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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLB Minutes: 10-16-2025ARCADIA PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Thursday, October 16, 2026 CALL TO ORDER: Chair Hsiuchen Chen called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. in the Library's Conference Room. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Trustee Barbara Ansell ROLL CALL: Chair Hsiuchen Chen, Chair Pro-Tempore Miriam Carter, Trustees Barbara Delphey; Barbara Ansell; City Council Liaison Paul Cheng; Director of Library & Museum Services Darlene Bradley; Library Services Managers Petra Morris, Samantha Alba ABSENT: Trustee Connie Liao A motion to excuse Trustee Connie Liao from today's meeting to attend her daughter's wedding was made by Chair Chen, seconded by Chair Pro-Tempore Carter, and was approved by a unanimous voice vote. AYES: Chair Chen, Chair Pro-Tempore Carter, Trustees Ansell, Delphey NOES: None ABSENT: Trustee Liao A discussion ensued regarding Trustee Liao's recent absences. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM STAFF REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS: Director Bradley provided the Library Board with the Arcadia Public Library 2024-2025 Annual Report and accompanying Fact Sheet. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None REPORTS FROM LIBRARY TRUSTEES / LIAISONS: City Council Liaison Paul Cheng reported on upcoming events happening in the City, including the Community Craft Fair on Saturday, October 25, at the Arcadia Community Center and the Hope House Annual Fundraiser to be held at The Derby on October 25 at 11:00 a.m. He also mentioned Arcadia Cleanup Day, known as Jim Barrows Day, which recognizes Arcadia residents who are active members in the community. Moving forward, City Council Liaison Cheng hopes residents will recognize living community members. The community cleanup day will be held at the Transit Station on Saturday, November 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Chair Pro-Tempore Carter reported attending the plant and seed seminar at the Arcadia Community Center, which offered a presentation and giveaways. REPORTS FROM THE DIRECTOR Announcements / Statements / Future Agenda Items Director's Update: Director Bradley asked the Board if they would be willing to receive electronic copies of the Library Board Meeting packets. Additionally, physical copies would be available on the day of the meeting. A discussion followed regarding preference. The Office Coordinator will continue mailing physical packets to Board members. Monthly Statistical Report: September 2025: The Monthly Statistical Report includes a note for In -House Use Check -ins which show a reporting error. Library Services Manager Alba explained that the error is due to the most recent system update, and a ticket has been opened to hopefully resolve the issue by next month. Teen Programs and Teen Zone statistics were discussed. Teen Zone figures have been separated from Teen Programs to accurately reflect programming numbers. While the totals remain the same, they are now reported separately. Trustee Ansell noted that the numbers were different from the previous year. Chair Chen stated that last year's totals included Teen Zone participants with the Teen Programs statistics. Director Bradley also mentioned that the State Library statistics have also asked to separate the totals. Chair Chen mentioned that the ongoing issue with the Circulation statistics continues, noting a 13,000 discrepancy. The 2024-2025 Fiscal Year to Date total should reflect the sum of the four sub- categories beneath it. Chair Chen recommended that the formula needs to be properly set on the spreadsheet. Director Bradley confirmed that the formulas will need to be reset due to prior adjustments made to the Monthly Statistical Report. Director Bradley further noted that Fines and Fees revenue was lower because the Library waived fines during Library Card Sign -Up Month. Additionally, the Library received a $5,000 donation from the Seaver Trust Fund. The funds are specifically designated for the purchase of adult new books. Monthly Report Narrative: September 2026: Trustee Delphey inquired about the Library's average for card registrations. Director Bradley explained that typically registration numbers increase in September, which coincides with the beginning of the school year, and in June during the Summer Reading Program. Trustee Delphey reported attending the Ed Anderson Talkin' History event on Friday, October 10. She noted that towards the end of the program, Ed Anderson thanked Director Bradley and the City of Arcadia Public Library. Trustee Delphey stated that it was nice to see the partnership between the two groups. The Board asked about the Smart Chute mentioned under Technology. Manager Alba clarified that it refers to the book return located outside the Library entrance. The Smart Chute allows patrons to check -in items immediately by scanning one of item to open the chute and to proceed to return remaining items. All returned items are automatically updated on the patron's account. Unfortunately, the Library is currently awaiting on a FE Technology technician to continue with the installation process. Chair Pro- Tempore Carter reported attending the well -attended Crochet Class at the Library. She noted that it was a little hard for beginners and she assisted a few participants during the class. Director Bradley thanked Chair Pro-Tempore Carter for her feedback. Financial Report: September 2026: Chair Chen inquired about the Administration Account 5115 - Program Expenses, noting that it decreased to 36% remaining. Director Bradley explained that $5,000 of the total budget is designated for the Pasadena Symphony and Pops and it was recently deducted from the account. Additionally, the cost is shared with Development Services Department (DSD). Trustee Ansell asked why some of the accounts showed as 50% percent of the budget spent, mentioning that she thought it would be less spent. Director Bradley explained that accounts should be around one-third spent four months into the fiscal year. She further reported that Baker & Taylor, the Library's primary materials vendor, has declared bankruptcy. Staff are currently looking for alternative vendors to fulfill material orders, such as Ingram, Amazon Books, Vroman's, and Libraria. Some new purchase orders will require City Council approval, which may cause some delays. However, staff may continue to order materials up to the current Purchase Order amount. Chair Chen and Chair Pro-Tempore Carter inquired whether the Library loses anything. Director Bradley confirmed that material budgets remain unchanged and noted that staff have experienced ongoing challenges with Baker & Taylor over the past year. Policy Manual Updates: Section 1: Governance and Oraanizational Structure • Page 7 — Arcadia City Charter. Section 809 o Add a comma after "with,". Director Bradley explained that the wording in this section is taken directly from the City Charter. She noted that while the Board may make revisions to this section, any changes to the City Charter can be formally updated when the Charter itself is updated. 0 Page 7 — Members o Second sentence needs clarification and should read as "two consecutive four-year terms... ". • Page 15 — Information Systems Services: o Third paragraph, first sentence change "for" to "to the Library's Internet website...". • Page 16 — Support Organizations ■ Delete extra space before "Operate...". Section 2: Account Services • Page 18 — All -Access Library Card o All changes accepted. Chair Chen noted that the requirements for applying for a library card listed on the website should be consistent with what is written in the policy. • Page 19 — Loans and Renewals o All changes accepted. • Page 21 - Fines and Fees o All changes accepted. o Remove "First Card — no charge". o Security deposit amount for the Imagination Theatre should be consistent with what is listed in the rental agreement. Section 3: Collections and Technolo Director Bradley informed the Library Board that everything in red within this section are new additions required by the California State Library seeking more details in the policy. She noted that the rewrite is also useful for staff to reference, provides clearer guidance, and helps staff remain mindful of the intended audience when ordering materials. Collection Development Guidelines were approved with the following updates: • Page 23 - Library Materials Selection Policy o Last paragraph change "passing in 2024..." to "passed in 2024...". • Page 24 — Library Materials Selection Policy o Bold - Collection Development Goals and Scope. • Selection Criteria — o Add periods for consistency. o #4 remove "s" from presents. • Patron Recommendation and Requests o First sentence add "does not". • Criteria for Weeding and Withdrawal o First sentence remove "is" change to "are". • Page 30 — Social Media Policy — o Remove repetitive sentence "The Library reserves the right to...". • Page 32 — Internet Services Policy: o Change "TAZ 6" to "Prusa MK4". Section 4: Patron Rights and Responsibilities • Page 36 — Confidentiality of Patron Information o All additions accepted to the Privacy and Confidentiality section. o Personally Identifiable Information —Add a 'g' to "Strengthening". • Page 38 — Procedures for Handling Request for Library Records o Second paragraph, updated to: "The Library, in accordance with California Government Code 7927.100 and 7927.105, recognizes its responsibility to protect the confidentiality of library patron records, written and electronic, specifically that identify borrowers, including registration records, attendance lists for library programs, circulation records, and other library access records. These are deemed confidential under the California Public Records Act, California Government Code section 7927.105. Disclosure is only permitted under specific exceptions, such as legal directives like a court order or subpoena." Page 41 — Code of Conduct o Keeping current language in place for now. o Reworking the wording and adding additions somewhere in that section. o New rewrite - Section A — remove all "No" under Unacceptable Behaviors. o Move bullet points D-F to Unacceptable Behaviors section. o A finalized version will be brought to the Board for review at a later date to further discuss revisions. Section 5: Facilities • Ensure language is consistent with the Auditorium and Imagination Theater rental policies. Trustee Carter inquired if the policy should include procedures during an emergency, a public policy. Director Bradley explained that emergency procedures are internal, and staff are trained in how to mitigate emergencies. Discussion followed. Trustee Carter inquired about Al discussion regarding new CA law — add to next agenda. Student Success Cards Initiative: Library Services Manager Alba reported that the initiative is progressing. Translations of the library card applications have been completed in Mandarin and Spanish. My Hero Library Cards are expected to arrive within the next three weeks and will be presented at the next Library Board meeting. Staff Update: Librarian I in Cataloging and Acquisitions withdrew from the process. We will move on to the next person on the list. Glib Museum of Arcadia Heritage: Staff will host the Teacher Resource Fair on Thursday October 23. Upcoming programs include Hidden History on October 18, a PBS documentary, the next Preservation Workshop is scheduled for December 13 and will focus on Genealogy. Two weeks ago, the Museum presented an Arcadia Little League pop-up program, featuring community members who participated in the league during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Director Bradley encouraged Library Board members to visit the current exhibit. The Veteran Banners program received additional registrations this year and is scheduled to be installed on October 30 or 31 along both the northbound and southbound sides of Huntington Drive. Calendar of Activities for Adult and Teen Services: November 2025: On November 1, a talk will be held at the Adams Pack Station, located on Chantry Flat, which is one of the few remaining working Pack Stations in the country. This evening, Adult Services is hosting a DIY Charm Keychain program in the auditorium. Calendar of Activities for Children's Services: November 2025: The In-N-Out Cover to Cover Reading Program encourages children to read five books to earn a free In-N-Out burger. Flyers/Articles/Posters/Attachments: Director Bradley announced that she will host the first Bookish in January 2026, featuring The Book Club for Troublesome Women, a novel set in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Adventure Backpack Kits are available for checkout. The Library also has a telescope that will be available for checkout. Director Bradley also encouraged the Board to attend the upcoming Repair Cafe on Saturday, October 25, which promotes reuse and upcycling. Additionally, the Arcadia Native Plant Seed Library will begin on November 3. Participants may checkout three seed packets per month, with no repeats of the same seed. This program is a collaboration with Public Works and the City's Environmentalist. Featured Historical Photo: Baldwin Ranch Dairy Buildings: Board members reviewed the historical photo. CONSENT CALENDAR a. Approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of September 18, 2026 Recommended action: Approve The motion to approve the Minutes of September 18, 2025, as amended to indicate Trustee Ansell was excused from the meeting, was moved by Trustee Carter, seconded by Trustee Delphey, and carried on a unanimous voice vote. AYES: Chair Chen, Chair Pro-Tempore Carter, Trustees Ansell, Delphey NOES: None ABSENT: Trustee Liao LIBRARY MATERIALS SELECTION POLICY A motion to approve the Library Materials Selection Policy as amended per the discussion, was made by Chair Chen, seconded by Trustee Ansell, and carried on a unanimous voice vote. AYES: Chair Chen, Chair Pro-Tempore Carter, Trustees Ansell, Delphey NOES: None ABSENT: Trustee Liao ADJOURNMENT Chair Chen adjourned the meeting at 6:20 p.m. to November 20, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. in the Conference Room of the wry, 20 W. Duarte Road, Arcadia. C�aI Chen, Ch Darlene Wadley, Secretary Minutes prepared by: Samantha Alba