? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? >> A meeting of the library board to order >> Roll call, For president. 3 absent. One being excused. Ultimately to present 2 s and one thing
excuse that's the first item on the agenda is the approval of mnutes minutes. 26 Dash 14 by board minutes for April first 2026. the minutes are before us for adoption take a motion from council vice president to prove the minutes. Is there any discussion? >> Seeing none. All those in favor say Aye. suppose. 7 favors repose. The minutes have been approved. The next item on the agenda is resolution. 6, Dash, 6, 2, 1, a discussion authorizing the Saint Paul Public Library to accept $700 gift from the Science Across America program. Great. So this item is before us from Louisville. It is basically accepting $500 for this program. And I believe it goes to west island library director is anything else you want to add about this program? >> Chair Joe Snell, thank you. Yeah, we're looking forward to programming partnerships both those locations in testing. With that, I'll take a motion from Councilmember Coleman to approve this item. there any discussion? >> All those in favor say Aye, All those oppose. Finding favor or oppose. The resolution has been adopted. The next item on the agenda, staff report staff report. 26 Dash. 74 both legislation update. Well, I'm really excited to welcome the executive director also sharing which you too, to
talk to us about about the epoch legislative approach more about Moussa. So welcome. Thank you for being here. Yeah. Thank you for having me. >> I am Sherri, and I'm happy to be here. I am a resident of Saint Paul and I and and chair forge. happy to be here. have been in my position for a little over a year and a half. regionally came from Wisconsin. We're menace to regional system in the northern part of Wisconsin. So happy to be here in Minnesota that can be more. Have yourself. kind of tell you a little bit about Mel say if you don't know a lot about what we do, we are in state statute created in the early The whole state is broken out into very large regions. Also, we can help support library service. going to be on what local municipalities and counties can do. So the map in front of you kind of gives you a good overly the state is broken into consolidated systems and federated systems on the consolidated systems manage everything from the buildings and the staff, the whole complete package and federated systems else we are removed from those buildings, the staff because their municipalities counties support them until we just help support services and efficiency scale. So this is
kind of like a diagram of how you can kind of think about. >> How city and county funding supports and then state funding. else like it's all of our funding state funding. So we promote collaboration amongst are over 100 libraries in our region. They make it possible for in Troy, bring and e-books and digital resources which I'll talk about a little bit. But we really do strive for equity and efficiency across the metro. >> just kind of in a numbers game here. for year provides over 2.7 million in direct support to remember libraries. >> also provide over 2.5 million in collaborative purchases and programs also helped with legacy funding. Most it does get to speak as one unified voice for the Metro for all the library. Sometimes municipalities and counties have their own legislative priorities and cannot speak to library initiatives that they wish they could. Some also gets to speak on behalf of them. And then also invest over 800,000 into our shared puck collection up a collection. And so it is the number one most used library consortium collection in the World 5 years running South. >> We have the best collection. We're very proud of >> And that collection it was
created 5 years ago. So for all the years it was created the number one. And it comes with its own problems. So >> diving into kind the state e-books and materials. Libraries pay 3 to 5 times the amount 2 rent don't purchase rent the same book or audiobook. The individuals pay. And then we don't own those. rent There's very restrictive lbrary contracts. And so our rentals expire after 2 years or 26 checkouts. So we often have to repurchase consistently the same folks over and over again. That directly impacts equity and access. We are limited by our budget so we can't purchase as many materials, epecially since the prices keep skyrocketing. And we have to keep repurchasing the same titles. So that cost to taxpayers is quite extraordinary. And so when we can't buy more materials just trying to keep up with demand. It's less access across all of the community. So we're trying to change that with legislation. >> So this year. >> The Minnesota Library Association Elsa. Kind of headed new approach to try and solving this issue. We have spent many years trying work with. >> The big 5 publishers and the only kind a vendor in te marketplace that helps libraries, access e-books to
the public. To try and get better terms that are contracts. They have been unwilling to negotiate whatsoever because they hold a monopoly on the whole situation. So. Other states have come up with legislation that will try to change things in so. >> Originally. >> Maryland was the first state to pass a book legislation. >> There's was caught a copyright law. That was found to be unconstitutional. And so that was a big disappointment a few years ago when that came back is unconstitutional. It basically force the publisher to provide access, provide price point. And so when you inflict those laws upon the publisher that violates copyright. So it was struck down. So then states could went back to the drawing board and they're like. How do we take a different approach? So now it's under contract contract law. So we are legislating libraries. Ability is to enter into fair contracts and we're not legislating. The publisher. So this House Bill and Senate bill. It removes the harmful restrictions on those contract Soul. >> There's no bans on into pillow. There's no time limits for those checkouts and you so numb or 2 years or 26 checkouts.
No, in part goes. And when we can purchase those items >> libraries get to manage their own collections just like they do physical lbrary book. So we're trying to bring local control back and do what libraries do so it reduces that repeated purchasing quite a bit. courage is fair pricing models and hopefully it will expand access across the communities because we won't be spending less, but we would have the ability to buy so much more if we have fair contracts. A Connecticut last year was the first state to pass this under contract And it has been on the books. >> It does have a trigger clause, though, in their legislation 7 million population. So Connecticut alone cannot start enacting that bill until enough states with 7 million population also enact a similar bill. >> Coming up, positive for second. Got a question from Councilmember >> One of them. Thank you, chair. Thank you for the space station. One of the questions are and you may be getting the second question. Well, rent. If it doesn't go into effect, not act a shun over that. That hit. No active litigation, And so I'll get to potential >> litigation coming up future side. But So this has been thoroughly vetted by copyright.
Lawyers librarians. >> Until it does not affect federal copyright at all. This contract law. So we think it'll stand even when it does become enacted. Connecticut hits that population milestone. >> So where we are across the nation this we have 6 active states other than us pursuing similar legislation. Want to talk a little bit about that District of Columbia, Washington, D.C., they were the first to take stab at this and introduce >> The lobbyists for the big 5 publishers and for overdrive, which is the company that provides our access that are came out lobbying against the bill. Pretty hard which we were surprised by veracity. And so the CEO of overdrive actually testified in >> person which was completely unexpected. But so >> they have taking the same playbook as when they were trying to defeat the Maryland >> legislation. And so they have a campaign of disinformation, all of their testimony is all based on that Maryland bill and not the current contract law because they know they don't have an argument to stand on. it was interesting to hear >> DC in their they did. The one difference they have is that they want 10 states. >> With a 50 million
population before their trigger law would go into effect. There's is still being debated and their Senate and house. We don't know whether it will pass this legislative session. >> Council president as a question. Thanks, chair. I'm just curious about the trigger laws and why those are why those are desirable. that's a great It's desirable for different >> people and different one of the things that >> all states are worried about, if they pass this legislation and they're only ones. Then they are afraid that they might not have enough market capital to force the publishers and vendors to offer fair pricing and then just one cell to that state. So by making a cohesive kind of blanket across the nation of more and more populous states. If all have the same legislation, then they can just walk away because they did this in too much money. There's that. On te other flip trigger laws also came to benefit the other side that went to defeat the legislation because they don't have to defeat the legislation. Every state they just have to pick populous states to defeat it there and that will stop. The trigger from going into effect. If I can get enough states. both sides interest
in. >> The trigger population. That was a great question. So DC's trigger population in states is the most extreme that we've seen. In Massachusetts. They hve introduced the legislation which in turn they had a lot of conversations and that state decided to try to get e-book committee. To analyze what's going on instead of actually passed the legislation. So they're trying to get it up. commission. >> On the books and say, we'll find out this month. If that passes. Hawaii does not have a population trigger at all, but it does have a consumer price index, trigger and ensure the legislation says that vendors have to match consumer press. That is the. >> But Kerry that I told you about that I talk about later is that make it overturned in a federal court. Those states that do? Require consumer price point that make the final 2 >> Unconstitutional. But we wait and >> New Jersey, there's is being negotiated between both the House and the Senate. There all they do have a consumer point. And they had no trigger. But the Republicans really want to trigger in there. And so they are right now negotiating whether or not they will have. minimum of more than 4 states.
10 million population. In Rhode Island is a sense. They're so tiny. They are kind of scared and they're trying to figure out >> You know, which way would be the best way. right now they have a hybrid legislation. So its have all the Maryland legislation and half of the Connecticut. So it's still includes problematic language like publisher shall do this and that which we think might get struck ball. There's also has all like everage kind of clothes to wear if any part is struck down. It's only that tiny part. The rest of the legislation still stands. that'll be that's a good kind fallback position to be in. And then you Dylan oil, which has gotten the later. they are really fast track on theirs know, took her claws, but the state of Illinois, how things need through the house. They had to do consumer consumer launched contract law until they do have a consumer price point in their last home match. 2, 3 weeks ago, the House passed unanimously. It's expected to pass the Senate Illinois would be enough population point for Connecticut's to trigger. Ad Illinois's would also be on the books from day one. So we're excitingly. Waiting for that. Which brings us to Minnesota. we have really
great success here in the state so far we've gotten farther than we thought initially we might with the, you know, one vote more in the Senate. But House. In the every single committee has passed it and so it is bipartisan on both sides, both the House and the Senate. So >> have the bill in the education policy on the bus in the Senate. It is likely to pass it. >> It actually gets heard. There is some internal politics in the state House right now. the House is playing hardball and doesn't want to hear anything that isn't a stand-alone bill. The stand-alone bill in the House side. There was all argument made by people a certain side that it did not make it in front of some deadlines. So they're using a procedural kind of loophole to try and block the passage of Bill, it got as far as commerce and then was defeated on that technicality in commerce. It was still bipartisan supported by the majority. But you need a certain percentage for that to pass that committee. And it did not. >> So they're still some new behind the scenes on the House to try and get still to be heard. And then if the Senate does pass that on the bus, when they go to reconcile. They're hoping that there will be political pressure for the
House to accept. >> That reconciliation and we still get passed this year. But we only have less than a couple weeks before Legislature closes. And so if we're not successful this year, we're definitely bringing it back next. Legislative session that so that's the kind of quick overview of where we are with event legislation. So I'm happy to answer any questions. Kuzma's president. Thank you. Churchill's. I want to say thank you for educating us about this very important piece of legislation. It's I'm very supportive of it at the table here within the library bard. We've been having the same conversations after year about the challenges with the licensing and e-books. And so I believe that this will be a huge puzzle piece resolving dad and with director haven't this legislation on our city legislative agenda and i not? >> It's, you know, I'd be very supportive, adding it on there, especially it's still, it's still me, but I have it on there nw before end of session, would be very interested in that if there's an interest adding up for next year, if we're unsuccessful in approving it, we're getting it approved at the legislature. I would be very surprised that too. Yeah, Charles Town summary thank you for e-book.
Solutions was on the city's legislative priority is the platform this year. And I've been keeping general work updated on this. And certainly if it doesn't go or we hope it'll go this year will bring it back again next Thank you. >> I have some more questions. Thank Oh, gosh, I don't know who was Councilmember Cullman. >> Thanks the quick the litigation coming out of the Maryland law is that Does? Do we know where that know? That was just it was constitutional. Nobody's trying appeal that decision. That was just everybody accepted that. >> That decision was fair. And so they just wanted to go back to. Let's rewrite legislation trying to But other states are still introducing similar. Haven't mentioned that. not the Maryland. Only Rhode Island has a hybrid of the 2 >> Thanks Councilmember. Thank you. been a brutal >> Thank Thank chair charges and thank you so much for the presentation has been Councilmember Vice President words in terms of how hardy high priority this is. I know Director Hartman hears grapple with restoration of like how can this type of practice happens? Is? >> Is very harmful and seems very extract of. >> So I in terms want to support this legislation. But
my question is more so now in the public sector ring in the private sector because one of things as I'm listening to some of the like the the >> and flexibility with this business model that really just has a monopoly. Has there been any investments are explorations around lke new businesses are entrepreneurs who my want to create like a fear. book practices are, you know, I'm just thinking about just like the public sector is not able to solve the problems. Maybe there could entrepreneur out there too. champions reading and having access to books and and public libraries in the same way that can, you I'm just putting out there in terms of if the if the market, you know, is creating ways for a new business actually create that type of system. That's a great question. So right now, the only competitor really that is trying to make headway is lyricists, but they are coming up against those big 5 publishers. They want to keep their income levels the way they are into their e fusing to sell to competitors. They want to keep their vendor where they have these strict. Contracts to get the most So big 5 publishers are unwilling of smaller publishers are making deals and that's why Lewis is is the one that's trying to lead the way into other ways and doing a book
business with libraries they just don't have the popular titles that everybody wants. so it's it's a struggle. Speaking what everybody wants, just to give you an idea of the demand here in the metro when we did a study a little over 6 months ago, we looked at how much holes that we have to fill the holds. We would have to spend an additional 21 million dollars here in the Metro and then that would disappear after those books got checked out within the first year. And we would have to have. so i's just astronomical. >> How much demand and then how much they're charging 2. To meet the demand of the public. >> thank council president maker, thanks just I have a question. And then 9 suggestions for campaigns related to this because the sort of injustice monopolistic bullying just really gets me going. But my question do it is Does our legislation of a trigger? Yes, it does. It is that 7 million population. And that's nt our is that to our state gets to 7 million or until 7 million people are in states that have kept in other we be right at that as soon as we adapt to that or how far would we be from I guess a us and kinetic it would not be enough for just under that 7 million rght But if
Illinois does pass there. >> They are beyond that 7 billion with Connecticut. So my suggestions one many lower the trigger about not I think would be. It's really interesting think about the fact that dllars would go 3 to 5 times further. If we just heading grant program, 2 individuals to purchase And so I don't have any systems of having that. That but it seems like to just give people the money to get the book at. 3 to 5 times less a rate than we pay and that could actually be a targeted program is is maybe something to consider if this legislation is unsuccessful or seems like it needs additional pressure to be successful because there's also a lot of messaging you can do about why we're doing that. And switching to that and the other. It is just I don't know if there are states that have considered or systems that it considers her blackout period of time where? The last 6 months of the year we don't have the books and this is why and make sure you contact your legislator. I just think it's really important. We talked about this at the table before for people to understand the the costs and the fact that it's not the same as just checking out a physical, every book and to be kind of mobilize and engaged in the campaign with us because it's just it's just not it's just
ridiculous. So that's why so enough. I come coal and then I have couple questions, too. Thanks and I'm sorry, all questions are lawsuits. lawsuits, which isn't there been interest litigation against the big 5 publhers publishing companies for this? Since this is a public meeting, there's nothing currently public about investigations or anything into the big 5 publishers. Moreover drive. But it's certainly out there and people stops. >> Thanks. That was actually similar question. I had is like with the nature of this monopoly how high prices there anything like the attorney general can do about this or anything like that. So I don't know if you that's a similar response. But it seems like our state and in states across the country are in really difficult situation. And like these prices are just like you said, astronomical. It doesn't feel fair. >> I will say A few years ago there was a federal Senate. subcommittee that did get overdrive and the big 5 publishers to testify in private. >> So there is open access to the information they devolved. And that was there. >> They only agreed to the meeting if they could be off the record. But there is new pressure on the new chair of
that subcommittee to release those documents. And so I think. It'd be a different ball game. If he did get to hear that actual testimony. So we're going to help. But that also there's many different avenues we can go on trying to get better contracts and better services. And so it all will be a patchwork of moves and counter moves. >> Absolutely. I one more. >> Quick question. The on this page here. It says that what the libraries pain, it says, for example, book $60. So is that you pay $60 and that gets to like the two-year license or the 26 checkouts. And then you have to renew again for $60. Is that basically how that works? want to make sure understand. >> Yeah, told average those most of the popular the audio books are over $100 per copy. >> But that's not what the public pays yeah, and >> I didn't bring it with the lines, but also the increase of cost over year. Going extra. >> Off te charts, even though there's no extra costs to the provider, the publishers, the authors are not getting paid more. completely absorbed into the publisher, the vendor. >> And so our costs go up at least for most of the major 5, about 4.9% each year. >> from work maybe think that
question. And then what authors think about this? I mean, you mentioned like the impact on them with what word or did they say what their stance? Yeah, there are 2 competing offers alliances that testify for this legislation depending whos representing and >> for our most rcent hearing in the House, we did have William Kent Krueger, one of her famous own Minnesota authors coming testified that he supports this legislation. So we do have quite a few authors that support it because they would actually get paid more if we bought more copies with more money to buy copies, they would get paid more because it is a flat rate that they get paid. So any other questions from my colleagues? Well, director, thank you so much for being here. Really appreciate all this information. And I think it's got a lot of us, you know. >> Thinking about this fired up about this. thank you so much for being here. Really appreciate it. Thank you so much. The final item on the agenda staff report. 26 Tasha 76, the Friends of Saint Paul Public Library books from camping. >> And we've got. Diana kind with the friends who is going to present the results of the friends in Saint Paul public
library's books for all campaign. >> All right. Good aternoon. High chair, just council members. My name is fine I am the senior director of development for the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. I am so grateful to be a conversation. community with you all today with my colleague, our senior director of communications and marketing Kim Forton. We will jointly present the results of this very successful campaign. Spoiler alert. There's good news in here and I will admit I'm a little nervous to be in such a formal great ice that way. Yeah. But let's get started. So just a little bit of background to ground us in this effort. >> campaign really is an excellent example of the public private partnership that we here at the friends enjoy with S P p l. Really working together to see how we can lift the excellent work that they're accomplishing on a daily basis. So as you know, last year, the library identified onetime challenge in funding the 2026 Library collections budget. This inspired a series of fairly robust conversations between between the friends and library leadership and identified. This is a really good opportunity for the friends to step in. So 3
motivating reasons behind that one really immediate need need to get this done. So the library can do that. Really good work. 2, i's good fundraising opportunity as a as a professional fundraiser. Always looking for that hook at that message that will inspire that giving so opportunity to leverage what really is like a passion and a love o sp peels extraordinary collections. So books. Yes, but also books and music and movies and all of the resources that are available to check out for free on a daily basis. And then 3rd last, but not least it's really an opportunity for us to test strategies that we will use in the public phase of our capital campaign. We're currently running in support of the transforming Libraries initiative. So that public phase that's really community based effort where we want fight the Holocene Paul to participate. And this is a chance for us to hone in some of those strategy. So we make sure we're able to to that best work. So the goal for this campaign, $62,000 i a fundraising campaign. So revenue is going to be the primary goal. But we were able to develop a strategy really tailored to the specific opportunity. So and it is time bound fundraising campaign includes a really strong hook. And that's why my colleague
Kim is up here as well because this is in addition to a partnership. fundraising partnership with as PPL partnership within our organization around really excellent messaging. You can't have that fundraising touching. And so with that, I will turn it over to >> Thanks and share Joe's council members. Thank This was such a pleasure of the campaign to work. just have to say that obviously that was really clear directive from my library is a really clear directive from my colleagues and the development department. And so we really needed clear messaging to match it. So as you're all familiar by now, the name of the campaign that chose was books for all same pot. Assessing to title. It was hopefully very clear that it also representative the leaf, a belief that there should be books for all Saint Paul. And that's why we chose this. We wanted the name but also the rest of the messaging to feel friendly, to feel motivating and upbeat and to be welcoming so that people can see themselves and be ready to participate in the campaign. Obviously, we wanted to welcome current donors to participate in this is special. You know, one time opportunity in addition to their regular giving. We
wanted to welcome new folks and and as Dan mentioned, you know, capitalizing on that level of libraries that love of books was a really perfect way to welcome people in. So Dana just mentioned can. I love me some alliteration. our to action donate, dedicate deliver books for all Saint Paul. So we included here and a few examples suggested giving amounts to help people help pople to understand how much these materials actually cost and what their money could actually do. And then our luck as we call. That was just a a special way of making this little bit fun a little bit different than our normal campaigns. And that was the opportunities to dedicate your donations. So we created a public dedication. Well, and people at when they would make a donation, they would also right lovely notes to library staff to their hometown libraries. And also to people in their lives who inspired their love of books and reading, really made it feel like a special community effort. And this is just a quick snapshot of our visual identity. Obviously, we wanted this to feel like a friend's things. So it represents are friends, brand standards and all of that. But we included this special illustration, a special logo again to make it feel like a little something different
than we normally do. I'll turn it back to. >> Thank you know, it is a fundraising effort friends driven fundraising effort. And so we are going to do all of our friends, fundraising things and being in communication and inviting our donor community or broader friends community to participate. And so, you know, on this side, you have a nice snapshot of what our general individual giving efforts are. That includes personal solicitations as well as broad based appeals to existing donors, flks who are in relationship with their organization through news that might not already be giving. And providing both male up into pieces, leveraging social media as well communications. kind of always doing all of that and leverage all of those tools for this effort. One of the things we really wanted to do is come mentioned was provide some education could not be more timely station. >> That fundraising is about relationships. It's not just transaction. And so providing people's some information to come into deeper relationship with the work that the library is doing and that the friends doing. >> Providing some background material on why this campaign is necessary and giving some information that might inspire not only for their giving
financial giving, but giving potentially in other ways in the future, specifically around traffic is but also such an exciting moment as a mentioned before to be in conversation ppl and as ppl patrons for fundraising. Have a quick question. I was just looking this last slide and a interesting to see. >> You know, like the presentation on the custody books and also communicating that to the public because they think they probably don't fully realize what the cost is. I was reading the second part down here. It's a Sprint Cup, the large print copy book. can see the play away the audio book. What does play a I prefer to to >> OK, thank you. A play away. >> Is audio book that blaze from the thing you check out. So you just put your headphones directly into this. I want to say cassette. I know that he's dating me, but it is like SATs and you don't have to listen to it on your phone or listen to your car. You plug it in directly to the. Play away to have Just okay. Yes. Okay. I'll bring one next time. So you can see it's pretty Do check them outside check of the library or has this weird? money. How you ask that? You check it out at the library. >> yeah, you gets checked out
for 3 weeks like any other book. It would be And like a CD, except like I you know what I'm saying. It's all packaged in there. So you don't have to normally would check out. I could. >> You would borrow online and audio book and that he played on your phone. This is you don't need your phone. You just put your head on straight into It's pretty groovy a brand okay. I learn new things every time they have maybe they didn't know about that. That's fantastic. And so in the money raised from collections will help. >> Support Marvel's. That's great. was a babysitting really excited us to play >> So in addition to those channels that Diana mentioned, we did a few other things as well. We contacted local authors to ask them to be ambassadors for the campaign. So William Kent Krueger who Sherri mentioned Mona Ssan Power and calculating all agree to be ambassadors for the campaign, which meant that they shared testimony as testimonials. They share the campaign on their personal networks and they each made a gift which was really meaningful to the campaign. But as Dana alluded to, I think one of the most important parts of this campaign was our partnership with that Lovely LeBron
colleagues and we spent a lot of time, Diane, in particular listing to library staff to talk about what they need and how this could work for them. And what we developed was, first of all, a library activation. Can we call that with materials that we deliver to all the branches for them to use and help promote the campaign. We worked really closely with the communications staff at the library, too. I develop and share digital content through their channels. We actually did takeover of newsletter, which was a first for us and libraries, staff again finish patients. Team did some really nice Social Post their own as well. Ad so this is what contributed to again. Spoiler alert, the success of campaign. But as mentioned earlier, it's really a model. It's a model of how we can partner. It's going to be the way that we work for this upcoming capital campaign Munch and for future campaign. So that was something that was hugely important. And as part of this campaign, so as you can see here, this is just an example of the library activation kept. We gave the library's flyers marks and pledge cards priest and envelope to send it to the friends, talking plans of that kind is saff really to prepare them to help promote this campaign. In the picture
on the left, here is the display that Highland developed on their own. They use their materials. They curated a section of books. And this again is just an example of that. Incredible partnership that helped make this campaign successful, which means I'll turn it over to ? And have to be extremely explicit here. been implied throughout this could not have happened without the partnership of our library colleagues and just want to offer real gratitude to folks from leadership on down to the front line workers for their partnership and bringing this to life. So thank you so very much. Really good news. We successful in achieving the fundraising goal so actually exceeded it a bit. Consent continues to be right size with that. With that dollar amount But, you know, raise gifts from 225 donors, including 36, new donors. And while you had folks. >> Yes, w did have gifts in the five-figure range. We did also receive a one dollar donation from a very young patrons who wanted to support this fundraising And that I think is a career highlight for and will be remembered for always and I think really speaks to impact of 5 areas. >> Wanted to end by sharing
this side as well. That in addition to the partnerships we've already discussed today, it is really a partnership of our city coming together to support So here's a map of donors by locations. All 7 words participated in books for all and each ward had at least one new donor supporting this fundraising effort. So want to offer gratitude to the fullness of the city and just really looking forward to what this means for future fundraising efforts. Thank you. >> Thank ? quick question on the less and then open it up for other questions. I didn't see it until to know my screen, but their numbers inside those little circles. Wat is that one of those OK? >> Numbers OK? OK, it's so each that some of these dots represent more than one for. Yes. Thank And people can switch for >> Thank you chair to also I want to say thank you so much for the presentation. It was energizing rejuvenating, everything like all the as it is that you have the slide there. You believe in it and and I just wanted to see overall. Congratulations and thank you so much for all of your hard work. I to me. You really set a high bar for the level of enthusiasm. I want to have enough time out
fundraising I just really policy it is in terms of the donors that you have to out the city. Did you have any donors who lived outside of Saint Paul Yes, thank you. Chair Jones counts been bringing. Yes. I think it was something like 86% of donors to this campaign live within the city of Saint Paul South. And that's a slightly higher taken usual geographic spread of our donors. there's a handful of people. You know, we're living outside the city. And I think that, you know, that does speak to if I may like the regional impact of the work ppl, that even for those who are outside the city limits, you know, really? >> See themself connected to come to the work of the same public library screen. Honestly, this? The partnership between the friends and the city here. It's one of my favorites. And so I really look forward to the work ahead and how we continue to partner champion. Well, all that we want for our libraries and our residents. So again, thank you for everything you thought you too. Thank you. >> And questions. Michael Hicks. Councilmember Justin. >> Not a question, but also just really wanting to say, well, kudos to you all as well for telling a wonderful story. I found myself sitting at the
end wonder and wanting to know any would be in but also just really great to see map and that it's reached all across the city. >> And especially just that. It was able to kind of take the front mistake, able to take on a new fund raising piece, a new fundraising aspect and really turned into what we know to be true. Just like the message behind our wired fundraising. It's really to make sure that folks have access to books here in Saint Paul on the no one turned away from that. And that's really pivotal the pivotal in vital. And I think to general, like I know it's been a new it was a path that's been charted. But I think that that just really shows the the the pulse of our city right now. And what we find is values. And so that to me also as a value, it's based piece. actually kind of glad that we have that point to look at. And, you know, we wanted to raise 6 to 2000. actually raise 70,000 and a relatively short period of time to ensure that people in our city and the kids in our city, I was in a city, had access to books. And I think that's really incredible. So I hope that tat actually is something that, you know, can be used as future. Reminders of just that, folks. Are they still care about what what our kids and our families have access to we still care about
our library. So. Especially for the one dollar >> Any other questions? How also just really express my gratitude to you on the friends 4, again of being there for us since stepping up to support library collections and then going above and beyond. And in. >> Again, everything that you do. I really excited about this campaign and I also just appreciate. >> You know, all of vote like the wide range of donors like that and wide range of amount donated all across the city because that just tells me that everyone really values the libraries and they care about. >> The care about them. They care about each other. And and I think that that's just that's just so important. Says a lot about, you know, who we are as a city. And so thank you so much. And really look forward to all the work will continue to get Thanks for being here. alright. Well with nothing else to come before us, we are adjourned