Library Board
Regular MeetingFremont, NE · July 18, 2022
Minutes
Keene Memorial Library Board Meeting
Municipal Building-2nd Floor in the Large Conference Room
400 E. Military, Fremont, NE
6:30 P.M.
July 18, 2022
Minutes
Held at the Municipal Building – 2nd Floor Large Conference Room and Board President Linda
McClain called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm.
Roll Call
The following members were present: Amanda Moenning, Linda McClain, LeAnn Rathke,
Becky Pence and Ryan Fiala. Also present were: Laura England-Biggs, Library Director; City
Administrator Jody Sanders; City Council Liaison Sally Ganem; and City Council member Mark
Jensen. Senior Office Associate Tracy Parr will be recording the meeting minutes,
Notice of Meeting and Agenda
The meeting was preceded by publicized notice in the Fremont Tribune and the agenda is posted
in the Administration Office at Keene Memorial Library, 1030 North Broad Street, online at
www.fremontne.gov and distributed by email. A copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted
continually for public inspection and is located near the entrance of the meeting room.
Agenda
Motion to adopt current agenda for July 18, 2022 regular meeting. Board Member Pence moved,
seconded by Board Member Rathke, to adopt the agenda for July 18, 2022 Library Board
Meeting. Ayes: Moenning, McClain, Rathke, Pence and Fiala. Motion carried 5-0.
Reading of Minutes
Board Member Moenning moved to dispense with and approve the June 20, 2022 board minutes,
seconded by Board Member Pence. Ayes: Moenning, McClain, Rathke, Pence and Fiala. Motion
carried 5-0.
Unfinished Business
Community Needs Response Plan review
Director England-Biggs reviewed the old and revised mission statements at the request of Board
President McClain. The group discussed the Goals as set by the Board and the Objectives as set
by the Staff. Board President McClain asked the members to review the Plan and report any
suggestions to the Director in the next week or two. This will come back to our August board
meeting for final approval; we hope to submit to the Nebraska Library Commission in
September. This document is required as part of our accreditation process. No action taken
Reports
Library Director’s Report Month in Review
There have been quite a few meetings related to the Expansion project. Director England-Biggs
reported attendance at weekly Staff meetings along with Creative District and Nebraska Library
Association meetings. She also mentioned work on the Community Needs Response Plan along
with the consultants. No action taken.
Expansion Project Update
Director England-Biggs will bring a recommendation for a moving company to the next City
Council meeting on July 26. She gave broad strokes regarding the proposals received and the
reasoning behind the selection of the recommended company.
The library will close to the public August 1. The staff is hard at work with packing behind the
scenes areas, and will begin packing the library collection after we close. Our goal is to reopen
on Tuesday September 6 following Labor Day.
The Expansion Project received notification of a $100,000 gift from another foundation (who
wishes to remain anonymous). A second foundation is making a gift to honor a former executive
employee in the amount of $15,000. We are well over 80% funded at this time.
Board President McClain mentioned the tentative plan for an official groundbreaking ceremony,
perhaps planned as a 5 pm special session before a September City Council meeting to all
members could attend. No action taken.
Library Accreditation Update
The Community Needs Response Plan will be submitted once approved by the Board. Following
that, Director England-Biggs will begin work on the Accreditation Survey which is where we
record the various answers to the requirements for different levels. She feels Silver accreditation
is still within our reach. No action taken.
Library Board Accreditation Update
Director England-Biggs mentioned that the Nebraska Library Association Annual Conference is
changing to a one-day event, which reduces the number of hours Board President McClain will
be able to accrue towards our required Continuing Education units. The director will continue
looking at options for recorded trainings the Board can view on their own time and report back to
her. No action taken.
Friends of the Library Report
The Friends hosted a table across from the Military Avenue Farmer’s Market last Saturday. No
report on how that went. They had copies of flyers announcing the library closure and the Brick
Campaign. No action taken.
Finance
Director England-Biggs stated that everything appeared to be in order. City Administrator
Sanders asked if the Library would be spending its full materials budget; at this time, that is not
anticipated. Director England-Biggs mentioned that we still have approximately 140 items to
come in before the end of the fiscal year. Board President McClain noted that funds not spent out
of the materials line could be spent in areas which are over-budget. Board Member Rathke asked
if the Library was still ordering new materials; Director England-Biggs noted that the ordering
process was halted due to the move and will restart after October 1 (our new fiscal year). Board
Member Rathke also asked if the unused materials funds would carry over to next year’s
materials budget line; City Administrator Sanders noted that this is not how the process works.
She also mentioned that notes were made during the last biennial budget cycle that explain the
reduction in materials budget so that the next budget cycle return to “normal” levels for materials
won’t look as out of the ordinary. No action taken.
With no further business, motion to adjourn was made at 7:31 pm with Board Member Pence
making the motion and Board Member Moenning seconding. Ayes: Moenning, McClain,
Rathke, Pence and Fiala. Motion carried 5 -0.
Next Regular Board Meeting will be held August 15, 2022 at 6:30 pm –Municipal Building
2nd Floor, Large Conference Room.
Prepared by Tracy Parr, Senior Office Associate
Signed by Amanda Moenning, Library Board Secretary
Agenda
Keene Memorial Library Board Meeting
Municipal Building-2nd Floor in the Large Conference Room
400 E. Military, Fremont, NE
6:30 P.M.
July 18, 2022
AGENDA
Call to Order/Notice of Meeting
1. Roll Call
2. Motion to adopt current agenda for July 18, 2022 regular meeting agenda
3. Dispense with and approve June 20, 2022 minutes (attachment)
4. Unfinished Business
a. Community Needs Response Plan review (attachment)
5. Reports
a. Library Director’s Report
i. Month in Review
ii. Expansion Project Update
iii. Library Accreditation Update
iv. Library Board Accreditation Update
b. Friends of the Library Report
c. Finance-Library Expenditures Report (attachment)
6. Adjournment
Next Regular Board Meeting August 15, 2022 at 6:30 pm –Municipal Building 2nd Floor, Large
Conference Room. Please take note of the different location.
Agenda posted online at www.fremontne.gov/library and emailed to Library Board members on
July 12, 2022. This meeting is preceded by publicized notice in the Fremont Tribune and the
agenda is displayed in the Administration Office at Keene Memorial Library, 1030 North Broad
Street. A Copy of the Open Meeting Law is posted at the entrances of the meeting rooms. The
Library Board reserves the right to go into Executive Session at any time. The Library Board
reserves the right to adjust the order of items on this agenda.
Keene Memorial Library Board Meeting
Large Meeting Room
1030 N Broad St, Fremont NE
7:30 P.M.
June 20, 2022
Minutes
Held at the Keene Memorial Library Large Meeting Room and Board President Linda McClain called the
meeting to order at 7:30 pm.
Roll Call
The following members were present: Amanda Moenning, Linda McClain, Becky Pence and Ryan Fiala.
LeAnn Rathke was absent. Also present was Laura England-Biggs, Library Director and City
Administrator Jody Sanders and City Council Liaison Sally Ganem. Senior Office Associate Tracy Parr
will be recording the meeting minutes.
Notice of Meeting and Agenda
The meeting was preceded by publicized notice in the Fremont Tribune and the agenda is posted in the
Administration Office at Keene Memorial Library, 1030 North Broad Street, online at
www.fremontne.gov and distributed by email. A copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted continually
for public inspection and is located near the entrance of the meeting room.
Agenda
Motion to adopt agenda for June 20, 2022 regular meeting. Board Member Pence moved, seconded by
Board Member Fiala to adopt the agenda for June 20, 2022 Library Board Meeting. Ayes: Moenning,
McClain, Pence and Fiala. Motion carried 4-0.
Reading of Minutes
Board Member Moenning moved to dispense with and approve the May 16, 2022 board minutes,
seconded by Board Member Pence. Ayes: Moenning, McClain, Pence and Fiala. Motion carried 4-0.
Unfinished Business
Policy Manual Update-Staff Support to Patrons Policy & Wireless Internet Policy
Director Laura England-Biggs went over the proposed addition of a Staff Support to Patrons Policy. She
stated this would help staff in explaining how far they are allowed to go when helping patrons, especially
when a patron wants us to be more hands on with their personal devices or information. She made a point
to mention that both legal and the City Administrator have reviewed and signed off on this policy and the
policy for Wireless Internet. Board Member Moenning made the motion to adopt the Staff Support to
Patrons Policy and it was seconded by Board Member Pence. Ayes: Moenning, McClain, Pence and
Fiala. Motion Carried 4-0.
Director England-Biggs detailed the need for the Wireless Internet Policy with the Board and during the
discussion the idea that we should be more specific and state that it pertains the library’s public wireless
network was brought up by various Board members. After much discussion on amending the policy to
add the word public in different areas of the policy, it was suggested by Board Member Pence that we
could just amend the title to say Public Wireless Internet Policy rather than adding public throughout the
policy. A motion to amend the title to Public Wireless Internet Policy by Board Member Pence and was
seconded by Board Member Moenning. Ayes: Moenning, McClain, Pence and Fiala. Motion Carried 4-0.
Once the motion to amend was done, the motion to adopt the newly titled Public Wireless Internet Policy
was made by Board Member Moenning and was seconded by Board Member Pence. Ayes: Moenning,
McClain, Pence and Fiala. Motion Carried 4-0
New Business
Continuing Ed Short Takes Video – What it Means to be a Trustee
Short 10-15 minute video was watched and after Director Laura England-Biggs had 2 questions to initiate
discussion. The questions were “What were the main points of the video?” and “Do we have Director’s
and Officer’s Insurance? If not do we need it?” Director England-Biggs shared, and City Administrator
Sanders confirmed, that the Board is covered by the City’s Errors & Omissions policies (similar to
Director’s and Officer’s Insurance) by virtue of the nature of their appointment by the City Council. After
discussion on the questions, Board President McClain brought up the question of if the library has a
committee to handle re-consideration of books. Since we do not have a committee, that is something
Laura is going to work on. No action was taken.
Reports
Library Director’s Report Month in Review
Director Laura England-Biggs went on to let the Library Board know that she was part of a BLUEcloud
Analytics (BCA) Demonstration (this is the reporting software through SirsiDynix our ILS company).
BCA allows library staff to produce reports on demand or schedule. She mentioned there are
improvements that have been made and she needs to work on getting in there to discover what it can all
do for our library.
May 18th was her last day of reading at Head Start for the school year and that she was given a very nice
poster and letter thanking her for her service.
She has been attending weekly City Staff Meetings.
There have been design meetings with the architects on most Wednesday mornings to discuss specific
areas of the library.
She goes to the radio every other Thursday morning to promote the library and its programs and services.
Lots of Grant work with Linda.
Creative District meetings to draft a letter of intent to the Nebraska Arts Council and they have been
notified that they are a go to complete a more extensive application document.
She had a meeting with Jennifer Dam and Jody Sanders to discuss zoning requirements, then met with
the Architects and Owners Rep along with Jennifer to discuss all the requirements. The meeting went
well and everything is on track.
Tracy Parr, with Laura’s approval and assistance, secured three locations for storing things for the
upcoming move. We owe a big debt to Parks & Recreation for allowing us the use of the house and
garage next to the Auditorium and the stage of the Auditorium as well. Parks staff are working to help us
clean out a few areas inside the house and garage as well as rearranging their items on the stage in order
to make room for some of the library’s items.
Director England-Biggs started proctoring a new student on June 3rd.
The library hosted Claude Bourbon for a guitar performance on June 8th. Unfortunately, it was poorly
attended, yet well received by the 10 people including Director England-Biggs that attended.
No action taken.
Expansion Project Update
Director Laura England-Biggs said that we are still waiting on and submitting different grants. There was
a presentation at a Rotary meeting by Board President Linda McClain and Mayor Joey Spellerberg. Linda
will also be meeting with the Cosmopolitan Club. Director England-Biggs and Tracy Parr met with a
mover to get an idea on cost and scope of work for the move and they are working with the Owners Rep
to secure at least 3 quotes for the move. No action taken.
Library Accreditation Update
Director Laura England-Biggs let the Board know that a rough draft of the Community Needs Response
Plan document is included in their Board meeting packet. She said that there is some wordsmithing that
needs to be done and we are working on simplifying the Mission Statement. The last thing discussed in
terms of the Community Needs Response Planning was under evaluation of the plan. She mentioned that
each goal is supported by a team of ~4 library staff who provide overall direction for the goal.
Each team has a Goal Captain who is responsible for coordinating the team to help ensure the
work gets done and also to be the primary point of contact for the Library Director.
Goal teams will implement the plan in 90-day cycles by identifying action items for the
upcoming quarter, who will complete them, and by when. At the end of each quarter, the team
will provide a progress update and make adjustments for the next quarter.
Every three months, supervisory staff will meet to reflect on and celebrate progress made.
Every six months, the Library Director will provide a progress update to the Library Board.
Every twelve months, the Library Board and staff will review the plan and make adjustments as
needed. Also mentioned was the fact that library staff met a week ago Sunday from 12-5pm with 12-4
being used to work on the Community Needs Response Plan and 4-5pm as a staff meeting. Board
President McClain asked that the finalized Mission Statement be sent to the Board sooner rather than
later. Director England-Biggs said that hopefully by the July Board Meeting the CNRP will be close to
done. Board President McClain stated that she plans to attend Nebraska Library Association conference
in October to further our goal in the Library Board staying accredited. No action was taken.
Friends of the Library Report
There wasn’t much to report at this time other than the Friends will be meeting again on Monday July
11th and Dave’s Drive-In Liquor has taken in about $800 this month so far. The Friends also sent out
approximately 40 thank you cards to donors of the Big Give, and it was noted that they raised almost
$10,000 during that event. No action taken.
Finance
Director England-Biggs said that everything is in order and that although there may be areas that look
over encumbered, that as long as we are under in other areas it will all work at and allow us to be under
budget for the fiscal year. She did state that the cost center for Communications #419-2012 will show an
over encumbrance due to the fact that we are running a network here at the library and we will be paying
for the Auditorium as well. No action taken.
With no further business, motion to adjourn was made at 8:37 p.m. with Board Member Pence making
the motion and Board Member Moenning seconding it. Ayes: Moenning, McClain, Pence and Fiala.
Motion carried 4-0.
Next meeting will be held in the Large Conference Room on the 2nd Floor of the Municipal
Building on July 18, 2022 at 6:30 pm.
Prepared by Tracy Parr, Senior Office Associate
Signed by Amanda Moenning, Library Board Secretary
COMMUNITY NEEDS RESPONSE PLAN 2022 - 2027
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
GOAL 1: Complete a library expansion that provides enhanced accessibility, functionality, and world-class technology with dedicated
spaces for youth, community trainings, and meetings.
Objective 1a. Execute final phase of library expansion project including fundraising, construction, furnishings, and staffing.
Objective 1b. Educate staff fully on new technology capabilities as well as needs of the community to better assist patrons.
Mission Objective 1c. Expand capacity of the library to do more of what we do best with a fully staffed team, more
bilingual staff, extended hours, more meeting rooms, Makerspace for creating, and a new computer lab with
Keene Memorial Library
connects people with
access to life-long AF
dedicated space for classes.
GOAL 2: Connect library users to new and existing community-based resources through partnerships to support youth, families,
learning for discovery
and growth. T
individuals, and businesses in economic need.
Objective 2a. Help update the Fremont Family Coalition resource manual and make it accessible to library patrons.
Objective 2b. Ongoing training for staff on how to locate family resources and connect patrons to them.
Vision
Inspire, strengthen, and
enrich the quality of life
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Objective 2c. Collaborate with community-based organizations to host programs at the library to share
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information about local resources.
Objective 2d. Partner with Chamber or other economic-development organizations to make resources available for local
business-owners, entrepreneurs, and workers.
for our community
GOAL 3: Through outreach, develop and strengthen relationships with diverse groups in Fremont to enhance inclusion and belonging
in the community.
Library Brand Objective 3a. Increase Keene Memorial Library’s visibility in the community through pop-up libraries, off-site visits, out and
Preserving Our Past, about storytime, and other events.
Objective 3b. Provide more programming in Spanish
Informing Our Present,
Objective 3c. Add specialized staff positions such as a teen librarian, marketing librarian, etc.
Inspiring Our Future.
Facilitated by Mission Matters, 2022
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Community Needs Response Plan
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for Keene Memorial Library, Fremont, NE
2022-2027
This document is reviewed annually by the Library Board and Library staff.
Table of Contents
Planning Process Overview ............................................................................................................ 3
Library Strategic Planning Committee ........................................................................................ 3
Key Activities ............................................................................................................................... 3
Mission Statement and Organizational Identity ........................................................................... 3
Mission, Vision, and Library Brand .............................................................................................. 3
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2020-2021 Statistics .................................................................................................................... 4
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Community Profile ......................................................................................................................... 4
Community Assessment ................................................................................................................. 5
Building on Strengths .................................................................................................................. 5
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Community Needs ....................................................................................................................... 5
Library Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 6
Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 7
Goal 1........................................................................................................................................... 7
Goal 2........................................................................................................................................... 7
Goal 3........................................................................................................................................... 8
Evaluation ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Keene Memorial Library Community Needs Response Plan 2022 – 2027 | 2
PLANNING PROCESS OVERVIEW
Library Strategic Planning Committee:
• Laura England-Biggs, Library Director • Justine Ridder, Librarian I
• Linda McClain, Library Board Chair • Dan Moenning, Library Technology Specialist
• LeAnn Rathke, Library Board • Sonia Vanderworth, Library Assistant III
• Amanda Moenning, Library Board • Ann Hoppe, Library Assistant III
• Becky Pence, Library Board • Dorlissa Beyer, Library Assistant II
• Ryan Fiala, Library Board • John Mullen, Library Assistant I
• Sally Ganem, City Council Liaison • Rebecca Ruenholl, Library Aide
• Joey Spellerberg, Mayor • Rebecca Zgoda, Library Aide
• Jody Sanders, City Administrator • Keri Taylor, Library Aide
• Tracy Parr, Senior Office Associate • Shaylin Daugherty, Library Aide
• Elisa Cruz, Librarian I
Key Activities:
• Planning and Design: Library Director and consultants met to identify outcomes, stakeholder
•
plan, and timeline.
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Stakeholder Engagement: Input from community members was solicited in Spring of 2022.
•
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Engagement methods included an online community-wide survey available in English and
Spanish and a focus group of library users and community members.
Setting Library Strategy: Library Planning Committee members came together in two half-day
•
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facilitated sessions to complete the planning process. The first session occurred at a Library
Board meeting on April 18, 2022. The second session occurred at a staff retreat on June 12,
2022.
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Evaluation and Implementation: The plan will be carried out over the five years following the
approval of the plan. The plan will be reviewed and adjusted as needed every year.
MISSION STATEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTITY
• Mission: Keene Memorial Library connects people with access to life-long learning for discovery
and growth.
• Vision: Inspire, strengthen, and enrich the quality of life for our community.
• Library Brand: Preserving Our Past, Informing Our Present, Inspiring Our Future.
Much has changed since the Keene Memorial Library began service some 50 years ago in 1971. The
library is a community center, providing space for library programs for children and adults. Book
discussion groups, lectures, story times, and the summer reading programs all contribute to the
texture of a community. Library spaces are also used for interest group meetings, community
organizations, and continuing education activities. The public library is a “third place” – not home or
Keene Memorial Library Community Needs Response Plan 2022 – 2027 | 3
work – but a place where residents feel welcome, where they find a comfortable atmosphere for
reflection, and come together to learn, create information, and participate in enriching diversion.
2020-2021 Statistics:
o Circulation: 122,419 items checked out (41% Children/YA materials, 35% Adult Materials,
24% Downloads) – up 10% from the previous year
o Wi-fi Visits: 23,556 – up 15%
o Computer Use: 6,001 – down 20%, likely due to prevalence of personal devices
o Website Visits: 73,400 – up 84%
o Programming: 134 programs, 3,012 people attended (Due to Covid-19, programming was all
online or involved take-home kits for the majority of the fiscal year. The library started in-
person programming in September 2021.)
o Total Visitors: 45,716 – due to malfunctioning security gates and Covid-19, it is hard to
compare with previous years
o Card Holders: 8,757 – up 7%
COMMUNITY PROFILE
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Fremont is a city with a population of 27,141 located in Dodge County, Nebraska. Although it is the
largest population center in the county and a shopping hub for the area, Fremont has grown slowly.
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The population has increased in diversity over the last decade, and now nearly 16% of the residents
are Hispanic or Latino. Other ethnic groups represented in the population are Black or African
American (0.2%), American Indian and Alaska Native (0.1%) and Asian (0.1%).
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Fremont is located at the convergence of three major highways and is only 20 minutes away from
the western edge of Omaha. The ready access to highways contributes to a large number of workers
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commuting to Douglas County for employment. However, Fremont attracts other area rural
residents to the city by offering an array of retail businesses as well as a full-service hospital. The
economy is rooted in agriculture and agribusiness with an expanding industrial sector including
logistics, transportation, and food processing. The manufacturing industry provides the most jobs
followed closely by jobs in the education, health care, and social assistance sectors.
67% of the population age 16 and over is in the labor force. The median household income is
$54,291. The unemployment rate is 3%. Approximately 12.3% of residents are identified as having
incomes below the poverty line, and 56.35% of the school students are eligible for free and reduced
lunch. This student poverty figure is significantly higher than the state rate of 44%. The poverty rate
is higher among Hispanic residents.
The Fremont Public School district serves the city of Fremont as well as local rural residents. The ten
school buildings all have libraries with professional staff and provide access to both books and
information through technology. There are also a number of parochial schools serving the area.
There is a Head Start program serving pre-school children who qualify based upon income. The
community also has two post-secondary institutions – a community college and a liberal arts
college.
Keene Memorial Library Community Needs Response Plan 2022 – 2027 | 4
The town has a number of recreational facilities including two municipal swimming pools, 22 parks,
and a large community YMCA facility. The Chamber of Commerce is active in supporting the
community and sponsors various events on an annual basis. There are a number of other civic
groups including active Rotary, Kiwanis, Cosmopolitan, and Jaycee groups who largely support
educational initiatives.
Communications are good with the Fremont community being served by a local daily newspaper
and a radio station. Television coverage comes out of Omaha.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
In Spring of 2022, Keene Memorial Library sought to gather input from a broad group of community
members to inform its 2022-2026 Community Needs Response Plan. Approximately 234 individuals
were engaged through an online survey or focus group. The combined results were used to help
Keene Memorial Library board and staff set the future direction for the library. Stakeholder
engagement activities were administered by Mission Matters, independent facilitators who also
facilitated the planning process. This summary provides a brief snapshot of some general themes
that emerged.
Building on Strengths: AF
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Fremont is seen by its residents as a great place to live. A majority of respondents feel positively
about the quality of life available to them. One aspect people love about Fremont is its proximity to
Omaha with a small-town feel. People also value the community’s safety, parks and outdoor
recreation, friendly people, and note that there are many opportunities to get involved.
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Participants consider Keene Memorial Library a significant community asset. The library is described
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as a welcoming, highly accessible place, with few barriers noted to access services. Multiple
generations report enjoying the library. Of note, the library is considered an especially valuable
resource by low- to middle-income individuals and families. Community members commended the
quality of the staff team.
Community Needs:
The following themes emerged as the community’s top needs:
• Housing: Providing more available and affordable housing. Specific needs mentioned include
workforce and middle-income housing, options for retirees to downsize, and senior living
facilities.
• Economic Development: Developing and growing small, locally-owned businesses. Attracting
and retaining workforce and skilled trades. Connecting people to higher-wage jobs. Offering
more options in retail, shopping, entertainment, and restaurants.
• Inclusion and Belonging: Creating a welcoming culture for all persons, with a special emphasis
on sectors that face greater barriers to belonging, such as the Hispanic community, older youth,
Keene Memorial Library Community Needs Response Plan 2022 – 2027 | 5
and newcomers. Countering a negative community reputation stemming from a 2014 housing
ordinance.
• Youth Engagement: Offering more safe, welcoming places for older youth during non-school
times.
• Social Supports: Making connections and raising awareness of the social support resources that
are available to individuals and families in economic need.
LIBRARY ANALYSIS
LIBRARY STRENGTHS EXTERNAL OPPORTUNITIES
● Great staff with longevity and varied ● Connect with diverse groups
skills and knowledge ● After-school programming (current
● Outreach to community waitlist)
● Location – central to downtown ● New building will offer more opportunities
● Lots of support such as bond issue and for modern technology
individual donors ● Bringing people together for support
● Energy around upgrade – momentum services
●
● AF
Support from the mayor and City
Council
Increased usage – internet access
●
●
Community growth
The campaign puts the library in the
spotlight – we need to maximize this time
●
●
●
●
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Amazing Board and Friends of Library
Bilingual staff
Quality collection – current, relevant,
diverse
Willingness to grow and change
●
●
●
●
New definition of a library’s relevance
(“more than books”)
Mobile library
Support from the City
Downtown revitalization project and
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LIBRARY WEAKNESSES
●
formation of a Creative District
More appreciation of the library’s free
resources during a down economy
EXTERNAL THREATS
● Some bad public relations in the past ● Covid-19
under different leadership – previous ● Economy – instability, fear of recession,
lack of focus and planning and inflation
● Age of facility ● Workforce – retaining great workers,
● Not ADA compliant turnover especially in part-time positions
● Size of meeting room ● Transition during construction – 1.5 years
● Not fully staffed, resulting in limited with limited circulation materials
hours and reactive (rather than ● Misunderstanding in community of who
proactive) mindset pays for library card and access to free
● Need more bilingual staff services
● Diversity of Board ● Transportation issues
● Lack of quiet space – design flaw in ● Some people feel the library is not needed
functionality ● Theft/loss of materials
● Theft/loss of materials ● Never enough funding
● Never enough funding
● Lack of community awareness of
resources
Keene Memorial Library Community Needs Response Plan 2022 – 2027 | 6
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Goal 1: Complete a library expansion that provides enhanced accessibility, functionality,
and world-class technology with dedicated spaces for youth, community trainings, and
meetings.
What are we already doing in this area?
● Weekly design meetings, fundraising campaign, and using current spaces the best we can.
What difference could it make for Fremont five years from now if we really mobilized behind this
goal?
● Keene Memorial Library is the first choice for community needs.
● Community members will have access to a variety of free meeting spaces, learning
opportunities and cultural events.
●
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Children will have the freedom to explore and enjoy each other's company.
Teens will have their own space to learn and grow into responsible members of the
●
community.
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Adults will have a quiet space to browse the newspapers and carry on conversations without
the interruptions of an open floor plan.
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What significant actions will we take over the next five years to make tangible progress on this goal?
●
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Objective 1a. Execute final phase of library expansion project including fundraising,
construction, furnishings, and staffing.
● Objective 1b. Educate staff fully on new technology capabilities as well as needs of the
community to better assist patrons.
● Objective 1c. Expand capacity of the library to do more of what we do best with a fully
staffed team, more bilingual staff, extended hours, more meeting rooms, Makerspace for
creating, and a new computer lab with dedicated space for classes.
Goal 2: Connect library users to new and existing community-based resources through
partnerships to support youth, families, individuals and businesses in economic need.
What are we already doing in this area?
● Out & About Storytime with Fremont Family Coalition, Staff attend meetings with Fremont
Family Coalition organization
Keene Memorial Library Community Needs Response Plan 2022 – 2027 | 7
What difference could it make for Fremont five years from now if we really mobilized behind this
goal?
● Healthier community – mental, physical, educational, and financial aspects
● Make better use of existing resources related to housing, social supports, etc.
What significant actions will we take over the next five years to make tangible progress on this goal?
● Objective 2a. Help update the Fremont Family Coalition resource manual and make it
accessible to library patrons.
● Objective 2b. Ongoing training for staff on how to locate family resources and connect
patrons to them.
● Objective 2c. Collaborate with community-based organizations to host programs at the
library to share information about local resources.
● Objective 2d. Partner with Chamber or other economic-development organizations to make
resources available for local business-owners, entrepreneurs, and workers.
Goal 3: Through outreach, develop and strengthen relationships with diverse groups in Fremont to
AF
enhance inclusion and belonging in the community.
T
What are we already doing in this area?
● Working with the schools. Spanish language. Social media. Elderly / the Towers and
homebound. Community events.
D
What difference could it make for Fremont five years from now if we really mobilized behind this
goal?
● R
Increased awareness, increase in library card holders and library usage.
● Unrestricted access to materials and resources.
● Diverse library population and programming.
● More welcoming environment and community.
● Fremont residents become more civically engaged and those outside of the community have
a more positive perception of Fremont.
What significant actions will we take over the next five years to make tangible progress on this goal?
● Objective 3a. Increase Keene Memorial Library’s visibility in the community through pop-up
libraries, off-site visits, Out and About Storytime, and other events.
● Objective 3b. Provide more programming in Spanish.
● Objective 3c. Add specialized staff positions such as a teen librarian, marketing librarian,
etc.
Keene Memorial Library Community Needs Response Plan 2022 – 2027 | 8
EVALUATION
• Each goal is supported by a team of ~4 library staff who provide overall direction for the goal.
Each team has a Goal Captain who is responsible for coordinating the team to help ensure the
work gets done and also to be the primary point of contact for the Library Director.
• Goal teams will implement the plan in 90-day cycles by identifying action items for the
upcoming quarter, who will complete them, and by when. At the end of each quarter, the team
will provide a progress update and make adjustments for the next quarter.
• Every three months, supervisory staff will meet to reflect on and celebrate progress made.
• Every six months, the Library Director will provide a progress update to the Library Board.
• Every twelve months, the Library Board and staff will review the plan and make adjustments as
needed.
AF
T
DR
Keene Memorial Library Community Needs Response Plan 2022 – 2027 | 9
NLFS001 Auditors Trial Balance
Accounting Period: 9/2022
Fund(s): 001 - General Fund
Report Generated on Jul 11, 2022 9:06:58 AM Page 1
Fund: 001 - General Fund
Account Account Description FYTD through Original Budget Encumbered Budget Balance Prior Year Prior Two
6/30/2022 Actual Years Actual
001-2031-419.20-12 Communications 911.80 2,500.00 1,688.20 (100.00) 2,400.00 2,400.00
001-2031-419.20-65 Service Agreements 22,168.71 25,000.00 2,831.29 28,026.79 21,525.39
001-2031-419.30-55 Software 2,485.72 5,550.00 3,064.28 5,486.10 4,885.56
001-2031-419.30-56 Parts/Mach & Equipment 1,611.78 14,000.00 12,388.22 718.66 474.41
001-2031-455.10-10 Salaries/Wages 440,563.52 584,963.00 144,399.48 463,993.58 468,654.57
001-2031-455.10-14 Health Insurance 65,390.53 95,522.00 30,131.47 110,909.22 94,250.09
001-2031-455.10-15 Overtime Wages 357.17 1,750.00 1,392.83 207.10 1,087.97
001-2031-455.10-22 FICA/Medicare 32,644.82 43,786.00 11,141.18 33,851.10 34,569.52
001-2031-455.10-23 Pension 13,788.43 20,537.00 6,748.57 15,991.38 17,792.41
001-2031-455.20-11 Postage & Printing 1,600.00 5,550.00 4,000.00 (50.00) 1,600.00 2,400.00
001-2031-455.20-13 Training & Travel 5,635.64 12,000.00 1,381.00 4,983.36 3,016.24 4,607.17
001-2031-455.20-33 Legal Advertising 48.79 100.00 51.21 50.13 271.18
001-2031-455.20-41 Utility Services 27,920.17 52,000.00 24,079.83 41,991.45 38,211.98
001-2031-455.20-60 Repairs & Maintenance 1,876.48 10,000.00 2,611.00 5,512.52 3,787.96 14,381.82
001-2031-455.20-65 Service Agreements 15,598.57 31,500.00 22,100.75 (6,199.32) 22,735.27 13,063.98
001-2031-455.20-70 Rents 3,762.71 800.00 298.00 (3,260.71) 590.28 591.09
001-2031-455.20-93 Dues & Subscriptions 545.00 18,000.00 79.96 17,375.04 17,049.27 29,458.36
001-2031-455.20-95 Hire Equip/Equip Rental 1,200.00 (1,200.00)
001-2031-455.20-98 Taylor collection 259.06 500.00 240.94 469.19
001-2031-455.20-99 Other Contractual Service 13,113.40 44,000.00 39,386.80 (8,500.20) 21,436.26 26,825.53
001-2031-455.30-31 Office Supplies 2,026.32 10,000.00 280.00 7,693.68 3,011.77 2,971.65
001-2031-455.30-35 Printing 60.00 500.00 440.00 767.42
001-2031-455.30-41 Food Supplies 114.28 4,000.00 3,885.72 345.20 597.35
001-2031-455.30-44 Fuel/Oil/Grease 61.01 250.00 188.99 33.96 38.98
001-2031-455.30-49 Bldg/Structural Materials 1,575.86 10,000.00 238.50 8,185.64 6,241.12 14,516.59
001-2031-455.30-51 Books & Periodicals 98,196.99 135,000.00 28,484.20 8,318.81 139,526.82 149,083.37
001-2031-455.30-63 MV Fuel Parts 693.73 (693.73) 37.17 7.99
001-2031-455.30-76 Signs 1,000.00 1,000.00
001-2031-455.30-79 Other Commodities 10,416.04 10,000.00 5,879.64 (6,295.68) 4,382.96 14,443.25
001-2031-455.40-13 Bldg/Improve Acquisition 35,253.15 4,253,229.00 286,650.00 3,931,325.85 197,315.00 32,617.50
Server Name: frmt-cog.aspgov.com User Name:
798,679.68 5,392,037.00 394,518.99 4,198,838.33 1,125,971.40 989,727.71
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