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[Municipal Library Board Meeting on December 12, 2023.]
HIS AUDIO JUST YET.AND ON MUTE FOR A SECOND HERE.
WELL, IN, IN ABSENCE OF TOM, I, I'M HERE.
YOU CAN CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER
I DON'T DUNNO WHERE I AM, BUT I'M, I'M HEARING ON THE SCREEN, BUT I AM HERE, BUT I'M HERE.
THERE, YOU'RE, IT IS FOUR OH IS 4 0 3.
AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO A JOINT MEETING OF THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD AND THE FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY, UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING THE REPORT FROM OUR STRATEGIC AND FACILITIES PLANNERS GROUP.
AND SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO JOE TO GET US STARTED.
THANK YOU, UH, TOM, AND WELCOME EVERYBODY FOR THIS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO GIVE YOU, UM, A LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE IN THIS PROCESS.
I AM GOING TO CAVEAT IT IS THE, THAT WE DID MEET WITH TC THIS PAST WEEK, AND LIZ, AND BASED ON THEIR FEEDBACK, WE ARE PUSHING BACK OUR, UM, PRESENTATION TO QUALITY OF LIFE.
THERE'S A FEW MORE THINGS THAT TC IT'S REQUESTED THAT WE DO.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE THROUGH THE BODY OF THIS PRESENTATION.
BUT WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'M JUST GONNA TURN IT OVER TO JILL, UM, ERRORS FROM GROUP FOUR TO LEAD US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING FOR YOU ALL.
I THINK YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA HAVE DECEMBER OFF, SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU MAKING A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR US TODAY.
UM, OUR LAST MEETING WITH THE BOARD WAS BACK IN APRIL, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE THAT TIME, EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS AGO.
UM, WE WANNA SHARE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, THE PURPOSE OF THE PROCESS OF THE PROJECT, THE PROCESS, GONNA SHARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THEMES THAT WE'VE HEARD ALONG THE WAY, HOW THAT'S OUR WORK AND THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BOTH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE FACILITIES PLAN.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE PRETTY QUICK, MAYBE AROUND 15 MINUTES OR SO.
AND LEAVE US PLENTY OF TIME FOR QUESTIONS, UM, AT THE END.
SO, GROUP FOUR, ARCHITECTURE, RESEARCH AND PLANNING.
WE ARE THE PRIME CONSULTANT FACILITATING THIS WHOLE PLANNING PROCESS.
I'M HERE TODAY WITH VICKI WHITE FROM GROUP FOUR, WHO HAS BEEN, UM, OUR SENIOR PLANNER IN MY RIGHT HAND ON THIS PROJECT THROUGHOUT.
PLEASED TO HAVE BUILDING COMMUNITY WORKSHOP HERE WITH US.
THEY ARE OUR, OUR DALLAS BASED PARTNER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND ARE ALSO COLLABORATING WITH US ON THE FACILITIES PART OF THIS PROCESS.
UM, ALSO PLEASED TO HAVE OUR LIBRARY CONSULTANT, SUSAN KENT HERE, AND OUR LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT CARSON BLOCK HERE AS WELL.
OUR TEAM, UH, ALMOST A YEAR AGO, WAS TASKED WITH DEVELOPING A THREE TO FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THE LIBRARY DOES.
SERVICES, OPERATIONS, TECHNOLOGY, COLLECTIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, UM, ALL OF THAT TO SHAPE THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
REPLACING THE LAST STRATEGIC PLAN THE LIBRARY HAD, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED PRE COVID.
WE WERE ALSO ASKED TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR THE NEXT TWO DECADES OF INVESTMENTS IN DALLAS'S LIBRARY FACILITIES.
REPLACING THE LAST MASTER PLAN, WHICH WAS FROM THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
WE WERE ASKED TO DEVELOP, UH, BOTH OF THESE PLANS COMPREHENSIVELY TOGETHER USING A ROBUST CITYWIDE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCESS AND THE PLANS BOTH WERE, UM, FACILITATED THROUGH AN EQUITY AND INCLUSION LENS.
WE MET WITH YOU LAST TIME IN APRIL WHEN WE WERE STILL IN THE VERY BEGINNING STAGES OF OUR ASSESSMENT WORK, AND WE WERE JUST PREPARING FOR OUR FIRST ROUND OF STAKEHOLDER AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH I'LL LET BC TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IN A MOMENT.
UM, HERE THIS AFTERNOON, WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE WE ARE HEARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK.
YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLY VALUABLE, UH, LINK TO US, TO THE COMMUNITY OVERALL, AND WANNA HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT WHAT WE'VE HEARD AND
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WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT WE'RE RECOMMEND RECOMMENDING, SO THAT WE ARE READY TO GO, AS JOE SAID, TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND ULTIMATELY CITY COUNCIL, UH, SOMETIME IN THE NEW YEAR.SO, LISA, I THINK YOU ARE TAKING IT FROM HERE.
SO, UM, WE'LL BE CREATING OR DEVELOPING AN APPENDIX TO THE PLAN THAT HIGHLIGHTS, UM, HIGHLIGHTS, UM, THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND SO TODAY I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING TWO OVERVIEW SHEETS.
THIS IS KIND OF A TIMELINE OF OUR ENGAGEMENT PROCESS STARTING IN FEBRUARY OF 2022.
WE HOWLED OUR KICKOFF MEETINGS.
UM, THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS, UM, SURVEYS, A VARIETY OF KIND OF COMMUNITY GATHERING, UM, STRATEGIES.
THE, THE INSTALLATION OF THE LIBRARY FEEDBACK STATIONS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH ALL OF THAT DATA COLLECTION, UM, THAT BEGAN TO INFORM THE STRATEGIES.
UM, WE WERE ALSO AT THAT POINT ALSO BEGAN HOLDING FOCUS GROUPS, OR I SHOULD SAY WE, THE LIBRARY STAFF, UM, STARTED HOLDING FOCUS GROUPS.
MM-HMM,
UM, WE HELD TWO VIRTUAL MEETINGS, UM, ONE IN ENGLISH, ONE IN SPANISH, UM, TO SHARE THOSE STRATEGIES WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE WILL, I CONTINUE TO KIND OF SHARE THAT VIDEO, UM, VIA THE FEEDBACK STATIONS WITHIN EACH LIBRARY, UM, TO SEE IF WE GET ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK.
UM, ALL OF THAT IS GOING INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY SHARING IT WITH YOU ALL.
UM, THE, THE REG, YOU KNOW, JUST GENERAL LIBRARY STAFF, AND THEN ULTIMATELY QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, NOW THAT I'VE DESCRIBED ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEETINGS THAT WE HAD, UM, HERE IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE, KIND OF THE NUMBERS THAT GO WITH THAT.
SO WE HAD, UM, KIND OF 40, UM, 4,950 COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER RESPONSES VIA ALL OF THE VARIETY OF, UM, OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT THAT WE FOR IN HAD OUT.
UM, WE HAD 65 COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS ACROSS THE, UM, ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, IN OUR OUTREACH, THE LIBRARY SENT OUT, UM, A LITTLE OVER 600,000 EMAILS.
UM, HAD ROUGHLY AROUND 2000 SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A SLIGHTLY HIGHER, UH, METRIC THAN TOUCHES OR, UM, IMPRESSIONS OR, YOU KNOW, JUST SHARING THE POST IT'S, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ACTUALLY ENGAGED.
UM, WE HAD 18 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM, ASSOCIATIONS VISITED BY LIBRARY STAFF, WHICH I THINK IS KIND OF A GREAT PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
UM, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER DIFFERENT, UM, KIND OF YOU CAN READ FOR YOURSELVES.
BUT, UM, THIS WILL BEGIN TO KIND OF INFORM QUALITY OF LIFE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, KIND OF IN GENERAL, WHAT WAS DONE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND THE LEVEL OF BOTH OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS DONE THROUGH, UM, TO INFORM THIS PLAN.
SO WHAT DID WE HEAR THROUGH ALL OF THIS, THIS RICH ENGAGEMENT THAT WE GOT CITYWIDE? UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE HEARD THAT DALLAS COMMUNITIES REALLY DO VALUE THE LIBRARY AS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE.
IN DALLAS, THERE'S A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF RESPECT AND SATISFACTION AMONG STAKEHOLDERS, COLLABORATORS, AND THE COMMUNITY FOR DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE POSITIVE IMPACTS IT HAS, BOTH FOR E EVERYDAY INDIVIDUALS AND FOR THE CITY OVERALL.
WE HEARD THAT THE COMMUNITY CHERISHES DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR ITS ABILITY TO INSPIRE CURIOSITY, INSPIRE A LEVEL OF LIFELONG LEARNING, AND THAT COMMUNITIES WANT EVEN MORE ACCESS TO THESE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
THINGS LIKE CHILDREN'S STORY TIMES, PLAY SPACES, HELPING BUILD
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THOSE EARLY LITERACY SKILLS AND, AND READINESS FOR SCHOOL.UM, LEARNING THIS, UH, LEARNING AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER CREATIVITY AND HELP BUILD SKILLS, SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, UNIQUE COLLECTIONS, EXHIBITIONS, CELEBRATIONS, AND SO MUCH MORE.
WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE VALUE OF DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY AS A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CONNECT, UM, WITH RESOURCES WITH THE LIBRARY'S AMAZING STAFF AND WITH EACH OTHER OVER SHARED INTERESTS, OVER TOPICS OF, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC INTEREST, UH, PLACES WHERE WE'RE DIFFERENT, BUT WE WANNA LEARN HOW TO, UH, UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BETTER AND UNDERSTAND THE WORLD.
WE'VE HEARD THAT THE LIBRARY IS A MODEL OF WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IN PARTICULAR, THE LIBRARY IS A CHAMPION FOR DIGITAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, EVEN MORE NOW THAT COVID IS, IS WITH US, UM, PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, COMPUTERS, PRINTING, UH, FAXING IS A, UH, SERVICE WITH A LONG TAIL THAT THE COMMUNITY COMES IN EVERY DAY STILL NEEDING.
UM, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO THE LIBRARY STAFF WHO CAN HELP AT ANY POINT ON THAT SPECTRUM OF NEED FROM HELP.
I'VE NEVER USED A SMARTPHONE BEFORE TO, I HAVE A VERY COMPLICATED QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ADOBE POWERPOINT, UM, THAT, THAT NEEDS ANSWERING THIS ADOBE POWERPOINT.
SO, AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS WE KEPT HEARING OVER AND OVER TOO, RE REGARDING EQUITY IS THAT THE CITY, MANY OF THE CITY'S DEPARTMENTS LOOK TO THE LIBRARY AS AN ESSENTIAL COLLABORATOR IN HELPING ACHIEVE THOSE EQUITY GOALS THAT THE CITY HAS FOR ITSELF AND THE COMMUNITY.
WE HEARD THAT THE LIBRARY'S BUILDINGS ARE ESSENTIAL PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER, TO WORK ALONE, TO WORK, STUDY, PARTICIPATE IN GATHERINGS, MEETINGS, UM, TO BE IN A SPACE THAT ISN'T THEIR HOME OR THEIR WORK IN A, A SPACE THAT IS FREE TO USE DEMAND FOR THESE KINDS OF PEOPLE PLACES IS ONLY GONNA GROW IN THE FUTURE.
AND IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THAT, UM, HELP LAUNCHING CHILDREN AND YOUTH INTO THEIR LIFETIME OF LEARNING SUCCESS.
IT, THE LIBRARY IS ALSO HELPING TEENS AND ADULTS REACH EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER GOALS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE AS WELL.
SO, JOE, THIS IS WHERE LAST WEEK YOU, YOU KIND OF JUMPED IN AND HAD SOME, SOME THOUGHTS FOR ABSOLUTELY.
I'LL TAKE IT FOR THE NEXT TWO SLIDES THEN.
SO, UM, WHEN WE REVIEWED OUR VIS MISSION AND VISION, UM, THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND, UM, WITH A GREAT DEAL OF CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE STAFF, WE REALLY FELT LIKE OUR VISION WAS STILL SOMETHING THAT REFLECTED WELL ON THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY, EXCUSE ME.
UM, LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES START AT DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY WITH OUR SMALLER TAGLINE OF LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES REALLY SPEAKS TO US STILL AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE MISSION STATEMENT, HOWEVER, WE DID TWEAK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
WE ADDED ON, UM, BUILDS EQUITY TO THE END OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT, AND WE REALLY FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO MOVE THAT UP, UM, TO THE BEGINNING OF THE MISSION, MISSION STATEMENT.
SO THE REST OF OUR, UM, VERY POWERFUL WORDS THAT, YOU KNOW, JILL JUST REALLY WENT THROUGH
SO IT, IT, IT IS A, IT IS A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AND IT'S A PRIORITY FOR US, AND IT NEEDED TOP BILLING.
AND OUT OF THAT CAME THESE CORE VALUES.
THESE FOUR CORE VALUES ARE THE VALUES WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, THROUGHOUT THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
AND BASE, UM, ALL OF OUR DECISIONS AND PROGRAMMING, UM, ON THESE COMMUNITY LEARNING, ACCESS AND INNOVATION.
'CAUSE WE, WE WANNA BE INNOVATIVE.
SO, JILL, I THINK THAT TAKES US TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS A LOT OF TEXT AND I WILL SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL, UM, IN PRINT, BUT ALSO, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A MINUTE JUST TO READ IT AS I PICK THROUGH A FEW.
SO I'LL TELL YOU, THESE ARE THE STRATEGIC GOALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LIVE BY AT THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
SO EVERYTHING WE DO IS GOING TO COME UNDER OR CONNECT TO ONE OF THESE.
THESE ALL CAME OUT OF THE COMMUNITY INFORMATION THAT WAS GATHERED, THE STAFF FEEDBACK THAT WAS GATHERED, AND IT ALSO CAME FORTH WITH US, UM, BRINGING TOGETHER THE CITY'S RACIAL EQUITY PLAN AND THE EQUITY GOALS THAT WE LIVE UNDER AS A DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
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THAT WE WILL BE CREATING THAT WE'VE ALREADY START TO CREATE, UM, WILL FALL UNDER ONE OF THESE BUCKETS THAT YOU SEE.SO MAKING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS, OF COURSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS AND BRINGING SERVICES DIRECTLY TO OUR CUSTOMERS, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING THAT'S NOT NEW.
SO WE DO WANNA GET THAT INNOVATION IN THERE, UM, AND LOOK TO FILLING SOME OF THE GAPS IN THE CITY, UH, WITH THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER.
ALSO, CONTINUING THOSE VIBRANT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING.
PROVIDING CUSTOMER RESPONSIVE TECHNOLOGY IS A BIG ONE FOR US.
AND I SEE CARSON NODDING BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE FALLEN BEHIND ON.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF STANDARD FOR A LOT OF BIG LIBRARY SYSTEMS, BUT WE WANT IT ON THERE AS A GOAL SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE WORKING TOWARDS.
I'M NOT GONNA LIE, THAT'S GONNA BE A TOUGH ONE,
UM, PROVIDE INSPIRING AND WELCOMING FACILITIES.
AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH, BUT SOMETHING THAT REALLY WASN'T IMPRINT LIKE THIS AS A GOAL THAT WE NEEDED TO WORK TOWARDS.
WE'LL, OF COURSE, BE WORKING WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS ON THAT.
AND DEVELOPING FUTURE READY STAFF IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN DOING WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY FOR MANY YEARS.
WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT THEM, BUT IT WAS NEVER REALLY A WRITTEN GOAL BEFORE, AND IT WAS NEVER SOMETHING, UH, UM, THAT WE HAD AS PUTTING OUT IN OUR PLAN SAYING, WE WANNA GROW OUR STAFF, AND SO WE WANNA LOOK FOR NEW INITIATIVES TO GROW AND KEEP THE STAFF THAT, UH, WE TRAIN AND, AND, UM, BRING UP THROUGH THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.
SO WE NEED TO BE VERY, UM, MINDFUL ABOUT THAT.
AND VERY, UM, DELIBERATE, THAT'S THE WORD I WAS LOOKING FOR.
UM, REDUCE BARRIERS TO ACCESS.
THAT'S, UM, BOTH, UM, ACCESS TO THE BUILDINGS WHICH WE'RE WORKING ON THROUGH OUR A DA UPGRADES AS WELL AS ACCESS TO DIGITAL COLLECTIONS AND PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME FUNDING AND HOPEFULLY FROM THE CITY AS WE OFFER, YOU KNOW, SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION FOR STORY TIME AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO CULTIVATING A VIBRANT MATERIALS COLLECTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF OUR GOALS.
WE'RE SPELLING IT OUT HERE THAT WE REALLY, UM, IT IS OUR DUTY AS THE, TO SERVING THE WHOLE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, THAT WE HAVE A VERY, VERY, UM, DIVERSE COLLECTION.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, TALK AND, UM, HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD IN BOOK BANNING.
LUCKILY WE HAVE NOT BEEN HIT WITH ANY OF THAT, BUT THIS JUST HELPS US SHORE UP OUR, UH, DEFENSES.
AND THEN COMMUNICATING THE LIBRARY'S VALUE.
THIS IS ONE THAT WE STRUGGLED OVER THE WORDING ON THAT WE WANTED IT TO JUST BE RIGHT, BUT ULTIMATELY TELLING OUR STORY, HIGHLIGHTING WHAT WE DO TO THE COMMUNITY, AMPLIFYING US MOST CERTAINLY, THAT WE ARE JUST, UM, A VERY VITAL COMPONENT OF THE CITY'S SERVICES TO EVERYONE.
SO I KNOW YOU'LL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO ABOUT THEM.
SO I'M GOING TO SAVE THAT TO THE END, UM, AND TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE, HOW WE'RE GETTING THERE.
SO I'LL THROW IT BACK TO YOU, JOE.
SO CARSON, THIS, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO TELL US HERE ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING AND RECOMMENDING, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME.
I
UM, TECH OF COURSE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
IT'S IMPORTANT ON ITS OWN, BUT IT'S REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW IT HELPS THE LIBRARY FULFILL ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, UM, UH, TECHNOLOGY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADVANCING EQUITY FOR ALL, NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE IN DALLAS, NO MATTER WHAT BRANCH THAT THEY USE, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL TECHNOLOGY, UM, THAT WE NEED IN EVERY BRANCH.
AND SO THIS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE INTERNET ACCESS OR ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, UM, UM, VIA WIFI, BUT ALSO THROUGH LIBRARY DEVICES AND COMPUTERS.
UM, IS THAT THERE'S ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME IN, UH, TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THOSE WORLDS.
THERE'S ALSO THIS IDEA THAT DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN NEED DIFFERENT SORTS OF, UM, TECHNOLOGY NEEDS.
SO WE HAVE SOME PARTS OF TOWN WHERE WE REALLY, UH, WE WANNA FOCUS ON THE
OTHERS NEED MORE ACCESS TO ACTUAL DEVICES, SO MORE COMPUTERS AND MORE, UH, COMPUTER DEVICES.
REALLY BEING AWARE THAT ALL WE WANT ANY USER OF ANY LIBRARY TO BE ABLE TO EXPECT THE SAME SORT OF SERVICES, SURFACES SERVICES.
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SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT SPECIAL NEEDS AS, UH, WE GO FORWARD TO MAKE SURE WE, WE MEET THOSE.THE ONE THING THAT THE LIBRARIES ARE DOING THAT IT'LL CONTINUE DOING IS A NETWORK PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE INTERNET AND IMPROVE THE SPEEDS OF WIFI.
UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE CONNECTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD IN TERMS OF OUR INTERNET CONNECTION IS STABLE AND STRONG AND ROBUST AND ABLE TO GROW OVER TIME.
AND, UM, SOMETIMES WE CALL THAT SCALABILITY, AND THAT MEANS THAT IT'S ABLE TO MEET DEMANDS AS DEMANDS INCREASE, WHICH THEY SURELY HAVE BEEN, AND THEY SURELY WILL AS WE GO FORWARD.
UM, AND ALSO EXPANDING LAPTOP AND HOTSPOT LENDING, THINGS THAT GET DEVICES AND ACCESS INTO PEOPLE'S HANDS.
THE SECOND WAY TO SERVE IS MEETING EVOLVING PATRON TECH NEEDS.
TECHNOLOGY IS NEVER A ONE AND DONE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, UH, UH, ASSESS IN AN ONGOING MANNER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING, UM, UH, UH, OUR CURRENT NEEDS, BUT ALSO ANTICIPATING FUTURE NEEDS.
AND SO HAVING AGILITY AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO THOSE NEEDS AS THEY ARE, UM, UH, BEING SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY IS KEY, AS IS THE LIBRARY TAKING A GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMERGING, UM, PATRON NEEDS.
SO ONE EXAMPLE IS THE NETWORK PROJECT WHERE THE LIBRARY IS PARTNERING WITH THE IT DEPARTMENT TO, UM, UH, TO, TO FUND AND TO IMPLEMENT, UM, THE, UH, THE NETWORK ACCESS BECAUSE THE LIBRARY IS ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL, UH, DISCOUNTED RATES, UH, FROM A PROGRAM FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CALLED THE E-RATE.
UH, WHICH MAKES, UM, INTERNAL CONNECTIONS, WHICH ARE THE WAYS THAT WE GET THE INTERNET, UH, TO OUR LIBRARIES IN THE NETWORK, TO OUR LIBRARIES, AS WELL AS THAT INTERNET ACCESS, UM, FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, UH, MAKES IT MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE, UM, AND WE'RE ABLE TO, TO KEEP, TO KEEP THAT TECHNOLOGY CURRENT.
WHAT THAT ALSO MEANS IS THAT THE LIBRARY NEEDS TO TAKE GREATER RESPONSIBILITY, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE PATRON NEEDS, UM, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE, UH, REALLY MATCHING WHAT IS EXPECTED AND WHAT IS NEEDED AS THEY'RE SEEING THAT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE KNOW THAT THAT CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT FOR, UH, FOR INSTANCE, FOR CITY IT, UH, CITY OF DALLAS IT TO TRY TO TAKE THAT ON BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T SEE THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY WORK HARD, UM, UH, IN THE AREAS THAT THEY WORK HARD IN, UH, THE LIBRARY IS REALLY SITUATED TO TAKE MORE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE TECHNOLOGY, UM, UH, DEMANDS AND NEEDS ARE MET BECAUSE THEY SEE THEM AND THEY DEFINITELY HAVE THE ABILITY, UM, TO GROW WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED.
THANKS, CARSON AND I HAVE BEEN SEEING HANDS HERE, UM, HERE AND THERE, AND I, I, WE ARE GETTING TOWARD Q AND A, I PROMISE.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FACILITIES FIRST.
UM, AS JOE MENTIONED, ONE OF THE STRATEGIC GOALS FOR THE LIBRARY IS TO PROVIDE INSPIRING, WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE SPACES FOR ALL DALLAS RESIDENTS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THE PLAN? LIBRARIES ARE ALWAYS GONNA BE A PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO TO THE LIBRARY TO DO SOMETHING BY THEMSELVES, UH, WILL FIND IT THERE, WHETHER THEY WANNA READ OR WORK OR STUDY, OR JUST SIT AND ENJOY A NICE PLACE TO BE FOR FREE.
UH, THAT DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY SPACES WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR THEM.
UM, BUT THEY'RE ALSO ABOUT COLLABORATION, PROVIDING THOSE SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER, TO LEARN, TO WORK, TO CREATE NEW THINGS.
THE VISION FOR DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY SPACES IS ABOUT EXCITEMENT AND CREATING THAT, THAT EXCITEMENT ABOUT, UM, LEARNING LIFELONG LOVE OF LEARNING, INSPIRING CURIOSITY.
YOUR BOOKMARKS IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF THAT KIND OF SPACE THAT REALLY HAS A LOT OF, UM, ENERGY AND AND PASSION TO IT.
THE, AS AS THOSE CHILDREN'S CHILDREN GROW INTO TWEENS AND TEENS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOUR LIBRARIES STILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SPACES FOR THEM TO ENGAGE, UM, DEVELOP SOCIAL SKILLS, AND AS WELL AS TO STUDY AND DO HOMEWORK.
LIBRARIES ARE INSPIRING, CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY, UH, PLACES FOR DALLAS COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF ALL AGES TO CREATE AND SHARE THEIR CULTURAL EXPERIENCES AND, AND ART WITH EACH OTHER.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE SPACES AREN'T JUST WHAT'S WITHIN THE WALLS, BUT THINKING MORE BROADLY ABOUT OUTSIDE SPACES, UM, HOW CAN WE USE THOSE OUTDOOR AREAS AROUND YOUR LIBRARIES LIKE VICKERY PARK SHOWN HERE TO EVEN INCREASE THE LIBRARY'S CAPACITY AND REACH AND POSITIVE IMPACT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THE LIBRARY, THE CURRENT FACILITIES YOU HAVE IS A REALLY STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE.
THE LAST MASTER PLAN PUT A LOT OF THINGS IN PLACE THAT ARE GONNA BE, UM, JUST HELP US GET TO THE FUTURE.
AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUE.
UM, ONE IS THAT THE BRANCH SPACE
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YOU'VE KEPT UP REALLY WELL OVER TIME WITH POPULATION GROWTH.SO YOUR CAPACITY FOR LIBRARY SERVICE HAS GROWN PROPORTIONATE TO COMMUNITY SIZE.
THE BRANCHES THAT YOU HAVE ARE REALLY WELL DISTRIBUTED.
IT'S NOT TOO FAR OF A, A TRIP FOR ANYBODY TO GET TO AT LEAST ONE LIBRARY WITHIN THE DALLAS CITY LIMITS, WE HAVE FOUND THAT THE LARGER BRANCHES TEND TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICE.
UM, IT'S MORE, MORE, UH, DIVERSITY OF SERVICE, MORE DIVERSITY OF SPACE.
PEOPLE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE WALKING INTO ONE OF YOUR BIGGER LIBRARIES OF FINDING WHAT THEY CAME LOOKING FOR THAN PERHAPS IN SOME OF THE SMALLER BRANCHES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE SEEING NATIONWIDE, NOT JUST IN DALLAS.
UM, AND THE CITY HAS GENERALLY KEPT MOST OF THE LIBRARIES FACILITIES IN, IN GOOD CONDITION AS PART OF ITS OVERALL, UM, YOU KNOW, MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
SO HOW DO WE BUILD ON THAT? WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE LIBRARY CONTINUES ADDING SPACE FOR THE POPULATION IN THE FUTURE.
MORE GROWTH IS ANTICIPATED OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, AND WE WANNA HELP YOU KEEP UP WITH THAT.
BUT RATHER THAN ADDING MORE BRANCHES, THE RECOMMENDATION IS GONNA BE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE SMALLER, OLDER, SOME OF THE OUTDATED BRANCHES TO BE EXPANDED OR REPLACED WITH SOMETHING THAT'S BIGGER AND PROVIDES MORE SERVICE.
SO YOUR NETWORK WILL STILL STAY 29 TO 30 FACILITIES, BUT THOSE WILL BE BIGGER.
UM, AND THEN LOOK FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION FOR FACILITIES AND SERVICES THAT IMPROVE OUTCOMES, INCREASE THAT COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
SO PARKS AND RECREATION, YOUR, YOUR, UM, MINISTRY OF FUN PARTNERS ARE EXCELLENT CANDIDATES FOR LOOKING FOR THOSE SYNERGIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARED SOLUTIONS.
BIG ONE IS THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.
THIS IS AN AMAZING ASSET FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST LIBRARY BUILDINGS IN THE NATION, AND IT HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, IT HAS HAD, YOU KNOW, CARPET AND PAINTING AND LIGHTING AND LOTS OF THINGS REFRESHED OVER THE YEARS, BUT IT HASN'T REALLY HAD A GOOD SOLID TOP TO BOTTOM RENOVATION FOR, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BUILDING SYSTEMS AND HOW PEOPLE FLOW THROUGH IT SINCE IT OPENED MORE THAN 40 YEARS AGO.
AND IT IS DEFINITELY DUE FOR THAT.
SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GONNA SAY IT IS TIME TO REINVENT AND REINVEST IN YOUR CENTRAL LIBRARY, BRING IT BACK TO GOOD CONDITION, UM, IMPROVE ITS ABILITY TO BE ADAPTIVE AND AGILE AND RESILIENT OVER TIME.
WE WANNA MODERNIZE THAT LIBRARY SERVICE AND OPERATIONS, UH, FROM WHERE IT IS NOW DESIGNED FOR A DIFFERENT TIME.
AND WE ARE NOW IN, IN A WHOLE NEW MILLENNIUM.
AND WE WANT TO SEE DALLAS HAVE THAT SORT OF CENTRAL MAIN LIBRARY, UH, REALLY AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND IMPACT THAT A LOT OF YOUR, UH, MAJOR URBAN CITY PEERS ARE ACHIEVING WITH THEIR LIBRARIES THROUGH RENOVATION.
UM, AS WELL, WE GOT SOME GREAT EXAMPLES OF THAT THAT WE CAN SHARE.
I'LL NOT READ THROUGH THIS LIST FOR YOU, BUT THIS IS THE TABLE THAT'S GOING TO APPEAR IN THE PLAN.
WE'VE GOT SORT OF THREE, THREE COLORS HERE.
THE POINT OF THIS IS THAT OVER 20 YEARS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR FACILITIES IS GONNA NEED SOME LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, EVEN LIKE A VICTORY PARK, WHICH FEELS LIKE IT WAS JUST OPENED, IS GONNA NEED MAINTENANCE, REFRESHING UPKEEP OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
PEOPLE ARE GONNA USE IT AND IT NEEDS WORK TO STAY FRESH.
THOSE GREEN COLORS ARE THE ONES WHERE JUST NEED TO KEEP STAYING ON TOP OF MAINTENANCE, KEEPING 'EM FRESH, TAKING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES OVER TIME.
WE'VE GOT THE, THE LAYER THAT'S IN PURPLE, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES WHERE THE BUILDING SEEMS PRETTY GOOD IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION AND CURRENT SIZE, BUT IT IS A CANDIDATE FOR A MORE THOROUGH RENOVATION OR EVEN REIMAGINATION TO TAKE CARE OF MAINTENANCE NEEDS AND PERHAPS MODERNIZE SERVICE AND OPERATIONS FOR THE FUTURE.
AND THEN THERE'S THIS ORANGE LAYER, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE CANDIDATES FOR, UM, EXPANSION OR REPLACEMENT, DEPENDING ON WHAT'S POSSIBLE ON THE CURRENT SITE.
MIGHT BE A LITTLE ADDITION, MIGHT NEED TO BE OVERALL REPLACED OR EVEN RELOCATED.
UM, THOSE DETAILS OF THOSE ARE IN THEIR FUTURE.
BUT ONE LAST POINT I WANNA MAKE HERE IS THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING A MINIMUM SIZE FOR THOSE FUTURE BRANCHES.
IT'S, IT'S 25,000 AT A MINIMUM.
AND SOME OF THESE ARE RECOMMENDED, UM, FOR MUCH MORE THAN THAT, INCLUDING HERE.
AND DALLAS WEST IN PARTICULAR, WHICH HAVE REALLY, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, EQUITY POTENTIAL FOR THOSE BRANCHES WHERE THEY ARE IN THE UNDERLYING COMMUNITY NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARKS AND OR OTHER COLLABORATORS AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK, UM, OUR 15 MINUTE PRESENTATION WAS MORE, MORE LIKE 30, BUT HOPEFULLY, UM, YOU'RE ALL STILL HERE WITH US AND HAPPY TO TAKE SOME QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME AND I MAY STOP SHARING SO I CAN SEE ALL YOUR FACES AGAIN.
AND, UH, WE KNEW IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION
[00:30:01]
BUT I WILL SHARE IT OUT WITH YOU ALL SO YOU CAN HAVE A CLOSER LOOK AT IT.UM, I DON'T ANTICIPATE, WELL, I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE THE, THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE SET STRATEGIC GOALS, WE GET THE THUMBS UP FROM TC AND THOSE ARE GOING TO STAY, UH, THE SAME.
UM, WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS OUR OBJECTIVES FOR EACH OF THOSE GOALS, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT NOW.
UM, AND THEN, YEAH, SO IT'S CONTINUING.
WE'RE, UM, HE WANTED US TO BE A LITTLE CLEARER IN HOW WE WERE CONNECTING THIS TO THE CITY'S RACIAL EQUITY GOALS AND THE CITY'S GOALS.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS, IS REALLY, UH, THOSE PATHWAYS BETWEEN OUR PLAN AND THE CITY'S PLAN, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT, UM, WHEN WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR FUNDING FROM THE CITY.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR HANDS, OR IF ANYBODY JUST WANTS TO START IN
BUT NOTHING BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS PRESENTATION.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON, UH, THE FABULOUS THINGS THAT, THAT, UH, GROUP FOUR AND, AND JOE HAVE TALKED WITH US ABOUT.
I THINK THE PLAN LOOKS GREAT, AND IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE SOME PRELIMINARY SUPPORT FROM THE CITY, BUT I THINK WHAT WE HAVE VERY OFTEN SEEN IS THAT, THAT THE CITY STAFF IS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THESE PLANS THAT THEN DOESN'T BACK IT WITH THE FUNDING NEEDED TO MAKE IT A REALITY.
BECAUSE EVEN IN THE LAST STRATEGIC PLAN WE WERE SAYING PARK FOREST LIBRARY REALLY NEEDS REPLACED.
AND WE'RE STILL 20 YEARS PAST THAT, NOT REPLACING PARK MM-HMM.
SO IS THERE SOME KIND OF, IS THERE SOME WAY WE CAN DO THIS BETTER,
UM, THE CITY OF DALLAS IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROCEDURE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AND BUILDING NEW BUILDINGS IS A BOND PROCESS.
AND WE KNOW THAT'S ONLY GONNA HAPPEN EVERY FOUR TO SIX YEARS.
UM, AND FREQUENTLY LIBRARIES AND CULTURAL CENTERS GET SORT OF THE SHORT END OF THE FUNDING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH INFRASTRUCTURE NEED IN THE CITY.
AND SO, AND IT'S HARD TO FIGHT PEOPLE WHO WANT THEIR POTHOLES FIXED AND THEIR ALLEYS FIXED.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A BATTLE.
I CAN TELL YOU, UH, WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH TC AND THE IMPORTANCE OF YOU, LIKE JILL SAID, WE'RE IN REALLY GREAT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY WELL PLACED IN THE CITY, BUT WE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WILL BE AN ONGOING ADVOCACY ISSUE TO FUND THE EXPANSIONS, THE RENOVATIONS, AND THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ECHO THAT, JOE, YOU KNOW, TO, YEAH, THE THING YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER ABOUT TELLING THE LIBRARY STORY, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL WHO DON'T REALIZE HOW MUCH THE LIBRARY CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUCCESS OF THE COMMUNITY AND SERVICES FACILITIES.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THE LIBRARY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE MINDS OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL AND, AND OTHER GROUPS THAT HAVE THE POWER TO INCREASE WHAT, YOU KNOW, COMES THROUGH THE BOND PROGRAM FOR YOU.
I WAS LOOKING BACK AT WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE BOND PROGRAM AFTER THE LAST MASTER PLAN IN EARLY 2000, 2001, YOUR FIRST TWO BOND PROGRAMS AFTER THAT, OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR FACILITIES CAME OUT OF THAT.
AND AFTER THAT, IT'S BEEN LESS THAN 16.
UM, WHAT'S PROPOSED FOR 2024 STARTED AT 45 ISH AND SOMEHOW IS DOWN TO LESS THAN HALF OF THAT NOW.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DO SEE THEIR POTHOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND, AND THAT'S THERE, BUT LIKE, KEEPING THE REAL IMPACT AND POTENTIAL THAT THE LIBRARY HAS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE REAL POSITIVE IMPACTS FOR THE COMMUNITY, I THINK CAN'T BE OVERSTATED.
AND I CAN, BUT I THINK TO YOUR POINT, IT'S A LOT OF EDUCATION BECAUSE EVEN MY FRIENDS WHO ARE PRETTY WELL EDUCATED SAY TO ME, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED A NEW LIBRARY.
ISN'T EVERYTHING ONLINE NOW? YEAH.
WHY DO WE NEED THIS BIG NEW BUILDING? RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHY THAT COMMUNICATE THE LIBRARY'S VALUE IS GONNA BE SUCH AN IMPORTANT, UM, GOAL FOR ALL OF US.
AND THAT'S ONE, I REALLY HOPE THAT THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD AS WELL AS THE FRIENDS REALLY FOCUS ON IN THE ADVOCACY.
UM, AND WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO
[00:35:01]
AMP THAT UP, AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO COMMUNICATE OUR VALUE.WE'LL INCREASE THAT WITH PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH THE CITY AS WELL.
UM, SO WE HAD SOME REALLY GREAT MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THIS.
WE GET CALLED UPON FOR EVERYTHING FROM SENIOR HOUSING INITIATIVES AND, AND WE ARE THE GO-TO DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING DOESN'T ACTUALLY GET RECOGNIZED, BUT THROUGH OUR PEERS, RIGHT? SO WE REALLY NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT TO THE CITY THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY JUST SUPPLYING BOOKS FOR YOU, BUT WE'RE GIVING YOU AN OUTLET TO GET YOUR HOUSE FIXED, TO GET SIGNED UP FOR FOOD STAMPS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO EVERY DAY, BUT WE DON'T THINK OF AS SPECIAL BECAUSE WE DO THEM EVERY DAY.
SO WE HAVE TO GET BETTER ABOUT THAT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS ADD IS REALLY MELISSA DECENT CREATED A POSITION THAT'S FOCUSED ON THAT.
SO COMMUNICATIONS IS SOMETHING WE'RE FOCUSING ON FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH A DEDICATED POSITION.
AND
I WANNA HIT KEN'S QUESTIONS FROM THE CHAT TOO.
UM, HE ASKS, IS THERE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EACH I, YES AND NO.
I MEAN, YES, IN THE FACT THAT IT NEEDS TO BE LARGER TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, UM, NOT SPECIFIC AS IN YOU NEED EIGHT COMPUTERS HERE OR NINE HERE, BECAUSE WE REALLY WANNA, 'CAUSE THE COMMUNITIES ARE GONNA CHANGE AND WE, WE ARE, WE WILL CONTINUALLY STUDYING THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY AND HEARING WHAT THEY WANT FROM US AND BEING VERY RESPONSIVE.
WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT THAT.
UM, WE HAVE AN INTERNAL PROCESS FOR THAT.
AND, UM, AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE DETERMINING OUR PROGRAMS CAN TELL YOU.
JUST RECENTLY WE GOT ASKED BY A COUNCILWOMAN TO DO A CERTAIN PROGRAM AT A LOCATION AND WE SAID, WELL, THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS IN YOUR LOCATION.
AND SHE WAS LIKE, OH, WELL, OKAY, LET'S DO THAT INSTEAD.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'RE PRETTY GOOD AT SAYING NO, THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH EXPANSION OR PARTNERING TO MAKE OUR FOOTPRINT LARGER SO THAT WE CAN ENHANCE AND GET COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL FOR IT.
UM, AND THAT WILL COME OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE FINAL REPORT, BUT THERE ARE, WE REALLY DUG IN ON THE IT, AND WE'RE GONNA GET REALLY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT WE NEED.
SO WHAT ELSE CAN WE ANSWER? I'M STILL SEEING MORE HANDS.
ONE THING I NEED, I THINK WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE TO THE COUNCIL IS THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT WE PLAY IN LITERACY FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS.
AND THAT PUTS THEM AT A, A GREAT DISADVANTAGE.
AND WE CAN HELP IF, IF WE CAN BUILD THAT LOVE OF LEARNING AND READING AT A YOUNG AGE.
BUT WE'VE ALSO GOT ADULTS WHO CAN'T READ, WHO ARE NOT LITERATE AND RIGHT.
ALL THOSE NEEDS END UP ON THE LIBRARY.
SO WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE TO THE COUNCIL EVERY TIME WE MEET THEM THAT WE'RE THE ONES THAT PICK UP THE BAG WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE DROPS IT.
AND IN THAT STAND KIND OF IS WHERE WE WERE HEADED WITH THAT, THAT ONE GOAL WHERE WE SAID IDENTIFY CITY GAPS AND CITY NEEDS.
UM, IN OUR MIND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE KIND OF THINKING, WELL, WHEN WE ARE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE'RE SURVEYING THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THOSE GAPS.
UM, AND HOW THE LIBRARY CAN FILL 'EM.
OF COURSE, WE STILL WANNA HAVE FUN AT THE LIBRARY TOO, BUT WE'LL BE DOING
THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT A NEIGHBORHOOD FACILITY NEAR DOWNTOWN.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT AND THE PLANNING? UM, CAROLYN, I THINK YOU, YOU MIGHT BE REFERENCING THE, THE, THERE WAS THE, AN IDEA AT CITY HALL SOME TIME AGO ABOUT, UM, REPLACING SOME FLOORS OF THE CITY LI THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND PUTTING THEM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CITY HALL WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING, UM, WITH, UH, DALLAS COLLEGE AND A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF CITY HALL.
UM, THERE'S JUST BEEN A TWINKLE
[00:40:01]
TALKING ABOUT THAT.NO REAL MOVEMENT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
WE WOULD RATHER FOCUS ON THE BUILDING THAT WE HAVE, THE BUILDING THAT THE FRIENDS AND THE CITY, WELL THE FRIENDS PARTICULARLY HAVE RAISED OVER $20 MILLION TO RENOVATE EACH FLOOR UP TO THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, SO, AND SPLITTING LIBRARY SERVICES BETWEEN BUILDINGS IS NOT IDEAL.
SO I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT NOBODY'S REALLY ASKED MY OPINION.
THEY KEEP, THEY KEEP SAYING, OH, LOOK WHAT WE COULD DO.
AND I'M LIKE, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH THE REST OF MY BUILDING? AND THEN THEY SAY, WELL, WE'LL BRING IN X, Y, AND Z.
AND I SAID, WELL, WE ONLY HAVE 250 PARKING SPOTS.
WHERE ARE YOU GONNA P PUT ALL THAT FLEET OF, UH, YOU KNOW, CARS THAT YOU'RE SAYING ARE GONNA COME HERE? SO IT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION FROM EVERYONE I'VE TALKED TO IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, UM, EFFICIENCIES, FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR YEARS.
IT, IT, THAT IS, HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.
UM, AND IT'S NEVER TAKEN HOLD.
SO MY HOPE IS IT WON'T TAKE HOLD
I DON'T WANNA SPLIT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND HAVE SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT BE AT ONE BUILDING AND BE THE RESEARCH AREA OR THE ADULT LEARNING AND RESEARCH AREA AND THEN THE FUN PARTS OF CENTRAL BE IN A WHOLE NOTHER BUILDING THAT DOESN'T MAKE, YOU'VE GOT SOME EXAMPLES THERE IN YOUR METRO AREA OF SOMEBODY WHO WAS PROMISED SOMETHING IF THEY GAVE UP THEIR CENTRAL LIBRARY LAND AND IT'S NOT YEAH.
WORKING OUT THE WAY IT WAS SORT OF THOUGHT.
SO I WOULD, UM, LIKE I SAID, I THINK YOUR CENTRAL LIBRARY'S A FANTASTIC ASSET.
AND THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S ALL KINDS OF REASONS TO KEEP IT AND REINVEST.
AND THEY'VE GIVEN US SOME GREAT IDEAS THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT MORE IN THE FUTURE OF HOW WE CAN OPEN IT UP A BIT AND MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE WELCOMING AND, UM, EMBRACE THE SPACE WE HAVE AND BE A BIGGER PART OF DOWNTOWN.
THERE'S, HEATHER'S HAD HER HAND UP FOR A WHILE.
HEATHER DESCRIBING, IS SHE ABLE TO
UM, I JUST, UH, SO I HEARD YOU MENTION ABOUT THE CORRELATION WITH CITY HALL'S EDI, UM, I CAN'T THINK OF RIGHT NOW, BUT, SO I WAS THINKING FROM AN ADVOCACY PIECE, HOW POSSIBLE WOULD IT BE FOR US TO SEE ALMOST LIKE A CROSSWALK OF, UM, THE CITY PRIORITIES ON THAT AND THEN HOW OUR LIBRARIES ARE CURRENTLY FULFILLING THAT NEED SO THAT WE CAN START, LIKE WHENEVER THAT'S READY, HOW WE CAN CAPITALIZE ON THAT IN OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR FELLOW BOARD AND COMMISSIONERS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVES ANYBODY WHO IS A RESIDENT IN MANY, MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
SO I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW TO CAPITALIZE UPON THAT SO WE CAN UTILIZE THAT IN OUR DISCUSSIONS AS WE TALK WITH PEOPLE WE KNOW TO HELP BRING AWARENESS ON HOW THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR MEETING THAT ITEM FROM CITY HALL.
OH YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, I THINK THAT WHEN WE GIVE YOU THE MORE DETAILED REPORT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER, I'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, I THINK WHAT'S GOING TO SPEAK TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IS WHEN WE VERY MUCH TIE THE OBJECTIVES THAT WE COME UP WITH UNDERNEATH THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED AND POINT TO THEM AND CAN HAVE MEASURABLE METRICS THAT LEAD BACK TO THE EQUITY GOALS THAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY LAID OUT FOR US.
SO, I MEAN, ULTIMATELY THAT EVERY YEAR THAT IS OUR, THAT'S OUR PLAN IS LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO? AND IT HAS TO BE MEASURABLE, UM, AND HELP ADVANCE THE CITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BE CONCENTRATING.
AND SO ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT WHERE WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, UNDER THIS GOAL, THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR OBJECTIVE.
IT TIES INTO THIS RACIAL EQUITY PLAN GOAL AND THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND WE NEED YOUR HELP TELLING OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, GETTING IT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY EVEN RAISING MONEY.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A FULL CIRCLE, I THINK, FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
HEATHER, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT REALLY ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT KIND OF THAT'S MY PLAN IN MY HEAD TO GET THERE.
BECAUSE I MEAN, IF YOU'RE ALREADY BEING GIVEN THESE AND IT'S YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT DETAIL IS DOING WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS TIED TO IT.
[00:45:01]
ON THAT AND WE CAN HELP ASSIST BY COMMUNICATING THAT.MY COUNCILMAN, HE IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, THAT'S BIG DEAL TO HIM.
AND SO I'M ALREADY THINKING, WHAT WILL MY CONVERSATION LOOK LIKE AND HOW CAN I TAP THE COMMISSIONER THAT'S WORKING IN MY SAME DISTRICT WHERE THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE IS ACTUALLY GONNA STICK WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO TOO.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? MM-HMM.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THE WONDERFUL THING, AND WE WERE DOING THIS BEFORE AND WE ALWAYS, AND, AND THIS WAS WHAT A BIG PART, PART OF MY CONVERSATION WITH TC BEFORE THE MEETING OF LAST WEEK AND THIS PAST WEEK IS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, ARTS AND CULTURE LIBRARIES AND PARKS WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN IN MINISTRY OF HAPPINESS THAT, THAT, THAT THREE-LEGGED STOOL THAT MR. KLEINMAN, THAT NAME, HE GAVE US ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.
AND WE WERE ALL UNDER ONE UMBRELLA, IF YOU WILL, UNDER ONE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
SO WE WERE TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND MEETING WITH EACH OTHER AND SEEING EACH OTHER EVERY WEEK.
WE'RE UNDER DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT LEADS NOW, UM, WITH THE CITY.
SO WE'VE BECOME A LITTLE SILOED AGAIN.
SO IT'S NOW GOING TO BE UP TO US.
AND, AND IT REALLY BECAME VERY, UM, A LIGHT WAS SHOWN ON IT REALLY THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH JILL AND THE TEAM AND MEETING WITH ALL OF THESE DIRECTORS, EVEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AND ALL THE OTHER PARTNER DIRECTORS THAT WE TALKED TO ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE TO BE MORE CON ME.
I, WE NEED TO BE MORE CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT TALKING TO THEM AND UM, SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO BE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE ROBIN FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAN SAY, THAT'S A HOT NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE HAVE POTENTIAL OF PARTNERING WITH THIS, OR WE'VE GOT TIFF BUNNY OR WHATEVER IT IS.
UM, INSTEAD OF US LITERALLY TRYING TO DO IT ON OUR OWN ALL THE TIME, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR SOME TIME.
SO WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE'RE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT I ALREADY HAVE A MEETING SET UP WITH JOHN JENKINS, OUR PARK DIRECTOR, AND I TOLD HIM I WANT SOME OF HIS BOND MONEY
I MEAN, I WAS STRAIGHT WITH HIM.
HE'S GETTING A LOT, HE'S GETTING A LOT MORE THAN US.
EVEN IF THEY CUT IT, HE'S GETTING A LOT MORE THAN US.
AND I WAS LIKE, HOW CAN I GET SOME OF THAT MONEY? JOHN
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, ANNE PARK FOREST IS SITTING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKS DESERT AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY ON OUR LAND TO DO SOMETHING WITH PARKS THAT HOPEFULLY GETS US THE PARK FOREST LIBRARY DESPITE IT RIGHT NOW NOT BEING PART OF THE BOND.
HOWEVER, THAT WAS A CONVERSATION WITH TC AS WELL.
SO I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, I DON'T KNOW, I HOPE THERE'LL BE SOME CHANGES, BUT WE'LL SEE.
AND I THINK THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, PARTNERING WITH PRIVATE FIRMS, UM, DEVELOPERS.
THAT INTO BEING ABLE TO PUT RETAIL OR YEAH.
THAT'S, THAT'S DEFINITELY WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
Y'ALL JUST START TALKING 'CAUSE I CAN'T SEE ANY HANDS AND THANKS JILL
GROUP FOUR AND JOE, UH, FOR ALL Y'ALL'S WORK, UM, I JUST HAD TWO REALLY PIECES OF FEEDBACK.
UM, ONE WAS, UH, I THINK THE, I THINK PART OF THE, THE CHALLENGE WITH THE LIBRARY AND RAISING MONEY IS, YOU KNOW, LIBRARIES, PEOPLE WHO AREN'T THINKING ABOUT THEM, THEY CAN COME OFF AS KIND OF TIRED.
AND AS SOON AS YOU, LIKE, I REMEMBER Y'ALL'S INITIAL PRESENTATION WITH ALL YOUR, WITH THE PICTURES OF INNOVATIVE THINGS BEING DONE IN OTHER CITIES, IT'S JUST VERY QUICKLY I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT MM-HMM.
AND SO I THINK TO THE DEGREE YOU CAN INCORPORATE EXAMPLES, UM, AND SORT OF WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? MM-HMM.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER TWO PIECES OF FEEDBACK I HAD, ONE WAS JUST I THINK THIS, I, THIS MESSAGE OF THE LIBRARIES ASSETS BEING LEVERAGED BY OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS IS SUPER VALUABLE.
UM, AND SO TO THE DEGREE YOU COULD INCLUDE EXAMPLES OF MM-HMM,
I THINK THAT'S SUPER POWERFUL.
[00:50:01]
JUST THE, UM, THIS IS MORE OF A PET THING, BUT THIS KNOW THIS QUESTION OF HOW THE LIBRARY IS CHANGING.YOU KNOW, HOW IS THIS STRATEGIC PLAN DIFFERENT THAN THE STRATEGIC PLAN 10 YEARS AGO, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SMARTPHONES? AND YOU KNOW, I'D, I'D LOVE TO KNOW LIKE, HOW IS THE LIBRARY TODAY AND HOW'S THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE BUDGET AND ORGANIZATION DIFFERENT THAN IT WOULD'VE BEEN 10 YEARS AGO GIVEN THE, THE STATE OF TECHNOLOGY? ALL RIGHT.
REAL QUICK, SUSAN, DO YOU WANNA, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT HOW STRATEGIC PLANS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT NOW THAN THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN 10 YEARS AGO? YOUR, YOUR, YOUR ROADMAP PHILOSOPHY AND THEN MARY, I PROMISE.
WE'LL, I PROMISE WE'LL GET YOU HI.
I HAVE AN AUDIO PROBLEM, SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA, I'M GONNA MUTE MYSELF.
UM, BUT THERE, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? IS IT BETTER? OKAY.
SUSAN, I'M SORRY I, WHAT IS DOING, DOING THIS, BUT TO BE QUICK, WE SAID WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WE WEREN'T CREATING A ROADMAP BECAUSE A ROADMAP IS FINITE.
WE WERE CREATING A G SO THAT THE LIBRARY COULD SWERVE OR U-TURN OR GO.
NO, NO, WE CAN HEAR YOU SUSAN, YOUR ECHO JUST WENT, I JUST GOT A MESSAGE THAT SAID I WAS, UH, REMOVED FROM, OH, YOU'RE GOOD, YOU'RE GOOD.
MULTIPLE TWO, TWO IS WAY TOO MANY
UM, THE WHOLE NOTION OF A STRATEGIC PLAN BEING A GPS, WE ALL KNOW THINGS HAPPEN, THINGS CHANGE, AND THE DIRECTION WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING IN, UH, IS NOT THE DIRECTION WE NEED TO GO ANYMORE.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, YES, WE ALL HAVE SMARTPHONES, BUT THE NOTION THAT THOSE SMARTPHONES HAVE EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE IN THE WORLD TO EVERYONE, UM, IS NOT TRUE.
AND WHAT WE HEARD CONSISTENTLY, CONSISTENTLY WITH ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM KEY STAKEHOLDERS, FROM TALKING WITH THE FRIENDS AT THE LIBRARY, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE STAFF, WAS THE IMPORTANCE TO REALLY DEAL WITH THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES THAT MAKE UP DALLAS AND WHAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS GOING TO BE DOING, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN OLD FASHIONED STRATEGIC PLAN.
USING THAT EQUITY LENS UNDERSTANDING, AS JOE SAID, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY NEED? WHO IS THE COMMUNITY? YOU KNOW, ARE THERE CHANGES IN LANGUAGE NEEDS OR CULTURAL NEEDS OR AGE NEEDS IS ALL OF A SUDDEN IN ONE COMMUNITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF TODDLERS, UM, WHERE IT USED TO BE JUST SENIOR CITIZENS OR THERE ARE COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE IS A MAJORITY OF SENIOR CITIZENS WHO HAVE ASKED FOR TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE, UH, PLACES FOR SOCIALIZATION, UM, INTERESTING PROGRAMS. SO THE PLAN NOW IS THE PLAN FOR OTHER LIBRARIES HAS TO BE FLEXIBLE.
IT'S NOT CAST IN STONE, IT IS, UM, SORT OF CAST IN A MOVABLE TYPE LIKE GUTENBERG, BUT WE CAN MOVE IT ALL AROUND TO REFLECT THE DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT HAPPEN IN DALLAS, IN DALLAS AS A WHOLE, AND THE SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES IN GENERAL AS NEW TECHNOLOGY EVOLVES.
UM, THAT'S WHY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TECHNOLOGY PIECE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU MIGHT PLAN FOR TOMORROW IS NOT WHAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.
SO THE FLEXIBILITY AS A KEY TO A STRATEGIC PLAN AND A FACILITIES PLAN IS KEY.
UM, LIBRARIES USED TO DO 10 YEAR, 20 YEAR STRATEGIC PLANS.
WELL NOW, YOU KNOW, THREE TO FIVE YEARS IS THE MAXIMUM BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE SO QUICKLY.
COMMUNITIES CHANGE SO QUICKLY NEEDS CHANGE SO QUICKLY WE GO BACK TO, UM, YOUNG CHILDREN AND THE LITERACY RATE, UH, WE KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THE PANDEMIC REALLY, REALLY HURT KIDS AND THEIR EDUCATION.
AND SO HOW CAN THE LIBRARY WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS AND OTHER AGENCIES TO ADDRESS THOSE GAPS IN LEARNING, PARTICULARLY IN READING AND SOMETIMES IN MATH.
UM, FLEXIBILITY I THINK IS THE KEY HERE.
AND BEING OPEN TO NEW IDEAS AND NEW PATHWAYS IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I'VE SEEN THE GREAT STAFF AT DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY IS COMMITTED TO.
I MEAN, AS THIS PLAN WAS DEVELOPED, IT'S A COLLABORATIVE
[00:55:01]
EFFORT.IT'S NOT US GROUP FOUR CARSON AND ME COMING IN AND SAYING, THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO, WE TALK, WE LISTENED, WE LEARNED, AND WE DEVELOPED IT TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY DIFFERENT THE WAY THAN WHAT LIBRARIES USED TO DO, WHERE SOMEONE CAME IN AND SAID, HERE'S YOUR PLAN.
AS I SAID, COLLABORATION AMONG ALL THE PLAYERS WAS REALLY KEY.
UM, I JUST, I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL.
UM, JILL, SUSAN, CARSON, VICKI AND LISA, NICE TO SEE YOU.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE MUNICIPAL BOARD
IT LOOKS LIKE 20 OR MORE OF OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS JOINED TODAY, TODAY.
AND REEN WITH THIS LAST THOUGHT, IF YOU'RE IN TOWN, WE'RE HAVING A HAPPY HOUR TOMORROW.
OUT OF TOWNERS, LISA, UM, IF YOU ARE HERE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN US.
WE'LL BE AT THE RESTING
UM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD TONIGHT AND GET SOME FEEDBACK.
AND I KNOW KIRSTEN AND HEATHER ARE COMING AND I THINK SHANNON, I COUPLE THE OTHER LIBRARY EXECS ARE COMING, SO I HOPE YOU'LL BE THERE.
AND LISA, NOT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I'LL GET YOUR EMAIL AND SEND YOU THE INVITE.
FIRST, I'LL SEND IT A THIRD TO LISA.
AND AGAIN, LEMME KNOW YOU HOW TO REACH LISA AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL TOMORROW AT THE WESTERN VALLEY AREA.
AND I HOPE Y'ALL DO, UM, HAVE TO COME OUT AND, AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS TOO.
I MEAN, THIS IS NOT A DONE DEAL YET AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, SO REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
UM, AND I HAVE STARTED HAPPY HOUR IN TERLINGUA, TEXAS.
SO
WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WE ARE WORKING ON THE DRAFT REPORT RIGHT NOW AND, UM, I, I CAN SEE PLACES FOR ALL OF THIS INPUT TO, TO BE, UM, INCLUDED.
AND YEAH, I WILL SEND, I WILL SEND OUT A COPY SO YOU CAN HAVE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS.
I WILL ASK YOU NOT TO PUBLISH IT ANYWHERE.
IT IS NOT A PUBLISHED DOCUMENT JUST YET.
YEAH, IT IS, UH, STILL VERY MUCH A DRAFT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL.
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR ATTENDEES.
AND IT IS FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE IN DALLAS, TEXAS, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
SO WE STAND ADJOURN AND HAPPY.