REGULAR MEETING OF THE LIBRARY COMMISSION MONDAY, MAY 18, 2026, AT 6 P.M. ST. JOHN BRANCH LIBRARY 7500 BLESSING AVE AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Commission may be participating via video conference. 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, contact Laura Polio, 512-974-9624, laura.polio@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Lynda Infante Huerta, Chair Pamela Carlile Sara Gore Melissah Hasdorff Sheila Mehta Holly Sabiston Edward Selig, Vice Chair Dr. Suchitra Gururaj Elizabeth Hansen Andrea Herrera Moreno Lorrie Ann Mitchel AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 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 1. Approve the minutes of the Library Commission regular meeting on April 27, 2026. WORKING GROUP UPDATE 2. Update from Working Group regarding Austin as a Book Safe Harbor. STAFF BRIEFINGS 3. 4. 5. Staff briefing on Austin Public Library Reconsideration Process by Christina Nelson, Branch Services Division Manager, Austin Public Library. Staff briefing on Summer at Austin Public Library and Kids Block Party, by Alanna Graves, Librarian III, Austin Public Library. Staff briefing on May 2026 Austin Public Library Public Programming Highlights and Facilities Updates, by Hannah Terrell, Director of Libraries. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Laura Polio at Austin Public Library Department, at 512-974-9624 or laura.polio@austintexas.gov to request service or for additional information. For more information on the Library Commission, please contact Laura Polio at 512-974-9624 or laura.polio@austintexas.gov.
Library Commission Meeting Minutes April 27, 2026 THE LIBRARY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, April 27, 2026 The Library Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, April 27, 2026, at the Pleasant Hill Branch Library in Austin, Texas. CALL TO ORDER Chair Infante Huerta called the Library Commission meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Lynda Infante Huerta, Chair Sheila Mehta, Vice-Chair Melissah Hasdorff Elizabeth Hansen Lorrie Mitchel Edward Selig Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Pamela Carlile Andrea Herrera Moreno Holly Sabiston Commissioners Absent: Sara Gore Dr. Suchitra Gururaj PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None APPROVAL OF MINUTES Library Commission Meeting Minutes April 27, 2026 1. Approve the minutes of the Library Commission regular meeting on March 23, 2026. The minutes were approved on a motion by Commissioner Mitchel, seconded by Commissioner Hasdorff. The motion passed on a 9-0 vote. Commissioners Gore and Gururaj absent. DISCUSSION 2. Presentation by Authors Against Book Bans and The Library Foundation regarding Austin becoming a Book Safe Harbor. Presentation by Liz Garton Scanion, Children’s Author and leadership member of Authors Against Book Bans, and Tim Staley, Executive Director, The Library Foundation. Presentation by Liz Garton Scanion, Children’s Author and leadership member of Authors Against Book Bans. Chair Infante Huerta established a working group consisting of Vice Chair Mehta and Commissioners Hasdorff, Selig, and Mitchel. The purpose of the working group is to gather additional information regarding the feasibility and implications of Austin becoming a Book Safe Harbor, with the potential for bringing forward a future recommendation. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM 3. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair. Commissioner Selig was elected as Commission Vice Chair on Commissioner Carlile’s motion, Commissioners Harsdorf and Mitchel’s second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioners Gore and Gururaj absent. Chair Infante Huerta was elected as Commission Chair on Commissioner Hasdorff’ s motion, Vice Chair Selig’s second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioners Gore and Gururaj absent. STAFF BRIEFING 4. Staff briefing on the April APL Public Programming Highlights and Facilities Updates, by Hannah Terrell, Director of Libraries. The briefing was presented by Hannah Terrell, Director of Libraries. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Library Commission Meeting Minutes April 27, 2026 Reconsideration Process Summer Programing Texans for the Right to Read /Texas Library Association ADJOURNMENT Chair Infante Huerta adjourned the meeting at 7:17 p.m. without objection.
Materials Reconsideration Process Materials Reconsideration Process Austin Public Library | Library Commission Meeting | May 18, 2026 Current Climate Nationally Current Climate Nationally • ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) tracked 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025, the second highest ever documented by ALA. The highest ever documented was 4,240 in 2023. • Of the unique titles challenged in 2025, 1,671 (39%) represent the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ people and people of color. Current Climate Nationally Current Climate Nationally • While school libraries faced the most attempts to censor voluntary reading material, public libraries continued to experience more overall censorship attempts than all other location types. (Note: This data includes challenges to displays, programs, and other resources.) 2025 Texas Legislative Bills 2025 Texas Legislative Bills Bill Effective Date Library Impact Summary SB 13 09/01/2025 School libraries 30-day public posting and board approval needed for new titles to collection SB 412 09/01/25 School & Public libraries Attempts to raise the threat of criminal prosecution for librarians and staff that HB 900 n/a School libraries October 2025: United States District Judge Alan De. Albright (US Western District) issued a permanent injunction against enforcement of the sections of the laws related to vendor ratings. APL's Current Climate APL's Current Climate Fall of 2022 – Present 5 requests for REMOVAL from collection 4 RETAINED & 1 RELEVEL 3 requests for RELEVEL from one section to another (ie. Youth to Adult) 1 RETAIN, 1 PENDING, 1 N/A • • APL's Current Collection APL's Current Collection Circulation Numbers New Print Acquisitions FY2025 (10/01/24-09/30/25) • Adult Print –1,447,368 • Youth Print – 2,273,923 • Total Print – 3,721,291 • Adult Digital – 3,676,939 • Youth Digital – 323,011 • Total Digital – 3,999,950 Reconsideration Request Procedures Reconsideration Request Procedures • A customer with an active Austin Public Library account in good standing can submit up to four request for reconsideration forms per month of any material(s) owned by the Austin Public Library. • We welcome input from the community and any titles in the collection may be reviewed once every two years. • Decisions made through the request for reconsideration process will be upheld for two years from the date of the response to the citizen. • The Request for Reconsideration form is available on SharePoint and will need to be filled out by the customer requesting the reconsideration and returned to a branch location or mailed. …
Highlights & Updates Report Hannah Terrell, Director of Libraries May 2026 Public Services Highlights AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY APL Public Programming Highlights Highlights Austin is a Poem Austin is a Poem was held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at the Austin Central Library as part of the library’s centennial celebrations. Hosted by inaugural Austin Poet Laureate Zell Miller III, the free event brought together community members for an evening of poetry, hip-hop, movement, and storytelling. Performers such as Ebony Stewart, DJ Notion, Eddie Vega, Siobhan Cook, and BLAKCHYL filled the Special Event Center with vibrant, creative energy. The gathering marked a major in- person celebration of Austin’s literary and artistic culture, honoring 100 years of the Austin Public Library’s presence in the city. “ ...hitched to everything... “ The exhibition “…hitched to everything…” by Sherry Tseng Hill at the Central Library from April 9 to July 5, 2026, and showcases her exploration of the delicate, interconnected systems within the natural world. Through translucent mulberry paper and intricate hand stitching, she highlights small but essential organisms such as fungi, insects, and decaying leaves, that sustain ecosystems despite often being overlooked. During the Art Tour and Workshop on May 10, 2026, visitors can learn how her layered materials reflect the complex balances of soil, water, air, and the unseen spaces around us. The exhibit invites audiences to reflect on these hidden contributors and the urgency of protecting the environment they support. 3 AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY APL Public Programming Highlights Centennial Planning Updates The Austin Public Library’s Centennial celebration spans February through December 2026 and is organized in three trimesters: Roaring ’20s programming in the spring, Summer Learning and themed programs in the summer, and system‑wide celebrations in the fall. Major events include Party at Central on October 17 and branch celebrations on December 16, with festivities concluding December 23. Throughout the year, History Harvests are collecting community photos, documents, and memories for inclusion in the AHC Centennial exhibit, which opens June 2026 and will feature mini‑exhibits or banners at every branch. A community‑driven Centennial art installation for the Central Library grounds is underway through a partnership with Design Austin, Gensler, and ALTXYOU, with fabrication occurring May through September and installation planned for October or November. Partnership efforts continue to expand Centennial visibility, including collaborations with Austin Beerworks, Desnudo Coffee, and the Austin English Tea Company, all featured in the APL Gift Shop. A …
