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GOOD.[Library Board on February 7, 2024.]
OUR LEADING TO ORDER AT FIVE 30.WE'LL, MS. G, WILL YOU TAKE ROLL PLEASE? I SURE WILL.
UM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WAS SENT IN AND NO ONE HERE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I MOVE THAT WE, UH, UM, SEPARATE THE WARRANTS.
SO YOU, UH, MOTION YOU MOVE TO APPROVE ITEMS ONE AND TWO.
UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AND THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 3RD.
OH, DO I DO THAT? YES, YES, YES.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO, UM, THE APPROVAL OF THE WARRANTS.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE, UM, UH, IF YOU COULD GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE PARKS PASS DECEMBER OUTING.
SO THE PARKS PASS WAS PART OF OUR GRANT, UH, FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY THAT JUST ENDED, UM, I BELIEVE IN MARCH.
AND IT WAS PART OF THE, UM, FRIENDS PAYING FOR THE, UM, REFRESHMENTS IN THE MORNING BEFORE THEY SET OUT ON THEIR PARK PASS ADVENTURE FOR THE DAY.
AND THIS SHOULD BE THE LAST ONE I, WE SEE, I BELIEVE.
SO WHERE, WHAT PARK DID THEY GO TO THAT DAY? I BELIEVE THEY WENT TO BEVO PARK.
SO THEY DID BEVO PARK AND THEY DID OLD TOWN AS THE TWO TRIAL, UH, STOPS ON THE TROLLEY.
I, I MOVED THAT WE APPROVED THE WARRANTS.
IS THERE, ARE THERE NO AMOUNTS FOR DECEMBER FOR THE ALLSTATE WITH SECURITY? IT WAS LISTED THERE.
THERE'S NO, UH, WELL, BECAUSE, UH, I BELIEVE BECAUSE WE HAVE A, A SPLIT MONTH IN DECEMBER, IT MIGHT'VE JUST CARRIED OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND THEN INTO JANUARY, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A GUARD FOR SEVERAL WEEKS DURING THAT TIME BECAUSE WE PAID THE, UH, WHAT DO THEY CALL IT AGAIN? THE, UH, THE FURLOUGH.
WE BEEN SECONDED TO APPROVE THE, UH, JANUARY 20, 24 WARDS.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS, AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THIS GRANT FROM CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY FOR THE LUNCH PROGRAM IF THEY WANNA GIVE US MORE MONEY.
I KNOW, RIGHT? UH, SO I CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE, UH, AS YOU HAVE THE, UH, STAFF REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, AS WELL AS THE AWARD LETTER, UM, FROM CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY.
UH, SO IT IS A GRANT CALLED LUNCH AT THE LIBRARY.
AND ESSENTIALLY WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH A NONPROFIT CALLED KEVIN'S WINDOW TO PROVIDE US WITH FREE, UH, LUNCHES FOR THE STU OUR KIDS OVER THE SUMMER FROM ZERO TO 18.
UH, AND THEN WE WILL DO IT AS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM.
SO WE WILL HAVE PERFORMERS, WE WILL HAVE CRAFTS, WE WILL HAVE AFTER SCHOOL OR, UM, ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, AND THEN AS WELL AS, UM, HAVE THEM, UM, BE PART OF OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM AS PART OF THE OVERALL PACKAGE.
AND IT'S REALLY TO HELP, UH, ALLEVIATE THOSE, YOU KNOW, OVER SUMMER HUNGER THAT YOU GET FOR THE KIDS WHO, YOU KNOW, DON'T GO TO SCHOOL OR DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, TO GET THE FOOD THAT THEY NEED.
ARE, ARE WE OKAY WITH THE, UM, THIS SEC THIS PART OF THE, UH, UM, MINUTES, UM, BEING AMENDED? SO THIS WAS, THIS WAS AMENDED BECAUSE, UH, WHEN I ORIGINALLY WROTE THE STAFF REPORT, PROBABLY WE HADN'T RECEIVED OUR OFFICIAL LETTER YET.
AND SO WE AMENDED IT TO SHOW THAT IT WAS IN THREE SEPARATE PAYMENTS AS IN, AS OPPOSED TO ONE, UH, CHUNK.
I I WAS JUST WONDERING IF IT, IF IT FITS.
IT DOES, IT DIDN'T FIT IN WITHIN THAT 72 HOUR REQUIREMENT.
SO WE, WE DID, UM, WE DID SPEAK TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND MADE SURE THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE AS LONG AS WE HAD THE ORIGINAL AND THEN THE AMENDED VERSION WITH THE RED PART SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT.
AND WILL THE GRANT COVER THE ENTIRE COST OF THE PROGRAM? SO THE GRANT IS $25,000 AND IT DOES COVER THE ENTIRE
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COST OF THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING PERFORMERS, SUPPLIES, UM, MARKETING MATERIALS, ALL OF THAT, AND DOES COVER THE LUNCHES, THE FOOD.SO THE LUNCHES, UM, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH A COMPANY CALLED TABS WINDOW.
THEY'RE A NONPROFIT, SO THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE PROVIDING ALL OF THE LUNCHES AND THE TRAINING FOR STAFF, UM, FOR FOOD HANDLERS TRAININGS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, WHICH IS LOVELY.
AND, AND WHAT WILL THE LIBRARY DO TO, UH, PUBLICIZE THIS? SO, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA DO IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH SUMMER READING, IT'S GONNA KIND OF BE LIKE A LARGER SCALE PROGRAM.
SO AS WE ROLL OUT SOME READING, IT WILL BE PART OF OUR TRADITIONAL, UM, PROGRAMMING LINEUP.
AND THEN WHEN WE DO PRO, YOU KNOW, GO OUT TO THE SCHOOLS TO PROMOTE IT, WE'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, MARKETING MATERIALS, UM, LANYARDS, PENCILS, THINGS LIKE THAT TO, YOU KNOW, HELP KID KIDS EXCITED.
WE'RE GONNA DO BANNERS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS TO KIND OF TIE IT ALL IN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE WORD THAT THERE IS FOOD AVAILABLE FOR THE KIDS DURING SUMMER.
IS THERE A CATHOLIC STUDENT AT THE MAXIMUM OR IS IT ONGOING BASIS? UH, SO THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA WORK FOR 10 WEEKS FOR THE, JUST FOR THE SUMMER PERIOD.
UM, THEY, I KNOW THE COMPANY DOES DO IT YEAR ROUND, BUT BECAUSE THE SCHOOL WILL BACK IN SESSION, IT'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HARD TO HAVE DOUBLES.
UM, BUT THE, THE CAP FOR THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO CAN ATTEND EACH EACH, UM, LUNCH IS, THERE'S NO CAP.
SO WE DISCOVER THAT WE'RE GETTING 40 KIDS, THEY WILL BRING 40 LUNCHES.
IF WE DISCOVER WE'RE GETTING 60 KIDS, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BRING MORE FOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S FED.
AND THEY'RE PROVIDING THE FOOD AT NOT AT OUR COST.
WELL, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT IS A FREE LUNCH SCHOOL.
AND I KNOW AS A TEACHER THAT A LOT OF TIMES THE KIDS DO NOT HAVE FOOD AT HOME.
SO THIS IS REALLY, REALLY AN
I'M GLAD THAT, I'M SO GLAD THAT THE LIBRARY IS ON TOP OF THAT AND, AND RESPONDS TO THOSE, TO THAT OUTREACH.
SO WE NEED, UM, UM, AN ACTION, UM, ON MOTION TO APPROVE THE GRANT.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, LUNCH AT THE LIBRARY.
GRANT SECOND HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO ACCEPT THE LUNCH AT THE LIBRARY GRANT.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, THE PROCESS IS GONNA USE TO SEARCH LIKE HEARING.
SO, UM, I DID, UH, LAST TIME WE SPOKE, WE, I DID SPEAK WITH OUR CITY MANAGER REGARDING THE TWO ITEMS THAT WERE, UM, BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST MEETING.
UH, SO THE PROCESS FOR CITY LIBRARIAN AS OF NOW, LAST NIGHT AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THEY, UM, DID A VOTE TO APPROVE, UM, A CITY LIBRARIAN POSITION.
SO THE LIBRARIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES WILL BE A SEPARATE ENTITY, UM, AS OPPOSED TO ONE.
SO, UM, THEY APPROVE CITY LIBRARIAN AS A NEW POSITION.
AND SO NOW IT IS UP TO THE CITY MANAGER TO DECIDE IF HE'D LIKE TO JUST APPOINT A PERSON OR IF HE'D LIKE TO DO A RECRUITMENT.
UM, AND THAT IS, UM, ENTIRELY UP TO HIM, BUT YOU KNOW, IF HE DOES ASK, HE MAY ASK FOR THE INPUT OF THE BOARD, UM, IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL, WHICH I KNOW HAS BEEN IN THE PAST SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UM, THE CITY MANAGER, CITY LIBRARIAN HAS ED PREVIOUSLY.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE UPDATES ON IT AT THE MOMENT.
OUR CITY MANAGER IS OUT OF TOWN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK.
UM, SO WE MAY FIND OUT SOMETHING, UH, MORE IN THE COMING WEEKS WHEN HE RETURNS.
AND I MIGHT HAVE MORE TO PROVIDE FOR YOU FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
SO, YOU KNOW THAT I SENT IN A COMMENT FOR THE MEETING YESTERDAY AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO OPEN THIS UP, HAVE IT ALL OUT IN THE OPEN, HAVE CANDIDATES APPLY WITH THE JOB DESCRIPTION, WHICH IS GONNA BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE JOB DESCRIPTION FACT PRIOR BECAUSE IT INCLUDED THE COMMUNITY SERVICES MM-HMM.
AND, UM, SO I URGED THE CITY MANAGER BASICALLY TO DO, TO DO THAT PROCESS AND FOR SOMEONE FROM THE BOARD TO BE, TO REPRESENT US THERE AND ALSO SOMEONE FROM THE STAFF OF THE LIBRARY WHO HAD NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN, UM, IN, IN THIS PROCESS.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM, FOR SOMEONE FROM THE LIBRARY STAFF TO BE INVOLVED.
SO I THINK IT'S, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD REALLY, REALLY URGE TO HAPPEN.
SO I, WHEN HE'S, WHEN HE SPEAKS TO ME, I WILL COURSE REITERATE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW HE HAS SEEN YOUR COMMENT AND SO I'LL REITERATE HIM.
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT AND SEE WHAT YOUR FEELINGS ARE ON THAT SO THAT WE CAN, I, I, I LIKE, I LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE SOME, ONE OF OUR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES BE PART OF THE INTERVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE INTERVIEW COMMITTEE, YEAH.
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OKAY.THAT WAS ANOTHER THING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
SO AGAIN, I TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
HE ACTUALLY CAME AND VISITED US AT THE LIBRARY AND WE DID A FULL TOUR OF THE BUILDING AND WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
I MEAN, THE BUILDING IS 20 YEARS OLD NOW, UM, OR NEXT YEAR WILL BE 20 YEARS OLD.
UM, SO WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THE PAINT THAT, YOU KNOW, AREAS THAT NEED TO BE REPAINTED IN THE BUILDING.
WE DISCUSSED, UM, HOW COLD IT IS IN THE BUILDING.
WE DISCUSSED, UM, YOU KNOW, NEW CARPETING, UM, A REFRESH OF WE FURNITURE, CLEANING THE WINDOWS, UM, SORT OF A GENERAL IDEA OF MAINTENANCE.
WE WALKED AROUND, WE DID A TOUR.
WE, THEY HAD A VERY LONG LIST OF ITEMS THAT WE WOULD LIKE ADDRESSED, UM, AND THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE WORKING ON IT.
AND THEY DO HAVE A LIST, UM, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE STORM, THE LIST THAT YOU'RE JUST GIVING US, RIGHT? NOT, YES, THERE, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF OTHER ITEMS, BUT WE DID A VERY THOROUGH WALK AROUND OF, YOU KNOW, THE BATHROOMS NEED A REFRESH, YOU KNOW, THE PAINT NEEDS A REFRESH, WE HAVE LEAKS, YOU KNOW, IN THE CEILING, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED FOR US.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, WITH THE STORM, THINGS KIND OF SHIFTED A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS SORT OF, I THINK, LEAKING AT THIS POINT A LITTLE BIT
UM, SO WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE, BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY KEEPING OURSELVES, UM, IN FACILITIES EYES, LETTING THEM KNOW ANY PROBLEMS THAT ARE ARISING, KEEPING, YOU KNOW, UP TO DATE ON, HEY, WE HAVEN'T SEEN A, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY ACTION ON THIS ITEM IN A WHILE.
UM, THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL WINDOW BROKEN IN THE LIBRARY, UM, DURING THE TU THE MONDAY NIGHT STORM OR TUESDAY MORNING.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THE WINDOW HAS BEEN BOARDED UP, BUT WE ARE GOING TO, WE ASK THE CITY TO PUT TWO CAMERAS IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING SO THAT WE CAN SEE THAT AREA WHERE THE ROCKS IN THE WINDOWS LIVE AND TEND TO BECOME FRIENDS WHEN THEY DEFINITELY DON'T, DON'T WANNA BE FRIENDS.
SO, UM, AND THE CITY IS GOING TO START WORKING ON A, AN IDEA OF MAYBE ANOTHER THING BESIDES THE ROCKS BEING YEAH.
UM, AND THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A GRANT THAT THEY HAD AS A WATER DRAINAGE ISSUE BECAUSE IF YOU NOTICE THERE IS DRAINS IN THE ROCKS.
AND SO THEY HAVE TO THINK OF ALTERNATIVE WAYS.
'CAUSE THE DRAINS FROM THE ROOF GO RIGHT OUT INTO THAT FRONT AREA.
THEY DON'T WANT OBVIOUSLY THE LIBRARY TO, TO FLOOD, IF, YOU KNOW, DID WE HAVE ANY FLOODING ISSUES? UH, WITH THE RECENT STORM THAT DOWNPOUR, WE HAD A, A COUPLE OF FLOODING.
UH, WE HAD A FEW, UM, NEW LEAKS THAT WE HADN'T HAD PREVIOUSLY.
UM, AND THEN WE DID HAVE OUR COMMUNITY ROOM FLOOD, UM, OVER, BECAUSE IT CAME UP OVER THAT RAILING AND INTO THE ROOM.
UM, WE HAVE PUT SANDBAGS THROUGHOUT ALL THE DOORS, SO THAT HAS REALLY HELPED US, UM, KEEP EVERYTHING DRY.
AND THEN WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE ADDITIONAL LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS FAIRLY HARD.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT IT'S BEEN MOSTLY OKAY.
UM, BUT WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M KEEPING THE CITY MANAGER ABREAST OF ANY ISSUES THAT ARE ARISING.
COULD THEY PUT THAT WINDOW IN THE CHILDREN'S AREA ROOM? SO THE, SO THE CHILDREN'S AREA, THERE'S A, THE WINDOW IN THE, UM, CHILDREN'S, UH, LIKE MEETING ROOM THAT IS STILL BROKEN.
AND THEN THE NEW WINDOW THAT IS BROKEN IS THE WINDOW, UH, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LITTLE STORY TIME AREA THAT WE HAVE.
UM, IT HAD LIKE A LITTLE STAIN GLASS LIKE, UM, COVER ON IT, SO THAT ONE'S BROKEN AS WELL.
UM, AND NOW, AND, AND THEN THE CITY MANAGER'S AWARE THAT THERE ARE TWO WINDOWS THAT ARE BROKEN AND THAT WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT EXPEDITED.
WHEN WAS THE, UH, THAT WINDOW BROKEN IN THE CHILDREN'S ROOM? SUMMER? UH, SO THE FIRST ONE WAS BROKEN ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, UH, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND THEN THIS NEW ONE WAS BROKEN JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH WHERE THE ROCKS ARE AND VERY TEMPTING TO PICK THEM UP.
BUT THE REASON FOR THE LONG DELAY IS PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE ISSUES WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICES AND THAT PART OF IT.
UM, I THINK THAT THEY, THEY SAID THERE WAS SOME ISSUES WITH THE VENDOR AND GETTING THAT SPECIFIC KIND OF GLASS WINDOW.
'CAUSE IT'S LIKE A DOUBLE, DOUBLE PANED WINDOW.
I, AND ALSO WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TURNOVER.
OBVIOUSLY BEEN WAITING FOR BEN TO KIND OF TAKE, TAKE THE REINS, BUT I, I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE VENDOR ON THEIR END AND BE ABLE TO ADDRESS WHY IT'S TAKING SIX MONTHS TO GET A REPLACEMENT WINDOW.
AND WE DID, I DID POINT IT OUT
SO IN ORDER TO ADDRESS ALL OF THESE ISSUES, DOES THAT HAVE TO BE REFLECTED IN OUR BUDGET OR DOES THAT COME FROM A DIFFERENT BUDGET? SO THE, THE BUDGET FROM THE LIBRARY IS REALLY, IT'S LIKE GENERAL MAINTENANCE, BUT NOT, YOU KNOW,
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WINDOWS BREAKING.THAT'S SOMETHING THE CITY'S GONNA COVER.
IF WE'RE DOING LIKE A BIGGER PROJECT, THAT'LL, THAT'LL BE AN ASK FROM A GENERAL FUND, LIKE ANY DO APPROPRIATE SOME OF THIS MONEY TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE LIBRARY.
MAYBE IT'S A NEW ROOF, MAYBE IT'S NEW WINDOWS, MAYBE IT'S NEW CARPET.
WE WOULD HAVE AN ASK FROM THEM TO HAVE THAT APPROPRIATED TO THE LIBRARY, UM, AS PART OF OUR, UM, CAPITAL BUDGET, UM, FUNDS.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE WINDOW CLEANING? THAT WOULD BE GENERAL FUNDS AS WELL? SO TECHNICALLY IT'S A FACILITY THING.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO CLEAN THE FACILITY SO THEY, BUT THEY HAVE TO HANDLE, UM, SPECIAL CONTRACTORS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE WINDOWS ARE VERY LARGE.
UM, IT'S THE SAME WITH THE LIGHTS OVERHEAD IN THE LIBRARY THAT FLICKER.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VERY, A SPECIAL COMPANY COME IN ESSENTIALLY AND BE ABLE TO GET A MACHINE TO BRING THEM TO THE, THE CEILING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT, WHICH I'M SURE IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE, WHICH IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
UM, AND, AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY MANAGER INDICATED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT JUST NEED TO CLOSE FOR A COUPLE WEEKS AND THEN HANDLE SORT OF A, A LARGER SCALE.
LIKE, WE'LL CLOSE, WE'LL FIX THE LIGHTS, WE'LL CLEAN THE WINDOWS, WE'LL, YOU KNOW, DO EVERYTHING AT ONE TIME.
UM, AND I WILL CON I WILL, LIKE I SAID, I'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH HIM, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, UM, WHEN HE CAME LAST MONTH, THAT WAS KIND OF WHERE WE LEFT IT.
SO IT WAS JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, UH, RIGHT AFTER THE STORM ACTUALLY.
WELL, I THINK UNLESS WE BRING IT UP AND CONTINUE TO BRING IT UP, IT IS NOT GONNA BE DEALT WITH.
BUT THAT'S WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE.
I THINK IT HAVING TO KEEP THE WARM IN HIS EAR OF, YOU KNOW, HEY, REMEMBER THE LIBRARY LET'S, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THIS PROCESS AND THESE THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE DAMAGED AND BROKEN.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST GONNA HAVE TO BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS ON A, YOU KNOW, REPETITIVE KIND OF REMINDER.
UM, AND, AND EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THINGS WILL START TO HOPEFULLY HAPPEN.
WELL, I GUESS IF WE DON'T HEAR SOMETHING, IF WE DON'T SEE SOME ACTION, WE CAN GO TO THE COUNSELOR OURSELVES.
HAS THE LIBRARY RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS FROM ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY? UH, ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE, LIKE THE KIDS LIT OPEN ROOM WINDOW? UH, WE, WE HAVEN'T REALLY RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS.
WE DID SEE SOME COMPLAINTS WHEN IT WAS VERY, VERY COLD IN THE LIBRARY WHEN THE, UM, HEATER WAS NOT WORKING FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.
UM, LUCKILY THE HEAT, THE HEATING GUY CAME AND WAS ABLE TO SORT OF FIX IT A LITTLE BIT.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, SLIGHTLY WARMER IN THERE.
SO WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY COMPLAINTS SINCE THEN.
UM, BUT WE ALWAYS DO KEEP OUR EYE OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, IF THE COMMUNITY IS CONCERNED WITH, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN ELEMENTS OR THE PAINT FALLING OR UNCOMFORTABLE CHAIRS.
UM, WE DID HAVE SOME, ACTUALLY DURING OUR TOUR, WE DID HAVE SOME PATRONS TELL THE CITY MANAGER HOW HE WOULD, THEY WOULD LIKE MORE COMFORTABLE CHAIRS AND WE NEED NEW TABLES.
SO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PUBLIC AS WE WALKED AROUND, SO THAT'S GOOD.
YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS I THINK GOOD FOR HIM TO HEAR JUST A PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEBODY WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR CONVERSATION.
HE JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN AND LET US KNOW, LIKE, HEY, WE LOVE THE LIBRARY, BUT WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT, YOU KNOW, FRESHENED UP A LITTLE BIT.
ARE THERE, UM, DO YOU KNOW OF ANY PROGRAMS LIKE GRANT PROGRAMS FOR NOT FIXING WINDOWS BUT IMPROVING, YOU KNOW, CHAIR SEATING AREA, THINGS LIKE THAT? SO THERE ARE INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS.
UM, THE LARGEST ONE IS CALLED A, IT'S CALLED BUILDING FORWARD.
UM, AND IT'S, UH, UP TO 10,000 OR $10 MILLION GRANT.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY CHULA VISTA LIBRARY JUST RECEIVED IN, I BELIEVE, OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
IT USUALLY TYPICALLY OPENS SOMETIME IN MARCH.
SO WHEN THAT REOPENS, WE WILL DEFINITELY TRY TO APPLY TO HAVE THOSE THINGS ISSUED TO HELP WITH US.
THERE'S ALSO A GRANT THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY, BUT NOW WE'LL PLAY IT FORWARD, WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT REDESIGNING A CHILDREN'S AREA, UM, TO MAKE IT MORE PLAY FRIENDLY.
UM, AND THAT'S UP TO A $65,000 GRANT.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA PURSUE THAT AS WELL TO, YOU KNOW, UPDATE AND, UM, MAKE OUR CHILDREN'S AREA A LITTLE MORE WELCOMING.
YEAH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER SOMETHING THAT JOYCE TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT HOW THEY WERE GONNA DO SOMETHING, UM, WHERE THERE WOULD BE A WAY TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON AROUND THE CI IN THE CITY OR THERE YOU REMEMBER THAT OR CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY.
YOU KNOW, I, I THOUGHT I WASN'T SURE IF THERE WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WAS ALSO GONNA BE IN THE LOBBY OR IF IT WAS GONNA BE JUST A COMPUTER ON THE WEBSITE, ON A WEBSITE, BUT, UM, BUT IT WOULD BE A
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WEB WAVE WHERE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS COULD BE MADE AND, AND SO THEY WOULD GIVE A CHANCE FOR LIKE DIFFERENT LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO, DON'T GET OUT THE WORD.UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE SEVERAL, UM, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS.
SO WE HAVE TWITTER, WE HAVE FACEBOOK, WE HAVE, UM, INSTAGRAM.
THOSE ARE ALL NATIONAL CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, BUT PREDOMINANTLY THE LIBRARY AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE MAJORITY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT GO ON.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE WE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE THE CITY GUY THAT COMES OUT EVERY THREE MONTHS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE WE PROMOTE WITHIN THE LIBRARY, WE HAVE OUR VIDEO DISPLAY AS YOU WALK IN, UM, A VIDEO DISPLAY.
WE HAVE A TV AS YOU WALK IN THAT'LL DISPLAY THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT, LIKE A, IT'S LIKE A LARGE SORT OF TV.
I THINK YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THEM IN STORES.
THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE A RECTANGLE.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT OVER IN CHILDREN AND THAT'LL HAVE A CYCLE THROUGH OF ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AS WELL.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT I REMEMBER OR MENTIONING, BUT I GUESS THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
NATIONAL CITY COLLABORATIVES, MAYBE.
YEAH, MAYBE I'M JUST, MAYBE I'M MIXING IT UP WITH WHAT I WAS HOPING IT WOULD BE
UM, WE ARE PART OF, UM, WE ARE PART OF THE, UM, STEM NATIONAL STUDIES STEM COLLABORATIVE.
SO WE HAVE, UH, WE MEET ONCE A MONTH WITH THE FLEET SCIENCE CENTER.
WITH, UH, OLIVE WOOD GARDENS WITH ART.
SO WE DO HAVE SORT OF A COMMUNITY BASED GROUP, UM, OCEAN CONNECTORS.
SO WE DO WORK TOGETHER IN THAT SENSE OF LIKE GETTING THE WORD OUT FOR OUR PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR GROUP.
WELL MAYBE THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT, SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE, AND AND, AND THAT'S, AND SO YOU MAKE THOSE, LIKE THE, THE CITY GUIDE AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO GET THE WORD OUT ON THOSE THINGS? YEAH, SO WE CROSS PROMOTE.
SO, WE'LL, WE WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH FLYERS.
WE HAVE A NATIONAL CITY COLLABORATIVE, UM, INSTAGRAM THAT THEY'LL PROMOTE OUR PROGRAMS, THEIR PROGRAMS ON, UM, BECAUSE THE FLEET WILL GO OUT TO, YOU KNOW, ALL KINDS OF EVENTS AND THEN THEY JUST HAVE A QR CODE THAT PEOPLE CAN SCAN.
AND THAT WAY THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
ARTS HAS BEEN A GREAT, UM, PARTNER FOR US.
UM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ALSO PART OF THAT COLLABORATIVE, SO IT DOES REALLY EXPAND OVER NATIONAL CALLED THE NATIONAL CITY COLLABORATIVE.
THE, THE NATIONAL CITY STEAM COLLABORATIVE.
UH, OUR WONDERFUL MYRA AT OUR, THE LIBRARY, SHE HANDLED ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE, THE, UH, CITY.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, SHE DEFINITELY PROMOTES THE LIBRARY PRETTY WELL, SO, YEAH.
UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE RECURRENT WARRANTS, JUST THAT YOU
SO THE, YEAH, WE, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW BRADLEY ASKED FOR IT AND JAKE ASKED FOR IT LAST TIME.
SO THERE IS A RECURRENT WARRANTS LIST.
IS IT IN THE BEGINNING? IT'S IN THE VERY FRONT.
SO THAT HAS ALL OF OUR REOCCURRING WARRANTS FOR THE YEAR AND KIND OF WHAT THEY ARE.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF KOSHER, WELCOME TO ASK ME ABOUT THEM, BUT THIS WAY IS IS DID YOU A LITTLE CHEAT SHEET, UM, TO BEGIN WITH.
WELL, THIS IS GOOD, AND I'M GLAD YOU PUT IT IN HERE.
AND SO THAT'LL BE IN EVERY, EVERY TIME WITH THE, WITH YOUR BINDERS, YOU'LL BE INCLUDED.
SO THAT WAY YOU'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A FERENCE GUIDE.
CAN CAN YOU, UH, UM, SEND THIS TO US? SO WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE A COPY AT HOME.
THAT'S JUST, I, I, I LIKE THIS A LOT MORE.
SO, UM, IN JANUARY WE CAME BACK FROM OUR FURLOUGH.
SO WE'VE HAD KIND OF A SLOW MONTH BRINGING EVERYBODY BACK, EVERYTHING COMING BACK.
UH, THE RAINS WERE A LITTLE BIT OF A SURPRISE FOR ALL OF US, UM, AND IT CAUSED A LOT OF DELAY IN THE CITY, BUT
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THE LIBRARY HAS TAKEN ON SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS AS PART OF THAT.SO WE ARE HANDING OUT SANDBAGS AT THE LIBRARY.
IF YOU NEED SANDBAGS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STOP BY AND GRAB SOME FROM US.
THERE'S NO SAND, THERE'S JUST BAGS, BUT THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU AT THE LIBRARY.
UM, WE ALSO HELPED WITH THE SANDBAG EFFORTS, SO ALL OF OUR STAFF WENT OUT AND HELPED.
UM, SO THE LIBRARY'S BEEN PART OF THAT EFFORT.
UM, AND, UH, SO YEAH, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY TOO MANY EXCITING THINGS HAPPEN.
WE'RE JUST KIND OF GETTING BACK INTO THE NEW YEAR.
UM, WE HAD OUR STAND PLAY GRANT APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO WE, WHAT WAS APPROVED, UH, THE STAND PLAY GRANT THAT YOU APPROVED AT THE LAST MEETING? SO CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THAT, AND WE'VE GOTTEN OUR CHECK.
SO WE'LL BE STARTING OUR, UM, UH, PROCESS OF GETTING THAT PROGRAM STARTED AND IT'LL START IN APRIL, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT SHOULD BE ANOTHER GREAT ADDITION TO OUR, OUR LINEUP.
UM, HOW ABOUT THE, UM, UM, THE, THE LIBRARY IS A VOTING CENTER, CORRECT? SO THE, WHEN DOES THAT START? YES, YES.
AND SO WE'RE NOT AT A, LIKE A, A REGULAR VOTING CENTER.
I MEANT THAT I MEANT A MAIL DROP OFF.
WE ARE A MAIL DROP OFF CURRENTLY THE, UH, BOX OF INSIDE THE LIBRARY.
SO IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE DURING THE HOURS THAT THE LIBRARY IS OPEN.
UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET IT TO, UH, INSTALLED OUTSIDE AS A PERMANENT, UM, FIXTURE.
THERE'S JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME CONTRACTS AND THINGS THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BEFORE WE CAN APPROVE THE REGISTER VOTERS.
UM, SO IF THAT HAPPENS DURING THE CYCLE, THEN THEY WILL MOVE IT OUTSIDE AND IT'LL BE A PERMANENT FIXTURE FOR THE NEXT, I BELIEVE FIVE YEARS, UH, WILL BE THE CONTRACT.
IF THEY DON'T, WE WILL CONTINUE, OBVIOUSLY TO HAVE IT INSIDE THE BUILDING.
IT'LL BE AVAILABLE DURING LIBRARY HOURS, AND THEN DAY OF THE ELECTION WILL BE, WE'LL HAVE SOMEBODY STAFFING THE BUILDING FROM SEVEN TO EIGHT SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT FULL RANGE OF HOURS TO COME IN AND DROP YOUR BALLOTS OFF.
SO IF IT'S OUTSIDE, IS UM, IS THAT ALLOWED THAT THERE'S NO ONE MONITORING IT AND PEOPLE CAN DROP THINGS OFF? ISN'T THERE A CHANCE THAT PEOPLE CAN DROP THINGS IN THERE THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE, THAT COULD, UH, THIS IS, THEY CAN'T THERE.
SO I, UM, IT'S A VERY THIN SLOT.
YOU REALLY CAN'T GET IN THERE IF YOU WANT TO, BUT IF YOU WANNA PUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT BALLOTS IN THERE THAT FIT THROUGH THE SLIDE, YES YOU COULD.
UM, BUT LAST YEAR AFTER THE ELECTION, THE REGISTERED VOTERS DECIDED TO MOVE TO THIS SORT OF FRAMEWORK IN TERMS OF THE REGISTER TO HAVING THESE BOX AVAILABLE OUTSIDE 24 7, BECAUSE IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHO WORK OR HAVE KIDS TO GET TO A LIBRARY OR TO A FACILITY THAT HAS THE BOX LOCATED INSIDE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, SO MOST OF THE COUNTY SITES, I BELIEVE MOST OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SITES, THEY'VE ALL TRANSITIONED INTO THIS FORM OF, UM, BOX.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS, EVERY DAY THE REGISTER VOTERS COME BY, THEY HAVE THEIR OFFICIAL OUTFITS, ALL THEIR STUFF.
THEY UNLOCK A BOX, THEY TAKE OUT THE, UM, INSIDE BOX, REPLACE IT, AND THEN LOCK THE BOX BACK UP.
THERE'S ALWAYS TWO PEOPLE TO WITNESS IT, SO THERE'S NO TAMPERING WITH THE MATERIALS.
AND THEN THEY LOCK UP THE INSIDE BOX WITH THE, UM, LOCK RIGHT DOWN THE NUMBER AND THEN SUBMIT THE FORMS WHEN THEY GO BACK DOWN TO THE REGISTER BOOKS.
AND YOU SAID THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT INSTALLING CAMERAS? RIGHT.
SO THAT MIGHT ALSO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL, SO THE CAMERAS, UM, WE ARE GOING TO INSTALL.
SO FOR SOME REASON THE LIBRARY DOES NOT HAVE CAMERAS ON THE STREET FACING SIDE.
THERE ARE NO CAMERAS FACING THE STREET WHERE THE FRONT OF THE LIBRARY IS.
THERE ARE CAMERAS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE BUILDING AND ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE BUILDING AND ON THAT SIDE OF THE BUILDING, BUT NOT ON THE, THE MAR MARSHALL CITY BOULEVARD.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE INSTALLING THEM THERE BECAUSE OF THE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST, YOU KNOW, SIX, SEVEN MONTHS WITH THE VANDALISM OF THE LIBRARY.
THE ROV BOX IS LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE, UM, WHERE THEY WANNA PUT IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE, UM, RETURN SLOT.
SO THERE IS A CAMERA OVER IN THAT AREA, SO YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE WHO'S THERE.
WELL, AND WHEN DOES THAT, OH, SO THAT'S, WELL, THAT'S, WELL, SO RIGHT NOW IT'S THE BOXES IN THE LIBRARY.
AND WHEN DOES THAT START? IT STARTED ON MONDAY, SO MONDAY.
SO IT'S ALREADY, IT'S ALREADY STARTED.
UM, AND IT RUNS THROUGH LIKE MARCH 5TH OR SOMETHING, I THINK IS LAST.
SO IT'S LIKE A MONTH TYPICALLY THAT THEY HAVE IT OPEN FOR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL UPDATES AT THIS TIME.
UM, HAS THE LIBRARY RECEIVED ANY REPORTS ABOUT ANY ISSUES WITH HOMELESS POPULATIONS IN THE AREA, WHETHER IT'S WITH PEOPLE IN THEIR CARS, IN THAT PARKING, THE LIBRARY
[00:30:01]
PARKING LOT, IN THAT LITTLE SIDE STREET RIGHT THERE? SO I'VE NOTICED, I MEAN, I DON'T CARE, BUT I'VE NOTICED BECAUSE I GO WALKING WITH THE DAY AND ALSO AT NIGHTTIME THROUGH KIM.SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY OR, SO WE, WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD ANY, UH, COMPLAINTS TO US TYPICALLY THOSE KIND OF COMPLAINTS TO GO TO THE POLICE STATION OR THE PARK SERVICES.
MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE, WHILE THEY MAY PARK IN THE LIBRARY LOT DURING THE DAY, THEY WILL MOVE THEIR CARS EITHER TO THAT SIDE STREET STREET YEAH.
UM, WHEN THE FLOOD CAME ON THAT, THAT DAY, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE GOT FLOODED OUT OF THEIR CARS AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO DO IT.
SO THEY, I'VE NOTICED THEY'VE MOVED BACK FURTHER FROM THE, THE DELAY OR THE STREAM SO THAT IN CASE THERE IS ANOTHER DELUSION RAIN, THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE TRAPPED THERE.
UM, BUT WE, WE, I DID HAVE A MEETING WITH, UM, CHIEF HERNANDEZ, JUST ABOUT SECURITY INCIDENTS AT THE LIBRARY.
AND SO THEY ARE, THE POLICE ARE AWARE AND, UM, THEY'RE RESPONSIVE.
IF WE DO NEED TO CALL 'EM ABOUT ANY UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS, THEY WILL COME AND THEY WILL HELP US.
AND THERE IS A, UM, HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM THAT THEY'VE CREATED.
I THINK IT'S JUST A, JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD.
UM, BUT THEY'RE GOING OUT AND TRYING TO ALLEVIATE THESE KIND OF ISSUES PROACTIVELY SO THAT WE SEE LESS OF THEM.
UM, BUT YES, KIMBALL PARK DOES TYPICALLY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, TEND TO SLEEP OVERNIGHT IN THEIR TENTS OR THEIR CARS.
AND I, I'VE DEFINITELY NOTICED THAT.
AND, AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL COME INTO THE LIBRARY FOR AN AN HOUR OR TWO JUST TO GET A RESPITE.
AND SO, SO TYPICALLY WE'LL HAVE OUR, WE HAVE A SORT OF REGULAR PEOPLE WHO COME IN, TYPICALLY, MOST OF THEM, IF IT'S COLD, THEY WANNA COME IN TO GET WARM.
IF IT'S HOT, THEY COME IN TO COOL OFF, THEY USE THE RESTROOMS. UM, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, RESPECTFUL, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE 'EM THERE.
IT'S ONLY WHEN, YOU KNOW, THEY START CAUSING ISSUES OR CONFLICTS, THEN THAT'S WHEN WE ASK THEM TO, TO LEAVE FOR THE DAY.
BUT JOAN, JOAN, UM, WHO SOMETIMES DOES PUBLIC COMMENTS WAS TELLING ME ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS FOR HAVING SECURITY GUARD JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS WELL BEHAVED AND RESPECTFUL IN THE LIBRARY.
SO WE HAVE A NEW SECURITY GUARD.
SO, YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB AND WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY INCIDENTS IN, IN A LITTLE WHILE, SO I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY FOR THAT.
UM, OTHER REPORTS, FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, UM, WHAT I WANTED TO TELL YOU IS THAT, UM, MARCH COMING UP, UH, WOMEN'S MONTH AND, UH, OUR PRESIDENT, SHIRLEY FARRELL LAST YEAR WANTED TO DO THIS BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO, I FORGET WHAT HAPPENED.
UM, BUT SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN EVENT.
WE ARE GOING, IT'S, IT'S BEING ORGANIZED NOW WHERE THERE WILL BE A TEA, THE CONFERENCE ROOM WILL BE A TEA ROOM, AND SHE WILL BE DRESSED, UH, AS, UM, SUSAN B. ANTHONY.
AND SHE'S LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO BE ELIZABETH KATIE STANTON AND ALSO SOJOURNER TRUTH.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S GOTTEN ANYBODY YET TO, TO UH, DEPICT THEM, BUT THERE WILL BE TEA AND A LITTLE THINGS TO EAT.
AND UM, I BELIEVE THEY'LL PROBABLY GIVE EXCERPTS OF SOME OF THE SPEECHES THAT THEY ACTUALLY MADE PERHAPS DURING THAT TIME.
AND SUSAN B. ANTHONY, I BELIEVE VISITED NATIONAL CITY AT ONE POINT.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHY THE HISTORICAL, THE HISTORY ROOM WILL BE INVOLVED WITH IT.
I THINK IT WILL ACTUALLY, THERE WILL BE A, AN EXHIBIT SET UP.
SO IT SHOULD BE A REALLY NICE EVENT THAT IS GOING TO BE, UH, ON A SATURDAY, MARCH 23RD FROM TWO TO FOUR IN THE LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM.
I, I, I FLEW OUT THERE AND THEN GOT COVID AND HAD TO CANCEL THE WHOLE THING.
WELL, SO THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO BECAUSE SHE PASSED LAST MAY
SO WE, WE WANNA, WE REALLY NEED TO THIS OVER.
TIME TO WRAP IT UP, EVERYBODY.
SO WE ARE TO THE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
UM, I WAS GONNA READ SOMETHING FROM THIS.
IT'S ONLY TWO PAGES, BUT IT'S HAD TWO HALF PAGES
UM, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, JOYCE HELPED LEAD US, UM, TO CHANGE TO, SHE HELPED WORK ON
[00:35:01]
A LOT OF THE POLICIES AND THINGS, UH, IN THE LIBRARY, BUT ONE OF 'EM WAS, UM, UM, UPDATING AND MAKING A GOOD POLICY FOR, UM, ANYONE WHO WANTED TO BAN BOOKS OR, YOU KNOW, TAKE, TAKE BOOKS OFF OUR SHELVES.AND, UM, AND THAT, THAT WAS, WE, THAT WAS A LIVELY DEBATE AT THE TIME.
AND, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY GOOD WORK.
AND, UM, I FOUND THIS, UM, ARTICLE FROM DOUG PORTER WHO IS, UH, AN AWARD-WINNING LOCAL AUTHOR.
HE WRITES A BLOG CALLED WORDS AND DAY, WORDS AND DEEDS.
AND, UM, THIS BLOG WAS ENTITLED, UH, BURNING DOWN DEMOCRACY, ONE BOOK AT A TIME.
AND IT STATED OCTOBER 2ND, 2023.
UM, KEYBOARD WARRIORS OPERATING UNDER THE BANNER OF PARENTAL RIGHTS ARE DEDICATED TO CHALLENGING INDIVIDUAL TITLES NO MATTER WHERE THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
A WASHINGTON POST ANALYSIS OF THOUSANDS OF CHALLENGES NATIONWIDE FOUND THAT 60% OF ALL CHALLENGES IN THE 20 21 20 22 SCHOOL YEAR CAME FROM 11 ADULTS, EACH OF WHOM OBJECTED TO DOZENS, SOMETIMES CLOSE TO A HUNDRED OF BOOKS IN THEIR DISTRICTS.
PARENT RIGHTS MIGHT SOUND UNOBJECTIONABLE UNTIL YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S BEING DONE BY ADVOCATES FOR THIS CAUSE.
JAMEL BULLIER AT THE NEW YORK TIMES EXPLAINED THE REALITY OF THE PARENT'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS THAT IT IS MEANT TO EMPOWER CONSERVATIVE AND REACTIONARY MINORITY OF PARENTS TO DICTATE EDUCATION AND CURRICULUMS TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
IT IS, IN ESSENCE, AN INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE HECKLER'S VETO IN WHICH A SINGLE PARENT OR ANY INDIVIDUALLY INDIVIDUAL REALLY CAN REMOVE HUNDREDS OF BOOKS OR SHUT DOWN LESSONS ON THE BASIS OF THAT ONE PERSON'S POLITICAL DISCOMFORT.
PARENTS' RIGHTS, IN OTHER WORDS, IS WHEN SOME PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHTS TO DOMINATE ALL THE OTHERS.
AND OF COURSE, THE POINT OF THIS MOVEMENT, THE POINT OF CREATING THE STATE SANCTIONED HECKLER'S BCO IS TO UNDERMINE PUBLIC EDUCATION THROUGH A THOUSAND LITTLE CUTS, EACH MEANT TO WEAKEN PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND TO OPEN THE FLOODGATES TO POLICIES THAT SITE AND FUNDS AND RESOURCES FROM PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND PUMP THEM INTO PRIVATE ONES IN THE REAL WORLD.
74% OF PARENTS FEEL THAT BOOK BANS INFRINGE UPON THEIR PARENTAL RIGHTS.
92% OF PARENTS BELIEVE THEIR CHILDREN ARE SAFE WHEN VISITING A LIBRARY.
TWO THIRDS ALSO AGREE OR SOMEWHAT AGREE THAT LIBRARIES SHOULD INCLUDE CHILDREN BOOKS ON COMPLEX TOPICS LIKE RACISM AND SEX.
89% AGREE OR SOMEWHAT AGREE THAT CHARACTERS AND BOOKS SHOULD BE DIVERSE AND REFLECT MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES.
ENOUGH ABOUT GROOMERS AND EVIL LIBRARIANS ALREADY.
ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT LOCAL DISRUPTORS ARE ACTUALLY A SMALL GROUP TRAVELING FROM ONE STAGE.
BANNERS OF OF THE, OF THIS PERSUASION ARE EXPANDING THE HORIZON TO INCLUDE PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
A RECENT POST AT POPULAR INFORMATION HAS THE LOW DOWN A NEW REPORT FROM THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
A LA FINDS THAT THIS YEAR BETWEEN JANUARY 1ST AND AUGUST 31ST, SO THAT WAS LAST YEAR, THE 2023, THERE HAVE BEEN 695 ATTEMPTS TO SENSOR LIBRARY MATERIALS AND SERVICES AND DOCUMENTED CHALLENGES TO UNDER 2000 UNIQUE TITLES.
THE NUMBER OF BOOKS CHALLENGED HAS INCREASED BY 20% FROM THE SAME REPORTING PERIOD IN 2022.
LAST YEAR WAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CHALLENGES RECORDED SINCE THE A LA BEING COLLECTING DATA TWO DECADES AGO.
IN ALL OF 2019, THERE ARE ONLY 377 CHALLENGES.
THE ALA'S DATA ONLY INCLUDES PERMANENT BAN OF BOOKS SUBJECTS TO A FORMAL CHALLENGE.
SINCE MANY BOOKS ARE TAKEN OFF THE SHELF SHELVES WITHOUT A FORMAL CHALLENGE, OR WHILE SUCH A CHALLENGE IS PENDING, THE REPORT FUNCTIONS AS A SNAPSHOT OF THE OVERALL ISSUE.
WHILE MANY OF THE ATTENTIONS OF BOOK BANDS IN THE UNITED STATES IS CENTERED AROUND SCHOOL LIBRARIES, THE A LA REPORTS REVEALS THAT CENSORSHIP EFFORTS IN 2023 ARE JUST AS LIKELY TO TARGET PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, 49% OF CHALLENGES TO BOOKS WERE IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES, AND THAT'S UP FROM 16% IN 2022.
SO I, I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY GOOD WORK THAT WE DID A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, UM, REFORMING THAT POLICY ON, UM, ON TAKING BOOKS OFF OUR SHELVES.
AND, AND I THINK THAT WAS REALLY GOOD WORK BY OUR BOARD, OUR BY THE LIBRARY BOARD.
[00:40:01]
SO JUST WANTED TO GO BACK OVER AND COVER THAT GOOD WORK THAT WE DID.ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR STUDENTS? AND WE DO
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THOSE TWO QUESTION UP AND I'LL SHARE THAT.
WE WILL CONTINUE WITH BOTH OF THOSE SO THAT WE MAKE SURE SOME ACTION AND THAT WE DON'T FORGOTTEN.
I CAN BE ANNOYING WHEN I NEED TO BE.
FOR I'LL ENTERTAIN, UH, MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.