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Home My WebLink AboutBoard of Library Trustees 2023-09-12 Agenda Packet1 BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES SEPTEMBER 12, 2023 AT 6:00PM CITY HALL LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM THIRD FLOOR 1400 5TH AVE, SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA PARTICIPATE VIA ZOOM: https://bit.ly/BLT-09-12-2023 Want to listen to the meeting and comment in real-time over the phone? Call: (669) 444-9171 and enter 857-9936-0628# AGENDA CALL TO ORDER – 6:00PM MINUTES 1. Approve regular meeting minutes of July 11, 2023 Recommended Action – Approve as submitted OPEN TIME FOR PUBLIC EXPRESSION The public is welcome to address the Library Board at this time on matters not on the agenda that are within its jurisdiction. Comments may be no longer than 3 minutes and should be respectful to the community. OTHER AGENDA ITEMS If necessary to assure completion of the following items, the Chairperson may establish time limits for the presentations by individual speakers. 2. Library Foundation Support for New Downtown Library, staff report by Jill Tokutomi and presentation by representatives from The San Rafael Public Library Foundation a. Recommended Action: Review and provide comment STAFF LIAISON REPORT 3. Other brief program updates or reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by staff. COMMISSIONER REPORTS 4. Other brief reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by the Board members. ADJOURNMENT 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 online and in the city hall large conference room, third floor, 1400 5th Avenue, San Rafael, California placed with other agenda-related materials on the table in front of the location prior to the meeting. Sign Language interpreters may be requested by calling (415) 485-3066 (voice), emailing city.clerk@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 format s upon request. To request Spanish language interpretation, please submit an online form at https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/request-for- interpretation/. Minutes subject to approval at the meeting of September 12, 2023 1 BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES MINUTES ________________________________________________________ City Hall Large Conference Room, Third Floor 1400 5th Ave, San Rafael, CA July 11, 2023 – 6:00 P.M. Virtual Meeting Recording Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXKfmJLpHvU CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Andow called the meeting to order at 6:03 P.M. Roll Call Present: Trustee Andow Trustee Kyle Trustee Lee Absent: Trustee Cortes Chair Vahdat Also Present: Jinder Banwait, Administrative Analyst Jill Tokutomi, Assistant Library & Recreation Director/City Librarian Noll & Tam Architects Representatives MINUTES 1. Approve Regular Meeting Minutes of June 13, 2023 Trustees provided comments. The minutes of June 13, 2023 were approved as submitted. Trustee Kyle moved, and Trustee Lee seconded to approve the minutes of the June 13, 2023 meeting. Ayes: Trustees: Andow, Kyle, and Lee Noes: Trustees: None Absent: Trustees: Cortes and Vahdat Minutes subject to approval at the meeting of September 12, 2023 2 Abstain: Trustees: None Minutes approved as submitted. Vice Chair Andow invited public comment; however, there was none. OPEN TIME FOR PUBLIC EXPRESSION Public Comment from the audience regarding items not listed on the agenda. None SPEICAL PRESENTATIONS None OTHER AGENDA ITEMS 2. Downtown Library Modernization Project Update and Proposed Project Scope Staff report by Jill Tokutomi, Assistant Library & Recreation Director/City Librarian and presentation by representatives from Noll & Tam Architects Staff responded to questions from the Trustees. Trustees provided comments. Vice Chair Andow invited public comment; however, there was none. STAFF LIAISON REPORT 3. Other brief program updates or reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by staff. Presentation by Jill Tokutomi, Assistant Library & Recreation Director/City Librarian Staff responded to questions from the Trustees. Trustees provided comments. Vice Chair Andow invited public comment; however, there was none. COMMISSIONER REPORTS 4. Other brief reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by the Board members. Trustee Lee attended a class about Medicare benefits and encouraged others to do so, well before reaching retirement age. Additionally, Trustee Lee shared concerns about senior citizen being victims of various scams and asked how the library can help raise awareness. Minutes subject to approval at the meeting of September 12, 2023 3 NEXT MEETING: September 12, 2023 ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:08 P.M. LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AGENDA REPORT September 12, 2023 Item #2 TITLE: LIBRARY FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR NEW DOWNTOWN LIBRARY RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Trustees review the report and provide comment. BACKGROUND: The Library Foundation The San Rafael Public Library has 3 active support groups: The Friends of the San Rafael Public Library, The Library Foundation, and the Board of Library Trustees. The Friends raise money through book sales to fund library enrichment in the areas of programming, outreach, and collections. The Board of Library Trustees is an advisory board appointed by City Council and comprised of members of the public that reviews library business and offers feedback in a monthly public meeting. The Library Foundation is a non-profit with the mission to assist the City in efforts to pursue a new library building. Each group plays a crucial role in supporting the work of the library and is comprised of community members who are passionate about the San Rafael Public Library. The Library Foundation was founded in 2004 by San Rafael Public Library Director Vaughn Stratford, along with Chuck Stuckey and Robert Barnett, and continues to be comprised of community members, councilmembers, and staff liaisons. For 19 years, the Foundation has been actively raising funds and advocating for a new library. The funds the Foundation raises have been used towards efforts such as community surveys, outreach, and educational campaigns. Earlier this year, the Foundation hired a film crew to develop a short documentary about the need for a new library in San Rafael, followed by an advertising campaign to promote the film on various social media platforms. The Downtown Library Page 2 of 3 The Downtown San Rafael Public Library (1100 E St) was constructed in 1909 with funding from Andrew Carnegie. The building has been modified significantly with an addition in 1960 to the north-facing side and in 1976 the addition’s parking garage was enclosed to increase public space; the building has not undergone significant modifications or upgrades to expand public space in 37 years. In 2006 the Pickleweed Library opened as part of the Albert J. Boro Community Center, and it 2018 the Northgate branch was opened in the Northgate mall. Since 1976, there has been interest in increasing capacity and upgrading facilities at the Downtown Library, and the City has worked with outside consultants to perform numerous needs assessments and studies, which can be found on the City website dating back to 2003. Additionally, the City has hired 3rd party research firms to conduct surveys to assess community support for different funding avenues for a large -scale project. DISCUSSION: A 2017 Service and Facilities Vision Report performed by Group 4 found that the Downtown Library was lacking the appropriate amount of space for a community of our size, and that the existing facility had substantial issues. Group 4 determined that for a community of our size, San Rafael should have 40,000 to 45,000 square feet of usable library space, compared to our 17,500 square feet across our 3 locations. In 2019 the City commissioned Noll & Tam Architects to prepare a Library Facility Planning Study to propose long-term options to address San Rafael’s need for additional library space throughout the City, including an expanded Downtown location . Three options were identified for Downtown: an expansion of the current Carnegie site, a new facility located in what is now Boyd Park, and a new combined library and community center at Albert Park. The City has commissioned several surveys performed by outside research firms to determine potential funding avenues for a new library project. Most recently, in 2023 an outside research firm surveyed a split sample of likely voters to assess support for a parcel tax measure to fund a new library in Downtown. Half of the respondents were presented with the option for an expanded and renovated Carnegie Building, and the other half were presented with the option for a new combined library and community center at Albert Park. The survey found that both options had viable support through different avenues. Members of the Foundation have expressed support for building a combined library and community center at Albert Park and are considering pursuing a citizen led initiative to fund the project. The Foundation is interested in presenting their perspective and receiving feedback about this option from other stakeholder groups including the Friends and the Board of Trustees. Library staff have invited representatives from the Foundation to present to the Board of Trustees and any members of the public who wish to attend the meeting on September 12, 2023. Page 3 of 3 Submitted by: Jill Tokutomi Assistant Library & Recreation Director / City Librarian