO PURCHASE AND I WAS LIKE, IS THAT BUDGET? DO WE NEED HELP? IT, UH, WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT DOWN THE ROAD.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION AT THIS POINT, BUT...
WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT IS TALKING TO SHANNON AT ROACH FEED AND SEED, UH, AND SEEING SHE, YOU KNOW, MIGHT LIKE A DONATION.
SHE MIGHT FIND THIS REAL INTRIGUING.
I BELIEVE SHE'S, UH, DONATED SOME OF THE SEEDS AT THE BEGINNING TO, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE PROJECT.
BUT WE, WE DEFINITELY WANNA KEEP HER A PART OF THE, THE PROCESS FOR SURE.
ANOTHER INTERESTING SEED IS BECAUSE GARLAND IS THROUGH THAT TWO MILE STRIP OF, OF PECANS ALL THE WAY UP INTO OKLAHOMA.
UH, A PECAN THAT COMES OFF OUR TREES, IF, IF IT GETS PLANTED, WE'LL PRODUCE A NEW PECAN TREE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST, BUT, UH, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY COULD CRACK THEM OPEN AND EAT THEM.
UH, WHEN WE GET SEEDS, WE DO THE RESEARCH TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED BEFORE WE PUT IT OUT, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S NOT A STOREBOARD PACKET.
SO WE ARE DOING THE RESEARCH AND MAKING SURE THAT WE KNOW AS MUCH AS IS AVAILABLE FROM A REPUTABLE SOURCE.
UH, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
IT'S VERY, VERY NATIVE TO THIS AREA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.
I WAS, UH, I DIDN'T REALIZE INITIALLY THAT CONGRESS, UH, COUNCILMAN DUTTON WAS PART OF THIS.
AND I SPOKE TO HER AT SOME GRAND OPENING OR OTHER, AND SHE JUST LIT UP WITH ENTHUSIASM.
AND IT WAS JUST REALLY NICE TO KNOW THAT THERE'S, WE HAVE SUCH AN ADVOCATE FOR THE LIBRARY SYSTEM ON OUR COUNCIL.
AND NOT THAT, NOT THAT I WAS SURPRISED, BUT I HADN'T EXPERIENCED THAT WITH HER.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY NICE.
SO OUR FINAL ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION IS THE RECAP OF THE LIBRARY'S INITIATIVES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
[00:35:05]
WE CAN CAME IN EACH OTHER'S WATER.SO, UH, I WANTED TO, WE, UH, NEXT MONDAY WE ALSO GET TO DO OUR ANNUAL UPDATE, UM, BOARD UPDATE TO CITY COUNCIL THAT WE GET TO, TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD HAS DONE.
UM, AND MS. TERRY IS GONNA, UH, HELP ME WITH THE PRESENTATION WILL BE, UH, KAREN.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO RUN THROUGH SOME OF THE, THE BIG, UM, THE BIG THINGS JUST TO HIGHLIGHT ALL THE WORK.
AND I'M NOT GONNA, UH, POINT OUT BECAUSE I THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU BRING FORTH TO HELP MAKE US, UM, THE, THE GUIDANCE, THE FEEDBACK, THE, THE HELP, UM, ALL OF THE HANDS-ON THINGS THAT YOU DO, UH, THE ADVOCACY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT HOW THAT SHOWS UP IN OUR PROGRAMS, OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND THE NUMBERS, WHICH I THINK, I HOPE YOU'RE AS EXCITED ABOUT AS I AM TO SHOW YOU ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
SO WE'LL GLOSS OVER A, A COUPLE OF THESE THINGS, BUT, UM, THE BIG TAKEAWAYS FROM FISCAL YEAR 26 WERE BUILDING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND COLLECTIONS, ADVANCING LIBRARY FACILITIES AND PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.
AND YOU ALL HAD A HUGE HAND IN ALL FOUR OF THOSE THINGS.
SO BUILDING COMMUNITY, UH, WE ACTIVATED CENTRAL AND WEST GARLAND LIBRARIES.
UH, WE OFFERED TONS OF DIFFERENT MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMS AND VISITS, UH, FOR FAMILIES.
ADULTS PARTICIPATED IN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT WAS ARTS RELATED, IT WAS A BOOK CLUB, IT WAS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT.
THERE WAS LITERALLY SOMETHING PROVIDED AT EVERY...
WELL, THIS IS JUST CENTRAL AND WEST, UH, PROVIDED AT CENTRAL AND WEST TO REALLY HELP ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO, UH, WITH THE CREATIVE LEARNING WITH ALL SORTS OF, UM, DIFFERENT AGES COMING IN, EXPLORING NEW HOBBIES, I THINK THE MAKER SPACES WERE REALLY PIVOTAL IN THAT AND, UM, GETTING PEOPLE TO COME IN AND MAYBE SOMEONE WHO HAD NEVER USED A SEWING MACHINE BEFORE, UH, A LASER CUTTER BEFORE, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE DEVELOPING A NEW SKILL, BUILDING A PROTOTYPE FOR A BUSINESS, UH, ENGAGING IN SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE ALL AT THE LIBRARY.
UM, WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS AT CENTRAL AND WEST TO BRING SOME OF THESE CLASSES FORTH.
AND, AND WEST HAS PARTNERED WITH, UH, HOLLABAUGH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES ON SOME JOINT PROGRAMS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
BUT JUST ALL IN ALL, THE CHART SHOWS YOU THE, THE USAGE OF SOME OF THOSE SPECIAL SPACES WITH MAKERSPACE STUDY ROOMS, SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR, AND THE RECORDING STUDIO, AND HOW THAT, UH, IT, IT'S NOT A SMALL THING.
THOSE ARE NOT SMALL NUMBERS FOR THOSE SPACES.
I THINK IT'S PRETTY AMAZING TO SEE TOO AT, UH, WEST GARLAND, UM, THE AMOUNT THAT THE, THE MAKERSPACE AND THE STUDY ROOM, UM, WAS USED AT THOSE SPACES.
SO WE ALSO, UH, ALONG WITH BUILDING COMMUNITY LIBRARY OUTREACH, UM, YOU AND I, YOU ARE A PART OF IT, LAUNCHING OUR MULTIFAMILY PILOT PROJECT, DELIVERING LIBRARY SERVICES OUT TO HIGH NEED MULTIFAMILY COMMUNITIES.
WE'VE, UH, JUST LAUNCHED PHASE TWO OF THAT PROGRAM AND WORKING WITH SOME DIFFERENT MULTIFAMILIES AND EVEN TAKING SOME LITERACY KITS OUT TO THOSE MULTIFAMILY, UH, UNITS FOR, UM, CHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO BOOKS, MANIPULATIVES, AND THINGS TO HELP BUILD THEIR LITERACY SKILLS.
UM, WE ALSO COLLABORATED WITH GISD, UM, IN THEIR, UM, SUMMER NUTRITION PROGRAM.
SO THEY ACTUALLY TOOK THEIR SUMMER NUTRITION PROGRAM OUT TO SOME, UH, MULTIFAMILY, UM, FACILITIES DURING THE SUMMER, AND WE GOT TO BE A PART OF THAT AND TAKE LIBRARY SERVICES TO THOSE, TO THAT PROGRAM.
WE CONTINUED WITH SYSTEM-WIDE PROGRAM.
Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT ONE BOOK ONE GARLAND AND, AND THE SUCCESS THAT THAT WAS, UH, THAT OUR THIRD ANNUAL ONE BOOK ONE GARLAND, OUR SECOND ANNUAL CURIOSITY FEST WAS A LOCAL, UH, BOOK FESTIVAL, OUR GARLAND BOOK FESTIVAL, AND THEN WE, UM, RELAUNCHED OR KIND OF REDID THE ANNUAL CLUB CURIOSITY, THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM.
UM, IF YOU WERE THERE, UH, FOR THE KICKOFF OF CLUB CURIOSITY, IT WAS WILD
[00:40:01]
FAMILIES, THERE, THERE WASN'T A QUIET SPACE AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY INSIDE OR OUTSIDE, OR AN EASY PLACE TO PARK IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.UM, I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THOUGH IS EXPANDING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
SO, UH, WE HAVE MADE CONNECTIONS AND STARTED A PARTNER WITH ALTRUSA, UM, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS WITH SOME STEM PROGRAMS, UM, HOPE AUTISM CLINIC, UM, EMPOWER THE VOICE, WHICH IS A REALLY GREAT, UM, LOCAL, UH, NONPROFIT THAT WORKS WITH, UH, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
UM, WE'VE, NOT NEW PARTNERS, BUT GISD AND REALLY, UH, TAKING SOME DIFFERENT PROJECTS, DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, UH, COLLABORATIVE EVENTS OUT FOR THEIR, UH, EARLY, UM, AND PRESCHOOL AGE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
AND THEN ACTUALLY HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL DALLAS COLLEGE EVENT, UM, IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH THE SECOND ONE, UM, SCHEDULED FOR THE, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S IN FEBRUARY THAT TARGETS NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS AND TRYING TO, UH, TO HELP PEOPLE BETTER UNDERSTAND THE, THE PROCESS THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO, TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION AND THEIR SKILLSET.
UM, I DO WANNA PAUSE AND SAY SOME OF THOSE CONNECTIONS WERE, WERE HELPED BY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, BOTH PRESENT AND FORMER BOARD MEMBERS.
SO THOSE CONNECTIONS THAT YOU HAVE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING US MAKE THOSE, UM, PARTNERSHIPS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND REALLY VALUED.
SO NUDGE, NUDGE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO THAT
UM, WE'RE ALSO, UH, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAMS, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE ABLE TO FUND THOSE THINGS.
AND WE WERE AWARDED ALMOST $74,000 IN GRANT FUNDS LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS PRETTY COOL.
SO PROGRAMS AND COLLECTIONS, WE REVAMPED THE EARLY LITERACY AND PARENT ENGAGEMENT.
UM, WELL, THE THOUSAND BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM LAUNCHED GARLAND START SMART PROGRAM, UH, WHICH THERE'LL BE A UPDATE COMING, UM, MAY NOT BE DECEMBER, MAYBE JANUARY FOR THAT PROGRAM BEFORE THE SECOND COHORT STARTS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE REARRANGED THE CHILDREN'S, UM, PICTURE BOOK COLLECTION INTO NEIGHBORHOODS INSTEAD OF BY TRADITIONAL AUTHORS.
THAT CIRCULATION CONTINUES TO JUST GROW, UH, STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM, UH, ESPECIALLY AT, AT SOUTH AND AT CENTRAL OF JUST EMPTY SHELVES OF BOOKS IN THOSE CHILDREN'S AREAS, UH, FROM THE, THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE BEING CHECKED OUT.
IT'S AN AWESOME PROBLEM TO HAVE.
AND THOSE BOOKS ARE IN THE HANDS OF CHILDREN.
AND THEN ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL TEEN, UM, SERVICES PROGRAMS WITH THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, UM, FOR TEENS.
UH, I THINK THAT'S, TEENS ARE HARD TO PROGRAM FOR, UH, BUT THAT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM GETS THEM IN, GETS THEM PLUGGED IN.
SOMETIMES IT'S THE, THE DOOR THEY NEED OR THE, THE START THAT THEY NEED FOR THEM TO FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING IN THE LIBRARY.
THEY NEED SERVICE HOURS, WE NEED HELP, SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT MATCH.
WE'VE LAUNCHED ALL NEW OR ALL SORTS OF AMAZING THINGS THIS YEAR.
AGAIN, WITH YOUR HELP AND YOUR GUIDANCE AND, AND HELPING US WITH THE, THE PARAMETERS AROUND SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS, THE SEED LIBRARY THAT WE JUST HEARD ABOUT, THE LOCAL AUTHOR COLLECTION, UM, SOME OF THE, THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE OFFERED ALL THROUGHOUT THE, UM, THE, UH, THE SYSTEM.
AGAIN, WHEN, WHEN WE'RE IN THESE MEETINGS, WHEN WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE THE, YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT Y'ALL ARE, UM, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE HAVING WITH YOUR, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND BRINGING THOSE CONCERNS TO US HELPS US BE ABLE TO BETTER PROGRAM FOR THE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND PROGRAMMING IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE ACROSS THE, UH, SYSTEM AS WELL AND HAVE RECENTLY LAUNCHED, AS YOU KNOW, THE ADAPTIVE PROGRAMMING SERVICES WITH THE COMMITTEE AND THEN ADJUSTING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE'RE OFFERING AT OUR, UM, LIBRARY LOCATIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR, UM, ADAPTABILITY AND PILOTED THE SENSORY HOUR AT THE LIBRARY, UM, PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
ADVANCING LIBRARY FACILITIES, WEST GARLAND OPENED, UH, TECHNICALLY OCTOBER 25TH.
UM, IT EARNED NATIONAL RECOGNITION IN AMERICAN LIBRARIES, UH, AND THE DESIGN SHOWCASE.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON NORTH, STILL WORKING ON SOUTH, UM, BUT IT'S, WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.
WE'RE GONNA GET PUSHING BOTH ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
AND THEN OUR BIG, BIG, BIG LEFTOVER THIS LAST YEAR, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE AND UPDATING OUR, UM, LIBRARY STRATEGIC
[00:45:01]
PLAN THAT WE'LL PUT IN PLACE WITH THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.UH, THAT ALL OF YOU WERE A PART OF THAT SURVEYS, TALKING WITH PEOPLE, COMING TO STAKEHOLDERS MEETINGS, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT TYPE OF THINGS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK.
IF YOU VOLUNTEERED FOR ANY OF THOSE OUTREACH EVENTS OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
UM, AND HELPING US, UH, I THINK LASTLY WITH SOME OF THE, THE HARD DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE ON, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.
HOW ARE WE USING OUR FUNDS? ARE WE USING OUR FUNDS IN THE BEST WAY? AND THEN HELPING WITH THOSE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE OF PICKING UP A NEW SERVICE, UM, SUNSETTING A SERVICE, TRANSITIONING FROM POINT A TO POINT B TO BETTER USE THE DOLLARS IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE.
AND THIS GIVES YOU KIND OF A QUICK GLANCE AT JUST THE NUMBERS PART.
SO SOME PEOPLE LOVE THE WORDS AND SOME PEOPLE LOVE THE NUMBERS AND YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, FROM ONE FISCAL YEAR TO ANOTHER, BUT I, I INCLUDED FISCAL YEAR 19, UM, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S THE LAST, UH, NORMAL YEAR THAT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM HAS HAD SINCE, UH, CONSTRUCTION, PANDEMIC, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON.
SO WE'RE MOSTLY UP WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, I THINK THIS YEAR OUR, UM, DIGITAL CIRCULATION WAS DOWN BY, I THINK, LESS THAN 1%, BUT THAT MAKES SENSE SINCE WEST AND CENTRAL WERE OPEN AND THE PHYSICAL COLLECTION INCREASED.
BUT ALL OF YOU HAVE A HAND IN THE GUIDING, THE FEEDBACK, THE HELP, UH, THE PROMOTION, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS THAT YOU DO ON A REGULAR BASIS IN THE SUCCESS THAT, THAT WE HAVE.
AND OUR INCREDIBLE LIBRARY TEAM AS WELL, YOU KNOW?
AND WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
UH, THE PASSION THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOR YOUR MISSION IS JUST BEAUTIFUL TO BEHOLD, AND Y'ALL DO AN AMAZING JOB.
UM, I KNOW ENOUGH TO KNOW IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO GET THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED AND Y'ALL JUST PLOW THROUGH, PUT YOUR HEARTS IN IT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
H- HOW DO WE ORGANIZE GETTING GRANTS? IS THIS A HIT AND MISS, YOU KNOW, OR DO WE HAVE A PATTERN, A PLAN? I WILL SAY WE HAVE NOT HAD A PATTERN OR A PLAN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LIBRARY OUTREACH.
UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE NEEDED, WE'VE KNOWN THAT WE'VE NEEDED, AND THE ONLY WAY THAT THAT WAS GONNA BE FUNDED WAS THROUGH A GRANT.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS ON THE HUNT FOR GRANTS.
UM, BUT THERE'S SEVERAL OF US THAT EITHER SIGN UP FOR LISTSERVS, WE SIGN UP WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP, UM, PROMOTE DIFFERENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, FOUNDATION OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND SO WE TRY TO, UH, LOOK AT WHAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
HOW MUCH WORK IS THE GRANT GOING TO BE TO ADMINISTER, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S NOT WORTH THE, THE COST OF WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE GETTING.
UM, AND DOES IT ALIGN WITH PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE, WE NEED FUNDS FOR? KIND OF ON YOUR, THE CITY REALLY HAS NO ORGANIZED MECHANISM TO SECURE GRANTS.
UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I'M BUILDING UP TO IS, UM, THE WEALTHIEST PERSON.
THE CITY IT'S, UH, I THINK EACH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT PROBABLY HAS SOMEBODY THAT HELPS WRITE THE GRANTS.
LIKE WE, WE HAVE SOMEBODY INTERNALLY THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ENJOY THE GRANT WRITING PROCESS.
UM, BUT THERE IS, UH, IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THERE'S SOMEONE WHO OVERSEES THE GRANTS PROCESS, UM, FOR, FOR THE CITY AS WELL AS I THINK, UH, WITH SOME OF THE FEDERAL FUNDS, THERE'S A SEPARATE PERSON WHO DOES THAT.
SO IT'S, WE'RE NOT, UM, JUST - WILLY-NILLY.
WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, SOMEONE IN FINANCE TO, TO HELP SET THOSE THINGS UP AND WORK THROUGH THOSE PARAMETERS.
WHAT I WAS DRIVING AT WAS, UM, THE WEALTHIEST PERSON TO EVER COME OUT OF GARLAND.
[00:50:02]
AND HER HUSBAND IS BILLIONAIRE, BILLIONAIRE TIMES OVER AND SHE DROPS CHECKS ALL OVER THE MIDWEST AT ALL MUSEUMS AND ALL KINDS.I MEAN, THREE MILLION DOLLAR, FIVE MILLION DOLLAR, FOUR MILLION DOLLAR.
AND WE GOT HER TO COME ONE YEAR, UM, TO AN EVENT.
AND, UH, SO WE SAID TO BRIAN, UH, WHEN HE WAS CITY MANAGER, "CAN, CAN WE DO SOMETHING TO GET HER TO, LIKE, UH, DONATE THE FUNDS FOR OUR, OUR SQUARE OR SOMETHING?" AND, UH, HE SAID, "WE DON'T HAVE ANY, WE DON'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS." AND I WENT, "GOSH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST HAVE SAID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO - YEAH.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO WRITE A CHECK FOR FIVE MILLION FOR GARLAND?" I WILL SAY, IF, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE A L - UH, A LEARNING MOMENT TO LEARN HOW TO DO THAT, I MEAN - YEAH.
UH, IF, IF, IF THEY WANNA SIGN A CHECK ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH TWO COMMAS IN IT, WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO,
IT, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE SHE WAS A, UH, RO - A RODEO PRINCESS, RODEO QUEEN, WHATEVER IT WAS, AND VERY CAUGHT UP IN THE GISD, UH, FACILITY THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
THAT WAS ANOTHER SUGGESTION WE HAD, AND EVERYBODY JUST,
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T YOU WRITE A CHECK AND PAY 16 BILLION TO BUILD US A NEW, UH, A- AGRICULTURAL CENTER? YOU KNOW, BIG NONPROFITS HAVE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE GEARED TOWARD CULTIVATING THOSE CONTACTS.
AND IT, THEY'RE DEVELOPMENT PEOPLE.
IT'S WHAT THEY'RE CALLED IS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS.
AND THEY CULTIVATE THE CONTACTS, THEY CONNECT THE CONTACTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE NEED AND, AND THEY SPEND SOME MONEY TO GET THAT MONEY.
BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT IT.
I'VE NEVER BEEN ON THAT END OF IT.
AND I THINK THE CLOSEST THING THE CITY HAS TO A DEPARTMENT WHO MIGHT UNDERSTAND SOME OF THOSE PROCESSES IS, I FORGET, THEY'VE RENAMED THIS DEPARTMENT 500 TIMES.
IT MAY BE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, BECAUSE THEY WORK WITH A LOT OF FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS. MOST OF THAT DEPARTMENT IS GRANT FUNDED.
AND, BUT FEDERAL IS DIFFERENT THAN - YES.
IT'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS AND IT TAKES DIFFERENT SKILL SETS AND ABILITIES TO CULTIVATE.
IT TAKES A LOT MORE WORK TO CULTIVATE THOSE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE THAN TO GO THROUGH WHATEVER ESTABLISHED GRANT PROGRAMS THERE ARE.
NOW, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S ANY LESS WORK TO GET THEIR ATTENTION, BUT IT'S JUST DIFFERENT SKILL SETS.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ARE THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE MOST ABOUT WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES.
WE'LL INVITE HER BACK AND TRY TO -
WHERE, WHO? THE HOUSE WHERE THE, THE ONE THAT'S SOUTH OF WHERE, OF YOUR HOUSE.
UH, THAT, THAT, THE ORIGINAL FAMILY THAT LIVED THERE.
AND, UH, IT'S JUST KIND OF INTERESTING.
BUT SHE CAME BACK AND SHE JUST WAS VERY CAUGHT UP IN EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY JUST SORT OF STOOD AROUND WITH THEIR FINGER IN THEIR EARS
AND, AND I KEPT SAYING, "SOMEBODY SAY."
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
UM, SO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST FOR A FUTURE AGENDA? I HAVE ONE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THE KIOSKS NOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN IN PLACE FOR A WHILE.
UM, THEIR STATUS AND USAGE, GOOD, BAD, UGLY.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT REQUEST? I'LL SECOND THAT.
THE REQUEST HAS BEEN SECONDED, SO WE WILL COORDINATE WITH STAFF ABOUT SCHEDULING THAT ITEM.
ANY OTHER REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS?
[00:55:04]
ALL RIGHT.SO IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
OUR MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 6:55 PM.