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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - LB - 2020.08.181 Burlingame Library Approved Board of Trustees Minutes August 18, 2020 I. Roll Call Trustees Present: Kristin Capkin, Danielle Garcia, Mike Nagler, Randi Murray, Elisabeth Ostrow Staff Present: Brad McCulley, City Librarian Sidney Poland, Recorder II. Library Board of Trustees Minutes The Trustees unanimously approved the minutes of the July 21, 2020 Board of Trustees Meeting. M/S/C Murray/Nagler III. Highlights of July Statistics • Curbside Pickup Requests since the June meeting have increased to over 2,000. Cohort B is experimenting with having a walkup curbside pick-up on Tuesday and Thursday within a specific time frame. The advantage to patrons is that they are able to get their holds within one or two days rather than one week for the regular curbside pick-up on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. • Children's programs continue to have a large following. In July, 38 programs were offered and the attendance was 2,052. • Seven teen programs were offered with an attendance of five. IV. From the Floor (Public Comments) No members from the public attended the meeting. V. Reports A. City Librarian’s Report – Highlights • Our staff artist, Marian Refahi, is making new signage for the front lawn to clarify directions to curbside pick-up. • Staff is considering ways to expand curbside pickup times such as increasing hours to 5:00 pm during the week and having longer hours on Saturday for working patrons. • Most libraries in PLS are providing some form of curbside pick- up for their patrons. • The City Manager has stated that hourly staff may not return until the library has opened its doors to the public. 2 B. Foundation Report The Foundation Board met on July 27th to discuss how to raise funds for the library since it is not yet possible to return to former book-selling procedures. • On-line book selling is continuing on a limited basis. • Donna Colson is working with the Foundation to try to find a landlord of an empty store that fronts on Burlingame Ave. or Broadway who will let the Foundation use it for bookselling at no cost. • The Foundation is currently working on preparing its annual report. • This year is the 25th anniversary of the Burlingame Library Foundation. VI. Old Business 7-Member Board of Trustees The Trustees decided to table this item until after they have met with the Equity Committee. VII. Trustee Racial Equity Plan Discussion Trustee Murray synthesized the Trustees’ suggestions for inclusion in a Racial Equity Plan into one draft document, also incorporating the Equity Committee’s initial comments. Brad reviewed the document and highlighted the action items in red, yellow and green to identify which responsibilities fall squarely withing the Trustees’ mandate (green), which are questionable (yellow), and which fall outside Trustee purview (red). A. Equity Committee Invitation The Trustees are requesting that a member or members of the Equity Committee attend a Trustee meeting to inform the Trustees about their goals and priorities regarding racial equity, what steps they are planning to implement to foster racial equity in the library, and how the Trustees can best support and amplify these efforts. B. Overview of Trustee Responsibilities • Trustees can be advocates for the library to the City Council by keeping the Council informed of library services and expressing concerns by e-mail or in person at Council meetings regarding actions that could possibly affect the library adversely such as budget cuts. • Trustees oversee the library's endowment fund which is managed by the Silicon Valley Foundation (SVF) and approve requests to the SVF to allocate monies from our account made by the City Librarian to fund specific library needs. • Trustees approve library policies such as the Behavior Policy. 3 • As part of a Trustee racial equity plan, the Trustees could take on a new responsibility of regularly meeting and working with the Equity committee, if the Equity committee is open to that collaboration. • Trustees would also like to meet with a City Council member in advance of interviews for filling a vacant Trustee position to explain the current make-up of the Board and advocate for different types of diversity that may be desirable in a new Trustee. B. Incorporating Racial Equity Considerations into Meeting and Program Topics, Library Services • Trustees will reconsider monthly topics that are part of the Trustee meeting and continually focus on how diversity and racial equity considerations can be part of every discussion. • Trustees can interact with library staff to suggest and support programs and library services that encourage diverse audience through a variety of avenues such as introducing books for children and adults that focus on diversity and racial equity, children's story times, and social-media both in the library on the library website. D. Working with Schools • Research ways to support schools and vulnerable students during the pandemic. • Promote Tutor.com resource. Trustee Ostrow suggested sending a letter or email to parents that provides instructions on how to use Tutor.com. An instructional letter could be sent in both English and Spanish • Kathy Von Mayrhauser, Manager of the Children's Department, is in contact with elementary school librarians on a regular basis. • Brad reached out to Christopher Mount-Benites, Superintendent of Burlingame Schools, to offer additional "hot spots" if the district did not have a sufficient supply for all students. Currently, "hot spots" are available to all students, but Christopher will contact Brad if necessary. VIII. Action Items A. Brad will send the document Trustee Murray produced (with his color-coded suggestions) to the Equity Committee for suggestions and comments. B. Megan Wong will be invited to the Trustee September Board Meeting. IX. Announcement Brad has completed his power point project about Trustee responsibilities and will contact Elisabeth, Danielle and Kristen to select a time that will work for them. It was suggested that he include statistic charts in his presentation. 4 X. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:00pm. M/S/C (Murray/Nagler) The next meeting of the Library Board of Trustees will be held on September 15, 2020 at 5:30pm. The Trustees will be provided with the link to attend the Zoom meeting. Respectfully Submitted /S/ Brad McCulley City Librarian City of Burlingame