Winooski Memorial Library Committee

6/6/2024 - Minutes I. Call to Order Members Present: Prudence Doherty, Collette “Nikki” Khajehali, Jessica Wignall, Colleen Moore, and Taliah Bennett City Staff Present: Nate Eddy Guests Present: N/A Call to Order by: Prudence Meeting Start Time: 6:35 PM Minutes Recorded by: Collette Handouts Provided: Yes II. Approve Previous Meeting Minutes Decision: Approved Motion by: Prudence Second: Colleen III. Public Comment None ( One member of the public was present). IV. Committee Member Updates We are nearing the end of Taliah’s term and we are advertising for the next youth member. V. Library Updates l Programming – Youth Programming is going great! Tuesdays and Thursdays – about 15 youth family caregivers and morning play time – a lot of repeat visitors. The group is growing. l Partnership with Audubon Vermont – 10am bird programming – Audubon Educator will be here. l WML will have a story walk and table for Juneteenth event in Rotary in Winooski. l June 14 th is the kickoff for summer reading – Jason Chin will be our special guest and will be giving away a lot of books at the event. It’s a 10-week challenge and will include a booklet with similar challenges like last year. There will be a raffle for challenges – tickets to Lake Monsters, Lake monster memorabilia, other cool gear from the community, and a family pool pass. l Adult programming continues – ESL, monthly book group, monthly writing group, and will be doing morning coffee social – starting on June 28 th on a monthly basis. l Monthly stats – trend is upward. 1K visits for the month. Circulation continues to rise, all positive! l Staffing – two weeks ago, WML posted the job opening for substitute library clerk,  family pool pass. l Adult programming continues – ESL, monthly book group, monthly writing group, and will be doing morning coffee social – starting on June 28 th on a monthly basis. l Monthly stats – trend is upward. 1K visits for the month. Circulation continues to rise, all positive! l Staffing – two weeks ago, WML posted the job opening for substitute library clerk, which is the new position out of the FY25 budget that City Council approved. Next week, WML will interview 3 candidates. l Kirsten Wilson received Certificate of Public Librarianship from the Vermont Dept. of Libraries. Amazing! st l Effective July 1 , WLM will purge card holders that have been inactive for 5 years or longer; however, the new catalog system makes it harder to identify inactive accounts so not expecting a huge number. l Governor signed a bill into law: S.220 An act relating to Vermont's public libraries. ¡ It establishes requirements that school libraries, public libraries, and the Department of Libraries adopt materials selection policies and materials retention procedures by July 1, 2025. ¡ It also empowers the Vermont Department of Libraries to develop model policies for public libraries. The Department has begun work on a model materials selection policy and procedures for the retention of library materials and plans to share these with the public library community in advance of the January 1, 2025 deadline established in statute. ¡ It lowers the age of patron confidentiality in public libraries from 16 years of age to 12 years of age. In the coming week, the Department will share recommendations for language that public library boards can use to update their current privacy policies to align with state statute. ¡ It extends enhanced penalties for criminal threatening in all public libraries in the state – both municipal and incorporated. ¡ It updates the duties of the Department of Libraries to better reflect the needs of the library community today – including requiring the Department to provide Continuing Education for public library staff and empowering to administer the Vermont Certificate of Public Librarianship. l This bill provides some guidance and protection for VT libraries, which were not previously protected. Also, Vermont leaders are hopeful that it will put the onus on the book challengers and not the library and its staff in those situations. l With these changes and age of confidentiality, WML will probably within the next year revisit our policies and edit them accordingly. l A youth can get a WLM library card at age 14. VI. Review of Draft Library Programming Policy Decision: Approved Motion by: Collette Second: Prudence Policy was drafted based on recommendations from Vermont Department of Libraries. The Committee reviewed the revised document and approved it. VII. Community Listening Sessions: Debrief and Planning l Building update – A recent environmental testing was conducted that now requires remediation. Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) will be entering into a master lease agreement for the O’Brien Community Center effective 7/1. City responsible for environmental issues before the OCC can be sold. l Nate will inquire with Ray to see if the results of the environmental testing will ever be made public.  l Building update – A recent environmental testing was conducted that now requires remediation. Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) will be entering into a master lease agreement for the O’Brien Community Center effective 7/1. City responsible for environmental issues before the OCC can be sold. l Nate will inquire with Ray to see if the results of the environmental testing will ever be made public. l Latest update is that construction will most likely start in summer of 2025. Pushed a little from spring. No plans yet for temporary space for WML. Old CenterPoint school – near the WML – vacant space there and available for lease. One potential option. l Grant submitted to the State – will hear something most likely in July. Dept of Libraries have done their review of all the applications and turned them over to VT Building and Services Plans for review. They must determine if the plans submitted are viable. After that review is complete, the grant package will go to federal level and then back to the state before issuing. l WML staff and committee attended the first Winooski Farmers Market of Summer 2024. ~80% of folks knew of the building plan, everyone thrilled about the new space. Had a flip chart for folks to review. Went really well and was a successful event! Kids were happy to give their opinions. Signed up folks for library cards and sold some tote bags. Talked to 75-100 community members. l Will we do it again? Yes! Perhaps at the first Winooski Wednesday event on July 10th. Bring chairs next time! l A Fact Sheet at the Library regarding the Building and updates. Nate will send to the WML Committee members. l Some upcoming Winooski events: ¡ June 30 th is French Heritage Day. ¡ July 10 th first Winooski Wednesday. ¡ July 28 th Youth Vendor Day. ¡ Blingo on Tuesdays in Winooski. Senior Chat at the Senior Center. VIII. Other Business l Next month’s meeting is July 4 th , so will skip July’s meeting and will reconvene in August. l VLA use to provide membership to committee members at large for free. Now they are $35 dollars a year. A committee member would have to renew it themselves and then work out a reimbursement with WML. Let Nate know if you are interested in a membership. IX. Adjourn Motion to Adjourn: Taliah, Second by: Collette