SPECIAL CALLED MEETING of the LIBRARY COMMISSION May 13, 2024 – 6 P.M. Austin Central Library, 4th Floor 710 West Cesar Chavez Street Austin, Texas This meeting is being held in a hybrid format, with both in-person and online virtual participation. Some members of the Commission may be participating by videoconference. 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 Laura Polio, 512-974-9624, laura.polio@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Lynda Infante Huerta, Chair Andrea Herrera Moreno Kezia Frayjo Mark Smith AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Sheila Mehta, Vice Chair Cristina Masters Magen Davis Steve DeRosa 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's regular meeting on April 29, 2024. STAFF BRIEFINGS Staff briefing on Kids Block Party and Summer at Austin Public Library, by Alanna Graves, Librarian III. Staff briefing regarding Cooling and Warming Center Activation, by Cody Scott, Facilities Process Manager. 1. 2. 3. Staff briefing on the May Director’s Report covering public programming highlights, and department facilities updates, by Roosevelt Weeks, Director of Libraries. 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 call Laura Polio at the Austin Public Library Department, at 512-974-9624 for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Library Commission, please contact Laura Polio at 512-974-9624 or laura.polio@austintexas.gov. 4.
Library Commission Meeting Minutes 29, April, 2024 REGULAR MEETING 29, April 2024 THE LIBRARY COMMISSION MINUTES The Library Commission convened in a meeting on Monday, April 29, 2024, at the Windsor Park Branch Library, 5833 Westminster Drive, in Austin, Texas. CALL TO ORDER Chair Smith called the Commission Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Commission Members in Attendance: Mark Smith, Chair, Lynda Infante Huerta, Vice-Chair, Courtney Rosenthal, Kezia Frayjo, Sheila Mehta, Steve DeRosa, Magen Davis, Andrea Herrera Moreno Commission Members in Attendance Remotely: None Commission Members Absent: Christina Masters PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of minutes from the March 25, 2024, regular meeting The minutes of the March 25, 2024, regular meeting were approved on Vice Chair Infante Huerta's motion and Commission Member Frayjo’s second on a 8-0 vote. Commission Member Masters absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Discussion of the April Director’s Report covering public programming highlights, and APL facilities updates, by Roosevelt Weeks, Director of Libraries. The presentation was made by Roosevelt Weeks, Director of Libraries. Library Commission Meeting Minutes DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 29, April, 2024 3. Discussion and approve a recommendation to support Austin Public Library establishing a City Poet Laureate Program and Committee A motion to approve the recommendation to support Austin Public Library establishing a City Poet Laureate Program and Committee was made by Commission Member Mehta and seconded by Vice Chair Infante Huerta on a 8-0 vote with Commissioner Member. 4. Discussion and conduct elections for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Library Commission. A motion to nominate Vice Chair Infante Huerta as Chair was made by Chair Smith. Commissioner Mehta agreed to accept the nomination as Vice Chair. No other nominations were made. Lynda Infante Huerta was elected as Chair and Sheila Mehta was elected as Vice Chair on a 8 – 0 vote. Commission Member Masters absent. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Kids Block Party and Summer Reading Programming at May Meeting Cooling/Warming Centers at Library Facilities Adjournment: Chair Infante Huerta adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m. without objection.
1 Director’s Report May 2024 TABLE OF CONTENTS Highlights _______________________________________________________________________________ 3 Facilities Update __________________________________________________________________________ 5 Capital Projects Update __________________________________________________________________5 Gallery _______________________________________________________________________________ 6 Active Project Timelines _________________________________________________________________ 7 Project Highlights _______________________________________________________________________ 8 APL by the Numbers _____________________________________________________________________ 9 Programs and Outreach__________________________________________________________________ 9 Cardholder ___________________________________________________________________________ 10 Visitors _____________________________________________________________________________ 11 Circulation and Collections ____________________________________________________________ 112 Express Checkout and Holds ___________________________________________________________113 Technologyy _________________________________________________________________________ 14 Budget, Volunteers and Meeting Rooms ____________________________________________________ 15 3 HIGHLIGHTS African American Cultural & Heritage Facility Joins APL The Austin Public Library (APL) is thrilled to announce the inclusion of the African American Cultural & Heritage Facility (AACHF) to our team. Formerly housed under the Economic Development Department (EDD), the African American Cultural & Heritage Facility is home to the historic Dedrick Hamilton House, built around 1880 in an early African American community in East Austin. Now restored, it serves as an African American Visitors Center and Art Studio, central to the facility's activities. This relocation signifies a strategic move aimed at bolstering the AACHF's financial resources, facility management, and marketing support capacity. We are confident that these changes will empower us to better serve our stakeholders and further our vision to be a model of equity, inclusion, access. Summer at Austin Public Library & Kids Block Party Summer at Austin Public Library programming starts June 1, 2024, and we are kicking it off with APL’s Kids Block Party this year! Summer is almost here and we are ready to start with a bang. Summer at Austin Public Library is our summer program, challenging kids, and adults alike to read or to be read to at least 20 minutes a day from June 1, 2024 - August 10, 2024. This is a time to encourage all readers and engage with them in multiple ways through programs and literary opportunities. Special programs throughout our library system will range from themed crafts to performances by the Austin Opera and Austin Symphany. A full list of events can be found at Summer at Austin Public Library. And be sure to join us at the Central Library on June 1, 2024, for Austin Public Library’s Kids Block Party, the city’s festival celebrating children, literacy, and learning through play. The FREE event is perfect for children 0-12 and their families! Terrazas Reopens! Terrazas will reopen on May 18, 2024, revealing a fresh new appearance following a revitalization project led by the ALP Facilities and Information System …
