June 2019 Director's Report — original pdf

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HighlightsPleasant Hill Branch Closing June 22 for RenovationBeginning at 6 PM on Friday, June 21 the Pleasant Hill Branch Library will close for roof replacement, new HVAC equipment installation, asbestos abatement on roof, and other general refurbishments. The project is scheduled to take approximately 4 months. During the closure, Austin Public Library customers can receive full library services at other Branch locations.Bookmobile services will be offered at the nearby Dittmar Recreation Center, 1009 W. Dittmar Road, from 4 PM to 6 PM on Tuesdays beginning July 23.ProgramsYouth Summer Reading• It’s that time again! The Austin Public Library is your free ticket to a summer full of reading and loads of fun activities this June through August. You can also win prizes for reading!Teen Summer Reading• Teens age 13-18 will take over the library this summer with MAKER SPACE, and take over libraries all over town with the following events: You Print, APL Studios, K-Pop Idol Party, Cooking for the Cosmos, Library Escape Room: Return of the Demogorgon, Silent Rave & Twitch Lab• Teens who complete reading challenges will be rewarded with books.Adult Summer Reading• Adults 18+ are invited to travel To the Library and Beyond at the Austin Public Library’s Adult Summer Reading events. Get a closer look at the universe at A Celestial Conversation, party at PRIDE Prom, laugh along with Master Pancake, dance to a DJ’s beat at a Silent Rave, team up with friends for a Jigsaw Puzzle Competition or swoon under the stars at Piano Latino. Multiple locations will offer opportunities to snuggle animals at Cosmic Crafts and Cuddles and brave the Return of the Demagorgon in an all-new Escape Room. Check our event calendar for details. • Reading is its own cosmic journey, so get a reading prize with your Adult Summer Reading event schedule. Write the title of your favorite 2019 summer read on the schedule’s bottom tab and turn that tab in for a prize at your closest Austin Public Library location between June 15 – August 31, while supplies last.Exhibits• All Shades Considered is a group exhibition featuring Texas-based artists who identify as queer people of color (QPOC). Curated by Austin-based artist Ben Aqua, the exhibit showcases the creations of 17 artists working in photography, digital collage, illustration, performance, fashion design, new media, and painting. June 7 - July 7, Central Library Gallery.To see the complete up to date listing of events visithttp://library.austintexas.gov/eventsFacilities Services2018 Bond Program: The Austin Public Library Department’s 2018 Bond Program has moved from Project Initiation to Preliminary Phase. ACFS met with the Capital Contracting Office (CCO) to make adjustments to the deliverables packages and solicitation methodologies. Packages “B” AHC-JHF / History Center (CMAR) and Package “C” Interior Renovation (CSP) will commence immediately with the solicitation of Project Qualification Statements for Professional Service Agreements. ACFS FY18 Bond Packages “B” & “C” require Council approval of Alternative Delivery methodology. The preferred Alternative Delivery methods are Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) for Pkg. B and Competitive Sealed Bids (CSP) for Pkg. C. The CCO will prepare said RCAs for the August 8 Agenda. The solicitation of Professional Service Agreements for Packages “A” (Site / Civil) and Package “D” (Roof Replacements & System Upgrades) will advance without going to Council. ACFS FY18 Bond deliverables goal during the Preliminary Phase is twofold 1) obtain Council approval on the alternative delivery methodologies and, 2) complete the execution of all FY18 Bond Professional Services Agreements by November 2019.New Central Library Project: The New Central Library Warranty Period with Hensel Phelps ended September 1, 2018. The one year timeframe ended with more than 200 Warranty Items documented in the Warranty Log maintained by the City’s Public Works Department. Construction Observations Site Visit Report No. 5 Dated 31 May 2019 reviewed the roofing repairs alone. The damages and defects observed were deficiencies previously identified with representatives from CoA (PWD), The Project Architect, The General Contractor, and the Envelope Contractor. The report complete with photographic documentation and an annotated plan of the main roof indicated the approximate locations of observed issues. Deficiencies were observed that were not included in previous reports. For example water is infiltrating the facility around the skylights and beginning to stain the wood on the roof of the reading porch. It was determined that certain documented items identified in the report namely BE - 4.3, BE - 5.1, and BE - 5.2 will not be the responsibility of Hensel Phelps as Central Library Bldg. Maintenance will be making those repairs. The End of Warranty Inspection Report was accompanied with a Notice to Cure requesting that the Contractor correct defects some of which are critical for the life safety and operations of the Central Library and have not been adequately addressed. The defects specifically address deficiencies with the roof, smoke detectors, electrical polarity issues, various mechanical plumbing issues, pre-mature rusting steel, incomplete PV installation, lighting, stair tread connection in the atrium, close-out documents which include mechanical, electrical, plumbing and IT As-built Documents, etc… On-site walk-throughs with observations and discussions. On a related note Assistant Director Jorge Morales of PWD contacted Library Facilities Services to begin the discussion to transfer End-of-Warranty defects and deficiencies to Central Library Bldg. AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARYDIRECTOR’S REPORT June 2019More Than BooksMaintenance.Pleasant Hill Branch Library Roof Replacement and HVAC Upgrade: This project has cleared the permitting process and it is expected that official plans will be distributed to the General Contractor on Friday June 14. A pre-construction meeting is scheduled for June 27 and construction is expected to begin July 8. The project is expected to take approximately four months.University Hills Branch Library Parking Lot Expansion Project: The civil engineering firm assigned to the project, Stantec Consulting Services, is in the process of producing the 100% complete Construction Documents (CDs) for review by Library Facilities Services. As soon as the 100% CDs are received, the plan sets will be submitted by June 30, 2019, to the Quality Management Division of the Public Works Department for their review/comments. When the construction documents reach 100% completion, the plans will be submitted for plan site review with the CoA Development Review Department. On June 6, 2019, City Council approved and authorized negotiation and execution of a Job Order Assignment with Brown & Root Industrial Services, LLC, one of the City’s Facilities Improvement Job Order Contractors, for the University Hills Branch Library Parking Lot Expansion project for a total amount not to exceed $600,000. The project’s primary scope of work consists of the construction of a new, 29-space parking lot expansion on the north side of the branch library. The work will include, but is not limited to, the demolition of existing structures and pavement, installation of erosion/sedimentation control and tree protection fencing, construction of associated walkways, landscaping and lighting as well as the provision of parking lot signage. The site contains an existing, monitoring well, and Library Facilities Services is seeking to cap and abandon the well in place prior to construction, should this course of action prove to be acceptable to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Zaragoza Warehouse Fire Sprinkler Upgrade Project: 90% plans and specifications have been received from the Quality Management Division (QMD) and Stanley Consultants are reviewing and addressing all comments and issues. Once all changes have been addressed, the Project Team will coordinate building timelines to take the project out for bid.Renovation of the Will Hampton Branch Library at Oak Hill: : As of June 10, 2019, construction activities were moving forward well at this site, and the project schedule was being maintained. The roof and skylight are expected to be complete by June 14, 2019. The equipment, lifts, and various roofing materials will continue to be present on site until work is complete on the exterior of the building. Currently, HB Construction crews are continuing the process of securing CoA permits for the upgrade of the heating and air-conditioning for the building and installing the ceiling tile, as well as new revised plumbing for restrooms. Their crews are completing the enclosed new quiet reading room area, installing new countertops for the catalog stations and the completion of the mill-work at the staff breakroom area as work is projected to be accomplished by June 17, 2019. While the work is in progress, customers are encouraged to visit the other South Austin branches – including Manchaca Road, Pleasant Hill and Twin Oaks - to acquire library services. Bookmobile services are also being offered to the Oak Hill area from Dick Nichols Park during the closure of their neighborhood branch. The scope of work for this comprehensive renovation includes correcting the deteriorated modified bitumen roof and Kalwall skylights, upgrading plumbing fixtures, redressing low water pressure, modernizing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls, replacing the circulation desk and other worn furniture, making architectural modifications to ensure compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, and revising the furniture/shelving layout to the “Library of the Future” template. Austin History Center Interior and Exterior Improvement Project: Since this project received additional funding in the 2018 Bond Program, the Library Department will combine this restoration work with the 2018 Bond Program Faulk Library Building Repurposing Project. The Faulk Library Building Repurposing Project is intended to re-engineer the former central library facility to serve as a state-of-the-art archival repository. Little Walnut Creek Branch Library ADA Ramp Improvements Project: This accessibility improvement project will be combined with the larger 2018 Bond Program Little Walnut Creek Branch Library Roof Replacement and Renovation Project to achieve economy of scale for both the design and construction processes. Yarborough Branch Library Renovation Project: The general contractor (Brown & Root) began preparation work to begin painting the interiors on May 8. Personnel from Stanley Consultants, Library Security, Facilities Services, and Brown & Root met on May 15 to go over any pending changes to the scope of work. The GC had some Requests for Information (RFIs) which the Project Coordinator coordinated with the consultants to provide responses in a timely manner. There was a small concern on some minor mural damages (already present prior to GC preparation for pain work to start). The Project Coordinator worked with Art in Public Places (AIPP) staff to assess the damages, and it was determined by AIPP staff that the mural damages were insignificant and there was no need for remedy. The GC is working on providing the estimated project schedule and the change orders. Cepeda Branch Library Renovation Project: A new Project Coordinator, Marrilee Archer, has been assigned to this project. Ms. Archer has met with the Architectural Design team, spoken with the General Contractor and the Capital Contracting Office. She is currently reviewing the lengthy budget proposal submitted by the General Contractor, Jamail & Smith, and considering the appropriate scope of the project for the budget allocated. Soon, her assessments will be communicated with Management to make a plan and move forward.Faulk Central Library Roof Replacement: On May 6, Library Facilities Services and the Capital Contracting Office completed the evaluation process of scoring all bid proposals received for this project and a contractor was selected. On June 20, the Austin City Council will be asked to authorize negotiation and execution of a Competitive Sealed Proposal Agreement with LD Tebben Company, Inc., for construction services for the Faulk Library Roof Replacement in an amount not to exceed $911,069. Building Exterior Solutions (BES), Engineering Consultants, developed the 100% Complete Construction Documents for demolition and replacement of the entire 29,000 square foot roofing system at the Faulk Library Building. The Faulk Library Building, a four-storied structure with a concrete roof deck, is currently topped with a twenty-two year old, modified bitumen roofing system. Construction estimates to replace the aging roof have ranged from $900,000 to $1,300,000. The project is expected to begin construction on August 12, 2019 and to reach substantial completion by October 28. Twin Oaks Sail Shades Project: A small contract to review and prepare plans for permitting has been awarded to rotation list civil engineers. Once this work is done, permitting can occur and work can begin in earnest on site.Spicewood Springs Branch Library Grounds Improvement Project: The landscaping improvements planned for this branch location which included replanting flowering and other native plantings along the front entry and parking lot, clearing drainage channels, removing pea gravel and replacing it with a more suitable material, and planting additional trees, started on May 14. The Project Coordinator and the contractor (Jamail & Smith) had a preliminary punch walk on May 20, identifying items that needed to be corrected. On May 23, the Project Coordinator, the Capital Contracting Office, the general contractor, and the Landscaping Architect had a final walk walk-through, and determined that there were few pending items still that needed to be corrected. The general contractor addressed those items, and as of May 27, all of the landscaping improvements have been completed. Due to the discontinuity in a section in the sprinkler system (which was accidently cut years ago), Great Western will do the work to re-establish the missing sprinkler system section to ensure that the sprinkler system works all around the branch. Austin History CenterProgramming & Outreach• On May 11, the AHC hosted a transportation forum, “Off the Rails: Austin’s Commuter Future,” organized by Reference Archivist Rusty Heckaman. Representatives from about a dozen different mobility organizations around town gave lightning talks about their efforts to improve mobility as well as tabled during the open house style event, held with the backdrop of the “Off the Rails: The Rise and Fall of the Austin Streetcar” exhibit.• On May 18, African American Community Archivist kYmberly Keeton hosted Jazz Notes: African American Women in Jazz at the Pflugerville Library. • On May 22, the AHC hosted a webinar: “Fact or Fiction: Information Literacy & Interpreting Historical Resources” for the African-American Studies Librarians Interest Group (AASL IG)/Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL). The program was hosted by kYmberly Keeton, and presenters were Digital Archivist Nikki Koehlert, Records Analyst Jenna Cooper, and Rachel Winston (UT Benson Latin American Collection).• Asian American Community Archivist Ayshea Khan launched and managed Asian American Transcribe-a-thon campaign, currently with 13 participants transcribing oral histories from our Asian American oral history archives. Other AAPI events hosted by Ayshea include: Let’s Rise! AAPI Wellness in Wooldridge Square event featuring yoga, tai chi and meditation; panelist for Interwoven Histories: A Sunday Social Celebrating APA History Month hosted by Collective Blue, and hosted table and oral history booth at CelebrASiA at the Asian American Resource Center.Collections• AHC staff finished processing 8 collections, the Phyllis Akmal Photographs, the Cindy Light Photograph Collection, the Heard Family Papers, the Travis County Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo Scrapbook, the Weed and Aden Families Papers, the Ada Blackburn Papers, the Gretchen Phillips Papers, and the Might! Records. The finding aids are available online at: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/browse/browse_ahc1.html.• The AHC acquired photographs and documentation from Flatbed Press, a publishing workshop founded in 1989 that collaborates with artists and is a private art gallery which specializes in original prints. There is also a Community Press component that allows independent artists to explore printmaking. We also received a transfer of CoA Parks and Recreation materials including program records from the Austin Symphony Orchestra (1977-2015), 1994 Aqua Festival, 1983 Austin Sesquicentennial, Austin First Step Corporation (1999-2004), and recreation center brochures (2008-2014); reports and studies (1929-2013); and photographs from the McBeth Recreation Center (1984-2005), which will be added to the existing archival collection. And lastly, Asian American Community Archivist brought in organizations records of RadDesi, an organization for South Asian American teenagers encouraging political participation and social justice activities.• The AHC added a new digital collection to its holdings on the Portal to Texas History, the Austin Photo Supply Photograph Collection (AR.2018.011). The entirety of the collection is available online at: https://texashistory.unt.edu/search/?fq=untl_collection:APSP.Exhibits• The AHC opened its newest Holt Gallery exhibit, “Austin Icons of the 80s: Photos from the Bill Leissner Collection,” on May 7. The exhibit features the work of Austin photographer Bill Leissner, who documented Austin’s music, politics and the arts in the 1980s. The exhibit, which accompanies a new book from Waterloo Press, runs through July 21. A book launch event will be held in the gallery at 2 PM on June 29.• The AHC opened an exhibit on the 4th floor at Central, “Pioneers of the East Revisited: Early Chinese Families of Austin.” This is an updated version of an exhibit that was on display at the AHC. It will be on display through the end of June.• The AHC contributed numerous photographs for a new permanent exhibit at the Mexican Consulate. The exhibit, “Mexicans and Mexican Americans in Austin,” formally opened on June 6.Reference• Research was conducted at the AHC and photos from the AHC were purchased for use in an upcoming documentary film “AKA Jane Roe,” a KXAN news story about the demolition of Brackenridge Hospital; commemorative videos for ABIA and Brackenridge; three new books: Phantoms by Mark Goodman, Ten Dollars to Hate: The Texas Man Who Fought the Klan by Patricia Bernstein, and The Charlie I Knew: A Factual Account of our Friendship by Francis Schuck; and for an Austin Monthly article about women’s suffrage. Upcoming Programs• June 29, 2019. 2 PM, AHC. Launch of the Waterloo Press Book Austin Icons of the 80s by Bill Leissner• July 13, 2019. 12-4 PM, North Village Branch. Know Your District History – District 7• July 30,k 2019. 6:30 PM. AHC. Opening Reception for Cindy Light photo exhibit.• August 3, 2-4 PM, AHC. Story Slam with the South Asian American Digital Archive• August 24, 2019, 10 AM -2 PM, AHC. ACTV Collection Pop-Up Exhibit• September 22, 2019. 12-4 PM, AHC. Know Your District History – District 9• October 8, 2019. 6:30 PM. JHF. Mayor’s Book Club/APL History, in partnership with the Library Foundation.• October 19, 2019. 12-4 PM, Old Quarry Branch. Know Your District History – District 10• October, date and time TBD. “Unearthing Haunted Austin.”• November 4, 2019. 6:30 PM. AHC. Opening Reception for St. Edward’s University “Documenting Austin” photography exhibit.• November 12, 2019. 2-4 PM. University Hills Branch. Know Your District History - District 1.• December 7, 2019. 12-4 PM. Hampton Branch at Oak Hill. Know Your District History - District 8.Library PrioritiesLiteracy Advancement• On May 9, the Central Library hosted two time National Book Award finalist Rachel Kushner for a reading discussion of her newest novel The Mars Room. Local author and National Book Critics Circle finalist Deb Olin Unferth moderated the lively conversation. • On May 6, the Central Library and branches distributed free comic books to young customers as part of the annual Free Comic Book Day celebration supporting graphic novels and reading.• At Dance a Story with Ballet Austin programs, children of all backgrounds and abilities learned to use their bodies to describe elements of a story.Digital Inclusion & STEM• Unicorn University, a wildly successful program at University Hills and Twin Oaks Branches, is a series of classes teaching customers to use a Cricut vinyl-cutting machine. The third class in the series was offered in May at these branches.Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion• May was Asian American / Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Programs across the branches included: Bell totas, Kawaii Drawing Workshops, Origami Workshops, Candy Sushi, and Film screenings. Workforce and Economic Development• The Central Library’s partnership with SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives) continues to positively impact Austinites starting small businesses. Our May 14 Facebook For Your Business workshop helped 26 attendees better understand the capability and benefit of social media to their business. Attendees also received a librarian-led presentation on business resources and databases available to them freely and remotely with their Austin Public Library. Civic and Community Engagement• The Carver Branch offered a Family Cooking Class on May 11. This parnership with HEB provided a hands-on tutorial on how to make a nutritious snack and drink.• The Austin Animal Center visited the North Village Branch on May 11 with I Need a Hero, a presentation on the merits of fostering a pet within your home.Staff Development• All Austin Public Library staff are completing The City of Austin’s CityEthics 2019 Annual Training during May and June.APL By the NumbersPerformance Indicators for MayVisitors 286,216Circulation 458,229Number of computer sessions 42,102Number of wifi sessions 46,653Program attendance 4,500RevenueDuring May, Recycled Reads Bookstore generated $13,000, and received and sorted 70,000 items, keeping 24 tons of materials out of the landfill.Gift Shop revenue was $23,454.* Events Revenue was $34,627.*Parking Revenue was $37,741.**These numbers are not from the official accounting record.All revenue comes back to the Library.VolunteersMay Number of Volunteers 181Total Volunteer hours 1484Total Value* $36,639.96*Volunteer Value Rate $24.69 per hour.PoliciesAPL policies pertaining to youth ages 10 - 17 remain under review by Library administration and staff. Input from community organizations is being factored into the discussion.Roosevelt WeeksDirector of Libraries