City of Laredo, Texas Library Advisory Committee, 27 Oct 2021

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From YouTube: Library Advisory Committee Meeting, 10/27/2021

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Library Advisory Committee Meeting, 10/27/2021

A

Okay, it is five with six minutes, we'll call the speech in order. We can begin with the pledge of allegiance. Please we all stand.

A

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states.

B

A

Now we have the minutes, people want to go ahead and read the minutes from the prior meetings.

C

C

A

A

uh Do you have any corrections or any recommendations for the minutes.

D

I move we accepted minutes as presented. There's.

A

A motion to extend a second.

A

Okay and now for uh communications and announcements.

E

Okay, I do have some new staff to.

B

Introduce to you, I have a with us alejandra velasco.

E

B

She is a new clerk and she's with us that she started in the technical services department and we have mr juan vidali also a clerk, and he is with the children's department.

F

B

I'm and also miss sydney rose salinas also.

C

B

Children's department, so we've got new staff in the children's department.

D

Did anybody replace rick.

B

um We do have another clerk that just started at the santo nino branch, but she wasn't able to come over here because they're a little short staff, but her.

C

Name is doris gonzalez as soon as.

B

Announcement, you have in your packet the texas library association membership. As you know, the the library pays for your membership.

B

So if you could uh go ahead and fill it out and turn it into angie, I believe they're due at the end of december. Yes and andy, can help you fill it out. If you have a question.

F

Can I get my.

B

And also just uh very information there there's a the letter that we received from the texas state library and archives commission stating that we are accredited for this coming year. We met all the requirements.

B

We were a little worried because we were close, but I.

B

F

The budget part.

B

So that was good.

E

A

Okay, so now we're on to.

B

Or the federal court um on the 4th of october, the city council did award a professional services contract to cabazo's architect to uh not to exceed 124 000.

B

The this includes the schematic design, design, development, construction documents, construction procurement, construction, administration and historical preservation services. It need be so the federal courthouse where the post office is.

C

B

So that's where we're at! I don't know how long it's going to take the the architects to come back with the plans for us, but I'll keep.

B

It's huge it's.

F

Wasn't is that the area where they were going to make it a museum, uh-huh.

B

Yes, it's huge.

E

It's and that's just.

E

Yeah architectural.

D

Services and renovations and everything is for the library. The whole thing.

B

No, um uh I don't know if you're right, it's a senior fitness center.

B

Of offices it's office after office after offices, I don't know what to recommend, maybe opening it up a little more, but.

B

So we'll see all right.

F

A

Okay, so then recent upcoming library programs well.

E

No, I also have oh.

F

B

Just an update on our staffing, we are currently recruiting for library, tech, 1 at moss and.

B

Post it right now and we're currently conducting interviews for the library tech one. We still don't have a sufficient tool for the circulation supervisor, so we're waiting on other applications.

B

A cdl class b yeah. What is that.

D

Commercial drivers- oh my goodness, oh because.

D

What does that require.

B

That uh two years, I believe of library, experience or two years.

B

Yes, or at a school library or at uh any kind of library, experience that differentiates it from the court, one which is a entry.

B

G

Library, tech, one.

F

B

Library, experiment.

D

I'm saying because we need a like I'll take one.

F

Soon, you know why.

B

Let's see we we're also.

B

The recommendations have been made already we're just waiting for them to go to the process, uh show the education and their background checks and, of course, drug and alcohol, and we're still waiting for the approval of to open.

G

That was my own position. That's.

B

Her old position she's now here with us, you're danielle,.

C

B

City branch, the one on plum street- and I don't know if they'll let.

C

Me hire a circular.

B

How far off in the future, we'll be opening that library and we're? I just asked permission to open a custodian and moss also, so we it's a revolving door.

E

Moss, I'm sorry the inner we're.

G

E

A full-timer and one part-timer.

B

And so far, if they need a coverage because for some reason we'll send somebody over there, that's so far, so good that you've been doing okay, good.

E

E

A

Yeah yeah, okay, recent and upcoming library, programs and services.

B

And there you have the the flight.

B

Father had a conflict will not accomplish an emergency where she couldn't make it. Luckily, we were able to schedule it soon afterwards for november.

A

B

A

I can't I can't go there, I'm out of town, that we can't all right.

B

We are gonna, have somebody um the.

B

Outlet mom he's gonna, be here selling the book.

D

Do we have that book like in libby or.

F

When is it first.

A

November 13th saturday november 13th.

F

B

They need to ask corporate to see if they can purchase it, because.

A

B

No guarantee that they're gonna sell right.

A

G

Sometimes they won't yeah.

B

That um jesse, the the manager from the one at the outlet used to work with us so.

C

We always had that relationship.

B

And he was at second and charles. He tried to purchase it.

F

F

It was just so interesting and she had a room full of people, and uh everything was just.

F

For what you're doing? Because it's obvious very evident that people and a lot of students were there a lot of students that they really enjoyed? That.

F

The students, so thank you again so much uh for doing what you're doing it really you know it's. It was amazing, an amazing event.

D

Thank you for attending and I want everyone.

D

It will be published.

C

D

The ones that were written here.

D

From alexander those were the groups.

F

In fact, last night I also saw that that one of the branches was having a halloween party right, which one would be last night.

F

All right, I understand that the fine arts in downtown uh is having uh an event for their little.

F

All the stuff that you talked about at your presentation- I don't know- maybe you can set up or I mean to set up a little booth or something.

B

That was here, we're taking it. There.

D

It'll come out in the paper on saturday, because I have one.

D

Because I I'm going every day, I have been going every day to a different school every day. Today,.

D

But then, on friday, I'm going to tell you on monday I'm going to see tuesday I'll end up at martin high school, with 115 students in the library, yeah wow.

D

C

E

D

Thank you and and look out for the paper on saturday, because then the laredo public library altar will be because I told them it was awesome.

C

D

And- and we want to take this to the community yeah, you.

C

D

Our tradition, that's our people and we should be proud.

A

Thank you. Okay, um we're still on the recent upcoming events right, okay,.

B

Oh, I'm sorry, you also have the checklist for the for the different branches.

F

B

Not very not a lot, not a lot, um I think it's all. It was also being scheduled and the kids were having tutorials what it says here.

B

Yeah, no, it hasn't.

F

Been and we've been uh promoting it, and I know I saw it so I thank you that I was.

F

By the time they get out, I mean I think dinner and it's.

B

Hard, um I don't know, but maybe you could suggest maybe an earlier hour or.

E

uh Like two weeks ago, um so when I saw.

F

This, I said: well, okay, we're not opening our library, so they.

B

They can take advantage there, okay, but we are.

B

I'll talk to priscilla she's, the one doing the program to see, if maybe do it on a.

C

Saturday, but she also has us.

B

B

You can see, maybe we can increase the number. I told them to leave it on there for now see. Maybe, if it'll build up, do.

D

You communicate with the libraries from both the librarians, the librarian. Do you give it out to all.

D

F

D

See that I've told you this before I've come to some event where they're, hardly anybody and it's so beautiful. They have so many good things. um In my case, the reason they come is I get on the telephone and.

C

D

But you know I that's that's the way it works. That's.

G

D

Yes, no need for tutorials. If you develop a love of reading and the love of writing, you know it's it's. It stays! That's what I did with my kid with my own. You know, but um I say because today I was a triumph and triumph is not a member of lazy or uac. No.

F

It's just targeted and there's.

D

Several I had no idea.

F

I didn't even know that we had another georgia school other than harmony well,.

D

This has been going on for 20 years triumph triumph. I think.

B

They've been here.

D

But a friend of mine started it from lisb.

D

So I just and the lady that the spanish teacher said the principal was your student. Her name is.

D

D

I want you to know that I've been pushing the library program and the living, and I tell them about it all the great things that we have, because they're.

B

Right there, no, I know they're out there, they met here on friday for their cancer walk. They can't.

D

Have the I think we have a wonderful library system, you know this library and all the others, and- and you have wonderful things now- we need the community to participate more people. You know more.

C

A

Yes, well uh on that note, I don't know how how it worked. I don't know responsible for those. We have a parent festival like uh every year.

A

If I don't think our district so listens out of the district, we have a bunch of presentations.

B

That's that's at united right.

A

Here at united high school, yes and they and we have all kinds of their every campus- is represented in who's- his parents sign in there, but they do have presentations from our all of our coordinators and stuff on all the programs.

A

I don't know if that's something that the public library should be included.

B

In don't know where we've ever gone, no.

A

F

B

I have the united high school um for high school, no uisd high school. I think I don't remember her name, but she came to your program or saw you program.

B

I don't remember her name, I wrote it down and she called me says: when we have this, can you all get? Yes, I mean it's going to be done virtually and and the librarians are ready to.

C

A

Well, yeah, that's that's the key right. That's been the big, uh I guess a kitty's heel is getting the word out. Mm-Hmm.

C

You know because uh when.

A

When, during the recession, when other other communities were closing down, libraries left and right, we heard about them shutting down, we there that wasn't happening here in webb county it was. uh We were building.

C

A

Libraries so uh and really.

A

That with technology was highlighted during covet, yes and of course all of our libraries have internet and we've always seen how people like to come in here just to get the internet. But.

B

Get outside in their car right.

A

Right but upon doing that.

A

It's in here in this report, you've seen it how the the you know, the digital collection, the elite collections, have skyrocketed.

G

As you'll see when the students start using it that it jumps.

A

G

You know so it's great to see that.

A

So that's something I think that should be highlighted and really tapped into to any community event or district event, whether it's lisd uic or even our charter schools. I don't know to let them.

C

E

D

A

This is here to serve you. You.

B

Right, I mean yes, they know we have books, but yes, well.

A

Maybe, but maybe somehow getting in touch with maybe.

B

A

She organizes all those things she's very good at it is.

B

We've been doing online stem programs with.

D

G

B

Private schools.

D

Which you know there are several.

B

Catholic ones and.

C

E

They're, usually.

B

A smaller classroom so that we can.

A

Any other comments on. I was wondering about this at the moss branch. It says here that glass cubes on the west side of the building have been damaged by rocks like rocks that were thrown.

B

At it- or I I don't know it could have been that from a car. I think it's probably the kiddos that were good, because we had some of the wall repaired too.

B

Been having trouble so.

A

There's drainage issues.

B

I don't know it turns out, it's not that it's a.

B

Give us a price as to how we can fix it, because that that's an ongoing uh we kept getting. No it's the sprinklers on the outside that are, and so they feel.

B

The water would go in because of the slope of it, so the public works had it dirt and filled it. It's still not happening so.

A

Is this map is this indoors.

B

It's indoors it's indoors, so.

A

How how quickly does it get cleaned up and.

B

One of those contractors to go in there and fix that one thing we had engineering and risk management from the city go in there and take a look at it.

C

B

It happened again.

A

If there's any other observations or comments about the visits.

D

I have a question about rooney. I know it's closed, but I know the city of planning is not there.

C

D

If the building's naked, and will you be able to use that as a library.

B

No um right now, what we're doing is we're taking out.

B

We're not gonna it's.

D

Not a library anymore, oh, it's not gonna open anymore. No! That's.

B

C

D

Okay, no it's vacant right now! So let's take it so it will not be useless.

B

um Councilman, sir, has not decided yet what she wants to do with the building building, but it's going to be something else.

A

Okay, uh monthly statistics.

B

um Danielle is here, as promised in case.

G

um I can get you the attendance mellie on the ar mines. I just don't have shared folder access.

B

Okay, thank you. I'm gonna excuse myself. I have another meeting nice seeing everyone.

F

Thank you bye. Thank you, nice to see you.

B

G

uh Do you mind if I just unhook the webcam.

E

Or is this the microphone? No, this is the book right.

G

G

Just for the meantime,.

G

And it's just going to be p since I put it oops nope, that's the number one.

B

Yes, you also had a question um the last meeting about the eu resource yeah.

G

So so she can show you that, yes, I guess we can plug in that yeah.

D

I have a question is e-resource. Is that audio books too? All the electronics they're.

F

G

C

G

Almost in every department, I've been in reference. I've been at a branch tonight, I'm now here in my newest capacity as the technical services librarian.

G

um So my goal here tonight is to explain um some of the errors and then why I have again combined some of the stats that you see on the statistics sheet to help fully clear up some of the confusion and redundancy.

G

So in regards to reporting, I mean really, I showed miss elise, the map. I can only sum it up to human error. In the months before I came here, there was a couple people on the interim, and I can sum it up, probably to a little bit of miscommunication and not knowing who to ask for what and where to access it, since there are various ways to access the data from different parts, whether it be through horizon a sql query.

G

This is a lot of stats, so I think it was probably just more or less not knowing um where to pull them from okay, so first under the circulation area under the juvenile collection.

G

On the first thing I went ahead and combined was the juvenile biography under juvenile non-fiction it to me it's just minimal um and it wasn't actually being reported until three months ago, so it wasn't its own line um until about june of this year. So.

C

G

Just going to go ahead and combine it under non-fiction, since so there was only 12 last last three months. I don't think it's justified to go ahead and put it as its own line and list separately so um and.

G

Emagazines, which I'll do next month, as well as on here, okay with all of these changes, I'll go ahead and add that as well.

C

So the key magazines are.

G

Part of the collection of e-collection, because if you use the overdrive app, um they purchased rb digital. Who was our magazine provider digitally so they went ahead and purchased them. So now it's actually under the same vendor, so I'm just going to go ahead and combine those as well, and I think the other one which was the big question for august. If we go down, I went ahead and actually removed. It entirely was the new acquisitions that was showing print and it was showing e collections.

G

um So this number.

G

So what I did instead is, I went ahead and put it under processing for the tiles added electronically and the volumes added electronically since really processing one.

G

The collections digitally since they're on there for simultaneous continuous use, so I.

C

Just went ahead and combined.

G

The print new acquisitions and the e-clush new exhibitions under processing, so the new titles added print, are where we're going to find the new acquisitions and the e-collections as well are going to be under the title standard, electronic and the bonds added electronic under the processing.

G

C

G

Kind of repetitive, and it's the same number so since it was being accurately reported above, we might as well just keep it all in the same area. um Okay and.

G

With the volumes added titles added, so you'll just go ahead and see that I have them combined as total titles added total volume added, so that way, it's all together in one spot, um instead of being up at the acquisitions and then repeated uh as titles for drawing added.

G

So with that being said, as I'm learning this position and getting all of the new statistics and finding them, what I want to do is ask your opinion on what statistics are you most interested in? Are you interested in more visual statistics, such as charts graphs? Are you just seeing trends.

G

I can always tailor these to whatever you're more interested, most interested in seeing.

D

I'm very interested in that how many people are coming and you know using all that we have at the library as I'm interested in how many people come yeah.

G

And that um it's kind.

C

G

So I mean that could always be broken down.

G

D

B

Which had what attendance, so this.

G

Is just kind of all long-term.

B

And we do do that. Every.

G

B

Where we we give you.

D

As somebody is in search of your facebook page and your rita bear and all that, but how about more to the community, I don't know, put it out in there.

B

This is interesting. No, no! This is more interesting yeah, so.

D

I think again because if you have so so many good programs- and I see that not enough attendance and the ones I've been- I mean I don't know, but it's just that maybe some of your targets are very leveraged. I don't know where it would fall. You were the expert would help you know in getting out to the community, you know or going to tv or going to radio or calling.

D

I don't know something more because.

B

um We found that social media is probably is the.

D

B

We've done research, the newspaper yeah yeah.

D

B

We do go and do the programs at kgns, which is basically the only tv station, but from what we found the getting the word out is social media.

C

Because it's not.

B

Just acne who gets it, you know, other people are, are seeing it and.

D

The spanish tv we've done well.

B

D

Especially for the little you know for the four-year-olds.

G

Yeah they're always really receptive. I was the one who used to go and they're.

D

Always very receptive.

G

To letting us present.

D

It's just, I think we need to let this out more.

B

E

B

City pio sends it out: uh that's probably the the widest reach, because it's all media outlets and we always on our own. Each of the branches has access to facebook, so they can promote their own.

B

It's partnered with another of the spanish station. I don't remember which one but when they come and do that yeah.

C

When they come.

B

They they say: okay, do it do it in.

D

Spanish, yes, and, of course,.

G

Yeah, I mean the really cool part, uh well cool, depending.

C

On you know your perspective, but then I'm upgrading.

G

We're migrating to a new reporting statistic so that way it's going to allow me to present in.

F

G

Line graphs bar graphs. So if you do want to see that more visually, because sometimes we as humans tend to grab things more visually than just looking at numbers and.

C

You can see the.

G

C

Like I was mentioning.

G

The databases you'll notice um that tumble books- oh my gosh, tumblebooks skyrockets, when it's april, because they're doing the testing they're doing the star they're pushing that reading so you'll see it going up and the same thing you'll see mid-semester october november,.

C

Is when those databases.

B

um Go on working for their.

G

They are trying.

B

To get at the end of the year.

D

So it's really neat to see those trends. um One question one more question: uh when you are reading ebooks or audiobooks, or even you know, electronic books, that book can be checked out by many people.

G

It depends on the platform.

C

D

C

G

Like hoopla it'll, be one user for borrow, sometimes they're simultaneous use. Tumblebooks is a great one, for example, where many people can see it at once. If we have multiple copies and overdrive, then yes, you can have multiple people, but it is one person for.

B

User generally, that's the only one.

G

I will say a really cool app that we have is the cloud library which I was mentioning.

C

Because that one actually helps our staff.

G

Austin public library, if we own that title can borrow it digitally and without.

D

Even knowing I'm from cloud library, that's.

G

D

So that's a great one.

C

G

And so that's a really nice one as well yeah.

F

That's actually folks in there, because it's a consortium.

B

You have it, somebody else might have it and you'll be able to borrow.

G

Yeah and that's actually our highest circulating app that one's.

C

G

Really popular and you'll see the different trends: lewisville public library, a patreon from there, we'll borrow our digital materials. So it's really neat.

D

I think that's wonderful.

D

Everyone, I know, go, get your library card and go get. I pushed yeah yeah.

G

Absolutely yeah, absolutely yeah, we've even been doing, I'm sure mr lisa's told you, but we've been doing the e-library card users, so somebody can just borrow our digital items.

G

So if you go to our website, you can register just from e-card and allows you to just use digital items. So you don't even need to come in, don't even need to stop by there's no lines. No.

B

Problems it'll just disappear.

G

This is not an obstacle anymore, you just use it digitally.

D

G

Really cool yeah, I I.

D

Like that, it returns itself.

B

To the students to do it on their own.

E

G

Yeah and you'll see the trends. It's also really cool, you'll see so they're generally to expire within a year. So then, once that expires, they'll check out they'll take out a new card, so you'll see.

G

Borrowing it's kind of a harmless crime. They owe money.

C

But they're checking out stuff. So that's: okay,.

G

You know, but it's very cool.

D

The libraries are going, you know yeah yeah, so the 21st another direction I mean, I don't know how to say it. Another 20. Oh sure sure I mean we don't.

G

Have the actual book the libraries are growing.

C

Organized it's a growing.

G

Yeah yeah, it's always changing yeah, absolutely okay! Well,.

G

On november 3rd, so I'll be working over that that week.

B

Maybe you can have a colorful start.

G

Yeah, it's much more. I don't think it's a visual yeah. It's just.

G

You know it visually laid out what part what percentage of the collection circulating you know things like that.

G

C

B

C

B

Discussion and possibly.

B

We will, um since we don't, have a quorum presently, we will ask uh angie can uh hold the committee to see when they want to have the meeting. Usually we have it in early december december.

D

Yeah and we had said we were going to bring one book and it's changed or.

B

Donate, I don't know.

D

You're, the one.

C

B

Brought it up donate or to change.

D

F

Is that still, on wednesday december, the 8th, it sounds good.

B

That's usually when we have it the first week in december.

F

Okay and then yes, I have suggested that we all bring a book. We used to do it many years ago or several years ago, and then we stopped doing it. So I don't know if you all want to do this. I already have.

D

A

A book to donate right.

F

No right or to donate, no, no, no, no, no, the white elephant. Where everybody brings a book we'll put a number on it.

C

Okay and then we draw.

F

And so whoever gets that that number will get that book. Yeah.

D

Okay, yeah: it's like a book. It's changed.

F

B

Still do it because we can't, or did we vote on it last? No, we.

F

Didn't vote on it, but she'll.

B

Still pull, but I think that's probably the best day since we.

C

B

Have a quorum present there, okay.

F

Okay sounds good, I think. That's it that's all I mean I don't know of anything else.

A

No anybody else, nothing, no, okay! uh So then do we have a motion to adjourn always the absences.

A

All right meeting this journey.