[Library Advisory Board on October 27, 2025.]
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P.M. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE OCTOBER 27TH, 2025 WILEY LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING. ANY COMMENTS ON NON AGENDA ITEMS? ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD REGARDING AN ITEM THAT IS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MUST FILL OUT A FORM PRIOR TO THE MEETING IN ORDER TO SPEAK. THE BOARD REQUESTS THAT COMMENTS BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES FOR AN INDIVIDUAL, SIX MINUTES FOR A GROUP. IN ADDITION, THE LIBRARY BOARD IS NOT ALLOWED TO CONVERSE, DELIBERATE, OR TAKE ACTION ON ANY MATTER PRESENTED DURING CITIZEN PARTICIPATION. PARTICIPANT. PARTICIPANT. HELP ME OUT HERE. THERE YOU GO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT THERE IS NO MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HERE TO TO SPEAK. WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 22ND MEETING.
AND IF THERE'S NOTHING TO ADD, CHANGE OR CORRECT, IF WE COULD GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED. I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE. I SECOND. MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES HAS PASSED 7 TO 0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR WORK SESSION. I'M GOING TO LET YOU INTRODUCE THIS ONE. SURE. WE HAVE OUR STAFF SPOTLIGHT FIRST THING. AND TONIGHT WE HAVE MISS NINA DAVIS. SHE IS ONE OF OUR ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIANS. YOU ALL MAY KNOW, NINA, IF YOU HAVE EVER COME TO BOOK CLUB OR ANY OF OUR ADULT PROGRAMS, SHE'S IN CHARGE OF ALL OF THAT. SHE ALSO HAS COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT DUTIES. SHE'S OUR GENEALOGY EXPERT. SHE'S ALSO MY FELLOW K-POP DEMON HUNTER FAN. SO SHE'S COMING DRESSED UP AS ANOTHER CHARACTER AS K-POP DEMON TOMORROW. BUT ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO LET HER TALK ABOUT ALL THE GOOD STUFF SHE DOES FOR US. TAKE IT AWAY, NINA. THANK YOU. IT'S A LITTLE TOGGLE, AND IT SHOULD TURN RED THERE. YEAH, WE GOT IT. EXCELLENT. HELLO. I THINK MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN ME FROM THE LAST STAFF SPOTLIGHT. MY NAME IS NINA DAVIS. AS OPHELIA SAID, I'M ONE OF THE ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIANS HERE AT SMITH LIBRARY. I'VE BEEN WITH THE LIBRARY FOR 15 YEARS.
I WAS ONE OF THE STAFF HIRED UP FOR WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING THE NEW BUILDING. I'VE BEEN A LIBRARIAN FOR 30 YEARS. I STARTED OUT PRETTY MUCH DONE EVERYTHING, THINGS I FORGET I'VE DONE SOMETIMES. I STARTED OUT IN ACTUALLY CATALOGING. I WAS ORIGINAL CATALOGER FOR UNIVERSITY. I'VE DONE ARCHIVAL PROCESSING. SO IF YOU'VE EVER TRIED TO DO RESEARCH IN SOME ARCHIVES, SOMEBODY HAD TO GET ALL THAT TOGETHER SO YOU COULD ACTUALLY FIND IT AND KNOW THAT THAT EVEN EXISTED. I REALIZED AS I WAS APPROACHING HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT TENURE TRACK AND AT A VERY PUBLISHER PARISH INSTITUTION, THAT THAT REALLY WASN'T WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR OUT OF LIBRARIANSHIP. AND SO I TRANSITIONED TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES, PUBLIC FACING SERVICE, WHERE I'VE WORKED PRETTY MUCH IN ALL DEPARTMENTS CHILDREN'S, TEENS, ADULTS, CIRCULATION. I WAS THE LIBRARIAN AT A LIBRARY IN OHIO.
PROGRAMING, YOU NAME IT, BOOKMOBILE. YOU NAME IT. SO HERE, OPHELIA SAID, I DO A LOT OF PROGRAMING, MYSTERY NIGHTS, BOOK CLUBS, A LOT OF THE CONCERTS THAT WE HOST AT THE LIBRARY. I ALSO, YES, I'M ONE OF THE THREE LIBRARIANS OF US WHO ARE ADULT SERVICES. SO ONE OF THE THREE WHO DOES COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT FOR THE ADULT SERVICE, THE ADULT COLLECTION. AND GENEALOGY AND GENEALOGY. YES, I AM KIND OF THE DEFACTO GENEALOGY LIBRARIAN, ACTUALLY JUST DID A PROGRAM LAST TUESDAY. YES, BEGINNING GENEALOGY. AND THEN WE DO. WE ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH GENEALOGY NETWORK OF TEXAS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY BASED OUT OF WACO MCLENNAN COUNTY'S LIBRARY. THEY OFFER A STATEWIDE PROGRAMS THAT ANY LIBRARY CAN PARTNER IN ON
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FOR FREE, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL SERVICE. SO WE ALSO DID THAT LAST FRIDAY. WILL YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT, NINA, ABOUT BOOKED ON FRIDAYS? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S OUR LONGEST RUNNING ADULT BOOK CLUB, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. SO BOOK CLUB HAD A DIFFERENT NAME. SENIOR BOOK CLUB ACTUALLY WAS THE FIRST BEFORE MINE. YEP. AND THEN WHEN WE MOVED TO THE NEW BUILDING, WE STARTED BECAUSE THAT BECAUSE IT WAS SENIOR BOOK CLUB. AND SO WE DIDN'T JUST HAVE A GENERAL ADULT. AND SO WE STARTED BOOKED ON FRIDAYS. I WOULD SAY BEST LAID PLANS. THE ORIGINAL IDEA WAS, OH, HEY, LET'S COMPLIMENT SENIOR BOOK CLUB. THEY TENDED TO READ A LOT OF OPRAH PICKS, KIND OF MORE LITERARY FICTION. LET'S DO GENRE, GENRE FICTION AND DO THIS. AND WE DO WE. BUT YOU KNOW, AS THE CLUB GREW AND, AND I LET THEM CHOOSE WHAT WE READ, THEY VOTE EVERY YEAR.WHAT WE READ, IT'S KIND OF A MIX. SO WE STILL GET SOME LITERARY FICTION, BUT WE ALSO THEY LIKE A LOT OF MYSTERY AND THRILLER. SO, SO, SO THAT GETS IN THERE AS WELL. IT'S GROWING THOUGH. IT'S IT'S UP TO WE ARE UP TO 19 ACTIVE MEMBERS. THAT AVERAGES 13 TO 15 IN ATTENDANCE.
SO IT'S A BIG GROUP BUT THEY'RE A FUN GROUP. VERY COOL. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR NINA.
HOW DO YOU KEEP THE ADULT ADULTS ENGAGED? IT IS A CHALLENGE AND ESPECIALLY IN A COMMUNITY THAT IS STILL YOUNG, FAMILY LEANING. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO DO AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, I THINK IS TRYING TO DO SOME BRIDGE PROGRAMING, AND WE DID SOME OF THAT THIS SUMMER, ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY DID AN ANIME K-POP CRAFT NIGHT WHERE THEY COULD COME AND DO LIKE BRACELETS AND THEY'RE CALLED TOP LOADERS. IF ANYBODY COLLECTS LIKE BASEBALL CARDS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT'S THE SAME TYPE OF THING WHERE IT'S THE CARD HOLDER FOR YOUR COLLECTIBLE CARD AND YOU PUT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE LIKE TO DECORATE THEM. SO AND THAT WAS OPEN TO, IN ESSENCE, OLDER TEEN TO ADULT. SO THAT ALLOWED LIKE FAMILIES TO COME. AND SO THE KIDS CAN SEE THAT, OH HEY, THERE'S STILL SOME STUFF THAT I CAN DO. BUT ALSO THE PARENTS HAD A LITTLE BIT SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO. AND IT IS A BALANCE BECAUSE WE ALSO WANT EACH AGE GROUP TO BE ABLE TO SOCIALIZE WITH THEIR OWN AGE. SO BUT THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS WE'RE LOOKING FOR. AND THEN ALSO THE, THE CONCERTS, WHICH ARE JUST OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY, DOES ANYBODY COMES SO. WILL YOU TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT, NINA, ABOUT THE SELECTION PROCESS AND HOW YOU GUYS CHOOSE THE BOOKS THAT YOU CHOOSE? SO CURRENTLY MOST OF MY SELECTION IS FICTION GENRE, SO THAT WE DO HAVE DIFFERENT PARAMETERS FOR FICTION GENRES WE DO ARE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION POPULARITY, POPULARITY, AUTHORS. WHAT MAY BE BUZZING ON BOOK TALK. WE LOVE BOOK TALK. WE DO, WE DO.
BUT IT DOES LEAD TO A LOT OF WHY IS THAT 70 YEAR OLD BOOK SUDDENLY HAVE TEN HOLES ON IT? YOU'RE NOW TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH DEMAND. WE LOOK AT, OF COURSE, BESTSELLERS FOR NONFICTION. WE ARE LOOKING AT REVIEWS, THE EXPERTISE OF THE AUTHORS, ETC. AND THEN WE WAY, AS YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE HAVE? AND THERE'S SOME THINGS, ESPECIALLY AGAIN, GOING BACK TO FICTION. IT IS A COMMUNITY. SO SOMETIMES WHAT'S POPULAR AT IN A DIFFERENT CITY ISN'T NECESSARILY POPULAR HERE. SO YOU'RE WEIGHING ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL.
YEAH. AND LIKE I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME, WE RUN OUT OF MONEY WAY BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF BOOKS TO BUY. YEAH. SO ESPECIALLY WITH HEAVY SERIES, HEAVY GENRES. AND AGAIN, PATTERSON PATTERSON DOES FALL INTO ONE OF MY AREAS. PATTERSON. THE QUESTION IS SIMPLY, WELL, HOW MANY PATTERNS ARE COMING OUT THIS MONTH? THAT'S REALLY THE QUESTION I ASK. SO. SO ANOTHER QUESTION, IF SOMEONE WAS INTERESTED IN GENEALOGY AND THEY WANTED TO COME FOR A SESSION, IS IT CAN YOU GO AND FIND, YOU KNOW, YOUR FAMILY MEMBER FROM THE 1800S? IS THERE A COST? YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHERE DO YOU START AND END UP? IF YOU GET READY TO DELVE INTO SOMETHING LIKE THAT? SO
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WHAT I CAN DO SOMETIMES WE'LL MEET WITH PEOPLE IN PERSON. WE KIND OF SET UP LIKE 30 MINUTE APPOINTMENTS OR UP TO 30 MINUTES. WE CAN SET THAT UP. IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY ARE. I HAD A PERSON RECENTLY WHERE I WAS LOOKING AT SETTING ONE UP, AND THEN I GOT THE SENSE THAT THEY HADN'T ACTUALLY REALLY STARTED, AT WHICH POINT I SAID, OKAY, WELL, THESE ARE YOUR STEPS. AND SHE HAD ATTENDED THE THE BEGINNING GENEALOGY PROGRAM. DON'T FORGET TO DO THESE STEPS. AND THEN IF YOU GET STUCK, I MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU OR MAY BE ABLE TO REFER YOU. AS FAR AS SOMEBODY WHO'S JUST STARTING, I HAVE KIND OF BASIC THINGS WHERE I'LL SAY YES, IF SOMEONE COMES IN AND THEY'LL SAY, WELL, THIS IS HOW YOU START, THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN GO TO LOOK TO HAVE REALLY GREAT GETTING STARTED ARTICLES. AND SOME OF THEM HAVE RECORDINGS AND THEN KIND OF TAKE IT FROM THERE. IT'S IT'S A JOURNEY. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I TRY TO STRESS TO PEOPLE. ALSO, IT'S NOT UNLIKE BUILDING A BUILDING. YOU DON'T JUMP OFF IN MID-AIR. SO IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A RELATIVE IN THE 1800S, YOU ACTUALLY START WITH YOURSELF. START WITH YOURSELF, YOUR PARENTS, YOUR GRANDPARENTS, THEIR SIBLINGS.YOU'RE GOING TO NEED ALL THOSE FAMILY GROUPS TO HELP YOU VERIFY WHAT YOU'RE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, AND THEN YOU WORK YOUR WAY BACKWARDS. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR NINA? I JUST WANTED TO SING YOUR PRAISES JUST FOR A MOMENT. I KNOW I LOVE THE THE CONCERTS THAT THAT THAT BRING INTO THE LIBRARY. IT'S ALWAYS A TREAT. EVEN IF I FORGET ABOUT IT.
MAYBE I'M JUST THERE TO DROP OFF A BOOK OR SOMETHING. AND THERE'S THIS, YOU KNOW, JUST GORGEOUS HARP MUSIC COMING IN THE THE LOBBY AND JUST TO STOP AND JUST ENJOY THAT AND TO SEE PEOPLE WHO LIKEWISE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE JUST COME IN AND THEY GET KIND OF CAPTIVATED IN THAT IS REALLY NICE FOR THE GENEALOGY. I CAN SPEAK FROM, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE I WENT TO ONE OF THE GENEALOGY PROGRAMS AND IT WAS JUST REALLY FASCINATING KIND OF GETTING THOSE RESOURCES TO SORT OF CHASE THE, YOU KNOW, CLIMB UP THE FAMILY TREE AND JUST KIND OF SEE WHAT'S WHAT I FOUND. AND IT WAS IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY KIND OF EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR, FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO AND, AND BEING SUCH A GREAT SERVICE TO OUR LIBRARY. THANK YOU. AND I WILL SAY ANOTHER THING WITH GENEALOGY. I'VE ALSO BEEN DOING MY FAMILY RESEARCH FOR 30 YEARS. SO IT'S IT'S NEVER IT'S NEVER ENDING. IT'S NEVER ENDING. BUT IT'S FUN. OKAY. AND THOSE APPOINTMENTS THAT NINA WAS MENTIONING, THOSE ARE CALLED BOOK A LIBRARIAN. AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JUST FOR GENEALOGY. IT CAN BE FOR ANYTHING. SO IF SOMEBODY NEEDED TO LEARN HOW TO USE A DATABASE THAT WE HAVE, OR THEY NEED SOME HELP WITH SOMETHING, THAT THEY NEED SOMEBODY TO SIT WITH THEM ONE ON ONE, THAT'S HOW WE ADDRESS THAT AS A BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHEN THEY'LL COME TO THE LIBRARY AND THEY WANT US TO DO IT RIGHT THEN, BUT IT'S RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL AND THINGS ARE CRAZY. AND THERE'S PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, AND WE HAVE A PROGRAM AND WE CAN'T DO THAT. BUT IF THEY SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, THEN WE'RE HAPPY TO SIT WITH THEM AND DO THAT. SO AND SOMETIMES THE FORM RIGHT NOW IS DOWN. BUT IF YOU ASK US, WE'LL SAY, WELL, YEAH, THIS WILL DIRECT YOU TO HOW TO SET THAT UP. I WILL SAY AGAIN WITH THE GENEALOGY APPOINTMENTS, IT I GET VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT IT BECAUSE 30 MINUTES ISN'T A LOT OF TIME. I SPENT TWO HOURS JUST COMPILING WHAT I SENT TO THIS PERSON. I SPENT TWO HOURS PULLING TOGETHER. SO IF ANYBODY EVER WANTS TO ASK FOR A COOL, I WANT A VERY SPECIFIC WHO ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? PARAMETERS. WHAT RECORD ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SO WE CAN GET IT NARROWED DOWN? ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, NINA. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU MIND TURNING THAT OFF FOR ME? THANKS. ALL RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER TWO ON OUR WORK SESSION IS REVIEWING OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 STATISTICS. OKAY, SO ON PAGE FIVE OF YOUR PACKET, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LITTLE CHART. AND IT SHOWS FY FISCAL YEAR 2324 AND 25. AND I INCLUDED THOSE TWO YEARS JUST SO YOU GUYS CAN GET AN IDEA OF KIND OF THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING, WHICH IS UP. ALTHOUGH CHECKOUT DID GO DOWN SLIGHTLY THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS INTERESTING IN PHYSICAL ITEMS, NOT IN DIGITAL. EXCUSE ME. BUT I DON'T INCLUDE MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE BEFORE THAT WAS COVID AND THOSE YEARS WERE JUST OUT OF COMPLETELY OUT OF WHACK. SO IT GETS CONFUSING
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WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COVID NUMBERS AND GO, WHAT IN THE WORLD? AND YOU KNOW, THEN HAVING TO ADJUST FOR THAT. SO THAT'S WHY I JUST STARTED WITH FY 23. YOU'LL SEE REGISTERED USERS ARE GOING VERY STRONG. OUR INITIAL CHECKOUT, WE WENT FROM 3.99 IN FY 24 TO 390. BUT WITH ONCE YOU ADD IN THE RENEWALS AND EVERYTHING, WE'RE STILL GOING VERY STRONG ON THAT.I WILL SAY THIS IS FY 26. THIS FISCAL YEAR WE'RE IN. NOW IS THE FIRST TIME EVER WE MOVED MONEY FROM PHYSICAL THE PHYSICAL COLLECTION, THE PHYSICAL LIBRARY COLLECTION INTO THE DIGITAL COLLECTION. BECAUSE THE DIGITAL COLLECTION IS GOING SO STRONG AND THE DEMAND IS SO HIGH. SO YOU'LL NOTICE I KIND OF DID A VERY LIGHT HIGHLIGHT THERE ON THE TOTAL SUCCESS CHECK OUT AND RENEWAL. THAT'S FOR THE PHYSICAL ITEMS. AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM YOU'LL SEE TOTAL DIGITAL CIRCULATION. AND THAT'S ALSO JUST CLIMBING CLIMBING CLIMBING CLIMBING WITH THAT ONE. THE MORE WE BUY I MEAN IT'S IT'S LIMITLESS. I MEAN WE JUST WE JUST CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND. WE GET CONSTANT DEMAND FOR THAT. SO AND I THINK MORE AND MORE PEOPLE I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE OUR HARDCORE PHYSICAL BOOK LOVERS, ME BEING ONE OF THEM. I LIKE HAVING A PHYSICAL BOOK, BUT I MEAN, I GET IT FOR TRAVEL. IF YOU'RE DOING THAT KIND OF STUFF, IT'S SO MUCH EASIER TO HAVE A DEVICE AND DOING IT ON A DEVICE. SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHY. SO I COULD TOTALLY SEE THAT KIND OF TREND CONTINUING IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. BUT YOU'LL NOTICE OUR DOOR COUNT IS. I ALSO INCLUDED THAT EVEN THOUGH TECHNICALLY THAT'S NOT A CIRCULATION STATISTIC, BUT I JUST FIND IT INTERESTING TO SEE THAT'S TELLING YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME IN THE BUILDING THAT YEAR. SO IN FY 23, IT WAS 195,000 ALMOST, AND WE'RE UP TO ALMOST 214,000. SO IT'S STILL GROWING AND GROWING AND GROWING.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WE STILL HAVEN'T QUITE HIT PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS. SO 2019 WAS OUR BIGGEST YEAR EVER, AND WE'RE STILL KIND OF INCHING UP TOWARDS THAT. I WILL SAY IT CAN STAY RIGHT WHERE IT IS. I LIKE IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE 2019 WAS CRAZY. SO I REMEMBER JUST GOING, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT WE CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THIS, SO FEELS UNSUSTAINABLE. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE NUMBERS HERE? OKAY. TURNING THE PAGE ONTO THE BACK OF THAT, WHICH I'M SORRY, YOU HAVE TO DO A LITTLE FLIP OVER BECAUSE IT'S A HORIZONTAL GRAPH.
BUT A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO ZACH HAD ASKED ABOUT FINE FREE AND WHAT HAVE WE NOTICED WITH BEING FINE FREE? AND WERE THERE ANY STATISTICS WE COULD RUN WITH THAT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WAIVE ALL THE FINES AT ONCE. WE'RE KIND OF WAIVING THEM AS PEOPLE COME IN, SO WAIVING FINES DOESN'T HELP US. LOOKING AT WHAT DOES THAT HELP US SEE DOESN'T REALLY HELP US SEE MUCH.
SO THE WAY THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS TO SEE WHAT ARE WHAT HAS THAT DONE TO OUR OVERDUE NUMBERS? BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T GET FINES. ARE THEY KEEPING THINGS OUT LONGER? DO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SYSTEM AND AND HOLDING ON TO THINGS, EVEN THOUGH THERE MIGHT BE A HOLD ON IT? AND ANECDOTALLY, IF I TALK TO MY STAFF, THEY ALL SWEAR THAT'S HAPPENING AND THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CHANGE ALL THE RULES. WE NEED TO GO BACK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S BEING HELD MUCH LONGER. BUT WHEN YOU WHEN WE RAN THE NUMBERS, IT'S THE NUMBERS AREN'T SHOWING THAT. SO IF YOU'LL NOTICE KIND OF HALFWAY DOWN 2223 THE TOTAL NOTICES SENT OUT, YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE NOTES FIELD. SO TOTAL NOTICES SENT OUT 71,000 ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THAT THREE 8846. THAT'S HOW MANY ITEMS WERE CIRCULATED. THIS IS ALL PHYSICAL ITEMS CIRCULATED. AND THEN FOR 20, 23, 24 SO IT'S 77,000. SO 8% YOU'LL SEE ON THE VERY FAR COLUMN HOW MANY PERCENTAGE OF THAT. SO 2425. SO THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE DID NOT HAVE FINES. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTICES WENT WAY DOWN, KIND OF EQUALING THE YEAR 2023.
VERY CLOSE TO IT ANYWAY. AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MANY MORE ITEMS AND THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE TOTAL CHECKED OUT RECEIVED FIRST NOTICES IS ONLY 7%. SO IT'S REALLY NEGLIGIBLE.
1% IS NOT THAT BIG OF A NUMBER. SO WHILE I THINK THAT FINE FREE MAYBE HAS, WE MAY HAVE A FEW REPEAT OFFENDERS THAT DO THAT. OR FOR THOSE BIG TOMES, YOU KNOW, I SWEAR EVERY BOOK THESE DAYS THAT COMES OUT, THE POPULAR ONES ARE ALL 18,000 PAGES. AND SO IT'S HARD TO GET THROUGH IT IN THREE WEEKS, YOU KNOW? SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE KEEPING THEM MAYBE A COUPLE DAYS LONGER HERE AND THERE, BUT THEY REALLY ARE BRINGING THEM BACK, RECOGNIZING THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE HOLDING THEM OR WAITING FOR THEM. SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DOING A LITTLE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BRING IT BACK CAMPAIGN, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW YOU'RE NOT GETTING FINED, BUT SOMEONE'S WAITING FOR IT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THING, TRYING TO THINK OF A CLEVER AND UPBEAT
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WAY TO DO THAT, THAT WILL GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION. BUT THE NUMBERS SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY ISN'T BEING ABUSED. IF WE'RE IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IT SYSTEM WIDE. SO THAT'S GOOD.AND ALL OF THE COMMENTS AS FAR AS FROM PATRONS HAS BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE. I THINK I'VE ONLY GOTTEN ONE NEGATIVE COMMENT ABOUT NOT HAVING FUNDS. EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT. SO IS THIS KIND OF THE INFORMATION YOU WERE LOOKING FOR? IS THAT OKAY? DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THIS? AND I GUESS THIS KIND OF DOES SHOW YOU IN 2019 THAT'S THE VERY TOP NUMBER.
SO WE CIRCULATED 448,333 ITEMS THAT YEAR. SO THAT WAS THE HIGHEST WE'VE EVER DONE OF PHYSICAL ITEMS IN ONE YEAR. THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING. LIKE IT WAS CRAZY. AND SO THEN COVID HITS AND YOU CAN SEE WE KIND OF DIPPED DOWN. AND SO THIS YEAR WE'RE STILL EVEN A LITTLE SHORT.
THIS LAST YEAR THAT 390 WE'RE STILL A LITTLE SHORT TO THAT 448. BUT WE'RE CLIMBING STEADILY, SO I'M SURE WE'LL GET THERE. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT. SO. I KNOW THAT WHENEVER WE SORT OF MADE THAT EFFORT TO GO AWAY FROM FROM FINES, THERE'S THE TALK OF, WELL, WHAT, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MONEY DO THESE FINES ACTUALLY BRING IN? HAS THERE REALLY BEEN ANY SORT OF NEGATIVE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF OF NOT RAKING IN THAT 0.01% OF NOT AT ALL. I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THE AMOUNT WAS SO MINUSCULE. THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT JUST USED A DUMMY NUMBER BECAUSE IT DIDN'T MATTER THAT I MEAN, IT JUST HAD NO BEARING ON THE OVERALL BUDGET AT ALL. SO IT HAS NOT MADE A DIFFERENCE. AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE STILL HAVE TO PAY IF THE ITEM IS LOST, IF SOMETHING IS DAMAGED, THAT IS STILL BEING PAID FOR. BUT IN THOSE INSTANCES, THOSE FUNDS DO NOT COME BACK TO THE LIBRARY. THEY GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND. SO IF SOMEBODY WHICH MEANS ANYBODY, I MEAN, IT MIGHT EVENTUALLY COME BACK TO US IF THEY GIVE US MONEY FOR SOMETHING EXTRA. BUT MOST OF THE TIME THAT GETS DISTRIBUTED IN WHATEVER WAY OR GETS PUT INTO, YOU KNOW, THE RAINY DAY FUND OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY DO WITH IT. IF WE WANT TO REPLACE THAT ITEM THAT'S COMING OUT OF OUR CURRENT BUDGET. SO IT'S NOT IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S NOT APPLES TO APPLES THAT DOESN'T COME BACK TO US AND GO, OH, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS AND BUY THAT EXACT SAME THING AGAIN. WHICH IS WHY WHEN WE TELL PEOPLE THERE WHEN THEY WANT TO, OFTEN WHEN SOMETHING GETS LOST, THEY WANT TO BRING US A NEW COPY. AND I'M LIKE, THAT'S GREAT, BUT WE NEED THE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE, IS THAT WHAT WE NEED OR DO WE NEED TO GET THE UPDATED VERSION, OR DO WE NEED TO GET SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY OR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE BASICALLY IT'S COMING OUT OF OUR BUDGET, SO WE'RE NOT THE MONEY THAT THEY GIVE US. WE'RE NOT USING THAT EXACT FUND TO PURCHASE IT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMING OUT OF FUNDS THAT WE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO US. SO IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY LITTLE LOOPHOLE THING. BUT THERE YOU GO. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. EXCUSE ME. ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THOSE NUMBERS OR THOSE THAT INFORMATION? ONE FINAL THING FROM FROM EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE KIND OF BEEN LISTENING TO OVER THE PAST, HOWEVER MANY MONTHS, IT SEEMS LIKE PATRONS ARE HAPPY WITH IT. IT SEEMS LIKE STAFF IS HAPPY WITH GOING FINE, FREE.
IT'S DEFINITELY CAUSED SO MUCH LESS STRESS WITH STAFF NOT HAVING TO ARGUE OVER A 25 CENT FEE OR FINE OR WHATEVER IT IS, YOU KNOW. LIKE I SAID, THERE STILL ARE SOME THINGS THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR IF THINGS ARE LOST, BUT USUALLY IN THOSE SITUATIONS PEOPLE KNOW THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN LOST, YOU KNOW, OR THEY EVEN COME AND CONFESS, YOU KNOW, AND SAY, I MISPLACED THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS. I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. AND THEY KNOW THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, SO JUST ON AS A ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS, YOU KNOW, STAFF WILL TELL YOU IT'S JUST SO MUCH, SO MUCH CALMER NOT HAVING TO DEAL WITH THAT. SO FOR SURE EXCELLENT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT MOVING ON TO THE MONTHLY REPORT THAT'S STARTING HERE ON PAGE SEVEN. SO NOW WE'RE THE LATEST SET OF NUMBERS IS SEPTEMBER 11TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH. SO ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE BACK IN FULL SWING.
SO THAT WAS AFTER THE SUMMER BREAK AFTER THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY AS WELL. SO YOU CAN SEE OUR STORYTIME NUMBERS REAL BIG. AND WE'VE GOT ALL OF OUR EVENTS STARTING BACK UP AGAIN.
CIRCULATION IS GOING VERY STRONG, DOING VERY WELL. OUR VISITORS, EVERYTHING'S GOING WELL. USUALLY THAT THAT NUMBER IN AUGUST, REMEMBER, WAS ONE WEEK SHY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT WE HAD TO TURN IN OUR REPORTS CHANGE. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT'S SO LOW.
BUT THAT TIME TIME PERIOD IS TYPICALLY A SLOW TIME FOR US ANYWAY. YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S
[00:25:03]
GETTING BACK INTO THEIR SCHOOL ROUTINES, GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO THEY'RE NOT QUITE READY TO COME BACK TO THE LIBRARY AT THAT POINT. AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER, EVERYTHING SHOOTS BACK UP. ONCE THOSE BOOK CLUBS AND PROGRAMMINGS AND ALL THAT STUFF STARTS BACK UP. SO THAT'S WHY THAT LOOKS KIND OF FUNNY THERE. BUT THAT'S THOSE NUMBERS THERE. AND THEN RIGHT UNDERNEATH YOU'LL SEE WE'RE STARTING THE DATABASE STATS AS WELL. SO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT VARIOUS DATABASES WE USE TEND TO GET LESS USED DURING THE SUMMER. SAME THING. KIDS ARE HOME. PEOPLE ARE DOING VACATIONS. YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE BUSY. AND THEN THEY START PICKING BACK UP IN THE FALL. SO I EXPECT THOSE ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS ON ALL OF THAT TO GO UP.AND THEN ON PAGE EIGHT, IF YOU TURN OVER TO THE NEXT PAGE, YOU'LL NOTICE THE VERY LAST ONE IS OUR LIBRARY APP. STILL AGAIN GOING STRONG, TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT. WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING A NEW CAMPAIGN FOR THAT AS WELL, JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, HEY, DON'T FORGET THAT THE APP IS THERE. AND. I WAS AT THE BOOKSTORE THE OTHER DAY, I WAS AT BARNES AND NOBLE, AND I HAD MY APP UP, AND I WAS SCANNING TO SEE IF WE HAD ONE OF THE BOOKS AND SOMEBODY SAID, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SAID SOMETHING ABOUT, OH, ARE YOU SCANNING? I GUESS THEY THOUGHT I WAS, I DON'T KNOW, MAKING A LIST OR SOMETHING. AND I SAID, NO, I'M USING MY LIBRARY APP TO SEE IF MY LIBRARY HAS IT. AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH, THAT IS SO COOL. SO THEY WERE LIKE, DOES MY LIBRARY DO THAT? I'M LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, WHAT LIBRARY DO YOU GO TO? YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD GO TO SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY. DON'T ASK ME WHY. NO. SO IT WAS KIND OF A NEAT LITTLE EXPERIENCE THERE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT OFF. SO THAT WAS FUN. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS? OKAY. HAS THERE BEEN ANY FEEDBACK FROM FROM PATRONS ABOUT THE LIBRARY APP. JUST KIND OF LIKE, HEY, THIS IS THIS IS A PROBLEM OR YOU SHOULD ADD THIS OR TAKE THIS. WE DO GET FEEDBACK. THERE'S QUIRKY, WEIRD LITTLE THINGS. LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR PLACE IN LINE WHEN YOU'RE ON A HOLD ON THE APP, WHICH I AGREE IS MADDENING BECAUSE I ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW WHAT MY PLACE IS IN LINE WHEN I'VE GOT A BOOK ON HOLD TOO. YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY LOG INTO THE THE ACTUAL CATALOG ON A COMPUTER TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT. SO ANYTIME WE GET COMMENTS LIKE THAT, FEEDBACK LIKE THAT, WE SEND IT TO THE APP PEOPLE AND WE LET THEM KNOW, HEY, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT THAT WE GOT COMMENTS ABOUT BEFORE THEY'VE CHANGED. SO I FULLY EXPECT EVENTUALLY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT. THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT THAT I'VE HEARD OF LATELY. BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT'LL BE A WEIRD, QUIRKY THING THAT YOU'RE LIKE, OH, I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, THAT YOU CAN'T SEE THIS OR YOU CAN'T SEE THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON.
AND SO WE JUST PASS THAT ON IN THE HOPES THAT THEY OTHER LIBRARIES, YOU KNOW, ARE ALSO GIVING THEM THE SAME FEEDBACK SO THAT THEY CAN MAYBE IMPROVE IT. AND LIKE I SAID, THEY ARE USUALLY VERY RESPONSIVE. BUT THE OVERWHELMINGLY I GET VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THE THE APP AS WELL, JUST BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT'S EASY TO USE. IT'S NICE HAVING IT RIGHT THERE ON YOUR FINGERTIPS. THE. CLICK AND COLLECT. NOW, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THAT'S PARTICULARLY A SUPER POPULAR SERVICE, BUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DO USE IT, THEY LOVE IT. AND THEY TELL US EVERY TIME. I LOVE THIS, I DON'T EVER TAKE THIS AWAY, OKAY? YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT TAKING THIS AWAY, ARE YOU? NO, I'M NOT TAKING IT AWAY. LIKE I GET ASKED THAT ALL THE TIME. DO NOT TAKE THIS AWAY.
I'M LIKE, OKAY, I WON'T TAKE IT AWAY. SO YEAH. SO THEY'RE VERY ADAMANT ABOUT IT. THOSE THAT DO USE IT. SO THAT'S GOOD. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. MOVING ON TO OUR DIGITAL RESOURCES. SO WE'VE GOT OUR LIBBY OVERDRIVE THERE. THERE WE GO. YEP. SO OUR UNIQUE USERS WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A DIP IN SEPTEMBER. BUT OUR CHECKOUTS ARE STILL STRONG. HOLDS ARE STILL WAY UP THERE.
AND THAT'S WAS OUR TAIL END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR. SO I EXPECT THE OCTOBER NUMBER ON PURCHASES FOR THAT IS GOING TO BE MUCH HIGHER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR NEW FUNDS FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR. AND THEN ON THE NEXT PAGE, PAGE NINE, THERE'S ALL OF OUR HOOPLA NUMBERS.
HOOPLA HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR, GOING VERY STRONG. AGAIN, I THINK PEOPLE KEEP FINDING HOOPLA. AND, YOU KNOW, THE NICE THING ABOUT HOOPLA IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT. I LOVE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT ANYTHING ON HOLD. EVERYTHING THAT'S ON THERE IS THERE ALL THE TIME, WHICH IS GREAT. AND THEN OF COURSE, CANOPIES THERE. IT'S TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF A DIP AS WELL. AGAIN, PEOPLE GETTING BACK INTO SCHOOL ROUTINES I THINK, AND JUST GETTING BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS AS AS THE WEATHER STARTS TURNING, ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS START GOING BACK UP AS PEOPLE STAY HOME AND BE COZY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS FIND THOSE PLAYS BY DEVICE SO INTERESTING BECAUSE IT JUST FLIP FLOPS ALL THE TIME. SO IT'S JUST INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE WERE DOING IN SEPTEMBER. AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE TABLET JUST, YOU KNOW, TELEVISION EKED OUT WHICH TELEVISION DIDN'T THE LAST MONTH BEFORE. SO IT'S JUST AN INTERESTING, WEIRD LITTLE STAT. SO AND THEN ALL OF OUR MEETINGS, TRAININGS AND HIGHLIGHTS. SO I'LL GIVE YOU ALL A MINUTE TO LOOK OVER THAT. WE DO A LOT MORE THAN THIS. I JUST KIND OF
[00:30:05]
PUT THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THERE. AND THEN IF OFTENTIMES WE DO THESE THINGS MORE THAN ONCE IN A MONTH, BUT I ONLY PUT THEM ONE TIME. SO YOU'RE NOT READING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND OVER, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OVER ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS OR TRAININGS.NO ONE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS VILLAGE DONATION. I THOUGHT FOR SURE SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING. WE'LL JUST LEAVE IT AS A SURPRISE.
YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL DECEMBER. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. HOW? THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE GOING WITH REGARDS TO LIBRARY BUDGETS FORWARD FOR NEXT YEAR? I KNOW THERE WERE THERE WERE SOME SOME THINGS THAT WERE KIND OF UP IN THE AIR OR BEING DECIDED ON. I JUST KIND OF CURIOUS ON IF THERE'S BEEN ANY RESULTS FROM THAT. WELL, THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED SEPTEMBER. IT WAS THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER THAT TUESDAY. SO WE GOT THE MONEY FOR THE IL PROGRAM. SO THAT CAME THROUGH AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE ASKED FOR AS FAR AS THE BASE BUDGET WAS APPROVED. SO WE'RE GOOD FOR ANOTHER YEAR. YEAH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING. IF I RECALL WITH THE IL PROGRAM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THEY I FEEL LIKE I GET AN UPDATE EVERY DAY. AND SO I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT WHERE ARE WE IN THE PROCESS? I WANT TO SAY THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUBSIDIZE THAT SOMEWHAT, I THINK IS WHAT THEY'VE SAID, BUT THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS YET FOR NEXT YEAR. THE ONE RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE GOES THROUGH APRIL. SO THE FUNDS WE REQUESTED WERE IF IT GOT TAKEN AWAY IN APRIL, WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE WE'D BE ABLE TO PUT UP OUR OWN MONEY. SO. OH, IT WAS TEXSHARE. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. THEY WERE ABLE TO FUND TEXSHARE FOR ANOTHER YEAR, SO THAT'S GOOD. THOSE DATABASES, BECAUSE IF YOU'LL RECALL, THAT'S THE ONE THAT THEY HAD US TAKE OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGETARY PROCESS. SO. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CAREGIVER WORKSHOP CONFERENCE. OH YEAH. SO THE CAREGIVER CONFERENCE, IT WAS THE FIRST ONE WE EVER DID. AND IT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PATHWAY HOSPICE. AND WE HAD A DAY OF SPEAKERS, EVERYTHING FROM PHYSICIANS THAT DID HOUSE CALLS TO WOUND CARE TO ELDERLY FRAUD, TO JUST, I MEAN, JUST EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF.
AND PARTICIPANTS COULD COME TO PART OF IT OR ALL OF IT. LUNCH WAS PROVIDED THE THE CREDIT UNION OF TEXAS PROVIDED LUNCH FOR EVERYBODY. IT WAS A REALLY. AMBITIOUS THING BECAUSE WE'D NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT WE FIGURED IT OUT AND IT WENT REALLY WELL. WE HAD, I BELIEVE, I THINK THERE WAS ABOUT 50 PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP. AND I WANT TO SAY WE HAD LIKE 40, 42 SHOW UP, WHICH IS UNHEARD OF. LIKE YOU NEVER GET THAT MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY COME THAT SIGN UP. AND EVERYBODY THAT CAME WAS VERY POSITIVE AND SAID THAT EVERYBODY LEARNED SOMETHING, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL. MAYBE NOT WHAT THEY CAME TO LEARN, BUT THEY LEARNED SOMETHING AND THAT THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS MORE OFTEN, SOMETHING LIKE THIS MORE OFTEN. SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE CHANGING THE TIMING. THE TIMING WAS A LITTLE TOUGH IN SEPTEMBER, SO MAYBE TRYING IT IN THE SPRING AND SEEING IF HOW THAT WOULD WORK, MAYBE IN MAY, I DON'T KNOW. GRADUATIONS HAPPEN IN MAY. THERE'S JUST SO MUCH THERE'S ALWAYS SO MUCH GOING ON.
YOU CAN NEVER PICK A GOOD TIME, YOU KNOW? SO BUT ANYWAY, WE'RE IT WAS A REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE.
WE LEARNED A LOT. SO WE'RE READY. WE DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME AS FAR AS LIKE TIMING WISE BREAKS. I DON'T THINK WE DID. WE DID AS WELL. WE DIDN'T STICK ON TIME VERY WELL, SO WE'LL DO BETTER NEXT TIME ON THAT. PLANNING THAT A LITTLE BETTER, GIVING A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THE SCHEDULE. AND THEN ALSO JUST DOUBLE CHECKING WITH THE PRESENTERS BECAUSE I THINK MAYBE SOME OF THEM REPEATED THINGS A LOT. SO, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY KIND OF HAS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON EVERYTHING. THE WAY THAT WE DID THE VENDORS, THEY WERE THERE ALL DAY. WE WOULD CHANGE THAT NEXT TIME. I THINK WE WOULD JUST HAVE VENDORS THERE IN THE MORNING, BECAUSE REALLY, ONCE PEOPLE WENT INTO THE SESSION,
[00:35:01]
NOBODY WANTED TO COME OUT AND TALK TO THE VENDORS. THEY WANTED TO BE THERE. AND BECAUSE THEY WOULD WANTED TO TALK TO THE PRESENTER OR TALK TO THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE LEARNING. AND SO, SO IT WAS VERY INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, IT JUST HOW YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT AND THEN HOW IT REALLY PLAYS OUT. AND THE VENDORS, THOUGH, THEY ALL HAD POSITIVE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT IT. BUT THEY ALSO SAID LIKE, WE DON'T NEED TO BE HERE ALL DAY, LIKE THE MORNING IS FINE. SO WE LEARNED, YOU KNOW, YOU LIVE, YOU LEARN. SO NOW WE KNOW HOW TO IMPROVE IT FOR NEXT TIME. WELL THANK YOU GUYS FOR DOING THAT. AND THEN DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS VICTORIAN VILLAGE? I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS SO FUNNY.IT JUST STOOD OUT TO ME. YEAH. I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM A WOMAN THAT SAID I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT AN INTERESTING DONATION. AND I THOUGHT, OH, A HIPPOPOTAMUS, LIKE, WHAT COULD THIS BE? SO ANYWAY. AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE THIS. SHE HAD THIS HUGE VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS VILLAGE THAT SHE WOULD ALWAYS PUT UP IN HER HOUSE EVERY YEAR FOR HER AND HER KIDS. AND BUT THEY WERE MOVING IN. THEY'RE DOWNSIZING AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ROOM FOR THE CHRISTMAS VILLAGE ANYMORE. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD STICK IT ALL. I'M NOT SURE. SO I CALLED TRACY AT THE BROWN HOUSE WHO RUNS THE BROWN HOUSE, AND SHE WAS LIKE, YEAH, SHE'S LIKE, WE HAVE A PART OF ONE, BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO EXPAND IT.
SO SHE CAME UP AND WE DIVVIED IT ALL UP. AND SO WE GOT A LITTLE PORTION OF IT, AND SHE TOOK THE LION'S SHARE OF IT BECAUSE SHE'S GOT A LOT MORE ROOM THAN I DO. SO WE'RE HOPING TO JUST WE'RE GOING TO DISPLAY IT IN DECEMBER IN THE LIBRARY LOBBY CASE. SO IT'LL BE NICE.
YEAH. AND WE'LL HAVE THE FAMILY'S NAME ON THAT. DONATED IT. AND IT HAS LITTLE LIGHT UP LAMPS AND SNOW. AND IT'S IT'S VERY INVOLVED AND VERY BEAUTIFUL. I MEAN, IT'S JUST SO COZY, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY CUTE. SO. IT WAS HAD SOME THE GLOBE THEATER WAS PART OF IT. SO I THINK WE GOT TO KEEP THE GLOBE THEATER. IT WAS JUST VERY INTERESTING. THEY HAD SOME LANDMARKS AND IT'S REALLY CUTE, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IT PUT UP. FOR THE LIBRARY GARDEN. WHAT DO THEY DO IN THE WINTER? DO THEY JUST COVER IT UP AND MEET AGAIN IN THE SPRING? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? NO, THEY DO, DO THEY? THEY PLANT A WINTER GARDEN SO THEY'LL DO SOME. USUALLY IT'S LIKE A LETTUCES AND CABBAGES AND KIND OF THE MORE HARDY THINGS BECAUSE FOR MOST OF THE WINTER IT'S NOT TOO BAD. IT DOESN'T REALLY GET BAD UNTIL LIKE, YEAH, COME FEBRUARY THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO. LIKE IF IT'S FREEZING TEMPERATURES, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY THAT'S NOT GOING TO HELP. BUT THEY'RE THEY'RE ABLE TO KEEP IT GOING FOR A GOOD TIME. BUT IT'S KIND OF IT IS MORE OF A DORMANT TIME. NOT A LOT OF FLOWERS OBVIOUSLY, BUT THEY DO ONIONS I THINK THEY JUST PUT ONIONS OUT THERE BECAUSE APPARENTLY THIS IS ONION SEASON. SO THEY YOU KNOW, THEY DO HAVE LITTLE PROJECTS AND THEN THEY, THEY PLAN, PLAN, PLAN, PLAN, PLAN FOR THAT PLANTING DAY IN APRIL. WELL I SAY APRIL, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW THE WEATHER GOES. SO BUT YEAH SO THEY THEY REALLY DO KIND OF KEEP IT GOING ALL YEAR ROUND. AND THEY'RE OUT THERE PULLING WEEDS AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO KEEP THINGS NICE AND NEAT AND KEEPING THE BOARDS TOGETHER, MAKING SURE NOTHING'S FALLING APART AND ALL THAT. SO YEAH. YEAH. RIGHT NOW I'M ON TEMPERATURE WATCH BECAUSE AS SOON AS IT GETS, YOU KNOW, TO A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE, I'M SUPPOSED TO TELL THEM TO CUT OFF THE WATER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE STILL BEING WATERED REGULARLY, BUT IT'S STILL GETTING WARM DURING THE DAY. BUT GET THIS SOME OF THE EVENINGS THIS THIS WEEK ARE KIND OF CHILLY, BUT IT'S GOING BACK UP NEXT WEEK, SO I THINK WE'LL BE OKAY. SO WHAT'S THE UNIDOSE PARTY AT BIRMINGHAM? UNIDOSE SO UNIDOSE IS THE NAME OF THE CAMPAIGN THAT THE WILEY POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES OUTREACH TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY. SO BRIGITTE SIERRA, SHE'S THE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THE WILEY PD. AND SHE HEADS THE UNIDOS PROGRAM. SO TYPICALLY WHAT THEY DO IS ONCE A MONTH THEY'LL MEET AT I THINK IT'S RIGHT HERE AT BIRMINGHAM ELEMENTARY, AND THEY'LL HAVE DIFFERENT TOPICS. SO IT MIGHT BE LIKE SOMETIMES WE'LL COME OUT AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT LIBRARY SERVICES, OR THEY'LL HAVE ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT WILL COME OUT AND TALK ABOUT WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY DO TO HELP OUT THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT THEY CAN SIGN UP FOR AND HOW THEY CAN BE OF HELP. AND THEN, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY DECIDED TO DO A BIG PARTY AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THEY'D NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE. SO SHE ORGANIZED A BIG PARTY. THEY HAD, LIKE THE TRADITIONAL MEXICAN DANCING AND ALL KINDS OF REALLY GOOD FOOD AND MUSIC AND STUFF. AND SO WE WERE CARMEN, ONE OF OUR CIRCULATION STAFF, WHO'S FANTASTIC. SHE GOES, SHE LOVES IT. THIS IS HER PASSION. THIS IS WHAT SHE DOES. AND SO SHE GOES TO EVERY MEETING AND SHE'S THERE TO HELP TRANSLATE. AND SHE ALWAYS, SHE ALWAYS ASKS ME, CAN I TAKE BOOKS? I'M LIKE, YES, TAKE ALL THE BOOKS. SO I ORDERED HER A BUNCH OF BECAUSE SHE SAID THE THEY REALLY WANT BOOKS IN SPANISH BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE READING. SO I ORDERED A BUNCH OF KIDS BOOKS IN SPANISH FOR HER. SO SHE TOOK
[00:40:04]
THEM ALL AND GAVE THEM ALL AWAY. SO I WAS LIKE, GOOD, GOOD. I'M GLAD THEY ALL GOT BOOKS. SO EVERYBODY THAT WENT GOT A BOOK, IF NOT MORE THAN ONE BOOK. AND IT WAS JUST KIND OF A BIG END OF THE YEAR PARTY. THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM. AND IT'S JUST ABOUT HOW TO HELP PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY. YEAH. AND THEY LET US TAG ALONG, WHICH IS NICE. YOU ALL ATTENDED THE EVOLVING STAFF ROLES, POLICIES AND PRACTICES WEBINAR. HOW DO YOU DO THAT IN THE CURRENT ROLES HERE? DO YOU HOW DO YOU VIEW THE ROLES THAT YOU HAVE CURRENTLY IN THE LIBRARY? YOU KNOW, THEY STAY IN THOSE ROLES, BUT DO YOU KIND OF CRITIQUE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES? OR SO LISA ATTENDED THAT ONE. SO I COULDN'T TELL YOU PRECISELY WHAT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THIS. WE HAVE A LOT. YOU KNOW, NINA'S BEEN HERE 15 YEARS. I'VE BEEN HERE 18 YEARS. DEBBIE'S BEEN HERE 15 YEARS. LAURA'S BEEN HERE 18, 19 YEARS. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE CYCLING OUT HERE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THAT, ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THINGS, HOW WOULD WE CHANGE THEM? WHAT MAKES SENSE? WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW? WHERE WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO MAYBE CHANGE A ROLE TO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT, WHETHER IT'S EXPANDED OR MAKE IT MORE NARROW OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE? SO SINCE IT'S, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY SHE'LL BE RUNNING THE SHOW, I'M LIKE, YOU SHOULD YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS. YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THIS.SO SHE SHE DID. SO SHE DID TAKE THAT. AND WE DO ACTUALLY WORK WITH HR. WE REVIEW THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS. I WANT TO SAY IT'S EVERY OTHER YEAR, BUT IT MAY BE EVERY THREE YEARS. BUT TYPICALLY IT KIND OF NATURALLY HAPPENS WHEN SOMEBODY LEAVES. AND THEN WE'LL GO, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO POST THIS. LET ME LOOK AT THIS. YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE IT'S STILL WHAT WE WANT. AND HR IS ALWAYS VERY RESPONSIVE TO CHANGING ANYTHING IF WE WANT TO CHANGE IT. BUT WE DO TEND TO JUST REVIEW THEM EVERY SO OFTEN TO BE LIKE OKAY, WHAT HOW DO WE WANT TO TWEAK THIS? OR WHAT DO WE WANT TO CHANGE? IF YOU KNOW, THIS COMES UP IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO SOUND REALLY NEGATIVE, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS RUNNING DOOMSDAY SCENARIOS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF WE LOST ALL OUR FUNDING TOMORROW, HOW WOULD WE DO THIS, YOU KNOW, AND HOW HOW WOULD WE RESTRUCTURE HOW, YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SERVICES AND THINGS GOING WITH THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. SO WE DO HAVE DOOMSDAY SCENARIOS AS WELL THAT WE DO. SO YES, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE REVIEW PERIODICALLY, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH TENURED STAFF, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TALKING MORE AND MORE ABOUT. SO. ANYTHING ELSE MEETING WISE? ALL RIGHT. TALK TO US ABOUT SOME OF THE UPCOMING EVENTS. WELL, TOMORROW IS SPOOKY NIGHT AT THE LIBRARY. IT'S SUPER FUN. TWO HOURS. THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY SPONSOR THIS ONE. THEY PROVIDE ALL THE GOODIES, SO THERE'S TRICK OR TREATED. ALL THE DESKS. WE DON'T DO CANDY. THEY'RE ALL CUTE. LITTLE FUN LITTLE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NECKLACE. THERE'S A STICKER THERE. YOU KNOW, ALL KINDS OF FUN LITTLE THINGS. WE'VE GOT A LITTLE STICKER CRAFT THAT THEY CAN ALSO DO WHILE THEY'RE AT THE LIBRARY. THERE'S A TREASURE HUNT, AND THEY GET A A PRIZE FOR DOING IF THEY FIND ALL THE PICTURES AS WELL. AND THEN THE COSTUME CONTEST IS AT 6 P.M. AND THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT AGE CATEGORIES. THERE'S PRESCHOOL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THEN JUNIOR HIGH BASICALLY. SO THERE'S TWO WINNERS FROM EACH AGE GROUP, I BELIEVE, AND THEY GET A LITTLE GIFT BASKET, LITTLE GIFT CARDS AND STUFF. SO THOSE ARE REALLY SWEET. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST A FUN PROMOTIONAL. THE FRIENDS JUST, YOU KNOW, TO PUT IT OUT THERE. AND IT'S SO CUTE SEEING ALL THE LITTLE KIDS COME IN THEIR COSTUMES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SO EXCITED. AND I KNOW COSTUMES ARE EXPENSIVE. SO I TELL PARENTS, LIKE, USE THEM, BRING THEM TO EVERYTHING. LIKE BRING THEM, YOU KNOW, SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE COMING. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD A CANCELLATION FOR OUR MURDER MYSTERY NIGHT FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH. OUR THEATER TROUPE IS HAVING SOME EXPERIENCING SOME HARDSHIPS. THEIR SCRIPT WRITER IS IN THE HOSPITAL WITH PNEUMONIA. THEY'VE JUST KIND OF HAD LIKE ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER. AND SO THEY WERE JUST LIKE, I JUST DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SHOW READY. SO WE WERE LIKE, NO WORRIES. WE CAN WE CAN POSTPONE IT. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO IT IN EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR. SO DEER IS BACK. SO THAT'S MALLORY'S BABY HERE. BUT WE DID OUR FIRST ONE AND IT WENT REALLY WELL. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEXT ONE COMING UP. THE FIRST ONE WAS IN THE MORNING. THIS ONE'S IN THE AFTERNOON. SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT AFFECTS THINGS. AND I THINK THEY TOOK AWAY SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS FROM IT. THEY PRESENTED AT THE FRIENDS
[00:45:04]
MEETING AND ALL KINDS OF SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT ALREADY. SO I HAVE NO DOUBT THIS WILL BE EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER THAN THE LAST ONE. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN IN, OH, I DID NOVEMBER DATE TWICE, BUT THE THE LAST ONE SHOULD BE DECEMBER AND IT'S IN THE TUESDAY BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR. SO THAT'S THE. THE 30TH, THE 30TH, THE 30TH.NO THEY'RE NOT 2030. SO WE HAVE IT SCHEDULED RIGHT NOW AT NOON. BUT WE'LL SEE. WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THE ONE IN THE AFTERNOON GOES. AND WE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE THAT UP IF WE NEED TO, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. WE'VE GOT ALL OF OUR REGULAR ADULT PROGRAMS COMING UP FOR NOVEMBER OF 2025. WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL CRAFTING PROGRAM, PIPE CLEANER FLOWERS. OUR LIBRARIAN, MANDY, IS TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT ONE. SPEAKING OF CONCERTS, THERE'S A JAZZ CONCERT SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH AT 2:00, SO THAT'LL BE LOVELY.
YOU CAN COME BY AND LISTEN TO SOME JAZZ IF YOU'D LIKE. THEN OF COURSE, ALL OF OUR USUAL BOOK CLUBS, CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH, ESL AND THEN DEVICE DROP IN. SO I DON'T THINK I'VE BEEN PUTTING THIS ONE ON THE THING. BUT WE DO DO THIS EVERY MONTH. MANDY OR ONE OF OUR ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIANS GOES OVER TO THE COMMUNITY PARK CENTER SENIOR RECREATION CENTER, AND SHE'S JUST THERE TO HELP THE SENIORS WITH THEIR DEVICES. SO IT'S VERY WELL ATTENDED IN JANUARY BECAUSE EVERYBODY GETS DEVICES FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THEM.
SO MANDY DOES A LITTLE TUTORIAL ON WHAT TO DO, BUT THEY CAN COME ANYTIME AND IT CAN BE THEIR PHONE, IT CAN BE THEIR TABLET, IT CAN BE THEIR COMPUTER, WHATEVER. SHE WILL HELP THEM FIGURE IT OUT. SO. THAT'S A NICE PROGRAM. THEN ALL OUR PRESCHOOL STORYTIMES ARE IN FULL SWING IN NOVEMBER. WE DON'T TAKE A BREAK. OBVIOUSLY WHEN THE LIBRARY IS CLOSED, WE DON'T HAVE THEM, BUT OTHERWISE STORYTIME IS GOING AS WELL AS OUR BOOK CLUB. SO WE HAVE ALL THAT HAPPENING. AND THEN JUST A COUPLE OF SPECIAL THINGS. THE THANKSGIVING BREAK TREASURE HUNT. SO THAT'S DURING THE THANKSGIVING WEEK. LEGO FAMILY BUILD WILL BE ON THAT MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH. THEY CAN COME IN AND JUST WE PROVIDE ALL THE STUFF. THEY JUST HAVE TO BRING THEIR IMAGINATION. AND THEN DEERS ON TUESDAY AND THEN WEDNESDAY WE CLOSE EARLY AT FIVE. SO FOR THANKSGIVING AND THEN ON THE BACK YOU'LL NOTICE WE GOT TWO TEEN EVENTS THIS MONTH TEEN BOOK CLUB AND THEN ASIA POP. ASIA POP FOR NOVEMBER IS K-POP THEMED, SO GOING ALONG WITH ALL THE POPULAR K-POP STUFF. SO. ANY QUESTIONS OVER ANY OF THOSE? AND JUST. A QUICK REMINDER, THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR LAST MEETING OF 2025. OH, UNLESS SOMETHING COMES UP, BUT THIS IS IT. SO I WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER MEETING UNTIL JANUARY 26TH OF 26, JANUARY 26TH OF 26.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE LITTLE BAGS ON YOUR DESKS. THAT'S ARE A LITTLE APPRECIATION GIFTS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SERVING. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GIVING YOUR TIME. I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE ALL VERY BUSY AND I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR THE GIFTS. AND AGAIN WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THE THAT THE LIBRARY IS DOING AND ALL ALL OF THE PROGRAMS AND ALL OF THE STAFF THAT IS THERE, SUCH AND SUCH SORT OF GENEROUS WITH WITH THEIR TIME AND THEIR EFFORTS AND IT'S JUST IT'S JUST REALLY GREAT TO SEE SORT OF THE GROWTH OF THE LIBRARY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO ADJOURN. DO WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND? OKAY. I SEE. DID EVERYBODY VOTE? OH, THERE WE GO. OH IT RESET. WE HAD A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX, Y'ALL. I'M SORRY. ALL RIGHT. THE MOTION TO ADJOURN PASSES 7 TO 0.
THANK
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.