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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Library Trustees 2022-03-08 Agenda Packet SAN RAFAEL PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AGENDA Tuesday, March 8, 2022 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://bit.ly/BLT-03-08-2022 The City is not responsible for any interrupted service. Want to listen to the meeting and comment in real-time over the phone? Call: (720) 707-2699 and enter 845-9481-6289# CALL TO ORDER • Roll Call AGENDA AMENDMENTS MINUTES 1. Approve regular meeting minutes of February 8, 2022 MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 2. Introductions/Awards/Recognitions/Presentations • Introduction – Catherine Quffa, Incoming Library & Recreation Director • New Manga Collection by Supervising Librarian Jill Tokutomi 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. 4. Community Wellness Assistant Program Update Library Board of Trustees Agenda Page 2 of 2 5. 1000 Books before Kindergarten Program Update BOARD REPORTS AND COMMENTS 6. Other brief reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by Board members. STAFF REPORTS AND COMMENTS 7. Other brief program updates or reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by staff: NEXT MEETING: April 12, 2022 FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS • RFID Tagging Update 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 March 8, 2022 1 BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES MINUTES ________________________________________________________ San Rafael Library – 1100 E Street, San Rafael, CA February 8, 2022 – 6:00 P.M. Virtual Meeting Recording Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yilL06nxmbk CALL TO ORDER Chair Duque Hughes called the meeting to order at 6:01 P.M. Roll Call Present: Trustee Cortes Chair Duque Hughes Trustee Han, entered the meeting at 6:03 P.M. Trustee Lentini Absent: Trustee Vahdat Also Present: Susan Andrade-Wax, Library & Recreation Director Henry Bankhead, Assistant Library & Recreation Director/City Librarian Jinder Banwait, Administrative Analyst Basia Jędruszczak, Librarian I AGENDA AMENDMENTS None. MINUTES 1. Approve Regular Meeting Minutes of January 11, 2022 Chair Duque Hughes invited public comment; however, there was none. Trustees provided comments. The minutes of January 11, 2022 were approved as submitted. Trustee Lentini moved, and Trustee Cortes seconded to approve the minutes of the January 11, 2022 meeting. Minutes subject to approval at the meeting of March 8, 2022 2 Ayes: Trustees: Cortes, Han, Lentini, & Duque Hughes Noes: Trustees: None Absent: Trustees: Vahdat Abstain: Trustees: None Minutes approved as submitted. MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 2. Introductions/Awards/Recognitions/Presentations New Library Video Game Collection – Basia Jędruszczak, Librarian Staff responded to questions from the Trustees. Chair Duque Hughes invited public comment; however, there was none. Trustees provided comments. 3. Public Comment from the audience regarding items not listed on the agenda None. MATTERS BEFORE THE BOARD 4. FY 2021- 2022 2nd Quarter Annual Revenue and Expenditure Budget Report Presentation by Henry Bankhead, Assistant Library and Recreation Director/City Librarian Staff responded to questions from the Trustees. Chair Duque Hughes invited public comment; however, there was none. Trustees provided comments. 5. Allergy Awareness Signage Update Presentation by Henry Bankhead, Assistant Library and Recreation Director/City Librarian Staff responded to questions from the Trustees. Chair Duque Hughes invited public comment; however, there was none. Trustees provided comments. Mr. Bankhead summarized the feedback received regarding the Allergy Awareness Signage and said the updated sign will be presented at the next Library Board of Trustees meeting during item “Other brief program updates or reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by staff ”, the updates to the sign will consist of: Minutes subject to approval at the meeting of March 8, 2022 3 a. graphic showing typical items brought into the children’s space, processed food containing nuts, peanut butter jelly sandwiches, granola bars, and various nuts b. educational material near the sign will be a display created using items already in the library’s collection c. explanation at the bottom of the sign about the necessity of the sign d. the Spanish word/language for nut to be changed to something that is inclusive of various nuts e. the color of the sign to be yellow or another eye-catching color BOARD REPORTS AND COMMENTS 6. Other brief reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by Board members. None. 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. Chair Duque Hughes invited public comment; however, there was none. Trustees provided comments. NEXT MEETING: March 8, 2022 FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS • RFID Tagging Update ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 P.M. LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AGENDA REPORT March 8, 2022 Item #4 TITLE: COMMMUNITY WELLNESS ASSISTANT PROGRAM UPDATE SUMMARY The library is piloting a new program that is focused on providing a new staff member dedicated to proactively managing issues related to people experiencing homelessness who are using the downtown library. This new position is referred to as the Community Wellness Assistant. The intent is to move from a previous model, which used outside private security to enforce rules, to a model that is more holistic in working with the community to promote acceptable behavior. The Community Wellness Assistant position acts in collaboration with the City’s Mental Health Liaison Lynn Murphy, and this position is supervised and funded by the library. RECOMMENDATION That the Board accept the report and provide feedback. BACKGROUND In 2013, the library contracted with a private security service to provide support with patron issues and security at the Downtown location. Those services were provided until March 2020 when those services were no longer needed due to the Pandemic, and it was eliminated. While initially helpful in deterring negative and prohibited behavior, security presence became somewhat counter-productive and inefficient over time. With significant staff turnover, onboarding and training new staff became burdensome and ineffective. Overall, the security service did not perform to expectations. They were either were lax in enforcement, continually re-directed concerns back to staff, or exercised overzealous enforcement. DISCUSSION The challenges at the Downtown Library largely revolve around patrons demonstrating undesirable behavior or acting erratically while under the influence of a controlled substances. Often these behaviors are associated mental illness and/or with people experiencing homelessness but not exclusively. Page 2 of 2 These types of behaviors can be challenging and difficult to mitigate. Some examples include intense body odor, conflicts with staff and other patrons, as well as bathing in the library restroom. After several attempts to correct or mitigate negative behaviors, the library often resorts to banning people from the library. Unfortunately, banning specific individual does little to address the underlying causes of problematic behavior often resulting in multiple incidents with the same patrons. Inevitably, when library staff have consulted with Lynn Murphy regarding these situations, she has provided invaluable insight into managing these problem behaviors. The intent of employing a Community Wellness Assistant is to strengthen the connection between the library and the police department ’s Mental Health Liaison. Because of this connection the library is better able to in provide referrals to social services and other supportive resources. The effect of designating a specific staff member to address issues of wellness and promote adherence to behavior policies at the library is a net benefit for the City as a whole. The Community Wellness Assistant is able to promote the health and safety of patrons in general while also being a point of contact to provide social service referrals and resources to specific people who are in need. In the absence of this position and in the absence of a security guard, Library staff would be required to handle behavior and compliance issues in addition to providing library services. The addition of the Community Wellness Assistant has strengthened the entire library team and has contributed to a coordinated approach to community wellness. FISCAL IMPACT There are no costs associated with accepting this report. ALTERNATIVE ACTION Any other action as determined by the Board. Submitted by: Henry Bankhead Assistant Library and Recreation Director / City Librarian Page 1 of 3 LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AGENDA REPORT March 8, 2022 Item #5 TITLE: 1,000 BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM UPDATE SUMMARY In February 2022 the San Rafael Public Library re-launched a library program called “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten”. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Trustees receive the report and provide feedback. BACKGROUND: In March 2020, the San Rafael Public Library did an initial launch of an early literacy program called “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten”; the library shut down due to the pandemic just weeks after. 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten was to be offered in addition to a robust slate of library programs and services for families with young children, including six weekly story times across all three locations as well as monthly STEAM programs and Process Art programs. When patrons were unable to come to the library between March through June 2020, library staff packed up the books and toys purchased as prizes for the program to be handed out to families at food distribution sites. Since the start of the pandemic, staff have been re-integrating library services as is safe and feasible. As of February 2022, the library re-launched 1000 Books Before Kindergarten. This is in addition to virtual story times on the library’s YouTube channel as well as monthly take-home crafts offered to families with young children. DISCUSSION: 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is an early literacy program that encourages families to read to their young children to prepare them for kindergarten, independent reading, and beyond. Families with young children (ages 0 – 5 years) can pick-up a log from the library. Every 100 books that they read earns them a prize, up to 1,000 books. This is a year-round program that families can start and end on their own schedule. 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a national program that libraries throughout the country participate in. At this point in time, we are not able to safely reinstate in-person Page 2 of 3 story times, due to the ongoing pandemic, so this program helps to fill a gap in our offerings to families with young children. As stated on the San Rafael Public Library’s website: “Reading together is the single most important way you can help prepare your child to read. Starting from birth, shared reading increases vocabulary and knowledge while helping children develop an interest in reading. The San Rafael Public Library challenges you to share 1,000 books before your child starts kindergarten. You can do it! That’s one book a night for three years, or three books a night for one year.” How it works: 1. Pick up one of our fun interactive logs at the Downtown, Pickleweed, or Northgate Mall libraries. 2. Share books with your child! 3. For every 100 books read, your child earns fun prizes that support their early learning! Collect your prizes at the Downtown, Pickleweed or Northgate libraries. Tips: • Be flexible. Read even if your child is engaged in other toys. • Read the same book over and over. Repetition helps children gain important literacy skills. • Point and talk about pictures in your books and ask questions along the way. • Keep books throughout your house to offer many reading opportunities during the day. FISCAL IMPACT: The Friends of The San Rafael Public Library provided $5,700 in funding to purchase the prizes for 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. Prize Price Total needed Total Price Finger puppets $12 for ten 300 $360 Scarves $10 for 12 300 $250 Egg shakers $17 for 40 280 $119 Bubbles $21 for 24 288 $252 Playdough $25 for 36 288 $200 Books in English and Spanish $4 each 1000 $4,000 Total price + 10% for taxes and fees $5,700 Page 3 of 3 ALTERNATIVE ACTION Any other action as determined by the Board. Submitted by: Jill Tokutomi, Supervising Librarian