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[Library Board on February 5, 2025.]
EVENING EVERYBODY.WE'RE GOING TO CALL WHEN MEETING THIS ORDER, AND IF WE CAN PLEASE HAVE WORLD CALL, I CAN DO IT.
SECRETARY LOPEZ PRESENT, UH, MEMBER MARDO.
PRESENT AND ALTERNATE
UM, I'M GONNA WAIT TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO APPROVE THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA OR WE WANT TO PULL OUT, UH, WARRANT FOR MINUTES.
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
UM, MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, NO WARRANT, NOT THE, NOT THE WARRANT.
YOU GONNA PULL THE WARRANTS? OKAY.
UH, FOR, UH, ITEM ONE AND TWO.
UM, AND JUST TELL THE NAMES AGAIN.
NUMBER, NUMBER NIA MEMBER RIVERA MORENO.
AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE WARRANT.
WILL WE GET A DESCRIPTION OF, UM, WHAT BOOKS WERE BOUGHT FOR THE FIRST, UM, ITEM? THE BAKER AND TAYLOR, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S TONS OF BOOKS.
IT'S SPANISH, SO IT IS JUST EVERYTHING THAT'S NEW GOING NEW FOR OUR COLLECTION.
AND WHAT IS A FINANCE CHARGE? IS THAT ANOTHER VENDOR THAT WE HAVE? SO EBCO IS ONE OF OUR, UM, UM, ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION RATE.
AND BECAUSE THE BILL WAS ACTUALLY, IT WAS SUBMITTED ON TIME TO FINANCE, BUT IT WASN'T PAID WITHIN THE 30 DAYS.
THEY CHARGED US A FINANCE CHARGE.
SO WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GONNA BE REALLY ON TOP OF THAT.
AS SOON AS WE GET THE INVOICES, THEY'RE SUBMITTED.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PAID.
SO BECAUSE IT WAS A, A NEW SYSTEM, WE'RE GONNA SEE IF IT WAS MAYBE A ONE OFF THING, UM, AND IT BECOMES A PATTERN, THEN WE'LL ADDRESS IT.
BUT WE'RE HOPING IT WAS JUST A ONE TIME, UH, IT SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACK, SO THERE WERE A LOT OF
I A QUESTION, IS BAKER AND TAYLOR A COMPANY THAT SPECIFICALLY PROVIDES TEXT TO LIBRARIES THAT SPECIALIZED OR IT JUST A BOOK? UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE IT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR LIBRARIES, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE SCHOOLS MAYBE.
I SECOND, SECOND TO APPROVE THE WARRANT.
UM, IS THERE A CITY CITY LIBRARY REPORT? YEAH, SO THE REPORT IS MOSTLY JUST ON THE SECURITY AND THE LIBRARY.
SO ON MONDAY WE DID START THE POLICE OFFICER, UM, AT THE LIBRARY.
ESSENTIALLY THEY'LL BE AT THE LIBRARY FOR 20 HOURS A WEEK.
UM, MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY.
UH, ESSENTIALLY FROM THREE O'CLOCK TO EIGHT O'CLOCK, 10 O FIVE, UM, OR 12 O'CLOCK.
SO, BUT ESSENTIALLY WE FELT LIKE THE NEED FOR THE SECURITY HAD TO CHANGE JUST BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO REALLY PROVIDE THE SECURITY NEEDS THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ADEQUACIES ALSO.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS THE SECURITY GOING
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STAFF NEEDING HELP.UM, AND SO STAFF MEMBERS PARTICULARLY WANT TO HANDLE, UM, ANY ISSUES THAT HAD TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE GOING KIND OF CRAZY OR SOMEONE VERY UPSET.
UM, WE'VE HAD, LIKE ON MONDAY, THERE WAS A DOWN THE NIGHT FROM THE LIBRARY, UM, AND EVEN YESTERDAY WE HAD AN INCIDENT THAT WAS PRETTY BIG.
EVEN TODAY THERE JUST LIKE TWO INCIDENCES.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THE POLICE OFFICER WOULD BE LIKE A VISIBLE DETERRENT, BUT HOPEFULLY ALSO BE LIKE A S BASE.
I THINK THERE IS LIKE 15 OFFICERS ON LOCATION FOR IT.
SO EVENTUALLY THEY'LL BECOME REGULARS.
UM, WE KNOW WHAT TO DO, UM, HOW TO HANDLE ANYTHING AND RELEVANT STAFF OR RELEVANT SECURITY, ASKING STAFF TO HELP OUT WITH THE SITUATION.
JUST GO TO THE POLICE OFFICER.
COULD YOU TELL ME, UM, YEAH, IT IS THREE TO EIGHT MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND THEN SATURDAY IS LIKE FIVE.
SO WE DO HAVE TUESDAY AND FRIDAY WHERE THERE'S NO SECURITY AT ALL.
AND IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE ON STAFF TWO HANDLE THE SITUATIONS, BUT THAT'S THROUGH WHAT WAS ALREADY HAPPENING WITH THE SECURITY GUARD, SO.
WELL, I, I, UM, EXPRESSED THAT THE COUNCIL MEETING, MY, MY, UH, STRONG OPPOSITION TO HAVING POLICE PRESENCE IN THE LIBRARY, I THINK IS THAT CRITICAL TO THE OPENNESS AND THE INCLUSIVITY THAT, UH, MEASURES SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT.
I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO KEEP OUR STAFF AND PATRON SAFE.
THAT'S BOTH, WITHOUT SAYING, I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS INCLUSIVE TO DO THAT.
HOWEVER, UM, I REGRET THAT THE LIBRARY DIDN'T SEEK TO RESEARCH HOW OTHER INSTITUTIONS DEAL WITH SECURITY.
SHORT OF HAVING A POLICEMAN OR POLICE OFFICERS IN THE BUILDING, UM, WE COULD HAVE COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT SOLUTION.
THERE'S A PROBLEM THAT THE POLICE DON NOT, DON'T RESPOND IN TIME WHEN THERE IS A PROBLEM HERE.
I THINK THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR ANSWERING TO WHY THEY DON'T RESPOND AND WHY THEY CAN'T RESPOND RATHER THAN SAY LET'S, LET'S THE LIBRARY FROM THE LIBRARY, UM, BUDGET PAY OVERTIME TO, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT TAKES MONEY AWAY FROM, FROM, UH, THE COLLECTION.
FROM STAFFING, FROM PROGRAMMING.
I THINK WITH US, THE SECURITY THOUGH MM-HMM
SO IT'S NOT AFFECTING ANY OF THE PROGRAMS, ANY OF THE COLLECTION, DEVELOPMENT, ANYTHING ELSE.
IT'S, IT'S BUILT IN AS SECURITY.
SO IT'S JUST GOING MEANING THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO, UH, AMOUNT IN THE BUDGET? NO, THERE IS A SET AMOUNT.
SO PROBABLY THOSE SECURITY PEOPLE ARE GETTING MINIMUM WAGE.
AND THE POLICE OFFICER WORKING OVERTIMES 20 DOESN'T GET THEM MUCH.
WHAT, FOUR TIMES? I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT I'M SURE IT'S WIDE OF IT TOMORROW.
AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S A DIFFERENCE WITH THE, UM, THE HAVING SECURITY GUARD WITH US FROM ESSENTIALLY 12 TO EIGHTS VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE NOW, WHICH IS JUST 20 HOURS A WEEK.
WHICH, WHICH I THINK ALSO IS A SHAME THAT THERE'S LESS TIME NOW, LESS TIME IN TWO DAYS WITH NO SECURITY AT ALL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT BEFORE YOU WERE SAYING THERE WAS SIX DAYS WITH NO SECURITY AT ALL.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE OF AN EFFORT TO, TO COME TO THE, UM, TO COME TO A, A, A RESOLUTION FOR THIS PROBLEM OTHER THAN, THAN WHAT HAS COME TO BE.
AND I ALSO REGRET THAT IT WASN'T BROUGHT UP TO US AS A BOARD BEFORE.
THAT WAS DETERMINED, UH, BY DANNY AND, UH, CHIEF HERNANDEZ.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A RESPONSE ALSO FROM YOU IF POSSIBLE, AGREEING OR DISAGREEING, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO, WAS THERE EVER A CONSIDERATION OF CHANGING SECURITY VENDORS TO FIND ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE IN 2019? WHEN I WAS HERE, WE DID HAVE A DIFFERENT SECURITY NUMBER.
ESSENTIALLY ALL WE COULD REALLY DO IS CALL THE POLICE.
HE'S NOT ALLOWED TO LIKE, TOUCH ANY PATRONS.
NO, I'M SAYING, UM, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD SOMEONE WHO BLACKED OUT YESTERDAY WITH ALCOHOL AND THEY'RE THROWING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE, NO TOUCH.
UM, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY EVEN LIKE A MINOR.
SO WE CAN'T TOUCH 'EM, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
ESSENTIALLY THE SECURITY GUARD WOULD JUST CALL THE POLICE TO THE SECURITY GUARD BEING, OR THE OFFICER BEING THERE, YOU
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KNOW, THEY CAN JUST TAKE IT FROM THERE IN THE GET GO.UM, BUT YEAH, IN THAT PRE IN THE PREVIOUS COMPANY IT WAS NO DIFFERENT.
UM, IT WAS HELPFUL FOR LITTLE THINGS I WOULD SAY LIKE LEVEL ONE ISSUES, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO LEVEL TWO AND THREE, THEY JUST GO TO STAFF.
AND IN PARTICULAR IT'S JUST THE SENIOR STAFF THEY GO TOWARDS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT PARTICULARLY TRAINING IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
SO, SO AFTER LIKE A COUPLE YEARS KIND OF LOOKING BACK, THAT'S WHAT WE KIND OF DECIDED.
AN OFFICER MIGHT BE MORE OF A DETERRENT, BUT ALSO BEING HELPFUL
AND I KNOW THAT DANIELLE WAS HOPING THAT AS TIME GOES BY, THEY'LL KNOW THAT POLICE OFFICERS ARE THERE.
SO LIKE THESE SHOULD HOPEFULLY COME DOWN.
IS THERE A SPECIFIC TYPE OF BEHAVIOR THAT'S, UM, SO I, I'LL TELL YOU THIS.
WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD BEFORE, AND THIS IS BEF UM, I THINK THE YEAR THAT I LEFT, WHICH IS 2018, IS WHEN WE FINALLY HAD SECURITY.
AND THE PROBLEM BACK THEN WAS THERE WAS A LOT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT WOULD COME IN AND THEY WOULD CAUSE A RUCKUS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAME UP SEVERAL TIMES.
AND I KNOW THAT WE TRIED IN A VERY NICE MANNER TO, YOU KNOW, SAY IF THEY DIDN'T BEHAVE, WE WERE GONNA KICK HIM OUT.
BUT THAT'S HOW WE LEFT IS WHAT'S THE ISSUE NOW? IS IT THE SAME TYPE OF, I WOULD SAY CRIMES OR BEHAVIOR THAT KEEPS COMING BACK? SAME TYPE OF PEOPLE.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH TEENAGERS DRINKING IN THE LIBRARY.
UM, PEOPLE BEING RANDOM WEAPONS AND THAT COULD BE A WEAPON AND WHEN PAST TO LEAVE OR THEY CAN'T HAVE THAT OUT.
THE RESPONSE IS VERY, UH, IT'S JUST NOT GOOD.
UM, YEAH, WE'VE OF COURSE HAD HOMELESS, UM, ISSUES WHERE THEY'RE NOT ALL THERE.
WE'VE HAD DEATH THREATS TO SOME STAFF MM-HMM
UM, LIKE REOCCURRING ISSUES WITH SAME PICTURES COMING BACK OVER.
UM, BUT YEAH, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD TO BE WITH A HANDFUL OF STUFF, BUT WE'RE NOT ESSENTIALLY EQUIPPED TO DO IT BY OURSELVES.
I, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT THAT, UM, I AGREE WITH MARGARET THAT THIS, IT'S SUCH A CONCERN, UM, TO HAVE POLICE IN A SPACE LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY NOW GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ICE.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE AND FEELING SAFE AND THESE TYPE OF SPACES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I, I, I WANNA COMMENT THAT I, I DO KNOW NATIONALLY THAT, UM, NO MENTAL HEALTH OF LIBRARIANS IS SUFFERING BECAUSE OF HAVING TO DEAL WITH SO MANY ISSUES LIKE THESE LIBRARIES.
AND I, I, I THINK ULTIMATELY WE'RE FACING KNOW A TIME WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT ALTERNATIVES TO POLICING AND HOW, UM, OTHER KINDS OF LIKE MENTAL HEALTH OUTREACH AND OTHER KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, AID WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL.
SO, UM, I ALSO REGRET TO SEE POLICE PRESENCE IN THE LIBRARY, UM, AND WANT LIBRARIANS TO FEEL SAFE AND NOT.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY A DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT YOU ALL ARE FACING.
UM, AND I, I HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE THERE COULD BE SOMETHING THAT FEELS MAYBE LESS DRACONIAN, A LITTLE MORE COMMUNITY BASED PERHAPS, AND THAT'S POSSIBLE.
BUT FUTURE COMPLEX PROBLEM, I KNOW THAT THE PLAN IN THE FUTURE IS TO HOPEFULLY CHANGE OFFICER TO AN EXPLORER INSTEAD, WHICH IT COST A LOT LESS.
HOPEFULLY YOU GET LIKE MORE HOURS MM-HMM
AND IT'S NOT AS BIG OF A ALMOST LIKE INTIMIDATION FACTOR BECAUSE I KNOW THAT OFFICERS HAVE THEIR WEAPONS LIKE RIGHT.
THEY, THEY'RE READY TO LIKE REACT SOMETHING.
HOPEFULLY UN EXPLORE THE TO DOWN VERSION.
BUT I UPSCALE OF LIKE THE, THE SECURITY GUARD PROVIDED TO US.
UM, WAS THERE EVER A CONVERSATION OF, WILL THERE BE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW POLICE OFFICERS ARE TRAINED OR EQUIPPED TO DEESCALATE SITUATIONS GIVEN THE HISTORY OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND YESTERDAY'S ITEM ON THE AGENDA? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO THESE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
UM, I MEAN WHAT WE'RE PROVIDING RIGHT NOW IS JUST LIKE A LITTLE ORIENTATION ON THE LIBRARY SIDE, WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE.
UM, DO WANT THEM TO BE LIKE FROM EACH CASE THAT PATROLS, BUT ALSO IS WELCOMING.
I KNOW THAT SEEMS HARD TO KIND OF SEE SOMETIMES, BUT MM-HMM
I MEAN, OFFICERS ARE PEOPLE TOO.
IF THEY WELCOME PEOPLE, UM, THEY SHOW LIKE SMILE, LOOK WHO, UM, THEY CAN WORK TOWARDS THE ESCALATION WHEN WORKING WITH THEM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, LIKE THE LIBRARY.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC, BUT THAT
WHEN I, I, WHEN I ASKED THE, UH,
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A COUNCILMAN BEFORE ABOUT HAVE THE POLICE BEEN TRAINED? HE SAID, YEAH, THEY GO TO THE SHOOTING RANGE ALL THE TIME.SO, UM, THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE NOT, AND NOT KIND OF, NOT JUST HOPE, BUT WE NEED TO DEMAND THAT THE OFFICERS THAT ARE IN THE LIBRARY DO HAVE TRAINING, DEESCALATION, DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE A REGULARS WHO SOMETIMES BE PROBLEMATIC, BUT WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, SO YOU DO A PUSH FACILITY, THE OFFICER.
SO I DEFINITELY TO THEM, UM, WHY WASN'T THIS BROUGHT UP? DO YOU KNOW? I THINK, I THINK I'D LIKE, I KNOW I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER TO WHY THIS WAS NOT BROUGHT UP TO, OR YEAH.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR MAKING THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS, LIKE, UM, TO MOVE FROM SECURITY TO POLICE? IS THAT, IS THERE A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR THAT OR IS IT MORE JUST THAT THE, THE CITY LIBRARIAN TO MAKE THAT DECISION YOU WANT? HOW DOES THAT WORK? UM, I THINK AS LONG AS THERE'S COUNCIL APPROVAL, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ACTUAL DETAILS WITH THE MAP THAT, UM, IF THE VOTE HAS TO OR, OR NOT.
WHAT'S A CONSENT AGENDA? ITEM STATEMENT? UM, WE ARE AN ADVISORY BOARD, NOT AN ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD, BUT I STILL THINK THAT A DECISION AS IMPORTANT AS THIS SHOULD HAVE COME TO US AT LEAST FOR DISCUSSIONS.
SO THAT IT, TO ME IT SHOWS RESPECT FOR THE BOARD.
IT SHOWS A RESPECT FOR, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE LIBRARY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT SHOW RESPECT BY BRING, AT LEAST BRING IT TO US SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT AND GIVE OUR AIR OUR CONCERNS AND AND IDEAS ABOUT IT.
WE SHOULD'VE BEEN GIVEN THE CHANCE TO DO THAT.
DISAPPOINTED THAT, WELL ALSO I WOULD SAY IF, IF THAT'S RESPECT TO, BUT IT'S ALSO I THINK AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY MINDS TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM.
AND SO THAT BURDEN SHOULD FALL ON ONE PERSON WHERE YOU CAN JUST TROUBLE PEOPLE.
I THINK AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE SHOULD.
THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO JUST HAVING MANY PEOPLE THINK ABOUT IT AND TALK THROUGH IT, I THINK IS HELPFUL.
SO IT WOULD BE, I THINK FOR THAT REASON TOO, IT WOULD BE NICE TO BRING SUCH ISSUES AS TO THAT WE CAN ALSO BE A HELP.
SO WE'LL GO ON FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
UM, I WANTED TO SAY ONCE AGAIN THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OUR TEA ON MARCH 22ND.
UM, SINCE IT'S MARCH WOMEN'S MONTH, IT'S GONNA BE FROM ONE TO THREE ON SATURDAY THE 22ND OF MARCH.
SO YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO COME.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT, UM, THE, UH, CITY CLERK'S GONNA BE COMING TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
IS THAT GOING TO BE TANYA OR SHE? OKAY.
UM, AND WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE HER TO DO IS TO BE, TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE ED CODE AND HOW WHAT WE DO HERE CONNECTS TO THE, TO THE ED CODE.
THAT THE ED CODE THAT, UM, REGULATES LIBRARY ACTIVITY,
AND AGAIN, UH, WE'RE ONLY ADVISORY, SO I THINK THE ED CODE REALLY DEALS MOLD ADMINISTRATIVE, BUT UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN UM, THINGS LIKE ASKING IF WE ONLY WANNA MEET QUARTERLY, BUT ED CODE SAYS MONTHLY, UM, THAT THE REPORT WAS ONLY GONNA GO TO THE CITY, BUT ED CODE SAYS REPORT GOES TO THE STATE EVERY YEAR
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AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE AWARE AS A BOARD, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE CODE THAT DEALS WITH LIBRARIES AND ACTUALLY HAVE COPIES OF THE CODE THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE LIBRARY SO THAT WE ARE, UH, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING TO BOARD.ASK HER ALSO, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYBODY WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT TODAY? UM, NO.
JUST GREAT JOB ABOUT THE REPORT LAST MONTH.
DID THE UM, THE LITTLE POWERPOINT? YEAH, I JUST READ IT EVERY YEAR.
AND I SAW TODAY WE HAVE ONE VACANCY ON THE LIBRARY.
JAKE LEFT AND SO IT HADN'T COME AROUND.
SO IF, IF SHE STILL WANTED, SHE COULD APPLY FOR THAT.
OH, WHEN YOU'RE AN ALTERNATE YOU CAN APPLY FOR, YEAH.
UH, ABOUT COMMENTS AND ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? NO.
MICKEY THINGS, SARAH'S ALWAYS SAYING ALL PREP AND EMAILS AND ET CETERA.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS MARCH 5TH AT FIVE 30.