Library Board

Pleasant Hill Public Library Board of Trustees Agenda – Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Library Conference Room AGENDA ACTION PAGE REQUIRED Call to Order/Roll Call Approval of Agenda July 16, 2026 Agenda YES Current Public Comment Five (5) Minute Limit Consent Items YES 1. June 25, 2026 Meeting Minutes 2 2. Upcoming Meeting Dates: 9/24/26 and 10/22/26 YES New Business 3. Approve Submission of Pizza Hut Foundation YES 3-4 Slice of Literacy Community Grant Application 4. Elections YES 5 Informational Items NO 5. Monthly Statistics 6-12 Library Director’s Report NO 13-17 Agenda Items for Next Meeting: NO Trustee Reports and Comments NO Adjournment YES Next Meeting Scheduled: Thursday, August 27 at 6PM  Pleasant Hill Library Board of Trustees June 25, 2026 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: President Sedrel called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Trustees Present: Tiffany Filloon, Jonathan Leyen, Amanda Michael, and Jessica O’Riley. Also present: Library Director Alex Coggeshell, City Manager Ben Champ and City attorney Brad Skinner. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: LEYEN/O’RILEY moved to approve the June 25, 2026 agenda. All ayes. PUBLIC INPUT: none CONSENT AGENDA: O’RILEY/LEYEN moved to approve the consent agenda, including: May 21, 2026 Meeting Minutes, authorized payments finalized from 4/1/26-4/30/26 in the amount of $13,489.38 and 5/1/26-5/31/26, in the amount of $12,237.91 and meeting dates of July 16, 2026, August 27, 2026 and September 24, 2026. All ayes. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: Revenue & Donations (April and May Library Revenue Detail Report): Included in the Board packet. Expenditures-(FY26 to date Library Rev & Exp Report): Included in the Board packet. Monthly Statistics: Included in the Board packet. LIBRARY DIRECTOR’S REPORT: Included in the Board packet. The library will be fully staffed as of July 6, 2026. AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: a. Summer Programs TRUSTEES’ COMMENTS: a. Tiffany Filloon: b. Jon Leyen: gave an update from a City Council meeting that he attended. c. Amanda Michael: gave an update from a City Council meeting that she attended. d. Jessica O’Riley: none e. Vanessa Sedrel: none CLOSED SESSION: LEYEN/MICHAEL moved to adjourn and go into closed session pursuant to Iowa Code Section 21.5.1 To Evaluate the Professional Competency of an Individual Whose Performance is Being Considered. All ayes. Council returned to open session. President Sedrel announced no action was taken in the closed sessions. ADJOURNMENT: SEDREL/LEYEN moved to adjourn the Board meeting. All ayes. The regular Library Board meeting was adjourned at 6:16 p.m. NEXT MEETING SCHEDULED: Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Lynette Fadden, Recording Secretary ATTEST: ________________________________________ ______________________________________ Vanessa Sedrel, Library Board President Alex Coggeshell, Library Director  MEMORANDUM TO: Pleasant Hill Public Library Board of Trustees FROM: Alex Coggeshell, Library Director DATE: July 16, 2026 SUBJECT: Approve Submission of Pizza Hut Foundation Slice of Literacy Community Grant Application Background: The proposed grant project, Books for Babies, is designed to foster early literacy from birth by welcoming every participating newborn family into the Pleasant Hill community with an literacy kit. Each kit would include: • A high-quality board book • Early literacy information and reading tips for caregivers • A brochure highlighting Library services, programs, and resources • A Baby's First Library Card voucher redeemable for the child's official library card • A library-branded reusable tote • If funding allows, a library-branded baby t-shirt The Library will partner with local healthcare providers and community organizations, who will distribute the literacy kits directly to families of newborns during their earliest interactions with the healthcare system. This approach allows the Library to reach families at the very beginning of a child's life while creating an early connection to library services and resources. Project Goals: The initiative supports the Library's mission to welcome all to learn, discover, grow, and connect by encouraging families to begin reading, talking, singing, and playing with their children from birth. The program is intended to: • Promote early language and literacy development • Increase awareness of Library resources available to young families • Increase first-time library card registrations • Strengthen participation in youth programming • Build lasting relationships between new families and the Library • Support school readiness through early literacy engagement Community Impact: By connecting families with books, educational resources, and Library services at the beginning of a child's life, the Books for Babies initiative provides an opportunity to establish lifelong reading habits while reinforcing the Library as an essential community resource for families. The program also creates new opportunities for partnerships with local healthcare providers and other organizations serving young children, further extending the Library's reach beyond its walls. Board and City Context: Per City Manager, Ben Champ, this grant application does not need to be brought forward formally for City Council approval prior to submission as it is a smaller sum and due to the tight submission timeline. Recommendation: I recommend the Board approve the submission of the Pizza Hut Foundation Slice of Literacy Community grant application for the Books for Babies early literacy initiative.  MEMORANDUM TO: Pleasant Hill Public Library Board of Trustees FROM: Alex Coggeshell, Library Director DATE: July 16, 2026 SUBJECT: 2026-2027 Board Officer Elections Purpose: This memo serves to notify board members of the upcoming annual election of board officers and to outline the process in accordance with City Ordinance §22.05. Officer Roles and Requirements: Per City Ordinance §22.05, the Board must elect from its members the following officers: • President • Secretary Additionally, the Board may elect other officers as it deems necessary. Traditionally, the Board has also elected a: • Vice President (Optional but recommended for continuity and succession planning) The City Treasurer shall serve as Board Treasurer per ordinance, but is not a voting member of the Board and is not subject to election by the Board. Election Process: • Elections will take place at the July 16, 2026 Board meeting. • Nominations may be made during the meeting. • All nominees must be current board members. • Voting will be conducted by voice vote or written ballot, at the Board’s discretion. • A simple majority of board members present is sufficient to elect an officer. Any Board Member who will not be present at the meeting and wishes to be considered for an officer position should submit a written statement of interest to the current Board President prior to the meeting. The statement should include the member's intent to accept the position if elected. Action Item: Be prepared to make nominations and vote upon the President, Vice-President, and Secretary roles at the July 16, 2026 Library Board meeting. Cr ea Monthly Statistical Report June 2026 Ti Pleasant Hill Public Library Kn Comparative Analysis of Materials Usage o En te June 2024 2025 2026 Monthly Materials Checkouts: 6,476 5,471 7,485 Total Materials Checkouts Year to Date: 63,227 52,946 56,590 Materials Added: 342 484 517 Online Checkouts (audio and e-books and videos): 1,926 1,762 1,575 En te Online Magazine Checkouts: 116 134 163 Monthly Checkouts all Formats: 7,912 7,367 9,223 Online Resource/Database Activity: NA 577 794 Comparative Analysis of Patron Usage June 2024 2025 2026 Patrons with Materials Checked Out: 710 649 689 Patrons Added: 76 60 72 Patrons with Hold Requests: 480 342 397 Patron Computer Use: 493 440 351 Patron WiFi Usage: 940 1,167 965 Patron Self-Checkout Use: 1,245 755 1,774 Page 1 En Comparative Analysis of Patron Attendance te June 2024 2025 2026 Number of Patrons Entering the Library: 4,597 4,551 4,460 Number of Library Activities: 57 69 58 Number of Other Groups Using the Library: 143 155 142 Total Number of Patrons Attending Activities: 2,902 3,115 1,330 Comparative Analysis of Patron Assistance June 2024 2025 2026 Reference Assistance: 42 105 3 Reader's Advisory: 132 203 114 Phone Calls and Text Messages: 344 524 530 Computer Assistance: 189 217 168 Notary Assistance: 24 32 23 Book a Librarian: 13 29 30 Total Assistance 744 1,110 868 Page 2 Online Resource Databases June 2026 Performance for June 1 - 30, 2026 ABC Mouse 310 Adventure Pass 32 Ancestry 19 Brainfuse 11 Creative Bug 7 Hoopla 436 Kanopy 23 Mometrix 11 Solus App 272 Transparent Language 4 Total Usage Online Resource Databases 1,125 Page 3 ABC Mouse Visits 51 Total Completed Assessments 310 Adventure Pass Venue Count Blank Park Zoo 9 Blue Zoo 0 Des Moines Children's Museum 3 Botanical Garden 8 Reiman Gardens 4 Science Center 8 Total 32 Ancestry Searches 23 Citation Image 15 Text 4 Total 19 Brainfuse Unique Visits 4 Database Usage 11 Total Usage 11 Creative Bug Date 2026-6 to 2026-6 Video Views 5 Downloads 2 Total 7 Hoopla Date 6-1-2026 to 6-30-2026 Instant 431 Bonus Borrows 5 Grand Total 436 Page 4 Kanopy Monthly Snapshot - June Pleasant Hill Public Library 2026 Visits 159 New User Accounts 0 Pages 194 Total Plays 23 Mometrix New Users 1 Returning Users 3 Unique Sessions 11 Total Sessions 11 Solus App Usage over Time 26-Jun Devices 63 New Devices 8 Total Launches 298 Transparent Language All Activity Sessions 4 Circulations 4 Unique Users 4 User Registrations 0 Total Session Time 56m 2s Total 4 Page 5 Circulation by Statistical Class June 2026 Statistical Class Pleasant Hill 5,005 Altoona 403 Ankeny 33 Bondurant 1 Camp Township 200 Carlisle 122 Chariton 7 Colfax 5 Des Moines 860 Four Mile Township 216 Grimes 2 Mitchellville 4 Monroe 27 Norwalk 25 Other 15 Pella 13 Prairie City 11 Runnells 129 1 Rural Non Fourmile 344 Temporary 5 Urbandale 22 Waukee 4 West Des Moines 32 Total Circulation for all Statistical Classes 7,485 Number of Patrons Entering Library 4,460 Libby checkouts 1,116 Page 6 Library Program Attendance June 2026 Date Booking Name Attendees 6/1/2026 Farmer's Market Outreach 108 6/2/2026 Craft & Chat AM 11 6/2/2026 Alex Coggeshell Pleasant Hill Public Library 5 6/2/2026 Craft & Chat PM 2 6/2/2026 tutoring 2 6/3/2026 Poison Plants: Treasure Hunt 0 6/3/2026 Poison Plants: Treasure Hunt 0 6/4/2026 Notary Appointment 1 6/4/2026 Poison Plants: Treasure Hunt 0 6/4/2026 Poison Plants: Treasure Hunt 0 6/5/2026 Run. Jump. Hop! Discovering Culture Through Play! 9 6/5/2026 Notary Appointment 2 6/6/2026 Songs & Stories 10 6/8/2026 Book Babies 6 6/8/2026 Craft & Snack 5 6/8/2026 Film Discussion Club 0 6/9/2026 Toddler Time 32 6/9/2026 Out and About with Smartphones: Web-browsing Maps 10 6/9/2026 Notary Appointment 1 6/9/2026 Brick Builders 0 6/10/2026 Friends of the Library 10 6/10/2026 pleasant hill library 1 6/11/2026 Alex Coggeshell Pleasant Hill Public Library 3 6/11/2026 Graphic Novel Book Club 3 6/15/2026 Book Babies 11 6/15/2026 Snack Club 2 6/15/2026 Maker Mondays: Canva 102 2 6/16/2026 Movie Matinee 0 6/16/2026 Toddler Time 31 6/16/2026 Brick Builders 9 6/17/2026 Story Time 31 6/17/2026 Card Club 15 6/17/2026 Dept. Head mtg. 3 6/17/2026 Program SET UP 1 6/17/2026 Discovery Lab 33 6/18/2026 D&D Adventures 0 6/20/2026 How to Become an Ally 4 6/22/2026 Evening Book Club 6 6/22/2026 Notary Appointment 2 6/22/2026 Notary Appointment 2 6/22/2026 Book Babies 2 6/22/2026 Craft & Snack 2 6/23/2026 Toddler Time 36 6/23/2026 Morning Book Club 8 6/23/2026 Brick Builders 6 6/24/2026 Creative Kids 8 6/24/2026 Story Time 5 6/24/2026 Book-a-Librarian 1 6/25/2026 Chamber-Senior Fraud Prevention 20 6/25/2026 Library Board Meeting 10 6/25/2026 Notary Appointment 1 6/26/2026 Notary Appointment 2 6/29/2026 Notary Appointment 2 6/29/2026 Snack Club 0 6/29/2026 Book Babies 2 6/30/2026 Toddler Time 41 6/30/2026 Brick Builders 6 6/30/2026 Scavenger Hunt 274 Total Library Program Attendees 799 Total Other Group Attendees 531 Grand Total 1,330 Page 7  DIRECTOR’S REPORT Prepared by: Alex Coggeshell, Library Director Board Meeting Date: July 16, 2026 Digital Resources Update: The transition away from Hoopla, Kanopy, Creativebug, Brainfuse, and Niche Academy on June 30 and the addition of Tumble Book Library and Teen Book Cloud on July 1 was completed seamlessly. While we have received some disappointment regarding the end of Hoopla, the overall response has been positive. Once staff explain the financial realities and reasoning behind the decision, most patrons have been understanding and appreciative of the Library's efforts to steward taxpayer dollars responsibly while continuing to offer quality digital resources. To increase awareness and usage of our remaining online resources, I have begun a new Monthly Resource Spotlight marketing campaign. Each month, a different digital resource will be featured on Facebook and Instagram. July's featured resource is Tumble Book Library. I have also created a Resource Highlight flyer that is now available at the front desk (included at the end of this report). Staffing Update: Emily Ostrander joined the Library on July 6 as our new Youth Outreach Specialist. Emily has a background in education and is currently pursuing her MLIS. During her first several months, she will shadow Laura Hanson, Youth Services Librarian, and assist with Summer Reading programming before gradually transitioning into daycare outreach, school visits, and other community partnerships this fall. We are excited to have dedicated outreach capacity and look forward to expanding the Library's presence throughout the community. Grant Update: We are still awaiting funding for the Science Kits for Public Libraries (SKPL) grant due to a distribution delay on their end. I am pleased to report that the Friends of the Pleasant Hill Public Library were awarded a 2026 Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grant in the amount of $45,994.48 for the application I prepared on their behalf. The project will fund a Future-Ready Library Upgrade, including: • Draw Alive, an interactive digital art experience that would become the first installation in an Iowa public library and only the second installation statewide. • A Family Study Room featuring a Family Workstation, creating a dedicated space where caregivers can work or study while young children play safely alongside them. Only six libraries in Iowa currently offer this type of workspace. This award represents a significant investment in innovative library services and will position Pleasant Hill Public Library as a metro leader in family-centered library spaces. Friends of the Library Update: The Friends held a special meeting on July 6 to elect a new slate of officers. New Officers • President: Emily Bainter • Treasurer: Amy Warren • Secretary: Nancy Yarnell The Friends also confirmed several upcoming initiatives, including: • Participation in the SummerFest Parade • Production of a Friends volunteer t-shirt • Development of a dedicated Friends logo I have been working with the same local artist who created the Library's map artwork to develop a companion logo for the Friends. This will strengthen their branding across merchandise, brochures, volunteer recruitment materials, and future fundraising efforts. Patron Conduct Update: This month, the Library suspended the library privileges of four unaccompanied minors for repeated violations of the Library Conduct Policy. Consistent with the Unattended Children and Adults with Care and Support Needs Policy, I worked with SEP School Resource Officer, Zach Pillard, to obtain parent contact information and reached out to each family to inform them of the one-week suspension. Our intent is to work collaboratively with families whenever possible. By making parents aware of behavioral concerns and any resulting suspension, we hope to address issues early, support positive behavior, and help young patrons return to the Library ready to use the space successfully. I would also like to remind the Board that the Library Conduct Policy utilizes an incremental response to repeated policy violations. Should these same individuals continue to violate the policy after returning, the next disciplinary step would be a one-month suspension. Because suspensions of one month or longer are eligible for appeal per policy, I encourage Board members to review the appeal process so everyone is familiar with the procedures should that situation arise. Leadership & City Collaboration: I was recently appointed by City Manager, Ben Champ, to lead the City's new AV/IT Committee, working alongside Council Members Andy Birch and Mark Konrad, as well as department heads, to evaluate and coordinate audiovisual upgrades across multiple City facilities, including the Library, Council Chambers, Doanes Youth Center, and the Police Department Community Room The goal of the committee is to create a more consistent, user-friendly technology experience across City facilities while improving long-term maintenance, support, and ease of use. I appreciate the opportunity to represent the Library in this citywide initiative and to help shape decisions that will benefit both Library patrons and the broader Pleasant Hill community. This appointment also prompted me to reflect that much of the collaboration involved in the Director's role happens behind the scenes and may not always be visible to the Board. While much of my work is, of course, focused on library operations and staff, a significant portion of my role is ensuring the Pleasant Hill Public Library has a seat at the table in City initiatives, regional collaborations, and the broader library community. I currently participate in: • Bi-weekly meetings with the City Manager to discuss Library operations, projects, and strategic initiatives • Weekly Department Head meetings to coordinate City-wide efforts and collaborate across departments • Monthly meetings with the Parks & Recreation Manager to develop joint programming and community initiatives • City Council meetings and work sessions • City Safety Committee • City Communications Committee • City Wellness Committee • And the new City AV/IT Committee Beyond City Hall, I also represent the Library through active participation in: • Metro Area Library Directors meetings • Polk County Library Association meetings • State Library Director Roundtables • Iowa Library Association Conference Planning Committee These collaborations allow me to advocate for the Pleasant Hill Public Library, exchange ideas and best practices with peers, identify partnership and funding opportunities, and ensure our Library remains an active, engaged, and well-connected community resource.