Feb 03, 2025 Library Advisory Board

IT'S NOW 4:00. IT'S NOW 4:00, SO THE MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER.

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:11]

WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IN SERVING IN THE FUTURE.

OKAY. A COPY OF THE MINUTES IS IN YOUR MEETING PACKET.

[1. Minutes: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion, and Take Action on Approving the Minutes from the Regular Meeting Held on November 4, 2024]

ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES AS DISTRIBUTED? I THINK THAT THERE'S A MISTAKE. IN THE NEXT LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING.

IT SAYS FOR MAY 5TH, 2025 INSTEAD OF FEBRUARY.

THAT'S THE NEXT ONE. OH, FOR THIS NEXT ONE. AFTER THIS ONE.

OKAY, OKAY. THIS ONE, I THOUGHT THESE ARE THE MINUTES FOR THE LAST ONE OKAY.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. MOVE FOR APPROVAL. SHOULD HAVE BEEN FEBRUARY 2ND.

I THINK IT SHOULD. OH, YES. YES. FROM THE LAST MEETING.

OKAY. RIGHT. OKAY. SO, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED. SO MOVE. I'LL SECOND. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? VICKY? NO, I MEAN CHRISTINE. TO NOMINATE. NO.

YOU YOU SECONDED IT. CORRECT. SECOND. YES. OKAY.

YES, I SECOND IT. YES. SORRY. THE VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. IT'S NOW TIME FOR OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.

[PUBLIC COMMENT]

TAMI FOGLE, RESIDENT OF ABILENE. YOU KNOW, I NEVER KNOW IF I'M GOING TO SPEAK BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF REALLY WHAT TAKES PLACE BETWEEN THESE MEETINGS. A COUPLE HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU AT LEAST HAD THE AGENDA AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.

EVEN IF IT'S JUST TWO OF US, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THE AGENDA AVAILABLE.

AND ALSO, YOU ALL LOOK AT PACKETS FOR THIS MEETING AND IT'S NOT POSTED ONLINE AND IT'S NOT SHOWN ON THE SCREEN.

SO THOSE OF US WHO MAKE TIME TO COME. IT WOULD BE AWESOME IF WE COULD ACTUALLY HAVE AN ABILITY TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, SO THAT WE DON'T SPEND THE TEN MINUTES OF THIS MEETING JUST TWIDDLING OUR THUMBS WHILE YOU ALL FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND I FEEL LIKE I AM A RATHER INFORMED INDIVIDUAL AND WHAT GOES ON WITH THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD.

BUT THESE ARE THE SAME FRUSTRATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED FOR YEARS.

AND SO I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW.

I'VE BEEN COMING TO THE MEETING NOW FOR THREE YEARS AND BEING TRYING TO BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER ON THE OUTSIDE, SINCE I'M NOT ALLOWED TO BE ON THE BOARD EVEN THOUGH I'VE APPLIED.

BUT I WAS REALLY SHOCKED WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE MOCKINGBIRD BRANCH IS MAKING SOME CHANGES.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO THE REC CENTERS, WHICH I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MEANS WE'RE CLOSING THE MOCKINGBIRD BRANCH OR WHATNOT, BUT IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO ME THAT AS ONE WHO ATTENDS THESE MEETINGS REGULARLY, I WOULD THINK I WOULD KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS BEFORE IT ACTUALLY HITS THE COUNCIL. SO AGAIN, I'M NOT A PERFECT INDIVIDUAL. I MAY HAVE MISSED IT.

I MAY NOT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT IT IS NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE FAINT OF HEART TO TRY AND FOLLOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THESE BOARD MEETINGS.

AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH MY REQUEST HAS BEEN THE ONLY RESPONSE I'VE GOTTEN FOR MY REQUEST IS TO INDIVIDUALLY REQUEST THAT EACH BOOK BE LOOKED AT BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE NEW LIBRARY.

THERE ARE SOME BOOKS THAT PROBABLY ARE NOT WORTH HAVING ON THE SHELF, AS WE HAVE LIMITED SHELF SPACE, AND I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WHATEVER BOOKS GO INTO THE ABILENE HERITAGE SQUARE IS SOMETHING WORTHY OF, ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN READING AND HAVING ACCESS TO.

AND SO I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A SLOWDOWN OF SOME OF THE INAPPROPRIATE MATERIALS.

BUT AGAIN, IF WE DON'T LOOK AT ALL THE BOOKS, WE'RE JUST KIND OF KICKING THE CAN DOWN TO BE DEALT WITH WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY SINCE MAYBE EVEN THE MOCKINGBIRD BRANCH MAY BE RELOCATING TO THE REC CENTERS.

IT'S A GOOD TIME TO MAKE SURE EVERY BOOK HAS VALUE AND IS ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE BENEFITS OF THE READERS, NOT JUST THE PROVOCATIVE NATURE OF TRYING TO RAISE OUR OR.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO. SOME BOOKS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS,

[00:05:02]

I'VE TRIED TO BE A PART OF THE OF THE SOLUTION. AND THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I GET TO BE A PART OF THAT.

BECAUSE THERE'S NO PATH FORWARD FOR ME EXCEPT JUST TO COME AND ENGAGE WITH YOU ON A REGULAR BASIS.

BECAUSE ONE THING I'VE BEEN DOING MY WHOLE LIFE IS TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN, AND I WON'T STOP UNTIL I FEEL LIKE I'VE DONE EVERYTHING TO DO THAT.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MA'AM, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THE AGENDA WAS POSTED LAST WEEK ONLINE.

OKAY. DID YOU HEAR THAT, TAMMY? THAT THE. I HAVE A COPY, BUT IT IS POLITE IN MOST MEETINGS.

HAVE A COPY AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC. SO IF I DON'T PRINT IT OUT, I DON'T HAVE A COPY OF IT.

I'M JUST SAYING IT'S A HOUSEKEEPING THING THAT MAKES IT FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT WELCOME. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 2025. WE NEED TO ELECT BOTH A CHAIR AND A VICE CHAIR.

JUDITH, YOU NEED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY, AT THIS TIME THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

OKAY. AGAIN, MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, ELECTING BOTH A CHAIR AND A VICE CHAIR FOR 2025.

[2. Election of officers for 2025]

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF JUDITH PHANEUF BEING THE CHAIR OF THE ABILENE PUBLIC LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD INDICATE BY SAYING YES.

YES. OKAY. DO I HAVE A NOMINATION AND A MOTION TO ELECT A VICE CHAIR FOR 2025? I'LL NOMINATE ELISABETH NORMAN. SHE'S JUST BEEN HERE.

OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT? A SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FOR ELIZABETH'S NOMINATION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ELIZABETH BEING VICE CHAIR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING I.

I. MOVING TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. THE LIBRARY HAS RECEIVED NO COMMENTS ON PENDING BOOK ORDERS ON THE ONLINE

[3. Review on-order catalog comments and make a recommendation to the Library Director on pending book orders (discussion and possible action)]

AYE. THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION WILL NOW GO TO THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR, WHO WILL OVERSEE THE COMPLETION OF THE BOOK ORDERS.

THIS IS A STANDING AGENDA ITEM. WE HAVE NOW THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

[4. Library Director's Report]

LIBRARIES UPDATE. THIS THE SLIDES IN FRONT OF YOU WERE ACTUALLY PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL AS PART OF PRESENTING THE PLAN FOR THE REC CENTERS THAT ARE BUILT TO REPLACE THE EXISTING CESAR CHAVEZ AND BEBE DANIELS FACILITIES.

SO THESE CENTERS ARE OPEN TO OR GOING TO OPEN IN THE SPRING OF 2026 AND ARE GOING TO INCLUDE INTEGRATED BRANCH LIBRARIES.

SO IT WILL BE A NICE SHARED SPACE THAT THE LIBRARY CAN WORK WITH PARKS AND REC AND ACTUALLY HAVE SHARED PROGRAMING AND HAVE HAVING A LOT MORE SPACE TO AND FLEXIBILITY TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS TO THE PUBLIC AS PART OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.

THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CLOSE THE MOCKINGBIRD BRANCH AND REALLOCATE THE RESOURCES, INCLUDING LIBRARY STAFF, TO THE. THESE NEW FACILITIES. THE BRANCH LEASE IS UP DECEMBER 2025, SO THAT WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON WHEN THE BRANCH WILL CLOSE. THERE IS NO LOSS OF ANY STAFF.

THE STAFF IS GOING TO BE DIVIDED AND MOVED TO THOSE BRANCH LIBRARIES.

WHEN DID YOU SAY THE LEASE WAS UP ON THE MOCKINGBIRD? DECEMBER 31ST.

SO THAT WILL ENABLE THE CITY TO NOT PAY A LEASE THAT'S AROUND $100,000 A YEAR, SINCE THOSE BRANCH LIBRARIES WILL BE LOCATED IN THOSE NEW REC CENTERS. IT WILL BE A COMBINATION OF CITY SERVICES.

SO COUNCIL THOUGHT IT WAS AN EFFECTIVE USE OF THE SPACE.

[00:10:04]

THEY WILL BE ORIENTED DIFFERENTLY ON THE SITES, AS YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR PACKET.

AND THOSE THOSE ARE PRESENTED AT THE DECEMBER 19TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

DO YOU MIND REMINDING ME WHERE THESE COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE IN TOWN? SURE. GV DANIELS IS AT EIGHTH AND NORTH EIGHTH AND TREADWAY.

OKAY. AND CESAR CHAVEZ RECREATION CENTER IS IN SIAS PARK.

USED TO BE THE SEARS. OKAY. RECREATION. RECREATION CENTER.

IF THAT'S A 2020 2250 AMBLER AVENUE. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. ABILENE HERITAGE SQUARE UPDATE. IN YOUR PACKET OR SOME UPDATES THAT CITY COUNCIL JUST LOOKED AT ON FRIDAY, THE FIRST PAGE SHOWS AN EXTERIOR VIEW OF THE 1924 ABILENE HIGH SCHOOL WHEN IT WAS BRAND NEW.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THE ENTRANCE IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW IT LOOKED WHEN IT WAS OPEN.

THE NEXT PAGE SHOWS THE EXTERIOR VIEWS AND RENDERINGS OF THE LIBRARY MAIN ENTRANCE, AND THAT MAIN ENTRANCE IS GOING TO BE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

THAT'S THAT'S A NEW CONSTRUCTION. THE THIRD PAGE SHOWS A PICTURE OF THE NEW LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS.

YOU CAN SEE THE OUTLINE OF WHERE THE THEY'RE WORKING ON THE FOUNDATION.

THAT'S GOING TO BE THE OUTLINE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION. AND THAT WILL CONNECT WITH THE EXISTING STRUCTURE IN A RENDERING THAT I BELIEVE YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE. BUT IT'S THE INTERIOR OF THE LIBRARY FIRST FLOOR CIRCULATION DESK AND GRAND STAIRCASE.

IT'LL GIVE YOU AN IDEA. IT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE, BUT THERE WILL BE A GRAND STAIRCASE THERE.

THE CIRCULATION DESK WILL BE IN THAT AREA AS WELL.

AND THERE WILL BE A GLASS BALLOON SCULPTURE THAT'S SUSPENDED FROM THE THIRD FLOOR CEILING THAT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FIRST FLOOR THROUGH AN ATRIUM.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIG FEATURES. WE ARE GOING TO BE ON THREE FLOORS.

WE'LL HAVE A PODCAST RECORDING STUDIO, A MAKERSPACE, THE SECOND FLOOR IS GOING TO BE A DEDICATED CHILDREN'S FLOOR, AND SO IT'S ONLY USED FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS, STUDY ROOMS AND MEETING ROOMS THAT ARE ALL RESERVABLE, WHICH WE ONLY. IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE MAIN LIBRARY, WE ONLY HAVE ONE ONE STUDY ROOM IN THE BASEMENT, SO THAT'LL BE A BIG IMPROVEMENT FOR THAT SPACE.

THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE IS ABOUT 68,000FT². THAT IS 26,000FT² LARGER THAN WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.

THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY IS 42,000FT². AND RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE TWO PUBLIC SERVICE POINTS AT OUR MAIN LIBRARY.

WE WILL HAVE FOUR SERVICE POINTS AT THIS LIBRARY.

AND WE'LL HAVE THE SERVICE POINT ON EACH FLOOR.

TWO ON THE FIRST FLOOR, ONE WILL BE IN GENEALOGY AND THE OTHER ONE WILL BE A CIRCULATION DESK.

SOME DATES TO LOOK AT. THESE ARE THE DATES FROM THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, AND SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION IS SET FOR MARCH 13TH, 2026, WHICH IS AROUND THE AROUND THE TIME WHEN WE COULD START MOVING IN.

AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LOOKING AT A GRAND OPENING OF APRIL 24TH, 2026.

SO IT'S COMING ALONG PRETTY QUICKLY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SO THAT IS AROUND ALSO THE SAME TIME THAT THOSE REC CENTERS ARE OPENING.

YEAH. OKAY. SOUNDS BUSY. IT'S GOING TO BE A BUSY SPRING, BUT IT'S IT'S ALL GOOD.

IT'S ALL GOOD. JULIE, WILL THERE BE BOOKSTACKS ON ALL THREE FLOORS OF THE NEW LIBRARY? YES. OKAY. THE FIRST FLOOR WILL BE MORE FICTION AND NEW DISPLAYS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND TEEN SPACE AND SECOND FLOOR WILL ONLY BE CHILDREN.

SO THAT WILL JUST BE BABIES THROUGH ELEMENTARY AGE.

AND THE THIRD FLOOR WILL BE ADULT NONFICTION.

SO. AND ALL OPEN SHELVING, NO COMPACT SHELVING.

EVEN IN THE GENEALOGY SECTION, THERE IS COMPACT SHELVING IN THE GENEALOGY GENEALOGY SECTION JUST BECAUSE OF SPACE ISSUES.

BUT WE'LL STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A LOT, A LOT THERE AND MORE BECAUSE WE HAVE COMPACT SHELVING.

AND I'M SURE YOU MADE SURE THE SURE THE ARCHITECT'S PLAN FOR THE WEIGHT OF ALL OF THOSE BOOKS AND BUILDING THE NEW LIBRARY.

SO THAT IS WHY WE HAVE NEW CONSTRUCTION, AND WE'RE NOT HAVING BOOK STACKS IN THE EXISTING BUILDING, THAT WE'LL HAVE VERY STURDY CONSTRUCTION GOING UP WHERE IT'S HOLDING THE WEIGHT OF THE BOOKS.

BUT YES, THAT WAS THAT WAS ALL PLANNED FOR. GOOD.

I ASSUME SO. THAT'S IMPORTANT. I REALLY LIKE HOW THE NEW RENDERING BLENDS IT IN TO THE EXISTING ARCHITECTURE. THAT REALLY IS GOOD. I REALLY LIKE SEEING THOSE METAL THINGS OFF THE WINDOWS NOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE BUILDING, BUT IT'S KIND OF AN ODD SENSATION.

[00:15:03]

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT WILL TAKE THEM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S THEY'RE ACTUALLY STARTING THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION.

SO IT'S EXCITING. THAT'S NEAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.