Well, Congress. Johnson here. Maker here. Chair toast here. 5 present 2 absent being Kim nba. First item on the agenda is the approval of minutes. 25 dash 20 approving APRIL 9th 2025 library board Minutes. Alright, is there any discussion on the library board minutes? I will take a motion from council PRESIDENT Maker to approve the library board minutes. All in favor say Aye. Aye opposed. 7 in favor. None oppose. The minutes are approved. Next item on our agenda is staff report. 25 Dash 74 homework
centers and reading together. Wonderful. Well, I'll turn it over to director Hartman and a Steen been burgling, who is our volunteer coordinator to talk about homework centers and reading together. Welcome. Thank you very much for having me. Said like I said, my name is Justin Bamberg laying and I'm the volunteer coordinator for the Saint Paul Public Library. And I appreciate the opportunity to share a little bit about our after school programs, homework, center and rading together. Our homework centers are comfortable spaces. for students of all ages to drop in, they are free spaces where students can get help with their homework from tutor or they can. I they can work
on their home work independently. So if you've ever been to homework center before the spaces that are libraries have for homework centers are amazing. If you walk by or drove by home a library with a homer center, you would see a big banner outside. That's that homework. Help. And when you walk through the doors, you would see another big banner outside of the meeting room as space that said homework, homework, help. And then once you enter up, greeted by a site coordinator, welcome, you need to the space and then showing you around and what you would see is computers and school supplies. And 2 years and kiddos utilizing the sace and then they would ask what subject you would need you need help with and they would
pair you with a tutor that could help you with your homework. And so that is just a little description of our homework centers. I think one thing that mkes our home exeter's really unique is that there for all ages. And from elementary middle school high school college and beyond. And one think been really special thing that we see is maybe elementary kids coming in to get help with their math homework and their parents who might be in a program where they're learning English as a second language coming in with their student and then both getting help and together, which is really cool. Just a few stats about at-home Exeter and 2024. is. We had 841 individual students come in. But we do see the same students pretty regularly and some of our students, they love the
homework center so much. We see them every single which is really great in 2024, we a real big increase in the number of volunteers who helped as tutors. And that is attributed to our amazing relationships with our local universities and colleges. Lot of professors will utilize our home spaces as a way to I give their students a chance to work in community. And so we see a lot of college and university age students. But our tutors are really of all ages. Youngest being 16 and our oldest being 78. So there's also a chance just that generational experience. Resources. So we have a number
of resources at offer at 100 senators computers, school supplies. And I'll just give you a little. And story about our school supplies and how they're utilized. So I don't know if you've ever been in the situation where a student in your life has waited to the last minute to to complete a homework But we get that all the time. And this particular situation of 4th grader the Rondo Library came in with their parents and they needed to get a science assignment Presentation actually. So they needed a tri-fold poster board. And, you know, those aren't always easy to come by and they're expensive. And if your whole class is working on
it, they might not even be at the store that you go and try to find it right. So we had trifled poster boards pinter. They're putting out these pictures of dinosaurs. We had the glue sticks and just all the supplies to make this presentation great. And then they were able to go to school the next day, really confident about their excitement. We have again, really amazing partners. Opportunity. Saint Paul University and College is Kate's, the callous Casey Thomas. Trained volunteers who and not only get training at the beginning of their but also get opportunities improve their throughout their time catering and then library staff. I'm one person and we're so fortunate t have craters at each one of the hallmarks centers are there to so that we can be responsive
as possible to the needs of our participants. And they work closely with the and the families that attend. One particular resource that I just wanted to really highlight is our help. Now live online tutoring to multiple. And so as this resource is free with your library card you get help from expert And they're open from 01:00pm to 11:00pm. So it's a really unlimited resource and at the in English and Spanish. And so if our homework centers are closed because we got a snowstorm students aen't of the cold, literally but they're able to utilize this resource. You can send in an
essay and you can get main feed back. You can send in a problem. If you're unsure about how to solve it, they can help us at. And even if you're at the home center, you know, our tutors possible know everything. And so the teacher and the student can go to the computer and get help on site there. So it's a really valuable resource. And this is these are all of our locations the city and they are strategically placed based the volume of students that we see and and they need and community. Funding. So we're vry grateful. And and fortunate to have the friends of Saint Paul Public Library. Who secure funding for our programming through these donations and grants. And that allows us to purchase things like comfortable furniture. The school supplies that I
talked about. Training for volunteers and all the things that we need run the program. Now, the fun part pictures. So this picture a regular is at around homeric center. And behind them is actually the board that when you come in and you write your subject down, that you need help the great that that's how we could know who's there. Who's that helped to needs to be helped. And I library. We can get 60 students in a day and we want to make sure that every single student has at least a chance to spend a good half hour with a tutor and to get at least one the site and then and that is just great, a great
picture. Students. So at this is great quote. So we suns of our programming in the winter and the We do partisan surveys. Mentor survey is just to get feedback. So that we can make improvements where needed. This is an Just an adult student getting help from one of our volunteers. His highly sought after. So we have students who if they know that that today will be there that day. And they will keep going back to them week after week. And so even though it's a drop in, look, it's a drop-in program. Relationships are formed over And then this just another quote from our surveys. And what I think is really cool is really neat is
that we learned all the ways that our homework centers are being utilized, that we maybe not really didn't envision. And so preparing for a test for work. I believe had participants who are writing books and want feedback on their books. So it's really a great way to just kind of hear all the ways that we're utilizing are folks, 8 allies the home or sentence? So that is homer center centers. Now I'm going to switch gears and talk specifically about our reading together program. So reading together a weekly program where participants are matched with a volunteer mentor. They meet for 45 minutes each week first through 5th graders. And again, this program is free and be they have the opportunity to practice reading. To discover books
that they love. To play literacy gains. It's one of those things where there's and they're having fun, but they don't know. They're learning at the same times that makes it even more fun. All of that is to help literacy skills. And so if went into a library that was hosting reading together, you would mentors and mentees. Maybe in a quieter part of the library. And you would see them. We have something called at something that they do that structured is the I do. We do. You do. Structure which you might see need to reading to them and tea and then then reading together and then building up that confidence read on their - own. And so. It kind of what what you would see happening
in that in that space as well as playing scrabble. I've been and ramah. Giant, you know, which is really very popular and other games. So since stats and we had 131 learners and students last year and really big increase in the 127% increase in hours that we hadn't in tn in tour engagement. And that is really attributed to us. Opening up a new location for reading together at Highland Park. We get that had based on a couple of things. One, the site coordinator recognize that the home accent or Sacred Nature recognize that a lot of kids visiting through their math homework and doing really well. But those same kids are really struggling with
reading. And so we looked at the data and open at that location and its been really well received and attend. Resources. So when I was reviewing my power point, I realized I put free books like free books. Well, that's what libraries So I really I would have free. Where did that? So free books that we don't expect we give a lot of books out in this and the reading together program, hundreds books. And at his stack, the home libraries I students. And they get to for kids that are really motivated by goals. We have a progress tracker and so they can set a goal and then
get stickers toward milestone. And then once they've achieved it, they get a book. And so a goal that I can think of a student and then return my guinea pig, fluffy every night this week. And so that meeting that goal and then getting their book. Again partners we work with America reads at the University of Minnesota and Saint Kates. And that's a literacy program where students get paid to be teachers to help. Young readers achieve their goals around literacy. We haven't is yes to Colin like ally in this picture. This is Ali second year doing reading together with her student. And that's a really beautiful thing about the program is that it's not limited to just one school year that mentor relationship. We have a lot of mentors who been working with the same
student year after year. Can we all know how important mentors are in the success in our lives and then finally library staff. Again, we have site coordinators who did amazing job working with families and mentors on site. Again, these are all of our locations spread the city. Not too far anyone. The funding the So should that happen? And then again, this is what reading together. Looks like. So in this pic chair you see in the background just a journal that every kid is given. Where they can draw pictures or right about what they've But they've read there's a little reserve sign on the in the picture just because we want to make sure
that space is available when they come in and read and then looks like they're reading gottman, which is very Again, we do have a valuation in the fall or excuse me in the winter and the spring. And this a quote. And this reminds me an experience that one of our new where reading together students had where after a couple of sessions with their mentor, they went home and told their mom that they want to write their own book. Mom was very excited because that was not something that they had ever talked about. Shared the floor and they wanted to write that book for their mentor. And so they wrote a little book Illustrated it as
a book about friendship and they presented it to them and which really And you might see that this program is an extension of school, but an opportunity to be to form a relationship with another adult that cares their success that they had a chance to be really create space. This is a family. Evelyn daughter and her were both saw the same mentor and parents attributed reading together to improving. Ellen's reading scores in school. And then this could just really what it's all Being proud improving at their letters, their reading. There seems to This is what I's all Being proud of becoming a better And that's that's ultimately what we want to see in the reading together program. So thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate If you have any
questions, would antenna. Councilmember fraud scheme. Yeah, thank you so much. Chair. Just I was just telling council PRESIDENT Make her feel like I'm melted into my chair hearing that story. But the kid when write the saying, Yeah, you very wisely told us the most impactful I'm I'm always really curious about programs like this. Someone didn't doesn't have children. And so I see the city and perceived the city so differently than folks who have to. Not just folks with children, people to find resources for them. Every both my parents and all 4 my grandparents were teachers site like none of this. It was also internal familiar, like familial help and everything I could to make in school. And so. I'm really curious how folks find you other than just if tey already are in the library and then they learned about the program while they're there. I'm so that's
my first question is sort of. Especially folks who might need this most. I'm I feel like they might also be folks at least likely to find out. But how do folks find you? That's a great question. Thank you. Councilmember. A couple of different ways. Word of mouth is really huge and in our programs. And so if one here's about it, then we start seeing a lot attendance from that particular school. We also have great relationship, Saint Paul public And we do a lot of outreach and the schools and share our programming there. We. Have even heard counselors at school who know students who could benefit from homework
centers and we've been able to kind of share out specifically with students. And so that is kind of one of our biggest Try as you know, if there's there's that. Yeah, I think I really appreciate it. I just want to know to I think programs like this are such a great example. When people say even folks want to be a city council member, something so many people bring up the schools to them. You know, so many people bring up to our office. Still a question about public schools or whatever they sort of might assume that there's more sort of direct government so overlaps. But I think this is a great example where when someone says they care about the schools, they might be speaking more globally to the fact that they want kids to have resources like this. And
so I just love that this is one of the many, many, many, many things that the libraries provide. Even the example of that one side of 131 learners. But 1473 volunteer hours. I mean, the idea that. For a young child like that, 10 hours, if you average that out that they're spending with 10 hours of that kind of real emotional learning support is just so substantial. So even though 131 is that tens of thousands, the impact on those learners, just want to thank you for it and excited to built to learn about it. We can thank you. And other questions from customers, counsel for the Thanks so much, Chair. Justin, thank you so much for the presentation. We're all
melting over It was. It was really, really sweet. And and I'm just so proud to know that we make the service available. I was curious and maybe use of this. I'm sorry. I missed it is from a couple available in all libraries across the It's not available at all libraries. It's available at 5 our. I would say our busiest libraries. And just just kind of strategic in where they're placed in the so that we can help the most trafficked locations and be available in a lot of us. Places around the city. Which library at front that Rondo Library, Arlington Library. And Park Library. I send a library and a wry street light gray.
Any other questions? I have. I have one question and thank yu. I for the presentation. I think I really value the stories that chair at the library board meetings those really, really a help me to understand and experience kind of what folks, but folks really get in that so much that we value that our libraries provide Do you know for homework help ice other alive? Help is offered in English and Spanish. But the homework help flick in-person is that operate multiple languages. That's a great question. While it's primarily in English, we do other language speakers that has 2 years and that folks apply for being a volunteer tutor, I definitely look at what languages they speak in, try to connect them
to the library's for that language skills, most thing. Thank you. Any other questions? All right. Well, thank you so much. Really enjoyed hearing about appreciate your time. Thank you very Appreciate it. Next on the agenda, staff report. 25 Dash. 75. Library update Mobile Library. So really excited for us to get an update our mobile library. Moby. And it was, you know, several months ago that we democratically picked that name. And excited about that. I'd like to So if you cheat center here to talk to about that. Hello, everyone. Good afternoon. Thank Larry. Board members for all listening to me today. Again, my name is
72, something for now. She has a. And I am the mobile ivory let's see. Mobile. Eery fondly known as is. Officially launched on AUGUST. The Fed. 2024. So even on the road to 8 months. But we waited for a very long time. And so this picture captures some of joy because we were all really excited that we finally have the truck and road. We started our We had a launch party at lake neighborhood, which is one our regular community stops over 100 people attended. And it was a really hot day if you kind of see sweat and that we would see a really warm. And then the very next day, a Sunday, AUGUST 4th, we
started our regular schedule. visits Slay over 20 stops. And regular basis, biweekly basis. And we traveled to. All 7 awards and the city of Saint We a very intentional and strategic about where we go. Everyone of all stops the day stops with just and the evening substitute neighborhoods and see me residential facilities. One of those stops face some sort of area to visiting a brick and mortar location. She probably moved to more So we have picture first patron who took the first wheelchair right on how exciting wheelchair lift. And then another picture of team.
Just 3 of us. And that's before we feel the talk with labor materials. Okay. We'll few data points here. So this is fall. The last. you've been on the run 8 months of this is more like 7 months. We've had 32,273. Visit us, which is an average of 4,000. Is it just how And that's 132% increase over last year. Very proud of that 31,000. And 73 items for wrote. So this would be books. Dvd's. Mobile hotspots. That's a 56 increase over last year. So that. Moving from the data, I want talk a little bit improvements and challenge us.
So it's Biggest improvement is. The wheelchair list. It's been wonderful for increasing access. We have heard from patrons will use walkers and wheelchairs that yes, we can find to go into the truck and students. You guys just passing o stuff. And we also use that we will to live to rotate materials so that we can kind of Taylor, according to where we go. So, for instance, a school visits we only carry children's materials, children's books. And then when we go to a community stop, we have a little bit everything improvement I would say is we have tried to offer more services. So we have be on the bookmobile beyond books. And my team has done a fantastic jb, creating a
whole rotation of such as catapults and us. People to something we did last week. And so we have a lot of kids who come in. They just come and say hi to us. They don't necessarily want to get a book or read. So this gives them a way to engage and we can engage with them to that way. So definitely an improvement. The challenge would b an adaptation to the new space because it is a small space from te old truck. Right? Last one was 39 long. The current on the city 2 feet long and the stab wishing a workflow because in the end not have it to desks system. So it's been. Then a lot lot of and then increase in visitors at slew of stops, deaths.
You know, every stop has absent flows. This also the evening stops compared to the day stops. And w have to. Keep the number number is high. Every stop we're given is h 2 years. So kind of at the same time and Sunday to kind of build that establish a said wish that a routine so people can count us. And then up to 2 years, we reassess and decide if we're going to stay. If you folks, we get lots of votes. We think that's speak from it and that we really were very lucky in this job because we have a lot of grateful. Patriots. Welcome. And they tell us. So the frst one. Thank you say Paul. So
providing this mobile rv service makes it a better place to live is and older adults at one of a senior living facilities. And then the second quote is from a new American research in your mom. Who has become one of top? Community partners because she's been enlisting neighbors to come and make lively cats. So we and again, another quote from a and older adults and we do here regularly that we all like But the top entertainment for the week of the 2 weeks. Which is great. It's nice to hear from Things like that. Some pitches you So this is you can see the pigeons in this picture. They're all Camille. And this is at one of stops on the site. We call a rich. But we have no, that's the official name just what we
call it. And then. a couple Staff to point out here. On the I think it's your left or right. We have to buy up or who is Can community specialist. She started with the library. In DECEMBER of 2024, sits in a few months and she's been coming out regularly on wall. Stop where we're at primarily can focus community? So she comes she can interact and speak with adults, something that I can't do and then on the on the other picture, we have our digital navigate a digital navigator was funded by Comcast for 2024. And that He's since moved on to river the library. But he's with the
patron will be helped. Get a new laptop. So another wonderful extension of services, so to speak. And then more So we try wants it gets nice to bring a lot of outdoor activities. The kids love really into. Giant Jenga. And what this call the and then another launch get to the bottom. Rates if. Thank you again from the stunning and we invite you all you all. Very welcome to stop by. To visit us at a mobile, every MAY be a new award. curious to know if anybody questions. Great. Thank you so much. Any questions from councilmembers customer per Thanks are I love hearing about this. I feel like I have seen you in the neighborhood,
but I might also be remembering the older one eye. It's tough for me to. Clearly, I'm not sharp enough to actually categorize these memories. I'm curious. You mentioned the schools during the day being sort of the visits. You also mentioned trying to provide this in a place for him might otherwise be under resourced or not. Have so at the schools are these particularly places that either don't have their own library space and this is filling that gap or the sometimes just very cool fun engaging additive thing for folks that already have maybe a a limited library space. Yes. So we have. Again, like a scene. That's a very good relationships
various Saint Paul public schools. We've currently visit 5 Saint Paul public schools and public charter school. So we use a variety of factors to help decide which school school, too, because we only have space to 6. One is we need a really strong. Connection. Pot know Somebody who is willing to help us with the legwork. Which takes because really this now. And we really want to see. All of our time, the use. And we've developed very efficient. Schedules so that as many kids as possible can Cs in the Times that we're there with between with each school between 4 to 5 hours. some of the locations have a small library locations to not. It seems to go and and not to put in the budget year.
But that's not for me to announce a cause that's on the school side. And then we also basically its books books to kits. That's what the schools have said over and over. That teaches. Really appreciative of books in print. that that we are a public library and we often do public labor services, the experience that you're going to get the public library, it's different from what you would get in the school library. So examples that he just said loved for will be. We love mobile every day because we get to pick something fun to read. You guys have a great selection of thing from things that the school library they're more focused on reading levels and getting something for your people all more serious.
Thanks. Hope. I answered question. Thank you. And and then a follow up that I live near one of the public housing high rises. And if I've seen you might have seen it there, but you all go to those like island by the Hammond Iris. Yes, yes. Oh, please help us support him. And Aires, stop. Truly like 3 outs away. So I feel like I would have had to have seen And the only other thing I want, it will very supportive of that. And especially those high rises. I just there's multiple of them and for and obviously there's most of them across the city. But it's unique where they are in many of our neighborhoods because they're actually some of the only density and sort of real true density of residents in one place to be honest and the entire neighborhood, you know,
in all of midway, it's easily the most dense concentration of neighbors in one place. And so it's just the exact place. I would want services like this to be where so many people can find your once. I so very thankful and just want to name both for this and the previous one. I didn't mention it before. I just Im very thankful for the outside funding that you all have partnered to bring in to help amplify whatever resources we're able to give us a library board or city, you're taking advantage of outside funding to multiply that benefit. And I just want to name all of the work and effort it takes to maintain and build those relationships to make that a reality because it's less pressure on our public resources. Just one
name that's very appreciated. comes learning. Thanks, chair No questions here. Just wanted to share my enthusiasm and support for Moby and homer center and being together. 2 things that are a highlight for me as was listening to your presentation about Mookie, especially is that. I feel it is such a great to introduce people to pop-up advisories, especially in areas where each of those children maybe have not been to buy library before or have access to books easily. And then also really fulfills this value that I always talk about, which is meeting our committee. We where they're at, merely jabbing at Moby communities. And so want to say, keep up all of the amazing work that you all are doing. And thank you for your service here in our If the think, you that's Thank chair. I asked one,
it's just echo everything that mentioned. I did get a chance walk in the parade and see be in the parade. I was super excited. I hopped truck. But you know that I wouldn't too much. But everything that was said earlier, you know, having a presence in the community. So and. And I just remember. Having n the sense of nostalgia like my experience growing up as a as a kid and going inside the library and having that that time to just, you know, be in a different environment where I don't have to be inside of like the building. But it's like right down the street from my I'm excited to be in more parades. i know we have a list of
festivals coming up and just really appreciate that. The effort engagement intentionality to get to as many kids as possible. people to any other questions. Comments. Well, I love here in this presentation about will being getting an update over the last several months. I look forward to. Visiting Moby and the different order. You know, maybe want get the chance to drive will be in the But I noticed that the last time, but I I really appreciate it. I really appreciate all the work that everyone doesn't is put in the effort for our new new Moby. So thank you so much. And I guess 70 questions. Then. Thank you so much. And guess nothing else to come before us. We are