The Sebastopol Library Advisory Board meets on the first Wednesday of February, April, June, August, October, and December at 4 p.m. Location: Sebastopol Regional Library 7140 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol, CA 94952

Minutes
Sebastopol Library Advisory Board Meeting
April 4, 2018, 4:00 p.m.
Location: Sebastopol Regional Library, Sebastopol, CA 95472

Present: Mary Shiff, Walt Frazer, Ralph Johnson, Fiona Hynes, Nancy Dempsey, Adriel Ahern (Sebastopol Regional Library), Helena Whistler (Library Commissioner), , Arlene Kellan (LANTERN), Tracy Gray (Sonoma County Library Director)

I. Mary Shiff, Chair, called the meeting to order at 4:04 pm. The Agenda and Minutes from December 6, 2017, were approved with the change that the next meeting should read June 6^th, 2018 at 4:00.

II. Public Comment: none.

III. Announcements: none

IV. New Business:  

4a. Farmer’s Market: Nancy needs to have group pick a date for summer to table at the Farmers Market. Decision to be made at June 6^th meeting

4b. Mary is creating a project report to present to the Library Commission

4c. All LAB Meeting waiting on Sebastopol Library LAB to complete survey. LAB will meet after the meeting to discuss the survey and complete it.

4d. Library survey was discussed. Mathew reports the draft should be finished to present at June 6^th meeting. Arlene reports that the LANTERN is interested in having the survey show the support of the community and see where patrons are coming from, what brings them to town, and what else they do while they are here. LANTERN also wants to find out how the library contributes to local business and life. Arlene recalls that there would be space to have a LANTERN table at the library, where the survey could be distributed. The LANTERN brochure is still in the works. Nancy wonders if they could use Friends as a resource to gather emails and distribute survey. Walt will bring it to the friends meeting, but there is no longer a newsletter from the Friends, so the distribution out to that community is harder. Nancy wonders if there is a way to have a mini meeting to quickly approve survey in May to be ready for distribution in June. Tracy want to make sure that since the LAB is under the Library Commission, that any survey they put out gets approved by the Commission. There was an approved survey from when the strategic plan was written. LANTERN as a separate entity might be the better body to issue the survey.

Va. Commissioner Report : Helena reports the 2018/2019 library budget was approved. LANTERN presented at the last regular meeting, and although the commission liked being kept up to date, currently all resources are focused on Roseland. Helena brought in the new welcome brochure and digital resources brochure to look at. Walt brought up the commission’s decision about using donated books to add to the library collection. Tracy responds that that will be re-accessed in June.

Helena reports that Summer Reading costs $250,000 for programs, printing, prizes and marketing. The Friends groups and the Library Foundation will be used for support and marketing.

Vb. Director’s Report:  Northwest refresh is half done and expected to be ready to re-open in the 3^rd week of May. This Saturday all branches will extend their open hours until 6pm with the Measure Y funds. Nancy wondered how the fires affected the library budget since it changed the property taxes. Tracy reports that the CFO had a meeting with the county budget office and the library budget is not expected to see a substantial deficit. Helena also mentions that the county’s estimates tend to be conservative. Tracy also reports that the library received a grant from the State Library to help replace materials lost in the fires.

Vc. City Liaison Report: The city will be adding banners downtown of local community members who “make a difference” banners to change quarterly. New art piece to go up by the bridge at the Laguna entrance. Paid for by the public arts fund the “Sebastopol Portal” can be reviewed on the city’s website. The Library Wall proposal is still in design review.

Vd. Youth Report: Tracy reports a new youth LAB member Gabe was approved by the commission. He is injured and could not make it to this meeting.

Ve. Branch Manager Report: Important upcoming event is the Lend a Hand day. LAB can help by volunteering and signing up on lendahandsebastopol.org to participate in the little free library workshop hosted at the library or other volunteer opportunities throughout Sebastopol.

Adriel reports on the popularity and successes of the SRJC Older Adult program at the library, the 200 people who came for the Pi day event, and the growth of the intergenerational game night.  Lunch at the Library will be happening in the summer, and the librarians have planned the events to back up against the lunch time to try to increase the opportunities for people to participate in the program. The library staff was trained for the upcoming 3D printer, which will be staying at the library. Adriel discussed the importance of having program that supports the real world application of this technology.

Vf. Friends of Sebastopol Library Report: Walt reports the Friends book sale will be here May 10-12. The annual meeting is coming up on May 26^th at 2:00 in the Forum Room. The new shed in the parking lot will be a way to store booksale books and give the library more storage space in the forum room. Walt discusses role of online sale of books to support library. $3000 was earned through Thrift Books and Walt has raised $6000 through selling on Amazon.

Vg. LANTERN Report:  One Million dollars is still needed and a total of 8 million total needed to build a new library.

6. Agenda Items for Next Meeting: June 6th, 2018 at 4:00 pm

Library Survey

Presentation to the Library Commission

Farmer’s Market

All LAB Meeting

7. Additional Public Comment: none

8. Adjournment at 5:00pm

Reported by Adriel Ahern