Parks and Recreation Committee - Regular Meeting

evening and it's five o'clock so we'll call the meeting to order and we'll start with multiple agents i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all

The next step is our membership. Do we have excused absences? I don't see John. Next up is approval of minutes from the last meeting. So moved, Jason Rosen. Second, Logan Scott. All in favor of approving the minutes, please say aye. Aye. Welcome to a time of public participation. We don't have anybody signed up, but we should introduce in person our representative from City Council, Denise Benton. Thank you. Apologies for missing the last meeting. Happy to have you. All right, so now on number six, we'll establish the order of the day. Looking at the action items, are there any, does anyone have any questions they want to discuss anything about anything on the bill register, anything about the budget amendment? If not, I'd entertain a motion to put those two items on a consent agenda.

Mr. Chairman, we put them on a consent agenda.

Second, Brian Vargas. Any discussion? All in favor of putting these two items onto a consent agenda, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, now we can approve the consent agenda. With the motion, please. So moved. Any opposed? I'll second that. All right. Again, any questions or discussion? None. All in favor of approving the consent agenda, please say aye. Aye. On to the information report. The administrative panel number one, the library recruitment status report. It's a neat little table.

Yep, it's a neat little table that other people make for me, which is wonderful. So this is dated. You'll just have to check the date every time because it'll be a little bit before the meeting every month. So I'll point out that there are a couple of things that are either currently happening this week or happening in the future. So the library pages, All four of them are starting yesterday or today at the library. And then we have an application deadline for the library assistant halftime for public services that's coming up on the 21st.

Thank you. Describe the differences between the positions, maybe two meetings ago or a meeting back. Could you go through again the difference between assistant, page, and then page clerk?

I will do my best. And if I get it wrong, please help me. Um, so the, the library page position is the position that shelves are materials. So you'll see them pushing carts around doing a lot of shelving. Um, page clerks are the ones that, um, pull title page. No. Okay.

So handling, um, Either material coming in, having been checked in, and then the sorting part, or doing manual check-in, right? So think of the page clerks, library page clerks, for materials management as being in the AMH room, pages being out on the world.

And then library assistants are the ones that are working the desk alongside our librarians, and librarians have a master's degree in library science. Library assistants have a bachelor's degree.

And it's fun to do all of those jobs. I'll throw out the jobs. That will be the strategic planning update.

So we are currently wrapping up what our consultants call the learn phase. And so that has involved the staff and trustee survey. So thank you. I think we've got it. um there are some email challenges with that so i appreciate you sticking with it um the focus groups are wrapping up um we just still have one more virtual focus group um that is happening this evening um we are completing surveys this week early next week um we're currently focusing on the working to identify additional non-English speakers. We've had a pretty strong response overall, so we're really happy with that. So we do have a translated survey in Spanish that is online. We've been working with some partners that have been kind enough to print copies as well as put links to the survey in their waiting rooms, in their um in within their like kind of incorporating them within their organization so fox valley literacy um we have a couple medical clinics that have them that we know serve a large population of spanish-speaking individuals and then we actually do have the capacity to support other languages as well so if as we're wrapping this up through early next week, if you have anyone that you think would be interested in completing the survey that may not do it because it's a bit intimidating in English, we can support them and do that. So just get in touch with me directly for that. We are also completing the date. So this is kind of completing the qualitative and quantitative data gathering portion of the phase, which will then, come out of it in a learning report that we will work with. The board and staff workshops are scheduled both for Friday, August 14th. So that is a day that was ingeniously determined based on also our ILS migration, knowing that that is a day the entire catalog is gonna have to be down. So we might as well, if we're gonna have to close, close on one of those days. And so we'll be working to have half day more information on that to come. And then after these workshops, the planning team will finalize the draft. And we're still aiming to bring this to the board in November for finalization.

What questions do you have? And the strategy is to ensure parents came to have their kids at school.

Yeah. And just really grateful for the Community Foundation Vision Fund grant.

I can read you other questions. Next up is the Owls Nicolet Merger Exploration Committee.

Yes. So this is new. So I haven't talked about the Owls Nicolet Merger Exploration Committee here yet. And we're going to have Bradley from Owls here next month. She does an annual visit. And so one of the things I've asked her to talk about is this, but I wanted to give you a little bit of a preview. So out again, you would pack a library system, which is our system, as well as the Nicolet library system, which is the system to the north. almost all of what you would consider the InfoSoup libraries, basically, with the exception of Brown County not being an InfoSoup, but being part of the nuclear library system. We are doing a merger exploration. So this is not a foregone conclusion that these systems will merge, but at this point, The thought is that these are systems that are actually in a position of strength. This isn't an exploration based off of desperation or financial need. The thought is that we have two systems that already have a lot in common, especially with the OWLsNet shared automation system. And so we feel it's the appropriate thing to explore merger. So there is a committee that includes library directors. including myself and then my counterpart at Brown County, Sarah Sugden. There are system directors, both system directors are involved and board representation from each of those systems. And this is a process that is being facilitated by Wills. And there's kind of three phases to the process. The first phase runs through July, and that is developing a shared understanding of um and developing the research questions that would be necessary to guide the information gathering phase that information gathering phase is july through october and that is when they will collect data and then after that period is when there would be a vote to recommend proceeding or not proceeding with a merger if that recommendation occurs, then the process, that committee doesn't have the authority to authorize the merger. The merger would be authorized by system boards and then the county boards. Um, so there is not a possibility that a merger would happen before 2028. So if all of this would go as quickly as possible and all of those votes would happen, um, it would be 2028 will be the soonest that we would see a new system. So that isn't not all something that isn't Nicolet, but some kind of new entity. Um, so that would create, I potentially create a tech County system around County. We won't know at the time of making the decision to recommend a merger or not if Brown County is interested in joining that shared catalog. So there's kind of a big gap there in not knowing that because the shared catalog is a big part of what we do. So I think as we are working through kind of the questions right now, those questions are really focusing on what would the potential governments be of such an entity? What does that mean for Appleton Public Library? We are the resource library for the outing. WPACA library system. The statutory definition of what a resource library is is antiquated, but yet there's still, I think, a meaningful role to the resource library, particularly in terms of being a part of statewide conversations and strategies with different resource libraries and system administrators. And then I mean, I think the biggest question is how that governance will work and how Brown County being in the catalog, how do members of a new board that aren't participating in the resources of the shared catalog have authority over that membership organization of what is currently known as LSAT. All that's super confusing. I'm sure Bradley's going to come and make it super clear next month. It's a complicated process. And I think we're moving forward in good faith. But it's not to say that it's definitely going to happen. There's a history. We've had conversations about Brown County joining Howells Met before. And that ended up being a no vote. I think there's a logic to consolidating systems that you reduce some duplication in the administrative areas. Ideally have kind of a deeper bench of skill sets in this new merge system with the talented individuals that work in those systems already. Will our cultures merge well together? A lot of unknowns yet. just started, just at our first meeting last week. These are public meetings. So if you are interested in attending them, they are virtual, but they are public meetings, let me know and I will be sure to send you that information.

Was it a year or two back, there was a similar exploration with Winifox, right? That sometimes comes up as a question, so it feels like. Yes. And that was ultimately to- Winifox.

Do you remember when we hosted Winifox? 2019. Okay. 2019, same theory.

Nothing comes up because of the overlap. Very close neighbors.

And I do think that the component of this is not happening out of fear of something else or that we have any kind of weakness in either system. I think that's really important because historically the thought of systems merging came out of this sense of fear that like that, like you're too small, you're not going to be able to sustain. And I don't think that's where either system is. But that the thought is that there could be potentially benefits to having one larger system.

Bradley has talked about how well they work with the Nicolet group and how much benefit there could be with their shared resources to increasing what they can provide member libraries.

If you think of any questions, also let me know so I can be sure to have them addressed in the process.

Next up is upcoming committee meetings.

Yes. That climate year again. So I think we do have a scheduled date for the Personnel Policy Committee, July 9th at 1.30. The Strategic Planning Workshop Retreat, which is August 14th at 1 p.m. And then to be determined prior to the august board meeting will be the finance committee meeting where we approve the blizzard before it goes to the city before it goes to council if you on that committee we will be in touch by we i mean jay in all of y'all's boxes

And then the library solar project.

Yeah. So I, um, this is not an action item because this isn't a decision for this, this board, but, um, it was something that was brought to finance committee on Monday past five zero at committee. Um, and it gives us the opportunity to, um, HAB-Masyn Moyer- Maybe confusing some of the headlines it sounds like the library is doubling its solar array almost makes it seem like we currently have one and it's it's doubling the plan solar array that was approved in the budget for 2026. HAB-Masyn Moyer- That will allow us to really maximize the investment and. HAB-Masyn Moyer- Having even better return on investment so. newly appointed director Tom Flick of Hunts and Rec, authored the memo that I attached explaining all of that. So it'll go to council tomorrow night.

I estimated that it pays for itself in six to seven years. I like that part of it.

Except quarter 2026 statistics and see jeans touch here as well on the statistics page. So you don't have to page through multiple pages for each month. She has set it up so it's on one sheet. Let us know how that works for you. I think it works really well online, but maybe harder when you print it. So we're happy to make adjustments as you need. So I'm just going to talk about March, unless you have questions about earlier months. But just a reminder about what was happening last year. So we were closed all of January of last year. So the January statistics are spectacular because we were closed. We're comparing year to year. The same with February, right? We didn't open until February 15th. So again, you'll see remarkable numbers in February. So let's look at March because we were actually open in March of last year for the whole month. And then don't pay too much attention to the year percent change because that includes that January and February piece that I just mentioned, right? So it looks spectacular there too. So we're just gonna put our thumbs over that column at the side there because it's not really a fair comparison. So we'll talk through some of the things. So total circulation, and I'm just going to be looking at that month percent change, not the year. We are down as expected from our opening month, 16%. But you'll see that our total e-circulation, if you go down a little bit further to the next bold, is up 12%. Door count down about 8% over our opening month. And then our use of self-check machines is up 4% from the previous year, which is wonderful to see. Total reference is down. So you have to think about how many questions people had in that opening library. So we had a lot of questions coming in, a lot of new cards, a lot of interaction at desks. So that's kind of modulated a little bit and come down 45% for us in that month. And then wonderfully, our volunteer hours are up 25%, which is remarkable given how many volunteer hours we added when we opened and that we're still increasing that. And that's a testament to Colleen Holtz, our volunteer coordinator, continuing to work hard for us. Collections and processing, you're going to see in the total titles and total volumes that we're holding about even. We hope to continue to do that. So we're not looking to increase the collection, but we're looking to hold it even. Maybe not perfectly at zero going forward, but you'll see that we're not going to have an abrupt increase in our collection size. programs doing really, really well. So children's programming in March was up 26% over the year, over last year, and then 51% for attendance. Young adult programs up 25% for the number of programs, 4% for program attendance. Adult programs, we did a little bit fewer this year, but attendance was up 44%. So you'll see that total program and total attendance is nice and high for us. Same with meeting room uses. So our meeting room uses are up by the public 21% and our library events holding strong 92% increase in that. And that could have a little bit to do with our new calendaring system and how we were entering things in the beginning. So I'm not, you'll see that those don't, the 92% doesn't correspond to the amount of programs that we added above and that's probably why. electronic services, total computing sessions up 28%, total time used on our public computers up 65%, and data transferred up 50% with fewer distinct clients hitting our Wi-Fi. Any questions on that? I think it's a really good look at a second year being open. So I think we're really proud of where we are.

Feedback on the printed sheet.

Yeah, or feedback on the sheet. Looks great on the screen.

People looking, I don't want to rush anyone. Move on to our next item, the first quarter Friends grant funded program summary is the big list at the end of the packet.

Yeah, so you have your traditional quarterly Friends grant funded program summaries, some obviously really fun and engaging programs. I just want to highlight a couple of them. I mean, you see, of course, our ragingly popular So Find Your Ancestors program and Katie's amazing work with that. I will tell you, we had a visiting librarian today, and he asked a question about an article he read about this person named Katie.

Yeah.

So she's got a reputation. Um, I also want to mention the downtown nature walks. Those are programs that Peter does and they're just really, um, wonderful programs. I, I do want to, I'm throwing this at you. Nowhere, but, um, I get to see the people gathering for the program and how excited they are. Um, Can you share anything about those?

Yeah, sure. We take monthly downtown nature walks. The idea is, you know, to go to a national park or even a state park, it requires transportation, requires a lot of time, but there's a ton of unique churches all around us. And so we take just about the same route every month, and we look at plants that are in the area, birds especially, some mammals occasionally, and we explore some tools that can use for discovery. snap a photo of plants and it gives you the best bet for what that could be. I'm going to share how to use a few guides here. Before you see that wild strawberry, keep that there and make sure you know what you're seeing. And then we explore like Merlin, which is an app that I do buy for this visit. So really trying to open up the natural world to folks, just breaking down. Happens monthly, so if you see it on the library calendar, please check it out.

Programs for all ages, including several programs on teen. Great interest, Craft Nights for Adults, our Teen Booming Program, which continue but at a different time during the summer. Self-Care for Teens as well, Teen Advisory Program, some really great children's programs, including our Symphony Storytime. This is a program we do with the Hawkeye Family Symphony, and we've covered it here, Musical Move and Storytime. And then a K-pop movie party, which was quite popular with them. So yeah, so please take some time to read these, some really great programs created with the support of Friends Grants, which is something that should be incredibly grateful for. Christmas, we would never forget.

Friends from the community.

for people who work here in the universe.

The thing I learned on the ELLs board is that not all friends groups are so supportive and generous and sometimes hold funds hostage. It's a great relationship. Next up, the president's report retiring trustee recognition.

PB, Lupita D Montoya, Yes, yes, so this is the last meeting for three of our trustees and wanted to start a little tradition. PB, Lupita D Montoya, So. PB, Lupita D Montoya, Starting with. PB, Lupita D Montoya, Starting with. and Bono. So Nan Bono joined the board of trustees as the school district appointee in July of 2022. Does that sound right? Sounds good. So something to note is that the Appleton Area School District has an appointee on the library board at any given point, and that is either the superintendent or a designee from the superintendent. And so... Nan stepped in in July and has just been a tremendous board member. We're so grateful. You were the perfect appointee because you had done so much with us in the past and we had worked together on curriculum review opportunities. We still wanted to have materials that opportunity for the public to review materials. The library has been a place where those materials be reviewed. So just a really wonderful way to kind of combine what you already knew about the library in your new role. So we are so thrilled for you and your retirement.

This role, but here is a plaque as well as some notepads from our work.

Every time you write a little note or a grocery list. Think of you. All right, next up, remotely. Unfortunately, Margie could not be here in person tonight. But... She has been a substantial part of this board for many years. Margie joined the board in January of 2018, not terribly long after your term as Alder person was completed. So some of you may not know, but Margie was an Alder person for the city of Appleton. had been a huge advocate for the library during that time and seemed like a logical and ideal trustee. And she proved herself to be one. So from January 20 of 18 until today, well, end of this month, actually. So you guys just hope nothing happens before the end of your term. including serving as vice president from 2021 to 2023 and as president from 2023 to 2025 to see the completion of the building project. So Margie, we have a plaque for you as well as a gift that you will see once I give Nancy hers.

Well, thank you very much.

Thank you. And then finally, Nancy Scheuerman. Nancy joined the Board of Trustees in July of 2014. She came highly recommended by a previous trustee, Will Blado. So Nancy was not somebody I had known prior to Will's recommendation. And I think Will had said she's the kind of person who no matter what board she's on, she's going to be a leader. And amazingly enough, about a year after she joined the board, she became president of the board.

First time.

And served as president from 2015 to 2017. She served as president from 2021 to 2023. These were really significant times for the building project and some of the, I think, most stressful times for the building project. So just to have Nancy... on our side throughout that was really important and served lastly as vice president in 2023 to 2024. So Nancy, there is your plaque and you and Margie will receive the president's gift of a tote bag with the watercolor of the blue butterflies for children. So I'll

Thank you. It's absolutely been a joy. That's all I'm going to say. It's a very difficult day for me because I'd probably serve forever if I could, because you people are wonderful. It's been a journey. It's been a journey, and there certainly were some tough years there. but it's always been a joy. I love coming into the library. I love seeing your faces. I won't be a stranger. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you all.

Best wishes and how you spend your time in the future, your extra time in the future.

one Tuesday night a month freed up now.

Oh, Jesus, she already knows. That's going to make me really cry.

Oh, we'll distract from tears then. It's one of the children's summer library programs.

Hello. So for a while, we've been coming and telling you how we were getting ready for summer and all the hours. And I'm here to tell you that summer has begun. So we are very, very excited. So the summer library program is a 10-week program that began June 7th and will run through August 15th. And so we do all of the fun things we can possibly think of to help kids keep learning and growing over the summer and to keep visiting the library every week to check out their new books.

Hi.

So as of right before I came up here, we had 265 kiddos who've gotten their first week prize, which is a pretty good start. We're happy with that. And then one extra thing we do in the summer for extra excitement is we have some big performers come in. So we did have Tom Pease come last week. He's very much a tradition here. I think 80s, 90s. He's been coming here for a long time. He can still do the splits. He's just fabulous. Parents know him, grandparents know him, kids know him. So Tom came for two shows and we had over 400 for the first and over 200 for the second. So it was a really fun day. That was last Thursday. And then we have Miller and Mike coming this Thursday for juggling. So highly encourage you to come for that. And if you have not yet picked up logs for anybody in your life who might need reading logs, verse through 12, you can read to them as small as they are.

Please come and grab your reading logs.

And summer reading is not just for children. We also have a summer reading for teens and adults. Both programs run fairly similarly. The exception being when teens register, they receive a free as well. They can't make it to the library. There's no excuse not to read. They have a book now with them. So for teens and adults, every two hours that they read in a week, they'll get a stamp. And then they can come to the library and get a prize draw and slip as well. We've got some really great prizes for adults and teens. Some Lego kits. Bob Ross Chia Pets. That's an adult prize. So yeah, just a lot of good stuff. We're continuing our Teen Tuesdays throughout the summer too. We've got a Brain Games Bonanza and a program called That's So 90s, where the teens will learn about some 90s traditions. Those little fortune tellers. Katie, who got a shout-out earlier today, is doing a now and then walking tour of the Appleton neighborhood, or Appleton Library neighborhood, sharing what plots of land used to be this building or this building used to be that. There's also an exhibit in the local history section right now, so if you want to click, you can see a step back in time. Our board games for adults are continuing on Downtown Nature Walk. well and you may have heard throughout this board meeting that is our summer music series on the bolt learning stairs so throughout the summer we'll have four artists coming in to share their music and provide some joyous songs for the library and it looks like we'll get out early so um austin skilecki is playing right now he'll be playing until six so definitely i'll get out Also, one more thing, I did bring enough reading logs from registrations. Well, I can pass them down as well. So hand me your registration slip and I'll hand you your log. And if you've read this week for at least two hours, stop by the information desk, get your first stamp and first prize drawing slip as well.

You had me at the Bob Ross chant.

Christopher McConkey- brings us to our final item, which is adjourned.

Christopher McConkey- The moved based music.

Christopher McConkey- Second. Christopher McConkey- All in favor adjourn please say aye. Christopher McConkey- opposed. Have a good evening, everyone. Thank you.

Thank you, everyone.