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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-18-2024-BLT-PUBLIC COMMENTSNovember 18, 2024, BLT Agenda Item Comments These comments on Newport Beach Board of Library Trustees agenda items are submitted by: Jim Mosher Item No. 2. Minutes of the Oct 21, 2024 Board of Library Trustees Meeting The passages in italics are from the draft minutes, with corrections suggested in strikeout underline format. Page 3 (page 18 of agenda packet), in the long paragraph (which might be more readable if it were broken into more than one): ● “Youth Services provided a variety of services, resources, and materials for children ages 0-12 at the Central Library (Central), Mariners Branch, Balboa Branch (Balboa), and Corona del Mar Branch (CdM).” [I’m not sure I understand what purpose the abbreviated facility names in parenthesis serve. As best I can tell, “Balboa” is used twice, “CdM” once, and “Central” not at all. It would have seemed as easy to spell out the names in full.]] ● “providing reference services and readers' advisory advising readers;” ● “expanding educational program offerings both for early learning and afterschool after-school age groups (Programs);” ● “In the last year, Youth Services increased the number of programs offered to patrons by 47% with staff hosting 892 youth programs over compared to last year's 608 programs.” [The amount “over” was evidently 892 - 608 = 284 programs.] Page 4 (page 19 of agenda packet), end of paragraph 5: “Mr. Mosher also noted the list of Top Ten Books in the Newport Stu News Newport and asked about the non-circulating items.” [The most recent example of what I was referring to can be found here. I am not sure if the Library website has a comparable listing of the Top 10 checkouts of the week.] Page 5 (page 20 of agenda packet), Item 9, Motion: “Motion made by Vice Chair Trustee Lauren Kramer, seconded by Chair Chase Reif, to approve the acceptance of donations from the Dorothy Arens Ressel Trust and patron Patricia Steinmann to enhance the Library’s materials collection.” Item No. 3. Patron Comments Comment 4: Some of the Trustees would know better than I, but I don’t think the Newport Beach Foundation would be characterized as a local community group “particularly for retired women.” Item No. 6. Library Use Policy (NBPL 1) Since it is the Trustees, rather than NBPL staff, that our City Charter tasks with setting policies for use of the Library, this item would have benefitted from a clearer, point-by-point explanation of why staff is asking the Trustees to make these extensive changes. That said, I notice the following: November 18, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 2 of 3 ● Although no substantive change is proposed to it, the opening sentence is not literally true, since the entire interior and exterior premises of the Library properties are not open to the general public without restriction. There are, for example, staff-only areas in every facility. Should it be revised to say “...the interior and exterior premises public areas of …”? Even then, it is not quite true, since Provision 6 of policy NBPL 4 restricts adults from visiting the Children’s areas unless accompanying a child. ● In Prohibited Activities #7, why is “and/or” used? Isn’t “or” sufficient? ● In Prohibited Activities #8, the phrase “with or without headphones” appears to be misplaced. Isn’t it intended to modify “devices” rather than “others”? That is, shouldn’t it read “Using devices, with or without headphones,that are disruptive or set at a volume that is audible to others, with or without headphones;”? ● The existing Prohibited Activities #10 prohibits private fundraising on Library property (apparently including such things as Girl Scout cookie sales). Although expressed as “Soliciting or collecting funds,” it could, presumably, have used some other verb, such as “Requesting or collecting funds.” Using the single word “Soliciting” to replace the entire existing explanation of what is and is not prohibited creates a quite different policy. The usually reliable Wiktionary lists six currently-recognized definitions of the verb “solicit.” Of those, the understanding that the “soliciting” is for money features most prominently in their Definition #4, an offer to perform a sexual act in return for money, something already covered in existing Prohibited Activities #19 and 21 (proposed to be renumbered to #20 and 22). The proposed more general prohibition against any form of “soliciting” would seem to prevent, not only the already-prohibited cookie sales, but also patrons from asking anyone for a favor (as in “soliciting a favor”). To the extent readers are expected to understand “Soliciting” means ““Soliciting or collecting funds,” the proposed omission of the exceptions noted in the existing policy would appear to prohibit fundraising for the Library on Library premises, which seems unlikely to be the new intent. It might also be recalled from the September 16 discussion of NBPL 9 (Expressive Use Areas) that even if the Trustees wish to prohibit requests for money, it may not be entirely in their power to do so in the expressive use areas. For example, an artist’s right to sell their works is regarded as a right protected by the First Amendment (see, for example,White v. City of Sparks,500 F. 3d 953 - Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, 2007). ● The expressions of proposed Prohibited Activities #16 and 17 do not follow the new syntax, which seems to be to state a prohibited activity, not to make a full sentence of it. If they were intended to follow the pattern of the others, they should presumably read something like: ○ “16.Personal Leaving personal belongings may not be left unattended. …” ○ “17.Use of Using electrical outlets may not in a way that restrict restricts Library services or present presents a safety hazard risk.” November 18, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 3 of 3 Item No. 8. Sound Lab Use Policy (NBPL 7) Is the Sound Lab used by a single patron at a time, or a group of patrons working on a joint project? If so, Condition No. 7, prohibiting cell phone use, does not seem necessary, or even reasonable. Who would it disturb? Item No. 9. Review Holidays and Meeting Schedule It might be noted that the Board of Library Trustees By-Laws call for the regular meetings to be held in the Central Library, which no longer seems to be the custom. Regarding Presidents’ Day falling on February 17, and the By-Laws calling for a meeting on February 18, it is not entirely clear how staff would know there would be difficulty convening a quorum on that date. Item No. 10. Library Activities With Andrew Kachaturian taking the Adult Services Coordinator position, who will be serving as the Circulation and Technical Processing Coordinator? In the last paragraph on handwritten page 53, was the reference to the “Newport Harbor High School International Baccalaureate Business Students” intended to read “Newport Harbor High School International Baccalaureate Diploma Program students” According to the NHHS website, the Diploma Program is not particularly focused on business. Or was the outreach to a subset of Program students with business majors?