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TODAY IS TUESDAY, MARCH 25TH, 2025.
[Municipal Library Board Meeting on March 25, 2025.]
UM, THE CITY OF DALLAS MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD REGULAR MEETING HAS BEEN CALLED TO ORDER AT 5:00 PM OKAY, CALL PLEASE.LEGAL NOTICE HAS BEEN POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, AND THIS MEETING HAS BEEN DULY CALLED WELCOME COMMISSIONERS AND WELCOME STAFF.
WE WILL BEGIN OUR MEETING WITH A READING OF THE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE IN ACCORDANCE WITH DALLAS CITY CODE.
THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD IS CHARGED WITH ADVISING THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER AND DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES ON MATTERS RELATED TO LIBRARY OPERATIONS AND SERVICES.
THE BOARD ALSO ASSUMES A SUPPORTIVE ROLE THROUGH ITS PROMOTION OF THE LIBRARY AND ITS PROGRAMS. UM, WITH THAT, ITEM TWO ON TODAY'S AGENDA WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE REGISTERED TO SPEAK AT TODAY'S, UM, MEETING? HEARING NONE.
AND ITEM THREE IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD MEETING ON FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I NEED APPROVAL.
THERE IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HARDING AND A SECOND BY SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STAGGS.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION RELATED TO CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE FEBRUARY MEETING MINUTES? HEARING NONE.
UM, FOR AS PART OF THE CHAIR'S REPORT, I WANTED TO SHARE A FEW ITEMS. UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ALREADY, CONGRATULATIONS TO, UM, UH, TIKA, WHO IS HERE WITH US NOW.
DISTRICT THREE COMMISSIONER NOW ON THE BOARD.
UM, ALSO JUST WANTED TO REITERATE, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HOLDING BUDGET TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY, WHICH GIVES THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON HOW CITY TAX DOLLARS WILL BE SPENT IN THE FISCAL YEAR, 20 25, 26.
SO, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SHARE THEIR INPUT ABOUT LIBRARY FUNDING, UH, THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON TOWN HALLS HAPPENING.
UM, ALSO FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY, LITERARY LIONS LUNCH IS COMING UP ON APRIL 9TH.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING AND HOPEFULLY MIGHT SEE SOME OF YOU THERE.
AND NEXT WE HAVE, UM, STAFF REPORTS.
UM, FIRST I THINK WE HAVE A STAFF OVERVIEW OF THE MUSIC PROGRAM BY TIFFANY BAILEY.
SO IF YOU DO SHARE, AND THEN
WELL, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
UM, I WAS ASKED TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN OVERVIEW OF THE MUSIC CLASSES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, UM, AT THE LIBRARY.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, UH, MY NAME IS TIFFANY BAILEY.
I AM THE MANAGER OF THE FINE ARTS DIVISION, UH, I GUESS REBRANDED AS ESSENTIAL ARTS MOVIES AND MUSIC, UM, UNIT.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, AND I HAVE BEEN WITH THE MUSIC PROGRAM SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
UM, SO WHY DID WE START THESE CLASSES? OKAY.
OKAY, SO WHY DIDN'T IT, WHY DID WE START THESE CLASSES? UM, THERE WAS A NEED FOR ACCESSIBLE ARTS PROGRAMMING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE NEEDED ART-FOCUSED PROGRAMMING.
THE GOAL OF HOSTING THESE MUSIC CLASSES IS TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE OF ALL AGES CAN NURTURE AND APPRECIATION MUSIC WITH FREE ACCESS TO ALL.
UM, JUDGING BY THE ATTENDANCE, THE CLASSES CONTINUE TO GROW, EXEMPLIFYING THE NEED FOR THESE OFFERINGS.
UM, THIS MUSIC PROGRAM EXISTS TO CREATE A SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND MUSICAL INSTRUCTION AND THEORY FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING ACCESS TO MUSIC EDUCATION
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INSTRUMENTS, UH, AND INSTRUMENTS TO DALLAS RESIDENTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND HIGH PERCENTAGES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, UM, USING A STANDARDIZED CU CURRICULUM.IT INTRODUCES CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND SENIORS TO STRING INSTRUMENTS GROUP PLAY AND PERFORMANCE.
UM, I DON'T WANNA GET TOO FAR INTO THIS, BUT I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT PERTINENT, IMPORTANT AND PERTINENT STUDY THAT, UM, AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS HAD DONE IN 2023 CALLED AMERICANS SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE ARTS, UM, WHICH EXAMINES AMERICA'S PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS ARTS AND CULTURE IN AMERICA.
SO THERE'S A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF AMERICANS, 80%, WHO VISITED OR WATCHED AN ARTS OR CULTURE EVENT IN PERSON OR OVER THE PAST YEAR, WHICH UNDERSCORES THE CENTRAL ROLE OF THE ARTS AND EVERYDAY LIFE.
UM, THE STUDY SHOWED THAT THE ARTS HAS A PERSONAL IMPORTANCE.
THREE QUARTERS OF AMERICANS, UM, OR 76% CONSIDER ARTS AND CULTURE PERSONALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
WITH MANY REPORTING, HOW THE ARTS CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR JOY, THEIR WELLBEING, AND SENSE OF CREATIVITY, UH, IT UNIFIES COMMUNITIES.
UM, THE BENEFITS OF ARTS AND CULTURE EXTEND BEYOND INDIVIDUALS HELPING TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES.
A VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS BELIEVE ARTS AND CULTURE PROVIDE SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RACES, ETHNIC ETHNICITIES, AGES, BELIEFS AND IDENTITIES.
UM, AND LASTLY, SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS.
UM, OVERWHELMINGLY, 90% OF AMER OF AMERICANS BELIEVE EVERY STUDENT SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION.
UH, NINE IN 10 AMERICANS DEGREE ARTS EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND ONLY 52%, UH, THINK STUDENTS HAVE SUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE ART CLASSES.
SO, TAKING ALL THIS INTO CONSIDERATION, UM, WE STARTED THESE CLASSES IN 2013.
IT STARTED AS A SINGLE VOLUNTEER LED CLASS.
HERE YOU'LL SEE BILL SMITH, WHO, UM, WAS THE LONGTIME INSTRUCTOR FOR THE PROGRAM.
UM, THIS CLASS WAS OFFERED ONCE A WEEK, UH, INCLUDED THREE KEYBOARDS, AND WE HAD FOUR STUDENTS.
UM, IN 2014, WE HAD A LARGE HIRING OF INDIVIDUALS FOR THE LIBRARY, WHICH ALLOWED FOR MORE DEDICATED STAFF TO GROW THE PROGRAM, WORKING WITH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.
A SCHEDULE OF CLASSES WAS CREATED IN MUSIC INSTRUCTION, UH, AND THEORY FOR UNDESERVED CO, UH, COMMUNITIES.
SO THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN, WE RECEIVED A GRANT FROM TEXAS STATE LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION, UM, WHICH ALLOWED FOR THE LIBRARY TO HIRE TWO DEDICATED MUSIC INSTRUCTORS TO GROW THE PROGRAM.
THE INSTRUMENT LENDING PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE DEVELOPED HELPED TO FURTHER ELIMINATE BARRIERS, ELIMINATE BARRIERS FOR ENTRY AND PARTICIPATION.
OUR MUSIC INSTRUMENT COLLECTION NOW CONSISTS OF 200 INSTRUMENTS, ABOUT 147 OF THEM, WHICH DO CIRCULATE, UM, AND, AND CHECK OUT.
UM, MOSTLY PURCHASED BY THE GRANT FROM THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE COMMISSION GRANT.
UM, SO STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM CAN CHECK OUT INSTRUMENTS JUST LIKE THEY WOULD'VE BOOK.
UM, CURRENTLY WE'VE EXPANDED TO TWO ADDITIONAL BRANCHES.
IN ADDITION TO HAVING CLASSES HERE AT CENTRAL.
UM, WE'VE, UH, CREATED A STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM FOR EACH CLASS.
UM, WE'VE COMPLIED WITH BINDERS FULL OF CONTENT AND SCORES THAT THEY CAN TAKE BACK AND, UM, BRING BACK AND FORTH FROM HOME TO CLASSES.
UM, WE'VE ALSO DEVELOPED A SCOPE FOR THE MUSIC CLASSES, WHICH ALLOWS FOR CONSISTENCY AND QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
SO OUR CURRICULUM, IT BASICALLY INCLUDES INSTRUMENTATION, READING, MUSIC THEORY, PERFORMANCE SKILLS, UM, WHEN WE ARE NOT IN CLASS, WHICH IS, UH, FOUR TIME OR FOUR WEEKS OUT OF THE YEAR, I GUESS, WE HAVE, UM, IN, UH, INSTRUCTORS WHO GO THROUGH, UM, MAKE SURE ALL THE INSTRUMENTS HAVE BEEN, UM, RETURNED.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN SERVICED, THEY HAVE BEEN TUNED.
WE WORK AT, WE LOOK AT THE CURRICULUM, SEE IF ANYTHING ELSE NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED.
UM, WE'LL WORK ON REGISTRATION.
UM, AT ANY POINT WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT 200 PEOPLE, UH, WAITING TO, TO JOIN THESE CLASSES.
UM, SO CURRENT ATTENDEES AND AUDIENCE, UM, MOSTLY IT IS TARGETED TOWARDS BEGINNERS.
UM, CLASSES ARE SPLIT BETWEEN SEVEN AND 14 AND 15 AND ADULT, UM, OF AGE.
UH, DAYTIME CLASSES DURING THE WEEK HAVE MOSTLY ADULTS AND HOMESCHOOL AFTERNOON HAVE, UH, MOSTLY SCHOOL AGED KIDS AND SOME ADULTS, UM, WHICH IS ON TRACK FOR WHAT WE EXPECTED.
UM, WE DO ASK THAT, UH, PARTICIPANTS COMMIT TO ATTENDING REGULARLY FOR THREE MONTHS, UM, AND PRACTICE THE MATERIAL WEEKLY.
THIS IS WHY WE ALLOW THEM TO TAKE THE INSTRUMENTS HOME.
UM, AND WE REALLY FEEL THAT THIS IS NECESSARY FOR STUDENTS TO BECOME ESTABLISHED IN THE, IN THE DEMANDING TASKS OF LEARNING AN INSTRUMENTS.
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SO, CURRENT CLASSES, WE HAVE THREE TO FOUR CLASSES A DAY AT BOTH CENTRAL AND BRANCHES.THAT COMES OUT TO 17 CLASSES A WEEK, TWO CLASSES AT ONE BRANCH, LOCATION PER DAY.
AND EACH BRANCH IS LOCATED, UH, AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK.
UM, THESE ARE A FEW OF THE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES.
UM, PROPER PLAYING TECHNIQUE, CORRECT POSTURE, THE ABILITY TO PLAY NOTES WITH CLEAR RESONANT TONE, UM, GAINING FAMILIARITY WITH YOUR INSTRUMENTS, UM, UNDERSTANDING METHODOLOGY FOR PLAYING PIECES FROM WRITTEN MUSIC, UM, AND MORE ADVANCED, UH, OUTCOMES.
THEY LEARN THE BASIC OF BASICS OF HOW TO READ MUSIC, GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF NOTE, NAMES, AND LOCATION ON, ON BOTH THE STAFF AND ON THE INSTRUMENT.
UM, STUDENTS UNDERSTAND RHYTHMIC DURATIONS AND METERS, UM, AND THEY START TO UNDERSTAND AND, AND PERFORM COMPLEX PIECES.
SO, UM, THE IMPACTS HAS BEEN REALLY AMAZING TO WATCH, UH, GROW.
WE HAVE ABOUT 250 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM, UM, THAT COMES OUT TO ABOUT A THOUSAND A YEAR.
UM, AND TO, TO DATE, THIS PROGRAM HAS ENROLLED ABOUT 9,000 STUDENTS.
I WILL SAY THAT THAT 9,000 DOESN'T PERTAIN TO UNIQUE STUDENTS, UM, MEANING THAT IT DOES INCLUDE, UM, STUDENTS HAVE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE CLASS AGAIN OR REENTERED.
UM, A STUDENT WHO'S GONE THROUGH THE ENTIRE SEMESTER OF CLASSES HAS LEARNED HOW TO READ MUSIC, DISCIPLINED THEMSELVES TO PRACTICE AT HOME, LEARNED ABOUT THEIR INSTRUMENT, UH, AND PERFORMED IN THE QUARTERLY RECITAL.
UM, MANY OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE GONE ON TO PURSUE MUSIC IN OTHER WAYS, SUCH AS BEING PART OF THE GREATER DALLAS YOUTH ORCHESTRA, UM, WHICH IS LED BY THE DALLAS NY ORCHESTRA.
UM, AND ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF THIS PROGRAM IS BUILDING AUTHENTIC AND MEMORIAL MEMORABLE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH MUSIC APPRECIATION EDUCATION.
UM, STUDENTS HAVE EVEN GIVEN BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE PERFORMED AT OT LEE'S RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES, SCOTTISH RIGHT.
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND BAYLOR.
SO THE GOALS, UH, THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS PROGRAM CURRENTLY AND IN THE FUTURE, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CONSISTENTLY POOL CLASSES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER.
WE WOULD LIKE, UH, REGULAR AND CONSISTENT ATTENDANCE BY EACH, UH, STUDENT WHO IS ENROLLED.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS TO ONE PER BRANCH LOCATION.
UM, THESE VOLUNTEERS, THEY ASSIST IN TEACHING.
THEY PUT THE, UH, CONTENT BINDERS TOGETHER.
UM, THEY HELP MAINTAIN EQUIPMENT AND TUNING OF INSTRUMENTS.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO EXPAND OUR TARGET AUDIENCE TO SENIORS.
UM, AND WE WOULD EVENTUALLY LIKE TO EXPAND TO TWO ADDITIONAL BRANCHES, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO FIVE LOCATIONS.
UH, CURRENTLY WE'RE LOOKING AT SOUTH DALLAS AND WEST DALLAS, POSSIBLY DALLAS WEST, UH, BRANCH IN PLEASANT GROVE, AND THAT IS OUR MUSIC PROGRAM.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I'LL STOP SHARING.
THERE MAY BE, DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S A TIME WHEN YOU TELL A STUDENT, OKAY, YOU'VE TAKEN X AMOUNT OF SEMESTERS, SO WE'RE FINISHED WITH YOU.
I MEAN, I KNOW THE REASON I ASK IS I'M TAKING MUSIC LESSONS RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S, IT'S SLOW GOING FOR ME.
SO, I MEAN, WHEN YOU SAID IN ONE SEMESTER THEY LEARN ALL THESE THINGS, I THOUGHT, WOW, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, UM, YES, WE DO.
I MEAN, NICELY, UH, WHEN THE STUDENT GETS TO A POINT WHERE WE FEEL LIKE THEY AREN'T BENEFITING FROM THE CLASS ANYMORE, WE DO, UM, PROVIDE THEM OTHER RESOURCES.
SO, LIKE I SAID, THE DALLAS, UM, YOUTH ORCHESTRA IS A GREAT NEXT STEP FOR A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS TO BE, UH, ENGAGED, INVOLVED.
THIS IS REALLY FOCUSED FOR BEGINNERS.
THIS IS REALLY TO GIVE STUDENTS, UM, A TASTE OF MUSIC, LEARNING ABOUT IT, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING INVOLVED BEFORE ANY KIND OF, UM, COMMITMENT HAS TO BE MADE WITH PURCHASING INSTRUMENTS AND THAT KIND OF A THING.
UM, SO IT DOES GET TO A POINT WHERE WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO, TO FIND, UM, ADDITIONAL TEACHING.
DO YOU KNOW IF THEY PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR THIS, THIS, NOT YOU, YOU DON'T KNOW THE COURSE.
THAT SOUNDS THAT, UM, SOME OF, SOME OF THEM DO, UM, AND USE THIS AS ADDITIONAL PRACTICE.
UM, WE DO HAVE A LARGE HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY WHO DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, SOME SCHOOLS HAVE, HAVE CUT A LOT OF THEIR ARTS PROGRAM, MUSIC PROGRAMMING, UM, OR THEY'LL HAVE A MUSIC PROGRAM, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE AN INSTRUMENT LENDING, UH, PROGRAM TO ACCOMPANY IT, AND THEY CHECK IT OUT FOR THE SEMESTER.
WHAT INSTRUMENTS DO YOU HAVE? WE HAVE,
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UH, KEYBOARD, WE HAVE VIOLIN, VIOLA, UM, WE HAVE CELLOS, WE HAVE A STANDUP BASS, UM, AND GUITARS.OH, AND UKULELES, I IF I THAT.
UM, WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY INTERESTED IN TEACHING, UM,
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF BARRIERS TO THAT, BUT, UM, CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE ANY INSTRUMENTS THAT THEY HAVE TO SHARE, INSTRUMENTS, READS, THAT KIND OF THING.
FOR SANITATION, THE STRINGED INSTRUMENTS ARE EASIER TO, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
ARE MUSIC LESSONS STILL GIVEN ON THE FOURTH FLOOR? CORRECT.
I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY THAT IS AND WHY THERE'S A PIANO.
AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, IT'S OPEN TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME AND BANG ON IT AT ANY TIME.
I AVOID THE FOURTH FLOOR AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN, AND I NEED TO GO THERE.
BUT IT, IT'S SO RIDICULOUS WITH ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND TOWN.
WHY, WHY DO WE HAVE MUSIC PROGRAM? NO.
WHY ON THE FOURTH FLOOR TO DISTURB PATRONS? WELL, TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT, WE HAVE, UM, AN AUDITION PROCESS THAT ANDREW ANDERSON, OUR PHD MUSIC LIBRARIAN DOES, UM, DOES HOST, UM, EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO USE THE GRAND, UM, AUDITIONS IN FRONT OF HIM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN PLAY.
AND IT'S NOT JUST BINGING ON THE PIANO.
UM, WELL, IT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT ADHERED TO VERY CLOSELY THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE.
AND WITH ALL THE SPACE AVAILABLE AND THE, THE COMING AND GOING ON THE FIRST FLOOR, WHY ON EARTH NOT DOWN THERE.
AND THEN THERE'S THAT AUDITORIUM ACROSS THE WAY, OR PIANO AND ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THERE, THERE IS A, WE HAVE TWO STEINWAYS HERE.
UM, ONE IS IN THE AUDITORIUM, THE OTHER IS IN, IS ON THE FOURTH FLOOR, WHICH IS THE MUSIC FLOOR.
THAT'S WHERE OUR SCORE COLLECTION IS.
IT'S PART OF THE SUBJECT AREA EXPERTISE OF THAT FLOOR.
SO IF WE WERE GONNA HAVE A PIANO ANYWHERE IN THE LIBRARY, THAT REALLY IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE FLOOR FOR IT.
WELL, IT, BUT IT'S NOT ONLY THE MUSIC FLOOR, IT'S FINE ARTS, WHICH INCLUDES MANY OTHER.
BUT THERE'S, SO WHY NOT, WHY NOT EASELS AND PAINTING? AND, AND WE DO SOMETIMES HAVE EASELS AND PAINTING.
WE HAVE DRAWING CLASSES THAT'S PRESUMABLY QUIETER THAN, UH, THAN PIANO LESSONS.
I MEAN, THERE ARE SEVEN OTHER PUBLIC FLOORS.
WE, WE ALSO HAVE STUDY ROOMS ON THE FLOOR.
SO IF SOMEONE'S LOOKING FOR A QUIET PLACE TO STUDY, WE CAN USUALLY DIRECT THEM TO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I MEAN, MY, I, I ONCE WAS THE, THE MANAGER OF THE FOURTH FLOOR.
AND MY GENERAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE PIANO IS THAT IT ACTUALLY REALLY OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO PLAY A VERY FINE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT THAT USUALLY HAVE A LOT OF TALENTS, AND IT ACTUALLY MAKES THE SPACE MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE.
UM, AND WE HAVE FAR MORE PATRONS THAT THANK US FOR OFFERING THAT OPPORTUNITY AND HAVING A FLOOR THAT HAS SOME MUSIC AND SOME BACKGROUND NOISE THAT CAN BE SOOTHING RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST QUIET OR HEARING THE CONVERSATIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE.
WELL, SAM, WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT THE CODE OF CONDUCT, YOU CAN BRING IT TO THE LIBRARIAN'S ATTENTION THAT THIS IS A ACTION THAT IS DISRUPTIVE TO OTHERS, WHICH WE'LL BE DISCUSSING NEXT.
SO, SO I NEVER SAID IT WAS UNSAFE.
OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE IT.
BUT I, I THINK IF YOU DID A SURVEY OF SOME KIND, YOU MIGHT FIND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND IT VERY UNPLEASANT.
YOU KNOW, THE IDEA CERTAINLY IS VERY GOOD MUSICAL, YOU KNOW, MUSIC LESSONS.
BUT AS I SAID EARLIER, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER PLACES, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE, WHY ON THE FOURTH FLOOR WITH ALL, I MEAN, IT'S A REALLY, IT'S A LIBRARY MEANING BOOKS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
ACTUALLY, MOST OF OUR COLLECTION, OUR MATERIALS COLLECTION ON THE FOURTH FLOOR IS NOT ACTUALLY BOOKS.
IT'S PRIMARILY, UH, VINYL CDS AND OUR DVD COLLECTION.
UM, SO I WOULD SAY ACTUALLY PROBABLY HALF OR MORE OF OUR, OUR PHYSICAL COLLECTION ON THE FOURTH FLOOR IS NOT ACTUALLY BOOKS.
WELL, YEAH, OF COURSE, THE VINYLS AND THE CDS ARE NOT PLAYED ALOUD, THOUGH.
THEY'RE CHECKED OUT OR PLAYED IN BOOTH OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO SURVEYING THE, THE FOLKS THAT USE THE FLOOR AROUND THE, THE USE OF THE PIANO.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE OR REALLY SURE.
THAT LEADS TO ANOTHER QUESTION THAT
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I HAVE.DOES THE LIBRARY BENEFIT FROM AN ENTITY CALLED, UH, THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES? YES, I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT.
MY, MY GENERAL UPDATE, WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, I DID WANNA ASK, BASED ON HIS QUESTION, A QUICK QUESTION.
SO, HAVE WE EVER HAD LESSONS IN THE AUDITORIUM, OR, I, I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
LIKE, WE'VE HAD CONCERTS, RECITALS IN THERE MM-HMM
UM, BUT LESSONS, WE DO HAVE THEM ON THE FOURTH FLOOR FOR ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, WE, A LOT OF PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT OUR MUSIC CLASSES THAT WAY.
THAT'S HOW WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE INTERESTED.
UM, AND, UM, TO HEATHER'S POINT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT.
UM, IF THERE'S A MUSIC CLASS, THEY USUALLY FREELY MOVE TO ANOTHER FLOOR, UM, IF THEY WANT SOME MORE QUIET, SO, AND, AND YOU MENTIONED BILL, I HAD WATCHED ONE OF THE CLASSES HE TAUGHT.
HE, WITH HIS GRANDCHILDREN, WHICH LITTLE AL.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE ANOTHER, UM, UH, INSTRUCTOR.
HIS NAME IS ANDRE AL, AND HE IS A, UH, UNT JAZZ STUDIES GRADUATE.
UM, HE'S DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB WITH KEEPING UP THE CLASSES AND, AND, UM, DOING WHAT HE CAN UNTIL WE CAN HIRE A SECOND INSTRUCTOR.
I WAS CURIOUS BECAUSE I HAD WATCHED BILL TEACH THE STUDENTS AND YOU MENTIONED HOMESCHOOL VERSUS LIKE OTHER STUDENTS.
SO IN TERMS OF ACCESS, OBVIOUSLY THE KIDS IN TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS WOULD HAVE TO COME AFTER, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL DISTANCES.
SO WHAT IS THE, ON THAT, LIKE HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS SERVE, DO YOU THINK, VERSUS STUDENTS IN, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS? I WANNA SAY WE PROBABLY SERVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT IS SO VAST.
UM, AND ONCE YOU GET THE WORD OUT TO ONE FAMILY, I MEAN, THEY HAVE THE BEST COMMUNICATION SYSTEM I THINK I'VE EVER SEEN.
SO ONE FAMILY HEARS ABOUT IT, AND THEN WE'VE GOT 20 OTHER FAMILIES ASKING ABOUT IT.
UM, SO WE DO SERVE A LOT OF, UM, HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR SATURDAY CLASSES ARE ALWAYS FULL.
UM, OUR, OUR FOUR OR FIVE O'CLOCK CLASSES ARE PRETTY FULL, SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY CLOSE.
SO THE 4:00 PM CLASSES YOU SEE SOME MORE KIDS FROM MM-HMM
AND HAMPTON, ILLINOIS HAS THE SCHOOL ATTACHED TO IT.
SO WE DO SEE A LOT OF THOSE STUDENTS COMING, UM, STRAIGHT FROM SCHOOL OVER TO THE LIBRARY FOR THOSE.
AND THE CLASSES ARE AN HOUR OR 30 MINUTES? UM, THEY'RE ABOUT AN HOUR, UM, 45 MINUTES OF PLAYING TIME ONCE EVERYONE GETS SETTLED AND PULL THE INSTRUMENTS OUT, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO A GRANT ONES THE SALARY, OR WHAT'S THE GRANT FUNDING FOR THE, SO THE GRANT FUNDING, UM, WAS, UM, TO HIRE, UH, PART-TIME CONTRACT INSTRUCTORS AND THEN ALSO, UM, TO PURCHASE INSTRUMENTS.
I THINK MSIKA HAD A, A QUESTION AS WELL.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF EXPANDING THE PROGRAM, UM, WHAT ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN GET COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OR COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT YOU FEEL, UM, WOULD BE BENEFICIAL? BECAUSE I'VE SEEN HOW AT CENTRAL, UM, THAT THE MUSIC PROGRAM, I SEE THAT IT'S COMPLETELY PACKED AND THE POSITIVE IMPACTS THAT IT MAKES, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS, IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST WAYS.
UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HAVING, OR THE COMMUNITY'S INTERESTED IN HAVING MUSIC LESSONS AT THEIR, UH, HOME BRANCH, YOU KNOW, BE VOCAL ABOUT THAT.
UM, LET, LET STAFF KNOW, LET US KNOW.
UM, BUT SUPPORT, COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS HUGE.
UM, I THINK ALSO IN, IN TERMS OF MAKING US ABLE TO HAVE CLASSES, UM, IF THERE ARE VOLUNTEERS THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE A CURRICULUM, SO IF PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY TAUGHT MUSIC LESSONS AT ONE POINT AND THEY HAVE THAT SKILLSET THAT REALLY FULLY EN ENABLES US TO, TO ADD CLASSES.
UM, ALSO IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INSTRUMENT DONATIONS, UM, THAT CAN BE, NOW WE CAN'T TAKE, TAKE EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, AND PERHAPS BRASS INSTRUMENTS AREN'T PARTICULARLY USEFUL.
UM, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE GUITARS THEY DON'T USE ANYMORE, UM, USE, HAVE UKULELES THEY DON'T USE ANYMORE.
AND, UM, THOSE CAN DEFINITELY, UM, GO INTO OUR CIRCULATING COLLECTION.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY DONATE A FULL DRUM SET TO US.
THAT'S NOT OUT ON, THAT'S NOT A THING THAT WE WILL DO
[00:25:01]
SO THE CHAIN IS TELL YOUR BRANCH MANAGER THAT YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IT YEAH.
AS WITH ANYTHING WITH, UM, PROVIDING SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, HEARING FROM THEM IS, IS A BIG DRIVE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, TIFFANY.
THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
LIKE I SAID, I HAD WATCH BILL SOME STUDENTS, YEAH.
SO IT WAS, THAT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE HIS PASSION.
SO, UM, NEXT I ASKED, UM, HEATHER TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT, JUST BECAUSE I, I FEEL, AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JESSE MORENO FEELS HE APPOINTED ME THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF VISITORS TO THE LIBRARY IS IMPORTANT.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S ENJOYABLE AND SAFE AND THE PEOPLE RETURN TO THE LIBRARY IS IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO GET AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THE LIBRARY, UM, WHAT THE CODE OF CONDUCT IS AND HOW IT'S ENFORCED.
UM, SO, UH, THE FULL CODE OF CONDUCT, UM, IT IS ATTACHED TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT, UM, FOR THE MEETING.
SO THOSE OF YOU, UM, ATTENDING VIRTUALLY CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
UM, I, IT IS A FULL TWO PAGE DOCUMENT THAT IS, UH, AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
UM, WHICH SHORTLY, UM, SUCCINCTLY, OUR CODE OF CONDUCT REALLY FOCUSES ON FOUR LARGE AREAS, UM, THAT, UH, LIBRARY CUSTOMERS RESPECT OTHER CUSTOMERS AND STAFF.
THEY RESPECT LIBRARY, PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS, THAT THEY OBEY THE LAW AND THAT THEY COMPLY WITH REQUESTS FROM STAFF.
UM, THE CODE OF CONDUCT APPLIES TO EVERYONE THAT COMES INTO THE LIBRARY, REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND IS, WHAT THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE, THE LIBRARY IS.
UM, AND LIBRARY STAFF REALLY ARE, UM, IN CHARGE OF, THEY'RE THE FIRST LINE OF ENFORCING THE, UH, CODE OF CONDUCT ITSELF.
UM, WE, UH, DON'T POST THE FULL CODE OF CONDUCT BECAUSE AGAIN, IT IS VERY LONG.
AND, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN ANY PUBLIC PLACE, PEOPLE DO NOT READ VERY LONG SIGNS.
SO WE HAVE AN ABBREVIATED, UM, VERSION THAT'S REALLY AROUND THOSE FOUR, UM, ITEMS THAT, THAT I I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
UM, THE, AND SO HOW DO WE ENFORCE OUR CODE OF CONDUCT OTHER THAN ASKING PEOPLE TO STOP DOING WHATEVER IT IS WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO STOP DOING OR TO START DOING SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO START DOING.
UM, SO WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN 2019.
WE PROBABLY STARTED IN 2018, UM, AS A VERY PUBLIC BUILDING.
UM, A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING.
UH, TEXAS RESIDENTS HAVE A LOT OF RIGHTS TO ACCESS LIBRARIES AND ACCESS LIBRARIES FREELY.
SO WHILE SOME LIBRARIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY MIGHT HAVE PERMANENT BANS, WE OURSELVES DO NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO BAN, UM, ANYONE FROM USING THE LIBRARY PERMANENTLY.
SO, UM, PREVIOUSLY WE HAD REALLY HEAVILY RELIED ON THE CRIMINAL TRESPASS AFFIDAVIT SYSTEM, WHICH WE STILL UTILIZE, AND I'LL, I'LL GO INTO THAT.
UM, BUT IF YOU, IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OWNER, IF YOU YOURSELF HAVE HAD TO UTILIZE THE CRIMINAL TRESPASS SYSTEM, YOU KNOW THAT IT REQUIRES YOU TO CALL THE POLICE FOR THE PERSON YOU ARE ISSUING THAT CRIMINAL TRESPASS AFFIDAVIT FOR TO WAIT PATIENT, LEAVE FOR THE POLICE, UM, AND THEN IT IS LIMITED TO A PERIOD OF THREE TO SIX MONTHS, AND IT IS ONLY GOOD FOR THAT ONE LOCATION.
SO FOR US, IF WE ISSUED, WE OFTEN FOUND THAT IF WE HAD A CRIMINAL TRESPASS ISSUED HERE AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, THE, THE PATRON WOULD THEN JUST MOVE ON TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING LIBRARY DOWN THE STREET OR TO NORTH OAK CLIFF, UM, AND CONTINUE THE SAME BEHAVIORS.
SO WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR LOOKING A MORE COMPREHENSIVE WAY TO, UM, MAKE OUR LIBRARY SAFE AND, UH, HELP VISITORS COMPLY WITH OUR CODE OF CONDUCT.
SO NOW WE DO HAVE A SUSPENSION SYSTEM.
UM, IT IS, UH, ANY STAFF ARE ABLE TO ISSUE SUSPENSIONS IN PRACTICE.
SO IT'S REALLY OUR MANAGERS AND OUR, UM, PERSON IN CHARGE THAT ISSUE.
[00:30:01]
CAN BE ISSUED EITHER AT, AT THE POINT OF TIME THAT THE BEHAVIOR HAPPENS OR WHEN THE PERSON RETURNS.SO WE'VE TAKEN AWAY THE NEED TO HAVE THE PERSON WAIT FOR US TO ISSUE A SUSPENSION.
AND SO IT'S REALLY HELPED US ADDRESS, UM, UNWANTED BEHAVIORS MUCH MORE QUICKLY AND MUCH MORE THOROUGHLY THAN WE WERE ABLE TO WITH THE CRIMINAL TRESPASS SYSTEM.
UM, WE CAN, WE HAVE, UM, BEEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO SUSPEND PEOPLE ANYWHERE FROM ONE DAY UP TO THREE FULL YEARS.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST AT ONE LOCATION, BUT AT ALL 30 LIBRARY LOCATIONS.
SO FOR US, THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A REVOLUTION IN, UM, HOW WE'RE ABLE TO FULLY ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL ISSUES WITHIN THE LIBRARY.
UM, THERE IS A, UM, APPEALS PROCESS, UM, SO THAT APPEAL GOES DIRECTLY TO THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, UM, PREVIOUSLY KIRSTEN NOW, UH, IN AN INTERIM ROLE, AND WE'LL LET HER INTRODUCE HERSELF IN IN A MOMENT.
UM, MELISSA DE, UM, IS SERVING AS, AS THE INTERIM IN THAT ROLE.
UM, I WOULD SAY 99% OF THE TIME WE ARE ABSOLUTELY IN LINE WITH THE, THE WAY THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS ISSUED, UM, WHEN, WHEN IT WAS ISSUED.
UM, VERY RARELY IN, IN ONLY A FEW CASES HAVE WE ACTUALLY CHANGED THE, THE SUSPENSION.
WHEN DID YOU KIND OF START THIS ENFORCEMENT? BECAUSE I'VE BEEN COMING HERE A REALLY LONG TIME, ESPECIALLY USING THE EIGHTH FLOOR GENEALOGY, AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE TO ME THAT IN THE PAST MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, IT HAS REALLY DRAMATICALLY CHANGED.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY THE LAST, LIKE WE, WE STARTED IN 2019, UM, LIKE THE END OF THE YEAR IN 2019.
UM, AND REALLY SO RIGHT THAT THE SPACE RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND THEN REALLY ONCE WE REOPENED AFTER THE PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, WE'D DONE A LOT OF TRAINING WITH STAFF, AND STAFF ARE REALLY EMPOWERED.
AND I, AND I DO THINK THAT IT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU TALK TO OTHER AGENCIES IN THE AREA THAT THAT DEAL WITH A LOT OF PUBLIC TRAFFIC RELY HAVING CRIMINAL TRESPASSES AS YOUR ONLY TOOL.
IT'S, IT'S JUST A VERY UNIQUE TOOL.
IT IS GOOD FOR VERY SPECIFIC THINGS, BUT IF YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO ADDRESS A SYSTEMATIC ISSUE, SYSTEMIC SAFETY FOR AN ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, THIS HAS REALLY, IT REALLY HAS, UM, EMPOWERED US TO HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER BEHAVIORS WITHIN OUR, WITHIN OUR LIBRARIES.
UM, AND IT, AND IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO, UM, BEHAVIORS RATHER THAN HAVING TO WAIT FOR THE POLICE.
UM, IN, IN CASES, UM, WHERE THE BEHAVIOR IS SERIOUS, UM, YOU KNOW, FIGHTING, UM, THREATS, UH, UNWANTED SEXUAL ADVANCEMENTS ON, YOU KNOW, EXPOSURES, UM, WE CAN COMBINE IT ALSO WITH A CRIMINAL TRESPASS AFFIDAVIT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, STRENGTHENS, UM, STRENGTHENS THE, THE WARNING AGAINST THIS PERSON, UM, LEGALLY.
BUT, UH, WE REALLY FIND THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DO RESPECT THE SUSPENSIONS.
AND, AND WHILE WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME AFTER THEY'VE BEEN SUSPENDED, WE, WE HAVE A SYSTEM TO INFORM STAFF, AND THEY'RE GENERALLY PRETTY EASILY RECOGNIZED WHEN THEY HA WHEN THEY ARE VIOLATING A SUSPENSION, WE HAVE SECURITY ESCORT THEM OUT.
IF THAT THAT DOESN'T WORK, THEN WE'RE ABLE TO CALL THE POLICE AND IT, BUT IT'S, IT HAS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED OUR RELIANCE ON CALLING THE POLICE TO DEAL WITH SEVERE BEHAVIOR ISSUES BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO ISSUE THESE OURSELVES.
IS THERE A WARNING, DO, DOES SOMEONE RECEIVE LIKE THREE WARNINGS AND THEN THEY'RE SUSPENDED? OR HOW DOES, IT'S JUST THE DISCRETION OF THE MANAGER.
YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE IS I'LL, I'LL USE A, A COMMON BUT VERY MINOR OFFENSE.
IF SOMEONE'S TAKING THEIR SHOES OFF ALL THE TIME IN THE LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HYGIENE ISSUE, BUT LIKE, THEY JUST CAN'T KEEP THEIR SHIRT ON, THEIR SHOES ON, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT WARN THEM A COUPLE TIMES WHEN IT'S A REPEATED OFFENSE, THEN, THEN MAYBE WE WOULD SUSPEND THEM FOR A WEEK.
IF IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING MINOR LIKE THAT.
UM, AS THEY CONTINUE TO DO THAT BEHAVIOR, THEN WE MIGHT, THE NEXT TIME THEY'RE SUSPENDED, IT MIGHT BE A MONTH.
BUT THERE IS, THERE IS A GOOD, THERE IS A, A LOT OF ROOM FOR STAFF DISCRETION BECAUSE STAFF ARE THE ONES INTERACTING MM-HMM
THEY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW LONG SOMETHING
[00:35:01]
HAS BEEN GOING ON, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW SEVERE, UM, THE BEHAVIOR IS IN RELATION TO THE SAFETY IN THE BRANCH.SO, SO, UM, RIGHT NOW, HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE, UM, SUSPENDED FROM COMING OR WHAT, WHAT SORT OF BEHAVIORS CURRENTLY? UM, I, I MEAN IT'S LIKE ANY, ANY BEHAVIOR THAT VIOLATES THE, THE CODE OF CONDUCT CAN LEAD TO A SUSPENSION WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS.
ONE IS SLEEPING BECAUSE WE ARE AN EMERGENCY INCLEMENT WEATHER REFUGE DURING HOT PERIODS AND COLD PERIODS.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT WE CANNOT ASK PEOPLE TO LEAVE BASED SOLELY ON FALLING ASLEEP IN THE LIBRARY, UM, AT LEAST DURING THOSE INCLEMENT WEATHER PERIODS.
THE OTHER IS INSUFFICIENT SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA BE TURNING CHILDREN AWAY FROM USING THE LIBRARY BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE, OR THEIR CARETAKERS ARE NOT, UM, APPROPRIATELY SUPERVISING THEIR CHILDREN.
UM, WE DO HAVE A CHILD SAFETY POLICY, AND THAT'S REALLY, UM, FOR, FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UM, BEHAVIOR, WE WOULD ADDRESS IT THROUGH A CHILD SAFETY PERSPECTIVE.
SO HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CARETAKER, UM, YOU KNOW, SETTING EXPECTATIONS AND GENERALLY SPEAKING THAT THAT DOES WORK.
SO DO YOU KNOW ROUGHLY HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SUSPENDED CURRENTLY? I DON'T KNOW.
I KNOW FULL, I DID GET, UM, SO LAST FISCAL YEAR WE HAD 247 SUSPENSIONS.
AND THIS FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, WE HAVE 147.
AND IS THAT USUALLY SOMEONE WHO'S REPEATEDLY, UH, WHAT THEY'RE WORRYING OR IT CAN BE ONE? NOT, NOT NECESSARILY.
I MEAN, IF SOMEONE STARTS A FIGHT MM-HMM
I, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME IF YOU STARTED A FIGHT BEFORE, LIKE YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING VIOLENT IN THE LIBRARY, WE'RE GONNA SUSPEND YOU OTHER THINGS.
IT MIGHT BE, UH, YOU'RE BANGING ON THE, THE PIANO WITHOUT PERMISSION, AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE ASKED YOU, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THE SUSPENSION.
SO IT REALLY, THE, IT, IT'S REALLY HARD TO HAVE SYSTEMATIC BLACK AND WHITE RULES FOR, FOR EVERYONE.
SO THE CODE OF CONDUCT REALLY DOES ALLOW A GRADIENT OF REACTIONS FOR, I MEAN, WE HAVE THE FULL RANGE OF HUMANITY AND, AND THE LIBRARY, AND SO IT ALLOWS US TO ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORS IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY FOR THE BEHAVIOR.
AND THAT'S ACROSS THE WHOLE SYSTEM, RIGHT? AND IT'S ACROSS THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
SO I THINK 147 OVER 30 BRANCHES SINCE OCTOBER IS NOT A LOT.
AND A NUMBER OF THOSE ARE FOR A FEW DAYS.
YOU, I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF OUR, OUR SUSPENSIONS PROBABLY ARE IN THAT, THAT ONE TO SIX MONTH RANGE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER ON ME RIGHT NOW, BUT HOW DO YOU KEEP THEM FROM SNEAKING IN? BECAUSE SURELY THEY'RE NOT ALL RECOGNIZABLE THERE.
UM, WE DO, IF YOU'RE SUSPENDED, WE DO TAKE A PHOTO OF YOU.
SOMETIMES WE CAN, UM, SOME LOCATIONS WE CAN GRAB THAT OFF OF SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE.
HERE AT CENTRAL, WE HAVE OUR SECURITY GUARDS, UM, AS THEY'RE ESCORTING PEOPLE OUT, TAKE THE, TAKE THE PHOTO AND THOSE ARE UPLOADED.
UM, AND SO STAFF HAVE ACCESS TO THAT AND IT'S SECURE.
UM, THE SYSTEM IS MUCH, MUCH BETTER, AS YOU SAY, THAN IT WAS FEW YEARS AGO.
IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL FOR FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO TO, TO SEE A, A KNOCKDOWN DRAG OUT LIKE A WESTERN MOVIE, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
I MEAN, I LIKE WHEN I SAY IT'S REVOLUTIONIZED THE WAY THAT WE CAN ADDRESS BEHAVIOR ISSUES, IT REALLY HAS, BECAUSE HONESTLY, OUR, OUR ONE TOOL WAS CRIMINAL TRESPASS, AND THAT'S ONE LOCATION, THREE TO SIX MONTHS IF YOU CAN GET POLICE TO SHOW UP TO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A HIGH LEVEL.
I MEAN, THIS IS NOTHING AGAINST DPDA, CRIMINAL TRESPASS AFFIDAVIT IS JUST NOT A HIGH LEVEL CALL.
SO MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE RESPONDING TO MUCH MORE DIRE SITUATIONS.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE SUSPENSIONS LAST YEAR WERE LIKE CENTRAL VERSUS BRANCHES? UM, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, AND JUST, I, I DID NOTICE, AND, AND MAYBE I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS TO GET TO, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, I CAME TO THE LIBRARY LAST WEEK AND I SAW SOMEONE HAD LIKE A REALLY LARGE DOG WITH THEM UNDER THE DESK.
AND SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, DO THEY ASK IF THEY'RE A SERVICE ANIMAL
[00:40:01]
OR HOW DOES THAT, SO WE, WE ALSO HAVE A, UH, SERVICE ANIMAL POLICY AND A SERVICE ANIMAL SUSPENSION POLICY.UM, SO UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THERE IS LARGE LATITUDE FOR, UH, SERVICE ANIMALS.
NOW, A SERVICE ANIMAL CAN ONLY BE A DOG IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, BUT YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO CARRY ANY KIND OF CERTIFICATION TO HAVE ANY PARTICULAR HARNESS.
UM, AS A SERVICE ANIMAL AND STAFF ARE REALLY LIMITED IN THE QUESTION.
BASICALLY, THE ONLY TWO, THE ONLY TWO LEGAL QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK IS, IS THAT A SERVICE ANIMAL? AND WHAT SERVICE DOES IT PROVIDE? AND, AND THERE'S GOOD REASON.
THERE'S GOOD REASONS FOR YES, IF THEY SAY, IF THEY SAY YES, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO ACCEPT IT.
AND THERE'S GOOD REASONS FOR THAT.
IF YOU HAD A SEEING EYE DOG AND EVERY TIME YOU ENTERED ANY ESTABLISHMENT YOU WERE BADGERED ABOUT, PROVE IT THE, LIKE, IT, IT WOULD, IT WOULD MAKE THE USE OF THE ANIMAL A LESS VIABLE SUPPORT FOR YOUR DISABILITY.
UM, SO THERE'S VERY GOOD REASONS THAT THERE'S BROAD PROTECTIONS.
HOWEVER, WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH, UM, OUR A DA COMPLIANCE MANAGER, GARY COPELAND, UM, AROUND HOW DO WE MITIGATE, UM, HAVING SO MANY ANIMALS IN, IN, IN THE LIBRARY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN A REAL UPTICK IN PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY, THEY HAVE SERVICE ANIMALS, AND THEN THE SERVICE ANIMAL IS MAYBE LIKE ON A ROPE.
IT DOESN'T SEEM, IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE TRAINED.
AND SO WE DO HAVE POLICIES AROUND WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE OF AN ANIMAL IN THE, IN THE BUILDING.
AND EVEN FOR SERVICE ANIMALS, IF THEY ARE BEING DISRUPTIVE, THEY'RE BARKING, THEY'RE AGGRESSIVE, THEY, YOU KNOW, SOIL, THE CARPET, UM, WE CAN ASK THE SERVICE ANIMAL TO LEAVE, NOT NECESSARILY THE PERSON, BUT WE CAN ASK THE SERVICE ANIMAL TO LEAVE.
UM, AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE A DA OFFICE TO COME UP WITH A REASONABLE SERIES OF, UM, ALLOWABLE INCIDENTS.
WE'LL CALL WITH A SERVICE ANIMAL BEFORE WE CAN SUSPEND THE SERVICE ANIMAL FOR SIX MONTHS.
UM, SO, AND I KNOW, UM, WE JUST THIS MORNING HAD TO SUSPEND A SERVICE ANIMAL FOR SIX MONTHS BECAUSE THEY HAD HAD BARKED AND THEN THEY HAD, UH, SOILED THE CARPET TWICE.
AND SO WE ARE, WE ARE ENFORCING THAT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST FOR THE SERVICE ANIMAL.
THERE'S ALSO OTHER, WHILE WE CAN'T, UM, NECESS, WHILE NO ONE CAN NECESSARILY PROVE THAT THEIR ANIMAL IS A SERVICE ANIMAL OR, AND WE CAN'T ASK FOR PROOF, THERE ARE OTHER EXPECTATIONS THAT WE, WE CAN, UM, ASK FOR.
SO THEY HAVE TO BE ON A LEASH, WHICH IS A, YOU KNOW, A CORD THAT FIXES TO A COLLAR AND HAS A HANDLE.
UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S SOME, UM, OTHER ISSUES THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THAT DO ADDRESS THE GENERAL SAFETY OF PEOPLE AND ANIMALS IN THE BUILDING.
DOES EMOTIONAL SUPPORT QUALIFY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS NOT TECHNICALLY A SERVICE ANIMAL, SO NO, IT DOES NOT.
THAT'S TRUE AT MOST PUBLIC PLACES, EVEN AT THE, AT UT SOUTHWESTERN IN THE HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, WE CAN ASK, IS IT A SERVICE ANIMAL? THEY SAY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, WHATEVER.
AND PEOPLE BRING ALL KINDS OF ANIMALS.
AND WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME, UM, SOME ADVICE FROM THE A DA OFFICE HERE AT THE CITY OF TALLIS TO, UM, RATHER THAN ASKING IF IT'S A SERVICE ANIMAL, ASK IF IT'S A PET, BECAUSE THEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL JUST SAY YES INSTEAD OF, UM, IF YOU ASK, IT'S A, IF IT'S A SERVICE ANIMAL, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WILL ASK ANY ANIMAL, NOT A SERVICE ANIMAL TO LEAVE.
UM, SO WE ARE, UM, WE HAVE FOUND A, A NICE MEDIUM, UH, POLICY THAT WAS RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED, I THINK IN THE FALL, UM, OR MAYBE EVEN MORE RECENTLY, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR THE LAST SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS WITH THE A DA OFFICE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? HEATHER ALSO HAVE A DIRECTOR'S REPORT? YES.
UM, SO I WILL, I DO HAVE SOME FACILITIES UPDATES AND BOND UPDATES, BUT I WILL START WITH THE IMLS, UM, SINCE SAM BROUGHT THAT, BROUGHT THAT UP EARLIER.
SO ON MARCH 14TH, I MIGHT MIGHT BE THE 17TH, UM, I THINK IT WAS THE 14TH, UH, PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO CLOSE THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES.
UM, THAT ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS, UH, LIBRARY MUSEUM SERVICES STUDIES AROUND THE USE OF LIBRARY MUSEUM
[00:45:01]
SERVICES, PRESERVATION OF ARTIFACTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UM, LARGELY FOR LIBRARIES.UM, IMLS SUPPORTS STATE LIBRARIES.
SO THERE'S, THE STATE LIBRARIES REALLY SERVE AS A PASS THROUGH FOR ANY FEDERAL FUNDING.
UM, WE HAVE DIRECTLY BENEFITED FROM IMLS FUNDING THROUGH OUR TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION GRANTS.
UM, SO THE MUSIC PROGRAM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE RECEIVED A GRANT FOR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, A PROJECT INITIATION GRANT.
UM, SO IT KIND OF GAVE US THE SEED MONEY TO BUY THOSE INSTRUMENTS TO TRY OUT HAVING AN INSTRUCTOR BEFORE WE CAN MAKE THE CASE THAT THAT COULD BE SUPPORTED BY CITY FUNDS.
UM, THERE'S OTHER PROJECTS LIKE THE GED TESTING CENTER, OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTORS THAT ARE STAFFED, UM, OUR MEMORY CARE BACKPACKS, UM, THAT HAVE MEMORY CARE ITEMS FOR FAMILIES TO ENGAGE WITH, UM, INDIVIDUALS WITH MEMORY, UM, IMPAIRMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE, I THINK OUR EARLY LITERACY KITS AS WELL, WERE SUPPORTED BY ALL THROUGH, UM, ULTIMATELY FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WAS PASSED THROUGH THE, UM, TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION.
UM, SO WE DON'T GET, WE DON'T GET ANY LIKE, DIRECT OPERATING FUNDS FROM IMLS, BUT WE HAVE GREATLY BENEFITED FROM THOSE FUNDS AND BEING ABLE TO CREATE INNOVATIVE SERVICES FOR, FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, THE CURRENTLY IMLS IS FULLY FUNDED FOR FY 25.
UM, THE, UH, CONTINUING RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED LAST WEEK CONTAINED FUNDS FOR FY 26, BUT IT'S UNCLEAR IF THOSE FUNDS WILL BE PASSED THROUGH, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THOSE WITH THE IN LIGHT OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.
UM, AND WHEN DOES THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR IN, I ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW.
UM, I'LL HAVE TO, I'LL HAVE TO CHECK ON THAT.
UM, THE MORE, UM, THE DEEPER IMPACTS THAT WE DON'T PARTICULARLY KNOW YET THAT I EXPECT TO, TO HEAR MORE, I ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING WITH THE STATE LIBRARY ON FRIDAY.
UM, THEY SUPPORT THE STATEWIDE INTERLIBRARY LOAN PROGRAM.
UM, WE RECEIVE AROUND $20,000 A YEAR, UH, TO RECOUP, UH, COSTS OF PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERLIBRARY LOAN PROGRAM.
UM, THEY ALSO HEAVILY SUBSIDIZE OUR, UM, UH, LIBRARY DATABASES.
SO, UM, UDEMY, ANY OF OUR GALE RESOURCES, HEALTH INFORMATION, UM, RESOURCES FOR K 12 KIDS TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK, UM, UTILIZING SCHOLARLY JOURNALS, UM, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UM, TO, TO PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE HOW MUCH THOSE ITEMS COST.
WHEN THE STATE LIBRARY CHANGED CONTRACTS, THE FORMER VENDOR CAME TO ME AND SAID, HEY, GUESS WHAT? WE CAN GIVE YOU ALL OF THE DATABASES THAT YOU USED TO HAVE FOR A STEEPLY DISCOUNTED PRICE OF $500,000, UM, TO WHICH I, I, I MADE THAT EXACT NOISE
UM, SO IT, IT, IT REALLY COULD IMPACT, UM, OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO NEED THOSE RESEARCH.
UM, IS THAT TEXT SHARE? IT'S, IT IS TEXT SHARE.
THOSE TEXT SHARE AND TEXT QUEST.
TEXT QUEST IS, IS WHAT SUPPORTS SCHOOLS.
UM, BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS FUNDING IS NOT GONE YET.
AND, AND EVEN, EVEN THE STATE LIBRARY DOESN'T QUITE KNOW WHAT, WHAT THE IMPACTS WILL BE AND WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT, THERE MIGHT BE OTHER FUNDING BECAUSE THE STATE LIBRARY IS NOT SOLELY FUNDED THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDS, SO THERE MIGHT BE REALLOCATION OF STATE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMS. IT, IT'S, UH, IT IS UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE HISTORICALLY GOTTEN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30,000 AND 125 UP TO MAYBE EVEN $150,000 IN THE FEDERAL PASS THROUGH GRANTS.
THE FISCAL YEAR IS SANTA OURS.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IMLS? THAT'S JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT IT.
DOES THE HOMEWORK HELP INCLUDE THE NO.
THE BRAIN FUSE HOMEWORK HELP IS SOMETHING
[00:50:01]
WE PAY FOR.UM, IT'S REALLY THE MOST OF THE DATABASES AND UDEMY IS SUPPORTED THROUGH, THROUGH TECH SHARE.
UM, SO MOVING ON, IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE ON TIME.
UM, SO A QUICK UPDATE ON THE BOND PROGRAM.
WE ARE MOVING RIGHT AHEAD WITH BATHROOM RENOVATIONS.
UM, IT, UH, WAS, THE CONTRACT WAS AUTHORIZED BY COUNCIL AND AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, AND CONSTRUCTION IS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN IN THE FALL OF 2025 AND TO BE COMPLETED, UM, BY FEBRUARY, 2026.
SO IT SHOULD ALL BE HAPPENING REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHO GOT THE CONTRACT? UH, GP COOPER IN INDUSTRIES, UM, THE PRESTON ROYAL BRANCH LIBRARY, THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, UM, WHICH IS A REQUIRED, UM, FIRST STEP OF, OF THE PROCESS TO AWARD, UM, PROJECTS, UH, IS CURRENTLY OPEN AND IT WILL CLOSE ON APRIL 11TH.
UM, AND FINAL CONSTRUCTION OF THAT RENOVATION IS SCHEDULED TO BE SOMETIME IN FALL OF 2027 FOR THE PARK FOREST AND NORTH OAK CLIFF BRANCH LIBRARIES.
THEY ARE BOTH SLATED FOR LATER IN THE BOND CYCLE, BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH, UM, THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, AS WELL AS FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT TO EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR CREATIVE USES OF THOSE TWO, UH, PROJECTS TO BE MULTI-USE FACILITIES.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST FROM COUNCIL, UM, PARTICULARLY IN HAVING A HOUSING AND LIBRARY COMBINED FACILITY.
SO WE COULD HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR SENIOR HOUSING COMBINED WITH A LIBRARY.
THERE'S TONS OF EXAMPLES OF THAT.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE, UM, A PRESENTATION.
I SAY QUALITY OF LIFE, ARTS AND CULTURE IN DECEMBER, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THOSE EXAMPLES.
IT IS MY DREAM TO LIVE IN A LIBRARY EXAMPLE.
YEAH, YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT HAVE, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO MOVE, BUT
UM, AND THEN A, A SMALLER THING, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY, UM, REPLACING THE MONUMENT SIGNAGE AT LANCASTER KEITH WITH, UM, FORMER BOND FUNDS.
UM, AND THE MONUMENT SIGN NEEDS THE BIG, YEAH, THE BIG, THE BIG SIGN UP LANCASTER KEYS IS NOT VERY LEGIBLE, SO IT'S BEEN A KIND OF ONGOING PROBLEM.
UM, WE ARE, WE KNOW THAT LAKEWOOD AND SKYLINE BOTH HAVE SIGNAGE NEEDS AS WELL, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO UTILIZE REMAINING BOND FUNDING FOR THOSE TWO, UM, SITES.
UM, AND I WILL TRY TO RACE THROUGH EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, WE HAVE, IT'S STARTING TO GET HOT, SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT HVAC,
UM, WE HAVE, UH, FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US.
WE HAVE SOME MAJOR PROJECTS GOING ON.
UM, THERE ARE TWO FULL REPLACEMENTS OF HVAC SYSTEMS AT LOCKWOOD AND WHITE ROCK THAT STARTED A FEW WEEKS AGO.
SEAN AND WILL, UM, WHITE ROCK SHOULD BE COMPLETED SOMETIME IN APRIL, AND LOCKWOOD SHOULD BE COMPLETED SOMETIME, UM, JUNE OR JULY OF THIS YEAR.
UM, WE, DALLAS WEST IS ALSO GOING TO BE RECEIVING A, UM, BOY, UH, A NEW CHILLER.
UM, IT IS ORDERED AND ON THE WAY.
UH, WE HAD TEMPORARY CHILLERS INSTALLED THIS MORNING TO TRY TO BRING THE TEMPERATURES DOWN OVER THERE.
UM, ROTWEILER PARK HAD A BOILER REPLACEMENT IN FEBRUARY, UM, AND, UH, SKYLINE HAD SOME IMPROVEMENTS, UH, TO BRING IT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CCAP PLAN.
UM, A FEW OTHER ITEMS. WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON PUBLIC ART PROJECTS.
IF YOU SAW THE, THE AUDIT OF THE BOND, THOSE WERE, WERE TWO AREAS IN OUR MOST RECENT PROJECTS THAT WE HADN'T COMPLETED.
UM, SO FOREST GREEN, UM, THE, UH, RFQ IS CLOSED AND SELECTION IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
UM, AND WE ARE EXPECTING THAT THE DESIGN WILL BE SELECTED SOMETIME THIS SUMMER AND THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED, UM, IN BY FALL OF 2026.
UM, THE RFQ IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY FOR THE ARTIST
[00:55:01]
SELECTION PROCESS.UM, AND WE EXPECT THAT, UH, AUTHORIZATION WILL BE DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AND THAT PROJECT WILL SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY FEBRUARY, 2027, IF NOT SOONER.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER PROJECTS HERE AT CENTRAL.
WE ARE WORKING WITH, UM, THE MARSHALL'S OFFICE TO HAVE UPDATED, UH, SECURITY CAMERAS INSTALLED AND BADGE READER ACCESS FOR, FOR OUR STAFF DOORS.
SO IT'S CURRENTLY MOSTLY A CODE FOR PEOPLE TO GET IN.
UM, WE ALSO, OURSELVES ARE DOING SOME LIGHT RENOVATION, BUYING SOME NEW FURNITURE FOR THE SIXTH FLOOR AND THE FIRST FLOOR.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE HAD SOME MAJOR MAINTENANCE ON, UM, OUR HVAC HERE THAT IS CONTINUING.
UM, AND WE WILL HAVE A BATHROOM RENOVATION, UM, ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
UM, AND IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED WHERE, UH, ARCHITECT IS WORKING ON THE DESIGN AND IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IS, AS MUCH AS I CAN FIT INTO THOSE FEW MINUTES, THEY, THEY ANNOUNCED THE OURS BE DOING.
I BELIEVE A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE ARTISTS HAVE BEEN INFORMED YET.
MELISSA'S, IT'LL BE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT.
I CAN, I I CONTACT KRISTEN CALVERT.
ASK WHEN SHE YES, SHE, SHE IS PROBABLY, THE REASON IT HASN'T HAPPENED IS BECAUSE SHE'S ON VACATION.
I BELIEVE SHE EMAILED 'EM LIKE THE DAY BEFORE SHE, YEAH,
JUST DECIDED MAYBE EVEN A, I THINK SHE EVEN DID IT WHEN SHE WAS NOT ON WORK TIME, SO SHE DIDN'T THINK SHOULD BE BACK, UM, NEXT WEEK.
SHE'LL, SHE'LL BE BACK, BUT SHE'S ALSO ATTENDING TLA.
ANY, ANY GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY, I KNOW I WENT THROUGH IT LIKE A LIGHTNING BOLT,
UM, IS THE SECURITY CAMERAS BEING INSTALLED AT CENTRAL WITH THE MARSHALS OFFICE? WHAT SORT OF ENHANCEMENT IS THAT FROM WHAT YOU HAD? UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING MORE, UH, CAMERAS.
WE'LL HAVE THEM IN THE STAIRWELLS, UM, UPDATED SYSTEM.
UH, YOU, AND IT'LL BE FOR THE WHOLE BUILDING CURRENTLY.
YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT FLOORS HAVE A DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT AND, AND QUANTITY AND QUALITY.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS MY, MY ONLY OTHER UPDATE, I'D LIKE TO SAY WE, WE ALLUDED TO IT, BUT, UH, MELISSA DE HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS INTERIM, UH, LIBRARY, UH, INTERIM ASSISTANT LIBRARY.
SORRY, YOU WANNA TAKE THIS
UH, INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
SO KIRSTEN'S, UH, ROLE THAT SHE RETIRED.
SO MELISSA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BRING VERY BRIEFLY, INTRODUCE YOUR, OKAY.
UM, I, MY REGULAR JOB IS, UM, UH, COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITY RELATIONS ADMINISTRATORS.
THEY'VE ALREADY FORGOTTEN WHAT IT IS, WHAT DO I DO? ONLY BEEN TWO WEEKS AND I'VE ALREADY FORGOTTEN WHAT MY REGULAR JOB IS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S ALL, UM, LIKE PROMOTIONS AND INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE LIBRARY.
UM, I WAS THE YOUTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKED AS A UNIT MANAGER AND WORKED AT A BRANCH.
UM, I, I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE BEEN HERE A WHILE.
UM, AND YEAH, SO THAT, UM, STILL FEELING A LITTLE OVERWHELMED WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S, UH, KIRSTEN JUST, YOU KNOW, KNEW OFF THE TOP OF HER HEAD
UM, BUT YEAH, I, UH, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, I KNOW WE'RE AT THE END, BUT SINCE IT'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, YOU OVER, LIKE WHAT, THAT'S A BROAD UMBRELLA.
I THINK A BETTER WAY TO THINK OF IS, IS PUBLIC SERVICE JUST, YOU KNOW, THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE WHEN YOU COME INTO THE LIBRARY.
SO, UM, REALLY, I, I, UH, SUPERVISE THE PEOPLE WHO SUPERVISE THE BRANCH MANAGERS,
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POLICIES SO THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE DOES THE, THE SAME WAY AT EVERY LOCATION.UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE MANAGEMENT.
AND I KNOW WE'RE NEAR THE END OF THE MEETING.
UM, IF I WANTED TO ALSO INCLUDE THE ITEM ON POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, IF ANYONE WANTS TO WEIGH IN.
I KNOW ANN HAD A GOOD SUGGESTION LAST MEETING THAT WE TRY TO, UM, JUST BE UPDATED ON, ON BOND ISSUES.
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES UPDATES AND THAT WAS GREAT.
HEATHER, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS? ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT? OKAY.
DO WE, DO I DO WE HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT.
YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT I'M APPOINTED BY, UH, COUNCILMAN TINEL ATKIN FROM DISTRICT EIGHT, ALTHOUGH I DON'T LIVE IN THAT DISTRICT.
SO HE HAD A MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO FOR ALL OF HIS APPOINTEES, INCLUDING ME AND COMMISSIONERS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
THE SPEAKER WAS CITY SECRETARY BILLY RAY JOHNSON, WHO IS AN ABSOLUTE ENCYCLOPEDIA.
AND MANY OF THE QUESTIONS HAD TO DO WITH, WITH PEOPLE WHO SERVE ON COMMITTEES LIKE THIS AND BOARDS AND THE LIKE.
SO IF ANYBODY EVER NEEDS A QUESTION ANSWERED, NO MATTER HOW OBSCURE, CALL HER UP, SHE INVITED, UH, ME AND EVERYBODY THERE TO, TO GIVE HER A CALL.
UH, HERE'S HER CARD IF ANYBODY WANTS TO COPY.
JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I WAS, I WAS SO IMPRESSED.
I SAID TO HER AFTERWARDS, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU EVER LEARNED ALL OF THIS.
OF COURSE, SHE'S BEEN AT THE JOB FOR A WHILE.
SO, ANYWAY, SHE'S A, SHE'S A GOOD PERSON TO KNOW.
SHE'S WHO WE CALL FOR OUR QUESTIONS.
DOES, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO THINK ABOUT DISCUSSING MOVING BOARD? THIS IS NOT ABOUT OUR MEETINGS, BUT JUST IN GENERAL.
UM, THE, UH, MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP AND EARLY VOTING WILL HAPPEN BEFORE OUR NEXT APRIL MEETING.
SO THAT'S, UH, APRIL 22ND THROUGH APRIL 29TH.
I'LL NOT TELL YOU HOW TO VOTE, BUT DO LOOK FOR CANDIDATES WHO ARE VERY FAVORABLE TO LIBRARY SERVICES AND OPERATIONS AND WILL GIVE US MONEY IN THE BUDGET.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU GO TO THE POLL.
IF, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 6:02 PM THANK YOU EVERYONE.