Please. Coleman can't. Makers here. Thank Chair But PRESIDENT To Abston day excuse. The first item on the agenda is the approval of minutes minutes. 25 dash 51. Other board minutes 3. This is the approval of minutes. I'll take a motion. Minutes. Is there any discussion? Well, those in favor say Aye. 5 and favors or oppose. The minutes are adopted. The next item on the agenda is resolution. 25 dash, 1, 9, 3, 3, approved, rather debt write-off for certain debts incurred prior 2024. Thank you. So this item is related library materials, debts and basically a forgiving those debts. And, you know, restoring patrons
access the exact amount is to be calculated that that's basically what this item is. I would like to move and 3 of this. Up to this as amended. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say Aye, aye. All those posts. Ivan favors or oppose. The resolution has been amended my adopted as amended. The next item on the agenda is resolution. 25 dash, 2, 0, 0, 3, authorizing certain activities to support a cooperative relationship between the Saint Paul Public Library and the friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. So this is a resolution that basically says authorizing relationships with the friends of the library. We appreciate very much so that we could engage in activities with them, whether it's, you
know, accepting funds you know, there's certain materials things that we share so they do for us. And so that's basically formalizing This relationship. And so just want to recognize that veterans is here and really appreciate your partnership and all of the work that you do for us. So with that, I'll take a motion council recalled in to approve this items or any discussion. Thanks just 12 when year. Thanks to the friends. We are so glad to have friends like you. I think Doctor Burns says often and beautifully. Just wanted to confirm because looking at resolution like many of these things have happened in the past, is We just realizing now that we need this for melody expire, it's something new happening. Just one
understand. The context. I will turn over to Chair just council PRESIDENT Maker. We've been advised that took a practice to do this annually. So we'll tend to see that on an annual basis. I think you saw at this time last year well. So no significant changes. Justin, good to have it on the record. In I think had motion comes Coleman to approve. This item ever say was posts. 5 in favor oppose motion has been at that. The final item on the agenda is staff report. 25 Dash 2, 7, 6, from community. Weather update. Director Hartman to give us an update and many things with transition of te round community labor. Number team, Director Herman. To just thank you so much.
Before I started, just want to thank on the library board for your. City and community leaders have unprecedented times. So I appreciate your attention to this matter. Look forward to continuing to partner with you and others in our city and I also want to acknowledge and churches to Councilmember Bowie who were at our grand opening of the Rondo Community Library at our Holly que Brown community center on Friday. I get to that in a minute, I guess. But today, what I'm going to do is I'm going to give you an update on the temporary location and update on also the renovation of our permanent location and then also provide an update on the planned community engagement, innovation. So on Friday we had an open house and a ribbon
cutting I heard from so many people that it was a difficult week and a difficult day and they were so pleased to be in community with us to celebrate. The important continuation library services and the Rondo neighborhood. So really a gift councilmember, Billy, I had to include this picture of you because it was so good because there was some kids that like cut the ribbon like too soon it was great. And then also we kind of like we did another event. It really a joyous event. As as you all Betty Roberts with Kelly Que Brown. It's an incredible partner. Still librarian to the city. And of course, many of you around the table. So. So please to be there are pleased to see so many come
through and so many folks who could give a tour, I'm sure, too. And I know some of you MAY have been able to stop by. You are welcome to stop by any time and staff can give you that. You are. And you are also welcome to reach out to my and it would be so happy to meet you. There. And I walk you through the space and answer any further questions that you have. My favorite is the 2 girls reading in the chair, right? That's a library right side. We heard so many people say feels like a librarian. I was the space bigger than what I thought it was. So I really and tremendous amount of. Thank you and gratitude to my seem at all levels for for putting this together in a relatively short period of time. So I these pictures onto a justice, but I want to make sure that that you all know
what the library services we have in that temporary locations. So we have our collections books. Dvd's newspapers and more. Our programs story. Time Fun Lab create homework center, reading together. Those continue her temporary location. Our library services like crop, which social service providers, open house to provide coordinated housing and other supports for folks open lab computer class as a called Open to business that supports entrepreneurs. And we have an ongoing partnership with Ramsey County City of Saint Paul. Public health, Qatar, public health public places and they continue to be there like they were at our Rondo. But our previous
location. I also want let you know that on updated program schedules as on our website, we also have many, many copies to distribute to folks when they come to our holly que Brown community center. As you can see our homework cnter remains operating Monday through Thursday, reading together the same. We continue to provide a snack. And after school snack kids and families. Our story time, our fun Lab are fun. Lab is a program elementary school kids. Create eoc is our equivalent for teenagers. A computer classes and then something new that we started doing in the previous location, which is just a coffee and community gathering on a weekly basis for folks to
come in and and talk about whatever is on their mind and give us their perspectives on library So I really value that. I want to mention a couple of the partnerships that are really important here. So the programs are being held in our library study rooms, study rooms that are inside the library space. And a program room and then all like you. Brown services are operating as planned and as they have been, including their food shelf and there are other programs or sink hole for reading program not ours. Mid Kazen called for reading program. Marvel and a silent because the special connection to it. Thank you. Our plan for your support of Sankofa send couple continue to be. Present and it run out and all came will do to to halt parts of that. And mlk wreck is partnering with the library to host one session per week of
create hack and a computer class and fun lab. And I think that's a great way to for their activate their space in collaboration with us and to blend those 2 different audiences, the kids that they're seeing every day after school at mlk out. We have been seeing at the So it's a great opportunity to cross those 2 things together. Library materials are listed here. Everything that you would expect. LeBron have dvd's picture books, adult adult nonfiction, Lucky Day, which I think all of you have received my my pitch about lucky day, which is coming to the library. And if there's a book that you've had on holder, you're on a long waiting list. It might be your lucky day of there might be a
copy that you can pick up just that. So those are books that we don't allow people to put holds on. But as a way to encourage folks to come into our those are available and a rotating cd and lp Display. We did here and I had a couple Some elders at the event who said Will I what I have this book so we are on it. I want to let them know that and the folks that I attacked directly like already give the less we are on it. So that's exactly the beautiful opportunity that we have every day and labor is that folks come in and they tell us what they want and we go and get it so that that will continue. I want to speak some meeting rooms as I know, a permanent location has a high usage of meeting rooms so - community library at the highly que brown center has to study rooms that can seat up to 4 people. Each. It also has
programs space outside of our program. Hours for 35 people. And so both of those things can be reserved on spp doubt, Dot org. It will start next week on the 20th than the Holly que Brown community center also has rooms to to rent. Club room, a c and then the canteen and you can cause I like you Brown directly for that. And I also want to make sure that I give a pitch to other meeting rooms across the city as a resource during the time that were relocated at Halle Que Brown, George Latimer Central Highlands and our rec centers as well. We've seen a lot of people using Frank town. And so we really appreciate that, too. We're really closely with our parks to make sure that we can refer folks to what they need if what their first choice is unavailable. So around a community libraries open regular hours, 15 hours week,
7 days a week. Those are current location of our current hours. There. 16 library staff are now assigned to the Community Library at Halle Que Brown community center. And there was about 20 the 4 at our permanent location. And so those 4 people have been offered temporary reassignments taken temporary reassignments. Metro Transit bus. 65 goes right on Dale Street. The staff is Dylan Eichel heard and just walk on black. It's plenty and plenty and plenty of parking for library patrons and the main line, at least 80 spots that can I that that would be amazing if we ran out parking spaces and if that happens, make sure that work with Director Rodrigo Danny Roberts to find another solution. There. I want to just mention
that library safety specialists are also present at the Rondo Community Library and how they keep Brown during every open hour. That location as well as all of ours have safety, playbooks and standard response protocols for emergency situations. Social service providers, our PRESIDENT And our weekly crop that includes radius health, Minnesota community care and others that are not mentioned here. Additionally, we welcome everyone who's able to follow our code of conduct or not. However, homeless shelter. So we were for folks to other partners. This is our practice locations, our library staff and our mental health professional will continue to coordinate with familiar faces and with our her team in connecting cmmunity members to resources they need. And so if unsheltered community members are in need of
services, a library staff or for accordingly. And we're staying in regular in some cases daily conversation with Haleigh que. And with the mlk wreck about services and safety. And so if there are additional crisis or other levels of support needed during the period of our lease, we have the resources to assessed and will be on that right away and how they keep Brown. So has a lot of experience. Also, supporting folks are in crisis. Are asked to use, please help us communicate about this temporary location that that's our number one priority as it relates to that organization. We've communicated e-mail to patrons who have marked Rondo Community Library is their home location. We've also sent
it out newsletter and we welcome folks to sign up for that in his letter. So they're getting sort of proactive information. It's on our web say locations have been changed on Google Maps and Apple Maps our morning it on social media. More to come there and full in the library and then partner and media outreach. And also we now this is a a change for folks. And so we appreciate your help. There. I do want to acknowledge that we know we don't have a big enough banner. A sign on that that's forthcoming. Ad in addition, we know we need a larger sign on our permanent location. So yeah, it's a couple of delays there. So thank you for your patience there. That's for sure. Coming. Questions about how queue Brown otherwise on
move into renovation of the day. I my hand, but I just want to say treasure one of the renovation. Just. Thank you and your team so much for all of your for the temporary location, how we can center. Where we and I were there and I The pictures don't do it justice. There's so many people there and just the energy and the joy in the room and just good it felt to be with everyone in in community. There it was. It was an amazing And so I encourage everyone to come and check it out. I was also just totally blown away by what your staff was able to do with the vision they had for that space. That was I didn't know what to expect and it was great. It was really great. The they made use of all of those spaces to provide the services that, you know, that that our members needed that were thrown a library in just such a great job. It was it was a really good plan. A second
there. We're churches. I saw someone just appreciates all the hard work that wnt into a really revamp and brought so much life in that space. You know, like Share Joe's had mention, I I didn't know in what way we're going to pull it off. You around LeBron so begins. We have so much material. Bt they did happened. And I just want to just congratulate you all also just like the showing. And, you know, the there are so many board members and elders, young people there. We had live music from Walker West Academy we had some really good food and just, you know, creating a space for people just come together. So I really felt like last Friday
was a it felt like a community reunion. I think even in my remarks I had said I feel like, you know, that day. More like a happy new year in the in the New Year's Eve Year's Day that we had this year. So so when pre she ate, I do have a question that I ws going wait for the presentation. That's a asked a question sunscreen. Any other comes before cause for can. Thanks much just thinks which determined this is really exciting to hear about that it was. And Friday, it sounds amazing. Another were way too early to have any usage data for the temporary location. data. But I'm just curious if you've been hearing anything anecdotally from Seth were there for the weekend at the first couple of days of this week, if you have a sense of people ae finding it using in, you know, if anything, since I have couple, charges
come Summer. Coleman, thanks that question. It's certainly like some folks are still ucovering at not have any specific. You stated that it's quieter. Yeah. So not a part of what where really pushing is to help people understand that the larger banner will help that and what we've observed is that once people find they're like, oh, I'm going all my friends, but we know we have more work to do to help folks understand where we've relocated to and what services are available. There a fair question. Thank you. And questions before Okay. Thank you. So I know you're just as curious about on the run of the planned renovation for the Rondo Community Library. And so I want to want to speak to where we are and not service and in that and also just kind of
like restate some of the information shared before the improvements of the location of Dylan Universe are informed by ongoing page and staff experience and feedback community gated community. First public safety on the library's enhanced safety plan, best practices for crime prevention. And the timing is informed by the availability of these one-time funds that that we have for this project and for our lease at how queue Brown. Happily. The library has found a way to leverage some other funding. And adjust our internal timelines. So during that time we are closed without extending the closure
timeline. We will also be able to make technology which improvements and play and learn investments and the Rondo Community Library. So next month we'll be back here talk again about transforming library is now that a lot of this work is underway, but you MAY recall that the transferring library vision and funding includes technology and plan. Learn investments in all of our locations. So originally Rondo was slated later for that. But given that we're close, we really heard the challenge Let's make sure that during the period of time we're using it to the best of our ability.
So we'll be making technology improvements and play and learn improvements in that space without extending the existing closure timeline. The Oh, yeah. I want present your Thank you. Charges. Director. That makes a lot of sense to use the time it's close to make those improvements. But to that we're even had a brand new planners space Brit or just counselors and acre a few years ago. We did revamp the plan. Learn space. It's very well use and needs a refreshed. So that is part of what our work as to make sure that as we touch of these libraries are making them as best we can. It's not it's not a revamped, right. We'll keep the same murals and some of the pieces they've already invested in. And there's some also some work and some feedback that we've heard from
community members and families about how that space could be even better. So the budget for the technology specific work, it's already secured. It's from a grant from the state of Minnesota. And that will be coming to city council later this month for your approval. So you decide to do that and the budget for the plan, learn space investments has already secured through private funds from the friends of the same public library. I want share with you again. The renovation timeline and the main idea here is I have committed to councilmember ugly and commit to all of you that this will be the longest possible to this. Will this timeline? I hope to be shorter. But based on what we know, we would reopen our permanent location
by the end of 2026. And I will be working with my team and will be working with purchasing and our design firm to see where there are opportunities to shorten. Not so that we can reopen that location as soon as we can, because I recognize that that's really important to us and to the community service. We've also will also have some opportunities to do continued staff engagement. I'm sorry, community engagement to inform the project and includes informing the technology improvements. I certainly at our open House and ribbon event. We'll have a survey for patrons and what we do and we make technology improvements. Send an email to everybody whose book to the community meeting rooms in the last
year. So we'll do that here. And we'll also be doing I caregiver and family engagement with dot voting about the youth programming and sory time. And focus groups with particular groups. I'm open to further discussion there, but Rondo Elders, homework center, parents, students and Rondo staff tabling a key neighborhood events as well. S it's really important and surveys and conversations at larger events, including if tar and we do not have a date for her yet, but we do. We will absolutely make sure that all you got So think te most important thing here how important it is for us that. That everything that we're doing in the library is informed by community members who use the library. So a reminder during our temporary
locations, some of our administrative staff ae still office to for 61 Northdale. The Mobile library continues operate. And our contracted security began in DECEMBER and that's going fine. Haven't had any issues and we'll have continued collaboration, outreach and communications with businesses both in the area aound Holly, que Brown also, of course, with the area around university in doubt. We'll continue to provide regular Councilmember billion, are just as well as this arena. Should that be appropriate or request? Questions a concerned person that's worrying. Thank you, chair. Just I have a question, particularly with temporary location. So it's a station right
next door to the round of community Education center. If you can speak to if there's Even if it's in for more formalized, like partnerships. I can imagine that, you know, it's more acessible now to younger kids, especially being at how the cube round. But you can speak to any partnerships with the school district are specifically to that site. Jones, Councilmember thank you for that question. I reached out to those principles. One of them was at the grand opening. So look forward to like a different kind of relationship. directly, our youth services specialists, our staff are in regular communication with schools and their district. Sometimes that communication goes to the media specialists, the folks that are the school librarians. Or the the family liaisons. But in particular that looks like coming making sure that we go to classrooms to support
the summer reading program thus district schools summer learning loss and also coming in to promote in the case high schools middle schools are reprieve program. It's Thanks, Charles. Well, talk to Herman and want to thank you to you and your team for literally all the heavy lifting. That went relocating the library over to hally, que Brown. I am very pleased that it's been a great success and to see the joy on the faces of our officials and committee members is very, very rewarding. I wanted to take this opportunity to the feedback that I shared with you. When we spoke recently. Just do that. Can let you all my thoughts to as a playback that the the experience and
when we first heard the fall, that closing of ground a library, the temporary location. And then, you getting to hear some of people that I shared with director have an Israeli that when when we as a board to hear about, hey, here's like a plan that have I would really like to know. The tensions you know, like we know that not everybody is always going to be happy. There's always can be folks who are in agreement and not in some people who are really eager to share input. And I when we get a plan, it's really important for us to understand, like, what are those tensions so that sick as a when people reach out to us, whether it's our city committee members, we we are caught off guard. When those tensions to rise and that we can navigate them. And I know that all of us here we are problem solvers. See, you know, we're in this work
because eager to solve problems and we bring that spirit with us at the table and And that's just, you know, like the transparency that I that I asked for just as I think about the Heat and Heights library renovation happening. My word in the council, PRESIDENT You and your word one day. You know pretty soon here. I hope you library is going to b in line to for renovations and also, I think it's really important for for us to to have a game plan on what we to whenever light breeze to have to close down for renovation. if trying to figure out all right. Well, when he didn't heights is closed down for this year, what does that look like for our community and the
greater the east side? Does that mean that they are without a by Pierre entire time? Where are we going to find partnerships with their schools with nonprofits nearby to also to a temporary location to I think right now it's a really pivotal moment for board here to really figure out where we are at moving forward, knowing that we have so many great projects lined up and that we want to have lined up for our communities here too. And so overall, the it's been I and really glad that cat got to this point. I think there are many hurdles that the with that we went through to get here and they really come town. COUNCILMAN Billy 4 really letting us know as your colleagues where your community has been not, you know, from the ones who are supportive to the ones who are not supportive because for me initially like I was very
opposed to Rhonda Library being closed MAY was very honest and transparent with you about that. I do think that the conversations with our staff members and also with you director haven't has been really helpful and Billy and might need to see that. There. I think for me the biggest benefit to the project here overall is that Rhonda Library did not have to go through a very intensive long process of finding dollars for it to get the renovations done. It seemed like if anything, it's like extra day to pass this that happened which I'm really grateful for so that the community there got what they needed to make sure that improvements are made into the library that, well, it will get us closer to safety, but that I also want to recognize will not solve all of the safety issues over at the intersection like
there's going to be creator, the partnership that has to happen in communication between, you lots of government entities from I hope the county also. Just even like in our chance of partners to and so I I hope that, you know, moving forward, especially for this year on that right. That will continue to happen because I also don't want to that our city, the be scapegoated for the the crime, the violence and just the issues that over at the intersection like we we all have a part to play and when I say that I'm talking about folks who are in elected positions, appointed positions and you know, all of city staff who commit to it looking out for our residents every day and and also making sure
that Roger Library remains safe and welcoming to all people, including, you know, that the minus public spaces there. And so I just want to share these thoughts because that happen to be a lot about it. And with again with us getting closer to the renovation for Heights library, it's jst putting into perspective, you know, like how how real and timely this conversation isn't. So I look forward to the conversations with you all. And if anybody would like to chat me off right about that, I the opportunity to do that. And again, things for your leadership to comfortably on this and check to having you in our staff. Any other questions, comments come as PRESIDENT. Thanks, chair. Just also add a question. But thank you again, director for this really helpful presentation.
And just want to thank you Ezzy. I agree with you entirely that I think the move. To Holly can provide a model not just for the advocacy for the community that as demonstrated, but also what to do when library is closed personally, I love to have the problem of being worried about where people governors reviews closed because it's going to be closed any mnute now. So we have to worry about that. Not the case right now, but we will be seen in that position and him had be in that position. And I I think this to move to local community center to try to find another location rather than being closed. I think it's really better than having a community that have a library for potentially long time. So I'm hoping that we can use this in
the planning now as something that we could we could do going forward. It MAY not be able to be as extensive as what happened tell I'm amazed actually how you've really recreated Rondo a heloc. You in many ways. It's it's incredible that MAY not be possible for a lot of reasons and different places. But I think there's probably something in between, you know, complete closure and having some services available somewhere else in the neighborhood. So eager continue thinking that there. Any other questions come in schools removing thank you guys. Want I do appreciate you. Councilmember just sharing your thoughts. And also, let's count the process. You know, I think the context really matters to in terms of, you know, if people are questioning of like where did the page was turned right or what not change our mind, but how do we get to a place that
can be in alignment? I think the biggest thing was just making sure that our community partners had what they needed to actually create space and maintain library. One of things I would say, you know, I definitely and behind champion this as a model. I think we should, you know, in the in the midst of renovations are transforming our libraries. When you still have our services available. So now I'm here to be a ally in that work. One things I would say that makes not so much unique, but just some of the qualities to look for having to that space where Rhonda Library is. Was touch early childhood learning So it already had like the the structures, unlike the infrastructure and and really
the space that community already known for for young people. It also had a few rounds also, you know, processes archiving their history. And in documenting the history so alive, 3 makes sense. Even just being very collaborative and adaptive. We know our nonprofits have had to support people and their entire livelihood. Right? Whether from the young people into seniors are having to Brown, you know, that's ingrained in their mission. I know for you now I'm really, really confident that that exists. You know, it in other neighborhoods is not jst only need to Rondo are you need to have acute Brown? Think this is a really great opportunity for leadership in for our city
to start expanding our community partnerships. I feel that the only benefit, you know, we only benefit especially now where where, you know, and our public spaces where sometimes questions around like what are safe havens, you know, especially in these times, I think our nonprofits are better suited, you know, to provide those community safety that care and tat protection, you know, and also supporting us with building that public trust. Thank you, council. Are we any other questions or comments? I just want to thank you tell you for your comments. The end. I think Dr as we're going through, you know what's happening at the the rental library, heloc, you Brown just hearing community updates like what's going well, what could be improved? I think that would be helpful. Just going back to I think one of your original comments about what what we're hearing with what's
going on, that would be helpful. And I think that everything we're just discussing, exemplified vital our libraries are to our community and how big of a deal it it is too, you know, potentially close around the library to move the round. A library. And as we're thinking about these transfer libraries projects now is a good time comes for Ian Council. Present makers points too, to build a plan and see if a temporary location is an option and the situation this worked out really well with the time of the funds as well as the you know, t have the contracted Heli can Brown. It worked out well with Kelly King Brown and we have an amazing partner there with any Roberts. The director. And so I think that something similar we would be needing to look for in each of your communities or any community and also having the
funding available, the timing of the funding. I think that that is a huge constrain. I know the him and then we library were not able to open a temporary location there. But that I mean, that's a significant costs and something that, you know, we will we'll go to work together to hopefully find solutions for if we have that money available. But that I think a major challenge that we face. It's a big deal to to relocate a library and build make that happen. And so I look forward to partnering partnering with with both of us and with Director Hartman and, you know, the administration, as we're looking into what some of those options might be for the transitions for those
libraries and to always point this community partnerships are. I mean, I don't know how we would have done this without without any and how you can brown center and so those are just such critical relationships that that we need in our community to support us to support us as a city during this time. You know, we can't we can't do it all before we close. I just director Hartman, really appreciate you. You know, sharing in and bring us together in the moment that we're in. This is very challenging. And I want to thank you. I want to thank all of our staff and our our frontline workers there at the library's right now that are providing those spaces and doing the great work they do
every to bring our communities together into places that are safe. That's what we need right now. And so I'm just really grateful for libraries every day, but especially grateful to them at this moment. And so I just want to thank everyone so much. I hope that, you know, everyone continues to come together as a community. To me, please take care of each other during this time. So thank you so much with that. And nothing else to come for us. We are adjourned.