1. 2. 3. REGULAR MEETING of the LIBRARYCOMMISSION September 26, 2022 – 6 p.m. Spicewood Springs Branch Library 8637 Spicewood Springs Rd. AUSTIN, TEXAS Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Sharon Herfurth, 512-974-7420, sharon.herfurth@austintexas.gov CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Mark Smith, Chair; Lynda Infante, Vice Chair; Julia Aguilar; Patricia Dabbert; JC Dwyer; Cristina Masters; Courtney Rosenthal; Steven Self and Tori Vogel CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA The first five speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve the minutes of the LIBRARY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING on July 25, 2022. STAFF BRIEFINGS Staff briefing regarding the FY23 Approved Austin Public Library Budget, Wendy Harrison, Financial Manager II Staff briefing regarding Austin Completely Booked: Your Summer Experience program, Alanna Graves, Summer Experience Coordinator DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Discussion of the September Director’s Report covering public programming highlights, facilities, and APL priorities DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS Report and possible action Austin Public Library civic engagement activities Report and possible action on Digital Inclusion town halls and initiatives Report and possible action on Enhanced Library Cards 5. 6. 7. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 8. Update from the Freedom to Read Working Group FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please at 512-974-7420 or sharon.herfurth@austintexas.gov for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Library Commission, please contact Sharon Herfurth at 512-974- 7420 or sharon.herfurth@austintexas.gov the Library Department, call Sharon Herfurth at
Library Commission Meeting Minutes 25 July, 2022 REGULAR MEETING 25 July, 2022 THE LIBRARY COMMISSION MINUTES The Library Commission convened in a Regular Meeting on Monday, July 25, 2022 at the Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, 5125 Convict Hill Rd., in Austin, Texas. Chair Smith called the Board Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Mark Smith, Vice-Chair Lynda Infante, Commission Members Pat Dabbert, JC Dwyer, Cristina Masters, Courtney Rosenthal, and Steven Self Board Members Absent: Commission Member Julia Aguilar Public Communication: General Carlos León spoke about his concerns with the library. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of Minutes from the June 18, 2022 Special Called Meeting The minutes of the special called meeting were approved on Commission Member Rosenthal’s motion and Commission Member Dabbert’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commission Member Aguilar absent. 2. Approval of Minutes from the June 29, 2022 Special Called Meeting The minutes of the special called meeting were approved on Commission Member Dabbert’s motion and Commission Member Masters’ second on a 7-0 vote. Commission Member Aguilar absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Presentation by CapMetro, Potential Fare Programs and Free Bus Pass distribution at APL branches Grace Nguyen, Community Engagement, Capital Metro, gave the presentation 4. Presentation by Group 4, Architecture, Research + Planning, Austin Public Library Strategic Plan Susan Kent, David Schnee, Jill Eyres, and Grace Tillman gave the presentation 5. Discussion of Director’s Monthly Report for May covering public programming highlights, facilities, and APL Priorities Library Commission Meeting Minutes 25 July, 2022 Director of Libraries, Roosevelt Weeks, gave the report. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Approve a recommendation in support of the FY23 Austin Public Library budget Recommendation 20220725-6: Support for the Austin Public Library Proposed Budget for FY23 was passed on Vice Chair Infante’s motion and Commission Member Masters’ second on a 7-0 vote. Commission Member Aguilar absent. 7. Discussion and possible action on creating working groups for Library Commission training and development, Community Engagement, and Enhanced Library Cards. No action taken. 8. Report and possible action on a recommendation about Enhanced Library Cards Recommendation 20220725-8: Enhanced Library Cards was passed on Commission Member Dwyer’s motion and Commission Member Self’s second on a 6-0 vote. Commission Member Dabbert abstained. Commission Member Aguilar absent. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 9. Update from the Freedom to Read working group Commissioner Rosenthal gave the update. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Presentation from the Texas State Library …
Proposal for Community Engagement Working Group formation Library Commission Meeting, 8/22/22 JC Dwyer, District 8 Commissioner At our June 18th planning retreat, Commissioners expressed an interest in forming a working group to make recommendations concerning the future role of Austin Public Library and the Austin Library Commission in strengthening community engagement around library issues, and city issues broadly. This interest is in alignment with City Council’s Strategic Direction 2023 outcome “A Government That Works for All,” particularly Indicator Category E, “Stakeholder Engagement and Participation.” As proposed here, this working group would primarily discuss the following three charges and report back to the Commission with recommendations and if relevant, a plan for future action. 1. Examine ways in which APL can enhance its role as “social infrastructure,” better leveraging its equity-focused mission, accessible physical spaces and strong community brand in otherwise divisive times to: a. Build Austin’s community & shared values; b. Strengthen engagement in basic civic processes (such as elections); c. Convene productive community conversations around issues of public interest; d. Serve as an ongoing conduit of public opinion for City departments and decision-makers; and e. Expand its partnerships with community-focused organizations. 2. Examine ways in which the Library Commission could better encourage and transmit community input on issues under its purview, serving as ambassadors for public sentiment for other City commissions & and potentially documenting its successes as a model departments. Specific ideas to discuss might include: a. Conducting community input sessions on specific library issues, or conducting outreach on these issues through existing community meetings / groups; b. Reinstituting a version of Commissioner open houses / “office hours” at their home branch libraries; c. Defining a process for identifying cross-commission priorities, as well as coordinating d. and building reciprocal relationships with other commissions; and Increasing the role of public comment at our normally scheduled commission meetings. 3. Make specific recommendations to apply the group’s findings in 1 & 2 to the annual City budget-making process, with a goal of increasing community input and support for APL’s FY24 budget needs. b. a. Recommend processes for gathering the input of community members and other City commissions, then converting that energy into coordinated advocacy in support of any resulting budget requests in alignment with the annual budget calendar. Investigate any opportunities to strengthen the Commission’s relationship with the Library Foundation and its donors to facilitate grasstops support for APL budget requests. …
