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[Municipal Library Board Meeting on March 26, 2024.]
SHORTLY, OUR FRIENDS FROM FRIENDS OF THE HOSPITAL, THE LIBRARY, AND WE HAVE OUR, UH, GUEST SPEAKERS TODAY FROM GROUP FOUR.BUT BEFORE WE DO ANY OF THAT, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR FEBRUARY 27TH MINUTES.
SAM SECONDS IT ALL IN FAVOR? HOW ARE WE DOING ON JERRY? RAISE YOUR HAND JERRY, IF YOU'LL RAISE
ALRIGHT, SO THE MEETING STAND APPROVED, WE ARE GOOD TO GO.
UM, THE ONLY BIT OF THE CHAIR'S REPORT, JUST WANNA REMIND OUR NEWEST MEMBERS, JERRY AND CATHERINE, THAT WE HAVE, UH, AN ORIENTATION GUIDE THAT YOU'VE GOT ACCESS TO THAT FELICIA HAS SENT YOU.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION ABOUT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
BUT HOPEFULLY THAT THAT IS A LINK THAT'LL BE REALLY HELPFUL TO YOU AND YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO AND, AND HOW WE CAN BEST DO IT.
UM, ALSO THE FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARIES ADVOCACY GROUP HAS OFFERED A VOTE YES FOR PROP D SIGNS.
SO THOSE ARE GONNA BE AVAILABLE SOON.
AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS WE HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE SIGNS, HOW YOU CAN COME AND GET THEM.
WE'RE GONNA SPREAD THEM AROUND A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO VOLUNTEERED TO BE, UH, DISTRIBUTION CENTERS.
SO ONCE WE KNOW THAT, ONCE WE GOT A DATE, UM, WE'LL GIVE YOU A HOLLER AND LET YOU COME GET 'EM AND POST EVERYBODY.
YOU CAN BE A DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
LET TOM KNOW OR MARIO, BE CAREFUL OVER THERE.
YOU CAN JUST BE CAREFUL OVER THE CARDS.
OKAY, WELL HERE I'M GOING AROUND.
YEAH, WE ARE ROLLING THE DICE.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY I CAN, UH, MOVE THE SCREEN UP FOR YOU.
YOU CAN SIT NEXT TO, DON'T COME ON
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOE FOR STAFF REPORTS AND DIRECTOR REPORT.
WELL, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE GROUP FOUR WITH US TODAY.
THE ONLY THING I WANNA JUST UPDATE EVERYBODY ON PRIOR TO JUMPING INTO THE, UM, FIRST NEW LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
THIS IS THE FINAL VERSION THAT WILL GO TO QUALITY OF LIFE ON APRIL 15TH.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY GET LOTS OF BLESSINGS IN THAT MEETING AND SMOOTHLY SAIL THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL PROCESS ON MAY 1ST.
JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK IS WE ARE WORKING ON OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL, WHICH, UM, SEAN, KIRSTEN, AND HEATHER AND I WILL PUT IN, WE'LL PRESENT, WE'LL ACTUALLY TALK THROUGH IT WITH THE, UM, CITY MANAGER IN MAY, BUT WE HAVE TO GET IT IN FOR REVIEW THIS WEEK.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
UM, JUST SO THIS IS NOTHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T HEARD BEFORE, BUT WE'RE EXPECTING A FLAT BUDGET YEAR.
UM, WE'RE, AS WE DO EVERY BUDGET CYCLE, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO PROPOSE A CUT TO OUR BUDGET.
EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT'S ASK BEING ASKED TO PROPOSE A CUT TO THEIR BUDGET.
AND SO WE, THERE WILL BE THAT ELEMENT THAT WILL BE PRESENTED.
UM, WE ARE ASKING FOR FOUR ENHANCEMENTS AND WE'LL GIVE YOU DETAILS ON THAT LATER AS THEY GET HANDOUT BY THE CFO'S OFFICE.
BUT SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
YOUR FOUR POINTS WILL COME FROM YOU TO US.
AS SOON AS WE'RE ALLOWED TO SHARE ALL THAT INSIDER INFORMATION.
AND THEN WE IN MAY ISH, PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY ACTUALLY MAKE IT PUBLIC.
SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYBE ALL OF THEM ARE HAVING BUDGET LISTENING SESSIONS.
THEY JUST GENERICALLY SAID OKAY.
I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICS TO TELL YOU.
THE LISTENING SESSIONS RIGHT NOW ARE JUST TO GET COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
SHE GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON WELL, GOOD.
THIS IS THESE EARLY BUDGET LISTENING SESSIONS JUST STARTED LAST YEAR AND I THINK THEY'RE FABULOUS.
'CAUSE IT GIVES US DIRECTION AS WE'RE SETTING UP THE BUDGET VERSUS WHERE WE HAVE BAKED THE WHOLE THING BY JULY AND THEN
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THEY DO THE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN AUGUSTAND THAT, THAT'S BEEN THE WAY OF THE CITY FOR DECADES.
SO, SO I LIKE THAT THEY'RE GETTING INPUT UP FRONT.
WE'LL GET ALL THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T HAVE A QUE I'M VEER OFF TOO MUCH, BUT, BUT FOR THE LIBRARY.
THE ONLY OTHER DEPARTMENT I COULD SAY THAT WE COULD REALLY COMPARE OURSELVES TO IS PARKS.
AND THEY'RE SO FUNDED SO VASTLY DIFFERENTLY FROM US AS Y'ALL HAVE BEEN PROBABLY READING THE PAPER LATELY.
UM, SO YES, AND I WILL, I'M NOT TIPPING MY HAND BY TELLING YOU THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR SUPPORT FOR PROGRAMMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
WE GOT SOME, WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE THIS YEAR.
WE REALLY ARE SORT OF OUTLINING TO THE CITY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY TO PAY FOR THESE THINGS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL LIBRARY SERVICES THAT WE REALLY CANNOT CONTINUE TO RELY ON THE FRIENDS TO PAY FOR THEM.
THE FRIENDS WILL ALWAYS HELP US.
THEY'LL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR US, BUT WE CAN'T RELY ON THEM TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WHEN THESE ARE MONEY, THEY ALRIGHT THEN THESE ARE POOR SERVICES.
SO, BUT YES, WE ARE DEFINITELY TRYING TO DO, GET THAT INTO OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
AND ARE YOU ANTICIPATING BEING ABLE TO KEEP THE NEW HOURS? YES.
SO I DON'T, I REALLY HOPELY FINGERS CROSSED THAT THAT WILL REMAIN CONSISTENT.
WE WORK SO HARD TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE ARE IN OUR HOURS.
I, I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT'S WHERE WE'LL STAY.
OF COURSE, IN OUR COURSE OF HAVING TO CUT THE BUDGET, WE HAVE TO PROPOSE SOME CHANGES.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE NOW.
THEY WON'T BE PRETTY, WHEN YOU SEE 'EM, YOU'LL BE GOING, HECK NO.
AND HOPEFULLY ALL THE CITIZENS WILL BE SAYING, HECK NO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IN REALITY WE HAVE TO PUT THOSE FOUR, SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE UGLY ENOUGH THAT EVERYBODY REARS UP.
SO HOW MUCH DO WE SPEND ON PROGRAMMING FOR THE, THE SYSTEM, UH, FROM WHAT THE FRIENDS PAY? WELL, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? YEAH.
FROM HOW MUCH DO THE FRIENDS PAY TOWARDS PROGRAMMING? I MEAN, HOW MUCH DOLLAR WISE, KIRSTEN? THAT'S A, IT DEPENDS WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMMING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, FOR LIKE THE GENERAL PROGRAMMING AT BRANCHES, WE GET ABOUT $50,000 FROM THE FRIENDS, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO 80,000 FOR SUMMER READING.
ALL OF THESE THINGS COMBINED INTO PROGRAMMING.
AND THEN FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WE HAVE FOUR OUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND PLUS 54 SENIORS, SENIORS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OTHER ONE-OFFS FROM THE FRIENDS STAND.
SO THAT, THAT'S WHERE IT'S HARD TO, UM, QUANTIFY IT BECAUSE WE GET SOME PROGRAMS THAT ONLY LAST FOR A YEAR THAT ARE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WON'T BE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WE'RE RESTRICTED FUNDS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ATMOS PAYS FOR THE PROGRAMMING AT BOOKMARKS, SO THAT'S ANOTHER 5,000.
BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU TYPICALLY SEE AT A BRANCH, AND I'LL SHARE THAT BUDGET WITH Y'ALL WHEN IT'S FINALIZED, THE FRIENDS PROGRAMMING BUDGET.
SO YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR FUNDING, UH, THEIR FISCAL YEAR STARTS JULY ONE.
SO WE'RE REINTRODUCING A BUDGET, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THEM OF, UH, THE BUDGET TO GET THE APPROVAL FOR WHAT THEY WILL BE FUNDING, UM, STARTING JULY ONE.
SO I CAN SHARE THIS PAST YEAR WITH YOU.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE READY TO DIVE RIGHT INTO, UM, THE LIBRARY STRATEGIC AND FACILITIES PLAN PRESENTATION.
SO I'LL WELCOME, UM, JILL AERS FROM GROUP FOUR.
HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON.
GOOD TO SEE SOME OF YOU AGAIN.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOME NEW FACES AROUND THE TABLE.
SO HAPPY TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
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NEED TO SHARE MY SCREEN AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.HOPEFULLY YOU'RE SEEING A PICTURE OF A NICE LADY IN A BEAUTIFUL DRESS DANCING.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UM, THANK YOU ALL.
IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK WITH THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD THIS AFTERNOON.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US SOME OF YOUR TIME AND YOUR, YOUR MONTHLY AGENDA.
UM, WE DID, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE PART OF, UH, THE MEETING THAT WE PRESENTED TO LAST DECEMBER, THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK.
THIS PRESENTATION IS A SLIGHTLY UPDATED VERSION OF WHAT WE PRESENTED AT THAT TIME.
THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE FINDINGS, ALL OF THAT IS THE SAME.
WE'VE JUST BEEN REFINING SOME OF THE, HOW IT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED.
SO YOU'RE GETTING A PREVIEW OF WHAT'S PROPOSED TO GO BEFORE THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE NEXT MONTH.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE ABOUT 15 MINUTES LONG AND WE'LL HAVE TIME AT THE END FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SOME, WE'RE GONNA SUMMARIZE THE PURPOSE AND THE PROCESS FOR THIS WHOLE PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UM, SHARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THEMES THAT WE HAVE SEEN ALONG THE WAY AND TALK ABOUT HOW THOSE SHAPED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STRATEGIC AND FACILITIES PLAN.
I AM WITH GROUP FOUR ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH AND PLANNING.
I AND MY COLLEAGUE, VICKI WHITE, WHO IS ALSO ON THE CALL, UM, ARE HERE REPRESENTING OUR FIRM.
WE'RE THE PRIME CONSULTANT LEADING THIS OVERALL PLANNING EFFORT.
UM, ALWAYS HAPPY TO HAVE DALLAS BASED BUILDING COMMUNITY WORKSHOP WITH US HERE TODAY.
HE'LL, HE'LL GET TO TALK WITH YOU HERE IN A MOMENT.
UM, ABSOLUTELY INVALUABLE COLLABORATOR FOR THIS, THIS PROJECT AND INCLUDING LEADING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PART OF THE, THE PLAN.
AND THEN ALSO WITH US HERE TODAY, OUR, OUR NATIONALLY RESPECTED LIBRARY CONSULTANTS, SUSAN KENT AND CARSON BLOCK.
WE WERE TASKED WITH DEVELOPING A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR, UM, THE LIBRARY FOR SERVICES, COLLECTIONS, TECHNOLOGY, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THE LIBRARY DOES TO REPLACE THE LAST STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH THE LIBRARY DEVELOPED PRE COVID.
UM, WE WERE ALSO ASKED TO DEVELOP A LONGER RANGE 20 YEAR PLAN FOR INVESTMENT IN DALLAS' LIBRARY FACILITIES TO REPLACE THE LAST MASTER PLAN, WHICH HAS GUIDED INVESTMENT, UH, SINCE THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
THE CITY ASKED US TO DEVELOP THESE PLANS THROUGH A ROBUST CITYWIDE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HEARD FROM ALL KINDS OF VOICES AND EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE, UH, TO ENSURE THAT BOTH OUR PROCESS AND THE PRODUCTS WENT THROUGH AN EQUITY AND INCLUSION LENS.
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER CAME OUT OF THIS PLAN WAS CONSISTENT WITH AND HELPS ADVANCE CITY GOALS.
OUR ESSENTIALLY 12 MONTH PLANNING PROCESS BEGAN EARLY 2023.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, OUR, OUR PLAN WAS ESSENTIALLY COMPLETE WHEN WE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD LAST DECEMBER.
UM, THE REFINEMENTS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON HAVE JUST BEEN SORT OF, UH, MINOR AND GIVEN ALL THE THINGS, OTHER THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING ON THE CITY'S PLATE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE DECIDED TO TARGET APRIL AND MAY FOR OUR FINAL PRESENTATIONS TO CLOSE OUT THIS PROJECT, THE PLANNING PROCESS.
THERE WERE A WHOLE BUNCH OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO BENJI FROM BUILDING COMMUNITY WORKSHOP TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO HERE YOU'LL SEE JUST KIND OF A TIMELINE WITH, UH, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES SINCE, UH, SINCE THE START OF THIS PROCESS.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE OUR OUTREACH BEGAN VERY EARLY, UH, THROUGH A SERIES OF DIGITAL SURVEYS AND OTHER MEANS OF DIGITAL OUTREACH.
WE HAD A, A PRETTY ROBUST KICKOFF.
UH, WE HAD FIVE COMMUNITY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC EVENTS, UH, AT VERY STRATEGIC LOCATIONS, ACTUALLY IN THE BLACK, IN THE FIVE BLACK BOX THEATERS OFF THE BRANCHES.
TO KIND OF KICK IT OFF, INTRODUCE THE, THE OVERALL EFFORT, FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS, AS WELL AS STARTED COLLECTING A LOT OF INFORMATION THROUGH KIND OF GAMES AND INQUIRY AND BUILD DRONE LIBRARY ACTIVITIES AND COLLECTING ALL THAT.
UH, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE ACTUALLY JUST, AND KIND OF REALLY UNDERSTANDING, UM, THAT WE DO HAVE A DIGITAL DIVIDE ACROSS THE CITY.
WE INSTALLED AN ANALOG FEEDBACK STATION IN EVERY BRANCH.
SO WE, SO WE HAD 30 ANALOG FEEDBACK STATIONS WHERE WE HAD PROMPTS, QUESTIONS, INQUIRIES, UPDATES, POSTED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THE MANAGER OF EACH BRANCH REALLY KIND OF TOOK CONTROL OF EACH OF THEIR FEEDBACK STATION AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE UPDATED.
AND WE HAD KIND OF PAPER TAGS AND LITTLE DROP BOXES FOR FOLKS TO LEAVE INFORMATION OR FEEDBACK ON THE PROCESS OR THE PARTICULAR INQUIRIES.
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SO THIS ALL STARTED COMING TOGETHER, COLLECTING THIS, A LOT OF INFORMATION.THERE'S A FEW NUMBERS ON THE NEXT SLIDE THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH.
BUT, SO TO GET A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY DISSEMINATED AMONGST THE TEAM, THERE WAS ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDER AND STAFF MEETINGS GATHERED IN THAT PROCESS.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT STARTED TO OBVIOUSLY COME IN AND REALLY BEGIN TO DEVELOP THOSE STRATEGIES BASED OFF THE, THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK POST THE DRAFT.
UM, WE HAD TWO, UM, REALLY LARGE FEEDBACK, SORRY, LISTENING SESSIONS WHERE THOSE DRAFT, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE PUBLIC, BUT RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC AND G FOUR AND THE REST OF THE TEAM KIND OF BEGAN UPDATING THOSE.
AND SO YOU KIND OF SEE THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, JUST KIND OF THE, THE, UM, MEETINGS HERE TOWARDS, UM, COMING INTO 2024 APRIL, AND THEN GO INTO THE COUNCIL IN MAY.
UH, IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE KIND OF JUST A FEW IMAGES AND SOME OF THE, KIND OF BY THE NUMBERS, UM, RESULTS HERE.
SO 2,800 COMMUNITY SURVEY RESPONSES, 420, THOSE WERE STAFFED.
THERE'S OUR FEEDBACK STATION THERE.
IF YOU'VE BEEN TO A BRANCH RECENTLY, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN ONE IN THE FOYER.
UM, HAD 30 OF THOSE 531 RESPONSES FROM THEM.
THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL OUTREACH, UH, IN, BY THE BRANCH MANAGERS IN SELECT BRANCHES.
THEY HAD KIND OF OUTREACH BOARDS AND GOT A NUMBER OF RESPONSES TO THOSE.
NUMBER OF IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS, OUR FIVE KICKOFF MEETINGS WHERE WE HAD CLOSE TO 70 PARTICIPANTS.
STAFF WORKSHOPS, FOCUS GROUPS, LISTENING SESSIONS, STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH STAFF, UM, INTERVIEWS AND CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN OUTREACH, UH, THAT DPL THAT THE DPL TEAM TOOK ON AND DID A REALLY GREAT JOB.
WE HAD 18 BRANCH MANAGERS GO OUT TO THEIR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS TO SHARE UPDATES, INVITE TO THE LISTENING SESSION.
UM, UMPING EMAILS SENT OUT, SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITY EVENTS.
SO THIS IS KIND OF A LITTLE BIT BY THE NUMBERS HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS WHAT WE CONSIDER A REALLY ROBUST, UH, COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROCESS THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE FOR THIS EFFORT.
SO IF YOU ASK DALLAS SITES WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THE LIBRARY, WHAT THEY WANT FOR THE LIBRARY, THERE'S, WE HEARD A LOT OF CLEAR, CLEAR MESSAGES THROUGH THAT ENGAGEMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE LIBRARY IS VERY MUCH SEEN AS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE BY DALLAS COMMUNITIES.
THEY LOVE THE LIBRARY, THEY APPRECIATE THE GREAT THINGS THAT IT DOES FOR INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE AND FOR THE CITY OVERALL, THE WONDERFUL POSITIVE IMPACTS THAT IT HAS.
THEY TOLD US THAT THEY CHERISH THE LIBRARY FOR INSPIRING CURIOSITY IN DALLAS SITES OF ALL AGES AND SETTING THEM UP WITH A LOVE OF LIFELONG LEARNING AND THAT THEY WANT MORE.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY ALWAYS WANTS MORE OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT EARLIER.
UM, MORE OF THESE VITAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN THE FUTURE.
WE HEARD THAT THE LIBRARY IS VALUED AS A PLACE FOR THE KINDS OF CONNECTIONS THAT CREATE STRONG AND DYNAMIC COMMUNITIES.
THE LIBRARY IS SEEN AS A MODEL OF WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE SERVICE, NOT JUST BY DALLAS COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO BY MANY OF THE LIBRARIES, URBAN LIBRARY PEERS.
YEARS BEFORE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY, I'VE HEARD OTHER LIBRARIES AT CONFERENCES AND THINGS TALK ABOUT HOW THEY LOOK TO DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR SOME OF THE REALLY INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT IT'S DOING ABOUT WELCOMING PEOPLE INTO THE LIBRARY.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK OUT THE LIBRARIES ON THE BLOCK PODCAST ABOUT ITS INITIATIVE TO ENGAGE UNHOUSED POPULATIONS.
UM, SO WHEN AFTER THIS, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S THE LIBRARY'S A CHAMPION FOR DIGITAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN DALLAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES AS WELL AS SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGIES WITH THE LONG TAIL FAX MACHINES, UM, PRINTERS, THINGS THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO ANYMORE.
AND OF COURSE, A GO-TO PARTNER FOR THE CITY AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN WORKING TOWARD ITS BROADER EQUITY GOALS.
THERE'S A HIGH AND GROWING NEED FOR PLACES FOR PEOPLE IN DALLAS.
PLACES YOU CAN GO AND WORK, UM, AND SIT AND JUST BE FOR FREE.
THAT IS SHRINKING IN OUR SOCIETY.
AND THE LIBRARY IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROVIDING THOSE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO WORK, STUDY, PARTICIPATE IN MEETINGS, PROGRAMS, GATHERINGS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
THE LIBRARY HELPS SET UP DALLASITE OF ALL AGES FOR A LIFETIME OF LEARNING AND EDUCATION AND CAREER SUCCESS.
DO I HAVE ONE MORE NOW? THIS IS JOE WHERE I, WHERE I TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND SOME OF THE PRIORITIES THAT CAME OUT.
SO, UM, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE LOOKED AT OUR VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS, AND WE LOVED OUR VISION STATEMENT SO MUCH AS YOU SEE IT UP THERE.
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WE REALLY DO THINK THAT IT EXPRESSES WHAT THE LIBRARY IS TRYING TO DO IN THE COMMUNITY.UM, WHAT'S BETTER THAN LIMIT THIS POSSIBILITY THAT THE LIBRARY, SO WE DID UPDATE THE MISSION STATEMENT.
UM, WE HAD, MOST OF THE WORDS ARE THE SAME, BUT WE HAD ADDED ON, UM, AN EQUITY ELEMENT DURING COVID.
UM, WE'VE DECIDED THAT THAT WAS REALLY AN ESSENTIAL AND CRUCIAL PART OF OUR MISSION MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE MOVED THAT UP IN THE THE MISSION STATEMENT TO THE BEGINNING.
SO STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY AND BUILT EQUITY BY CONNECTING PEOPLE, INSPIRING CURIOSITY AND ADVANCING LIVES.
THE CONNECTING PEOPLE, INSPIRING CURIOSITY AND ADVANCING LIVES WAS THERE BEFORE.
UM, OUT OF THAT, WE CAME UP WITH THESE FOUR VALUES, WHICH MAKES SENSE.
SO I KNOW IT'S HARD TO READ AND I WILL SEND IT TO YOU IN PRINT SO Y'ALL CAN DIG INTO IT A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S A LITTLE SMALL ON THE SCREEN HERE.
SO, UM, WE CAME UP WITH THESE CORE STRATEGIC GOALS FOR US TO GUIDE US INTO THE FUTURE.
WHAT WE WILL DO WITH THESE GOALS THEN IS CREATE OBJECTIVES UNDER EACH ONE OF THEM.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW.
BUT THE STAFF, UM, AND THIS WILL BE WHERE WE, THIS WILL GUIDE US THROUGH OUR NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO THEY ARE IN PRIORITY ORDER.
SO YOU WILL, IF YOU WILL NOTICE THAT WE PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL THEY WERE LIKE ALPHABETICAL.
AND I WAS LIKE, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, RIGHT? SO WE REALLY, UM, TACKLED AND STRUGGLED BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY'RE ALSO IMPORTANT, RIGHT? SO WE DID PUT THEM IN WHAT WE CONSIDERED THE LIBRARY'S PRIORITY ORDER, STARTING WITH, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AND DISCOVERY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
PROVIDE CUSTOMER RESPONSIVE TECHNOLOGY.
YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THAT IS NUMBER TWO FOR A REASON.
UM, WE REALLY HAVE FALLEN BEHIND IN OUR TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE OFFERING FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND IT NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, CULTIVATING A VIBRANT MATERIALS COLLECTION.
WE HAVE BEEN UNDERFUNDED IN OUR MATERIALS COLLECTION FOR MANY YEARS.
IT, UM, MATERIALS COST MORE, THEY'RE BEING USED.
AND, UM, THE, THE BUDGET THAT THE LIBRARY HAS FOR MATERIALS HAS NOT INCREASED WITH THE ELE WITH THE SAME GUSTO.
UM, REDUCING BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND THAT WE REALLY ARE TALKING ABOUT GIVING, UM, PEOPLE ACCESS TO OUR PHYSICAL FACILITIES AS WELL AS OUR DIGITAL PRESENCE.
UM, WE HAVE HEARD THROUGH THE BOND PROCESS THAT WE HAVE EIGHT LOCATIONS THAT DON'T HAVE A DA ACCESSIBLE RESTROOM FACILITIES, WHICH IS JUST UNHEARD OF.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE 12 LOCATIONS THAT DON'T HAVE A DA COMPLIANT DOORS.
SO THE BATHROOMS ARE PART OF THE 2024 BOND, UM, PRESENTATION FOR THE VOTERS TO CONSIDER.
AND THEN OUR DOORS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE CITY'S ARPA FUNDING, SO THEY WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF AS WELL.
SO THAT'S COMING IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.
AND THEN OF COURSE, INSPIRING.
PROVIDE INSPIRING AND WELCOMING FACILITIES.
SO THAT GOES TO OUR 20 YEAR PLAN THAT WHILE SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE, SOME OF 'EM ARE NOT.
AND WE DO NEED TO CONTINUALLY MAINTAIN AND, UM, WATCH HOW OUR FACILITIES, UH, LOOK AND, UM, PROVIDE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEN MAKING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS.
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT BEING A CIVIC PARTNER, INVITING OTHER NONPROFITS IN BUILDING AND COLLABORATING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND GROW IT.
WE'RE ONLY AS STRONG AS OUR PARTNERSHIPS FOR PROBABLY THE LAST SIX YEARS.
ON MY WINDOW, I'VE HAD THE WORDS THAT IT'S LIBRARY DOMINATION THROUGH RADICAL COLLABORATION HAS KIND OF BEEN MY, MY MARCHING ORDERS TO MYSELF, RIGHT? AND I THINK JUST MAKING THESE CONNECTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY JUST MAKES US THAT MUCH STRONGER.
SO COMMUNICATING THE LIBRARY'S VALUE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WEAK ON FOREVER, EVER.
SO TELLING OUR STORIES, GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE SERVICES AT THE LIBRARY.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO AMPLIFY THAT, UM, IMPROVE THAT WE'LL LET PEOPLE RECOGNIZE WHAT A VALUABLE RESOURCE THE LIBRARY IS AND, AND REMEMBER THAT WE ARE A RESOURCE FOR THEM.
AND THEN, AND WHILE THIS IS THE LAST ONE ON THE LIST, IT'S BY FAR NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT, NOT THE LEAST IMPORTANT, RATHER, IT IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, WE WORK REALLY HARD TO DEVELOP OUR STAFF,
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OFFER THEM TRAININGS AND GROWTH AND LEADERSHIP AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW WITHIN THE LIBRARY COMMUNITY AND AS LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY.SO, AND I HATE THAT I HAVE TO SAY THESE ARE IN PRIORITY ORDER BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE LAST THING ON MY LIST THAT I WANNA DO.
IT'S SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT EVERY WEEK.
BUT AT SOME POINT YOU'LL HAVE TO MAKE 'EM IN PRIORITY ORDER.
UM, NEXT SLIDE THERE, MS. JILL.
UM, AND SO WE NEEDED TO ALIGN THESE GOALS WITH THE GOALS OF THE CITY.
AND WHILE THESE MIGHT, THESE NUMBERS AND SUCH MIGHT NOT MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO YOU IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE CITY'S, UM, EQUITY INDICATORS OR PRIORITIES REPORTS.
THIS REALLY LINES UP WITH THE CITY'S GOALS AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE EACH OF THE GOALS WE CREATED WAS CLEARLY ALIGNED WITH A DRIVING FORCE TO THE CITY'S GOALS.
JOE, I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND MOVE INTO TECHNOLOGY.
AND I THINK PERSON, YOU'RE GONNA TAKE IT FROM HERE.
SO, UM, I, I, JOE, I LOVED HOW YOU WERE SAYING THAT IT'S HARD OF COURSE, TO, TO LOOK AT GOALS AND PRIORITIES, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT.
AND ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS WITH TECHNOLOGY IS TECHNOLOGY HAS ITS OWN GOAL.
IT'S, IT'S THE SECOND ONE IN TERMS OF, OF, OF PRIORITY AND PROVIDING CUSTOMER RESPONSIVE TECHNOLOGY, UH, IS THE NAME OF THE GOAL, BUT IT'S ALSO PERMEATES AND SUPPORTS EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS ON THE LIST, RIGHT? UM, SO WE TOOK A VERY SPECIAL DEEP DIVE LOOK AT, UH, SOME SPECIFICS ON TECHNOLOGY, UH, WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH JOE, HEATHER, AND SALLY, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESSES.
IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO, WE ALSO TOOK A DEEP DIVE ON THIS.
AND THERE ARE TWO AREAS THAT REALLY, UH, STAND OUT THAT WE WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF.
AND THAT'S, UH, UH, SERVING, UH, THE COMMUNITY BETTER THROUGH TWO AREAS.
ADVANCE, UH, ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY EQUITY AND MEETING EVOLVING PATRON TECH NEEDS.
NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS ESSENTIAL, WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE AT EVERY LIBRARY LOCATION, NO MATTER WHERE YOU WALK INTO AND WHAT SORT OF SUPPORT IS, UH, ESSENTIAL THERE.
WE ALSO WANT TO GIVE CONSIDERATION TO REGIONAL NEEDS IN DALLAS.
DALLAS IS AN EXTREMELY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE DISTINCT NEEDS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO THAT.
UH, ALSO THE ESSENTIALS, YOU MIGHT THINK OF THEM AS THE BASICS.
THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE ALL OF OUR SERVICES, UH, DEPEND ON ROBUST INTERNET AND WIFI CONNECTIVITY AND, UH, SPEEDS AND THE QUALITY OF THOSE CONNECTIONS.
UH, AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT DEVICES ARE AVAILABLE.
NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THE DEVICES THAT THEY NEED TO ENRICH THEIR LIVES.
UH, SO, UH, ONE EXAMPLE IS EXPANDING LAPTOP AND HOTSPOT LENDING.
NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO MEETING EVOLVING PATRON TECH NEEDS, UH, TECHNOLOGY IS NOT A ONE AND DONE AGILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS THAT IS, UH, AT THE FOREFRONT.
AND SO IN THE PLAN, WE HAVE THE, UH, LIBRARY TAKING GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS OWN TECHNOLOGICAL SERVICES TO PATRONS BECAUSE LIBRARY STAFF ARE THE CLOSEST TO SEEING THOSE PATRON NEEDS HAVE THE MOST INTEREST IN RESPONDING TO THOSE DIRECTLY, UH, AND EFFECTIVELY.
AND SO TAKING MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT IS PART OF OUR PLAN.
SO ONE OF THOSE MIDDLE OF THE LIST PRIORITIES FOR THE STRATEGIC GOALS WAS FACILITIES.
AND THIS AGAIN, WAS THE STRATEGIC GOAL ABOUT FACILITIES, WHICH IS THAT THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARIES BUILDINGS WILL BE COMMUNITY FOCUSED TO ADAPT TO THE CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS OF DALLAS NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTS.
SO WHAT DOES THAT, WHAT DOES THAT TURN INTO FOR OUR FACILITY'S VISION FOR DALLAS? UM, AS ALWAYS, LIBRARIES IN DALLAS HAVE BEEN PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO READ, WORK AND STUDY, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT INTO THE FUTURE.
THEY ALSO PROVIDE PLACES FOR LEARNING AND WORKING TOGETHER WITH OTHER PEOPLE FOR COLLABORATING AND BUILDING THOSE CONNECTIONS.
THEY ARE, UH, THEY PROVIDE GREAT SPACES THAT INSPIRE CURIOSITY AND SET CHILDREN UP FOR A LOVE OF LIFELONG LEARNING, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS THE, THE WONDERFUL FACILITY AT BOOKMARKS AT NORTH PARK CENTER.
UM, AND THEN AS THOSE CHILDREN GROW INTO TWEENS AND TEENS, THEY ARE PLACES FOR THEM TO ENGAGE AND DEVELOP SOCIAL SKILLS AS WELL AS TO STUDY AND DO THEIR HOMEWORK.
LIBRARIES PROVIDE PLACES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO COME TOGETHER TO CREATE AND SHARE CULTURAL ARTS EXPERIENCES.
AND THE LIBRARY SPACES DON'T END AT THE, AT THE EXTERIOR WALLS OF THE BUILDING.
[00:30:01]
THE VISION IS REALLY TO STRETCH THEM OUT BEYOND THE WALLS OF THE BUILDING TO EXTEND THEIR CAPACITY, EXTEND THE REACH WELL BEYOND, UH, THE BUILDING ITSELF.SO JUST A QUICK, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE DALLAS' LIBRARY FACILITIES TODAY? THERE'S A REALLY GOOD FOUNDATION TO BUILD FROM THE LAST MASTER PLAN.
SET YOU UP IN A REALLY GOOD SPOT TO KEEP MOVING INTO THE FUTURE.
THE LIBRARY SPACE IN DALLAS HAS MORE OR LESS KEPT UP WITH POPULATION GROWTH OVER THE LAST 20, 24 YEARS.
THE BRANCHES THAT YOU HAVE ARE REALLY WELL DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE CITY.
THERE'S NOT ANY OBVIOUS GAPS OR BARRIERS THAT KEEP KEEP FROM REACHING AT LEAST ONE LIBRARY.
THE LARGER BUILDINGS IN PARTICULAR, THE LARGER BRANCHES PROVIDE A REALLY GOOD DEPTH BREADTH AND DIVERSITY OF SERVICE.
AND MOST OF THE LIBRARIES ARE IN GENERALLY GOOD CONDITION.
THE CITY DID A STUDY A FEW YEARS AGO OF ALL OF ITS FACILITIES AND CONCLUDED THAT MOST OF ITS LIBRARY FACILITIES ARE EITHER IN GOOD OR EXCELLENT CONDITION.
SO I SAY MOST, I'LL COME BACK TO THAT IN A SECOND.
SO FOR THE FUTURE, UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LIBRARY SPACE CONTINUES TO KEEP UP WITH POPULATION GROWTH IN DALLAS.
MAKE SURE THAT THAT SPACE IS THERE SO THAT AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS, UH, IT CAN CONTINUE TO FIND COMFORTABLE PLACES IN THE LIBRARY.
UM, TO DO THIS, THE PLAN WANTS TO PRIORITIZE EXPANDING AND REPLACING SOME OF THE SMALLER LIBRARIES, RATHER THAN JUST CONTINUING TO ADD MORE AND MORE LIBRARIES THAT ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO OPERATE.
LET'S TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SOME OF THE SMALL ONES BIGGER AND PROVIDE THAT, THAT MORE DIVERSE AND ROBUST SERVICE.
THERE ARE, UM, THERE'S THE POTENTIAL FOR THE LIBRARY TO POSSIBLY SHARE FACILITIES WITH SOME OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ACCESS, IMPROVE SERVICE, AND IMPROVE THAT, THAT EXPERIENCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND OF COURSE, YOUR LIBRARIES ARE SOME OF YOUR MOST HIGH PROFILE, HIGH TRAFFIC BELOVED BUILDINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT TAKES PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE IN ORDER TO KEEP THEM WELCOMING AND WELL FUNCTIONING.
SO WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE ONE OF THE BUILDINGS THAT ISN'T IN SUCH GREAT SHAPE IS THE J ERIC JOHNSON CENTRAL LIBRARY, WHICH IS AT 40 YEARS OLD READY FOR RENEWAL AND REINVESTMENT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GOT SOME SIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE NEEDS.
SOME OF ITS SYSTEMS, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, UM, ELEVATORS.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE IN LESS THAN GOOD CONDITION.
THEY REALLY ARE DUE FOR SOME MAJOR, MAJOR WORK OR REPLACEMENT RENOVATION OF THE BUILDING.
HOLISTIC RENOVATION IS ALSO A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE ITS PERFORMANCE AND RESILIENCY.
ITS ABILITY TO KEEP UP WITH CHANGE OVER TIME.
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT 40 YEARS AGO AS A RESEARCH LIBRARY.
THE, THE VISION WAS THAT IT WAS GONNA BE THIS BIG BUILDING WHERE YOU'RE GONNA KEEP COLLECTING PAPER AND PAPER AND PAPER AND PAPER.
AND SO IT'S REALLY BUILT TO HOW THAT, WELL, THAT'S NOT ITS ROLE ANYMORE AND WE DON'T NEED IT FOR THAT ANYMORE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN THE FUTURE OF THIS LIBRARY BE FROM A MODERN LIBRARY SERVICE AND OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE AND A WHOLE BUILDING RENOVATION WOULD, UM, OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THOSE, UH, SERVICES AND PROGRAMS AND SPACES THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY ALL ALONG THAT THEY REALLY WANT.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES ARE GRAPPLING WITH.
I KNOW MOST BIG CITIES HAVE A BIG CENTRAL LIBRARY.
MOST OF THEM ARE NOT AS BIG AS YOURS, BUT STILL, UH, FINDING WAYS TO REINVENT THOSE BUILDINGS SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE THE NEXT, UH, GENERATION OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS A LIST OF WHAT'S RECOMMENDED FOR EACH OF THE LIBRARIES.
I WILL NOT GO THROUGH THIS HERE.
UM, THE ONES THAT ARE IN A LIGHT GREEN COLOR, THOSE INCLUDE THE LIBRARIES NEWER OR MORE RECENTLY RENOVATED LIBRARIES.
THE ONES THAT ARE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE NOW AND WE THINK WON'T NEED MUCH MORE THAN MAINTENANCE AND STRATEGIC UPGRADES OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
THE LIFE OF THE PLAN, THE ONES THAT IN PURPLE ARE, UH, CANDIDATES FOR A MORE ROBUST RENOVATION REINVENTION TO TAKE CARE OF MAINTENANCE NEEDS TO REALIGN SOME OF THE LIBRARY SPACES WITH THE, THE NEW AND EMERGING COMMUNITY NEEDS AND VISION.
AND THEN THE ONES CODED IN ORANGE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED FOR BECOMING BIGGER, EITHER THROUGH EXPANDING OF THE EXISTING BUILDING, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE ON ITS SITE.
OR, UM, IT MAY BE THAT A REPLACEMENT IS MORE, MAKES MORE SENSE.
AND IN SOME CASES IT MAY BE THAT THE LIBRARY WOULD NEED TO MOVE TO A DIFFERENT SITE THAT WASN'T SO CONSTRAINED SO THAT IT COULD GROW TO THE, THE SIZE IT WANTS TO BE.
UH, SO WITH THAT, I THINK, WAS THAT 15 MINUTES? THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 20.
SO ANY, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR ADVICE YOU HAVE FOR US AS WE GET READY FOR QUALITY OF LIFE IN TWO WEEKS?
[00:35:03]
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, RENOVATION OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.HOW ARE WE JUSTIFYING DOING ANOTHER RENOVATION OF EIGHT FLOORS OF SPACE WHEN ALL OF THOSE FLOORS WERE WELL OF THOSE EACH RENOVATED? WELL, SO ALL OF THOSE WERE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, SO THE FRIENDS PAID FOR HALF OF THE RENOVATIONS.
THE CITY PAID FOR THE OTHER HALF.
THE, SOME OF THOSE ARE 20 YEARS AGO.
COUPLE OF 'EM ARE 20 YEARS AGO.
UM, ACTUALLY MORE THAN THAT FOR IF WE START FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
SO WE'VE KIND OF COME FULL CIRCLE.
RIGHT? SO THE LAST FEW, YES, PROBABLY IF WE DID DO A RENOVATION AND SAY THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX YEARS, THOSE FLOORS WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE TOUCHED MUCH.
BUT WE DO HAVE OTHER FLOORS THAT ARE REALLY BEHIND THE TIMES.
'CAUSE THEY WERE RENOVATED 20 YEARS AGO BEFORE THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES AND WHATNOT.
AND PART OF THIS VISION IS, YOU COULD SEE IN THE PICTURE THAT, UM, A LITTLE DRAWING THAT GROUP FOUR DID IS REIMAGINING SOME OF THE EXTERIOR.
SO IT'S A MORE WELCOMING BUILDING SO THAT EVEN FOLKS VISITING THE AREA REALIZE THAT IT'S A LIBRARY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS STORY.
I THINK I SHARED IT FOR Y'ALL OR NOT, MAYBE NOT.
BUT YOU KNOW, JUST RECENTLY WE HAD A VISITOR COME IN BECAUSE HE HAD, HE HAD SOME, HE HAD A WHOLE DAY TO SPARE AT THE LAST MINUTE HE CAME INTO THE LIBRARY WAS FROM AUSTRALIA.
HE DID NOT KNOW DALLAS OR WHAT TO DO.
AND HE HAPPENED TO ASK ONE OF THE STAFF FOR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SHE FOUND OUT HE WAS A HISTORY B AND PRETTY MUCH LAID OUT A DAY OF ACTIVITIES AROUND JFK, INCLUDING LOTS OF FUN THINGS AND THE LIBRARY.
AND HE MO WROTE THE MOST AMAZING REVIEW OF THAT INTERACTION WITH, YOU KNOW, A POINT THAT JUST SAID, YOU SHOULD GO TO YOUR LIBRARY IN EVERY CITY.
'CAUSE THESE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON
THIS DOES, WHEN YOU'RE WALKING PAST, THERE'S NOTHING THAT SCREAMS LIBRARY.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT WELCOMES YOU INTO THE SPACE.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT OUR PLAZAS WITH CITY HALL AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, SORT OF INVIGORATE THIS SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH WHAT AT AND T PLAZA HAS DONE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS ARE MAYBE WE CAN ENGAGE AT T IN SOME WAY, UM, OR DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
A A LOT OF THE GROWTH ON THIS END OF DOWNTOWN IS REALLY HAPPENING NOW.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE FOR THIS TO BE EVEN A, I DON'T WANNA SAY A TOURIST DESTINATION, BUT A STOP.
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE COME TO DALLAS TO SEE.
RIGHT? WE THE DECLARATION, NOBODY KNOWS IT'S HERE.
THE THE WORLD, NOT TO ME DO THAT.
AND HOW DO WE GET OTHER PEOPLE TO DO THAT? IN DALLAS, WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE COMING TO THE CONVENTION CENTER EVERY DAY WALKING BY FROM THESE HOTELS.
THEY'RE GOING TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, BUT THEY, THEY DON'T EVEN LOOK UP.
'CAUSE WE'RE THIS JUST BROWN LUMPY BUILDING THAT LOOKS LIKE A PRISON.
WHY NOT START WITH A SIGN THAT SAYS MOST PUBLIC LIBRARY.
I MEAN, SAM, DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ABOUT
I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IN THIS BUILDING.
WELL, JOE, ISN'T IT MOST OF THE RENOVATIONS BEHIND THE SCENES, LIKE THE ELECTRICITY, THE HVAC YEAH.
THE WATER LEAKS IN SOME OF THE ROOM, THE, THE FLOORS AND YES.
AIR CONDITION, UH, THE ELEVATORS AND SUCH.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF, IF NOTHING ELSE, WHY NOT DO A CONTEST OR SOME SORT OF PUBLIC ART OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY? THAT'S A BOOK.
I MEAN THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF GREAT IDEAS AND A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, BUT AT SOME POINT IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THERE WON'T BE A COST TO IT AND IT WILL HAVE TO BE A BOND PROJECT.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA START TALKING ABOUT.
SO WE WANNA GET THIS IN THE PLAN, BUT WE CAN START TALKING ABOUT IT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S OPTIC.
YOU'VE GOTTA MARKET YOUR PLACE.
AND IF YOUR BUILDING IS NOT MARKETABLE YEAH.
THERE'S FASCINATION BASED ON A REALLY NICE LOOKING BUILDING.
AND WHAT WE'VE FOUND TOO, AND THIS HAS BEEN SUPER SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER CENTRAL LIBRARIES AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO REIMAGINE THEIR SPACE IS OPENING UP THE INNER CORE.
PEOPLE WALK INTO THE FI FIRST FLOOR OF
[00:40:01]
THIS BUILDING AND THINK THAT'S IT.THEY DON'T KNOW THERE'S EIGHT OTHER FLOORS BECAUSE IT'S NOT INTUITIVE THAT YOU CAN GO UP AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT.
THAT'S USUALLY THE FIRST THING I SAY TO PEOPLE WHEN I ENCOUNTER THEM ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
WELL THERE PERSON, YOU SHOULD START AT THE TOP.
THE MLP LIBRARY SEE, I THINK IS A REALLY WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF HOW A BRUTALIST BUILDING MM-HMM.
UM, THEY HAVE TOTALLY REINVIGORATED THE SPACE.
THERE'S NATURAL LIGHT, THERE'S A SLIDE FOR KIDS.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE TO LOOK TO ON HOW YOU CAN TAKE THE BONES OF AN, AN OLDER BUILDING AND MAKE IT A LOT MORE.
THEY JUST DID THAT IN THE PAST YEAR.
JUST THE OLD CIVIL COURTS BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH WAS A FIFTIES VINTAGE BRUTALIST BUILDING.
AND IT, AND IT HAD THESE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS WHITE PLANE HAD THESE SEVEN STORY VERTICAL ALUMINUM LOUVERS THAT COVERED ALL THE WINDOWS.
SO ALL THE LAWYERS IN TOWN CALLED IT THE AIR CONDITIONER.
'CAUSE THEY LOOKED LIKE ONE AND, AND SOMEBODY ALONG THE WAY, I DON'T KNOW WHO DID IT, BUT THEY FIGURED OUT, OKAY, LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
AND THEY, THEY PUT A SKIN ON IT.
THEY TOOK DOWN THE LOUVERS, PUT OUR SKIN WITH AND PAINTED IT.
THAT MADE IT SORT OF RESEMBLE THE OLD COURTHOUSE NEXT DOOR.
AND IT, YOU KNOW, NOT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE INTERIOR, BUT IT HELPED A LOT THE EXTERIOR.
SAM, UM, RESPONDING TO ONE ASPECT OF THE REPORT, WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE DOWNGRADING OF THE RESEARCH ASPECTS OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, I THINK IS VERY QUESTIONABLE.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO DALLAS IN 19 95, 1 OF THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS WAS THE LIBRARY BECAUSE OF ITS RESEARCH, UH, FACILITIES.
AND ONE OF THE, THE LIBRARIANS AT THE TIME SAID, WE ARE A RESEARCH LIBRARY.
AND THEIR FILM, THEIR CINEMA MOODY MEDIA COLLECTION WAS OUTSTANDING.
IT WAS ACTUALLY, IT OUT SHOWN NEW YORK PUBLIC, WHICH I HAD USED TO CORRECT BROOKLYN PUBLIC AND OTHER LIBRARIES THAT, LIKE YOU, I'VE USED, VISITED LIBRARIES AROUND THE WORLD.
JUST TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE, I FOUND SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT A LITTLE BIT, UH, STRANGE AND MAYBE DISTURBING.
I ARNOLD BENNETT, WHO WAS NOT A CLASSIC AUTHOR, BUT AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY WELL KNOWN, POPULAR ENOUGH BY A AUTHOR, I FOUND 16 ACTUAL BOOKS AND 68 EBOOKS.
I CAN ONLY CONCLUDE THAT AT ONE TIME, THOSE 68 EBOOKS WERE ACTUAL VOLUMES.
ARE THEY, ARE BOOKS ACTUALLY BEING CONSCIOUSLY REPLACED WITH EBOOKS? AND IF SO, WHY? YES AND NO.
UM, OF COURSE NOT EVERYTHING WILL BECOME AN EBOOK OR BECOME DIGITIZED.
AND WE DO KEEP A LOT OF THOSE VOLUMES AND, AND, AND I THINK AND THAT'S GOOD FEEDBACK.
I'M SAYING LET'S NOT DOWNPLAY THAT WE ARE NOT MOVING AWAY FROM BEING, DOING THE RESEARCH THAT WE'RE GOOD AT SEVENTH FLOOR GENEALOGY.
WE EXCEL, WE ARE KEEPING THOSE ELEMENTS OF BEING A RESEARCH LIBRARY, BUT WE WANNA EXPAND THAT.
WE'RE NOT JUST A RESEARCH LIBRARY.
SO LIKE THAT HAS BEEN OUR ROLE IN THE CITY IN THE PAST AND IT'S NOT OUR PRIMARY ROLE ANYMORE.
WE'RE NO LONGER A FEDERAL DEPOSITORY.
WE STOPPED DOING THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER FEDERAL DEPOSIT DEPOSITORIES IN THE METROPLEX AND WE WERE DUPLICATING SERVICES AND IT TOOK UP MOST OF THE SIXTH FLOOR.
WE REIMAGINED THE SIXTH FLOOR AND NOW IS THIS WONDERFUL ADULT LEARNING CENTER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T NEED THAT.
WE WERE COLLECTING IT, WE WERE SPENDING A LOT OF MANPOWER AND SPACE ON IT.
AND THEN WE HAD THAT GREATER LOOK AT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE FELT LIKE THAT WASN'T OUR ROLE ANYMORE.
SO WE'RE REALLY TAKING A HARD LOOK AT WHAT ARE OUR CUSTOMERS USING, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND TRYING TO BALANCE THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S GOOD FEEDBACK, JILL.
WHEN WE PRESENT TO QUALITY OF LIFE, WE DON'T MAYBE DOWNPLAY BEING A RESEARCH FACILITY, BUT MAYBE ADD ON TO A RENEWED VISION.
IT'S NOT THE ONLY, ONLY THING IT DOES ANYMORE.
IT'S STILL RELEVANT BECAUSE EVEN AS YOU SAID, THE SEVENTH FLOOR GENEALOGY DEPARTMENT IS OUTSTANDING.
BUT AN ELEMENT OF THAT IS I CAN GO AND ACCESS A LOT OF DATABASES THAT I WOULD NORMALLY HAVE TO BE PAYING FOR.
AND HAVING THAT DIGITAL ACCESS IN THE LIBRARY IS A COMPONENT OF MY GENEALOGY RESEARCH.
IN ADDITION TO, THERE ARE STILL BOOKS AND THERE'S MICROFILMS AND THE EXPERT HELP THERE TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GREAT LIBRARIANS WHO
[00:45:01]
ACTUALLY KNOW NAVIGATE.OH, I CERTAINLY, UM, LOVE HEARING YOU SAY THAT YOU FEEL CENTRAL LIBRARY NEEDS UPGRADES.
UM, IN TERMS OF A REGIONAL ATTRACTION, I'VE BEEN TO THE FRISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY,
A LIBRARY THAT IS A REGIONAL ATTRACTION.
I'VE TAKEN MY CHILDREN THERE BECAUSE IT HAS AMAZING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND AND SUCH ABOUT SCIENCE AND JUST ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
AND THEY HAVE LIKE, DON'T NEED LIKE A T-REX, BUT THEY IT WOULD BE.
BUT THAT IS EXAMPLE OF IF PEOPLE ROLL THEIR EYES AND THEY'RE LIKE, WHOA, CAN A LIBRARY REALLY BE AN ATTRACTION AGE? THAT CERTAINLY IS.
AND THEY DO NOT CHARGE DALLAS RESIDENTS AT THE DOOR.
UM, I THINK A WELCOMING SPACE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND TO ME SAFE BECAUSE I THINK THERE MAYBE ARE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT AT TIMES.
ESPECIALLY WITH LIKE, UM, YOU MENTIONED THE ELEVATORS, THE ELEVATOR.
IF YOU'RE IN A CONFINED SPACE SOMETIMES WITH PEOPLE THAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE, LIKE I HAVE, I BROUGHT MY YOUNG CHILDREN DOWN HERE WITH A STROLLER WITH LIKE A 1-YEAR-OLD AND A 3-YEAR-OLD.
YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE FEELING SAFE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CONCERN WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT FEEL AND AND WELCOMING TO, TO OUR COMMUNITY I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
BUT I, I LIKE HEARING THAT THERE IS A THOUGHT THAT YES, TO ASPIRE TO THIS IS A REGIONAL ATTRACTION.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE.
UNLIKE ARBORETUM PER MUSEUM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO GO TO THOSE PLACES.
SO I ALSO WAS GOING TO ASK, UM, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE GATHERED, ARE THOSE, CAN WE READ THOSE? I JUST WOULD BE CURIOUS TO READ THROUGH LIKE HOW THE LISTENING SESSIONS WENT.
IT WOULD BE A VIDEO OR THE COMMENTS.
WE THINK SOME DATA THAT THIS, SO THIS IS JUST THE RIGHT PRESENTATION.
UHHUH, THERE ACTUALLY WILL BE A FULL OKAY.
UM, AND THEN I GET LIKE ON THE SENTENCES, I WOULD END THEM WITH THE PERIOD ME ON THE BULLET POINTS, MAYBE
SO I HAD A HARD TIME HEARING THAT LAST ONE WAS THAT, UH, SHE WANTS TO PUT PERIODS AT THE END OF THE BULLETS, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT OKAY.
BUT WE, WE HAVE SOME, WE HAVE SOME POLICIES THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
CAN I PUT MY OXFORD COMMAS BACK IN? UH, NO.
OH, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE THAT POINT.
IT'S UH, THERE, THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME CITY STANDARDS TO FOLLOW.
I CAN MAKE A CASE FOR THE OXFORD COMMA
WELL GRANDMA WILL LISTEN TO FIGHT THAT BATTLE.
SO CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT THE FACILITIES REPLACEMENT PLAN? MM-HMM.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT LESS.
BECAUSE THE LAST PLAN ACTUALLY, LIKE IT DEALT WITH, UM, WE BUILT THE BUILDINGS, BUT THERE WAS A WHOLE SECTION THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T DEAL WITH.
LIKE FOR SOME BRANCHES THAT HAD TO DO WITH RENOVATIONS AND THINGS AND UPGRADING AND EXPANDING THAT WE DIDN'T EVER REALLY GET TO.
WE FOCUSED ON THE EXPANSIONS AND THE ABSOLUTE REPLACEMENT.
SO THIS REALLY MATCHES, I THINK THAT PIECE OF IT AND JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE'LL SAY REALISTIC IS.
WELL I THINK IF WE'RE NOT HONEST ABOUT IT, THEN THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND WE HAVE BRANCHES THAT CLEARLY NEED TO EXPAND AND HAVE MORE SPACE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THOSE CUSTOMERS.
AND THREE OF THOSE ON THE LIST WERE, ARE IN THE CURRENT VAULT.
SO THEY COULD POTENTIALLY BE KNOCKED OUT RIGHT AWAY.
POTENTIALLY IF EVERYBODY GOES AND VOTES ON MAY 4TH.
[00:50:02]
THE NUMBERS RIGHT, THAT THERE WAS 2000 SOMETHING SURVEY RESULTS ON THE, ON THAT NUMBERS PAGE AND THE PERSON PAGES.I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS WAS, WAS THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT IN THOSE FORUMS, IS THAT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT? AND DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT, HOW THAT COMPARES TO, UM, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS SURVEYS THAT THEY MAY HAVE DONE? DID DID WE GET I HAVE INFORMATION, I HAVE NO COMMENT ON OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE I KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS HAVE DONE TO COMMENT ON, UM, WHETHER THEY ARE MORE OR LESS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
WE DID NOT IN THIS SURVEY SET OUT TO BE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE IN THE LIBRARY TRIED TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
BUT IT'S NOT, I WOULD SAY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE NECESSARILY.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T LOOK AT WHETHER WE GOT THE RIGHT NUMBER OF RESPONSES FROM ALL ZIP CODES IN THE CITY OR WHAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS WERE RELATIVE TO PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, IT JUST WASN'T, THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS COMMUNITY, UH, THIS SURVEY WAS FOR.
THE SURVEY WAS REALLY ABOUT COLLECTING IDEAS AND UNDERSTANDING THE BREADTH OF, OF PERSPECTIVES.
NOT, NOT SO MUCH BEING ABLE TO SAY WE HEARD FROM THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE SUPPORTED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANTLY.
BUT THE RESPONDENTS WERE BASICALLY LIBRARY PATRONS.
NOT ALWAYS BECAUSE WE WENT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE MANAGERS OF EACH BRANCH WERE TASKED TO ACTUALLY GO OUT TO NON-LIBRARY EVENTS AND, AND GET RESPONDENTS FROM THEM.
SO WE DID HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION SAFETY MEETINGS, UH, EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF.
IT, IT WASN'T THE FOLKS WHO ALREADY LOVED US.
I MEAN REALLY THAT, THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE REALLY AFTER WAS, YEAH, WE GOT ALL THIS INFORMATION THAT WAS THE FIRST ROUND AND, AND WE WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT.
WE'RE LIKE, WELL YEAH, THAT'S FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY LOVE US.
I DON'T WANNA SAY NEVER BEEN HERE, FORGOTTEN ABOUT US AND LIBRARY Y'ALL.
THERE'S STILL LIBRARIES, YOU KNOW.
WAS IT ALL IN ENGLISH OR? NO, JUST BASED IN SPANISH.
AND WE ALSO HAD FOUR OTHER LANGUAGE.
AND ACTUALLY THE FEEDBACK STATIONS, CATHERINE, WERE UM, SORT OF PICTORIAL, I GUESS IS MAYBE THE BEST WAY TO, IT WAS FOR LOW LANGUAGE, RIGHT.
ANY OTHER WORDS OF WISDOM BEFORE WE TAKE THIS TO QUALITY OF LIFE? YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTING TO YOU TALK TO THEM OFTEN COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY FOR US TO HAVE PRACTICE OF.
CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING THAT MAYBE YOUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE MIGHT ASK IF THERE'S, IS THERE SOMETHING WE'RE MISSING HERE? I I, I'LL TOSS OUT ONE THING THAT JUST, THIS MAY BE TICKY TACK, BUT THE QUOTE ON THE SECOND SLIDE, I THINK JUST FELT VERY GENERIC TO ME.
I'M WONDERING IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO FIND AMONG THE, THE ANECDOTES IF THERE'S NOT SOMETHING MORE COMPELLING OR FUNKY OR PASSIONATE.
IT, THIS FELT LIKE A GENERIC QUOTE THAT A CONSULTANT COULD FABRICATE
I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
I'M SAYING IF, IF I'M WATCHING THIS AND SOMEBODY'S ASKING ME TO SPEND MONEY, THAT QUOTE DID NOTHING FOR ME STARTED.
WELL HAVE LOOK, BUT OTHERS MAY DISAGREE.
WE WANNA KEEP OFF WITH A BANG, NOT A THAT'S NICE.
EXPECT A LOT OF THE FUNDING FOR WHAT'S IN THIS PLAN TO COME FROM BONDS FOR THE FACILITIES PART OR ALL OF IT? IT, IT WOULD ALL, UM, WELL, ALL OF THE, YEAH.
FUNDING WOULD HAVE TO BE WELL FROM, FOR FACILITIES.
THAT SAID, WE, THE FRIENDS ARE ALSO, THEY'RE WE'RE INVITED TO THIS MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S, WHO'S ONLINE, BUT IT COULD BE THERE IS HERE.
IN THE, IN THE WORLD OF THAT I CAN'T SEE BE BEYOND THE SCREEN.
UM, BUT THE FRIENDS HAVE SEEN THIS.
THEY, THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LIFT FOR CAPITAL AND THERE WILL BE A POSSIBILITY WHERE WE WILL BE GOING AGAIN FORWARD WITH MAYBE SOME 50 50 MATCHES TO ENTICE THE CITY TO INVEST IN THIS, WHICH ALL HAS WORKED FOR US IN THE PAST SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEIR, THEIR FUNDRAISING CAPABILITIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE KICKED TOO HIGH HERE TO MAKE SOME OF THIS HAPPEN.
[00:55:05]
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE LOFTY ASPIRATIONS, WHY HAVE ANY? RIGHT.BUT I'VE ALSO, I KNOW
WELL THAT'S EVERY, WE MAINTAIN FUNDING.
AND THAT IS, THAT'S A, THAT'S A DAILY, THAT'S A LIVED EXPERIENCE.
ANYTHING ELSE? I I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS, IT IS AN ASPIRATIONAL PLAN, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S WILD, LIKE, LIKE CRAZY.
THIS IS VERY RIGHT FOR DALLAS.
IT, IN SOME WAYS IT FEELS LIKE A BIG PLAN.
'CAUSE DALLAS IS A REALLY BIG CITY.
UM, BUT IT, IT ACTUALLY IS A VERY SENSIBLE PLAN.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, NOW THAT MARY'S HERE, UM, REMINDS ME THAT THESE PLANS DON'T GET IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT, I MEAN, NOT JUST THE, THE GOOD WORK OF THE LIBRARY IN A WELL RECENT PLAN, BUT ADVOCACY IS REALLY THE KEY TO GETTING THESE THINGS IMPLEMENTED.
THERE'S, THERE'S ALMOST NO WAY TO HAVE TOO MUCH OF IT.
UH, THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, THE BOND PROGRAM CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND WHERE IT'S ENDED UP, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT HAPPENED THROUGH ADVOCACY, UM, ADVOCATING FOR THIS BIGGER, BETTER VISION AND FOR, FOR GETTING THE NEXT 20 YEARS OF FACILITY PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED IN 20 YEARS.
WE'LL, WE'LL PAY DIVIDENDS DOWN THE LINE AS WELL.
THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.
IF YOU HAVE ANY AFTER THOUGHTS LATER, SEND THEM TO JOE AND WE'LL, WE'LL WORK HIM INTO THE PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME AND, AND GOOD, UH, ATTENTION AND FEEDBACK FOR US TODAY.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR JILL IN THE GROUP? ALRIGHT.
BYEBYE, FIJI, APPRECIATE Y'ALL.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR NEW BUSINESS? NO, I'M GOOD.
MARY, ANY, OH, DID WE LOSE MARY? YEP.
DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING SHE WANTED TO SAY? ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS OR ANY NEW BUSINESS? WELL, WELL AT 5 58 LET'S RETURN Y'ALL THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE? I WILL.