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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-20-2023-BLT-PUBLIC COMMENTSNovember 20,2023,BLT Agenda Item Comments These comments on Newport Beach Board of Library Trustees agenda items are submitted by: Jim Mosher (jimmosher@yahoo.com ),2210 Private Road,Newport Beach 92660 (949-548-6229). Item No.1.Minutes of the Oct 16,2023 Board of Library Trustees Meeting The passages in italics are from the draft minutes,with corrections suggested in strikeout underline format. Page 1 (page 5 of agenda packet),Item V,paragraph 3:“Trustee Antonella Castro requested a couple minutes to review the responses before she approved that she had reviewed them.” [What is this trying to say?Not having attended the meeting,I am unable to guess what responses the trustees had to approve they had reviewed.] Page 2 (page 6 of agenda packet),Item 5:“Chair Watkins reported that they are 25%through the fiscal year (FY)and at 23.4%over all overall expenditures,making them currently under budget for the year.”[alternatively,the words “over all”could simply be deleted] Page 7 (page 11 of agenda packet),paragraph 3 from end:“Mr.Jerry Kappel,NBPLF CEO, asked if Library Services Manager Lightfoot could provide him a column for the Foundation’s publication based on the touches in the community.” Page 7 (page 11 of agenda packet),last paragraph:“Mr.Kappel commented that the website chat feature is the most complained-about website interactive option.If they consider adding it as a feature,he suggested they really look deep into what the interaction feature is that they choose,and what the satisfaction rating it has.” Page 8 (page 12 of agenda packet),paragraph 1,sentence 2:“She suggested the two programs cross pollenate pollinate.” Item No.2.Patron Comments In Comment #4,a patron asked if the Library would place for public pickup a flyer produced by the Newport Beach Film Festival. The response –that NBPL would be happy to do so –seems appropriate,especially since the flyer was said to promote “films that are based on books.”However,it is unclear if it is consistent with Policy NBPL 8 (Display and Distribution of Materials). At one time,NBPL,like many public libraries,had a fairly liberal policy for placing materials in the public handout areas.However,a former director seemed uncomfortable with some of the material,and she convinced a former board to limit the shelves to government materials,only. This is reflected in the current NBPL 8,paragraph B of which says:“No materials provided by any non-governmental agency will be permitted on the designated shelves.Acceptable materials for dissemination on the shelves include Library information and announcements from City-designated Library support groups;City-sponsored programs and events;and materials November 20,2023,BLT agenda item comments -Jim Mosher Page 2 of 7 from other governmental agencies –e.g.City,County,State,and Federal information;and information and instructional materials from schools in the Newport Beach area (“school”is defined by the California Department of Education at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/si/ds/dos.asp).” Since the City supports the Film Festival through a monetary contribution,the inclusion in the second sentence of “City-sponsored programs and events”might seem to allow placement of their flyer.But this is contradicted by the first sentence,which prohibits any material from “any non-governmental agency.” The Board may wish to consider if NBPL 8 is overly restrictive,or at least to resolve if its prohibition on non-government materials is as absolute as it appears,noting that according to the Monitoring List,it would not normally come up for review until February 18,2025. A particularly curious example of its overreach came some years ago when a doctor from Hoag Hospital gave an invited presentation to the City Council about stroke prevention,and asked if he could put flyers in the library alerting community members to the warning signs of strokes. NBPL 8 did not allow that. Item No.3.Patron's Request for Evaluation of Library Resources I would guess the number of requests under this heading is unusually large for a single month, although I don’t know what the typical number is.1 In the absence of any explanation accompanying the item,I have these observations: ●I see 16 requests for evaluation (one for two books),presented in alphabetical order based on the patron’s last name. ○Presenting them chronologically might be more helpful,as it would highlight the sequence in which they came. ●12 of the requests are stamped as having been received on “9/18/2023”and the other 4 on “9/29/2023”despite them bearing a variety of dates (13 between 9/15 and 9/20,and one of the other 3,all from the same patron,as old as “7/1/2023”). ○Were the 16 forms received in two batches? ○Or is there some other reason for them being stamped on only two days? ●11 of the 16 requests mention the same book (George/Melissa) ●11 of the Director’responses are dated “Nov.14,”three “Nov.15”and one “Nov.16,” seemingly unrelated to the date received. ○Is the nearly month-long response delay for some of these normal?Or was there some special reason for it? ●One of the requests (agenda packet page 29)criticizes three books,but,for unexplained reasons,one of those is highlighted,and only that one is responded to. 1 News stories about the recent controversy in Huntington Beach indicated that prior to that,there had been only five requests for evaluation in five years,or about one per year. November 20,2023,BLT agenda item comments -Jim Mosher Page 3 of 7 ●All the request forms were completed by hand despite the library offering a fillable electronic form (revised October 16)on its NBPL 2 (Collection Development Policy) page. ○Was a fillable form available in September? ○Should it be more widely publicized? ●Regarding the outcome of patron requests for evaluation,the current version of NBPL 2 contains the statement “Any unresolved concerns shall be referred to the Board of Library Trustees for final resolution.”It is not entirely clear from this,or from the evaluation form,or from the Director’s response letters,if patrons,themselves,have a right to appeal to the Board or if only the Director can decide if a matter should be referred to them. ○Should NBPL 2 be more clear about this? ●Should NBPL provide a form that patrons can use to put in a good word for a book they really like and hope NBPL will keep in its collection? ○Currently NBPL 2 mentions only there is a ““Suggest a Title”form located on the Library’s website”for items not already in the collection (unlike the Request for Evaluation form NBPL 2 does not provide a link to where it is).2 ○NBPL 2 suggests no way to comment positively on an existing item. Item No.4.Library Activities Regarding the Adult Services Coordinator’s report,on agenda packet page 73,with 118 titles lent and just 12 titles borrowed during September and October,there appears to be a very large imbalance in NBPL’s InterLibrary Loan program. Since every item lent by anyone must be borrowed by someone else,it would seem that mathematically the two numbers would have to be equal when averaged over all participating libraries.Is this large imbalance NBPL sees typical of public libraries?Or does it reflect an unusually high charge for the service,or insufficient publicity about it,at NBPL? What hard-to-find materials does NBPL have?And what institutions are the requests for them coming from? Also,on the following page,does “Librarians Rosemary Hammock and Laurie Sanders have begun evaluating primary sources housed at Central Library for the Local History collection” mean library items not currently in the collection are being considered for addition to it?If so,is there room?Or does it mean items already in it would be discarded to make room?It would seem items regarded as of archival importance could be designated as part of the collection without physically being placed in the cabinets. On agenda packet pages 79 through 82,it is apparent that of the metrics tracked,only program attendance has bounced back to,and exceeded,pre-pandemic levels.I may have missed meetings where this has been discussed,but does staff anticipate future recovery in circulation, reference and patrons served?Or are the current low numbers tracking a longer term downward 2 NBPL 2 likewise mentions InterLibrary Loan,but provides no link to it. November 20,2023,BLT agenda item comments -Jim Mosher Page 4 of 7 trend in those statistics resulting from changes in patron behavior unrelated to the pandemic?If the latter,does that mean changes should be made to the service model? Item No.8.Consideration for Children's Collection Development Policy This item is a bit curious since the minutes of the last meeting indicate the Trustees just had an ad hoc committee which I thought was created to address the same issue as is proposed to be addressed by a new committee,namely if tweaks were needed to the treatment of children and parents in the current development policy.And after adopting its recommendations on October 16,it was dissolved.I can only guess the intent is to have a different set of two Trustees discuss the issue with staff “offline”? Given the recent controversies,I would also guess much has been written about the adequacy of children’s collection policies,although I’m not able to find it. As best I can tell,standalone children's collection development policies are rare,although as I’ve pointed out in the past when NBPL 2 has come up for review,many public libraries have more elaborate and specific collection development policies than NBPL,and some of those contain sections dealing specifically with their children’s collections. One of the very few I found with a separate “Collection Development Policy –Children’s Department,”applying to materials for children through Grade 8,is from the Lynn, Massachusetts,Public Library.However,the only criteria that seem child-specific are “Educational significance”and possibly “High artistic quality and/or literary style.”Most seem to match their more general policy,which also contains the same warnings about parents’ responsibilities. Another is the Medford,Massachusetts,Public Library’s Children’s Collection Development Policy,geared,it says,to the needs of children through Grade 6.It is considerably more detailed than their general development policy. By contrast,the Cambridge Public Library has a section on Youth Materials in their general policy,which says “The criteria used in the selection process for materials in the youth services department are fundamentally identical to those used for adult materials,”and warns “Parents and guardians who do not want their children to have access to specific library materials should so advise their own children.” Closer to home,I notice many collection development policies,such as those from Santa Ana, Pomona and Palo Alto,provide a brief overview of the various groupings they organize their collections into (including Children’s and Youth materials),and the objectives of each, something NBPL 2 does not currently do.Santa Barbara has a longer than normal list of its collection categories and what it seeks to achieve in each. Rather than a separate policy for children’s collection development,it might be noted that the current NBPL 2,after listing our general selection criteria says (see near bottom of page 92 of the agenda packet):“materials for adults,teens and children will each be judged differently.” It would seem sufficient to follow that with a listing of criteria specific to those collections. November 20,2023,BLT agenda item comments -Jim Mosher Page 5 of 7 Item 10.Newport Beach Public Library Foundation Wish List The staff report does not explain how creation of a “seed library”became a wish list item. Is it a follow-up to Patron Comment #7 from page 14 of the May 15,2023,agenda packet, asking if NBPL had one? In her reply,Library Services Manager Lightfoot mentioned that in Orange County they existed at the Yorba Linda and City of Orange libraries (of which I believe Yorba Linda is the oldest).As I probably mentioned at the time,Huntington Beach also has one (even with a video).And though the patron thought UCI had none,they do as well. Since all of these use old paper card-style library catalog cabinets to store the seed packets,it is unfortunate NBPL disposed of all of its. I support this item,although I am not sure what the full plan is.Most seed libraries not only provide commercially-packaged seeds,but also encourage residents to return with their own homegrown ones.Processing and packaging those usually depends on a network of dedicated volunteers with some knowledge of what they are doing.How will Mariners staff manage this? Incidentally,those visiting the City of Orange Seed Library page may see in the menu on the left a number of other interesting “library of things”items they offer,including beginner’s hiking and birdwatching backpacks that are apparently a companion to the State Parks Pass program that NBPL offers.I don’t know if NBPL is aware of that additional state offering. Item 11.Lecture Hall Update As the trustees are undoubtedly aware,at its November 14,2023,study session,the City Council gave direction to go ahead with considering the bids received for construction of the Lecture Hall,however,with some of the members imagining it could be transformed from a lecture hall into a multipurpose civic auditorium,or at least a lecture plus small theater venue, with a few change orders to the builder.That does not seem at all realistic to me.The seats at a civic auditorium normally number in the thousands,for which there is no room at the site.And even for small events,the design that was developed over several years,and bid,was very specifically for use as a lecture hall,with the added flexibility to accommodate other kinds of small-scale events rejected at an early stage due to the anticipated cost increase. Item 12.Balboa Branch Replacement Update The Trustees may wish to know that at its November 7,2023,meeting,as a result of recent acoustic tomography showing an advanced state of internal decay,the City’s Parks,Beaches and Recreation Commission approved a City staff request to remove yet another of the landmark eucalyptus trees at the Balboa Branch site.The tree in question is the one by the wall separating the library and fire station parking lots.That tree is now in its 30-day appeal period, after which the removal can proceed.I believe that will leave just one eucalyptus or possibly two.Parks staff said that younger ficus trees planted on the site were intended to provide future heron nesting sites if all the eucalyptus have to be removed,but replacement of this one will be on hold until plans for the future fibrary are more developed. November 20,2023,BLT agenda item comments -Jim Mosher Page 6 of 7 Item 14.Library Foundation Liaison Reports I notice from Item 12 at the City Council’s February 25,2003,meeting,that at that time the Foundation provided the money to support what are now called the “Witte Lectures”(at that time the “Distinguished Speakers Lecture Series”)to the City,which then paid the bills.It is unclear to me when the current practice began of the Foundation using the donations it receives to produce programming independent from the Library. Item VII.PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS NBPL Facility Histories The November 14 City Council meeting was adjourned in memory of James Pirdy,a local architect who died,apparently unexpectedly,on October 21.I was surprised to hear,in the eulogy,the reference to “the many buildings he created as a brilliant architect,such as the Newport Beach Central Library.”I found that surprising because I thought the Central Library had been designed by a San Francisco firm that had been approached,more recently,in connection with the Lecture Hall,but had declined to bid on its design. Checking the “About…Hours and Locations…”page for the Central Library on the NBPL website,I see that Mr.Pirdy’s firm did indeed partner with Simon Martin-Vegue Winkelstein Moris,San Francisco,although a Council document from July 25,1994,announcing completion of the project,suggests the role may have been more one of completing detailed drawings and specifications,and supervision,than of creative design. I bring this up because I notice the background information provided on the NBPL website about the various branches is not consistent. The page for the Central LIbrary (linked to above)mentions the architect and price,but not who built it (the Koll Construction Company).That for the new Corona del Mar Branch mentions the cost of the 1952 building,but not the current one.And it mentions neither the architect or builder.It also confusingly says the CdM branch “was completed in September 2019,”yet includes photos from a July 20,2019,grand opening.For the Donna and John Crean Mariners Branch,one learns only its in a “15,000 square-foot building”(not sure if that includes the Jorgensen Room)that “opened in 2006.” For each facility,it would seem helpful to provide the date,size,cost (including the amount of private donations,if any),architect and possibly the builder. Facility Names Regarding the Donna and John Crean Mariners Branch,since it is the only facility named after private residents,and since naming complete facilities after people is against current City policy, I have sometimes wondered how it acquired its unusual name and whether the Council ever approved it.According to a January 28,2003,page 1 article in the Daily Pilot (available via the NBPL’s Local Newspapers Archive),the name seems to have been bestowed by a private fundraising support group in recognition of a $500,000 pledge from the Creans.Page 3 of the November 20,2023,BLT agenda item comments -Jim Mosher Page 7 of 7 City Council minutes from the same day includes a report from Council member Don Webb of having attended a January 27,2003,ceremony (apparently at the Mariners School)where the name was “formally announced,”but it does not indicate he asked the Council to approve it. Item 19 on that night’s agenda created the “Mariners Joint Use Steering Committee”and continued to refer to the facility as the “Mariners Joint Use Library,”as did some later reports.It may be having people’s names in a library name was more acquiesced to by the council than formally approved by it. Municipal Code I would like to thank NBPL staff,especially Reference Librarian Chris Hennigan,for coordinating with the City Clerk’s Office to bring up to date the paper copy of the City’s Municipal Code that is kept in the bookshelf behind the reference desk at the Central Library.Its upkeep had been neglected for at least seven years.Sadly,at the November 14 meeting,the City Council introduced a 470-page Ordinance No.2023-22,which,if adopted,will,among many other things,eliminate the Clerk’s duty to maintain such copies for the public’s use –leaving the library with the question of whether it will need to be discarded when some of its pages become out of date,which will be soon. Extending Reach Through LINK+? In reviewing our Collection Development Policy (NBPL 2),I noticed that under “Reciprocal Lending”it mentions that additional resources are available via InterLibrary Loans and universal borrowing (by which California residents have in-person borrowing privileges at all participating libraries). In looking at the corresponding policy for the Palo Alto Public Library,I notice that under “Resource Sharing With Other Libraries”they mention their participation in LINK+,a “union catalog”nearly 80 participating California,Nevada and Arizona college and public libraries,from which physical materials can be borrowed without having to through ILL. I do not recall hearing about this,and do not know if NBPL has considered joining. Trustee Training With a recent resignation,Newport Beach’s Board of Library Trustees will be in the unusual position of having four of the five trustees new to the board this year. The new trustees may wish to be aware that in addition to the Public Library Trustees Toolkit and Resource Guide provided by the California State Library,and those of the American Library Association,there was formerly an independent California Association of Library Trustees and Commissioners that offered free training.They seem no longer to exist,but there would still seem merit in trying to get some outside perspectives on what role trustees should play in library governance.