[00:00:02]
[Municipal Library Board Meeting on September 24, 2024.]
INCENTIVE TO COME IN REAL LIFE.I RECALL BEING THE ORDER AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
AND WE NEED TO START WITH A SMALL BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING.
UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, CHAIRS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR, AND VICE CHAIRS ARE APPOINTED OR NOMINATED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND SINCE I WAS NEITHER, YOU GUYS HAVE TO TEMPORARILY VOTE ME IN AS CHAIR EVERY MEETING UNTIL WE GET A REAL CHAIR.
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
HI, WORKING
BUT UNTIL THAT POINT TO CONDUCT A MEETING, I NEED SOMEONE TO, I NEED A MOTION FROM SOMEONE THAT SOMEONE AT THIS TABLE BE APPOINTED CHAIR OF THE MEETING TEMPORARILY.
I'LL MOTION THAT YOU BE THE CHAIR.
ANY DISCUSSION? SO IT'S JUST A, THIS MEETING? YEAH.
AND THEN NEXT MEETING, WE'LL DO THIS AGAIN.
UM, SO STAN, UH, STATE OF MOTION AND SAM SECONDED.
NOW THAT I AM NOW THE CHAIR, UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UM, WE DID SEND OUT A COPY OF THE MINUTES.
DOES EVERYONE HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM? ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? OKAY.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UM, I'M GONNA MOVE TO THE CHAIR REPORT REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN TEMPORARILY SELECT A, UM, VICE CHAIR, OR WE CAN DISPENSE WITH THAT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THIS EVERY MEETING, SO MAYBE WE COULD SKIP HAVING A VICE CHAIR FOR NOW.
UM, YOU WERE SENT EARLIER THIS WEEK, A LIST OF THE PROPOSED MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD CALENDAR FOR 24 25.
THE CITY OF DALLAS FISCAL YEAR BEGINS IN OCTOBER, WHICH IS WHY THE MEETING DATES STARTS OCTOBER.
UH, THESE ARE STILL ON THAT REGULAR PACE THAT WE'VE BEEN KEEPING OF, UM, THE LAST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
EXCEPT WE'RE SPECIFICALLY NOTED.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING DATES? DO YOU HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE ON MEETING THE ONES BEFORE THANKSGIVING OR, I OVERLOOKED NO CHOICES.
SO WE WILL ASSUME THAT THESE WILL BE THE DATES WE WILL FOLLOW FOR THE NEXT YEAR IF WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT.
UM, I, WE DID HAVE A, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE POLICY.
UM, SO WANTED TO MAYBE TOUCH ON THAT REALLY BRIEFLY.
UM, YOU CAN'T MISS MORE THAN THREE MEETINGS IN A ROW.
YOU WILL GET KICKED OFF FOR THAT.
UH, BUT YOU ALSO CAN'T MISS THREE MEETINGS IN THE YEAR IN WHICH YOU ARE APPOINTED.
AND THAT YEAR IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON AT THIS TABLE.
SOME OF US STARTED AT DIFFERENT TIMES THAN OTHERS.
SO SOME OF US MAYBE STARTED IN MAY.
SOME STARTED IN AUGUST WHENEVER SOME WERE APPOINTED MID THIS YEAR, DECEMBER.
SO IN YOUR 12 MONTHS OF UP UNTIL YOUR NEXT ANNIVERSARY, YOU CAN'T JUST WAIT AT THREE.
AND THOSE ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE LADIES IN THE LOBBY WHO ARE WATCHING US AND TAKING MINUTES.
AND THEY WILL LET YOU KNOW IF, UM, THAT BECOMES A, A BIG ISSUE.
BUT MOST OF YOU'RE HERE ALL THE TIME.
SO EVERYONE SERVES A TWO TERM, I MEAN, A TWO YEAR TERM.
RIGHT? SO, SO THAT BEGINS, IF YOU SERVE A SECOND TERM, THE FIRST YEAR OF YOUR SECOND TERM, YOU HAVE THAT MEETING.
IT'S THREE MEETINGS AND A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
[00:05:04]
I STARTED IN MAY.SO BETWEEN MAY, WHATEVER DAY I STARTED AND THE END OF APRIL, I CAN'T MISS IN 12 MONTHS.
BUT THEN YOU WOULD START OVER AGAIN IN MAY, BUT NEXT MAY I CAN START MISSING PD.
ALTHOUGH I DON'T THINK I MISSED ANY MEETINGS EVER.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I PUT ON THE AGENDA IS, UM, JUST TO REALLY BRIEFLY TOUCH ON, UM, THE POLITICAL ACTIVITIES POLICY.
JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A ELECTION COMING UP.
THIS INFORMATION WAS ALL IN THE ORIENTATION PACKET THAT YOU WERE GIVEN, AND I'M SURE YOU, UM, ARE VERY AWARE OF IT.
BUT, UM, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, UPFRONT, ALL OF US ARE CONSIDERED TO BE CITY OFFICIALS UNDER THE ETHICS CODE.
AND SO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICAL ACTIVITY, WE CAN'T REALLY USE OUR OFFICIAL POSITION TO ENDORSE A CANDIDATE.
SO THAT MEANS SAYING, AS A MEMBER OF THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD, I REALLY THINK YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR THIS PERSON, OR THIS AMENDMENT, OR THIS CHARTER, WHATEVER.
OF COURSE, AS A INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE CITIZEN, WE CAN'T STOP YOU FROM DOING THAT.
JUST DON'T PUT YOUR TITLE BEHIND IT.
YOU GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? YES.
SO, SO IF YOU GO TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND AND ADVOCATE FRIEND BUDGET, SO YOU DON'T SAY I'M A MEMBER OF THE MR. LIBRARY BOARD.
OR SAY, I WOULD REALLY LIKE
I CAN, I WORK ON GAY'S CAMPAIGN AS AN INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN.
BUT WHEN SHE SENDS OUT A MAILER AND LISTS ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ENDORSED HER, SHE CAN'T PUT THAT.
I AM HER MUSICAL LIBRARY BOARD.
A EE SHE CAN JUST PUT ANNE HARDING ENDORSES ME.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE THE, OUR TITLE HAS A LOT OF WEIGHT TO ACTIVITIES, BUT WE DO WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR.
ISN'T THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN WE GET THE EMAILS ABOUT, UH, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED GIFTS AND ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING.
I, WHEN DOES THAT COME THROUGH? I HAVEN'T DONE IT YET.
UM, USUALLY FELICIA WILL SEND THAT OUT, SO, OKAY.
DID YOU RECEIVE A BIG GIFT,
CAN YOU WITH US, THE DISTRICT DATE REPRESENTED
MY GOSH, I DIDN'T GET ANY GIFTS.
IT IS HERE ON THE SEVENTH FLOOR IF YOU NEED AN INVITATION TO THAT.
AND I DON'T, MARY MALKI IS NOT GOING TO GIVE A FRIENDS LIBRARY REPORT BECAUSE SHE'S IN, UM, FLORIDA.
BUT IF YOU NEEDED THE INVITATION OR WANT AN INVITATION TO THEIR, UH, FUNDRAISING EVENT.
EVENT IN OCTOBER, I HAVE A COUPLE EXTRAS IS, UM, WITH AUTHOR LEAD PETERSON TALKING ABOUT HER NEW BOOK.
IT'S TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, AND IT'S DOWN AT THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART.
SO IF YOU WANT, UM, AN INVITATION, I HAVE THOSE.
AND I THINK THAT COVERS ALL OF MY REPORTS ALL NOW, ALL OVER THE TABLE.
TURNING OVER TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORTS.
UM, SO WE ARE JUST GONNA RECAP THE, UM, THE BUDGET THAT WAS VOTED ON A WEEK AGO,
UM, BUT YOU WERE PROBABLY FOLLOWING ALONG 'CAUSE WE WERE IN THE NEWS QUITE A LOT.
UM, I WAS SHARING THAT I SPOKE TO COUNCIL MORE FOR THIS BUDGET IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS THAN I HAVE ABOUT ANY LIBRARY BUDGET IN THE LAST 11 YEARS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, SKILLMAN SOUTHWESTERN WAS ADDED BACK TO OUR BUDGET DUE TO, UM,
[00:10:01]
COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMAN FINDING THE FUNDS WITHIN HER DISTRICT DISCRETIONARY FUNDS.SO SHE USED HER PERSONAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDS TO FUND SKILLMAN TO BE OPEN FOR FIVE DAYS A WEEK, NOT SIX DAYS A WEEK, LIKE ALL OF OUR OTHER LOCATIONS.
UM, 'CAUSE SHE WAS LIMITED IN HER BUDGET.
UM, SO SHE COULD FUND FIVE DAYS A WEEK OF SERVICE.
UM, AND IT'S JUST FOR ONE YEAR.
IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BIENNIAL BUDGET.
IT IS NOT FUNDED BEYOND THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
OCTOBER ONE THROUGH SEPTEMBER, UM, OF 2025.
SO THAT PUTS US IN A UNIQUE POSITION AGAIN NEXT YEAR OR PUTS HEATHER IN UNIQUE POSITION NEXT YEAR AND THE TEAM OF, UM, HOW TO, HOW TO NEGOTIATE THIS IN THE FUTURE.
SO THAT WILL BE A HOT TOPIC MOVING FORWARD FOR THE LIBRARY STAFF WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH USUALLY START IN FEBRUARY.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A RIE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT INTERNALLY.
WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE WE ARE SO LEAN, THERE'S NOTHING LEFT CUT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.
WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR YOUR COUNCIL AND SUPPORT ON THAT BECAUSE TO BE FRANK, WE CUT HALF OF OUR PROGRAM TEAM.
AND THE PROGRAMS WE DO ARE WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE INTO THE LIBRARY.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, BEYOND CHECKING OUT MATERIALS AND UTILIZING OUR CORE SERVICES LIKE GED, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING, THE THINGS THAT WE, UM, STORY TIME THAT WE CONSIDER CORE ACTIVITIES, THE, THE EXTRA SPECIAL THINGS, THE, THE FUN MUSIC CLASSES, THE, YOU KNOW, THE BOOK CLUBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE EXTRA, THAT THE PROGRAM TEAM LEAD, UM, ARE GONNA TAKE A HIT.
AND SOME OF THOSE IN SOME OF OUR LIBRARIES.
THE NUMBER OF EVENTS IS GOING TO GO DOWN SIMPLY BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE THE STAFF FACILITATE IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO THE BEST WE CAN.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY DEDICATED, UM, STAFF AND SO THINGS WILL CONTINUE.
BUT YOU MIGHT SEE SOME CHANGES IN THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UM, AT YOUR LOCATION, YOUR BRANCH LOCATIONS MOVING FORWARD.
AND YOU MAY HEAR US SAY NO WHEN WE'RE INVITED TO DO AN OUTREACH EVENT OR SUCH.
WE MAY NOT HAVE THE MANPOWER TO DO IT.
BUT IT'S THE REALITY WE'RE LIVING IN WITHIN THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS THAT WE ARE WORKING UNDER RIGHT NOW.
SO WHILE IT'S GOOD NEWS THAT THEY DIDN'T CUT ANYMORE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, SKILLMAN OPEN FOR ONE MORE YEAR, IT STILL PUTS US IN A POSITION OF CLEAN YES.
IS THE BEST WAY TO, TO DESCRIBE IT.
UM, YOU GUYS ARE ALL, I KNOW YOU, YOU HEAR ME TALK ON THIS ALL THE TIME, BUT, UM, IT BEARS MENTIONING THAT OUR BOOK BUDGET, OUR MATERIALS BUDGET HAS STAYED STATIC FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS.
UM, THE COST OF MATERIALS HAVE SKYROCKETED.
SO WE ARE WORKING UNDER ESSENTIALLY THE SAME BUDGET, BUT THE COST OF ITEMS HAS GONE UP.
SO WE ARE BUYING LESS AS A RESULT, WHICH MEANS A LONGER WAIT FOR YOU TO GET THOSE THINGS WHEN YOU'RE ON THE WAIT LIST.
UM, OR LIMITS TO, YOU KNOW, YOUR ELECTRONIC LENDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, SO THAT YOU CAN TALK ON THIS WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I GOTTA SAY THE FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS WAS WONDERFUL.
EVERYBODY WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE.
NOBODY WANTS TO CLOSE THE LIBRARY AND THAT'S GREAT THAT, BUT I THINK THIS WHOLE PROCESS REALLY OPENED THE EYES OF OUR COUNCILMEN AT FIRST TO THE COMMU, HOW THE COMMUNITY VALUES THE LIBRARY.
'CAUSE THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT AND REALLY WAS VERY HIGHLY VOCAL ABOUT THE CLOSING OF SKILLMAN.
UM, SO, BUT DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BRING.
SO I'LL, I'LL PAUSE THERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
THIS MAY BE LIKE NOT, UH, DECIDED YET WITH THE UPPER MANAGEMENT, BUT WHEN YOU SAY THE NUMBER OF EVENTS WILL BE DIMINISHED MM-HMM.
SO STAFF WON'T BE MOVING AROUND
[00:15:01]
AND SHARED BETWEEN LOCATIONS? NO.NOW, SINCE YOU HAD ALREADY DISPERSED EVERYBODY IN THE ANTICIPATION OF THE LIBRARY CLOSE MM-HMM.
SO OF COURSE THE PEOPLE AT SKILLMAN WANT TO STAY AT SKILLMAN.
SO YES, WE WILL HAVE VACANCIES, BUT WE ALSO, THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE ASK STAFF IF THEY WANT TO LATERALLY TRANSFER TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
SO THAT'S ALL HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.
KI THAT'S WHY KIRSTEN'S, YOU KNOW, MIGHT LOOK FRAZZLED WHEN Y'ALL SEE HER THIS WEEK.
BUT SHE IS WORKING THROUGH THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD STAFF THAT ASK TO MOVE, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, A BRANCH CLOSER TO WHERE THEY LIVE OR WHATEVER IT IS.
SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THEN IDENTIFYING WHERE WE HAVE THOSE VACANCIES AND WE'RE WORKING TO FILL THOSE.
THE, WE'RE ALREADY PROCESSING APPLICATIONS WE ALREADY STARTED AS WE DO.
WE'LL BE, WE'LL HAVE SPOTS TO FILL, WE'LL HAVE VACANCIES TO FILL AND WE'RE AIMING TO HIRE FAST COMMENT IS, I HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND A TOWN HALL MEETING FOR MY STATE REP, UHHUH
AND I BROUGHT UP TO HIS ATTENTION THAT WHAT THEY DID IN AUSTIN WITH THE CAPPING OF PROPERTY TAX.
SO I THINK SINCE THIS IS STILL AN ELECTION SEASON, IS IT DOESN'T HURT TO TALK TO YOUR STATE REPS AND EMPHASIZE THAT YOU, THAT YOUR ACTIONS VOTING FOR OR AGAINST COSTING MONEY FOR THE CITY AND TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT CITIZENS, THAT THAT WHAT THEY DID IN AUSTIN IS WHAT IS PART OF THE REASON THAT WE'RE SUFFERING COSTS.
SO, AND THAT HE GOES TO THE LIBRARY I REPRESENT.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY AND GET HIM SOMETHING LIBRARY.
I WAS GONNA SAY IN THAT SAME VEIN, YOU KNOW, UH, BECAUSE OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION, YOU, UH, SESSION CAN START KEEPING TRACK OF ANY LIVE
JUST YOUR INCENTIVE TO COME IN REAL LIFE.
I CALLS ME ORDER AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
AND WE NEED TO START WITH A SMALL BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING.
UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, CHAIRS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND VICE CHAIRS ARE APPOINTED OR NOMINATED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND SINCE I WAS NEITHER, YOU GUYS HAVE TO TEMPORARILY VOTE ME IN AS CHAIR EVERY MEETING UNTIL WE GET A REAL CHAIR.
WORKING
BUT UNTIL THAT POINT TO CONDUCT A MEETING, I NEED SOMEONE TO, I NEED A MOTION FROM SOMEONE THAT SOMEONE AT THIS TABLE WILL BE APPOINTED CHAIR OF THE MEETING TEMPORARILY.
A MOTION THAT YOU BE THE CHAIR.
ANY DISCUSSION? SO IT'S JUST A, THIS MEETING? YEAH.
AND THEN NEXT MEETING, WE'LL DO THIS AGAIN.
SO, UM, SO STAN, UH, STATE OF MOTION AND SAM SECONDED.
NOW THAT I AM NOW THE CHAIR, UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UM, WE DID SEND OUT A COPY OF THE MINUTES.
DOES EVERYONE HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT? ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? NOPE.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UM, I'M GONNA MOVE TO THE CHAIR REPORT REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN TEMPORARILY SELECT A, UM, VICE CHAIR OR WE CAN DISPENSE WITH THAT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THIS EVERY MEETING, SO MAYBE WE COULD SKIP HAVING VICE CHAIR FOR NOW.
UM, YOU WERE SENT EARLIER THIS WEEK,
[00:20:01]
A LIST OF THE PROPOSED MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD CALENDAR FOR 24 25.THE CITY OF DALLAS FISCAL YEAR BEGINS IN OCTOBER, WHICH IS WHY THE MEETING DATES STARTS OCTOBER.
UH, THESE ARE STILL ON THAT REGULAR PACE THAT WE'VE BEEN KEEPING OF, UM, THE LAST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
EXCEPT WHERE SPECIFICALLY NOTED ANYBODY HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING DATES? DO YOU HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE ON MEETING THE ONES BEFORE THANKSGIVING OR, NOPE.
SO WE WILL ASSUME THAT THESE WILL BE THE DATES WE WILL FOLLOW FOR THE NEXT YEAR IF WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT.
UM, I, WE DID HAVE A, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE POLICY.
UM, SO WANTED TO MAYBE TOUCH ON THAT REALLY BRIEFLY.
UM, YOU CAN'T MISS MORE THAN THREE MEETINGS IN A ROW.
YOU WILL GET KICKED OFF FOR THAT.
UH, BUT YOU ALSO CAN'T MISS THREE MEETINGS IN THE YEAR IN WHICH YOU ARE APPOINTED.
AND THAT YEAR IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON AT THIS TABLE.
SOME OF US STARTED AT DIFFERENT TIMES THAN OTHERS.
SO SOME OF US MAYBE STARTED IN MAY, SOME STARTED IN AUGUST WHENEVER SOME WERE APPOINTED MID THIS YEAR, DECEMBER.
SO IN YOUR 12 MONTHS OF UP UNTIL YOUR NEXT ANNIVERSARY, YOU CAN'T JUST WAIT THREE.
AND THOSE ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE LADIES IN THE LOBBY WHO ARE WATCHING US AND TAKING MINUTES.
AND THEY WILL LET YOU KNOW IF, UM, THAT BECOMES A, A BIG ISSUE.
BUT MOST OF YOU ARE HERE ALL THE TIME.
SO EVERYONE SERVES A TWO TERM, I MEAN A TWO YEAR TERM.
RIGHT? SO, SO THAT BEGINS, IF YOU SERVE A SECOND TERM, THE FIRST YEAR OF YOUR SECOND TERM, YOU HAVE THAT THREE MEETING, THREE MEETING AND A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
IT'S THE SAME TWO YEARS YOU HAD THAT SAME REGULATION, CORRECT? I STARTED IN MAY.
SO BETWEEN MAY, WHATEVER DAY I STARTED AND THE END OF APRIL, I CAN'T MISS IN 12 MONTHS.
BUT THEN YOU WOULD START OVER AGAIN IN MAY.
I DON'T THINK I'VE MISSED ANY MEETINGS AND THAT YOU ALL SO MUCH.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I PUT ON THE AGENDA IS, UM, JUST TO REALLY BRIEFLY TOUCH ON, UM, THE POLITICAL ACTIVITIES POLICY.
JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A ELECTION COMING UP.
THIS INFORMATION WAS ALL IN THE ORIENTATION PACKET THAT YOU WERE GIVEN, AND I'M SURE YOU, UM, ARE VERY AWARE OF IT.
BUT, UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UPFRONT, ALL OF US ARE CONSIDERED TO BE CITY OFFICIALS UNDER THE ETHICS CODE.
AND SO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICAL ACTIVITY, WE CAN'T REALLY USE OUR OFFICIAL POSITION TO ENDORSE A CANDIDATE.
SO THAT MEANS SAYING, AS A MEMBER OF THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD, I REALLY THINK YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR THIS PERSON, OR THIS AMENDMENT OR THIS CHARTER, WHATEVER.
OF COURSE, AS A INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE CITIZEN, WE CAN'T STOP YOU FROM DOING THAT.
JUST DON'T PUT YOUR TITLE BEHIND IT.
YOU GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? YES.
SO, SO IF YOU GO TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND AND ADVOCATE FRIEND FOR BUDGET, SO YOU DON'T SAY I'M A MEMBER OF THE MISSION LIBRARY BOARD, JUST INTRODUCED YOU.
RIGHT? OR SAY, I WOULD REALLY LIKE
I CAN, I WORK ON GAY'S CAMPAIGN AS AN INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN, BUT WHEN SHE SENDS OUT A MAILER AND LIST ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ENDORSED HER, SHE CAN'T PUT THAT I AM HER MUSICAL LIBRARY BOARD A POINTEE.
SHE CAN JUST PUT ANNE HARDING ENDORSES ME.
ANN, I DON'T, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THE, OUR TITLE HAS A LOT OF WEIGHT
[00:25:01]
BUT WE DO WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR.ISN'T THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN WE GET THE EMAILS ABOUT, UH, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED GIFTS AND ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING.
I, WHEN DOES THAT COME THROUGH? I HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT YET.
UM, USUALLY FELICIA WILL SPEND THAT OUT.
DID YOU RECEIVE A BIG GIFT,
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US THE DISTRICT DATE REPRESENTED
MY GOSH, I DIDN'T GET ANY GIFTS.
IT IS HERE ON THE SEVENTH FLOOR IF YOU NEED AN INVITATION TO THAT.
AND I DON'T, MARY IS NOT GOING TO GIVE A FRIENDS LIBRARY REPORT BECAUSE SHE'S IN, UM, FLORIDA.
BUT IF YOU NEEDED THE INVITATION OR WANT AN INVITATION TO THEIR, UH, FUNDRAISING EVENT.
EVENT IN OCTOBER, I HAVE A COUPLE EXTRAS.
IT IS, UM, WITH AUTHOR LENA PETERSON TALKING ABOUT HER NEW BOOK.
IT'S TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH AND IT'S DOWN AT THE DALLAS MUSEUM MUSEUM OF ART.
SO IF YOU WANT, UM, AN INVITATION, I HAVE THOSE.
AND I THINK THAT COVERS ALL OF MY REPORTS ALL NOW, ALL OVER THE TABLE.
TURNING OVER TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
UM, SO WE ARE JUST GONNA RECAP THE, UM, THE BUDGET THAT WAS VOTED ON A WEEK AGO,
UM, YOU WERE PROBABLY FOLLOWING ALONG 'CAUSE WE WERE IN THE NEWS QUITE A LOT.
UM, I WAS SHARING THAT I SPOKE TO COUNCIL MORE FOR THIS BUDGET IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS THAN I HAVE ABOUT ANY LIBRARY BUDGET IN THE LAST 11 YEARS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, SKILLMAN SOUTHWESTERN WAS ADDED BACK TO OUR BUDGET DUE TO, UM, COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMAN FINDING THE FUNDS WITHIN HER DISTRICT DISCRETIONARY FUNDS.
SO SHE USED HER PERSONAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDS TO FUND SKILLMAN TO BE OPEN FOR FIVE DAYS A WEEK, NOT SIX DAYS A WEEK, LIKE ALL OF OUR OTHER LOCATIONS.
UM, 'CAUSE SHE WAS LIMITED IN HER BUDGET SO SHE COULD FUND FIVE DAYS A WEEK OF SERVICE.
UM, AND IT'S JUST FOR ONE YEAR.
IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BIENNIAL BUDGET.
IT IS NOT FUNDED BEYOND THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
OCTOBER ONE THROUGH SEPTEMBER, UM, OF 2025.
SO THAT PUTS US IN A UNIQUE POSITION, AGAIN,
SO THAT WILL BE A HOT TOPIC MOVING FORWARD FOR THE LIBRARY STAFF WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH USUALLY START IN FEBRUARY.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A RIE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT INTERNALLY.
UM, WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE WE ARE SO LEAN, THERE'S NOTHING LEFT CUT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.
WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR YOUR COUNSEL AND SUPPORT ON THAT BECAUSE TO BE FRANK, WE CUT HALF OF OUR PROGRAM TEAM.
AND THE PROGRAMS WE DO ARE WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE INTO THE LIBRARY.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, BEYOND CHECKING OUT MATERIALS AND UTILIZING OUR CORE SERVICES LIKE GED, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING, THE THINGS THAT WE, UM, STORY TIME THAT WE CONSIDER CORE ACTIVITIES, THE, THE EXTRA SPECIAL THINGS, THE, THE FUN MUSIC CLASSES, THE, YOU KNOW, THE BOOK CLUBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE EXTRA, THAT THE PROGRAM TEAM LEAD, UM, ARE GONNA TAKE A HIT.
AND SOME OF THOSE IN SOME OF OUR LIBRARIES.
THE NUMBER OF EVENTS IS GOING TO GO DOWN SIMPLY BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE THE STAFF FACILITATE IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO THE BEST WE CAN.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY DEDICATED, UM, STAFF AND SO THINGS WILL CONTINUE.
BUT YOU MIGHT SEE SOME CHANGES IN THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UM,
[00:30:01]
AT YOUR LOCATION, YOUR BRANCH LOCATIONS MOVING FORWARD.AND YOU MAY HEAR US SAY NO WHEN WE'RE INVITED TO DO AN OUTREACH EVENT OR SUCH, WE MAY NOT HAVE THE MANPOWER TO DO IT.
BUT IT'S THE REALITY WE'RE LIVING IN WITHIN THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS THAT WE ARE WORKING UNDER RIGHT NOW.
SO WHILE IT'S GOOD NEWS THAT THEY DIDN'T CUT ANYMORE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, SKILLMAN IS OPEN FOR ONE MORE YEAR, IT STILL PUTS US IN A POSITION OF CLEAN YES.
IS THE BEST WAY TO, TO DESCRIBE IT.
UM, YOU GUYS ARE ALL, I KNOW YOU, YOU HEAR ME TALK ON THIS ALL THE TIME, BUT, UM, IT BEARS MENTIONING THAT OUR BOOK BUDGET, OUR MATERIALS BUDGET HAS STAYED STATIC FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS.
UM, THE COST OF MATERIALS HAVE SKYROCKETED.
SO WE ARE WORKING UNDER ESSENTIALLY THE SAME BUDGET, BUT THE COST OF ITEMS HAS GONE UP.
SO WE ARE BUYING LESS AS A RESULT, WHICH MEANS LONGER WAITS FOR YOU TO GET THOSE THINGS WHEN YOU'RE ON THE WAIT LIST.
UM, OR LIMITS TO, YOU KNOW, YOUR ELECTRONIC LENDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, SO THAT YOU CAN TALK ON THIS WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'VE GOTTA SAY THE FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS WAS WONDERFUL.
EVERYBODY WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE.
NOBODY WANTS TO CLOSE A LIBRARY AND THAT'S GREAT THAT, BUT I THINK THIS WHOLE PROCESS REALLY OPENED THE EYES OF OUR COUNCILMEN AT FIRST TO THE COMMU, HOW THE COMMUNITY VALUES THE LIBRARY.
'CAUSE THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT AND REALLY WAS VERY HIGHLY VOCAL ABOUT THE CLOSING OF SKILLMAN.
UM, SO, BUT DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BRING.
SO I'LL, I'LL PAUSE THERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
THIS MAY BE LIKE NOT, UH, DECIDED YET WITH THE UPPER MANAGEMENT, BUT WHEN YOU SAY THE NUMBER OF EVENTS WILL BE DIMINISHED MM-HMM.
SO STAFF WON'T BE MOVING AROUND AND SHARED BETWEEN LOCATIONS? NO.
YOU HAD ALREADY DISPERSED EVERYBODY IN THE ANTICIPATION, THE LIBRARY CLOSE.
SO OF COURSE THE PEOPLE AT SKILLMAN WANT TO STAY AT SKILLMAN.
SO THEY ARE, SO YES, WE WILL HAVE VACANCIES, BUT WE ALSO, THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE ASK STAFF IF THEY WANT TO LATERALLY TRANSFER TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
SO THAT'S ALL HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.
KI THAT'S WHY KIRSTEN, YOU KNOW, MIGHT LOOK FRAZZLED WHEN Y'ALL SEE HER THIS WEEK.
BUT SHE IS WORKING THROUGH THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD STAFF THAT ASK TO MOVE, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, A BRANCH CLOSER TO WHERE THEY LIVE OR WHATEVER IT IS.
SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THEN IDENTIFYING WHERE WE HAVE THOSE VACANCIES AND WE'RE WORKING TO FILL THOSE.
THE, WE'RE ALREADY PROCESSING APPLICATIONS WE ALREADY STARTED AS WE DO.
WE'LL BE, WE'LL HAVE SPOTS TO FILL, WE'LL HAVE VACANCIES TO FILL AND WE'RE AIMING TO HIRE FAST COMMENT IS, I HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND A TOWN HALL MEETING FOR MY STATE REP, UHHUH
AND I BROUGHT UP TO HIS ATTENTION THAT WHAT THEY DID IN AUSTIN WITH THE CAP OF THE PROPERTY TAX MM-HMM.
SO I THINK SINCE THIS IS STILL AN ELECTION SEASON, DOESN'T HURT TO TALK TO YOUR STATE REPS AND EMPHASIZE THAT YOU, THAT YOUR ACTIONS VOTING FOR OR AGAINST COSTING MONEY FOR THE CITY, UH, TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT CITIZENS, THAT THAT WHAT THEY DID IN AUSTIN IS WHAT IS PART OF THE REASON THAT WE'RE SUFFERING COSTS.
SO, AND HE, THAT HE GOES TO THE LIBRARY I REPRESENT.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY AND GET HIM DO SOMETHING WITH THE LIBRARY.
I WAS GONNA SAY IN THAT SAME VEIN, YOU KNOW, UH, BECAUSE OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION, YOU, UH, CAN START KEEPING TRACK OF ANY LIBRARY RELATED, SPECIFICALLY PUBLIC LIBRARY RELATED LEGISLATION.
THEY CAN START FILING IN NOVEMBER.
SO JUST KEEP THAT ON YOUR RADAR AS WELL.
[00:35:01]
AND HEATHER, HEATHER LOWE ON THE LIBRARY SIDE IS ALSO ON THE TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE, UM, TEAM.SO SHE WILL KEEP YOU APPRISED AS THINGS BUBBLE UP AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL THAT WILL AFFECT OR COULD AFFECT LIBRARIES.
UM, WE'LL EVEN SHARE WITH YOU.
'CAUSE A A LOT OF TIMES IT, IT MORE SO AFFECTS SCHOOL LIBRARIES THAN THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
AT LEAST THAT'S BEEN THE TREND.
BUT WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON ALL OF IT BECAUSE I I'M SURE Y'ALL WOULD WANNA KNOW.
AND IF YOU LOVE ALL LIBRARIES, SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL SHOOT OFF A QUICK EMAIL TO YOUR REP AND TELL 'EM YEAH.
YOU KNOW, LEAVE LIBRARIES ALONE.
EITHER WAY, THE REST OF YOUR BUDGET IS STILL VERY LEAN AND VERY, YES.
AND THEN, AND, AND THAT'S, WE, WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST SEVEN YEARS BECOME BECOMING SUPER EFFICIENT, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH AUTOMATION, LIKE WHEN YOU ALL SAW THE AUTOMATED MATERIALS HANDLER, UM, SELF CHECKOUTS, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT MADE US THE MOST EFFICIENT THAT WE HAVE BECOME AS A DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT AND STANDARDIZING INTERNAL PRACTICES.
SO WE'RE, WE ARE, I SAY IT A HUNDRED, BUT WE'RE LEAN AND MEAN.
AND SO WHEN THEY COME TO US AND SAY, YOU NEED TO FIND A WAY TO CUT, IT'S, THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO CUT, BUT SERVICES ARE OURS.
AND, AND WE DON'T, I MEAN, WE CANNOT SERVE THE PUBLIC.
WE CAN'T PROVIDE WHAT WE PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY IF WE'RE NOT OPEN.
SO IN SKILLMAN, SOUTHWESTERN WON'T BE OPEN FIVE DAYS INSTEAD OF SIX.
WELL, AT LEAST ONE OR TWO
NO, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE OPEN 39 HOURS A WEEK.
SO THERE'S, THERE'LL BE 40 HOURS WORK.
SO THERE, THAT STAFF WILL BE WORKING FULL TIME AND THEY'LL BE OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
UM, THE ONLY REAL DIFFERENCE ON THEIR LATE NIGHT WHERE ALL OF OUR BRANCH, ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS OPEN AT 9:00 AM AND ARE OPEN TILL 8:00 PM THEY WON'T OPEN TILL NOON.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SHORTER DAY.
WELL, THE HOURS ARE MOVED ON THEIR LONG DAY, THEIR EVENING DAY AND THEY HAVE LESS STAFF.
AND THEY, WE DID NOT GET ALL THE STAFF.
SO WHEN YOU PUT OUT THE I SHOWING ELIMINATE 12 PROGRAM POSITIONS, ALMOST 600,000, THAT'S HOW MANY IT WAS.
OR DID IT CHANGE? NO, WE LOST.
YEAH, WE LOST 12 FROM THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS BASICALLY 50% OF THE TEAM.
WERE THEY BASED UP THE SYSTEM? MM-HMM.
SO WE LIKE POSITION, WELL, WE SAVED UP VACANT POSITIONS.
SO AS THEY BECAME VACANT, UM, IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND WE DID HAVE SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE WE KNEW THERE WOULD BE CHANGES IN HOW WE WERE DOING EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. SOME OF OUR PROGRAM STAFF SPECIFICALLY HIRED ON FOR THAT PARTICULAR JOB, DECIDED TO MOVE ON.
UM, IT WASN'T THE, THE JOB THAT THEY WERE HIRED TO DO AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE DID HAVE SOME NATURAL ATTRITION.
SO IF YOU COULD GIVE EXAMPLE, YOU GAVE EXAMPLES OF WHAT CERTAIN EVENTS THEY HANDLED WELL, AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY CHANGED THE ROLE.
SO WE, THERE USED TO BE A, A POSITION THAT WAS CALLED LIBRARY PROGRAM SPECIALIST.
THAT POSITION DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE.
THOSE FOLKS WERE ALL ROLLED INTO THE PUBLIC SERVICE SPECIALIST POSITION.
AND SO THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN THAT IS THAT THE PROGRAM PERSON SPENT ALL OF THEIR TIME PLANNING, ATTENDING AND DOING PROGRAMMING AT THE LOCATION THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO.
AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY DID PUBLIC SERVICE WORKING THE INFORMATION DESK.
NOW THEY'RE ROLLED INTO, THEY'RE DOING MORE PUBLIC SERVICE.
THEY HAVE TO BE ON THE DESK MORE, WHICH MEANS THERE'S LESS TIME TO PLAN PROGRAMMING AND LESS TIME TO DO PROGRAMMING.
SO, AND WE SHARED THAT WITH THEM MONTHS AGO.
WE, WE HAD BIG MEETINGS AND THEY HAD A LOT OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, WHETHER THEY WANTED TO STAY OR GO BECAUSE THEIR JOB WAS CHANGING.
BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE JOB, KEEP A JOB.
SO WE ACTUALLY MOVED THEM OUT OF THE POSITIONS
[00:40:01]
THAT JOB NAME THAT WE WERE GIVEN UP.YOU GET ME
I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF LIKE WHAT YOUR IDEA OF WHAT SORT OF PROGRAMS MIGHT GO AWAY.
LIKE WELL, AND IT WILL DEPEND ON THE LOCATION.
HOW ALWAYS SAY KIDS STORY TIME.
AND THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT CORE SERVICES VERSUS PROGRAMS. SO LET'S JUST SAY, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR PARTICULAR LOCATION, THIS IS GONNA STOP.
BUT LET'S JUST SAY THEY, THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A BOOK CLUB AND IT WASN'T VERY WELL ATTENDED OR WHATEVER.
WELL THAT MIGHT STOP HAPPENING, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE, IT MIGHT BE WHERE THE PROGRAMMER WAS DOING TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT THINGS A WEEK, WHETHER IT WAS A AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, A CHILDREN'S PROGRAM, AND THEN AN ADULT SERVICES AND A SENIOR PROGRAM.
WELL MAYBE ONE OF THOSE IS GOING AWAY.
UM, BUT WE HAVE ALSO ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING STAFF, UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY OPENED IT UP PROGRAMMING UP TO ALL THE STAFF AT THE LOCATION.
SO THERE ARE STAFF THAT ARE VERY TALENTED AND MAYBE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO DO A PROGRAM IN THE PAST.
NOW THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, HEY, ON TUESDAYS I'D LIKE TO DO CROCHETING.
I CAN TEACH CROCHETING, WHATEVER IT IS.
SO WE'VE ACTUALLY OPENED THAT UP A A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE STAFF THAT ARE THERE.
AND THAT'S NOW WHERE PEOPLE ARE MOVING AROUND, WE'RE GETTING NEW STAFF AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET SOME NEW TALENT IN THE HOUSE.
WHO KNOWS? SO IT'S KIND OF A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER 'CAUSE I DON'T, I CAN'T SAY THIS IS GONNA STOP AND THIS WILL CONTINUE.
OTHER THAN I CAN TELL YOU OUR CORE SERVICES WILL NOT STOP.
THAT IS WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE STORY TIME.
EARLY LITERACY IS ONE OF OUR CORE FUNCTIONS.
SO WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE STORY TIME AND WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE, UM, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING AND GED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
WHETHER IT'S VOLUNTEER STAFF LED ONLINE, IN PERSON, THERE'S LOTS OF ITERATION.
SO I KNOW AT HAMPTON THEY LOST THEIR PROGRAMMER.
UM, BUT FOR THE STAFF THERE NOW WHO DIDN'T DO PROGRAMMING, IS THERE SOME WAY FOR THEM TO GET TRAINING ON HOW TO ACCESS THIS INFORMATION? YES.
'CAUSE THEY'RE SORT OF SWIMMING WITHOUT A, BUT THEY'RE GETTING A PROGRAMMER, PROGRAMMERS TRANSFERRING TO THEM.
THEY'RE GETTING A PERSON WHO USED TO BE CALLED A PROGRAMMER WHO HAS PROGRAMMING EXPERIENCE WHO CAN
BUT THAT PERSON WILL BE A PUBLIC SERVICE SPECIALIST
IF THEY'RE DOING PROGRAMMING, IF ALL THE STAFF HAS THE OPPORTUNITY, I JUST WANNA BE SURE THEY'VE GOT THE TRAINING.
SO THEY CAN, THEY WILL, THE LIAISON WILL BE TRAINED TO, WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINING THE OTHER STAFF.
SO EACH LOCATION NOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING A PERSON WHOSE JOB TITLE IS, IS PROP PROGRAM PERSON, PROGRAM SPECIALIST NOW HAS GOING TO HAVE A LIAISON TO THE PROGRAM TEAM.
SO THEY'LL MEET, BE TRAINED, THEY HAVE A LEADERSHIP, THEY HAVE A COHORT, THEY'RE SHARING ALL THEIR IDEAS AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY BIG ON COLLABORATION AND SHARING OF IDEAS.
SO IF I COME UP WITH A WONDERFUL PROGRAM, IT'S SHARED WITH EVERYBODY.
SO WE LIKE TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE.
AND YOU'RE OPEN TO VOLUNTEERS COMING IN AND LEADING PROGRAMS OR OFFERING PROGRAMS. YES.
YOU DO HAVE TO COME THROUGH THE VOLUNTEER.
UM, YOU DO HAVE TO BE BACKGROUND CHECKED YEAH.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SAM JUST CAN'T COME IN AND SAY, I WANNA DO A PROGRAM.
WE HAVE TO CHECK IN THE HEALTH
I PATHETIC VOLUNTEER COULD GO INTO MY LOCAL BRANCH AND SAY, HEY, I HAVE A GREAT IDEA.
I'D REALLY LOVE TO DO
HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? YEAH, EXACTLY.
BECAUSE WHY NOT? AND THEN THEY'D ADD YOU TO THE CALENDAR AND THEN THEY'D PROMOTE IT AND ALL OF THAT.
ANYONE HERE AT THE TABLE HAVE A GREAT PROGRAM THEY WOULD LIKE TO
AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAD TO SHARE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? OTHERWISE, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HEATHER LOWE FOR TODAY'S LEARNING EXPERIENCE LIBRARY AND
[00:45:01]
THE LAW.SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND THE LAW.
UM, I SERVE ON THE TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION'S, UM, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
I'M ALSO THE DEPARTMENT'S LEGISLATIVE LIAISON.
SO WHEN THE CITY ATTORNEY GOES DOWN TO AUSTIN, PRIMARILY IF THERE ARE LAWS INTRODUCED THAT MIGHT OR BILLS INTRODUCED THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE LIBRARY, THEY WILL ASK OUR OPINION.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA GO, THIS IS GONNA BE PRETTY HIGH LEVEL 'CAUSE WE COULD REALLY GET IN THE WEEDS AND I'M GONNA TRY TO NOT DO THAT, UM, EVEN THOUGH I WILL TOTALLY NERD OUT ON IT.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT TYPES THAT IMPACT US.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT SORT OF HOW FEDERAL, STATE AND CITY LAWS, UM, AFFECT THE LIBRARY.
SO ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THERE'S REALLY NOT THAT MUCH THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE LIBRARY.
IT'S REALLY MORE ABOUT HOW WE RESPOND TO INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS LIKE FIRST AMENDMENT, A DA, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THERE ARE SOME FEDERAL SERVICES AND PROGRAMS LIKE THE E-RATE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A, UM, DISCOUNT PROGRAM FOR NETWORK IMPROVEMENTS FOR SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A FEDERAL AGENCY CALLED THE, UH, INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES.
ON THE STATE LEVEL, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE IMPACTFUL THAN, UM, THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AGAIN, THERE'S MORE IMPLICATIONS ON HOW WE RESPOND TO INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS. UM, AT THE STATE LEVEL, THINGS LIKE OPEN CARRY COME INTO PLAY.
UM, THEY ALSO REGULATE THE STATE AGENCY.
THAT'S KIND OF A COROLLARY TO, UM, INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES, WHICH IS THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF STATE LAWS THAT IMPACT HOW WE DO PROCUREMENTS.
UM, AND THEN ON THE CITY LEVEL, THEY SET OUT OUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO AS A CITY DEPARTMENT, SO WHO WE SERVE, UM, HOW WE OPERATE, UH, OUR FEE STRUCTURE, AGAIN, OUR PROCUREMENTS, AND ANY OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES WE MIGHT HAVE.
UM, AND I CHOSE A VERY PATRIOTIC THEME FOR YOU ALL FEELING THE LEGAL LOVE HERE.
SO I DID WANNA JUST TALK ABOUT THE TWO AGENTS, GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES THAT WE WORK WITH.
THE FIRST IS THE, THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES.
AND REALLY, THEY'RE MOSTLY A, THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR TO LIKE THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, WHERE THERE'S FEDERAL FUNDING THAT GETS GIVEN TO THEM FOR RESEARCH, FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND THEN DISPERSAL TO THE STATES.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION.
AND WE WORK WITH THEM ON A MUCH CLOSER BASIS.
UM, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THEIR, UH, MISSION IS TO SUPPORT READING, LEARNING AND HISTORICAL PRESERVATION.
LIBRARIES ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THAT.
UM, THEY ARE THE BODY THAT, UH, ACCREDITS, UH, DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, THEY REVIEW US FOR ACCREDITATION.
UM, THEY, UH, OH, HAVE A TYPO.
THEY ADMINISTER MOST OF THE, UM, INSTITUTE FOR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES MONEY THAT'S DISPERSED THROUGH GRANTS AND OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, THEY HAVE TRAINING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR TEXAS LIBRARIES.
THINGS LIKE, UM, TALKING BOOKS FOR THE BLINDS.
THEY, UH, HAVE A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS US TO GET CONSULTANTS, UM, AT NO COST TO OUR LIBRARY.
UM, THEY ALSO RUN OUR INTERLIBRARY LOAN AND TECH SHARE, UH, RESOURCES.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA DRILL DOWN TO, UH, LAWS THAT REALLY IMPACT WHAT WE DO HERE AT THE LIBRARY.
AND WE'RE GONNA START ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, SO AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL HEARD OF THE A DA AND IT REALLY REGULATES, UM, OR MANDATES HOW STATE AND LOCAL ENTITIES PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ACCESSIBLE, UM, FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE HERE IN THE LIBRARY IS THAT, UM, WE OFFER, UM, ACCESS TO A LOT OF ACCESSIBILITY DEVICES.
UH, WE HAVE THINGS CALLED UBI DUOS, WHICH ARE A DEVICE THAT HELPS, UM, HEARING AND NON-HEARING OR HEARING AND HEARING IMPAIRED, UH, INDIVIDUALS COMMUNICATE, WHICH WITH EACH OTHER, WE HAVE MAGNIFYING EQUIPMENT AT EVERY BRANCH.
ALL OF OUR PUBLIC COMPUTERS HAVE, UM, ACCESSIBILITY, UM, APPLICATIONS INSTALLED.
INTERPRETATION SERVICES CAN BE REQUESTED.
WE ALSO HAVE LARGE PRINT KEYBOARDS.
UM, WE HAVE A SMALL COLLECTION
[00:50:01]
OF BRAILLE ITEMS AND WE CAN ALSO REFER PATRONS TO THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION.THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A HOTLINE FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS AND RESOURCES THAT PEOPLE CAN CALL TO ASK, UM, WHATE REALLY WHATEVER QUESTION THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, AS WELL AS THAT TALKING BOOK PROGRAM WHERE, UM, INDIVIDUALS CAN REQUEST THAT A BOOK BE, UM, RECORDED.
AND SO ALSO ALONG WITH A DA, WE HAVE, UH, SERVICE ANIMAL REQUIREMENTS AND BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE GUIDELINES IMPACT HOW THIS LOOKS IN THE LIBRARY.
UM, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PROTECTIONS FOR SERVICE ANIMALS, AND I SAY SERVICE ANIMALS VERY SPECIFICALLY, UM, IN TEXAS, UH, THERE'S A VERY NARROW DEFINITION OF WHAT A SERVICE ANIMAL IS, AND THAT MEANS IT IS A DOG THAT IS SPECIALLY TRAINED, UM, TO HELP A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.
UM, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT OR COMFORT ANIMALS DO NOT FALL UNDER THIS, UM, UH, PROTECTION WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, WHEN, WHEN INDIVIDUALS WITH DOGS ENTER THE LIBRARY, THERE ARE REALLY, LEGALLY THERE ARE ONLY TWO QUESTIONS WE CAN ASK.
AND THAT IS, IS THAT A SERVICE ANIMAL? AND WHAT TASKS OR WORK IS THE ANIMAL PER, UH, TRAINED TO PERFORM? WHICH ARE THE ONLY FEW THINGS, UM, THAT WE ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO, TO ASK.
UM, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS THE LAW.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, STAFF MAY HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT WHETHER A DOG IN THE BUILDING IS A SERVICE ANIMAL.
UM, BUT WE, THE, THE LAWS ARE REALLY PROTECTIVE.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE CITY'S A DA COORDINATOR TO COME UP WITH, UH, A PROCESS FOR WHEN WE MIGHT HAVE DOGS IN THE BUILDING THAT, UM, THE, THE HANDLER HAS SAID THEY'RE A SERVICE ANIMAL, THAT THEY'RE BEING DISRUPTIVE.
THEY'RE MAYBE NOT ACTING HOW WE THINK A SERVICE ANIMAL, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HANDLER.
SO WE'VE DEVELOPED A PROCESS, UM, TO, TO ACTUALLY SUSPEND THOSE ANIMALS OR ASK THOSE ANIMALS TO LEAVE FOR THE DAY.
OF COURSE, THE THE HANDLER CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND IS ALWAYS WELCOME, BUT IT IS, THERE ARE MANY CHANCES BECAUSE, UM, THERE ARE REALLY STRICT PROTECTIONS FOR THE USE OF A SERVICE ANIMAL.
SO COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE OBVIOUSLY, UM, IMPACT A LOT OF WHAT WE DO REALLY ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
WHAT THIS MEANS IS, YOU KNOW, PATRONS ARE ABLE TO COPY MATERIAL OUR MATERIALS.
THEY CANNOT GO TO ONE OF MY STAFF AND ASK, YOU KNOW, OUR STAFF TO COPY IT FOR THEM.
UM, WE ALSO NEED LICENSES TO SCREEN MOVIES.
WE ACTUALLY WORK WITH A COMPANY THAT GIVES US A KIND OF A BLANKET, IT'S AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION, BUT A BLANKET LICENSE FOR A LIST OF MOVIES THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO SHOW INSIDE THE LIBRARY WITH SOME RESTRICTIONS.
ANYTHING ELSE WOULD REQUIRE SPECIFICALLY LICENSING THAT ITEM.
UM, THE OTHER AREA WHERE IT DOES KIND OF IMPACT WHAT OUR SERVICES CAN BE, OR IN OUR ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS AND THE DIGITIZATION OF OUR ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS, WE HAVE, UM, IT'S TOTALLY A FAIR USE TO SCAN SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, LIKE A, FOR EXAMPLE, A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS GETS COMPLICATED IS A SCRAPBOOK THAT WE HAVE IN A COLLECTION.
MAYBE IT HAS A FULL CLIPPING OF A DALLAS MORNING NEWS ARTICLE.
WE CAN SCAN THAT ITEM, BUT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PUBLISH A SCAN OF THAT PAGE WITH A FULL ARTICLE TO THE OPEN WEB.
UM, UH, OBVIOUSLY FIRST AMENDMENT DOES NOT END WHEN YOU ENTER THE LIBRARY.
UM, REALLY WHERE, WHERE THIS COMES DOWN TO, UM, HOW IT IMPACTS LIBRARY STAFF IS THERE ARE GROUPS CALLED FIRST AMENDMENT AUDIT GROUPS.
AND THEY COME IN AND THEY ARE, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO FILM AND PUBLIC SPACES.
AND SO THEY WILL COME IN, THEY'LL BE FILMING, UM, THEY CAN FILM STAFF, STAFF HAVE TO TELL THEM WHAT THEIR NAMES ARE.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW THE RULES.
OUR STAFF ARE ALL TRAINED TO STAY COOL, CALM AND COLLECTED.
WHEN THESE STUDENTS COME IN, UM, PATRONS CAN ASK FOR, UM, CAN REQUEST THAT THE FOLKS FILMING, NOT FILM THEM, THAT THEY NOT BE INCLUDED.
UM, SO WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, YOUR ACTIVITY WITHIN A LIBRARY IS ACTUALLY VERY, VERY PROTECTED.
UM, SO RECORDS OF WHAT YOU BORROW, WHAT YOU
[00:55:01]
USE, THE INFORMATION YOU SEEK, UM, WHAT LIBRARY SERVICES YOU USE, PROGRAMS YOU ATTEND, WHETHER YOU'RE EVEN IN THE LIBRARY, UM, ARE ALL PROTECTED INFORMATION.UM, THAT IS PART OF YOUR, UH, RIGHT TO ACCESS INFORMATION, YOUR INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM.
UM, THERE'S REALLY ONLY A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS THAT IS WHEN IT IS REASONABLY NECESSARY FOR THE OPERATION OF THE LIBRARY.
SO THAT'S, FOR EXAMPLE, US ASKING FOR YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE WHEN YOU GET A, A LIBRARY CARD AND USING THAT INFORMATION, UM, OR BY THE SUBPOENA OF A COURT OR WARRANT OR IN, IN HOT PURSUIT.
UM, IT'S VERY, VERY NARROW CASES.
UM, DOES THIS EXTEND TO, YOU STILL TRACK IT? YOU TRACK WHAT I'M, WE DON'T, I MEAN, WE DON'T TO PROTECT YOU.
YEAH, YOU CAN TRACK IT, YOU CAN TURN IT ON IN YOUR LIBRARY CARD, BUT WE DO NOT TRACK IT.
I JUST WONDER IF YOU WERE TRACKING PEOPLE'S, LIKE HOW MANY TIMES THESE KINDS OF BOOKS ARE CHECKED OUT OR WHAT, WHAT SO THE BOOK, THE BOOK, THE ITEM ITSELF KEEPS A RECORD OF HOW MANY CIRCULATIONS IT'S HAD.
THE BOOK IS TRACKED, THE ITEM IS TRACKED.
BUT ONCE YOU RETURN, ONCE YOU RETURN AN ITEM, WE WILL, UNLESS YOU HAVE IT TURNED ON, WE WILL NEVER KNOW THAT YOU CHECKED THAT, THAT ITEM OUT.
UM, THIS JUST LOOKING AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN FROM A RIGHT DATA COLLECTION AND SURE.
I MEAN, THIS, THIS ACTUALLY IS WASTING MONEY ON IS PART OF THE REASON THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR, FOR SOME FEDERAL FUNDING, FOR SOME, UM, GRANTS.
BECAUSE LONG-TERM REPORTING REALLY REQUIRES YOU TO HOLD A LOT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION.
I NEED TO KNOW YOUR ADDRESS, YOUR PHONE NUMBER, MAYBE OTHER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, MAYBE SOME INCOME INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION FOR FEDERAL FUNDING PURPOSES.
AND SO IT, IT DOES, UM, MEAN THAT SOMETIMES WE EITHER CAN'T DO LONG-TERM REALLY CLEAR, YOU KNOW, PRE AND POST TESTING, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, BUT WE THINK YOUR INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND THE PROTECTION OF WHAT YOU DO IN THE LIBRARY IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND CLEARLY SO DOES THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, A FEW OTHER IMPORTANT STATE LAWS, UM, PARTICULARLY HERE IN TEXAS ARE OPEN CARRY.
SO OPEN CARRY IMPACTS ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR.
AND SO ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE OPEN CARRY FOR KNIVES AND GUNS EXCEPT FOR THE TWO LOCATIONS THAT ARE CO-LOCATED WITH SCHOOLS.
UM, WE ARE ALSO VOTER REGISTRATION ORGANIZATIONS.
IT IS MANDATED THAT OUR STAFF ASK YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER TO VOTE WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR A LIBRARY CARD OR WHEN YOU RENEW YOUR LIBRARY CARD.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO FILE WHAT OUR PLAN IS TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
UM, AND THERE ARE, UM, USUALLY AUDITS PARTICULARLY AROUND, UH, ELECTIONS MM-HMM,
UM, AND THEN BREASTFEEDING IS ALSO, UM, PROTECTED BY STATE LAW.
UM, SO MOTHERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO, SPECIFICALLY MOTHERS AND THE TEXAS, UM, STATE LAW HAVE THE RIGHT TO BREASTFEED OR EXPRESS MILK IN PUBLIC.
UM, SO I KNOW WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STATE LAWS, THERE'S A LOT OF FEELINGS.
UM, AROUND RECENT, UH, LIBRARY LEGISLATE LEGISLATION, UM, SUBMITTED BILLS, REALLY THE, THE BIGGEST BILL THAT, UM, IMPACTS SCHOOLS WAS HB 900.
UM, AND IT IMPACTS PARTICULARLY SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND BOOKSELLERS TO SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
UM, IT, IT WAS SORT OF TWO PARTED.
IT REQUIRED THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION AND THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY TO CREATE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND PART, WHICH IS ACTUALLY STILL IN COURT, UM, REQUIRED ANY BOOKSELLER THAT WAS SELLING BOOKS TO SCHOOLS, UM, TO RATE THOSE, ALL OF THOSE ITEMS. UM, WHICH IS, UM, QUITE, QUITE A TASK.
UM, AND SO THAT HAS BEEN HELD UP IN COURTS IN RESPONSE TO THIS AND, AND TO THE GENERAL CLIMATE AROUND BOOK BANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE REALLY BEEFED UP OUR REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION POLICY.
SO THAT'S JUST A FANCY WAY OF YOU ASKING US TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER AN ITEM THAT WE OWN SHOULD ACTUALLY BE IN OUR COLLECTION OR WHETHER WE SHOULD GET RID OF IT.
UM, SO A FEW THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS IS
[01:00:01]
OUR POLICIES ON THE WEBSITE.UM, YOU DO ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE A LIBRARY CARD.
WE THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, UH, LIBRARY COLLECTIONS REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO REALLY REQUESTS FOR RECONSIDERATION SHOULD COME FROM OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.
UM, A COMPLETE FORM HAS TO BE SUBMITTED.
UM, AND THEN WHAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT RECONSIDERATION PROCESSES IS THERE'S A LOT OF POSSIBLE OUTCOMES.
LIKE WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE BOOK, WE'RE GONNA GET RID OF THE BOOK'S.
WE HAD A, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD A RECENT REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION ON A CHILDREN'S BOOK THAT WAS VERY HISTORICAL, UH, FAIRY TALES, WHICH IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HISTORICAL FAIR CIRCLES, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT GRUESOME.
IT, IT HAD BEEN, UM, I THINK IT HAD BEEN IN THE, THE PICTURE BOOK COLLECTION.
AND KIRSTEN, YOU CAN CORRECT MY DETAILS IF I'M WRONG.
UM, WHICH, WHICH WE ACTUALLY AGREED WITH THE PATRON AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
IT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE IN THE NONFICTION SECTION WITH THE OTHER FAIRYTALES.
UM, SO, SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THERE'S A REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION, WE MIGHT JUST MOVE LIKE WE DID IN THAT CASE.
WE MIGHT JUST MOVE WHERE THE BOOK IS.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT SOLELY JUST HAVING A BOOK OR NOT HAVING A BOOK.
UM, AND THEN CITY CODE, UM, REALLY THERE'S KIND OF FOUR BIG AREAS.
I MEAN OBVIOUSLY CITY CODE REGULATES BASICALLY EVERYTHING WE DO, PURCHASING, FISCAL YEAR, ALL OF THAT.
BUT IT OUTLINES WHO WE SERVE AND IT IS REALLY THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS, UM, AND CITY EMPLOYEES.
WE ALSO HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF ADDISON TO SERVE THEIR RESIDENTS.
UM, CITY CODE SETS OUT OUR FEES AND FINES.
UM, WE ACTUALLY JUST DID A SEAN, UH, OVERSAW, UM, IN CO CO COOPERATION WITH THE CITY A, UH, REVIEW OF OUR FEE SCHEDULE.
AND WE, UM, WERE ABLE TO CHANGE THE CODE TO GO FIND FREE IN 2019.
UM, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE EDUCATOR EDUCATION.
I'M CALLING THEM EDUCATION CARDS, BUT BASICALLY LIBRARY CARDS TO ANY STUDENT OR TEACHER, UM, OUT OF SCHOOL WITHIN THE, UM, CITY LIMITS OF DALLAS.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, THERE IS, UH, IN THE CITY CODE, AN ANTI-DISCRIMINATION CODE AROUND, UM, ENSURING THAT, UH, RESIDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACCESS THE BATHROOM THAT ALIGNS WITH YOUR GENDER IDENTITY THAT IS PART OF THE CITY CODE.
I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE SERVICE COMPONENT.
WHAT ABOUT, UH, HIGHLAND PARK? NOPE.
THANK THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LIBRARY.
UNIVERS UNIVERSITY PARK AND HIGHLAND PARK ARE THE.