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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet - LB - 2020.10.20City of Burlingame BURLINGAME Meeting Agenda - Final Library Board of Trustees Tuesday, October 20, 2020 5:30 PM BURLINGAME CITY HALL 501 PRIMROSE ROAD BURLINGAME, CA 94010 On March 17, 2020, the Governor issued Executive Order N-29-20 suspending certain provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act in order to allow for local legislative bodies to conduct their meetings telephonically or by other electronic means. Pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order N-33-20 issued on March 19, 2020, and the CDC's social distancing guidelines which discourage large public gatherings, the Burlingame Public Library will not be open to the public for the October 20, 2020 Library Board of Trustees Meeting. Members of the public may view the meeting by logging into the Zoom meeting listed below. Additionally, the meeting will be streamed live on YouTube and uploaded to the City's website after the meeting. Members of the public may provide written comments by email to publiccomment@burlingame.org. Emailed comments should include the specific agenda item on which you are commenting, or note that your comment concerns an item that is not on the agenda. The length of the emailed comment should be commensurate with the three minutes customarily allowed for verbal comments, which is approximately 250-300 words. To ensure that your comment is received and read to the Library Board of Trustees for the appropriate agenda item, please submit your email no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. The City will make every effort to read emails received after that time, but cannot guarantee such emails will be read into the record. Any emails received after the 5:00 p.m. deadline which are not read into the record will be provided to the Library Board of Trustees after the meeting. Note that votes are unanimous unless separately noted for the record. Online City of Burlingame Page 1 Printed on 1011612020 Library Board of Trustees Meeting Agenda - Final October 20, 2020 1. CALL TO ORDER - 5:30 p.m. - Online To Join the Zoom Meeting (note that the link below doesn't look like a hyperlink, but it is) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86190490826? pwd=V2thcEdNbkZDa3J4ZUEwMXIIemIEZz09 Meeting ID: 861 9049 0826 Passcode:779617 One tap mobile +16699006833„86190490826# US (San Jose) +12532158782„86190490826# US (Tacoma) Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 929 436 2866 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) Meeting ID: 861 9049 0826 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/krgnCGt7N 2. ROLL CALL 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS, NON -AGENDA Members of the public may speak about any item not on the agenda. Members of the public wishing to suggest an item for a future Library Board of Trustees' agenda may do so during the public comment period. The Ralph M. Brown Act (the State local agency open meeting law) prohibits the Library Board of Trustees from acting on any matter that is not on the agenda. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Approval of Library Board of Trustees Meetina Minutes for September 15. 2020 Attachments: Meeting Minutes 5. CORRESPONDENCE AND INFORMATION City of Burlingame Page 2 Printed on 1011612020 Library Board of Trustees Meeting Agenda - Final October 20, 2020 a. September 2020 Statistics Attachments: Adult Services Statistics Children's and Teen Statistics Fund Summary 6. REPORTS a. City Librarian's Report Attachments: October 2020 Report b. Foundation Report 7. OLD BUSINESS a. Racial Equity Discussion (Review of United Against Hate and Library Policies) Attachments: BPL Racial Equity Plan Presentation Trustee Characteristics 2018 Library's Behavior Policy Library's Collection Development Policy 1998 Library Photography Policy Library Mural Library's Program Policy Request for Reconsideration b. Seven Member Board of Trustees - Discussion/Possible Action 8. NEW BUSINESS a. Pandemic Vision/Goals b. Silicon Valley Foundation Update C. Murals 9. ANNOUNCEMENTS 10. ADJOURNMENT Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the Library Board of Trustees will be made available for public inspection at the City of Burlingame's website: www.burlingame.org. City of Burlingame Page 3 Printed on 1011612020 Burlingame Library Board of Trustees September 15, 2020 Minutes Roll Call Trustees Present: Kristin Capkin, Danielle Garcia, Mike Nagler, Randi Murray, Elisabeth Ostrow Staff Present: Brad McCulley, City Librarian Sidney Poland, Recorder Council Member: Emily Beach, Mayor of the Burlingame City Council Equity Team Members: Megan Wong, Technical Services & IT Manager Elaine Tai, Reference Librarian, and Ray DeLara, Circulation Supervisor II. Library Board of Trustees Minutes The Trustees unanimously approved the minutes of the August 18, 2020 Board of Trustees Meeting. M/S/C Murray/Nagler III. From the Floor No one from the public attended the meeting. IV. Equity Committee Presentation Each member of the Equity Committee reviewed a specific section of the Library Racial Equity Plan power point. The entire power point has been incorporated into the minutes. V. Open Discussion of Presentation The Trustees and Mayor expressed their appreciation to the equity team for taking on the difficult subject of racial equity and developing a program to help staff, Trustees, Foundation members, City Council and other City departments understand the seriousness of racial equity and also provide ways in which racial equity can be implemented not only within the library but all city departments, as well as the City itself. A. Action A - Action A of the Racial Equity Plan is to develop an equity training framework. Ray De Lara is working on a readiness survey for staff, Trustees, and Foundation Board members. The purpose of the survey is two fold: 1) provide a path for each person taking the survey to assess where they are in accepting a racial equity plan and 2) results of the survey will help define the areas where the training should be focused. B. Action B - Action B of the Racial Equity Plan is to revise and reevaluate internal and external policies to demonstrate racial equity. • The Trustees approve library policies. The process begins with the City Librarian, who will write the policy and then send it to the City Attorney to make certain all aspects of the policy are legal. The City Manager may or may not review the policy. In either case, the proposed policy will then be brought before the Board of Trustees for final approval. • Trustee Murray requested that all policies approved by previous Board of Trustees be complied and placed in a file to be accessible for future reference. C. Equity Audit - The Trustees suggested that it would be important to have an equity audit which would give further insight into where the current library policies and procedures stand in comparison to the goals of the proposed Racial Equity Plan. The Equity Team is researching possible consultants that could perform the audit to recommend to all parties D. Role of Trustees - The Equity Team emphasized how important it is for the Trustees to actively participate in supporting their Racial Equity Plan. The Trustees discussed areas where they might be able take positive action. Commented [PSI]: • Striving to increase diversity on the Board of Trustees by communicating with the City Council about under -represented demographics; advocating for the Library to the City Council about equity issues and initiatives in general. • Possibly funding an equity audit, and helping to choose who should conduct it. • Providing funding for equity related trainings. • Attend some meetings of the Equity Team. E. Programming - The library is considered a neutral venue. The Equity Team noted that programs have become more diverse than in the past and is encouraging future programs to regularly have people of color as presenters. F. Challenges and Difficulties to Implementing a Racial Equity Plan In answer to Trustee inquiries regarding challenges and difficulties associated with having a successful Equity Racial Plan, a few of the replies from the Equity Team follow. • Internal management needs to become more diversified. Hourly staff, which is currently furloughed, has more staff of color and therefore has a greater percentage of equity then management. The library needs to create a pipeline to success for hourly staff to advance within the organization. • Support of the equity plan by all staff members and stakeholders is key to its success. • Each staff member is in a different place with regard to their exposure to racial equity theory. All staff must participate in the racial equity training. • The library staff needs to create an environment where BIPOC patrons feel welcomed, safe, and appreciated when coming to our library. G. Board of Trustees - "Who We Are" Trustee Murray and Ostrow will work on a form that suggests various factors for Trustees to put in a short narrative about themselves including the skills that they bring to the Board of Trustees. The data will be put into a spread sheet. Commented [PS2]: VI. Action Items • Brad will provide the Trustees with library policies that have been approved by past Board of Trustees. • The Trustees requested that 7 Member Board of Trustees" be placed on the October 20th agenda. VII. Announcement Mayor Emily Beach has asked the library to participate in hosting the United Against Hate event. The time frame for this event is November 30th - December 6th. Details will follow. VIII. Adiournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:OOpm. The next meeting of the Library Board of Trustees will be held on October 20, 2020 at 5:30pm. The Trustees will be provided with the link to attend the Zoom meeting. Respectfully Submitted Brad McCulley City Librarian City of Burlingame Adult Services Stats September 2020 Program Date # Programs Attendance Sit N Stitch Tuesdays 3 7 English Learners Group Wednesdays 8 34 & Thursdays Author Event w/ Malaka Gharib, 9/2 1 49 Erin Entrada Kelly, and Christina Newhard in partnership with the (38 on Zoom and 11 San Mateo County Poet on FB) Laureate Poetry Night w/ Thea Matthews, 9/10 1 25 MK Chavez, Natasha (20 on Zoom and 5 Dennerstein, and Tongo Eisen - on FB) Martin in partnership with the San Mateo County Poet Laureate Poetry Event w/ Ellen Bass, 9/21 1 38 Hugh Behm-Steinberg, Danusha (31 on Zoom and 7 Lameris, and Lisa Rosenberg in on FB) partnership with the San Mateo County Poet Laureate Collage Workshop w/ Rayos 9/30 1 8 Magos (3 on Zoom and 5 on FB) Total 15 161 Kanopy Month Plays Cost per play Kanopy Kids and K Series (Great Books) Monthly Invoice $5/month for unlimited plays Aug 2020 359 $2 5 Kids and 17 Great Courses $828 381 total uses Pronunciator (Language Learning) New registrations Sessions Top 3 languages 9 32 Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese Tutor.com Tutor sessions Test Prep sessions 1 1 # of Reference questions answered = 469 phone calls CHILDREN'S AND TEEN MONTHLY STATISTICS September 2020 CLASS VISITS Programs Attendance Cost Preschool Class Visits at Schools Preschool Class Visits at Library Virtual Elementary School Class Visits on Zoom 3 84 Elementary School Class Visits at Library Middle School Class Visits at Schools Middle School Class Visits at Library TOTAL CLASS VISITS 3 84 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN STEAM Bags 1 50 Mandarin Story Time (Virtual) 1 130 $80 Mock Newbery 1 4 Baby Sign Language 1 26 Music Together 1 72 Live Storytime with Miss Jenny Virtual 5 88 Miss Jenny Storytime IGTV Views 5 856 Miss Jenny Storytime YouTube views 5 25 Miss Jennifer Storytime YouTube views 3 82 Miss Kelly Storytime YouTube views 5 61 Miss Kelly Storytime IGTV views 1 138 Homework Center 3 9 TOTAL SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN 32 1,541 $80 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR TEENS Homework Center 3 21 Teen Advisory Board 2 8 First Look Book Group 1 4 TOTAL SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR TEENS 6 33 TOTAL CHILDREN'S & TEEN PROGRAMS 41 1,658 $80 Book Bundles Assembled 452 2,260 Roger and Jean Hunt Duncan Fund (1012) Current Gift and Grant Information as of 10/13/2020 Gifts Gains or Losses on Gifted Assets Other Additions Investment Activity Grants Paid Grants Approved for Future Payment Pending Recommendations Interfund Transfers Support Fees Other Expenses Fund Balance and Investment Allocation Balance Available for Grants When reviewing your fund balance, please note the following: 0.00 $0.00 0.00 $0.00 0.00 $0.00 $158,400.27 $178,909.08 0.00 $40,696.00 0.00 0.00 $0.00 0.00 $0.00 ($6.001.84) ($7,714.36) 0.00 $0.00 $1,767,164.62 As of 10/13/2020 $107,946.61 1. All gift and grant transactions through the previous business day are reflected in the current balance of your fund 2. Investment activity for your fund is updated once per month. The community foundation posts investment activity from the preceding month during the third week of each month, after we receive this information from our managers. To determine when the last investment activity was posted to your fund, click on the amount in the Investment Activity line of your fund summary. 3. Support fees for the preceding month are posted by the second week of the following month. One -twelfth of the annual support fee is assessed based on the fund's average daily balance of the previous month. Fees are assessed before investment earnings are allocated. To view the date when the last fees were posted to your fund, click on the amount in Support Fees. City Librarian Report to Board of Trustees 20 October 2020 BURLiNGAMI Personnel Updates: Comings and Goings o Rex Aquino, our hourly Custodian, has been hired temporarily as a Building Maintenance worker for the City's Public Works dept. Recruitments o N/A Hourly Staff o N/A F/T staff o N/A General Updates: o CPU Update — Staff have completed the "shakedown" portion of our CPU trials and have found the most efficient method and appointment numbers to decrease wait times for library items. Currently, Library staff handle approximately 125-140 appointments per day with a one to two day wait for pick- ups. Many times patrons can call for same -day pick-up. With the rainy season and daylight savings time approaching staff will be moving the pick-up area into the employee parking area of the garage and will begin offering late CPU until 7pm twice a week. o Strategic Plan 2019/2020 — N/A o Equity Team Update — • The Equity Team is working with the current mayor and other community members to plan and hold three United Against Hate Week events • The Equity Team is finalizing their Readiness Survey and will be sending it out soon. o Policy — over the next two or three months the Library will be working with the acting -City Attorney, Scott Spansail, to get the ball rolling with regards to outstanding policies. • Library Security Camera policy -- pending CA review • Community Board Posting policy — pending CA review • Law Enforcement/ICE Records Requests policy — pending CA review o Significant Events — 2020 will not cancel Halloween. The Library Childrens dept will be giving away free Boo!ks on Oct 31 from the Bellevue Door and on the 29th at 5:30 the Library truck will be decorated and participate in a City Dept wide Halloween caravan driving through Burlingame neighborhoods on a predetermined route. o Facilities update — Facilities has added sneeze o Foundation report — desks getting ready for an eventual library opening. • The Library Foundation has taken control of 240 Lorton (next to old Nachoria) as of Oct 15th to be used as a donation sorting center until the Library is open or the space is rented, whichever is first. This is by appointment only for the time being. o PLS/PLP (Peninsula Library System /Pacific Library Partnership) • PLS San Mateo Public and San Bruno Public may possibly open as soon as mid -November. The County Library is working on creating a "Universal Card" for all school -aged kids in San Mateo County. This would give any child access to any online resource available by any library in PLS. • PLP ■ The State Library will be offering more copy -cat grants that staff will explore as possible substitutes for programming budget in the upcoming fiscal year. LIBRARY RACIAL EQUITY PLAN BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE BURLINGAME PU BLIC LI BRARY WMAIMMO NO Who We Are RAY. CIRCULATION ELAI N E. REFERENCE MEGAN. TECHNICAL • SUPERVISOR. LIBRARIAN SERVICES & IT MANAGER I From left to right: Elaine, Tiffany, Ray, Olma Who We Were Tiffany Nacion: Library Assistant, Tech Services Olma O'Neill: Library Assistant, Circulation Our Journey • California Libraries Cultivating Race, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative: The CALIFA Group, in partnership with Marin County Free Library and Santa Monica Public Library, received a $225,000 grant from the California State Library to establish statewide network of libraries focused on race, equity and inclusion, in a library context. Our Journey • Four two-day trainings by the Government Alliance on Race and Equity: •Gain understanding of the role of j government and libraries in relation to racial equity • j Develop skills in advocating for racial equity in a government context • Draft a Racial Equity Action Plan and mentoring to organize the internal infrastructure to implement it A& CREI Participants Alameda County Library Anaheim Public Library ° Azusa City Library * Burbank Public Library Burlingame Public Library* Contra Costa County Library Los Angeles Public Library* Marin County Free Library Napa County Library * Oakland Public Library Oceanside Public Library* Palos Verdes Library District Redwood City Public Library* Sacramento Public Library San Jose Public Library* Santa Monica Public Library Solano County Library* Sonoma County Library Torrance Public Library*Tulare County Library*Yolo County Library 4 Results statements: Universal targeting; everybody is better off Community Indicators: Measurable ways community is better off Outcome: A future state of being resulting from a change Actions: What we are doing to achieve outcomes Performance Measures: How much we are doing; outputs and things we can count. EVERYBODY IN B U R L I N G A M E FEELS SAFE AND W E L C O M E Workplan Specific Result #1,0 BPL is committed to creating/deve loping/fosterin g a culture that values and advances racial equity IBrad McCulley City Librarian Tommy McMahon Adult Services Manager Kathy Von Mayrhauser Children's Services Manager Jodi Jirae Librarian Cynthia Rider Librarian Brands Backley Librarian Ch i Kelly IKackewicz I Children's Librarian Jenny Miner Teen Librarian Patti Fill Library Assistant Jennifer Bousqual Children's Librarian Jeff Mikullk Library Assistant Jason Yais Library Assistant Megan Wong Technical Services Manager Karon KoH Library Assistant Andrea San Andres Cataloging Librarian Manuel Caned LibraryAssistant Geralyn O'Brien Circulation Manager _ Ray DeLara Library Assistant Sidney Poland Administrative Assistant Mark Kett Building Associate Jeannine Culligan Administrative Assistant David Whitman Volunteer Cooridinator Maryam Refahi Graphic Artist 0 Action A. Develop Equity Training Framework • Implement readiness survey for ALL library staff and stakeholders • Assess results of readiness survey a n d offer ongoing equity training based on assessment • Establish baseline understanding of equity work and goals for all library staff and stakeholders 0 Action A. Develop Equity Training Framework • Accountability: Equity Team • Community Indicators % of employees who believe advancing racial equity is a priority of BPL (by work group and by race) -Question for employee Survey 2019 • Performance Measui Cam. Number of employees who completed readiness survey and signed up for and attended equity trainings • Timeline: 3-6 months • Action R,-, Prioritize and Institutionalize Equity Work • Create and Equity Team • Intregrating the whole Equity Team to be involved for CREI Year 2 • Develop a "Library Equity Statement" and share with library community • Incorporate into onboarding procedures • Include racial equity as a core competency in job descriptions • Establish clear racial equity expectations for hiring managers • Create processes to measure accountability to racial equity in their roles and responsibilities • Provide space for uncomfortable conversations and prioritize BIPOC voices ///// • Action g! Prioritize and Institutionalize Equity Work • Accountability: Library Director, Managers, Supervisors, City Human Resources • Community Indicator: % of employees who agree with Library Equity Statement and how it relates to all levels of library work, including their own • Performance Measures: Did the Equity Teams members increase, did the job classifications change to include equity, did new members volunteer to participate in CREI year two • Timeline: 6 -12 months � Action L Permanent staff represent the diversity of the 40 community • Increase promotional opportunities for all staff, including hourly staff • Allow professional development opportunities for hourly staff • Re-examine current recruitment practices • Examine job requirements that inhibit racial equity • Examine job descriptions and classifications � Action L Permanent staff represent the diversity of the community • Accountability: Library Director, Managers, Supervisors • Community Indicator: % of BIPOC employees who were given opportunities for development and experience doing work outside of their normal jobs • Performance Measures: Total number of BIPOC in permanent positions, Total number of openings given priority for internal recruitment • Timeline: 6 - 12 months Workplan Specify Result #2.0 BPL provides programs and services that are responsive and reflective of community needs, especially underserved populations MA Outcome: BPL's programs and services are informed by community needs, with an eye to global concerns and lifting of community voices � Action Ae. Address programming and service needs of historically underserved communities • Sub -Actions: • Design services to assist those who need them the most. Use data to determine levels of needs (e.g. internet access, technology access, schedule concerns) • Evaluate and intentionally plan programming featuring BIPOC voices, with the lens of intersectionality. • Community Indica«rrs: • Participation by San Mateo Count reRiVentds n rograms and services lic oa text • Increase in trust from San Mateo County residents • BPL seen as a community partner for organizations serving and/or celebrating underrepresented populations • Performance Measures: • Increase of San Mateo County residents using BPL programs/services. • Positive survey feedback from cultural stakeholders • Amount of "own voices" programs run and led by community members. • Accountability: Adult Services, Childrens Services, Tech Services, Circulation Services • Timeline: Evaluation by end of 2020 � Action �* Revise budget model using the racial equity tool and make changes to budget model as necessary to ensure equity in budgeting for library collection, programs, and services. • Sub -Actions: • Transparency and training for staff around budgeting • Allocated funds should be as close to equitable as possible when looking at who is served. • Community Indicator!v • Increase in trust from San Mateo County residents • Equitable shifts in economic benefit • Performance Measure! • Use tool to assess who is helped, hurt, or left out of any decision, and funding source stability. • Set standards, e.g. 10% of collection budget for world languages • Accountability: Library Management Team, City Leadership • Timeline: Revise by Spring 2021, to implement FY 21-22 Workplan Specific Result BPL policies & procedfures promote and uphold equity in the community Outcome BPL's commitment to equity is obvious and evergreen rT. ti i a f by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY -SA 0 Action A: Create a racial equity toolkit (with 40 40 scorecard) that can be applied to decision making • Accountability: Equity Team • Community Inaicazor Amount of decisions in which equity has been a priority (high score on toolkit scorecards) • Performance Measures: Amount of times the toolkit has been applied to decision making • Timeline: Spring 2021, depends on availability of Equity Team • Action B: Revise and Reevaluate internal and external policies to demonstrate racial equity • Accountability: BPL Management &Library Trustees • Community Inaicator Library policies have scored high in racial equity, as rated by the toolkit scorecard 'performance Measures: Amount of policies that have been reviewed for equity • Timeline: Six months to one year 41 • Action Co. Share revised policies with larger library community • Sub -Action: Trustees will continue to advocate for the Equity Team and will regularly report to the City Council and the Foundation about the progress of the Racial Equity Plan • Sub -Action: Formation of a PLS-wide Equity Committee • Accountability: City Librarian community inaitator Amount of equity -based policies that have been accepted by the larger library community Qrrormance n�pasures� Amount of BPL policies that have been shared with the larger library community • Timeline: One to two years ///// � Action Pe, Study whether BIPOC patrons feel welcomed, safe, and appreciatedin our library • Sub -Action: For example, review CCTV policy (people of color, particularly the black community, have a history of being surveilled) • Sub -Action: Fund an equity audit • Accountability: Library Trustees • rnmmunity Indicator: Survey of library patrons reveals that they are aware of the library's commitment to equity and BIPOC patrons feel safe and welcomed. erformance Measures: Amount of improvement's made (from equity audit) is Timeline: One to three years Open Discussion • Your thoughts? Behavior Policy The Burlingame Public Library is open and available to everyone. This policy establishes standards and responsibilities regarding behavior in order to ensure access to library services and to protect library patrons, the library, and city property. Equal Access Everyone is welcome to use library services and facilities. While everyone has an equal right to access library services and facilities, no person has the right to interfere with the ability of others to use and enjoy library resources, services, and facilities. Many people use the library to find a quiet place, while others use it to work collaboratively, to learn and play with children, and to connect with others in the community. To respond to these needs, some areas within the building are designated as quieter or louder zones. Library staff may ask patrons to move, in order to accommodate these different needs. Please see a staff member for a map of the different zones. Food & Drink in the Library Our Food & Drink policy differs depending on the area of the library. No foods with strong odors are allowed inside the library, and patrons are responsible for cleaning up before they leave. Please ask a staff member about designated food areas. Disruptive Behaviors When visiting the library, please refrain from disruptive behaviors that impact another's ability to use the library, including but not limited to: ❑ Any activity in violation of local, federal or state law or inappropriate in a library setting (soliciting or panhandling, being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, smoking inside including a-cigs, etc.) ❑ Leaving young children under the age of 10 unattended ❑ Harassment of any kind, including but not limited to sexual misconduct ❑ Disruptive, loud, obscene, or abusive voices, language, gestures, or activities ❑ Misuse of spaces, furniture, equipment or materials -- e.g. washing clothes or bathing in the restrooms, blocking walkways or access to materials ❑ Presenting strong pervasive odors, including body odor or perfume and cologne ❑ Bringing large bulky items into the library (excluding wheelchairs and strollers) or leaving personal items unattended ❑ Bringing pets or animals, other than service animals, into the library ❑ Disobeying the reasonable direction of library staff BTM 1/2018 Background for this Manual Beginning in 2003, professional librarians at the Burlingame Public Library reviewed the vision for the future of collection development for the library. It had been some years since the policies had been reviewed and we found that our needs had changed considerably with extensive use of the Internet and online databases for retrieval of information, print materials, graphics, electronic books, etc. Issues discussed during the study included: • What we select and why • How we select. • How we maintain the collection • How we remain responsive to our community's needs • Collections in various formats: print and non -print • How we display and market the library collections The outcome is this Collection Development Manual, which takes the place of an earlier Collection Development Handbook. This is a living document, which while it maintains certain professional standards, is responsive to changing community needs. Alfred H. Escoffier City Librarian March 18, 2005 La Vision for the Future 2005-2007 The vision for the future in selection of materials for the library includes, but is not restricted to: • Finding something good to read • Encouraging lifelong reading • Encouraging the borrowing of materials • Finding information • Providing entertainment • Enriching community life What Impacts our Vision? Our vision for services is impacted by the economy which affects library budget and staffing. We are also affected by the volume of information available in books and electronic form. Most importantly we are affected by the number and types of user needs and requests we receive during the course of our work. How do we measure success of our services? Libraries measure success in a variety of ways, mostly quantitatively. The Key Indicators for the library are primarily factual and numeric. A list of the Library's current Key Indicators is part of this manual. Qualitative evaluation is a constant goal for all staff. We also rely on surveys of our users, letters and comments from the public. The turnover rate of our collections is also an indicator of how relevant our collections are to our users. tit Library Statistical Trends: 2003 At the beginning of this study, overall library circulation was down for the first time in years. A steady 2-3% growth rate in use was an average in past years for our library. In 2002, we saw an increase in Internet use, so much so that we added almost twice as many terminals as we had previously. Traffic in the building was up in 2003 as well. Library Statistical Trends: 2005 Within two years, library circulation has risen by nearly 355ro, while our open hours to the public have been reduced by 15%. We have 8 fewer FTE staff. We have lengthened nearly all our loan periods to 3 weeks to allow users more time to use materials outside the building, and yet the statistics continue to climb. We have added wireless Internet access. We have renovated and reopened the Easton Branch Library at 30 hours per week, up from 23 hours per week. Today, the door traffic at both libraries is up dramatically. Overall circulation is the highest it has ever been, growing more than any other Peninsula Library System library in the past two years. Media is now 209;6' of our circulation and rising. The demand for children's materials and programming is very strong. What we Select and Why The Library employs professional librarians to select, maintain and make accessible materials in print and non -print which are relevant to our community needs. We periodically test these needs through surveys. Long range plans which been a part of the library structure for sometime have always had a user survey component in them. Librarians are conscious of the world around them: the immediate one, the local community; as well as our ever -widening global village. The Internet, as R well as other media, brings us in close touch with everything that is going on in the world, and is a part of that world. We select materials to inform, to balance viewpoints, to entertain, to provide historical context and to provide a basis for lifelong learning for our users. How we Select Materials for the Collection The Physical Operation Most materials acquisition is done online by librarians, ordering directly from a vendor. Potential titles are de -duplicated and in many cases items are ordered pre -cataloged and pre-processed, to limit the amount of time it takes for a book to reach the shelf and to keep library staff costs as low as possible. In some cases, the library receives titles on standing order in multiple copies. These are items which we know will always be in demand, e.g.: travel guides, Nolo Press legal books. The Intellectual Process Librarians read professional reviews, best seller lists, visit book stores, read the newspaper, magazines and interact with our users to determine what is needed in the collection. The job of the selector is to sift through the vast information available and create and maintain a collection that is relevant and used by the community we serve. The selector determines how many copies of items to purchase and what subjects should be covered and in what depth. The selector maintains the collection by constant maintenance, weeding, and updating. Using the CREW Guidelines or something similar, the selector keeps the collection up to date, attractive and easy to use. The selector determines what format might assist the user in their information needs. There are exercises in this manual which touch on some real life decisions that selectors have needed to consider during the past year. There is also a compilation of a consensus of the selectors on what should be done in certain selection situations. FA Ultimately, the City Librarian is responsible for collection development in the library. The Library Board of Trustees is the final word on whether an item remains in the collection. Members of the Library Board of Trustees are appointed by the Burlingame City Council, under the State of California Education Code for a 3 year term and may be reappointed. Final Draft Burlingame Public Library Collection Development Policy March 18, 2005 Revised The Burlingame Public Library was founded as a municipal public library in 1908. Beginning with a few thousand books, the Library now has over 200,000 items in two library buildings. The service area of the Burlingame Public Library is the city of Burlingame and 2 / 3 of the Town of Hillsborough. A separate contract exists for Burlingame and San Mateo's service to Hillsborough residents. The total service population is 35,000. I. Library Mission Statement The Burlingame Public Library serves all members of the community by providing and promoting free and equal access to resources and information in a professional, welcoming environment. II. Main Library and Easton Branch The main library serves as the main library service point for the city. The 1997 library occupies a 48,000 square foot building with a maximum collection size of approximately 225,000 volumes. The Easton Branch Library is a 3,000 square foot facility, was renovated in 2004 as a popular materials library, with an emphasis on serving children. III. Purpose of the Collection Development Policy This policy forms the guidelines for which library staff selects, acquires, and maintains library materials. Selection staff evaluates existing collections for current and community interest. The library seeks to support the vision, mission and values of the community it serves. IV. Collection Development Core Objectives • The Burlingame Public Library provides materials and information in a timely manner to meet customer's interests and needs, anticipating and responding to changing situations. The library strives to provide a balance of viewpoints in the collections. 1 • Provide materials for lifelong learning, and work with parents, educators, and students to strengthen community partnerships to help children achieve success in educational goals. Assist in support of student assignments and classroom support. • Link customers to the information and resources they need and request. • Be proactive in providing materials, programs and facilities that meet the community's information, recreational and entertainment needs. The library follows and adheres to the "Library Bill of Rights" as adopted by the American Library Association and the Burlingame Public Library first adopted by the Library Board of Trustees in 1955. V. Selection Criteria Among the criteria selectors use for inclusion of materials in the library collections is: • Popular interest • Critical reviews, accuracy, literary merit • Local or national significance • Importance of the subject matter to the community • Enduring value • Clear presentation and readability for the intended audience • Need for materials reflecting all sides of issues • Author's reputation and significance as a writer • Reputation of publisher • Price, budget, space considerations • Availability of material elsewhere • Quality of the physical format To be selected, materials should meet some, but not all, of the above criteria. VI Materials Selection Responsibility Selection of materials rests ultimately with the City Librarian. The City Librarian oversees the selection process and fund allocation. The professional staff is responsible for areas of the actual selection, maintenance and currency of the collection. 10) Library materials are ordered centrally at the main library, to coordinate and streamline the order process. Electronic databases are being used to streamline the order process, and give the selectors more tools to provide greater timeliness and efficiency of ordering. VII. Current Trends in Selection of Materials Selection of library material has moved from an entirely paper environment, supported by paper indexes, bound magazines, and books to a mix of paper and electronic resources. In the past 5 years, the library has moved to electronic databases for access to information. The major collection -finding tool is the Peninsula Library System database integrated library system, which is a shared service database of all holdings of the 9 library jurisdictions in the Peninsula Library System. The system also shares expenses in subscriptions for selected electronic databases to streamline the finding of information on the Internet. Professional librarians are skilled in accessing information in books, media and electronically. VIII. Selection Tools. Librarians use a wide variety of selection tools including the traditional professional journals such as Library Journal, Kirkus Review and Publisher's Weekly. Librarians and library staff are encouraged to review local and national bestseller lists, read widely in magazines and newspapers and generally bring their varied educational skills to bear on the selection process to be in tune with the educational and intellectual life of the community. IX. Material Formats Materials are purchased in a variety of formats, which are appropriate for library use. Books/Printed Materials By far the largest portion of the library buildings is currently devoted to books and the printed word. Both hardback and paperback books are purchased. Quality paperbacks are cataloged and added to the collection. Mass -market paperbacks are purchased or arrive as gifts and are added to a non -cataloged collection. Media The library collects media in a variety of formats. The current media types include: aiudio books an ram .ette and compact disks; music K? compact disks; videocassettes; DVD's. Media formats change often, so librarians remain aware of trends in media publishing formats and popularity. Several staff members who specialize in this area select materials, but all selectors are encouraged to give input on the process, particularly in the area of audio books. Electronic Resources Due to the often -high price tag of electronic resources, the cost of expensive electronic resources is shared in partnership with other Peninsula Library System libraries. This helps with obtaining the best price for the databases ordered and helps all of the libraries promote the materials to our communities. Staff does not purchase an electronic database when the information in it can be found more readily and more economically in a print source or on the Internet. The necessity of training staff and public is a major consideration in the selection of electronic resources. Related issues include: • Ease of use, • Type of searching provided • Subject matter • Back files for subscription databases • Timeliness of information • Availability on the web • Patron use X. Language of Materials i I ! Although the library service area consists primarily of English speaking residents, there is a significant number of the population who speak: • Chinese • Japanese • Spanish • French • German • Russian • Vietnamese Materials are being made available in these languages with uncataloged and paperback materials. According to school statistics, over 30% of the student population speaks a primary language other than English. It is the long-term goal of the library to make these materials available in the online database catalog. Receipt of a State Library grant will assist with M developing these collections. It is anticipated that a separate section of shelving will be designated for books in languages other than English to assist our users in finding materials. XI. Selection of Materials- Fiction A. Fiction Guidelines: The Library collects current popular fiction and genres such as romance, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy, etc. Titles selected should be well reviewed in major sources such as Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist. Marginal purchases should be avoided. The library is seeking to purchase more multiple volumes of more popular titles to meet community demand and purchase fewer overall titles. This increases the potential community use of the collection. B. Multiple copies: Multiple copies of titles by a best selling author might include anywhere from 2 -25 copies. Examples: Saturation purchase of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code at 25 copies kept the Burlingame hold queue short. A popular author such as Patricia Cornwell's latest mystery was purchased eventually in 8 copies. She is a proven author with a good track record. The exception to this would be a non-fiction book by this same author, which did not have quite the same success as her novels. Librarians review the demand information in Baker and Taylor, Title Source II and watch for media reviews: radio, television, etc. C. Best Seller Lists: Should be monitored on a monthly basis by the fiction selectors as well as the non-fiction selectors. Author interviews in local newspapers or on television, and speakers at local lecture series are good authors to consider for additional copies in the collection. D. Fiction "Classics" Fiction classics from the last two centuries should be represented in multiple copies in the collection as needed. Many of these are required reading for high school and college students and clean, well -produced editions of Twain, Hemingway, Toni Morrison, Tim O'Brien, Barbara Kingsolver, etc. should always be available. XII. Selection of Materials- Non -Fiction A. Non -Fiction Guidelines. The Library collects current, popular non- fiction in a wide variety of subject areas to provide a well-rounded collection. Books and other material should meet the standard of wide ranging interest to our community, including social, cultural, informational, and recreational needs. Collection purchase should be aimed at potential use and quality of materials. Materials 9 should be available for student use, life long learning, children's beginning to read, support of school curriculums, and appreciation of literature. Balance should be obtained as much as possible in political, religious, and other areas of the collection where there are many sides to an issue. B. Non -Fiction Academic to Popular Approach A more popular collection policy emphasis is replacing Burlingame's former emphasis on a more academic approach to collections. The public library serves the general reader as its first priority. College students, writers and others in the academic world should certainly be considered when selection materials for the collection, but we are not specifically purchasing materials for an academic setting. There are other local resources for these users. We purchase popular items, which will be used both in the short term and the long term by library users. For example, multiple copies of best sellers should be purchased, but attractive multiple copies of Emily Dickinson's poetry should also be available. Multiple copies of popular travel guides (one of the highest circulating areas) should be available to the user. C. Monthly Management Reports Popular areas, as seen on our Monthly Management reports help staff decide whether to purchase multiple copies in high interest areas: civil service exam books, gardening, cooking, computers, country books (for children), travel and large print. D. Multiple copies of Bestsellers As we begin to purchase more copies of best sellers in the non- fiction areas, care will need to be taken by the selector to weed the multiples down to a manageable number before they reach the main stacks. E. What constitutes a Bestseller? As with fiction, selectors should use the bestseller lists in newspapers, magazines and on the PLS web page for local holds. This is a good indication of what is being read and requested. "Hold" lists should be checked monthly against holds in the online system. Care should be taken to be aware of authors who are appearing locally, have a regular television show, or other public relations, which could make the books more popular with readers. The demand portion of Title Source II can be a valuable guide for gauging demand for BPL. 3i F. Comments from our Recent Collection Development Study. In a recent study, Burlingame subject selectors made comments regarding purchasing in certain subject areas. a. Buy more copies of highly popular non-fiction; discard when interest wanes (Al Franken's Lies) b. Buy 5 copies of a popular diet book, knowing that these can be fads, but are of high interest for a short period of time (Dr. Phil's Weight Loss Diet) c. Books can have limited appeal despite importance and local interest (Joan Didion's book Where I came from had 3 copies ordered. d. Topical books on the economy date quickly, but have a very real interest in the here and now. We could have 5 copies of Paul Krugman's The Great Unraveling on the nation's economy and then weed down to one or two as interest subsides. G. Formula for Holds. In general, BPL has purchased a second copy at the point where we have 3 holds on a title. A recent review of the hold/purchase policy reveals we actually are doing better than this standard. This may continue at the selector's discretion -- for highly popular items. H. Guidelines for Reference Books. Reference materials in all formats should be purchased to support the mission of the library to assist users in finding information. In some cases, information is best sought in printed sources; in other cases information is better presented on the Internet or in an online database to which the library subscribes. Staff will attempt to balance the collection formats for usefulness, accessibility, and cost control. I. Guidelines for Standing Orders. Standing Orders with a vendor for every edition or every other edition of a title when published is a handy means of acquiring materials we know we wish to have on an on -going basis. However, the Standing Order List should be reviewed at least bi-annually to monitor usefulness of materials and cost. In the past, many standing orders have risen dramatically in cost over time, when there are actually other titles, which have taken their place, which are less expensive. J. Guidelines for Periodical Collections. As of 2003/2004, the Library holds over 400 subscriptions to magazines and periodicals. Following the Periodical Study of 2004, a number of decisions were made to reduce the number of titles received, reduce the retention of back runs, and increase an awareness of the accessibility of 7 information in the magazines in online databases. Print magazines selected for the library collection should: 1. Enhance the library's print and electronic collections; 2. Be of a popular nature; 3. Circulate well to our users. A more specific Periodical Collection Policy is currently being drafted in a separate document. XIV. Gifts to the Library Library users are welcome to give the library books and media in good condition, with the understanding that all gifts become the property of the library with no donor restrictions. Once given, no gift material can be returned to the donor. All items must comply with some basic criteria: no mold, no damp books, etc. There is a specific policy for donations of books to the library. Textbooks are generally not added to the collection. Staff reviews titles donated and if a selector wishes to add items to the collection they will initiate the action with Technical Services staff to do so. Books, which are not added to the collection, are given to the Foundation for their on- going sales. The library does not have the expertise to appraise books for tax purposes. However, a receipt may be given to the donor stating the number of items given and she/he may assign a value to the items for tax purposes. Patrons who require a receipt may request one from the City Librarian. Gift materials will be added to the collection only when they meet the same criteria and standards as for purchased materials. In no case will a gift be added to the collection solely because it is a gift. XV. Request for Reconsideration Material in the collection will be reconsidered upon completion of a "Request for Reconsideration" form. The Board of Trustees defends the principles of Freedom to Read and to view, and declares that whenever censorship is involved no materials shall be removed from the library except by a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees. XVI. De -Selection and Maintenance of the Collection The Burlingame Public Library's collection has been built to reflect the needs of the community we serve over time. Since our public is using materials in new ways with many resources available online, our analysis of the use of the collection has changed. De -selecting, or weeding, is an integral part of collection development. Weeding studies have shown that circulation increases with weeding because users are better able to find materials they are seeking, and because the collection looks more inviting and appealing. Weeding keeps the collection current, vital and useful for the community and makes room for newer materials. Briefly, items, which are weeded, are: • Outdated, misleading, inaccurate • In poor physical condition (moldy, shabby, torn, yellowed, etc.) • No longer being used • Duplicate copies that are no longer in demand Weeded materials in reasonable condition are sold in the ongoing library book sales. We regret that we are unable to save items for our users to purchase. Items which do not meet the above criteria may still be kept if they are historical or of local interest. The Special Collections room contains a number of unique items, which are either a valuable example of the bookmaker's art or of local historical interest. XVII. Recycling of Library Discards In an effort to honor the environment and make the best use of the taxpayer's investment in the library, the Library recycles discarded library materials in a variety of ways. 1) Discards may be sold in the Friends/Foundation Book Sales, which raises funds for new collections and programs. 2) Discards may be sold by the Friends/Foundation on www.ebay.com or www.amazon.com or other online systems to raise funds for on -going library operations. 3) Discards, which do not meet the above criteria, may be physically recycled through local paper recycling vendors. 7 XVIII Collection Development Policy for Children and Young Adults The following policy relates to the collection development for library materials for younger readers. It is a permanent part of the library's collection development policy. It was revised and updated June 20, 2006, approved by the Library Board of Trustees. 10 Burlingame Public Library Collection Development Policy for Children and Young Adults May 15, 2006 1. Children's and Young Adult Collections Burlingame Public Library encourages children, teens, and families to become life-long readers and library users. A love of books and reading develops the imagination, expands the young person's world, and promotes success in school. While the Children's and Young Adult collections may have materials of interest to students of librarianship and children's literature, the collections are developed primarily for the intended audience of children and teens. As in all of literature, any given item may be controversial to someone, and it is the parent or guardian who has responsibility for the library use and reading choice of minors. Selection criteria for juvenile and young adult materials are the same as for all other library materials and include popular interest, positive critical reviews, and importance of the subject matter to the community, as well as other considerations detailed in Section V of this policy. Selection tools include such professional journals as: Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, School Library Journal, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, the Horn Book, and VOYA. 2. Children's Materials The Children's collections serve children from birth through approximately fifth grade and early middle school, as well as their parents, caregivers and teachers. The library provides fiction and non-fiction books and other media at all reading, viewing and listening levels, for recreational use, general information and for homework and curriculum support. 3. Children's Collections for Different Age Groups JE—Picture Books. These are usually written and illustrated for the young child, and generally designed for adults to read to children. While the text and pictures complement each other, these books are primarily pictures. J.E.—Beginning to Read. This collection is intended for children learning to read on their own, and characterized by controlled vocabulary, large print, limited words per page and a limited number of pages. (Grades K-2) JY—Young fiction and Beginning Chapter Books. This collection includes two types of books: 1) picture books written and illustrated for older children; and 2) short fiction that is not primarily pictures, usually has chapters, with simple vocabulary and a limited number of pages. (Gr. 2-4) J—Fiction. This collection serves children from approximately late third grade through early middle school and includes all genres such as realistic fiction, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy. These books are usually more than one hundred pages in length, in chapters, and with few illustrations. 11 Juvenile Non-fiction. This collection includes material intended to cover information needs of preschool through middle school students. The subject matter, vocabulary, and format are age -appropriate to enhance the understanding of the reader. Teacher Collection. These books include curriculum, program, craft, and story activities for teachers and other adults working with preschool and elementary school age children. Browsing collections: These uncataloged collections include board books for toddlers, paperback fiction for all ages; and, workbooks for teachers. Books on Tape and CD. Primarily fiction for children from kindergarten through early middle school. Videos. Primarily feature films for children of all ages, although age - appropriateness varies widely between preschool and older children. DVD's. Primarily feature films for children of all ages, although age - appropriateness varies widely between preschool and older children. 4. Young Adult Materials The Young Adult collection is a transitional one, developed for readers between the Children's and Adult collections. It serves youth in middle school, approximately sixth through eighth grades, and high school. This age range, from 12 to 18, has been identified for particular service by the Young Adult Services Committee of the American Library Association. The Young Adult collection includes fiction books in both print and audio format as well as a small browsing collection of topical high -interest non-fiction and graphic novels. To maintain teen interest, the collection is intended to be constantly changing and aesthetically appealing. Most material in this collection is popular fiction written for and marketed to youth in the 12 to 18- year -old age group. YA fiction usually features young adult characters and current subject matter specifically of interest to teens. That subject matter may include more mature and controversial topics. Because adolescence is a time of emerging independence and transition to adulthood, teens are interested in exploring controversial developmental and social issues. The literature in this collection will include a wide range of age -appropriateness, as the experience and maturation level of a 12-year-old entering middle school may be quite different from that of an 18-year-old high school senior. It is the responsibility of parents to assist their teen children with selection of appropriate materials. All children mature at different rates, and material selected by one child may not be appropriate for another, even another child of the same age. Young adults may also access a wide range of materials for homework support and personal interest in the Children's and Adult fiction and non-fiction collections. 12 • • •IMPIRIAVoiritij= ` s • • . • 1 � 11 . 1 1 r The Burlingame Public Library is open to the public for specific limited uses. The use of photographic or filming equipment and the effect on patrons of the public library of photographs or films being taken is generally inconsistent with the purposes of the Library. In addition, constitutional and statutory rights protect the essential privacy of users of the Library in their free use of the Library and their rights to be free of Interference, intimidation, or other conduct inconsistent with library use. The policy of the Burlingame Public Library regarding the taking of photographs or videotapes of the building, its contents, users, or staff, is as follow: 1) All such requests should be referred to the City Librarian or the City Manager. 2) No photographs will be taken of individuals without their express written permission. 3) No photographs of children will be taken without their parents or guardian's permission. 4) No photography will interfere with the normal operations of the library 5) Staff may photograph events or exhibits for library or city government purposes. 6) This policy applies to all persons, including journalists and other media. 7) Photography of the contents of books, magazines or other library materials may be done so long as it does not disrupt the normal activity of the library or copy right trademark, and other relevant laws. The use of high intensity lights, the rearranging or furniture and the blocking of traffic paths in the building is not allowed without the express permission of the City Librarian. 8) The City Librarian and the City Manager must clear use of the building for filming purposes. There are generally fees for use of the building. In general, the city will not allow filming of the building during regular business hours. Approved Division Supervisors, City Attorney 815198 'f l Burlingame Public Library Program Policy Library programs are free and open to the public and are intended to promote and enhance the collections, services, and mission of the Burlingame Public Library. The Burlingame Public Library's mission is to "Awaken your curiosity. Spark your creativity. Strengthen your connections." Library programs are developed and presented to provide information, lifelong learning, cultural enrichment, and entertainment. The Library presents a wide variety of programming by staff or with community partners or presenters. Library staff use a variety of criteria in making decisions about program topics and presentations including: • Community needs and interest • Relation to library collections, resources, exhibits, and events • Program's contribution to the library's overall schedule of events • Historical or educational significance • Availability of program space • Treatment of content for intended audience • Presentation quality • Presenter background/qualifications in content area • Budget & staff availability Programs must comply with the library meeting room policies, which mandate the program be open to the public, free of charge and prohibit commercial advertising or direct solicitation. Presenters are not allowed to require signups or collect contact information from program attendees. Presenters may provide their contact information so that attendees can voluntarily contact them after the program has concluded. At events sponsored by the Library, such as author talks and musical performances, pertinent items (i.e. books, musical recordings, etc.) may be sold. The Library's philosophy of open access to information and ideas extends to Library programming, and the library does not knowingly discriminate through its programming. Library sponsorship of a program does not constitute an endorsement of the content of the program or the views expressed by the participants, and program topics, speakers and resources are not excluded from programs because of possible controversy. The effectiveness of a Library program will be based on attendance, audience satisfaction, or pre-set learning criteria. Other evaluation criteria include attraction of new patrons to the Library, the promotion of other Library goals, and addressing the needs of a specific target audience. Individuals and organizations interested in partnering with the library on programs are invited to submit a proposal. Offers from individuals or organizations to present programs will be evaluated by the same standards used by Library staff when planning Library programming. Responsibility for programming at the library rests with the City Librarian, who administers under the authority of the Board of Trustees. The City Librarian, in turn, delegates the authority for program management to appropriate departmental staff. All library programming will follow the criteria set forth in this policy. Any exceptions request to this policy must be brought before the Board of Library Trustees for review and final decisions will be based on the best interest of the community and the Library. 0 BURL'I'NOAME Citizen Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Name: Last First Address: Street Address Unit # City State ZIP Code Home Phone: Email Complainant represents himself/herself? Yes or No If no, Name of Organization representing: Title: Publisher: Circle one: Book/eBook CD Author: Date: Magazine/periodical DVD 1. To what in the material do you object? [please be specific/cite page page #] 2. What do you feel might be the result of being exposed to this material? 3. Is there anything good about the material, in your opinion? 4. Did you read/listen/view the entire work? If no, what parts of it? 5. What do you believe is the theme of this material? 6. Are you aware of the judgement of this work by any literary critics? 7. Other comments about this item? Signature: Form adopted by the California Library Association, 12.13.1977. Revised December 2016 October 2020 To: Fellow Trustees From: Elisabeth Ostrow In an effort to better convey who we are and what kinds of diversity we lack to the City Council when a trustee vacancy comes up, we might want to consider filling out a spreadsheet something like the one below. The column headers are not set in stone — this is just what I came up with initially. Also, once the table is filled out, we could generate some pie charts and other visuals that might tell a more compelling story. A pie chart showing our lack of ethnic diversity, for example, would be more powerful than seeing the same information in a table. Trustees could fill in the chart anonymously (it's a conceit, I know — with only five trustees, it's easy to figure out who is who!) and decline to answer any questions they prefer not to address. (Note: I have not included "income bracket" as a column in this chart; it feels awkward to do so, but perhaps we should figure out a way to put it in.) In addition, trustees could write brief paragraphs about themselves highlighting life and professional experiences and other characteristics not captured by the chart that might be relevant. Some examples of the kinds of information that might go into a paragraph like this: • Whether you are a first -generation college graduate • Whether you are a green card holder, or a first -generation American citizen • Whether you are a person with a disability • Whether you are a person who identifies as LGBTQ • Your professional background and current employment • Your volunteer and community organizing experience • Your local government experience I've filled out a column of the chart and written a sample paragraph, just as an example to help our discussion. Trustee Gender Preferred Age Ethnicity/ Town of Children Children previously Languages Education (M, F, Pronouns Race Residency/ currently in Burlingame/ spoken Nonbinary) length of Burlingame/ Hillsborough residency Hillsborough schools?/ schools?/ Number of children Number of children 1 F she/her 55 white Hillsborough/ N/A 3 children in private English, BA, JD 19 years school in French, some Hillsborough Italian 2 3 4 5 Trustee 1 I've lived in Hillsborough for almost two decades, and sent my three children to a K-8 private school in Hillsborough and then a private high school in San Francisco. Before moving to California, I worked as a middle school teacher and swim coach at a private school in New York City, followed by a stint as a corporate litigator at a New York law firm. I have extensive volunteer experience teaching and tutoring English to middle school students, incarcerated people and novice police officers, and have worked with the San Mateo Library's Project Read program, geared towards tackling adult illiteracy. Other past volunteer work includes planning author luncheons, organizing school auction volunteers, overseeing safety protocols on athletic teams with which my children were involved, and working closely with a Congressional candidate from Iowa on her campaign. In recent years, I've done freelance writing projects for a variety of organizations. Currently, I work with the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University on projects related to educational equity and programs aimed at helping children from the most disadvantaged communities.