https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoZJ3wsLUo0
Video Description:
Library Advisory Board – January 2024
Read along below:
Speaker 1 0:00
mean she might be doing? I think we’ll be honest I just can’t start to learn Cynthia might be able to she told me she wasn’t sure which version she was
Unknown Speaker 0:24
like my name ginger Jeff, wherever that was like
Speaker 2 0:32
13 year old tries that. Oh ha line sometimes.
Unknown Speaker 0:41
Up So there there may be drew for teachers like me run
Speaker 2 0:47
into her King Soopers and I asked Yeah, yeah
Unknown Speaker 0:53
that’s a good way putting it. Yeah. Can you hear us?
Unknown Speaker 0:56
Yes, I can hear you.
Speaker 1 0:57
Thank you. Just waiting for Cynthia at least.
Speaker 2 1:04
Okay. Great. No, it’s Cynthia is absent. Catherine leads them right.
Unknown Speaker 1:16
It’s okay. We got
Speaker 3 1:22
Oh, the you’re in the mood lighting room? Oh. Can you hear us? Yes, sorry. Yeah. I was hoping to be there in person, but my husband working late, so I had no childcare. Yeah. And Are y’all able to hear me okay.
Speaker 1 1:45
Yeah. I’m just waiting for you to start. Kathleen has been signed in yet, but everyone else is here. Perfect.
Speaker 3 1:52
And I heard from Katherine that she should be here. She does have to. She also has no childcare. So has to log off at eight. We will go ahead and get started. Thanks so much, Tracy for sending out the packet. And our first agenda item is approval of the previous month’s minutes. I read through did not see any updates. Anyone have any updates before? Okay, then I need to approve the minutes from December 18 2023. Is there a second? Let me see. I’ll just find that next week. If that works. Perfect. That sounds good. Thanks. Next time is every week. Hey, since I’m having a remote, let’s make sure 30 members of the public here. Yes. And what this new onto our new business. First off, we’ll continue with the MC ice cream. I put myself down. I don’t think anyone else had gone to read last month. It’s been a while since I’ve done it. Great. So my question for y’all today, and I really hope I haven’t asked to swim here already. Because we’ve asked this before in another meeting. If you’re going into a library, do brand new library, what section would you gravitate towards first. And I will start and we’ll say that don’t ever do it this little section will lead to nowhere this would be but I love going to the cookbooks in the nonfiction area. And kind of checking out what’s new. And I it’s more aspirational. I don’t really do anything with it. I slept for hours.
Speaker 1 3:55
Just so you know, I think it’s around the 630s or 640s
Unknown Speaker 3:58
Oh by 600.
Speaker 3 4:08
And I will have to ever relate to it think you’re next. I usually go straight to the computer lab and see what they have there. So if I go to a brand new library, let’s make checkout first so
Speaker 4 4:27
I can go I often get a library card because I am an avid e reader. I love reading with a Kindle and that way I have more access to more e options and I love that but for in person to like looking at DVD collections and seeing how deep and old movie selection is
Unknown Speaker 5:00
We go to the library for awhile. Or whatever in our library I needed to go to you. Like, why a fiction because I have three readers
Speaker 5 5:15
that just like, devour everything. That’s super great to see you there. So, and then for myself, I’ll just go to like, whatever the staff recommends, like bookstores to that he gets me out of my blood, just look for something, you know, be open to new things
Speaker 6 5:46
so, for me, I’ll go and look at the gardening, I don’t do a lot of gardening, but I’m just fascinated by, you know, people who know what they’re doing.
Unknown Speaker 5:57
And so,
Speaker 6 5:58
the I just, I mean, I don’t have the space, I have a few garden beds. So I kind of like to look in those areas. For the classroom, I like to go over to the juvenile section and check out books. Sometimes, you know, depending on the theme, I always check out a stack of books, or a basket that our library because I noticed our school libraries are actually thinning down their stock, because they’re beginning AI labs. So more like STEM field lead area. But I feel like our libraries are kind of getting smaller. So I’ll come here and get books. No more get Burlington. No, any piece next door? Is Burlington the same way. A number. Okay, because I taught summer school one summer. And yeah, it was kind of Slim pickins. So I do like the most
Speaker 2 7:03
I go, I’ll go. I was chuckling because I’ve moved so many times, as an adult that I kind of have this system of evaluating the library wherever I’m moving. And this is tailored to me, by the way, I’m not saying that these are the most important areas in a library. But I think I’ve said before that when I do move, one of the first places I go is library and I get the library card right away, like first two days. And then I assess the library, and I want to in the children’s section, and go and look at graphic novels. And then I go and check out their fairy tale section. Because that’s what I love. And then in the adult section, I will go to the craft section, I will go to the biography section. I want to see how big their history section is. You know, the rest of it did but and then if they haven’t used book sale or shop or anything like that, I always check that out. You’re very thorough. I have just found that if everything is in good shape, and they have at least a modest collection, and all of those areas, I’m probably been living there. Oh, I have moved to towns where there was like 150 year old knitting book and like, other ratty things from the 70s. And then I’m like, huh
Unknown Speaker 8:57
Yep. So
Speaker 7 8:59
I always default and I haven’t actually been to many new libraries need to click here so long, but I always just default to the children section now. It’s just where I would gravitate and want to know that there’s a robust collection there, especially now with my daughter. So it’s probably my priority if we were to move is that Yep. Yep, for sure.
Speaker 1 9:24
So I think, I mean, if if I think about going into a new library somewhere, my first thing is not the collection necessarily. It’s the layout of library. Collections a part of it but I don’t really like but if we’re talking about a new library that like I’m going to be a part of that community or something. I don’t know I’m kind of whatever is on my mind. So I don’t have a method like you do. That’s that’s pretty good like to evaluate. But in general, I gravitate towards nonfiction and if I was browse through your nonfiction and just see what’s out. Yeah. That’s everybody.
Speaker 3 10:11
Thanks. Alright, well, we’ll go ahead and move on. Actually, before we do so are there any volunteers to do this next month? I can do that next month. Awesome. Thank you so much. Great. All right. So next up on our agenda, as y’all can tell, we have a shorter agenda today are really your first agenda item is going to be you’re just hearing from John about Action Plan update, and library director report that I didn’t want to ask if anyone was able to attend the city training for new members. I appreciate it that they offered it. I unfortunately, cannot make the one for new chairs. But I was curious if anyone was able to edit and have anything to share back with the group.
Speaker 2 11:01
I just thought it was fantastic. And I’m so glad that I went. And I have now been on this for a year. And I did get the recording other documentation that was sent earlier from when they weren’t doing in person trainings. And it does not compare. Just being able to hear and see, hear the questions and meet the people who are asking the questions. And the people who are answering the questions was very valuable to me. And was the other piece, they I learned a lot. There was a lot I didn’t know, even now, not saying like I should know, a lot. But like I did not know. It didn’t hit me, right, that this advisory board. And any advisory board is really to advise counsel. That’s the main focus. And I know that that’s been said, and it was probably part of the interview for this board. But there was something about the way it was presented and the context in which it was presented that really drove that home. And I appreciated that. I also thought that they just provided such great information about you know, the typical stuff, what, what your role is, and, you know, what, how meetings should go on the open records, law and all of that. And there were really good questions from the audience. That may not have been included on a, you know, a static slide deck that was essential. And the ABCs of parliamentary procedure are one of those. Which I really wish that I’d seen maybe 15
Unknown Speaker 13:19
years ago, but I haven’t.
Speaker 4 13:25
So I’m looking forward to them sending it out. Do you think the recording of it will be as good?
Speaker 2 13:31
So I did that that question came up on Saturday, and I heard that that meeting was not being recorded. Because they couldn’t get someone to record it. I heard that they were going to follow up with a recording service, same content. Yes. So that tells me that they probably have to put it together for us.
Speaker 4 13:57
Are they still the one thing that struck me from the previous recording? And again, yeah, I’ve heard this before, but we still recommending you get a separate email address for
Speaker 2 14:09
that came up. And I was surprised because I do think that that’s a question that’s come up. Yes. Nope. It
Speaker 4 14:16
has tier two. We’ve discussed it. It was right part of Oregon somewhere. So in fact, Isaiah says that it was recommended. Next steps you open your meeting, maybe you actually said it. I don’t remember but somebody here did say it that you should start a brand new email address that is that dedicated to any city business, in case there is an open records request so that they don’t have to go through everything. Yes. And
Speaker 2 14:43
that was actually the advice of
Unknown Speaker 14:47
the city attorney.
Speaker 2 14:50
Interesting. So yeah, I wasn’t really clear on that. Either.
Unknown Speaker 14:54
You run the risk of not seeing emails then.
Unknown Speaker 14:59
You Email me like, oh, you
Speaker 8 15:03
wasn’t clear whether it was like a you can do this or right, you should.
Speaker 6 15:08
Especially if you’re like me and you have 24,000 unread messages. So
Speaker 3 15:14
Jamie, was there anything? Suzanne? Was there anything else like that? Because I think it’s been a it’s been a while since I’ve taken it. And I know a lot of us came on when it was not being offered so many informational pieces that you would think would be useful for this group. To know,
Unknown Speaker 15:33
I’m looking at my notes
Speaker 2 15:42
I think probably the the other most pertinent thing was they, they included a very found Foundation, foundational, excellent presentation on speaking to or responding to media. Say what not to say. And I don’t know that that will come up for this group. However, it could. So I was appreciative to hear in such plain accessible language, these are the these are the nuggets that you have to keep in mind when you are asked to comment on or be interviewed by a representative from the media as a as a member?
Speaker 3 16:42
Well, definitely, we’ll keep an ear out for that part, in particular, when they do get that training out. Thank you very sweet, I was hoping that someone had been able to go and be able to provide a little bit of context for this group. Any questions for Jamie on this? Hey, great, well, then let’s go ahead and move on to our next agenda item. So John, we’re moving on to business, the action plan update is first.
Speaker 1 17:13
So there’s a couple of things I just wanted to share with action plan. One is basically 2023, in where we ended up, and there’s a couple of outliers I wanted to bring up. And then what at least my initial thoughts are moving into this year, and either forming something similar or something different, which we’re still working through. So with this 2023 is action plan. One of the items was set in the packet because I had never shared the computer use policy with you all but that was one of the things we wanted to accomplish in the year. So I just heard that from the website. But you can do that and other policies there. And certainly, if you did read it and have questions you can ask, but the team worked on that here. This was started actually before I got here, and then it kind of just dissolved for some reason. Maybe when my predecessor left, you know, I don’t really know. But it got resurrected, in the lead up through there. But this is like many things here we had, when I came on board here, there were very few policies. And you kind of need them like I don’t, I’m not a fan of them. But when you have to use it’s a way to justify when you make decisions or have to explain something to somebody. So they’re all generally fairly simple, you know, in that sense. So that’s one of the items. One of the other items that I wanted to address is that is also in there. Also started long before I got here was working with the school district on using importing student IDs to get access to digital materials, and primarily databases and things of this district doesn’t have so I’ve talked about this before a year. I have some encouraging meetings with the district librarian and a couple other staff. You know, they had gotten everything in place before I was here, everything in the background to make it work and to import them. And the next thing was to test and do some beta testing. And they chose a couple of schools and have some process to get parental signatures for that which I understand. Or at least in that form. I understood because they were trying to get these ideas to work as a whole library card. So also physical collections. And I think that was a roadblock and my understanding was the way it was explained to me was the parents signatures they could get thank you to only get that within a certain finite time period. For some reason, I’m not sure how things were there, and I can pretend to know, but it was almost like, the way I envisioned that is like, here, the school year started, we have this, you need to sign this in two weeks. Otherwise, it’s off the table kind of thing. And I might definitely be just explaining that wrong. But there was something like that, like, he wasn’t just any time you can opt into it. So they were having trouble getting participation really tested. And that’s where it almost dissolved. So I brought it back up, had some encouraging meetings with that and said, You know, I don’t I don’t think the goal should be collections that’s different. I mean, we’re trying to just give access to databases in case the district doesn’t have probably more applicable to high school kids, maybe Middle School. So you can probably leave elementary kids out, as far as you know, what about concerns about content that can act? Yeah. And that’s where that what’s driving us? So in the end, the last communication I had was, well, so sorry, I’m really dragging us out. But that it this is intentional, because you’re here. Yes, go for it. So. So the thought was with what I explained. And I posed the question, because when I did this in a previous job, if we’re not trying to get full access to the library, and it’s just databases can’t be more of an opt out rather than opt in. So every every kid has access to that if you’re if you don’t like that, then just say no, and then we won’t be important. So I thought that looks good. But a couple of administrators were not happy with that.
Unknown Speaker 21:41
Yeah.
Speaker 1 21:44
So I just said, Well, that’s, that’s too bad, like, you know, and offer to chat with anybody further. Yeah. Not trying to change your process. But maybe I can still explain why. Why I think that could work. But even so, what’s the process for getting signatures? How could that be streamlined so that it works. So that you can get the signatures and the way you want, and then we can move forward with it. So right now, the status of business is almost, it’s almost more from what I can tell from the district librarian as well. In that case, if we can’t do opt out, I don’t think this is going to work. And I just said, Well, that’s, that’s too bad. You know, for many reasons, and I gave some other ideas of how it could work. But I haven’t heard anything, you know, and it was no small task to get a meeting with some of these administrators in a ring. Hello, Helen. Robins is the District Library. Okay, she got all that arranged. But that even took a while. So I think, you know, to get the readings, probably. Anyway, that’s where that stands. I would love to find a way to explain this to somebody so that they can see how it would work differently. Also, one of the things that we changed with this, this go round was, well, let’s just do high school students, because from what I understood from the district librarian was that with high school students, they don’t place restrictions. And overture Libby is a good example of this, because the school has a separate LIVVIE program called surah. And that already filters content, which is great if you’re of a certain age that you can’t get it. But what I understood is the high school students don’t have that restriction. So while they can do soar content, they actually get the full breadth of living. So I’m like, Well, then why do you need signatures for high school kids are already accessing this. So what difference does it make them for? They’re getting database access, which will probably really help. Question on the floor. No,
Speaker 2 23:51
I haven’t thought about why. Why they do that. It’s because you want to have document somehow, that if something were to come up that a parent was unhappy with? Sure you have something to show what
Unknown Speaker 24:10
you knew, right, that.
Speaker 1 24:14
I agree. And that’s why I, I personally think an opt out could work because I feel like it’s a different type of library access if they want a card and checkup to collections and then they just have to follow the Public Library’s whole process which requires a parental signature.
Speaker 2 24:31
Also don’t know why it has to be so different from the process that some of our schools in the district use to notify parents of upcoming health curriculum. IE, I receive an email that says to your parent, your child, your student will be assigned this course in whatever however many weeks and we’re going to teach this thing and a If you wish to opt your child out, click here. And it is a Google form. And I type my name in that I give permission or whatever. And as
Unknown Speaker 25:12
most average elementary schools
Speaker 6 25:14
opt out, it is not opt out anymore. So it is up, they have to they had to sign a permission slip. It used to be opt out, because we have it and our third graders, yep, get it every year. So there was a period of time where it was opt out. And then we were notified this past year when they came in, we had to have signatures. And I’m almost wondering if it’s outside groups. So like, if that course is happening within the school already? Yes. So it’s within the school, right? But then you have outside organizations like blue sky, so
Speaker 4 25:58
are they on scenario ally? Or are an outside group? Because I mean, I think of like, we all right, I mean, I’ve never was, you know, given the lowdown on sewer, but basically like they send out that, hey, the iPads are coming home, here’s what’s happening. And you understand that and then at some point, they do send out communication that like will go through each app with your child job ahead. But that’s an insurer is one of them. But yeah, there’s not an opt in or opt out for even iPads, and you know that there’s lots of apps on there. The app patches happen.
Speaker 1 26:37
Well, you know, anyway, I’ve just primarily given you a status, but kind of with some hope that these two people that
Unknown Speaker 26:47
know people, yeah,
Speaker 1 26:48
talk to people. Because I think it’s just like all the works been done, you have the hard part’s done. Like that’s What’s hard is finding a method to import this stuff in. And, in the end, even men like, I think in its initial conception, we’re trying to import their student ID number, of course, but also their name and stuff. So we don’t know, we can anonymize that we don’t need to know who they are. And that’ll keep any any student privacy, because all we do is put in the number and then assign a name of student one. You know, the only time we would change it is if they came in with their parent because they don’t have that record. So I don’t know. Like just I obviously feels somewhat strongly about this, because they’re just a lot of students could benefit from that access. And just just dreams like that, right? I mean, yes, they welcome to come in the library and get it but that’s just not a viable option for many.
Speaker 4 27:59
They also feels like you feel like communication has been just shut off without like, fully explaining why. It can’t be figured out. Yeah. In a
Speaker 1 28:09
way. Yeah. You know, that’s the frustrating thing much would seem like a strong and kind of surprise talent to after we talked, and then met with a couple of people that were whoever they were at the time where you could see that working. But then when it was pushed forward, it was pretty much a heart like, we do a lot of explanation in our conversations. But that that conversation I would love to have,
Speaker 2 28:33
did you ask about like just opt out, opt in? In other words, everyone would have to choose a or b,
Unknown Speaker 28:40
get to the
Unknown Speaker 28:43
Yes, or
Speaker 4 28:45
No. But even like you said, the process of it feeling like there was a finite period of time to see what do at the time. And then how are the permissions done? Was it digital? Was it on the red track was that Revit sent in a Google Sheet? Was it sent home? Like?
Speaker 1 29:05
Yeah, I don’t know. Definitely. I don’t know the process on that end. But from what I can tell from the meetings that I had my understanding of how it was explained. I’m thinking man, that was apparently seems complicated, but anyway, you know,
Speaker 2 29:20
and did you hear a no no, or not? Not this year? No. Interesting. This is
Speaker 1 29:31
so yeah, you go ahead. Yeah, thanks
Speaker 3 29:35
so much for sharing that update. It sounds like there’s not too much we can do at this point. But Susie, I’m so glad you’re hearing that and the price here in the district meetings to me this is I feel like I always have to do this with libraries, but it’s such a it’s an equity thing, like getting those kids access without having to physically come to the library. Yeah, especially being able to take the classes um, So, I don’t want to cut discussion, but I don’t know how much more we can do with this update at this point. Yeah, not
Speaker 1 30:09
here. But I think what I am going to do in cases is anything you think from your apps, as you obviously know, people there, I’m going to, I’m going to forward her like the last email communication. Okay, and then you can kind of see who it is yes, because you’re more than I will. Okay. And if there’s any chance of, you know, making some arrangement for the conversation that you already have, I’m open to it. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Okay, so that was kind of this year’s, then there’s some, there’s some carryover from the action plan, like some of the staff secure areas, but that’s we’re getting progress, I signed a contract to replace our staff doors back there, which was the biggest thing. So that’s in the works, once the doors are in place, all the electrical components were already purchased to basically hook it up, and then make it badge access to the back. So that’ll be good and go a long way with staff to been wanting this for some time. That children’s shelving project, same thing I just signed off on that estimate. So with With any luck, unless there’s any delays in ordering all the shelving that’s needed and other parts, the consultant is estimating, hopefully, sometime in April, that all that will be here, and then they can schedule, the dismantling of our current children’s area, and then installation. And that will work if that holds, because that’ll get it done before summer reading. Which would be ideal, but it’s a big project, and we let go. So we’ll see what happens. So then, kind of moving into this year, I’ve been thinking and talking a little bit with staff on this year’s action plan. And part of what I have given the task of my leadership team of doing is really taking a look at what you’re doing, and prioritizing things. And this is no secret, it’s a result of the election results and my budget going unchanged, which effectively is a cut just because of increasing cost of things. And I just think that the staff will still continue to do a lot. But I am worried about staff burnout, and just continuing to try to sustain the level of service they’re providing here and effectively, many people thinking that that’s workable. So I’m not looking to do I just really want people to prioritize, and think about, you know, how much programming we’re doing. You know, what, what things can we or should we, and maybe we don’t need to I just I feel like we do on some level and need to really take a hard look at a lot of the services we do things that take a lot of time. So to give you an example, one of those would be some of the outreach events, we do some of these big events where, you know, we’re we have a booth or attempt at like rhythm and Roosevelt, for example, which is a massive event. And the presence there is wonderful, but it’s an enormous amount of of coordination and work on our part to be there. And that event itself maybe isn’t the best idea. But there’s other ones because I think that one, I don’t know that we have a choice. But there’s other events where we do. And in talking with my outreach coordinator, what’s the value of those big events, as opposed to other outreach events where we’re truly doing programming, like at the schools with pi, and doing really dedicated programming for those kids and really making a connection and a different way, rather than standing at a booth and saying, Hi, we’re from the library, and I want to devalue it, because that’s something we can table for a minute. And maybe allow us to focus on some other things that didn’t really prove value to us. So I’m just giving you a sense of where my mind is at with that. And what I’ve asked the team to think about which could inform what’s in an action plan for this year, so we’re still talking about that. I realize it’s in January, that’s okay. I didn’t present 2023 Action Plans well until April or May meeting, which I’ve given it’s not my intention. So that’s kind of, I think, simply what I wanted to cover with X to plan for now, certainly happy to entertain questions or comments.
Speaker 3 35:06
Thanks so much, John. I, I’m glad to hear that you’re having that conversation with your leadership staff. And by the way, it is for an org chart to be placed in our pocket. So when John says these types of things, we have a sense of who that is within the library. Hi, I also
Speaker 1 35:27
become certain about oh, yes, yeah. Yeah. If someone asked if it was saying it was I accidentally sent the old version. So you should have received a second communication with an updated version. Sorry.
Speaker 3 35:44
Oh, no, please. I’m just I worry about burnout. What’s your staff as well? And unfortunately, you know, that was what you’re handed, we did not, you know, the district did not pass it, the ballot measure did not pass and the budget requests were denied is, you know, I, it was unfortunate to me that one of your request is for strategic planning, you know, because that’s such an important piece of informing priorities. So I, I hope that you continue to keep us updated. And as far as I’m concerned, I think this is an area where we might be able to communicate, as you may have seen, and our role as an advisor, advisory board, as if we’re gonna have to communicate our support to counsel over over that you can’t do everything at once and what what your priorities will be. So I hope that this will be a continuing conversation. Other comments or questions for John? Over the action things?
Speaker 5 36:48
Yeah. I was just curious, like how your staff reacted to that? Did it feel really discouraging? Or was there a certain sort of resignation around it? Like, like, you’re like, all right, like moving forward? I’m just curious what, I would have a hard time summing that, I guess. Yeah. And
Speaker 1 37:07
you mean reaction to the election results and or the budget?
Speaker 5 37:11
Or just being told? Like, you know, you have to focus on just a couple of items. What are your top things?
Speaker 1 37:18
Yeah, I think, you know, definitely, no one’s ever been asked out here before really to consider what you’re taking on and how much and I think, in general, I think when people thought about it, they they took it as I suppose the the positive way it was taken from people is like, Oh, I mean, like, people care about our well being. Even though the reasons informing it are frustrating. You know, and it’s, it’s a delicate balance, because I’m trying to protect staff here. I definitely don’t want the long opportunity to think there’s some like retaliatory kind of thing like, like, voted no, therefore, I’m taking all this stuff away. That’s not it at all. But you know, it just, we’ve been going along and go along and hoping every year either we get the budget we need. And then this year, it was the budget we need plus a new library, and we’re just not getting there. And, and so I think it was really more taken as that Katherine like, you know, and so there, but it’s also hard to make choices, and you’ve kind of gotten used to doing a lot of things. So how do you choose that, and I’m not necessarily gonna dictate it. But you know, I want to hear I want to see what what people say about that. Some of that’s going to happen naturally, it’s not about programming or services, like collections is the best example. Our collection budget, of course, remains the same amount. But with increasing costs, it’s essentially a cut. So we will be spending a lot less on collections. And that will reveal itself to the community and something on some level, particularly people that are, you know, inclined to be interested in bestsellers, or things like that, that already have homeless, well, those homeless are going to now increase, you’re going to be waiting longer. I can’t help it. That’s just something that’s going to happen. You know what I mean? So that’s not us making a choice. I mean, I’m not going to reallocate any funding to increase that. Because I’m not it’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul. So, you know, just it’s just going to stay until that can get resolved. But thank you for asking.
Speaker 3 39:42
Other comments or questions surrounding that action plan updates? Well, thanks for joining in let us continue with your attractors report. Okay.
Speaker 1 39:58
Yeah, so for the I’m looking at my notes and I want to get did some of that for that. Capturing notes of what I wanted to address and most of it the actual, but one, there was one thing I wanted to bring up related to our request for reconsideration, right, the challenge where the public has the right to challenge materials and the collection, we’ve talked about before because of the current climate in this country in general with banning and censorship. So I wanted to mostly update to board on some things going on in this world. So internally, we’ve been talking a lot here about our current Request for Reconsideration form, it’s starting the conversation of it’s outdated, we need to kind of update this, and minimally to include programs and displays, because those are other things that people have and do challenge, not just books or other materials. And so we’ve had some discussions and resource to other libraries. And in talking with a couple of these libraries in the state, that I’ve connected with, through my directors, regional directors, groups that I’m on, a couple of libraries are just removing this formal process entirely. And my first reaction was kind of how you just looked at me, like, Wait, you can’t do that. And then I started to think about this and talking to some of these people now removing the processes, I mean, you’re removing any, that you’re removing a voice of someone that wants to express concern, to
Speaker 2 41:53
my defense, John, my reaction internally was in favor of what?
Unknown Speaker 42:01
Well, conversation, like, you
Unknown Speaker 42:03
can’t do that, like, what
Speaker 1 42:04
do you what other forms do you have? So it’s like, because right now, it’s, you know, we have this form, right, and they have to fill it out in person, or they have to get it in person. You know, it has all these instructions, and, and then a whole process like, Okay, if you’re going to turn this in, and we’re going to form a committee, then you’ll get a response in this amount of time, and blah, blah, blah. So that’s fine. But in talking to some of these other libraries, who created this project, we put this on ourselves, as public libraries, no one ever asked us to do this. And I get it, that we’re a public library, and people who use it are taxpayers and you know, so you kind of get into that area of conversation. But removing this formality. And one of the problems I see with this formality is, even though you have to put your name on it, it’s essentially an anonymous, anonymous way to do it. And it opens the door to outside groups to do it. Because we also don’t require you to be a resident or have a library card currently. So those are some of the conversations we’ve had. But there’s other charter I talked to you said, who removed it, he said, I removed the whole forum. If someone wants to talk about a book, they have a problem with my doors open all the time. And we have board meetings that always have public comment. And I would rather just have a conversation with you about it, rather than accept this forum. And I give a written response. You know what, let me in, I think it’s coming from somewhat of an education response. Let me explain to you why we have this and many other things like that stuff that we all know here on the board. So I have this company called contemplating this, because it is kind of a cumbersome process. And like he has learned and what this other person who’s newer to it as the one that it reduces, if you’re one of the directors is an area that’s more inclined to get challenges because of where he lives. fairly conservative area, just, you know, that’s just generally what happens. Like bible belt, you know, it’s in Colorado for whatever that means. And it’s really reduced it because either people don’t really want to take the time to come meet with him. Well, that’s your prerogative, you know, or they do, and he has a conversation with him. And he’s had some conversations where people can truly learn the process. And understand that as library professionals were trained as select, I mean, there’s a whole thing so
Unknown Speaker 44:40
like, teachers, yeah,
Speaker 1 44:41
I know. It’s not that you can’t have an opinion about it. Yeah, right. It’s just how are you providing them that form or that format to we call the challenge, but whatever you want to call it? So I’m just I guess I’m just letting you know that there’s kind of like a statewide there’s some rethinking of this internally that’s informed me internally. So even though we’ve been talking internally about revising this, and by the way, one of those revisions that we keep it in its form, we will rewrite this to require that you live in Longmont, and then you have to there’s been some debate on the library card side. Because, you know, if you’re a longtime resident, your taxes are still paying for this library. Why should they have to have a card just to have an opinion on that book? And I’m not I just after talking with a bunch of people, I just decided to make sense. You know, I mean, it makes sense to have one to require. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 45:51
My thought on that is that I’m kind of thinking worst case scenario, right? Like, what if something hits, and there’s like a big surge in resistance or protests in a particular area of particular title, etc? What happens if a group of individuals wish to manage some sort of coordinated font? Right? What does that mean to staff who require in person conversation? And what if they if they don’t require a library card? What stops a group who may have members all of them may live in long lines, but they normally would not engage with library staff, except with the sole purpose of making sure these titles aren’t available in any way? Like? I don’t know if I’m phrasing it, right. Like, the motives aren’t the same as a person who uses the Library and notices, right? Hey, what’s going on here? You know, this, this doesn’t seem to fit with what I believe this library to be? I don’t know. I don’t know. It just feels like it’s a little easier to just be like, today, we’re gonna get this book. Because I’ve read on this website. It’s bad. So we’re gonna go. And they don’t really have it’s like the same reason why so many libraries require that the person has read the book, or could point to the specific page or passage that is offensive, instead of just going by hearsay,
Unknown Speaker 48:00
in our format.
Speaker 4 48:05
My understanding is that most book challenges across the country right now are from outside residents.
Speaker 2 48:13
I’m thinking delivered, right? Yeah. They parachute in, especially
Speaker 4 48:18
performance available online, which invites not that you don’t even have to show people work. So I actually Googled it. Longmont library challenge a book and you have it in the policy section, it says you have to come in person to request the form. So when you just update it to say, come and speak to us, or
Speaker 1 48:37
depending what you’re concerned about the item that is contacted, the director in the Library Board needs. The third,
Speaker 4 48:44
as long as it still says it somewhere in the policies of how to go about doing it. I think that’s the due diligence,
Speaker 2 48:52
in a form a form doesn’t preclude a conversation. That’s true. Yeah.
Speaker 3 48:58
Yeah. I wanted to share that in John. No, you and your staff have obviously done this in much greater depth. But I did do several p&l of local area libraries. And I was surprised at the breadth of ways people handled this. In one library source bias, I there was not that statement, like there was just nothing I could find about how to challenge it. One, I really appreciate it. This is upon resolution to the challenge the challenge library material exhibit display a program cannot be reached challenged by any individual within one calendar year. So just just saying that, really I think that I thought that there would have been more of a standard than there is. So I think that if it
Unknown Speaker 49:54
was just Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 49:57
We’ve created ourselves Yeah. So,
Unknown Speaker 50:00
yeah, thanks everybody. Yeah,
Speaker 1 50:01
the only standard is that is to have some, some form or someone can express not just their concern about items, but also recommend which, you know, let’s not forget, that’s part of this too. Yes, sorry. No,
Speaker 5 50:24
I don’t, I don’t really come across as second guessing your instincts at all. But when I just thought I had was, it’s a form plus conversation is the one in some ways, sir, to kind of like, weed out people who just need to like, vent?
Unknown Speaker 50:45
You know what I mean? Are
Speaker 5 50:47
you gonna end up with a lot of kind of low level complaints? versus the people who are like, really serious about this one? Patient? Like, I just worry about your? And is there a way in which like, a kind of, like, an initial intake form, like, protect you from some kind of people who are like, constant complainers, or, you know what I mean, like, No, I think it’s a good point, and somebody’s complaint, and then like, invite follow up for some of them or something, or I don’t know,
Speaker 1 51:18
I think it’s a good point. And something to consider, you know, at the end of the day, you know, maybe it is some combination. I mean, I’m happy to say that, you know, this library in my time here, and I have, one I’ll share tonight is this is my third. In a year, if somebody challenges something, we don’t get an influx of this here, it’s kind of setting yourself up for a worst case scenario, right? Like, and then or, or whatever, we’re just to manage it differently. But we did a, we did talk about things like that, that Cynthia referenced, of adding to this. So like, they take an item, a book that has been challenged, can’t be challenged, again, by anybody for whatever the rest of the year or two years, also a person challenging themselves, polling can do it so many times a year. So they can’t, you know, that way they’re not that sort of helps protect that influx of a group that might be inclined to just keep submitting forms, because you know, they want everything online. I can see that Catherine like having a form, and then it leaves you have to come in and do it that way. And even in our current form it, it probably does limit some people, right? Because for it, it discourages it on some level, because like, well, they’re not they don’t want to come in where a lot of people just want to express that I didn’t really like this. And so people staff will talk to them and offer this as a solution. And then most people don’t follow up. So, yeah,
Speaker 4 52:56
maybe the other advantage of potential hybrid system where there’s some kind of form, and it’s very clear that this is leading to a conversation is a form on paper, give staff a chance to prepare for a conversation. Yeah, see what’s not like? Blind? Yeah, right.
Speaker 3 53:19
Sure, have you been able to hear from the directors you’ve talked to you have fully removed the process? Have they ran into any roadblocks? In terms of time or anything like that?
Speaker 1 53:32
No, the one that I have all along with email from about and he’s the director down in Woodland Park, which is brand Park Library District. I think it’s still somewhat new there still, but, you know, in his opinion, it’s, it’s, first of all, I don’t know that they got a ton either, but it’s reduced what they have gotten. And he’s felt a lot better about just having conversations with people.
Unknown Speaker 54:05
The size of that community. Woodland
Speaker 1 54:08
Park is small. It’s a little mountain town. I mean, it’s bigger than your average mount.
Unknown Speaker 54:13
Smaller than us.
Speaker 1 54:17
Yeah, it’s just going outside of Colorado Springs. So it’s that neck of the woods. If you think of the state of Colorado and the winter, a lot of areas that are probably more close to challenges are down that way. So yeah, I mean, we’re still we’re still talking about it here live smarter, big time
Speaker 4 54:38
talking about it and kind of have to revise something. Yeah, coming up with kind of minimum standards. And you know, that’s great.
Speaker 6 54:49
Well, I mean, it was when they come in who staff groups through that. Those storms, right? Yeah.
Speaker 1 54:56
How many pages are there it’s one it’s just I mean, it’s so free like received free one person wrote middle information on the form and then they typed up a three page essay. Which is fine. But explain where they’re coming from
Unknown Speaker 55:14
the staff time it takes to
Speaker 1 55:15
read through all those. Yeah, I mean, well, yeah, it’s it’s me. So I don’t I don’t work in the staff with that with the staff responsibility is if someone objects to something, they offer them my contact information, we don’t go just to the forum like, Oh, like this here. Yeah, like, try to talk to them. But you know, if they’re adult or whatever, use your best judgment and say, well, there’s a process, you know, here, here’s this packet, what they get is the form, and accompanying it is our collection development policy in the library bill of rights and freedom to read statement. So they, you know, hopefully they might look through that. And then when you consider whether they need this, you know, that’s that all of that, in and of itself is going to explain why this isn’t a collection. Just why that guy from Woodland Park, I don’t think he even cares what it is like, if he surprised by it, he probably has boilerplate answers for everything that comes in. I don’t know. I would probably rather, he said, talk directly to it. Or, of course, what a lot of people think is oh, your library, you read everything in the world. I don’t want to be in that. So, so I’ll keep this in, you know, in my directors report as pertinent to keep you updated on what we’re doing, particularly if we revise anything. Right now, there’s been no changes. The last thing I’ll say to this, if you aren’t aware, there is some potential legislation from the state to follow what the state of Illinois did, which is basically putting a ban on book bans. And it sounds great, but the initial draft legislation is problematic. And so directors group that and I haven’t seen, they wanted to write some amendments to it, they wanted the whoever wrote up the initial legislation, in our opinion, added some complications to it and really, almost looked like it could get y rays in trouble. More so than you know, it’s almost like poking the bear. That’s very vague, but me to say I can, I can certainly send out the legislation, or at least the draft I saw. And what this group in so when, with the Colorado, sorry, the California Colorado association of libraries, right, there’s all these different groups on there. And one of them is a legislative group. And so they constantly review anything and they talk to legislators like it’s as it relates to public libraries. So that group has been on top of this legislation and tried to have actual conversations with the people writing. So I think the positive side of that is having directors engaged in this and providing an engaging that conversation, not to say you’re doing this all wrong, but like, think about the implications of what you’re doing here, here and here for the potential implications, you know, and luckily, a couple of people on this committee have legal background so they can read through this and decipher some of the language more than maybe your average person. So that’s kind of handy too. But you know, I can try to set some stuff out and you can probably look it up to see draft legislation but I’m just more just awareness you should know that this is going on and and that’s as it relates to challenges.
Speaker 3 58:58
Thanks so much, John. If you could send it out. That’d be great for anyone who’s taking notes right now the bill looks to be SB 24 Dash oh four nine content and material and libraries, eg the numbers again, SB two four, Dash 049 Thank you. And then the title content and material and libraries.
Speaker 1 59:24
Thanks. So okay, within so within this realm, and this is the last directors report, which is great. But I did receive a challenge over the weekend that I wanted to just bring here. I’ve written a draft that so our current process if you don’t know, if someone does fill in a form, what it says on the form is, you know, if you do this, a committee will be formed who will review this and say, well, what’s the committee will do? committee is, whoever needs to be on the committee, right? Because if, if someone like last time, they challenged a book on the team display. So I had conversations with my children’s librarian and my team librarian themself. And that conversation can vary how long generally what I’ve done with these is I write a draft response. And then, in this case, it’s a graphic novel, an adult graphic novel. And so one of the selectors from the adult services department, I shared this was challenged, and I sent her the draft. And I said, that’s basically how this committee works, you know, and you can provide some feedback. And pending that, then I’ll mail it out to the future. So in general, in this case, they’re challenging of book called Sleep analysis right here. And it’s definitely depicts a good deal of violence, and sex, just so you know. And that’s what they’re objecting to. And actually, they’re not asking it to be removed from the collection. They just want to move to the x xx part of the library. So the purpose, no library would, and the reason we wouldn’t is because we actually don’t collect by definition, pornographic material is not pornography. So So in my draft response, I have explained to this person that it’s appropriately Shelton, the adult graphic novel section. One don’t have that section, or when we because by definition, we don’t collect pornography. And this is not I also gave, you know, a few references to some reviews of it that people liked. And graphic novelist himself is 140 different literary awards. So I’ve pointed these things out. And that basically is not moving. There’s nowhere to move it to and I’m also not taking it out. And here’s why. So that’s the essence of it. Just wanted to make the board aware of that. So that’s just I guess, FYI. I didn’t look through it, you know, this isn’t something I would pick up. I’m willing wouldn’t enjoy it. I looked through it. Because it basically just so you know that it’s an Italian graphic novelist who wrote this in the 80s. It was his underground comics, because it’s of this nature. So if you, if you can see on screen, but it’s very, you can see from the cartoon, you get an idea of what’s in here, right? I mean, it’s a mouse with a chainsaw attacking your cat. Okay, if you didn’t see that, that’s what
Speaker 2 1:03:02
it is. Those of us who are Simpsons, yes. And this is a so this is not sure.
Speaker 1 1:03:09
So this is if you’re a Simpsons fan, so when it’s was renovated,
Unknown Speaker 1:03:13
he scratches.
Unknown Speaker 1:03:17
Tom and Jerry, if you’re a little guy like
Unknown Speaker 1:03:18
me, yeah, pretty much
Speaker 1 1:03:21
basically. And that’s every review of this is basically it’s a parody of it. And it’s an intentionally graphic both violently and sexually, because it’s, that was the inception when he wrote this in the 80s. It was like this underground thing, because that was unacceptable. And in fact, that even got caught trying to get into this country and the authorities got it. And they wouldn’t let it in and then went to court, and the publisher won, because they argued, it was obscene. And by definition, it’s not obscene. It doesn’t meet the Millers. So it actually was never considered obscene. Okay. And so, now, what’s in here is basically the whole series bound, right? It was individual comics. And so it was actually kind of interesting story to learn about it. So anyway, so just so you know, the, the essence of my responses, it’s not, there’s nowhere to move it to. And I’m definitely not taking out a collection. And if there’s any questions or comments on that, I’ll entertain it from the board. But that’s going to be my next step is to confer with my collection person and the head of collection and make sure I my letter looks good to them from their perspective and tweak as necessary. And, and then I’ll mail it out.
Speaker 3 1:04:48
Very interesting. Hey, thanks so much, Dan. I think that just is an illustration of how a conversation can be really helpful from that page.
Speaker 1 1:04:59
Yeah, the I don’t know if you saw the cover on the screen there. But the reason they even the, the on the forum, the patron has to indicate, you know what, what made you aware of this book anyway or whatever they said because of the Disney light cover. Which I couldn’t help myself in my response saying that it’s Disney like but like, like from my observation. It’s very clear what’s in this book. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 1:05:29
So in the adult section.
Unknown Speaker 1:05:32
Thanks, Catherine.
Unknown Speaker 1:05:33
He finished pet
Speaker 1 1:05:35
section, you know. Anyway, in the back. Oh, yeah. A very brief description tells you that this is extremely violent. Both graph both violent with like, fight. What am I trying to say violence and sex graphic across the board it’s meant to be. So if you’re not looking at these things, and then opening it up and then being shocked at it. Anyway, obviously, I didn’t explain it that way. But I did point out by its cover, yeah. Well, you know. So yeah, it was kind of interesting. Yeah. So that’s, uh, that’s all on that. Sorry.
Speaker 3 1:06:24
Oh, no, thank you very much. Questions or comments for John, about anything else regarding the directors report?
Speaker 2 1:06:34
I’m always impressed by how collaborative you are with your staff. That’s a great sign.
Speaker 3 1:06:46
All right. Well, let’s move on. I believe next up on our agenda is the Friends of the Library report.
Speaker 2 1:06:54
Yes, it was so long ago, because the friends need I think, some, most of the time, it’s like a few days after our meeting. So I’m going back to December 28. Were the friends board formally reviewed the outcome of the last book sale in December.
Unknown Speaker 1:07:17
We library
Speaker 2 1:07:22
generating more sales revenue than originally thought, which was lovely. And so of course, I have to get on my soapbox yet again. And say I have such concerns for this wonderful group of volunteers who put in so many hours to run these sales, to sort of organize the book sales so much care, and to getting these books ready for the sale already for the bookshop, that bookshop is like, doing so well with bringing in funds. How sustainable is it? Especially as we head into a year where the library has less purchasing power with their budget. So I just I don’t I don’t have a solution at this point. You know, I, I encourage the board of the friends to not forget about legacy planning, not forget about recruiting a diverse team of members and board members that so that there is somebody to step up as board members step away. I think that was just the main point. They they may need to do more this year to reach the levels that the library I want to say this to have the same impact this year, as they did in 2003.
Speaker 1 1:09:19
I interjected. So, related to that, because I want to acknowledge this publicly given the budget and my desire in one of those things was to increase our professional development. And there’s a pretty major conference that is this year and that only happens every other year. So obviously, with the current situation, I wouldn’t be able to support that. So I went to the friends and requested them to find five people to go to this conference, which they did, really without hesitation. You know, I am very grateful for that. It’s still, you know, it’s something I really wish I wasn’t asking the friends for. To me that seems that sustainable. And I know the friends of mine just expressing it here. But at the same time, there will be some staff going to this conference in April, Public Library Association is probably one of the biggest shows for public libraries. And it’s anytime I’ve been it’s been valuable. Public Library Association.
Speaker 3 1:10:37
Great, thank you JD during was that did you have other updates? Certainly the friends or was that? Yeah.
Speaker 2 1:10:44
I mean, that was the most significant thing. They’re they’re going to be focusing, of course on now on the February sale. And also, we’ll be looking at think, like,
Unknown Speaker 1:10:58
Nene Oh,
Speaker 2 1:11:00
they want to revisit their member benefits. They, they would love to have more members join the friends. And I think they are realizing you know, that they might want to review what that $15 A year gets them. Because that’s how a lot of the public thinks it’s like, what am I going to get for this? Donation? What am I going to get for this? It’s the fact that it’s called a membership rather than a donation, like soliciting donations versus recruiting members. So when I have more to say about that, I’ll let you know.
Speaker 3 1:11:49
As needed, thanks for attending and bringing that report back to us. I’m so glad to hear that five members are able to go to the public library conference. I know that’s not Business Standard in this library. And I just cannot reiterate, in my opinion how important that is. And I will just take this moment to repeat what we’ve all said before, is we’re so grateful for the friend support. And it’s so unfortunate that that needs to be coming from them. Because it’s, you know, ideally, their role should be supplementing not providing core functions. So I, I really appreciate all the work that this members do. Okay, moving on. Susie, do you have anything for this council? Update? Yeah.
Speaker 6 1:12:42
So you know, again, we’re at the points, you know, in the year where a lot of legislative bill recommendations will be coming to council for, you know, for support or oppose opposition.
Speaker 6 1:13:04
So we have some bills that are coming down, the city council did vote to support the HB 2410 12, which is concerning the operational efficiency of the Front Range passenger passenger rail district. And so yeah, and then the other one that we also supported was around concerning railroad safety. So we’re, I know, the city we we have been engaged a lot with BNSF railroad with RTD. Around the, the Fast Fast Tracks, you know, one of the things that we’ll be discussing in the executive session is really looking at our long months, continued participation in faster acts, and possibly looking for other ways to support public transit, for law mod folder and to Denver. But, you know, I think it’s really time for us to hold hold our TV accountable. And and, you know, if that’s, you know, looking, chopping with legal on ways that we can actually try to recover. Wishful thinking, but, so, yeah, so kind of rethinking those pieces. So I think that’s something that has impacted us as a community as a whole. Another thing that’s coming down so staff had no position on this bill, Council, we have yet to discuss this item, but it’s around Universal health, health care. So we’re kind of we’re delving more into what that bill would mean the ramifications for employees. then. And sustainability. So that’s something that will be coming up to look for for discussion as well. And if anyone has, you know, thoughts, definitely shoot me an email. So we can bring that up for our, for our discussion as well. And then, so it sounded like so I had attended a breakfast, a legislative breakfast with computing solutions. So we got to hear from the governor. And so several state representatives and senators who are doing work around transit. And it sounded like the three big things that the state is focusing on is affordable housing, transportation and climate. So I was very disheartened not to hear public education. But one of the things I mentioned is how, okay, so for example, the I talked to people at the airport, and the challenge they’re facing is that there aren’t incoming people to do you know, mechanics, mechanical work on the airplanes. So as a lot of these people are aging out, we don’t have new people coming into that profession. So how many of these things that we’re addressing climate, the switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy, you are the new people coming in? Well, if we adequately fund public education, that we can really build that robust pathway to these professions that are, you know, that could be considered dying out, or these newer professions that are kind of phasing in, so like, like, you know, the transition to renewable energy, so it’s new technologies, new expertise, so how, you know, kind of how we can connect those, you know, our priorities at the local level, and connect it to what the state is prioritizing, and I’m not saying the city of Longmont is not fair housing, affordable housing, transit or climate, but there are other other needs and priorities that we have as well, and how we can kind of coalesce those those together. And I’m trying to think so outside of capsule I, well, it is part of my work on council. So I part of the now and part of the jump 529. So it’s that program for this city and the district have agreed to are the foundation, give each child coming from kinder to third, if you’d all $50 to put into a jar jump 529 accounts for college. So then, you know, parents can put in as little or as much as they want to that account will accrue money. And then so when they’re ready to go to college they have birdnest. So to carry on, one of the things in reviewing that is the inequity that has really come to play is the only people that are really tapped into it. Are people who have means.
Unknown Speaker 1:18:20
So people who already had accounts, yes,
Speaker 6 1:18:22
yes. So we don’t do not have title one participants, participants entitled our schools. And so I earlier today, I had a meeting with them. And one of the things and so I’m bringing this out here too, because there’s, you know, maybe opportunity to you know, for that team to kind of utilize space in here or you know, an event or something that would allow people to kind of be educated on on that route. And so we have a lot of people who don’t really understand what the ins and outs, what that that means. So they’re not, they’re not taking up on that opportunity. So we’re looking for ways to kind of close that gap, that equity gap. And so that’s, you know, that’s something that’s kind of coming out in the community. And so I think, you know, when we talk about, you know, having these collaborations with the district, there’s so much we could do and work together and rather than being in the silos, and so that’s, you know, the whole reason why I brought that up was just thinking about the early conversation we had about ideas for access library, there’s so many ways that you can fill in these gaps if we all work together. So that you know, I think that’s, that’s an opportunity is
Speaker 1 1:19:43
that literally just for college. So
Speaker 6 1:19:47
that’s one of the things and that I’m wordings. I’m going to train you to really find out because I think there is a possibility for students to use that Money for trade school. Yep. So like if they go to vocational they can
Unknown Speaker 1:20:04
access that. Yeah, like to be an airplane mechanic.
Speaker 6 1:20:06
Yes, yes. Because not everyone is going to go to four year university, that might not be your thing. But if they have money to be able to apply vocational, my husband’s a farmer, and he seems like there’s no younger people. I know the trade there. Right? And it’s frightening. I mean, he’s 16. And he’s out there, you know, lifting up 500 pound water heaters stairs? Because there are people to do it. So, you know, filling in those gaps, and it does anyone have any questions for me? I have been taking notes every month, we do update each other on our advisory boards. So I do want to drive the point home that friends, and I’ve talked to residents to about this, it was like, well, you there global working town with the library? Okay, well think about a lot of the programs and things that are essential that are paid for by the Friends of the Library, or in other cities, their friends are paid for additional reasons. And then they were like, Oh, I didn’t know. You know that speaking with a former candidate. He goes back he was yeah, I didn’t really research it. Yes, then you’ll say anything, just saying they just did. So it was very, it’s very frustrating to hear some of these comments after the fact. And I really was upset. And I understand, you know, the policy that we have to kind of remain neutral as a city. But I kind of think we were we were like as us as an organization. We were maybe erring on the side of caution too much. I think there was a little more, I think, chuck in the city.
Speaker 3 1:21:57
But thanks so much, Susie for their update. Yeah. Any other questions or comments? Not mine. And I really appreciate you sharing it bringing some of that back. Right. Well, the next standing item is library news. library profession news. Can you stand for sharing about that bill up for the 2024 state session? earlier? I don’t have anything else. Anything. Anyone else have anything in the big picture of library world?
Speaker 4 1:22:37
I missed last month. But did we discuss the library district that Frederick fair sooner jacono voted on in the last election cycle to be included
Unknown Speaker 1:22:48
in? We didn’t talk about it? No, I’m
Speaker 4 1:22:51
just curious. I can’t why? I didn’t realize first of all, that they would have to vote as citizens to be included in a library district. And why would why would you vote against that? Like what are what was the reasoning
Speaker 1 1:23:07
was it’s a tax increase. It’s money. Whether it’s a district or like we did, which was to increase funding to the property and or sales. Tax. So that’s it always boy, yeah. You can’t just be a district without paying.
Unknown Speaker 1:23:26
High Plains.
Speaker 1 1:23:27
No, no, no to Cornell to Kona was in I don’t remember the results?
Speaker 4 1:23:31
I don’t remember. It was so close. I think it was going back for our account.
Speaker 1 1:23:35
Yeah, I don’t remember how but I so I don’t may not have passed. That’s would have been a hard time to pass on. Solid that boulder tip. But that was after, you know, first of all that was to this election that was still missing. You know, but that was years of prepare, it took a little while to get even that it was close? It’s
Speaker 2 1:24:06
a subjective question. And it’s for John. Just in light of our conversation tonight. I I’m wondering if you have any thoughts to share, from your opinion, your opinion and perspective about? Do you have similar concerns for the future about people leaving librarianship and not enough people coming into it? Maybe perhaps because of some of the events that have been appearing in the media, some of the challenges, you know, do you think that’s going to discourage people from entering the field and then eventually having a challenge to replace
Speaker 1 1:24:49
staff? Currently, it’s not affecting it. A lot of people still go. I mean, the real concern is who’s going and it’s still largely white people. before and so that needs to change. And that’s been a long standing thing. Unfortunately, you know, I don’t know that. The other interesting part since this was a subjective question, because I don’t have data to present this. But my, my sense is that a lot of people a good share of people that decide to go get their masters in library information science or career changers. And there’s something that’s quote unquote, sexy about doing it like they like. It’s like the old age old thing, right. But I’d love to read. So obviously, we’re working on library, and then they’re quickly educated once they kind of get into place there. Which begs the question of what’s being taught library school? And I have a lot of thoughts on that, that goes well beyond this question. But But But currently, I would say, there’s a lot of interest, but I think that’s part of it. I think people still see it as romantic. At least in the public library, you know, just not aware of all the realities, and you’d like you’d have to be somewhat aware with all these this censorship and stuff going on. But I don’t know, a lot of people are still alone. I
Speaker 2 1:26:23
mean, that’s good for the profession. I’ve read some, a number of First Person sort of memoirs are accounts of former librarians. And I was surprised at how many of them ended with that person leaving the field not because of censorship, but because of some of the safety. Oh,
Speaker 1 1:26:50
huge problem, which is the Yeah, and that’s the other thing. I think, if a lot of people that come in to library school is career changers without knowing a lot of inner workings, they might reconsider, unfortunately, based off safety alone. Particularly, that’s like not every library, but generally, the bigger the city, the more urban you get, and, you know, there’s just there’s more concerns for that I
Speaker 2 1:27:20
was looking for this account, a library, and I just started following on Instagram, and I am just loving that feed. It’s very positive, inspiring, and I can’t find it right now. So please do not trying to be rude, but if I find it, I will bring it back to the script. Because if you have an Instagram account, it might just bring a smile to.
Speaker 3 1:27:46
Hey, I’m wondering, and I don’t want to take us off track. But if there is a recent profile in New York Times of a librarian who had a popular Instagram Tik Tok account, whose focus was on as he called it, spreading library joy. Yeah, that’s
Speaker 2 1:28:04
library, New York Times. The
Speaker 3 1:28:08
New York Times is a California Immigrant. He also talks a lot about mental health.
Unknown Speaker 1:28:14
The name of the account, too.
Speaker 3 1:28:24
Anyway, any other comments from the library board?
Speaker 3 1:28:35
Well, then, our next meeting is scheduled for February 26. I hope to be in person, my husband, I will share my husband has a new job. And I might be joining more often over zoom, depending on how late he’s working. But I hope to see you all in person and go ahead and adjourn at 829
Transcribed by https://otter.ai