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Home My WebLink About03-18-2024-BLT-PUBLIC COMMENTS1 From:Linda Cundiff Sent:March 16, 2024 8:28 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Children's Library Collection Development Dear Board Members, I am a NBPL patron. I trust librarians to make appropriate selections for library materials. I expect parents to monitor what their children read. I do not believe it is appropriate for any other entity to evaluate or control any part of our library collection. A separate policy for children's collection development is redundant and questionable. Are you headed in the direction of Huntington Beach Public Library? Are you stepping in the direction of banning books? Every child and adult deserves the right to freedom of speech and access to education. My tax dollars support public education for all. Equality and democracy are founding principles of public library access. Children deserve equality. Sincerely, Linda Cundiff Retired Librarian OPL Retired Ex Director OPL Foundation 1 From:Jessica Herthel Sent:March 16, 2024 10:35 AM To:Library Board of Trustees; Library Admin Team Subject:book banning - from a banned book author Dear Library Board, As a resident of Newport Beach, and the author of one of the most banned books in the country, I implore you to resist the call for book banning or censorship. I wrote "I Am Jazz" as a straight parent of straight kids, because I know that LGBTQ people exist, and all children should be compassionate towards one another. You have the opportunity to stand as role models for other communities whose libraries are under attack. Please defend our children's right to learn. Thank you, Jessica Herthel 1 From:Alicia B Sent:March 17, 2024 3:14 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Children's Collection Development Policy Good evening Trustees, As a follow up to the email sent in January of 2024, I am writing in support of the development of Children's Collection policy that explicitly outlines that obscene, sexually explicit, or other harmful content (operationally defined by the committee by legal reference) are not suitable for age (age-inappropriate) will be removed from the collection. Additionally, prior to the adoption of material via purchase/ donation/otherwise, books are read by staff and evaluated against a clear, and structured rubric. Any book currently on the shelf must be reviewed by staff in reference to established standards. I appreciate your time and consideration. Respectfully, Alicia Beget March 18, 2024, BLT Agenda Item Comments These comments on Newport Beach Board of Library Trustees agenda items are submitted by: Jim Mosher Item No. 1. Minutes of the Feb 26, 2024 Board of Library Trustees Meeting The passages in italics are from the draft minutes, with corrections suggested in strikeout underline format. Page 5 (page 9 of agenda packet), Item 11, paragraph 3: “Jim Mosher (Newport Beach resident) commented that it seemed to him that under the collections policy,the City Charter states that the Library Board accepts donations subject to approval by the City Council. That was possibly misstated in the policy and it’s possible the City Council adopted a policy in which they don’t need to make an approval.” Page 5 (page 9 of agenda packet), Item 11, motion: “Motion made by Trustee Rief, seconded by Trustee Castro, and carried (5-0-0-0) to approve the preliminary Library operating budget for FY 2024-2025 accept the donation of $1,000.00 from the Wohl Family Fund.” Item No. 3. Library Activities The graph of Patrons Served in Library appearing on page 24 of the agenda packet, continues to show personal attendance in the library buildings does not appear to be on track to return to pre-COVID levels. With attendance hovering around 55,000 per month, it looks like the fiscal year will end with a total of no more than 700,000 patrons served. The change is evident, for example, at the Mariners Branch, where there used to often be a waiting list to use the computer workstations, but I have seen none for several years. Although I visit it less frequently, I believe the experience at the Central Library has been similar. I appreciate staff has indicated the library touches more people than visit in person, and former Director Hetherton noted library use rises and falls in inverse relation to the economy, but is the failure to return to pre-COVID attendance levels a nationwide phenomenon or something peculiar to NBPL? At the very least, the frequently repeated statement that “the Library experiences more than 1 million visits a year” may need to be revised from “more than” to “nearly.” Item No. 5. Board of Library Trustees Monitoring List In 2017, the City Council recognized the responsibility the people of Newport Beach assigned to the BLT by City Charter Section 708(a)to set all Library Policies. As part of their agenda Item 18 on August 8, 2017, they ceased regarding them as part of the Council Policy Manual. The practice, begun shortly after that, of reviewing the renumbered individual Library Policies every two years, reflected in the “Policy Review” section at the bottom of the Monitoring List has March 18, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 2 of 4 proved useful in ensuring they are kept current. However, it lacks a bigger picture, comprehensive reappraisal. As a result, the NBPL lacks, for example, any Vision or Mission Statement, or a Strategic Plan formally endorsed by the BLT, even though setting or at least approving those would seem to be key policy duties. Specifically, the Vision/Mission Statement found in former Policy I-1 entitled “Library Service Policy,” was not copied and carried forward as a NBPL policy, but radically altered as an entirely new Policy I-1 in the Council Policy Manual. Although still called the CIty’s “Library Service Policy,” it is actually just a request that the BLT provide proposed NBPL policy revisions as an informational item to the Council prior to their adoption by the BLT – a directive that seems to have been uniformly ignored for the last seven years. As to strategic plans, I am not aware the NBPL BLT has ever approved one, meaning staff operates largely without guidance from its Trustees. By contrast, the Chicago Public Library 2020-2024 Strategy would seem an excellent example of mission, vision, objectives, what will be done to achieve them, and how success will be measured. On a more mundane level, the lack of an agenda item for an occasional comprehensive overview of the policies as whole means they lack a consistent format. The different layouts gives a somewhat unprofessional appearance, not to mention many lacking a clear statement of their purpose. Item No. 6. Balboa Branch Update In presentations about the proposed Branch and Fire Station replacement (agenda Item 10), Public Works staff has repeatedly referred to a need to “right size” the library, the implication being the Balboa Branch is too large for its service population. Does Library Services staff, and specifically the Branch Librarian, share this view? Item No. 7. Gift and Donor Policy (NBPL 3) While it is good to see some minor inconsistencies being corrected, I continue to think this policy would profit from a more comprehensive review. Among other things: 1. The formatting is difficult to understand. Among other things, the opening paragraph says “Gifts may be given to the Newport Beach Public Library, to the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation, to the Friends of the Newport Beach Public Library, and/or to Pals4pal,” but in the body, gifts to NBPL appears last, not first. Similarly, the section entitled “Donor Recognition Walls” appears to have been intended as a subsection of “Foundation Gifts,” but readers cannot be sure. It is also unclear why those donation opportunities are being offered at the Central Library and not at any of the branches. March 18, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 3 of 4 2. It is also unclear how “Donor Recognition Walls” section relates to the other dedication opportunities mentioned in the final section of direct “Library Gifts.” 3. That section refers readers to the Collection Development Policy (NBPL 2) for additional giving opportunities, but NBPL suggests book donations can be made directly to NBPL with staff deciding which to keep and which to forward to the Friends. I am not sure this actually happens, or the policy is that the Friends make that decision. 4. As noted at last month’s meeting, it is also unclear that the final sentence (“The ultimate disposition of the gift lies within the sole province of the Board of Library Trustees”) is accurate. Per City Charter Section 708(f), the acceptance of gifts is “subject to the approval of the City Council.” However, the Council, through Section E.2 of its Policy F-25 has empowered the City Manager to accept donations up to $30,000 with periodic reporting to the Council. It is unclear if the City Manager can decline a contribution accepted by the BLT, or if the Council could do so when it is reported to them. I might also suggest that the NBPL could do more on its website to promote opportunities to support the library. While they may not be star libraries, the home pages of the New York Public Library and the Boston Public Library have easily found “Give” and “Support the BPL” links which provide easily digested information on the various opportunities to support them. While it is true the NBPL home page provides links to the Foundation, Friends and Literacy Services, they are not identified in context as support opportunities, nor is how they relate to one another explained, or that direct contributions can be made. And while the Literacy Services page within the website does have a prominent Donate Now button, I see no clear explanation of whether the resulting donation is going to NBPL or Pals4pal. Item No. 9. Lecture Hall Update I am pleased to see that on the NBPLF Donations page, the Foundation distinguishes donations to support Witte Hall (apparently now a non-library facility) from those to support the Foundation (and by extension, the NBPL?) more generally. I am, however, puzzled that the City page formerly titled “Library Lecture Hall” is now branded the “Civic Auditorium- Witte Hall” project page. While I know some Trustees have been using this “civic auditorium” language, I attended most of the meetings of the Library Lecture Hall Design Committee, and early on the decision was made to limit the design to a very function-specific lecture hall, and not incorporate features that would make it a more general purpose auditorium, let alone a “civic auditorium.” Even small towns sometimes build civic auditoriums, but the word conjures up something on a much grander scale, as well as more versatile. The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium (population 93,076) is said to seat 3,000. The LaPorte (Indiana) Civic Auditorium (population 21,341) reportedly has a similar capacity of “3,000 for concerts or 1,300 for basketball.” March 18, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 4 of 4 Item No. 10. Balboa Branch Replacement Update The City’s Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission met on March 6, 2024, with their agenda packet focused primarily on the proposed Balboa Library and Fire Station replacement. Members of the public expressed frustration with the limited amount of public outreach that seems to have been conducted. The January 16, 2024, BLT meeting at Marina Park was cited as having been the previous opportunity, although it was not mentioned that no one, including apparently the trustees, had seen the plans prior to their presentation at the meeting. At the PB&R meeting it was surprising to hear the playground being described as an integral part of the new library, serving as a kind of early-learning facility. This did not comport with the architect’s renderings, which showed nothing but standard playground equipment. Public Works staff suggested the proposed storage area for beach grooming equipment would use space that would otherwise go unused, under the dormitory section of the new firehouse. I suggested that if it were not used for storage, a portion of the library could be slid under the dormitory, as was done in Corona del Mar, providing more indoor programming area, or more outdoor space. It might be noted that Item IV.A on the Council’s March 12 agenda was a closed session discussion of the “price and terms of payment” for the currently-for-sale residential property at 301 E Balboa Blvd. Since no explanation is provided of why closed sessions are being held, it is impossible to know if that site could be considered as an alternative location for storing beach equipment. 1 From:nicole summers Sent:March 17, 2024 8:23 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Books Hello, Concerned parent of 3 young elementary school children in Newport Mesa. Please, please, please, remove all pornographic, perverted, sexualized books off the shelves of Mariner's Library. Our young children don't need to read about anal sex, oral sex, masturbation, or pedophilia. These books in the library are completely inappropriate, rated x! Children cannot see rated R movies so why are we giving them rated X ligature?? This is completely perverted and wrong! We as parents, educators, and leaders need to protect the children from this perversion and not normalize giving young children sexually explicit material. This is wrong! Books like It's Perfectly Normal, is NOT perfectly normal to expose to elementary school children! It's morally wrong!!!! Please let me know your plans into this matter. I understand there is a board meeting at 5pm. Unfortunately it is a time when most parents cannot attend. Please consider a 10am meeting in the future. At that time, I will be sure to have several moms attend with me. Sincerely, Nicole Summers 1 From:Chris Wacaster Sent:March 17, 2024 10:39 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Collection Development Ad Hoc Subcommittee and Children's Collection Development Ad Hoc Subcommittee The Board of Library Trustees needs to be aware that your actions are under the scrutiny of the public and are not going unnoticed by regular library users. We are not going to become another Huntington Beach. So, you need to act better! That they are patrons of NBPL and/or residents of Newport Beach (if, indeed, they are) That they support a child's right to access to books The decision should be up to each individual family as to what is appropriate for their child Library staff should be trusted to decide which books should be included in the collection (including the children's collection), not the public or the Board of Library Trustees Books should not be removed or relocated (particularly on topics of racism or LGBTQ+ topics) Supporters of the library are ALSO taxpayers and have the right to access Any person with experience with censorship or book banning would be great Emails from current students (middle or high school) would give a young person's perspective thanks, Chris 1 From:john wacaster Sent:March 17, 2024 10:39 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Collection Development Ad Hoc Subcommittee and Children's Collection Development Ad Hoc Subcommittee The Board of Library Trustees needs to be aware that your actions are under the scrutiny of the public and are not going unnoticed by regular library users. We are not going to become another Huntington Beach. So, you need to act better! That they are patrons of NBPL and/or residents of Newport Beach (if, indeed, they are) That they support a child's right to access to books The decision should be up to each individual family as to what is appropriate for their child Library staff should be trusted to decide which books should be included in the collection (including the children's collection), not the public or the Board of Library Trustees Books should not be removed or relocated (particularly on topics of racism or LGBTQ+ topics) Supporters of the library are ALSO taxpayers and have the right to access Any person with experience with censorship or book banning would be great Emails from current students (middle or high school) would give a young person's perspective ‐‐ john From: Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2024 3:35 PM To: Watkins, Paul <pwatkins@newportbeachca.gov> Subject: Children’s Policy Dear Trustee Watkins, I am writing in support of developing a Children’s Collection policy that clearly states that obscene, sexually explicit, or other harmful content that is not suitable for young children will be removed from shelves. It is our responsibility as adults in the room to limit exposure to inappropriate content. We are the gatekeepers of the morality and future of our children’s generation and those to come. Additionally, any newly acquired books should be thoroughly read and considered. And as I always told my children, if you wouldn’t be proud to read it or say it in front of your grandparent, your you probably shouldn’t be reading it or saying it. It’s time for our standards to rise. Thank you for your time and consideration. Warmly, Portia Fischer Sent from my iPhone 1 From:Ellen Gordon Sent:March 18, 2024 6:30 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Children's Library To Whom It May Concern: I am a resident of NB and a patron of NBPL I fully support a child's right to access to books I believe the decision should be up to each individual family as to what is appropriate for their child I believe library staff should be trusted to decide which books should be included in the collection (including the children's collection), not the public or the Board of Library Trustees Books should not be removed or relocated (particularly on topics of racism or LGBTQ+ topics) Supporters of the library are ALSO taxpayers and have the right to access Ellen Gordon March 18, 2024 Honorable Trustees of the Library Board: Re: Agenda Item #8 Collection Department Ad Hoc Subcommittee Appeals policy As you contemplate amendments to the NBPL 2 appeals policy please consider some context to the current situation. Community members are very concerned that over the years age-inappropriate books have been put on our public library shelves. There is a national debate and taxpayers, parents, grandparents are speaking up to oppose what borders on pornography for children. A simple complaint and appeal policy would help resolve the controversy. Although I am a Costa Mesa resident, my tax dollars pay for books in the joint use of the Mariners Library by NMUSD students. Thus, I have an interest as a taxpayer and 51 year Newport-Mesa community member In the 90’s I was a trustee on the NMUSD board. There was a concern then by some Mariners (school) area parents and others that unsupervised children using the new library could be innocent victims of criminal activity. (ie a child could be molested by an adult if there were not separate bathrooms.) Thus, safeguards were put in place to protect students. I still voted against the joint use because I wanted to be a voice for the parents. Now some 20 years later we are dealing with a different but similar issue because it has to do with protecting our children and their innocence. Some of us believe--and per the First Amendment we are entitled to our viewpoint—that some books are not age appropriate and may be obscene or pervasively vulgar. We would never have imagined that adult themed books would be available to children in our Newport-Mesa community. Over many years others, like the ALA, with progressive views based on its “freedom to read” ideology have placed library books that our community believes are not age appropriate. Page 2 I am asking you to simplify the appeals policy and make it easy for community members to complain about a book. Remove the red tape. Be transparent. We must be able to present our arguments and listen to others who disagree, and counter the ALA’s ideology which may fit well in San Francisco but not in Newport-Mesa. Have you read any of the books of concern? Please do. Have you read the ALA statement or looked at their website? The Freedom to Read Statement | Advocacy, Legislation & Issues (ala.org). Children do not have adult discernment. As trustees I encourage you to take your job very seriously because parents entrust your judgement and trust you to protect the innocence of our community’s children. A child can pick a book, check it out, and likely the parent will never know that the book contains adult themes. As a busy parent of five children, I don’t recall that I took the time to read all my children’s library books. Why? Because I trusted the library to preserve our community’s values and not receive and order books that foster a national ideology which steals the innocence of children by exposing them to images and words belonging to adults. Sincerely, Wendy Leece 1 From:Deborah Lucas Sent:March 18, 2024 3:30 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Library Books choices decisions Hello Board Members- In the interest of brevity I'll just say that we agree 100% with these points which another concerned NB resident has already sent you. Deborah Lucas & Harold Pemstein (NB residents for 35 years and library patrons) The Board should clearly state the standards to be used, and these should include: 1.Reading the whole work that is challenged/ not judging a whole work based on one page or passage 2.Reviewing the librarian’s decision and only overriding that decision if the librarian’s decision was procedurally flawed or failed to advance the library’s mission of providing a diverse collection of works that are age‐appropriate and relevant to the community of readers. 3.As an appeals board, looking at only whether the initial decision was made in a way that complies with the proper procedure 4.Avoiding any decisions based on taste or content, since that would violate the First Amendment 5.Avoiding decisions based on claims of scientific inaccuracy as there is no subject matter expert on the Board 6.Using widely accepted standards to evaluate age‐appropriate content, such as Accelerated Reading ratings. 7.Supporting LGBTQ content as part of a diverse collection that meets the needs of the entire community. OTHER THOUGHTS: 1.A Board typically is not involved in day‐to‐day operations of an organization. 2.An appeals process is not meant to be a new, original decision‐‐it is meant to ensure 3.proper *procedure* was followed. 4.We in the community WANT TO KEEP BOOKS of diverse experiences in the Children’s Section and trust librarians with library science degrees to make these decisions. Parents can and should monitor the materials their own children read. March 4, 2024 RE: Proposed Balboa Branch Library and Fire Staon No. 1 Site Concept Plan Review City of Newport Beach Parks, Beaches and Recreaon Commission Dear Commissioner Kate Malouf, Chair, fellow Commissioners, and City Staff, My name is Charles Bell, of the Bell Family, owner of located to the east of the proposed Balboa Branch Library and Fire Staon No. 1 project and served by the exisng adjacent residenal alley behind our home. I am wring you in hope that the City of Newport Beach Parks, Beaches and Recreaon Commission will consider in your review of the proposed site plan to make a recommendaon to the City Council to keep unchanged the exisng easterly Alley and 5 feet tall property separaon wall configuraon. The exisng alley paralleling Balboa Boulevard and East Bay Avenue serves 21 single and mul-family residenal properes between Medina Way and Anade Avenue. The exisng two-way alley provides access for 40+/- private residence automobile garage and open parking spaces and weekly waste management hauling services. Both proposed project Opon 1 and Opon 2 site plans show the exisng wall separang the Balboa Branch Library & Fire Staon No. 1 site and the exisng 15 feet wide Alley alongside 111 East Bay Avenue residence to be demolished and mixing exisng adjacent Alley residenal two-way traffic into the proposed new Library/Fire Staon onsite parking facility. In my opinion, both proposed Opons 1 & 2 do not provide appropriate or adequate vehicle and pedestrian separaon and screening between the proposed Library/Fire Staon patron users and the exisng Alley private residenal users. The exisng separaon of the Library/Fire Staon use from the exisng residenal alley use provided by the exisng 5 feet tall solid concrete block wall should remain unchanged. Le< unchanged, the exisng easterly alley/property use separaon wall configuraon can: 1. Yield (14) onsite public parking spaces. (The same number of onsite public parking spaces as proposed in Opon 1 and Opon 2. See aAached Alternate Plan for Opon 1 sketch) 2. Maintain the longstanding separaon and screening of the exisng the Balboa Branch Library and Fire Staon No.1 public uses and the directly adjacent residenal uses. 3. Not expose the new Library playground and trellis entrance to the exisng adjacent “back of house” residenal alley uses. 4. Not require exisng 21 private residence 40+/- vehicles, occupants and waste hauling services to use the Library & Fire Staon onsite parking facility for access to East Bay Ave and Island Ave. 5. Not change the nature residenal nature of the exisng 15 feet wide two way “through traffic” alley by not increasing public vehicle and pedestrian use. The alley serves private garages with limited width to allow for vehicles to maneuver in and out of garages and open parking spaces. 6. Not impact the exisng alley capacity where the alley narrows near west end of alley and the narrow one-way street, Medina Way outlet to Balboa Boulevard. Thank you for consideraon to make a recommendaon to the City Council to keep unchanged the exisng easterly alley and property separaon wall configuraon and thereby maintaining the long- standing separaon of the public and private residenal uses in our neighborhood. RespecEully submiAed, Charles Bell