For library board to order, Before we do our a local click. Couple things I want to share first, I want welcome our new councilmember on our 4 Councilmember Progress. Key rescues here. So welcome to the board are really excited to have you and have your input over the next few months here. And then it's also National Library week this week. And so I want to read us. And of you know, yesterday was was library workers day. So I wanted take a moment to thank all of our amazing library workers and staff that everyday carry out the mission, our library and supporting our community. So thank you very much. And then today is library outreach day. I think there's there's a day every week this week. So I'd
encourage everyone check those out. Celebrate, celebrate the library's this weekend and all that they do. So thank And with that, I'll take a roll call. Johnson here. key here. Game here. And check 6 being PRESIDENT, one being absent with council, council vice PRESIDENT Can be excused. The first item that we have on the agenda is the approval of minutes minutes. 25 Dash 15 approving 3/5/2025. Library board Minutes. there any discussion on this item? Take motion from council remembering too approve. The Mets all in favor say Aye. Aye. Any oppose. 6 and favors are opposed. The minutes are adopted. The second item on the agenda is a staff report. Staff report. 25
Dash 44 Rondo from So we're really excited today to talk about the Frogtown loop. And we've got actor Bradley gets here, too, to go over this over this with us hand it over to you. Thanks, chair. I said we're going do our staff and just a minute because they're the real experts in that. But I wanted to give an opportunity for Director Rodriguez and I to stand up here and sort of acknowledged that his lfe, most beautiful thing that can happen when your staff come up with a brilliant idea, right? And then what you have to do is sign off on And the paper the mayor sometimes says he heroically signs documents a little bit of not to diminish and Israel, but the a little bit of what we did. Which is So I don't know if you want to say that proud of
the partners have. Yeah, I would just echo that and just it. It shows how strong our partnership is between Parks and rc and libraries. Obviously, we share buildings program programs, but this initiative specifically is really special, had the chance to spend some tme with the staff this morning and and media to talk about this exciting poject. So we'll turn it over to the due to team. Tell us about the project. I think it's isn't Kelly Freeman that we've got welcome. Thank you so much. Chair chose Councilmembers director Hartman director Andrew guests. Thank you for having us here today. My name is Kelly Freeman. I and the community services coordinator for the round of Frank Town Loop with me is then loving.
He is one of our 2 community youth workers who also served on the Loop. Cal Yang is abc being interviewed right now as we speak. So he is elsewhere. Thanks for this opportunity to come in today. So Saint Paul Public Library and Saint Paul Parks and Recreation have a shared commitment to providing. Excellent after-school and summer learning opportunities to our young people. And I have known this since I started working with the city 10 years ago. My first job was at Arlington Hills Community Center. I really began to appreciate it again. When they started meeting with record that at the time I was the around a community library manager and at our word one meetings which include councilmember office, other city departments and community service, community organizations and I would get so excited about the updates of just the programs that they
have there. And I could think of the kids that were at Rondo that with love that program. If they if they knew about it and if they could get there and it was the same with my colleagues, they were excited about what the library had to offer the resources there and they wanted their kids to get there, too. It really that was the spark. And the reason why the 5, the 5 of us so 4 rec centers in Ward, one mlk Jimmy Lee, Oxford Fraud Town Community Center and West, many hot and the one librarian worked. One round of community library got together. And applied for the after school community community Learning Grant. This is a grant that is offered through the Minnesota Department of Education and the goal of these funds is to increase
access to culturally affirming and enriching after-school and summer learning opportunities that also support. Are hire young people's academic, social and emotional growth? So with funds, we intend to serve the kids, teens and families, not as individual service sites, not as just like Rondo and Jimmy Lee, but instead as a collaborative network, the Rondo from Town Loop is a collaborative neck network of sites that will provide consistent support, opportunity and care to young people in our community. And we are using these funds in 3 ways. The first way is new white kids were not going from site to site statistics show that while there are some kids that go to the library regularly and go to parks and rec regularly during the week, there's not
that many and the reason why we knew was because there is a barrier for safe, free, reliable transportation. How did we know that? That wasn't something we made up. That is something that we heard from our community and community in community listening sessions and surveys and just in our relationships with families. We knew that that was a barrier to them. So we hear this barrier. We see this opportunity and we made something happen. So with the a c l g funds, we have rented a 15 person. Van that runs from 03:00pm to 08:00pm on a continuous loop to the forward one wreck centers, Rondo Community Library and our partner, Black Youth Healing Arts Center. And it we also do pick up and drop off at Skyline Tower. It's not just that, though, we have community youth workers who
are driving these fans and their their their yes to get our children safely point a to point b, but also to build relationships to be supportive, to suggest programs that they might be interested in never tried before. And that alone is huge win. But it's not the only one because at knowing the kids can access programs of these different sites. Also keeps us from eating to duplicate the services and programs that we So parents at West, many were interested in homework, help. And so we can you know, leave an who works. There could figure out staffing and rooms and budget, but with the loop,
he can say, hey, Rhonda Community Library has a great homework center that runs 4 days a week. Let's get you signed up for the live and we can get you there and we can get you back again. Because our sites can serve our community better by really leaning into our missions and what our spaces and staffing can accommodate. And the loop just gives our youth access to it all. Though, it is also committed to extending this network of opportunity, support and care beyond or libraries and rec centers. Roughly a 3rd of the grant is going towards contracting community organizations. Specifically those who have programs that support young people in exploring their own cultural identities. Currently we have partnered with 2 organizations network for the development of Children of African descent. There's covid reading program runs out of
Rhonda Community Library okay. Rack and here it double Brace Foundation's Black Youth Healing Arts Center, which is located in Ward. One end is one of the stops on honor Loop. And we really look forward to continuing expanding those partnerships and keep keep these things growing. The final way that we are using these funds. Has to do with another aspect of the after school community learning Grant and that is to promote engagement and learning in connection to community. We're going to do this through holding advance Oh, I'm so sorry. Thank know you guys. I got nervous. That's what feeling arts center that's needed cad. And here we are at go through a
thank so. All right. There goal is to host regular family nights to promote engagement and and building community. We we think of the loop in a lot of ways. We are all lived in together city sites. We are running a loop as we are. As we running the vans and we want to loop everyone in this community together. So we're going to do this by throwing family nghts free dinner. Don't have to worry about Internet night games. Hands-on learning activities and also bringing in other organizations that can share their resources. 4 things that families MAY be interested in or really need. Sometimes it'll be the library. Sometimes that'll be parks and rec. Sometimes that will be another organization. Our first family night is being held next week. You are
all invited. It's a front town community center. This one special because it was created by the Saint Paul Youth Commission. This was their impact project to plan a family night that they would be interested interested in going to with their families. So following that event, we're gonna reflect on things. We're going to make some recommendations for. And they're gonna make some recommendations for how we can run family nights going forward. So as you can imagine, with any state grant and all sorts of tings, how are we going to know what we get out of program? Evaluation is a big part of this because it's a state grant. There's a robust and detailed. There's robust and detailed reporting requirements. All grantees must participate in the continuous program improvement
cycle. And I really grateful for this rockets out school time network, which has laid the groundwork, the infrastructure and the practices that is going to allow us to meet all of these requirements as well as think through our results and figure out ways that we can better our programs and better assistance to meet the needs of young people and their families. And with that, I ask if you have any questions, I don't know if there's still time, but thank you so much. I invite everyone to go to Saint Paul dot Gov. The Loop. We have permission slips online for youth that would like to sign up 10 to 18. We got you. And and also to find out
information about family night. All of the different programs happening at our site. So thank you very much. Thank you with that turnover to see if anyone has questions. It's Thanks, chair Joseph and I particularly want to shout out. It was mentioned very quickly and casually. The collaboration between departments and I just want to really name. Like the sheer amount of complexity in layers and relationship that has to go into that level of working together. I know fom having to work across departments just how difficult that can be. So I just want to name an immense amount of credit needs to go to just that point because it takes a lot to coordinate across all these locations. I also just this is such a phenomenal. I remember reading about it when it got an out such a phenomenal way to make these locations more
accessible. I can't imagine how excited Councilmember Bowie has to happen like just more than one in in the headlines that you're cool. New accessible thing. I'm curious. I know it was obviously funded through the grant. Like you mentioned, what what's the overall cost just knowing that this might be something that frankly, if we happen to outlive the grant funding or whatever, this might actually end up being something that we would want to carry on. What's the sort of rough overall cost? And then I'm also curious because I'm too much of transit nerd. I'm curious. I know it runs continuously. What does that mean in terms of like if you're at Jimmy Lee, when does the loop roughly how long we expect is like 10 minutes between 2030, whatever.
Certainly so as far as funding this program. One of the great things about this is the majority of the programs that we're having, our programs that exists there, programs that are always happening in our libraries and always happening in our rec centers. It really is that transportation It's about it's the cost to rent a vehicle or own a vehicle. But it's a grant from the state. So we are renting a vehicle and and it's the cost of having staff that are able to build those relationships and drive. So really, that is that is the investment is at most basic level. You can see the and then as far as the loop this concern, then. Mapped out. So between 3 to 8, it goes around. How many times? Once per hour. Yeah. For our at site so we start less
money on 3 and go to Skyland Jim, you at 3.15, so on and so forth. And the show comes on the hour. At the same time. And each Rex Energy don't need to remember a different time. So All And then I just want to that was the cost mentions the So I don't have the exact I can't pull it out of my head, but it will be happy to send that to I Thank you. Director. 1.5 million dollars we got for from the state for 2 years. Kelly's 0, you got 1.5 for the whole grand. We got 1.5, almost 1.5 million dollars running MAY of 2024. Through MAY of 2027 thanks just share, MR. Progress Keys, maybe implicitly expressed and the afford one. amazing program and I'm so glad to see it happening your
Wednesday. A lot of the that have in many words. I know there's been conversation about bringing that back. And actually curious and maybe folks who've been around longer than I have others in the room would remember how this how the cost of this compares to the cost of the Circulator. And it's time and also just wondering. Just in terms of the decision to rent versus buy up to the point that you just made about this being a state grant and I'm just wondering, is it was it more cost-effective to run for spy? And is it something it seems to me we could use one-time funding to acquire an asset like that and then going forward all the costs. The cost is just the staff time, which I know is small just but it might be seems to me be a way to facilitate something like this continuing. So any. Any thing bought with state grants gets given back to the state at the end of thank you.
Yeah, thank Draw yes. And and the West side Circulator was. And inspiration for still talked about. It's still talked about by adults who part participate in it back in the day. I want this to be a thing. Hopefully that's still going but said at the very least for these 3 years, that's something that young people as they grow older. Remember being awesome part about living in their neighborhood. So which Councilmember thank you. Vice chair. All right, Thank you. Chair and - Well, I'm just like so so excited about this that you're coming before council also just want to say appreciate you giving this update during the Ward Lane community conversations. I was early
stages of when the grant was being read in and we were, you know, having are a fun debate about whether caught up a five-year You is is kind of reminds me of like our time when we were voting on Moby, you just like but I'm excited. Somewhat to council he had mentioned. Just like the network, the collaboration that went into it. I think this is a model that should be no shared with other cities. Like you mentioned someone who grew up went the the caboose, the Circulator and like scene how the services at the library came out of the library, but also into the community. And I'm super excited to, you know, also participate in
furthering the prom. All I know this is something that we have in our newsletter every single week we've been doing our best and asking for Ward one residents to be ambassadors of these programs and really, if you know, young people let them know, you know, sign them up for it. So also asking if could share this and your newsletter can promote it and another thing that in terms of like a question particularly was when you mention that you're looking for expansion, do you see like I know this is definitely know. Was born in Ward one. But do you see the expansion outside of what, one to other libraries and exodus across the city? Thank you. Chair just and Councilmember right now. I
think with our funding in our staffing, it is it is Ward. One focused. However, I hope that with the statistics, all of the information we're able to gather and the stories that come out of will be able to tell the story of how this kind of access and Tran and providing transportation could benefit anyone in our community. of Thanks, Jst want to share overall like it was so exciting to hear you just present about the loop and I really enjoy What you should in the beginning there about we saw a need. And here's how we came together to be innovative and really address that need a barrier that we're seeing and it really exemplifies how cose at the close relationships you
building with our patrons, especially or 70 s but no for us if they have no means of people to get around, they really aren't going be able t get where they want to go at all to get either resources or be with their friends. So I really appreciate you all and commended the work that you're doing too, really be building out those interpersonal relationships with our young people, especially. I'm wondering if you can. And then I do want to add a I think entire council he would really interested having the loop. You know, in the a citywide initiative. And so I like the question. But yes to commissioner, be about basically like, are we what is what is basically the long-term vision for this? And
sounds like rain out there and city dollars, right being contributed into it. It's a state grant. Understanding that correctly, ok, but want to say that as a as a commissioner, that people here in as a council member, mean, these are exactly the types of initiatives that I would love to see a public dollars be going into. And if we're able to achieve that citywide, it just really bill and send even more family friendly city and in city where everybody can get to where they need to go, especially young people who we know are experiencing these economic in transportation barriers. Can you speak a bit to what the participation rate has looked like for the loop
in what like demographics are in terms even like race, ethnicity and calm of the use that were seen you to lie said and I really love the partnership you brought I from community organizations and would love to see that guy be expand even more knowing that in Saint Paul. We are definitely in Ward one. It's the heart of our city here. And so it's extremely diverse wondering what sort of what sort of movement doors involvement. There was interest and engagement from other organizations to be a part of it, too. Thank you. Chair Jones Councilmember Yang. the first part of your question, can you remind me with the first part of just like participation rate which measures like a graphic stuff We are starting with a slow build. And but today talking with you all today, talking with media today, what we are
hoping is that the growth comes fast and furious. You know, we're building this program completely from scratch to end. This is Bennett City partnerships with otc and our are CEOs and our grants office. And there's so many so many people have helped us get to where we are now. Currently we're working on creating a an online for missions left right now. We just have paper and we're going to keep a for cause. Access is important. But I believe that once we get this fully online, the process to sign up is going to be much easier. And I think we're going to start seeing some rapid growth at that time and then as far as community partners. we are part of family nights will be a great
opportunity to bring partners in to talk about the things that the organizations are doing. Lead families through some fun activities or learning sessions. we just really look forward to our community. We are, you know, we are who we are and our community has so many. Skill sets and expertise that we really want to tap into that because we want all families to feel like they know where to go, that they've got support and that they have all of that at their fingertips. Thank Just have a couple things to Just I think that in terms of well, it was my understanding about grant. It's always so the data driven to and so wanted to make a picture on how around like a data collection for this tat we can make even stronger cases in the future about future funding for this means definitely something I would
love to see be sustained and happen long term and say I encourage us to figure out ways in which we can collect the data on to demographics, especially if the youth being served here. Another item. I laughed at just that I wish you continued success. Thank We're for its ky. Thanks, chair. Just on the a quick I do want to say to cause this is sort of ironically 2 departments running a transportation program that they're not transportation argument. I I want to add, too, I I really this could be seen as like trying to invent transit to lure transportation tool that's in competition of people walking or biking to these wrecks enters actually the opposite by having this means, if you can, if a kid who might be pretty young can walk or bike to a single one
of these locations now means they're walking or biking to all 6 of them. And so I just want to name that just because a lot of the work that even the Parks Department public works says to make our streets safer for kids and people of all ages to get places and his single way. This now amplifies that accessibility in a very real way in just name. How big of a deal that is to make sure everything's accessible in a safe way, especially for young kids are even someone like me get service on certain by Ken Walker, its own let alone young children. So very excited about You too. Thank you any for Johnson. Let me know when you're ready to come to the esa objectively. Area its of my colleagues. I think it's really important to center. How many young just 10 18 rely on that?
The drop them off at rely on their own 2 feet or means for outside of a card. So being able to see the lupus and multiple difference. A library Rex enter Kabul's. I think it's really great. Appreciates kind of knowing where you guys what program evaluations still taking place and would be very interested in seeing what's gathered from from this. And I think most likely for future conversations, including wards that that's a little bit harder to get her rec centers and get around our area because of lack of access to the light rail or lack of access to 2 bus routes. You know, I'm thinking about like how if I were going to take the bus from some rain out against 2, Arlington Hills or act like how long that might take. And so just thinking
about like transit times. You know, it's 71 fight. I genuinely appreciate. The efforts from it. But it seems really cool. And love hearing about it Thank you, chair. Just Councilmember Johnson. Yeah, I'm a Dayton. So excited about what will come over the next year and might be able to find out from all of this. So I will look forward to sharing that all with you. I anyone have any other questions. Serving another highlight, too. I feel like also accounts America bac see here just like tere's certain things we should highlight and - how know, look at it is begins a program. You know, that creating transit equity equity. And I also want to share yesterday on national library workers. They had a chance to have a convening of Moscow Department leaders at
the around the library where we talked about safety. We talk about some of the challenges there. But most importantly, talking solutions. And when I think about jst like with this investment means to our community, I also think about now a transit equity, but also like having a safe place for you to be supervised transition from program to program and very dealing in times right now where, you know, the time of when I was growing up is not the same time of now. and you know, my my mom was really open for me to just walk down the block and head 2 around the library. some of those challenges that we're working on to make sure that our parents feel safe, having their kids and our public space. So I think, you know, this is also a
safety tool in assurance and letting them know that we build out a service that is strong that works with community organizations. They also care about, you know, our young people. So as want to highlight that as well. Any other questions or comments? Well, I really appreciate my colleagues questions because you asked all the questions that I was thinking about aking just I just add that super excited about this. Not really like, you know, the time frame that happens like right after school in the evening. Lots of folks are still at work during that time. And as a parent, how do you if you want your child to participate in a program, how you can't can't get them. They're like this is just a great tool to make sure that everyone has less and say
that sounds like I don't get to read Blue because he just attended but I would really, you know, remembering like the circular and those things like it would be would be really great. So some little bummed. But I want to thank both of you and everyone. That was a part of this work. I know it took a lot of a lot of effort and a lot of collaboration and I'm really looking forward to, you know, the updates hearing more. So thank you so much. Thank you so much for this opportunity. She 6 thanks, chair. Just you can drive the loop ride the loop with direct approval. all right, so we can go to the next item. The final item on the agenda is staff report. 25 dash 45? 2026 lathering priorities and needs assessment. Welcome objector Hartman. So this assessment is basically
standard APRIL presentation. That is the library director is required to give to the library board prior to, you know, working on submitting budget priorities for the budget process. So determined to you. Thank you, chair. Just little technology drama, technology person. Can you help It should. Usually if you speak into the microphone, it will eventually open up the presentation. Really, I think so. Yeah, there's something amiss to have That's not to I think cursor is moving. Okay. Thank you. I appreciate all of your engagement and all of our partnership with the parks. And so every APRIL there's very few library things in the city of Saint Paul ordinance. But one of them is that every APRIL, the
library director must give a presentation on a needs assessment of library resources and 2026 priorities ahead of when the city budget process starts. So and that is what I'm going to do today. And I'm really proud. First of all of the work of our team in 2024, we had a really, really good year. And I'm so proud of them. And I'm so grateful to all of you will have allowed us to use library bard, too. Really give you a library. One on one and to help you see what goes into the work behind what we're doing every year. It was one of Michael's this year and maybe you've noticed at and the rest the aerial seat for you to hear more from my team and you do for me. But today,
this my chance to. I talk about where we are made and this most of the time we come to you, we talk about the great work we're doing and we're doing great work. And this also gives me an opportunity to put some of our challenges into perspective for you as well. For us to continue to work on together through this year through 2026. And beyond. We're off to a really good start. You heard last month we have 5 of our safety specialist in place. We're seeing excellent results that or locations we're thrilled to be doing that. And it's also a tough time to be a public servant. And right and I know you and at the state level at the federal level will continue to have difficult decisions to make. Each live radar, director of any department in the city would stand up in front of you and
say like demand is increasing at our resources are not great. And so of course, I'm no different but as I thought about how to approach this meeting today, I looked back at every this is a little nerdy. But I look back at every library board presentation library director had made in Aril. Since just to see like different ways that people felt are I look for a way To engage you in conversation and honor the partnership and the collaboration that we have not by presenting a wish list for every single thing that I wish I had, but rather to honor our ongoing partnership by bringing forward some questions, right? Some things for us to think about some things that are on my mind. Some challenges that we will
continue. Experience in the years has had. So that's the spirit in which I bring this conversation to sharing what we can do with our stable budget and also for upcoming challenge. As I see them beyond the great work that we do every month, everyone every day, but that you have the opportunity to listen to every month. So. Still exactly sure what's going on there. But I'm what I'm doing is I'm bringing a series of how might we questions and some of you might be familiar with that frame. It's a frame to try bring innovation and different kinds of thinking to a challenge rate. So how might we think about it differently? And it will focus on the immediate answers. That's not intention to day. It's really just an intention to have a different kind of conversation with you and a conversation that will continue. So, wow, this is becoming complicated. the first thing I want to
share updates and impacts to our work for 2024 raid like some things that we're really, really proud of, that I want to share with you some outputs there. So 1.2 million people came through our doors of the Saint Paul Public Library in 2024. That is only slightly less than the number of people that visit the Minnesota Zoo in a year. We have a lot of people coming thrill. This is up 9% over 2023. Think you've heard me say before that we are continuing to build back our visitors post covid like a lot of other cultural institutions that we are on upward trajectory. Our circulation was up 4% over 2023 circulation being the things that we check out the movies, the books, the new that. Art East circulation. So the things that you and the audio
book are in the book o Libby increased 16% and our physical sic. So there's impacts are and our physical, sir. Just in case people are sort physical search, increased one percent. But just in case people think that physical circulation like print is dead print is not dead. Print makes up 64% of our circulation. So that makes up the majority of our circulation. Those are the things that you. Come into the library to get. Our number of programs in attendance is up 24% and 32%. Or meeting room bookings by community and city staff are up another 20%. So we are seeing a lot of people come in our space. A lot of people use our room for community meetings. And over the last our computer sessions are listed
there and our WiFi sessions. Those again or an increase of 9% and 7% respectively. All right. Here's what I mentioned about the how might we question. It's just a way to reframe a problem or a challenge as an opportunity for innovation. And I believe every problem is an opportunity for innovations. Sometimes it takes a little while before I realized that. But that's how I hope to be. And that's how it's helped to show up. Frame this presentation with our 6 strategic goals. And that's what you'll see up in the orange part of the slide. So transform library buildings to meet current and future needs. So we are we are currently operating 13 locations in our city and some days were barely operating them. So the average age of a Saint Paul Library location is 71 years old statewide. The average age of a library is 52 years old. So our libraries are older. And
as you would expect, that requires higher degree of maintenance and flexibility. But as many of you know, are transforming Library initiative as our private public partnership with the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library and the city to renovate the Hayden Heights Library to renovate the Riverview Library to build a brand new Hamlin Midway Library. And to make technology and play and learn investments across our system. So this year will begin will be able to start with the private funds. The friends have raised so far for us, critical technology and play and learn investments will make those this year at Merriam Park Rice Street and George Latimer said library and then we'll do our plan. Learn pilots site are enhanced
play and learn at Sun Ray. Next year we're going to open a new Hamlin Midway library. And I like to yet, thanks. I mean, I just like to pause there because we're thrilled by that. We also will advance improvements to the entryway of the Randall Library that was in our budget last this current year. Thank you very much. And right now, our Saint Anthony Park Library temporarily closed for accessibility improvements to the front and side entrance. So those those will continue some of the questions I think about as a as they go about my day are. We still have a public resource gap to fit to fill for transforming libraries to see Hayden Heights and to see Riverview complete. So how might we
secure the public resources necessary to deliver on transforming libraries and maximize that private funding that's already on the table. That's top of mind for us as we prepare our applications for the city's cip process, which is happening now. And so we'll certainly be showing up in that process. We believe quite strongly for those 2 projects. Also thinking about in this is a bigger question than me, of course. But how might we think differently about the maintenance of city properties across our whole organization library? Pires her own maintenance staff. And as you know, hires are on safety specialist. So where might there be cost? Savings are different ways of thinking about that throughout the city. We provide a welcoming safe community-centered services and spaces where everybody belongs. We are currently a 665 public
service hours a week and in 2025. Just starting this week, we've ex we've expanded the hours that Marian Park to accommodate both Hamlin not being open and now this temporary closure of Saint Anthony. So it is our hope that we could maintain those expanded hours up until the time that Hamlin reopens. But we know we can do it during the time that Saint Anthony is closed. So we'll keep doing that. We're committed to maintaining safe staffing levels and welcoming library experience as we do that every day. And we provide access to library services, as you well know, including free help computers, Wi-Fi meeting rooms, programs. Future
question that that I have, as I think about are safe and welcoming spaces, as I think some of, you know, ae safety work is now funded by aarp. So America rescue plans funds safety manager at our safety specialist positions. So how might we as we go forward, sustainably resource safety and our libraries? Those are positions I can do without anymore. And so has public services changes. It becomes expensive to run our live or is just from a very firm places, staff but a place of maintenance of our buildings as well. So how might we continue to do that? Sustainably? And as I think about library services and hours and programs and safety across our city, where might I need to think differently about the programs and the hours and the locations that
we have across our city in a time research constraints. How do all of us have conversations together and with the public how, how and what can you expect? From each of our library locations across the city. This is a newer one in our strategic direction. It's not a new or focus for us, but it's newer to call it out in this way. Celebrate and affirm the importance of literacy in the community and as a course service of Spp all you can imagine that during the pandemic some days are just trying to open our building grade. And some of those we forget about the very important role we play in literacy. Certainly we have the books. But what else is
possible there? So we have 750 individual items. Anybody can borrow them with a library card. A library card is free. But we also have decreased purchasing power for the library with a stable budget at. Given the increased cost of the books and materials in particular. I know some of you are familiar with this challenge that the library has and I'm hppy to. So with others who would like a primer on this. But the book's cost us a lot more than print because we don't get to all numb. And we have to repurchase time periodically. We either at or some other complicated mechanism. So what does that that we might have decreased prchasing power? We've started to like brilliant, new, innovative literacy action Kovar to support our library staff and learning new skills about how
we might support literacy for all year for all ages. But some questions I have our How might we better support increase in literacy rates and our community? If we look around and think about. Literacy, I hope people right away. Think about it. The library at the table. But that's not always the case. Right? Also thinking about how might we continue to balance the demand for e-books and physical materials alongside those cost increases. So every library director, an overall just thinking about that, trying to balance those 2 units. Questions from council PRESIDENT, thanks so much chair. Just know, we're trying to move quickly here, but I do want to point out that when I saw the decrease purchasing power for the library, this board did pass a resolution 2 years ago. Affirming our commitment to not allowing the library to have decreased purchasing power over time for circulation, materials. And we
kept that commitment by increasing the budget for library materials as requested by the director. So I just want to. Make sure that I say that on the record and reaffirm our commitment into that I know is shared. But we do depend upon your asked to us to make sure that we know what the level of investment is required to do So our next one deep in an increase, the impact of us ppl Stephanie inclusion and anti-racism behaviors and practices every day. We welcome people regardless of their identity into our space as into library services that celebrate and who they are at. We're delivering training and coaching and mentorship opportunities for staff. And we are committed to continuing to hire and support and retain a workforce them and that matches the demographics in Saint Paul and future questions. I have I
know are on the minds and hearts of a lot of folks including around this table. But how might the federal mandates and language chefs and other reality is impact the work that is so foundational test ppl. It is. Baseline. The most important thing that we do that we welcome everybody through the door meet their needs. And I'm also wondering what impact will sustain current environment, including one that has a fear and misinformation and anger. Wow. What impact will that continue to have on our residents and what impact will that continue to have on our staff? It's something I think about all the time. I'm alive or stakeholders can voice the important role as ppl places. And I plays in our city. We will continue just like we always well to partner closely with the friends of the
library on grant opportunities for new and existing library services will keep sharing and talking about the importance of spp on the value of our work. And thank you for doing that with us as well. Ad telling the story of libraries today, right? Not the library's from the past, but what are the stories about today and the critical role that we play in the city? Questions. I continue to have with disinvestment of libraries at the federal level and funding risks at the state. How might we reinvest in the importance of library is at the local level when some of those other pieces are outside of our control. And how might we continue to elevate the role of the library? And that's ppl in particular. The role we play and the essential fabric of our community. I was thinking about that yesterday. Councilmember believe when we speaking we were meeting with people at the Library and I wondered how different with
this kid this intersection be without the Rondo Library, right? And we can't even imagine is a critical element in our city. And that's just one of our locations. And then finally invest in the development of library staff. We are very fortunate that we have an endowment of the Perry Jones Endowment. That is specifically for staff training and we use it to support staff training and also fllowships to support our staff members and seeking higher education can keep doing that. We have really upgraded our onboarding this year. Done such a better job with new employee orientation. When Jane Check ins a staff of 30, 60 90 days and turning plans for each position. So
those pieces are very important to us to make sure that we retain the folks that are with us. Couple future questions is how always a challenge. How do I support staff development with keeping my library is open at the same time. Always a tension. And then how might resource underinvested but essential library functions at as ppl without taking resources away from somewhere Think about our state pa collection, which is our historical say Pa collection how and with what time or capacity might we make that more visible? Promote that in a better way for our community members so they can come in and see some of Saint Paul's history. What's included there and the voices that are not as well. So those are some of the things I think about in our development staff
person well, and What thoughts or questions are on your mind and I appreciate your permission to ask some of those questions because I think they're important ones for us. All to think about. Thank you. Well, open to Councilmember Thank you. Chair and I did everything in my power not to stand up and applaud. When you announce that there will be a new library later this year sometimes. And I just weren't by 2020 say n. 26 I just can't say enough to echo the points that council member Bowie has made about the safe space and the accessible space that these libraries provide for new members to our community, folks who maybe are unhoused and need these these resources to connect to services they're looking fr. There's, you know, there's
dozens and dozens and dozens of reasons. Folks use the spaces and I just cannot say enough. About how long and difficult and tension filled. And tough it has been for the library staff to deal with the midway challenges there. The fact that we will have a new accessible space that people can use for the next 100 years. Is so absolutely critical. And the fact that it had to happen the way it did and the staff that dealt with they did deserve to have a lifetime of credit for getting us here because I multiple friends in my neighborhood who have young children are just had to And they literally when the library finally got announced that construction is moving forward. You know, they were texting people who never text and me said the political
thing in the entire world are saying, oh, I'm so excited that or daughter can go use the slide. There are some can use this library and it's just it's it means everything to have that accessibility, because even as you spoke to, in fact, that many ways under construction while Saint Anthony Park is also being worked on means anyone my word either has to head over to because it's nearby, which is obviously I was an option or go down to marry in parks or just even all those elements. I just hve to state for the record Midway resident, it's it's constantly in the ether. It's county in the discussion. And I'm so unbelievably thrilled to have that new accessible library coming our way I'm curious, because even to council PRESIDENT Makers point the circulation koster the materials cost. I think you did a great job of
explaining how the shift to digital actually is part of that ongoing sort of details of that cost just exist in a different way. I'm curious of the two-thirds pysical, one-third digital does that very significantly by age is like in my head. I'm imagining my wife uses the books like read the books that she, you know, checks out. But I think all of my friends with young children, I think more of the physical. But I'm curious if it does, that's just what I'm assuming that I'm curious. If it skews much and that can be something for a later conversation. churches, councilmember, yes, great. Like picture books. Mostly get checked out and purse. That's physical. But yeah, I have to dg into
the data little bit more of be happy to do so talk to you. comes to PRESIDENT Clinton. Thanks so much. And DR. Haven't thanks for praising. I think I like the open-ended way that this is phrase time. Kind of an issue for the answers like, but I I it's something that I've thinking about and concerned about. And it relates to development of staff, although I think those did development is one part of staff. But I think there's also an onboarding and training. But there's also just sort of staff support and I've been concerned and I've been hearing concerns from staff about just the general level of support that they feel they're getting, whether it's enough staffing to keep library open and safe, which
we've talked about here before but also just sort of a level of taking they're taking their concerns seriously, taking the difficulty of the near the interactions that they're having on a daily basis with folks in the community that, again, we've talked about here, but taking that. That trauma that they're experiencing seriously, and then the fact that it seems like that many staff don't feel like they can bring those concerns directly to library staff or management because they're cncerned they're concerned about retaliation. They're concerned that they will be heard. They're concerned about a lot of things and so I I and I want to know if you are concerned about that as well. If you're hearing things like that, what we can do about that situation because to me, as I think about the risks it's one of the hidden risks, as I think about, like from our audit committee, stands always thinking about what's what is the cost? Was the risk of
having something continue to me if our staff a feeling this way, that is it has a huge liability for us to be able to continue to do any of the other things that are listed here that feels like kind of base level of what makes our libraries go. Council present career. We have 230 people that work at the library. So I want to like put that right there. So not everybody is experiences the same. But I do want to speak to how seriously we take staff concerns and also the we is the channels that we have right. And so the library is one of the founding members of the city's safety Labor Management Committee. That means every month we have multiple library staff members in that as well as our library safety manager.
That isn't and other different other departments? That's an open forum. And I would say. It regularly has issues or concerns brought forward and there that we respond to. The library has over my entire tenure and even 2 years before that had a practice of meeting with our 2 largest unions asked me and pa on a quarterly basis with myself and multiple other folks. We are now shifting that starting this month to our own library Labor Management Committee that will have all of the bargaining unit set the table and that's really, really important because when we think about welcoming spaces and safe spaces or maintenance engineers have as much to say about that. As you know, our library associates.
I certainly have heard some questions and concerns from staff. I would as you talk with I would encourage that. And you to ask questions about specifically what are you know, is it that we could? Add to your work or at as a service we regularly do d briefs after every incident. Every incident we're an after action review to make sure that if there's something we could do differently next time. So I've heard that and I also believe that we need to continue to ask them specific questions about what that might look like, especially as going into negotiation here. Councilmember Johnson. I appreciate the presentation as well as as the questions. I,
too, was like. safety specialists a yes. These are some the things that I hope to see in the next budget cycle. I'll just be transparent that I look forward to hearing a lot of about the investments that have been made this year and to last from last year. And this year, I'm just really how they're doing. If those programs are those initiatives need to be expanded and continue have a pretty strong interest in scene. What positive outcomes of calm. But also even just things learned from the initials of specials pilot. You know, I should earlier like I think any time we have the opportunity to bring spoke staff but also just like and it's just that are cured toward safety in our libraries. It's a a strong
investment it's something that in my community parcel wondering about. And looking forward to just hearing, especially from the floater and one that's suppose so kind of float to different areas just from what we have out guy. I sometimes I'm kind of like in the times that we won't be able to always start something new. It will b really important to know how the new things that we have soared in the past couple years have have either performed. Well, are have of what we've learned from haven't. And so. As you want to position there seems like there's a couple different investments that we have made and even just things that we potentially could gain from knowing especially surrounding like Paper to electronic piece that I think is really, really important to discuss and to really dive into and see what other municipality's are doing
in comparison and like how we can continue to keep up with the curve to make sure that we're, you know, not and a place where really are reacting years from now because w didn't make those incremental investments. Now simultaneously. But the safety specialists, I really think interested in how how that's working men. I look forward to hearing about that and the budget cycle as well because I know not all of our libraries have currently service by that. The other pieces just like. The latest numbers that we have on. The current projects that are still existing regarding libraries, I think would be really helpful to continue monitor and watch, especially after the session. So, you know, cause I know that there's a need for our he said library
doesn't need for. Think many other river Vo. So just really wanting to just really want to a hunch that and monitor over time, because I think that those seem to be pretty need specifically when it comes to her. Responses and would be things that I is council member who's pretty supportive of of the public library system that we have here in our city anticipate scene or at least being talked about extensively through you know, if I can over the budget address last year I do a river like sitting in front of one lobbying for the name of the mobile mobile. I feel like important work the other side of it. You know, it's just like being able to set and learn and hear about the investments. But I think it be really great to know like today just transparently. This
is what we're gonna so we're going to looking at right now, especially after the sssion. So just those are just pieces that for me, I'm just like the questions what the future will look like, I think is really important, too. And as we head into next budget cycle, they'll be a lot of competing priorities. And I think one of the things that will be really helpful, he's using the information that we're gathering this year for some of the programs that seem to be really cool and to be really responsive to community. To hopefully either keep expand or roll off. So if there are certain things this year that are one-time funding, not continuing non renew those type of things I like hear about. Great. Any other questions
or comments? Well, I can just a comment just want to share as well to just off of the heels of of us being in this space yesterday, I felt like was really empowering is meaningful to actually have a chance to hear from community. And I just wanted to share with you and I know I've shared no the times, but as hear that I really appreciate the innovator in like approach that you have when we think about the stories that we're telling ourselves. That's the stories that we're sharing with our communities of how are working really hard to make sure this is the place for everyone. And I really standing firmly in those values and how the decisions we make when we even higher safety specialist that really anchoring strong and like compassion and empathy in that's rooted in all of the
approach and how you always have worked in collaboration and I just like wrote down what you had mentioned yet. Stated a question. How different is intersection will be without the library located here. And I just think that's very profound just because I think a lot of, you know, spaces that are bacon are like, you know, a lot of intersections where people use them as a place refuge and also our libraries are also those places of refuge for so many reasons. And I think about we had the staff here some weeks ago and she had mentioned she was smiley Cordinator had mentioned cannot. Yes, yes, I love her how like the library to her told her story about how the library there we saved her
life and how also the library was. Her support system. You s use welcoming Hearst her family into a new country, a new language, a new community in so many. Things where people find themselves in transition. you know, another thing I want to just like highlight from the conversation yesterday. I'm from our staff, Alex, who lives in Frank Town had mentioned. You know what if the library was a place where people, you know, had conversations of considering recovery? You know what at the library was a place where they are encouraged to get treatment, whatever you know, the are those places for it. People who are at at the in in in transition, right in looking for those services. As
want to just highlight that and also, you know, I at to Councilmember Johnson r Excuse me, Commissioner Johnson's point of hearing, some of the the feedback from our investments, I believe like 3 of the 5 of the safety specialists are located at the branch. And, you know, I did get a chance to see There was article featuring the safety specialist that was really cool. Like it was a really, really geat article to read. And I like how we're highlighting, you know, the staff and the investments that we're making here and particularly Rondo, of course, but also just across the city. So Ithink that's something that would definitely want to want to have on the agenda,
particularly of just hearing what is what is the safety response, the house and different? You know, I had the pleasure to actually like talk with the staff. Prior to the event yesterday and always just try to make it there once a week and get a chance to talk with them but is it really innovative approach really and restored of approach? They really I've seen them in action literally like Now, I will say for the record. But, you know, I've seen there's been incidents where people have needed a lot of support and they have stepped up and showed so much empathy and compassion. And I think it's something that no need to be trained, know all across our city. Well, thank you so much for sharing Does anyone else have the other charges Councilmember Billy, I think you're not here last month when we updated this group on the safety strategy.
So I will look to follow up with you. And I want to make sure that I walk through all that and answer any questions that you have. So stay tuned. questions or Well, I really appreciate tis presentation. I'm looking forward to the budget process soon. I al of your questions certainly gave me a lot, too. A lot for all of us to think about, especially in the the challenging times we're facing higher levels of government. And how can we make sure that the libraries can continue to provide not just provide the critical services that people need, but, you know, be able to to evolve and expand a long term because, you to kind of of what customer we was saying and really talking about the specific stories of what the library student to our community and that particular
intersection actually like when you said that, I imagined it. I mean, I you know what I scored nearby there. And I and it's hard to imagine think there's a live or to different intersection, but it's it's really hard to imagine what. You know, what our communities to look like. If you do take, you know, some of those really critical pieces away. So I want to thank thank all my colleagues for the really great and thank you again, Director Hartman and all your staff and with nothing else to come before us. We are adjourned.