HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Library Trustees 2021-06-08 Agenda Packet
SAN RAFAEL PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
AGENDA
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
6:00 P.M.
Virtual via Zoom
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ADVISORY NOTICE
In response to Executive Order N-29-20, the City of San Rafael will no longer offer an in-
person meeting location for the public to attend. This meeting will be streamed through a
Live Zoom Video Webinar at: https://tinyurl.com/BLT-06-08-2021
The City is not responsible for any interrupted service.
Want to listen to the meeting and comment in real-time over the phone? Call:
(669) 900-9128 and enter 92722272405#
CALL TO ORDER
• Roll Call
AGENDA AMENDMENTS
MINUTES
1. Approve regular meeting minutes of May 11, 2021
MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
2. Introductions/Awards/Recognitions/Presentations
• San Rafael Libraries Reopening – Jill Harris, Supervising Librarian
3. Public Comment from the audience regarding items not listed on the agenda. Speakers
are encouraged to limit comments to 3 minutes.
MATTERS BEFORE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
If necessary to assure completion of the following items, the Chairperson may establish time
limits for the presentations by individual speakers.
• Savannah Messaging Platform
• Lucas Valley Road Book Drop
Library Board of Trustees Agenda Page 2 of 2
BOARD REPORTS AND COMMENTS
4. Other brief reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by Board
members.
STAFF REPORTS AND COMMENTS
5. Other brief program updates or reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars
attended by staff:
A. Measure D Parcel Tax Committee
B. Friends of the San Rafael Public Library
C. San Rafael Public Library Foundation
D. MARINet Board
E. NorthNet Board
F. New Library Building Update
G. City Librarian Update
NEXT MEETING: July 13, 2021
FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS
• Update on Universal Borrowing
ADJOURNMENT
Notice
Any records relating to an agenda item, received by a majority or more of the Board less than 72 hours before the
meeting shall be available for inspection in the Library, 1100 E Street. Sign Language interpreters and assistive listening
devices may be requested by calling (415) 485-3066 (voice), emailing Lindsay.lara@cityofsanrafael.org or using the
California Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing “711”, at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Copies of
documents are available in accessible formats upon request. Public transportation is available through Golden Gate
Transit, Line 22 or 23. Paratransit is available by calling Whistlestop. Wheels at (415) 454-0964. To allow individuals with
environmental illness or multiple chemical sensitivity to attend the meeting/hearing, individuals are requested to refrain
from wearing scented products.
Minutes subject to approval at the meeting of June 8, 2021
1
BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
MINUTES
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
San Rafael Library – 1100 E Street, San Rafael, CA
May 11, 2021 – 6:00 P.M.
Virtual Meeting Recording Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6ZOuejRyNo
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Cortes called the meeting to order at 6:02 P.M.
Roll Call
Present: Chair Cortes
Trustee Han
Trustee Lentini
Absent: Trustee Duque Hughes
Trustee Ross
Also Present: Susan Andrade-Wax, Library & Recreation Director
Henry Bankhead, Assistant Library & Recreation Director/City Librarian
Jinder Banwait, Administrative Analyst
Jill Tokutomi, Supervising Librarian
AGENDA AMENDMENTS
None.
MINUTES
1. Approve Regular Meeting Minutes of April 13, 2021
The minutes of April 13, 2021 were approved as submitted.
Trustee Lentini moved, and Trustee Han seconded to approve the minutes of the April
13, 2021 meeting.
Ayes: Trustees: Han, Lentini, & Cortes
Noes: Trustees: None
Absent: Trustees: Duque Hughes & Ross
Minutes subject to approval at the meeting of June 8, 2021
2
Abstain: Trustees: None
Minutes approved as submitted.
MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
2. Introductions/Awards/Recognitions/Presentations
Mall Re-opening Presentation – Jill Tokutomi, Supervising Librarian
Jill Tokutomi, Supervising Librarian, presented the staff report.
Staff responded to questions from the Trustees.
Chair Cortes invited public comment; however, there was none.
Trustees provided comments.
Referenced Link: https://canalalliance.org/other/digital-divide-in-the-canal/
3. Public Comment from the audience regarding items not listed on the agenda
None.
MATTERS BEFORE THE BOARD
4. Proposed Updates to Library Fee Schedule
Presentation by Henry Bankhead, Assistant Library & Recreation Director/City Librarian,
Proposed Updates to Library Fee Schedule
Staff responded to questions from the Trustees.
Chair Cortes invited public comment; however, there was none.
Trustees provided comments.
Trustee Lentini moved, and Trustee Han seconded to accept the report.
Ayes: Trustees: Han, Lentini, & Cortes
Noes: Trustees: None
Absent: Trustees: Duque Hughes & Ross
Abstain: Trustees: None
Report accepted as presented.
5. FY 2020-2021 3rd Quarter Annual Revenue and Expenditure Budget Report
Presentation by Henry Bankhead, Assistant Library & Recreation Director/City Librarian,
FY 2020-2021 3rd Quarter Annual Revenue and Expenditure Budget Report
Staff responded to questions from the Trustees.
Chair Cortes invited public comment; however, there was none.
Minutes subject to approval at the meeting of June 8, 2021
3
Trustees provided comments.
Trustee Han moved, and Trustee Lentini seconded to accept the report.
Ayes: Trustees: Han, Lentini, & Cortes
Noes: Trustees: None
Absent: Trustees: Duque Hughes & Ross
Abstain: Trustees: None
Report accepted as presented.
BOARD REPORTS AND COMMENTS
6. Other brief reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by
Board members.
Trustee Lentini shared a story about a Halifax team distributing climate change survival
kits to their communities through the library system.
STAFF REPORTS AND COMMENTS
7. Other brief program updates or reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or
seminars attended by staff
Presentation by Henry Bankhead, Assistant Library and Recreation Director/City
Librarian and Susan Andrade-Wax, Library & Recreation Director
Staff responded to questions from the Trustees.
Trustees provided comments.
A. Measure D Parcel Tax Committee
B. Friends of the San Rafael Public Library
C. San Rafael Public Library Foundation
D. MARINet Board
E. NorthNet Board
F. New Library Building Update
G. City Librarian Update
NEXT MEETING: June 8, 2021
FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS
Lucas Road Book Drop
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:21 P.M.
Page 1 of 5
LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
AGENDA REPORT
June 8, 2021
Item #4
TITLE: SAVANNAH MESSAGING PLATFORM
SUMMARY
The San Rafael Library recently added a new messaging platform. This platform,
Savannah from OrangeBoy, replaces the previous platform MailChimp and provides
significantly greater functionality and greater ability to address all or parts of the library
user base.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Board of Trustees receive the report and provide feedback.
BACKGROUND:
The Library’s previous newsletter product, MailChimp, allowed users to opt-in to receive
Library news. Over several years, the number of subscribers grew to approximately
1,200. This is a rather small percentage of the 20,000 total library users. The Libr ary’s
new product, Savannah, allows staff to email all of the San Rafael library patrons as well
as a number of subgroups. This means that the Library can now engage in efficient
messaging to all its users with regards to global changes or updates. It also means that
we can engage in targeted messaging to pre-determined subgroups of library users
based on their borrowing behavior. Specific information about the patron in terms of their
personal identity remains confidential throughout the process.
DISCUSSION:
The Savannah database of contact information is dynamically populated with information
from the library’s online catalog; when new users get library cards their email addresses
are added to the list that receives our general messages. In addition, based on how the
patron uses the library they are also added to one of several subgroups. These subgroups
are termed “clusters” in the Savannah platform. These clusters are constantly updating
and changing according to each patrons’ library behaviors (frequency of use, type of
material checked-out, etc).
In addition to the predefined clusters from Savannah, staff can also run queries to build
subgroups based on patron demographic information, such as home library, preferred
language and age.
Page 2 of 5
Here is the distribution of clusters within the San Rafael Library Patron Group
Cluster Percent of Customers Sum of NumCustomers
Bedtime Stories 0.052497 655
Bright Future 0.014988 187
Dependables 0.01066 133
Digitarians 0.161978 2,021
Double Feature 0.00537 67
New Cardholder 0.005049 63
Occasionals 0.556624 6,945
Page Turners 0.062034 774
Rising Stars 0.028132 351
Transitionals 0.014587 182
Unknown 0.088082 1,099
Here are our clusters compared to all other Savannah libraries
*You will notice that the Audiophiles cluster is not represented in our data as we currently
have no patrons who fit that user group
Savannah describes each cluster as such:
Audiophiles
Audiophiles enjoy listening to books as opposed to reading or downloading them. They
respond to diverse and easy-to-access collections and are open to trying digital offerings.
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Bedtime Stories
Bedtime Stories use the library frequently with children to b orrow children’s materials,
attend activities and enjoy interactive spaces. Some individuals in this cluster are at risk
for becoming inactive once their children are grown unless the library fosters their own
interests.
Bright Futures
Bright Futures use the library as a destination and to access school and leisure reading
materials. Building strong relations now may encourage loyal usage throughout adulthood
for this cluster.
Dependables
Dependables are loyal library enthusiasts that engage in a variety of library offerings,
particularly print and A/V materials. A steady supply of new materials tends to keep this
cluster engaged.
Digitarians
Digitarians access the library virtually to download eBooks, eAudio and digital magazines.
An ever-expanding digital library is a key factor for this cluster’s ongoing use.
Double Features
Double Features enjoy library DVDs and CDs for watching TV shows and movies and
listening to music. Average number of items borrowed by Double Features tends to be
among the highest of all clusters.
New Cardholders
New Cardholders are new to the library and are exploring a variety of activities during
their first three months as customers. It’s important to engage this cluster early and often
to establish a long-term relationship.
Occasionals
Occasionals are infrequent library users that tend to borrow print materials when they do
occasionally use the library. They are receptive to library promotions, especially digital
and downloadable resources.
Page Turners
Page Turners visit the library regularly to borrow print materials. They are avid readers
who enjoy finding new content through the online catalog and browsing at the library.
Rising Stars
Rising Stars are children who use a personal library card to select and borrow their own
library materials. They are avid readers who mimic Page Turners in their library use.
Transitionals
Transitionals use the library for the best of both worlds — eBooks and print materials.
Convenience and ease of use are important determinants for continued digital use.
Page 4 of 5
Unknown
Unknowns are patrons whose activity is not or cannot be tracked in Savannah. They are
engaging with the library in ways that update when they were last active in their ILS
information, but do not display what activity it is.
*Inactives
Inactives’ library usage has ceased for more than 12 months. Lifestyle and options
outside the library can be key factors in lapsed use, however lack of personal use does
not indicate lack of library support. Inactives do not show up in the clusters because they
are not active.
As the Library continues to use Savannah, staff will create targeted messaging for the
most populous clusters represented in our user group. Since the Library recently acquired
this product, staff has yet to use its full functionality for creating connections with each of
the subgroups. As the Library begins to resume normal operations, staff plans to devote
more attention to refining the Library’s communication with all of its patrons.
Analytics
Savannah also provides very detailed analytics that help staff to understand how well
the Library’s email messages are received. Staff is able to track how many messages
were send, how many people opened the messages and which links inside the messages
were clicked. Savannah also retains all this data ongoing to allow us to compare how well
our messages are received. Here is a snapshot of recent message performance.
As the data reveals, the Zipbooks campaign message was particularly successful,
resulting in twice as many emails were opened pertaining to Zipbooks compared to the
Library’s general update in February 2021. The data also shows that generally email
messages that are about specific topics are opened more frequently than general
messages that contain a list of topics.
Page 5 of 5
The Library has seen the success of the email campaigns reflected in its program and
services data. For example, on May 26, 2021 , the Library sent a email campaign to
advertise a virtual program on mental health and aging. This campaign resulted in
4,927 emails being opened and 171 clicks. The next day, staff received an email from
the program presenter alerting us that as of May 26, 2021 at 6:00 pm, all 50 attendance
slots had been filled and the program was sold-out, prompting staff to schedule an
additional workshop and accommodate more people.
Submitted by:
Henry Bankhead
Assistant Library & Recreation Director / City Librarian
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LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
AGENDA REPORT
June 8, 2021
Item #5
TITLE: LUCAS VALLEY ROAD BOOK DROP
SUMMARY
In early May 2020, a library book return location was installed on Lucas Valley Road
between Las Gallinas and highway 101. It was installed next to an existing mailbox
location with convenient drive through access. The City’s Public Works Department
installed a cement pad and mounted the book drop box on top of the pad. Books from
any public library in Marin County can be returned at this book drop.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Board of Trustees receive the report and provide feedback.
BACKGROUND:
Some parts of Marin County self-identify as discreet neighborhoods, but are actually
un-incorporated areas within the County, such as Tamalpais Valley and Marinwood.
These areas are located next to incorporated cities such as Mill Valley and San Rafael,
with which the populace of these areas identify. These un-incorporated areas are not
officially served by city operated libraries, but instead are served by Marin County Free
Library, which serves all un-incorporated areas of the county as well as the cities of
Novato, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Marin City, Bolinas, Inverness, and Pt. Reyes . To
provide more access to services for these un-incorporated areas Marin County Free
Library and the MARINet consortium has begun installing some additional book drops
for the convenience of patrons in these un-incorporated areas. This effort is part of a
plan to generally help share the load of serving un-incorporated areas that sometimes
can fall on the adjacent cities to these areas. The first book drop to be installed as part
of this project is the one located on Lucas Valley Road.
DISCUSSION:
Patrons have been quite pleased with the new book drop and the use of this drop -off
location has grown steadily since it’s installation. MARINet plans to install an additional
book drop in Tamalpais Valley to serve patrons of that county un-incorporated area. The
book drop is being funded cooperatively by existing funds from MARINet. In addition,
this pickup location has been added to the City of San Rafael’s Public Library existing
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delivery contract. This will be an additional stop on an on-going basis and will result in a
slight additional to the consortium. The delivery service provider will be picking up items
at this drop box three (3) days per week.
Submitted by:
Henry Bankhead
Assistant Library & Recreation Director / City Librarian