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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLB Minutes: 02-20-2025ARCADIA PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Thursday, February 20, 2025 CALL TO ORDER: Chair Liao called the meeting to order at 4:34 p.m. in the Library's Conference Room. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Miriam Carter ROLL CALL: Chair Connie Liao, Chair Pro-Tempore Hsiuchen Chen, Trustees Miriam Carter, Barbara Delphey; Paul Cheng (City Council Liaison); Director of Library & Museum Services Darlene Bradley; Library Services Managers Petra Morris, Samantha Alba ABSENT: Trustee Pardha Akalamkam PUBLIC COMMENTS: None REPORTS FROM LIBRARY TRUSTEES / LIAISONS: Trustee Carter provided information on the seed bank program from the Huntington Beach Library, which she initially learned about through the Arboretum. She spoke with a staff member overseeing the program, which is primarily volunteer run. The library repurposed an old card catalog to store and distribute packaged seeds, allowing users to check them out with the intent of growing them and later returning new seeds as donations. The catalog contains a variety of seeds, and users may check out up to ten seed packets per month. Trustee Carter inquired whether the Library would be interested in pursuing a similar initiative. Director Bradley expressed interest in exploring but would like to review the literature and samples obtained. Trustee Carter mentioned that a Library staff member would be needed, and she would assist with finding volunteers. The Director suggested utilizing the old card catalog at the Reference Desk for this purpose. Additionally, she highlighted the availability of teen volunteers who could assist with the initiative. A potential launch date could align with the Arcadia Goes Green event on April 19. Library Board members discussed potential seed donors, such as the Arboretum and the South Coast Botanic Garden, acknowledging that securing donors would require time and effort. The Director is open to exploring the idea further and will meet with library staff and the City Environmental Manager from Public Works to see if there are any grants. An update will be provided at next month's meeting. Trustee Delphey reported that at the Friends of the Library meeting on February 6, Ebay sales generated $1,600 in revenue. The group is exploring additional payment options other than cash and checks for the bookstore, with Zelle being a potential choice, and it is currently under review. There are currently only 25 paid members of the Friends of the Library. She highly encouraged the Library Board to consider joining the Friends of the Library. Chair Pro-Tempore Chen inquired if the total number of members included the water bill donations, in which Trustee Delphey answered yes. Trustee Carter inquired whether memberships are renewed annually, to which Trustee Delphey confirmed that they follow a January -to -January renewal cycle. Director Bradley highlighted that one benefit of membership is receiving the Friends' newsletter which keeps members informed about everything happening at the Library. Additionally, a membership meeting is scheduled for Saturday, April 26 at 10:30 a.m., featuring a performance by the High School orchestra, followed by an informational session with refreshments. From 12:00 to 12:30 p.m., there will be another performer who will be using the Chinese instrument guzheng. The Friends of the Library are conducting board elections and are planning to create a subcommittee. Concerns were raised about declining membership despite ongoing efforts to increase participation. Trustee Carter suggested providing food might attract more members. Hesitation was expressed about spending funds that could otherwise be donated to the Library. Director Bradley emphasized that membership fees directly support the Library, including funding the Summer Reading Program. The Friends sponsor many of the performers during the summer. Library Manager Morris noted that library staff actively promote and acknowledge the Friends of the Library at the start of performances and include membership brochures to join the Friends of the Library. City Council Liaison Cheng, gave a brief update on mid -year City budget review. A Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce donated $550,000 to the Arcadia Firefighter Foundation for construction of a training center in the City. This is the second largest donation to the City of Arcadia. Only one percent of Fire Departments in California has a class one rating like the City of Arcadia. Trustee Carter inquired about a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program and training for second responders. Trustee Carter mentioned she is CERT certified. CERT teams are second responders trained to triage, but do not take on dangerous duties. Trustee Carter said that Monrovia has a CERT program. Trustee Chen asked who the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce is. City Council Liaison Cheng said that Sho Tay and Susan Guo were instrumental in putting this donation together. Arcadia Firefighters have tasks from the moment they clock in until they leave. Chair Liao reported that the Arcadia Chinese Association (ACA) presidents Susan Guo and Sho Tay were instrumental for the donation made to the Arcadia Firefighter Foundation. The ACA GALA event was to take place on January 19 to raise funds for the Fire Department. The event was postponed, someone from the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce saw the ACA flyer and contacted the ACA president. The initial donation was going to be $200,000, but Susan Guo persuaded the organization to donate more and the final donation was $550,000. March 2 is the ACA annual GALA at Le Meridien. Disaster victims will be invited including City staff who were impacted as well. ACA would like to make a specific donation to the Library for $2000. ACA would like a wish list of specific donations the Library is in need of. Last Friday Chair Liao participated in the Senior luncheon and it was a success with a beautiful performance. REPORTS FROM THE DIRECTOR Announcements / Statements / Future Agenda Items Director's Update: Nothing to report. Monthly Statistical Report: January 2025: Chair Pro-Tempore Chen mentioned that the January 2024 total circulation numbers did not include the digital collection numbers. Director Bradley acknowledged the oversight and noted that the English Conversation Class (ECC) was previously counted under Adult Services programming and has now been moved to Administration Services. She thanked Chair Pro-Tempore Chen for the observation. Circulation numbers continue to grow, with a noticeable increase in digital collection usage. Director Bradley thanked our City Council for approving additional funds to the Library's budget to support expanding the digital collection. This is also the time of year for discarding old magazines. While staff continue sorting the magazines, the Library has updated its policy to retain the current year plus one year past. Teen Zone continues to see increased attendance, with more teens coming into Teen Zone. Staff continues to receive numerous Other questions, especially those related to the fires and available resources. Trustee Delphey mentioned Passports Services is doing well. Library Manager Alba noted that the last Clerk that came on board is almost done with training, which will soon allow Passport Services to be open on Fridays. Director Bradley mentioned that this is the first time in a long time that the Library has had three Passport Clerks. Monthly Report Narrative: January 2026: In January there were over 30,000 visitors, more than 2,000 holds were processed, and over 25,000 items were checked out. Additionally, 7,681 items were downloaded or streamed. Due to high demand, staff had to set limits on Hoopla. Previously, patrons could download or stream up to 10 items, but this has been reduced to five items to ensure funds last through the rest of this fiscal year. In March, eAudio and eBooks were added to Hoopla and circulation numbers skyrocketed. Hoopla is the Library's only streaming service for music. The Library is gradually transitioning from physical formats (CDs, DVDs, books on CD) to digital platforms. Chair Pro-Tempore Chen inquired about Overdrive. Director Bradley explained that some Overdrive items are per use and other items for a certain amount of uses, or for a fixed period. Library Manager Morris added that the Library participates in a consortium, which provides access to many titles. In addition, the Library has an advantage plan, where funds are allocated specifically for Arcadia resident Library cardholders. Director Bradley mentioned that last year most of the money went to the advantage plan because there were many holds. Library staff want to be responsive to the community to meet the needs of our community. Additionally, there were 141 executed passports, and 221 passport -related questions. Internally the City has moved to Amazon Business. Staff are learning how to use the Oracle financial system, which will be used for the budget. A new display case at the Community Center features Santa Anita Park. This year, the Library is focusing on staff accountability, professionalism in the workplace, and training. There is a new paper purchasing procedure. State law requires purchasing recycled paper when possible. Director Bradley mentioned that certified passport agents obtain recertification annually, and it is an all -day training. Financial Report: January 2025: Director Bradley noted that the report shows the remaining budget percentages. The Library had a few unexpected expenses, such as hazardous waste cleaning, which required outside contractors to come in and clean. Chair Pro-Tempore Chen inquired why Shelving Management shows no budget for regular employees. Director Bradley explained that Shelving Management was previously a separate section but has since moved under Account Services. Chair Liao asked about the negative balance for Part -Time P.E.R.S. Director Bradley explained that we do not have control over contributions to P.E.R.S. Trustee Carter inquired about POB contributions, which are Pension Obligation Bonds, which are used to pay for retirement contributions. Director Bradley stated that these amounts are beyond the Library's control as well. It is factored into the annual budget yearly for all departments. The budget process for next fiscal year is currently underway and most likely will be a flat budget. Trustee Carter asked if the budget is categorical and whether funds could be reallocated between categories. Director Bradley confirmed that funds cannot be moved between budget categories, and unused funds are returned to the City's general fund. Chair Liao inquired about Program Expenses, noting that there is only 15% remaining. Director Bradley explained that those costs are for the programs that staff do. Staff plan in advance for programs and often purchase supplies ahead of time. Additionally, some areas of the budget may be more spent than what appears in the current report. Chair Liao asked about Vacation Sell -Back amounts. Director Bradley explained that the City allows employees the option to sell back a certain amount of vacation time and recent union negotiations established new vacation accumulation caps. Library Services Manager Alba added that employees cannot cash out their full vacation hours as limits are set based on what unions negotiated. Chair Liao asked how much vacation employees accrue. Director Bradley stated that it depends, but most employees receive 10 days a year. Chair Liao further inquired what P.E.R.S. is. Director Bradley explained it is the City's retirement system, where both employees and the City contribute 7% each toward retirement. Staff Report: Donation for purchase of Library books: Trustee Delphey inquired about who oversees the Robert Lowe Trust. Director Bradley explained that the Library manages the spending of the trust, which includes specific stipulations regarding the types of materials that can be purchased. Trustee Carter asked about the intended age range for these materials. Director Bradley clarified that the funds are for school age children's books, specifically kindergarten through third grade, to encourage reading. Trustee Delphey asked whether the trust earns interest. Director Bradley confirmed and explained that the Library is currently using up the interest gained, and each book purchased with these funds includes a bookplate recognizing the trust. The City oversees the financial aspects of the account. Staff Update: Library Manager Morris announced that Amy D. joined the Library as the new Children's Services Principal Librarian, in December. Amy has been getting to know the community through outreaches and working at the information desk and is also getting to know staff. Annie H. is the new Part -Time Library Technician in Children's Services. She previously worked at the Sierra Madre Library and is currently working at the Monterey Park Library. Children's Services is waiting for one additional staff member to fill the Part -Time Librarian position, after which Children's Services will be fully staffed. Library Services Manager Alba reported that Library Aide Shu Shu P. will be retiring after seven years of service at the Library. Serving with a Purpose 2026: United in Purpose: Cultivating Belonging, Trust, and a Shared Vision May 16, 2026: Serving with a Purpose is an annual event held at the Ontario Convention Center. It is a great opportunity to network with other Library Board of Trustees, Friends groups, and library staff. The event is on Thursday, May 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Director Bradley encouraged Board members to attend. Trustee Carter also encouraged Trustees to attend. The event is on the same day as the May Library Board meeting. Glib Museum of Arcadia Heritage: Director Bradley highly encouraged the Board to visit the Lunar New Year Exhibit at the Museum, which celebrates the year of the snake and displays snake -related artifacts. Museum staff are preparing for the opening of the annual photography contest in March. A photography professor will serve as the judge and the contest is open to all ages. Winning entries will be showcased in the May and June exhibit. Additionally, Museum staff are currently attending the California Association of Museums (CAM) conference in San Francisco, where they are presenting on preservation workshops. Director Bradley noted that staff are frequently invited to present at conferences. Calendar of Activities for Adult and Teen Services: March 2026: Director Bradley spoke at the Coffee with the Mayor event on Tuesday, February 18, where she highlighted the Library's International Film Program (IFP). As a result, four new attendees participated in the program. The Smart Squad drop -in program continues to assist patrons with technology related questions, with staff working on increasing comfort with various technologies, such as the Library's Cricut machine. A Cricut Keychain program is scheduled for Thursday, March 13. For teens, there will be a Zine Zone program on Thursday, March 20. The Library's Book Discussion takes place every month on the fourth Tuesday of every month. The March selection is Circe by Madeline Miller. Director Bradley encouraged Board members to save the date for Arcadia Goes Green on Saturday, April 19. The Repair Cafe will once again be part of the event. Calendar of Activities for Children's Services: March 2026: The Bookmark Contest and Storytime registration will start on Saturday, March 1. On March 15, the Children's Department will host a Dog Man Book Party. Additionally, Game Day Unplugged is scheduled for Thursday, March 20 at 12:30 p.m. Trustee Carter inquired about a parent buying committee, which would allow parents to provide feedback on the purchase of library materials. Director Bradley emphasized the importance of ensuring that the Library offers something for everyone. Chair Pro- Tempore Chen asked whether the Library Board could prevent such a committee from forming. Director Bradley clarified that any committee would require input from the governing Board, as it is responsible for setting Library policies. Librarians are highly trained professionals in collection development. Library Manager Morris reinforced this, highlighting that librarians go to school specifically for this. The Library's connections with families and the community help shape the collection to meet diverse needs. Director Bradley further explained that our moral compass is serving the community, which is why multiple selectors are involved in the collection process. Trustee Delphey shared that she has personally suggested many items for purchase, and her requests have been approved nine out of ten times, demonstrating that the Library staff listen to user requests. Chair Pro-Tempore Chen, noted a correction to the Book Buddies program on March 27. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. instead of 5:00 p.m. Flyers/Articles/Posters/Attachments: The 2025 Bookmark Contest is for ages three and older. This years' theme is based on the Summer Reading Program theme which is Level Up. Director Bradley encouraged Board members to take part in Blind Date with a Book by selecting a wrapped book and discovering if it's a good match. Bookmarked takes place every other month, with the next session on March 27. This months' book is l Want to Die but l Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee. CONSENT CALENDAR a. Approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of January 16, 2026 Recommended action: Approve The motion to accept the Minutes of January 16, 2025, as written, was moved by Chair Pro- Tempore Chen, seconded by Trustee Delphey, and carried on a unanimous voice vote. AYES: Trustees Carter, Chen, Delphey, Liao NOES: None ABSENT: Pardha Akalamkam b. Approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of June 20, 2024 Recommended action: Approve The motion to accept the Minutes of June 20, 2024, as written, was moved by Trustee Carter, seconded by Chair Liao, and carried on a unanimous voice vote. AYES: Trustees Carter, Liao NOES: None ABSENT: Pardha Akalamkam ADJOURNMENT Chair Liao adjourned the meeting at 6:04 p.m. to March 20, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Library, 20 W. Duarte Road, Arcadia. Approved: Connie Liao, Chair Darlene Bradley, Secretary Minutes prepared by: Samantha Alba