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WELCOME TO THE LIBRARY BOARD MEETING. TODAY IS MONDAY, AUGUST 10TH, AND WE'RE, THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:03 P.M..

[00:00:12]

NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE INVOCATION. ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES AND TEXAS FLAG.

I HAVE ASKED ADASHEA TO LEAD US OUT IN THE INVOCATION, AND THEN ALYSSA IS GOING TO LEAD US OUT IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THE US TEXAS FLAG. WILL WE PLEASE STAND? LET US TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON THE WORK BEFORE US. MAY WE APPROACH TODAY'S MEETING WITH OPEN MINDS, THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION, AND A SHARED COMMITMENT TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.

MAYBE. MAY OUR DECISIONS SUPPORT THE LIBRARY AND STAFF AND ALL THOSE WHO DEPEND ON ITS RESOURCES AND SERVICES.

ALL RIGHT, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE TEXAS.

ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. INVISIBLE.

ITEM B. PUBLIC. COMMENT. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? NO. SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

[1. Consider approving the June 8, 2026, meeting minutes.]

ACTION ITEMS. CONSIDER APPROVING THE JUNE 8TH, 2026 MEETING MINUTES.

WOULD ANYONE FROM THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ABOUT THIS ITEM? NO. SEEING NONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM THE BOARD.

ON THE, CONSIDER OF APPROVING THE JUNE 8TH, 2026, MEETING MINUTES.

I, MEGAN KERSHAW MOVED TO TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES.

I ALLYSSA LOYA SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

PASSED FIVE. UNANIMOUSLY. DISCUSSION ITEMS. RECEIVE AND DISCUSS THE LIBRARY MANAGER'S MONTHLY REPORT.

[1. Receive and discuss the Library Manager's monthly report.]

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MAY AND JUNE STATS ARE IN THE PACKET.

THIS MEETING WE HAD A BIG TURNOUT FOR OUR EVENTS IN MAY, ESPECIALLY FOR SUMMER KICKOFF.

AND LOOKING BACK, MAY WAS A GOOD PREDICTOR FOR OUR SUMMER.

WE HAD REALLY STRONG EVENT ATTENDANCE AND CIRCULATION, AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KICKOFF AT OUR LAST MEETING, BUT WE DEFINITELY FELT THAT MOMENTUM CARRY US INTO JUNE.

INTERNET SESSIONS WERE A LITTLE BIT DOWN COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

AND MONTHLY, WE AVERAGE AROUND 200 OR SO. SO IT'S NOT FAR OUTSIDE AT EITHER END OF THAT.

BUT I NOTICED SOMETHING WE DON'T CAPTURE IS WI-FI USE.

WI-FI USE. SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT.

IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY, MAYBE WORKING WITH OUR IT DEPARTMENT TO GET SOME SENSE OF USAGE THERE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST PEOPLE THAT COME AND SIT DOWN AT A COMPUTER. PHYSICALLY, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT BRING THEIR OWN DEVICES, CONNECT TO OUR WI-FI, AND ARE THERE TO STUDY AND WORK FOR HOURS AT A TIME.

BUT YEAH, REALLY, OUR STATS WERE, WERE WAY UP.

AND I'LL GO MORE INTO DETAIL AT THEIR SUMMER ACTIVITIES IN OUR NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM.

BUT SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE NUMBERS FOR MAY AND JUNE.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT JUNE. YES. SO I NOTICED THEY ALL ADDED A HUGE NUMBER MORE THAN Y'ALL DID IN 2025 OF ITEMS ADDED. WAS THAT LIKE A SPECIFIC LIKE PUSH WHERE Y'ALL LIKE FILLING GAPS? OR ARE YOU JUST SEEING A BIGGER NEED OR WANT FOR BOOKS OR.

HONESTLY, I WOULDN'T READ TOO MUCH INTO THAT NUMBER BECAUSE KIND OF THE THEME THIS PAST YEAR FOR ITEMS ADDED MONTHLY HAS BEEN, IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON WHEN WE GET THEM AND WE ARE STILL SEEING THAT WITH OUR MAIN BOOK SUPPLIER IS THINGS MAY TAKE LONGER

[00:05:08]

TO GET TO US. THEY MAY HOLD ON TO THEM UNTIL THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE BOXES.

SO I WISH THERE WAS, I WISH THERE WAS MORE OF A REASON OR A DESIGN BEHIND THAT, BUT REALLY IT'S NOT, I WOULDN'T SAY ANY PARTICULAR STRATEGY ON OUR PART.

WE TRY TO BE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE GET OUT THERE EVERY MONTH.

THERE'S PROBABLY AN. YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY. NO, IT'S JUST NO, THAT'S OKAY.

THAT MAKES SENSE. YEAH. AND IF WE LOOK BACK, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MONTHS THAT HAVE BEEN LIKE A LOT FEWER THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING THERE IS THAT IN WE JUST HAPPEN TO GET A LOT MORE OF THAT MONTH.

[2. Discuss Library Board announcements regarding special events, current activities, and local achievements.]

NEXT, WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS LIBRARY BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING SPECIAL EVENTS, CURRENT ACTIVITIES, AND LOCAL ACHIEVEMENTS. OKAY, LIKE I SAID, WE HAD AN AMAZING SUMMER READING PROGRAM.

EVERY ONE OF OUR ALL AGES SUMMER EVENTS, WE HAD BETWEEN 80 AND 200 PEOPLE.

WE DID. WE HANDED OUT TICKETS FOR THESE. SO KIND OF THE WAY THAT WORKED IS FOR THE BIG EVENTS.

WE WOULD LINE UP ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR SO BEFORE AND START HANDING OUT TICKETS.

THE TICKETS WERE FREE, BUT IT WAS JUST TO ALLOW US TO KIND OF PUT A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AT ONE TIME.

AND THAT THAT SEEMED TO WORK REALLY WELL. I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MAJOR INCIDENTS THIS YEAR.

SO THE, THE PROGRAMS WENT VERY SMOOTHLY. AND THOSE BIG PROGRAMS, THOSE INCLUDED THE RAPTOR BIRD SHOW, THE DINOSAUR SHOW, SNAKE SHOW, FOAM TRUCK, AND THE MAGIC, THE JUMP ROPE WARRIOR.

AND THAT WAS IN ADDITION, OF COURSE, TO OUR REGULAR PROGRAM SERIES.

AND WE DID OUR READING CHALLENGE THROUGH THE BEANSTACK APP AGAIN THIS YEAR.

AYE PARTICIPATION WAS REALLY, REALLY CLOSE TO LAST YEAR.

OVERALL, WE WERE UP. WE WERE UP JUST A LITTLE BIT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.

SO I THINK BASED ON OUR NUMBERS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, I WOULD HAVE PERSONALLY LIKED TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE READING CHALLENGE.

SO WE MAY KIND OF EVALUATE IF WE WANT TO CHANGE UP OUR, OR MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE WAY WE DO THE READING LOGS NEXT YEAR.

I THINK BEANSTACK HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL, BUT THAT WAS ONE THAT KIND OF STUCK OUT TO US, LIKE BASED ON THE PROGRAM ATTENDANCE AND JUST THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING TO BE KIND OF EVEN WITH LAST YEAR ON THE READING CHALLENGE IS MAYBE WE WANT TO STRATEGIZE ON HOW WE CAN BRING THAT UP NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT'S ONE AREA I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK AT.

FOR THE READING CHALLENGE, THERE WAS A GRAND PRIZE WINNER FOR EACH OF THE AGE GROUPS, THE KIDS, TEENS AND ADULTS, AND THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY DONATED OUR GRAND PRIZES.

WE HAD A KINDLE FIRE HD TABLET, A NINTENDO SWITCH, AND A RASPBERRY PI COMPUTER KIT.

AND SO THE WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND EVERYBODY'S BEEN COMING TO PICK UP THEIR GRAND PRIZE.

SO IN ADDITION TO THE GRAND PRIZE DRAWING EVERYONE THAT COMPLETED THE CHALLENGE, THEY ALSO GOT TO PICK OUT A FREE BOOK OF THEIR CHOICE.

AND THEN THE KIDS GOT WEEKLY PRIZES THROUGHOUT SUMMER.

SEE, ON OUR SUMMER SEND OFF, WE WE PUT MORE RESOURCES INTO KICK OFF THIS YEAR.

SO AT THE END OF SUMMER EVENT WAS WAS DEFINITELY A SMALLER SCALE.

WE HAD OUTDOOR GAMES AND WE HAD THE PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE BROUGHT THEIR TECH TRUCK FOR A HANDS ON ACTIVITY, AND WE PARTNERED WITH SIP IN DALLAS TO GIVE AWAY FREE BEVERAGES TO ATTENDEES.

SO THEY GAVE OUT ABOUT 200 FREE BEVERAGES. THEY WERE VERY NICE.

WE HAD LEMONADE. THERE WAS DIRTY SODA, COFFEES, AND THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY SPONSORED THAT AS WELL, AND WE HAD AROUND 240 ATTENDEES. SO OVERALL, IT WAS A REALLY NICE KIND OF CLOSE TO OUR SUMMER SERIES.

AND WE GOT, WE GOT QUITE A FEW COMPLIMENTS ON THE, ON THE BEVERAGE TRUCK.

SO IT WAS FUN. FUN DAY. IN ADDITION TO ALL THE SUMMER ACTIVITIES STAFF IS ALSO REALLY LEANED INTO EVERYONE'S KIND OF CREATING THEIR OWN.

WE'RE DOING OUR MONTHLY DISPLAYS. PEOPLE SWITCHED UP WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.

SO WE'VE GOT NICE NEW DISPLAYS IN THE LIBRARY AND A NEW SIGNAGE.

WE'VE HAD STAFF WORKING ON SIGNS FOR THE DIFFERENT COLLECTION AREAS.

SO IT'S LOOKING KIND OF REFRESHED AND NICE IN THE BUILDING AND SOME UPCOMING PROGRAMS TO NOTE.

STORYTIME TAKES A BREAK IN AUGUST. WE'VE GOT TRY A HOBBY WEDNESDAY THE 12TH.

[00:10:03]

THEY'LL BE WORKING WITH PASTELS, AND WE HAVE OUR BOOK FAIR FOR ADULTS THURSDAY EVENING, AND WE'RE SETTING OUT A VARIETY OF BOOKS.

SOME OF THEM ARE GENTLY USED WITHDRAWN MATERIALS, OTHERS ARE DONATIONS.

SO IT'S A MIX OF SOME NEW AND USED BOOKS. AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE SOME, SOME GIVEAWAYS.

THE, THERE'S NOT A PRICE PER ITEM. WE'RE NOT SELLING BOOKS.

WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO IF THEY'RE OKAY, IF THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION TO THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY SINCE THEY DID SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB SPONSORING OUR SUMMER ACTIVITIES.

SO IT'S A DONATION OF WHATEVER THEY FEEL IS ACCEPTABLE.

AND THAT'S OUR ADULT BOOK FAIR. KIDS CRAFTERNOON IS NEXT MONDAY THE 17TH, AND THEN WE HAVE THE MAKE AND MINGLE SQUEEGEE PORTRAITS ON WEDNESDAY THE 19TH. COFFEE AND COZY COLORING LATER THAT WEEK AND THEN TEEN WEEKEND.

THEY'RE MAKING JUNK JOURNALS ON THE 22ND. BOOK TALK THIS MONTH IS READING THORNHEDGE BY T KINGFISHER.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, COOK THE BOOK THE LAST MONDAY OF THE MONTH ON THE 31ST.

SO THAT'S KIND OF A RUNDOWN ON OUR UPCOMING AUGUST PROGRAMS. OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE HOOPLA ACCESS IS ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH.

I THINK THAT ONE HAS COME UP BEFORE IN SOME OF OUR DISCUSSION THIS YEAR.

SO IT IS OFFICIAL. WE ARE PUTTING OUT AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PUBLIC THIS WEDNESDAY.

BUT SEPTEMBER 30TH WILL BE THE LAST DAY FOR HOOPLA ACCESS.

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1S,. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BORROW ANYTHING ELSE FROM HOOPLA.

SO YOU HAVE UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER. THAT IS ASSUMING YOU HAVEN'T USED YOUR PERSONAL BORROWS AND THE LIBRARY HAS NOT HIT OUR DAILY BORROWING LIMIT. BUT WE'LL HAVE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE AGAIN STARTING WEDNESDAY.

KIND OF EXPLAINING WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. THE TIMELINE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SAVE THEIR HOOPLA, HISTORY OR THEIR FAVORITES. SO THEY DON'T LOSE THOSE BECAUSE AGAIN, AFTER THE 30TH, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO LOG IN TO HOOPLA.

HOOPLA. YES. AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE IN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR FUNDS THAT WE PREVIOUSLY USED FOR HOOPLA DIGITAL WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARDS ADDITIONAL EBOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS IN LIBBY, THE LIBBY APP. AND WE'LL ALSO BE ADDING CANOPY.

CANOPY IS A STREAMING SERVICE FOR THERE'S FEATURE FILMS, DOCUMENTARIES, KIDS CONTENT.

SO WE'RE STILL WE'RE NOT ABANDONING DIGITAL RESOURCES BY ANY MEANS.

WE'RE KIND OF STREAMLINING IN A WAY THAT WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO MORE PEOPLE.

AND I THINK WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT CANOPY.

SO INSTEAD OF HAVING A SHARED POOL OF BORROWERS, EVERYONE WILL HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL TICKETS THAT THEY CAN USE EVERY MONTH.

AND YOU'RE NOT COMPETING WITH EVERYONE ELSE IN THE LIBRARY.

AND THE CHILDREN'S CONTENT IS UNLIMITED. SO THEY CAN WATCH THEIR FAVORITE SHOWS OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

WE HAVE A STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH.

THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ON THAT FRIDAY.

THEY'LL GIVE US A CHANCE FOR A MORNING TRAINING WITH THE ATRIUM, OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM SOFTWARE.

WE'LL HAVE A STAFF MEETING, SOME TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES, AND OF COURSE, TIME TO DO SOME POST SUMMER CLEANING AND ORGANIZING.

BUT WE USUALLY HAVE TWO STAFF DAYS A YEAR, ONE IN SEPTEMBER AND ONE IN JANUARY.

SO THAT ONE IS COMING UP AND I THINK. THAT CONCLUDES KIND OF MY RUNDOWN OF OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM. THAT WAS A GREAT RUNDOWN. I WAS LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH IS TO LINK PEOPLE TO THE WORLD BY ENRICHING LIVES, CREATING COMMUNITY, AND INSPIRING CURIOSITY.

THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID IN A NUTSHELL. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SUCCESS THIS YEAR.

I KNOW THAT OPENING UP ACCESS TO ALL, WHETHER IT'S ELECTRONICS, WHETHER IT'S THE VIDEOS, IT'S GOING TO DEFINITELY INCREASE PARTICIPATION. SO CONGRATULATIONS. AND YOU MENTIONED BUDGET.

IS THERE ANY CONCERN? WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NEWS REGARDING THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM.

DO WE HAVE ANY BUDGETARY CONCERNS HERE AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY? FORTUNATELY, SACHSE IS NOT FACING ANY OF THE ISSUES IN A WAY THAT DALLAS IS.

[00:15:08]

OUR CITY COUNCIL AND CITY ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE AND WE'RE NOT FACING ANY KIND OF ANY SITUATION WHERE WE'RE HAVING TO REDUCE STAFF OR HOURS. I THINK THEY SEE THAT THERE IS A GREAT SUPPORT FOR THE LIBRARY AND THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE NOT FACING ANY SORTS OF CUTS FOR OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR. YEAH.

THAT'S A BLESSING. THAT IS A BLESSING. KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, RANDALL.

WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE. AND WE JUST WANT TO ALSO GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING WHETHER WE'RE DONATING TOWARDS THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY OR MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS. HOW DO WE DO THAT? WHAT TYPES OF FORM? WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT ARE ACCEPTED? IS IT ONLINE? IS IT IN PERSON? COULD YOU CLARIFY THAT FOR US? SURE. THANK YOU. THE FRIENDS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCEPT DONATIONS IN CASH OR CHECK THOSE.

WE HAVE DONATION BOXES IN THE BUILDING, SO YOU CAN LEAVE THOSE IN THE DONATION BOX.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO USE A CASH OR CHECK. AND WE DO HAVE A THERE'S A WAY TO MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION.

IF YOU WANT TO USE ONLINE PAYMENT WITH A CREDIT CARD OR OR OTHER METHOD, AND THERE IS A LINK ON THE WEBSITE ON OUR PAGE TO SUPPORT THE FRIENDS. AND YES, THEY'RE NOW ABLE TO TAKE ELECTRONIC DONATIONS.

THAT'S, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. CASH DONATIONS DON'T GO IN THE BIN, DO THEY? DO WE COME TO THE DESK IF IT'S CASH OR CHECK AT THE FRONT DESK.

THERE IS A SECURE LOCKBOX. SO IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE A CASH OR CHECK DONATION TO THE FRIENDS, YOU CAN DEPOSIT IN THAT BOX, SECURE LOCK BOX.

THANK YOU. THAT'S GOOD CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU.

THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 7:20 P.M..

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.