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? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? >> Conflicts Johnson. ? here. 5 present 2 absence. been excused. >> The first item on the agenda is the approval of minutes minutes. 26 Dash 20 library board minutes. 6, 3, 2026. Great. I'll take a motion from council member Baker to approve the fire from June. Is there any discussion? >> Seeing none. All those in favor say Aye, All those
oppose. 5 in favors or opposed the minutes have been adopted. The next item on the agenda as staff report staffing or 26 dash 106 that inclusion and anti-racism coordination at Saint Paul Public Library welcome coral to give this presentation really looking forward to it. >> I'm really pleased to be here and places we doing this. Good afternoon. Cair Jones members of the live report. My name is Earl Guess, Mary. She her pronouns and I am the equity inclusion and anti-racism coordinator for Saint Paul Public and again please, I'm really grateful for this opportunity to address you all come before you and speak a little bit about equity inclusion and it raises and coordination at Saint Paul Public Library. So to get started, I just want to begin with a really high level overview of the position as well as the different roles that operates within both city and library structures. As a member of the equity core team for the city of Saint Paul. I mean, by monthly with equity staff from H R Hero and public works to coordinate the quarterly citywide equity, change meetings and support their central HR and city equity initiatives. >> As the library equity inclusion and anti-racism coordinator, a member of the senior leadership team and the
co-chair of the Library's Equity Change Team. I think system might strategy projects and initiatives that advances equity, inclusion, an anti-racism in library operations, an internal culture building. I've been with the library for 3 years now. I have a background in museums. And so I considered a very like sister parallel field and and really, really pleased to sort of doing dream >> And I focused in these past 3 years, most of my energy. >> And efforts in building infrastructure. Implementing new tools and strengthening the library's practices and skills. Ultimately. I really guided by the school and this idea. To strengthen the libraries ability to do equity inclusion and anti-racism work across all functions and levels of the work that we do. Think about this question one, what can be put in place now that will help us to stay in the work for the future. This is still a new role for the library. There is definitely more work to be done to define itself, to grow clarity on what the role is as well as what it's not and establish the ways that intersects with the library functions. Has a part of those efforts to build better definition around equity inclusion, anti-racism. Ines ppl, we've developed 3 pillars that guide the work.
And the majority of the projects and initiatives that I have then leading and coordinating for the library fit with underneath these pillars. The first is the fun and increase the impact of equity inclusion, anti-racism behaviors and practices. I also want to mention that this is the same language that i goal. Number 4 in our current as ppl direction. The second pillar is live or equity change. Team advancing the work and cultivating capacity. And the 3rd pillar is building community and new initiatives for the rest of this presentation. sort of decided to organize and share some of the specific work that the library has done under each pillar. And then we'll have time for questions after So the first pillar of the work is executed mostly through trainings and learning and about development. This includes shared power and supervision. This is an exciting partnership with Henry and Freedom lifted that is helping as ppl build a community of practice rooted in equity with our library supervisors and project managers by community of practice. I mean, establishing the shared languages practices, tools and mindsets that guide our library leaders and executing their roles and that are consistent across whole system. Force essential
things to know about racism and understanding and interrupting bias are the first pair of in-house racial equity. Trainings that are being rolled out to current staff later this year and will be incorporated into new employee onboarding. The plan to grow the offerings of these trainings into what we would consider a foundations and racial equity that builds off of the trainings that are offered by the city of Saint Paul and serves to deepen staff's understanding of the key racial equity concepts and to strengthen their ability to apply racial equity practices and delivery and to our public services and operations customer come question councilmember can. Yeah, just a quick one. >> Is, sir, for essential thing. Still racism. All staff is that that is just like for this training is meant to supplement or compliment or maybe even replace the one that happened. Citywide consistent there. Correct me if I'm wrong. there Courtney did like equity change team from that has representatives from each department that that helped coordinate the dei trainings for the city or is that Happening anymore? I'm sorry that. Yeah, appreciate your question. May be directed you and maybe a tractor, her minister for so
There are a couple of different things I think to your question, the first is. within central HR, there is a learning and development role and the staff in that area coordinate execute her to do all of the planning for trainings, what previously, the talent and equity resources like the equity manager in the equity specialist. They've been partners with the Learning and development staff in that area. But the library equity change teams, there hasn't been any really direct intersection of trainings and equity changed this one is these 2 trainings, the essential things to know about racism and understanding interrupting bias are meant to build off of those city-provided trainings and can text allies them within a library. Specific context. So give us more opportunity to really think about now that we've we've had exposure to those key concepts. What does that look like? Practicing them in a library contacts and those are trainings that I've personally been working on developing for lifers staff. Does that answer question? It does make it much. Lastly, we are in the early stages of exploring creative learning and development model through focus team level learning sessions and the first iteration of this work.
I looked I worked with our marketing and communications department. I let the team through 3 two-hour sessions focused on the topic of white supremacy, culture characteristics and over the sessions, the team of 3 deep into their understanding of the various ways that white supremacy culture impacts society and our work. And I helped them too. Identify new practices and approaches that the team can make to interrupt its income its continued influence. On this slide. I have a quote from a member of the library's management team that illustrates some of the impact of this work in underneath this pillar and on the right is a screenshot of the digital binder course companies are shared power and supervision. Trainings, this resource defense staff engagement with the training materials and supports our managers and implying in applying their learnings to their day-to-day work. The next killer is executed primarily through the work of the library's equity change team equity changed just like a little background equity change teams are created, as understand underneath Mayor Coleman's administration instituting a citywide structure for each department has a changed team. And then we all come together quarterly
to share progress of our departments work and to coordinate our efforts. In the library's equity change. Team staff apply to serve two-year terms on the change team in which they grow their leadership equity and project management skills while executing projects we've partnered wth our Many projects over the past years, including implementing the use of chosen in preferred names and our patron account system. This happened in early 2024, this was an important systems change for the library that allows for ppl patrons to be recognized by the authentic names that they call themselves when it differs from. >> The legal name and their identification. Another project we are currently growing is organizing trainings for library staff to learn about the history and culture of the patrons that we serve their project for calling community competencies library staff engaged with patrons from so many different communities and growing our knowledge of the culture and history and the practices of those various communities will help us to provide culturally responsive public services, customer service. And the last project I want to highlight is a trans and non-binary inclusion effort that we led in celebration of Trans day of
visibility in 2024, our team organized really lovely printmaking activity. We created kits and we sent them out to branches and help to in-person events where staff and if you picture a few curious patrons created Styrofoam relief. Prince expressing our support and our celebration of our trans colleagues and community members. And then they were sewn together into quilts and put on display at Arlington Hills and Rice Street Library us. This next site again is I have a picture and another quote to just help illustrate the impact of this work. This one is from a library staff member who attended the community competencies training last fall. This and the training this and the for the year before were both focused on increasing our knowledge of the indigenous communities in Minnesota. Our first training was delivered to staff was delivered by staff of the Minnesota Historical Society's Native American initiatives. Department. And our last rating was delivered by Oglala Sioux Educator and program director of a law many of could at the very hand. This last pillar of the work that guides our equity inclusion, antiracism work in the library holds our efforts to build community to strengthen
library culture, and lead new bold initiatives. The 2 projects that I want to highlight here under this killer are the managers of color code for and our staff well-being initiative. The managers of color cohort ground of multiple sources of engagement and data from staff that illuminated the isolation and the unique challenges that are managers of color experience the graph on the right shows that managers of color make up about half of our management team. This cohort was created for the purpose of building a space for participants to deepen our connections with each other through shared peer learning and support. To problem solve with each other in order to successfully navigate organizational systems and culture ad to collectively build our skills and tools to be successful in our rules and supporter advance fit in the library field. Wherever that you know, bring staff. Lastly, the staff well-being initiative grew out of our efforts to build a deeper understanding of the various ways that public service impacts the well-being of library staff and then to begin exploring possible ways that an employer might address those associated issues in the workplace. Phase one lead a multi-part staff engagement process. And now we're in
phase 2 of the initiative or a cross-functional staff team. We'll build a plan for the library to implement slow barrier, accessible and sustainable habits to support staff well-being and our management practices and daily culture. So this last slide features a photo from our first non inaugural session of the managers of color cohort and a participant quote. But I really think underscores the cohorts unique value and offering a dedicated space where we can gather, build community and grow together. And that concludes my My overview, thank you. Open it up for some questions that's been taken. counsel Starr come into question. Yes, one. >> Another leak us keeping me. I'll go with the second one for. I really love the cohort for managers of color. I'm wondering around like, well, you know, people of culture also have our own work to do to like. >> grade like the ties white supremacy in ourselves. And I wonder then if there's also a cold hard for our. Like folks that are not from places well. From culture are identifies why I wonder if there is a court for them to do that work. Also separately. But then those together because part of what we end, it teaching ourselves and this is presumptive and I'm sure yours. So sounds like it is
different. But what I sometimes worry about is that we train ourselves and condition ourselves to receive white whiteness and white supremacy and white violence at work by creating systems of care within each other while not asking for behavior and accountability change in folks that are sort of perpetuating white supremacy. So that's maybe more Putin offering and then the front. The first question not many different thinking. I someone tell m, Rebecca, to tell me what a chains I was this folks are just to make the sound. And this was around. I know at least and at least in ws around. If you Ken Jenne in general terms or speaking share with some of the early findings were and what are some of the actual steps that you all were taking when you were able to identify ways somewhat supremacy is being enacted and maybe like daily, you know, policies or practices are assume cultural things. What are some of the things that you discovered maybe not to point fingers, but maybe generally speaking where the some things you discovered and then what are some of the action steps that you're you're taking to sort of write science? >> Yeah, that's a really great question. So and also, I really appreciate the the effect on the food for thought
up If a nutty spaces. And I think it really highlights. >> The need to think comprehensively, right where we have sort of the end of the space for managers of color. There. It also mirrors. I think some longer-term work that I would like to build into in doing those accountability spaces and really engaging our. Staff more broadly and their roles right to make those experiences and to strengthen our culture that make the conditions of which are managers of color can be successful right there. There's so many layers so that I think I've heard that. I've heard that comments from other staff and that really also informs what sort of the growth in the evolution of that work in future will look like. So. Thank you so much for that comment What we find is that we become more culturally competent, end of the ways of white supremacy effects ourselves and yet. >> I think that learning should be. University provided we do here yesterday in a food for thought for your consideration for absolutely. And you want to interrupt the. Unequal distribution of the burden of caring that right on people of color. Absolutely. And to your question then about the white supremacy culture. We focused on 2 characteristics. And I think
the one that I want to highlight is an example is around urgency. So in our marketing communications team, right, that is probably the one that's the most prevalent, the most visible how >> urgency some of the things that we specifically talked about is how the perpetuation of urgency impacts esta, sort of refer to some of those defaults and especially i a workspace. Those at the faults more often than not. Continue to perpetuate the status quo. So we default to the decision that may be easy as because it needs to be the quickest decision, right? Or >> we? We come up with reasons for why we can't talk to just that. One more person to get another perspective or how our engagement more broadly can't be as robust and timeline. >> And urgency can be one of the biggest impacts of that. And so we explored. >> We talked about how 2. Bill, you take specific actions to build relationships that allow us to do those things and hve those relationships in place so that we're not starting from the relationship building point in those moments of urgency, what we've done that work, we're being proactive in building that up so that when it comes time to activate. Actually all of that effort on earlier on makes things a lot smoother in those moments later on. So we
we worked I helped to work with the team to identify some commitments from their team on specific things that they will do to be proactive to help them in those moments. I hope that answers your question >> comes from acre in the concerning thanks, chair. Just really appreciate the presentation. The work and kind of is Kim was asking very eloquently wins in her first question at have been questions. About the relationship between library equity work and then the broader city work. When you're talking specifically about the community, competency is much. I love that training. It's so important for library staff to have strikes me as important for every staff member to happen. The city we think about front-facing staff likes libraries, parks and rec as the first 2. But dsi quirks police ad fire like there's so many of our departments. It's And I think that we don't first think of as being the ones who are from facing a need that sort competencies that. Are the ones when they don't have those competencies are the most damaging. So I'm None of this is to say, you know, we don't need also it. curious if you could say more about what is very light, very specific and really has to be kept libraries versus what of these trainings that you're
doing could really be extrapolated to the rest of the city offered to mre staff, whether through you in the library's, which is, of course, a place of learning maybe also for city folks or through H R. >> Thank you very question. Councilmember maker and I love your question because it gives me an opportunity actually to highlight some things that the city is doing and it's kind of connected to that equity core team space that actually it's in particular around the sort of community competencies where it has very much been a space that allowed for overlap to happen. So. The city does some parallel work and has recently working with the Minnesota Humanity Center. They do a learning from place, which is an incredible sort of series of programs where >> they bring those kind of community larning experiences, at in place. So they're to 2 words I recently participated in a monk, Minnesota. And so we went the >> cultural center and longtime market and those where city provided trainings. And I think that >> in sharing around library work at the equity core team space. That's helped them to kind of also be able to see where additional unparalleled opportunities exist and then to be able to act upon them.
So I really love to see that. I also want to highlight the one thing. That. >> So guy doing this work. Also specifically at the library level in particular is informed by our sort of front facing public service, accessibility issues that come along with that. So Our library staff experience a lot of challenges and being able to participate in tose city provided opportunities because of our public service schedules and things like that. So it's really important than that. We're also designing some of those kinds of experiences with the library, specific with library staff, specifically and >> thanks, Chair Charles. I wanted to see thank you for your pesentation. I was thinking myself how need and special it is to know that we have, according to position dedicated to equity in question antiracism work, especially during a time when we know that the federal government has worked aggressively tslash and eliminating diversity, equity inclusion initiatives from so your position is really important. I really enjoyed learning about managers call code word that has been convened. And I was wondering if you can share a bit more about what sort of what sort of pipeline is there with an S p o t current staffing cuts, even frontline workers be able to get invested in so that
they can move up and the sort of mandate aerials for Missouri positions, not everybody insured like is interested in it. But there definitely are folks and one thing that I have notice every time get to budgets, conversations is that many of our frontline workers are folks who are from marginalized communities are folks of color who tend to be making the lower and when it comes to wages. And so I'm very invested in just that conversation over out and supporting them and being able to move out. But that's interests. >> Thank you for your question. You know, I don't know if I can speak to like sort of direct but I think that that is one of the intentions behind the managers of color cohort, especially in that goal around helping too do skill-building and thinking about it, not just from the library, but also as professionals within the library field. That is the way that we've sort of build in in designing the sessions of where where? Tpically will will have a resource. That either is something that I'm bringing or someone a member of the group has been like. Hey, this has been really helpful. This is helping to build the skill ad we bring it to the team faced. We hve some conversation. We do small
group like breakouts be. >> We dig into those things. And I think that. I also want to say that I think that's also one of the things that, I could speak anecdotally, too, where in the equity change space. That's also been a good incubate baby. More for them. As you were speaking to like here, library. So see it's or custody. You know, our LCS, a delivery customer service. >> I always know the acronym that think it assistance. Thank you. >> That And then that may incubate or for growing staff. And I think that it does matter by participating in the equity change team for the staff of Ben. A part of this can speak to the projects and their roles and the projects that we've been that we've ladder that would collaborated with our colleagues o and the sort of leadership skills that our staff develop in that space. think, just quickly wrap up my comments and and really commend has feel for your work, especially in anti-racism. I you know, for me personally, I think it's been a while that I've been at this table here in and I heard a department even just utilize that term t and has to feel it's just really been a leading department with in bringing this equity lines, anti-racism Levinson to work in it. Just always remember
the survey that you director have shared about. Well, when you also read our communities, especially really trying to understand, wanting to understand what we can do better in terms of serving our committees, a color come into our library since I really appreciate that. The workaround dismantling white supremacy, racism. It has to be really intentional because we know that these are systems that were built to be this way. And so it's not accidental that it is this way. And so I just really again, appreciate all the efforts and the leadership. >> Thank you. Any other questions? >> I concering really appreciate your words. I couldn't agree more. I just excited to see this presentation and this up to today. And I also I'm not sure when at another time since I've been here that department has presented on this topic. I really appreciate your effort. And again, the intentionality around this where, you know that anti-racism work is as complex and it's really hard work to do. It requires a lot of self-awareness and reflection. so I just excited to hear more about it today. So thank you so much, Karl, for the presentation today. Thank you. >> And in closing, I just want express my gratitude to my
pride for being in this role and having the support of the the unwavering support for, you know, as the equity practitioner to be able to continue to do this work and to be really brave stating it support for this. I feel very proud and very grateful to be Minnesotan and the Saint Paul, >> So yeah, so excited to have you. Well, this is the last item on our agenda before end for the day. I also want to share again. But the Hamlin Midway Library opening is going to Saturday, July 18th from 10, 30 to 2.30, in library will be open that day. So that's the libraries open for longer hours than that. But it kicks off with a story time at really excited about. And then the ribbon cutting will be at 11, 15. There will be tours will be to ice cream. I love ice cream and there will also Artis in. There's going to be music and the Duluth and it's just so much celebration and excitement. So I hope all of you can be there. I plan to be there. And if you can't make it there that the police come and check our new library. also our next meeting is going to be Wednesday, August 5th. So nothing else to come before us. We are adjourned.