Parks & Recreation Committee - Regular Meeting

It is 05:00, so I will call our meeting to order. Starting with a request to amend the agenda, do we have any requests to amend? K. Seeing none, we can move on to public comment. Members of the public are invited to speak at the Manitowoc Public Library Board of Trustees meeting each month on any manner related to the oversight of Manitowoc Public Library.

The comments from each speaker shall be limited to five minutes in length unless extended by action of the Manitoba Public Library Board of Trustees. Do we have anyone present for public comment today in person or online? Second call for public comment. Great. Last call. Seeing

no one,

we will move on to number four on our agenda approval of minutes. So we have our regular library board meeting minutes from August 25.

We're looking for a motion to approve. I so move.

Second.

Motion by a year. Second by Abel. Discussion? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Alright. That passes, and we will move on to our financial reports. I will let you take it away, trustee. Thank

you. K. So we have the budget status report and the NPL check registers. So you see the amounts for fund twenty eight ten, twenty eight fifteen. So I would move that we accept the reports as presented and would hope for a second.

We have a motion by trustee Abel to approve the reports as presented. Do we have a second?

I'll second.

Discussion? All those in favor?

Aye.

Opposed? Up next is, correspondence. We have one, from chief Blazer. Everybody get a chance to see that? Awesome.

Then we will move on to our administrative reports. I hope everyone had a chance to take a look at those as well. I don't know if there was any question for you wanted to talk about here. We had very good weather for this year at a very long So far, everything is going well with the budget from our end. Our managers as well.

If there's anything that anyone wanted to say, then. Margaret? I think we should

just thank Rory for the work that was done as materials insured.

Lots of programming. Yeah. Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. The numbers for the zoo zoo program, like, I was thinking that was very impressive. Yeah. Mhmm. I heard a lot of positive things about that. Mhmm.

Does anyone have anything further, regarding our director's report, manager highlights, monthly statistics, and our CA earnings articles? K. Seeing none, then moving on to new business, starting with 2025 summer reading program overview with Sharon and Tony. Thank you.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Tony, the adult services librarian.

I'm Sharon.

You don't

know here. You don't know that.

So we're just here

to talk a little bit about this past year's summer reading. So we have the report in front of you. So if you have any questions along the way or you wanna know a little bit more about the statistics and all that, I'd be happy to answer those questions for you. So the summer reading program is our annual initiative meant to encourage a habit of regular reading in the summer months and hopefully beyond. It's free to participate and open to people of all ages, but it's particularly important for evening because we wanna keep kids engaged during the summer months to avoid summer slide, keep them reading, keep them coming into the library. As you can see with the numbers we have here from 2025 versus 2024,

we had

a 13% increase in sign ups, which is fantastic to see. So about 300 additional people signed up for the program this year versus last year, and our completions were up across the board. To complete the program, well, when you read six days, you earn a prize. And if you read thirty days, you complete the whole program. So you earn all of your prizes. So that's what that completion number refers to. On the second page of your updates, we have it kinda broken down by programs. You can see the individual participation because there's the three main programs, adult, teen, and youth. Adult was up 29% for sign ups and for completions. Teen was up a lot.

They continue to keep going up twenty six and thirty five completions, and youth had a slight increase in there, so pretty large participation there. And now Sharon will talk about the outreach participation.

So every year, we this is our second year of doing the outreach to several entities, Boys and Girls Club and YMCA summer camp. Myself and our librarian went out to the sites to welcome the groups to participate, and then we encouraged them to do a field trip to the library during the summer so that they could collect their prizes and make it different than the year before where we simply went out there, brought them a bunch of prizes that they earned. It didn't seem like there was enough of a a connect with the library, so we wanted them to know where their prizes were coming from and for what. So they they each came for a field trip. And the biggest participant, obviously, was MPSD.

The the big difference this year is that the school district actually funded busing to have all the summer school venues come. So all six sites did field trips here, which was amazing, and we did a short program with them all that also in in addition to increased participation in the summer reading program, it also led to an increase in library card applications because we did offer library card applications to the venues. Not every school did participate in getting their students' library cards, but I think at least two or three did.

Then the rest of the report kinda dives into some of the other programs that we were offering at the library over the last couple of months. So for the adult program here, I also wanna mention for the we were able to have larger raffle prizes for summer reading this year for the adults because we had received a lot of generous donations to summer reading. Over 30 local businesses contributed to summer reading. We were also able to give away a 10% coupon off one item from Cedar Crest. They gave that to everybody who signed up. So that was really great to have that partnership. Also did this year. Yeah. That was new this year, and we did our annual sign up event

at Cedar Crest. Cedar Crest then has over a 150 to 10 of that. Wow.

And then just going down with the adult programming. We also had the adaptive summer reading program. For nontraditional readers, there's other ways to interact with the program. So you could receive credit just by looking at a picture book, taking a walk, just other ways to have everybody included and participate in the program. We also had homebound summer reading program for individuals who are unable to travel to the library. They were able to get their reading trackers. When we dropped off the books, they could keep a log of their reading, and then we could drop off their prizes the next time they got a book order. So we had 23 individuals who chose to participate in that way. Some of the other highlights, we had our evening with Michael Perry, was fantastic. It we had about 400 people there.

Our capacity is about 360, so it was incredible for that amount. We're very fortunate to have him. We had our fifth annual brew and beat our spelling competition at PetSkull. We also started offering again our historic walking historic downtown walking tours, which were very

popular. The

biggest highlight to our teen programming this summer I mean, it's always tough to get teens into the library, so we try to do as much as we can, having some animals come for selfie shows and having the teens participate in crossover programming with adults in the library tie dye Tuesday that brought in teens. The biggest thing to note is that we had 11 really good volunteers that donated close to three hundred hours helping us with the summer reading program. They they helped add programs. They helped at the table, handing out prizes, and putting together other programming. And youth programming is always amazing in summer.

My favorite time of year, busiest time of year, of course. Highlights included our five off-site storytimes. We call them storytimes on the road. We love to do that because it's a way to participate with our local community members, but it's also a way to engage with people who may not otherwise have options to get to the library. They can still participate and enjoy a story time and see what we have to offer and hopefully bring them into the library.

So we did five of those. We had another costume character this year, the pigeon. Thank you, Chris Abel, for helping us with that story time as usual. It it won't be the same if Chris ever stops doing the the costume characters. And this year, we did a collaboration with your time metro with the bus. Kevin Botessi brought the bus, and we had the pigeon. And we did let the pigeon ride the bus. So that was a really fun event. So not dry. We had three story times with the pigeon.

The costume characters tend to bring out a lot of people, people, so that was exciting. That's also a literary tie in as well. And we did a concert with children's musician Jim Gill outside of Park. Had about a 150 attendees for that. That was generously funded by our NPL Foundation. We thank them for that. And, again, one of our largest was Tuesday with over 300. Some little logistical challenges as you have with that big of a crowd, so we're working on ways we could possibly tweak if we do that again next year. And just looking at different ways that we can engage with kickoff next year. I'd love to have another costume character.

Some of our other staff think perhaps a different type of program, maybe a concert or a magician or some other big performers, so we're we're looking at what would be the best way to kinda have a big kickoff. But, regardless, it was a a crazy busy summer. We had a lot of fun as evidenced by the photos you see here. And so I hope everybody got a chance to participate or have had somebody in your family participate. Margaret, I know you had a lot of your kids involved. So that

was awesome.

Yeah. And, again, special recognition to the Friends of the Manitowoc Public Library who are the primary sponsors of the summer reading program. So once again, contributed a lot for what we we asked and were able to offer a lot to our participants.

They do help quite

a bit with funding the at least in the the children's program and the teen program, at two of the the prize points in the summer reading program, youth can earn free books. So without the support of our friends, we wouldn't be able to have as as good of prizes. We also did have another generous donation of $3,700 that allowed us to get even higher quality books. Because even when you buy a lot of books, there's still you want the books that the kids want. You know, you don't want the cheapest books. So very, very generous donations this year really helped us succeed in new kids' great books.

Yeah. So overall, a a very fantastic year. If you have any questions about the program, anything we can go over with?

Yeah. We're all Well,

thank you.

Thank you for your time. I

was just really, really impressed that it went up. I mean, that's a huge increase.

Yes. Over what? We were all

Yeah. Across the board participation.

It's really great. Yeah. Incredible report. Thank you both, and thank you to all staff and volunteers and supporters that helped to make this happen. Is incredible.

Okay. Any further discussion on the summer reading program overview? Alright. And then we will move on to the resource library agreement 2026. I'll start while she's looking in her back.

This is a yearly agreement with our system, the unchecked library system. So mostly, it is yes. Yes. It is. Mostly, it's just updating the year to be the next year for 2026.

I did ask Becky about changing the language about being open on Sundays, not because I'm making any sort of motion or suggestion. I just didn't feel that a system agreement should dictate our hours. That's really for the reward to do. So that was the only reason behind it. She said it was only put in there years and years and years ago as a an example of what you we do as a resource library that is to connect in all the other libraries. But it doesn't feel like Yeah. It made as much sense. So

Right.

That was the only changes that you see in red on the first document and then clean.

I'll move to adopt the agreement and provide an authorization.

One second. You have to send it. K. So we have a motion and a second. Any discussion?

I just think I think I've asked. On the record, says collection development. Each library recommend thousand dollars, $200 for overall system, $800 to the Overdrive ebook eaudiobooks. Is there a reason why that's dictated and it's not just what the libraries want? Or I guess I'm questioning, like, if they wanna get $300 of books, would like, why would why is

there that distinction in there

as to what they can request in those thousand dollars?

Oh, for the thousand dollar too? Yeah. To make Yeah.

Top of the second page.

Ebooks as a did you wanna, Meredith Yeah. Speak to that specific?

So the materials librarian is like, staff works closely with the other libraries to make sure. So we budget every year money that they can that for books they don't wanna buy because their budgets are different.

And that was part of

a large agenda, Sharon. Mhmm. Okay. So what happens is the smaller libraries don't send a thousand dollars worth of physical materials for us to purchase for them. And this way, the money gets spent on high demand electronic books, and it goes to their patrons. It goes to so it's it's being sent being spent on behalf of the other libraries. It's just we weren't spending that out for them. And it's another way I mean, the electronic resources are really popular. Mhmm. There's high hold and high demand, and that's a really great way to use that money.

Mhmm. So that's why that decision was made. And it gives the materials librarian a little more freedom to spend it throughout the year as opposed to at the end of the year. So she looks at the holds, and she looks at what people are asking for. Mhmm. And if and she consults with the other libraries, so on what's being purchased.

Oh, I was just wondering why we were telling them they have to have 800 of this, $100 of this. Like, why can't we just save your thousand dollars that you've been On average. For your library.

Well, I mean, on average, they weren't spending. There was money left over. So, like, it was basically for physical materials before the thousand dollars. And it just got divided up as part of a large meeting because the other libraries weren't asking us to buy physical books. So I think what you're trying to say is Yes.

Thank you, Karen. Sure. So

I don't

know if you remember what Lars is. It's our system coming together, and what that specifically talks about is is what we all share as a system. Mhmm. And because we are the resource library, our collection development librarian does a lot of purchasing of items that the whole system wants even though that's our money. Mhmm.

Right? So what which what you're trying to say is that over the years, the libraries have not been coming to us with enough recommendations to spend over $200 of physical materials. This was at their recommendation that they're like, we can give you up to 200, but we really want most of the money sent towards electronic materials. That's why it's written down. Okay.

The collection development, each library may recommend to us up to a thousand dollars. And then they decided those small libraries decided that they would say two hundred is dedicated to physical materials and $800. They would give recommendations up to $800 of electronic titles. So they made that decision.

It wasn't like we said you have to spend $800 on ebooks or

$200 on the

He did not we're agreeing to it. It was agreement. Okay. But that was something that was written in at their recommendation. Oh, okay. Well, yeah. Because they were seeing that more and more people want electronic titles, and we can buy more titles using their recommendations, then we would be enhancing the collection for the whole system. Okay. Did that happen? But yes.

Anything in discussion? K. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Right. I do. Thank you. Right. Then next on our agenda, we have, let's see, employee policy manual updates. So we oh, yes. Sorry.

Move to approve the employee policy manual provisions as presented.

Second. Either one does, man. Okay. So any discussion?

These are passed at the city as well. Right? You're just pretty much bringing the language in that was from council.

Yep. Yeah. As I said.

It's all spelled

out there. Yep. Yep. Any further discussion? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? My

favorite part of.

Right. No. I am not But that didn't be a joke about that yet. But first, I will say the HVAC our rooftop unit and controls replacement was approved at the city council meeting last Monday. So it is a go.

Was it for a hold of money?

No. It was for a 50%. So we

And the reason being is when I called Sean, Sean's like, it's gonna be much easier to get it through with sharing than it would be not at human support.

And you guys approved sharing as we call it. Right.

Sharing is caring. I believe this board had a specific

mandate to the city representative.

I tried. We all got it approved. Yeah. Yeah. This one. If you got into see, I'll update if Chris comes to the next meeting dressed like a pension. My goodness. Not part of this.

This is not on the agenda.

No. Actually, we're getting we're getting past the seagull season. So right, Stacy?

What's that?

We're passing the seagull season.

Yes.

They've calmed down. Into molting season. Yes.

We're changing our feathers to winter feathers.

Yes. Which is why they're all over the ocean.

I'm not molting yet. I've got at least two

weeks. So

so the update is the HVAC is coming. Yay. And we'll have Stacy come up and. It will start this year. And right Yeah.

We'll to all gonna have parts. So we'll start in the roof first. We're do unit with a big crane, drop it down, and blow it off. They don't wanna mess with the seagulls, so that's what they're gonna do with your. And the rest is all interior. All the HVAC boxes are in the whole entire system that controls the flow. Those will be taken out, and then the controls will be all integrated, and then we'll have screens to do controls instead of go to question mark backslash. No. No. No.

No. No. I don't want We did some in house maintenance on the elevator, which was due in January. We got them replaced with oil packs. So something that the elevator repair guys always comes in today, do it automatically. We kinda jumped out of the game and did it for him, and now we're out of the game as far as money. Number of backslash of that. Number of toilets that we're replacing. For some reason, people kinda seek to lean whether they're reading or sleeping or relaxing. And since they've already topped the toilets off, so as we replace them, replace them with thicker heavy duty ones and replace the floor flange with the metal floor flange instead of plastic that everyone else.

So for some reason, they're only on the ADA type, which helps with the weight. The other ones aren't so when they sat on, and they

walk back and forth,

they crack. Besides leaving. So So

how many are we at?

We've done we replaced three already. Mhmm. Two more. Replaced one last week, and I'll do another one today. As the crack was replaced. We're looking it's amazing where you can find more unused area. Pick them up. Good to go.

It's amazing.

You just have

to clean the flange you go.

A flange cleaner. And lastly,

the big lighting project. We're almost done with large print. We have the last leg, and then we're creeping into fiction. And then we're doing slowly doing some of those smaller pieces like idea box. Those pieces are late at night, so we're doing the idea box this late Thursday night and Friday night after our whole staff. So that's going on. So if you got wanna see what LED lights look like, put a large print.

It's very bright.

Yes. And look up. And

don't look up.

Because I'm looking for a. It's very bright. Yeah. I don't believe large print.

Just print. Oh, no. I

know. So any questions? No Seagull questions? No pigeon questions?

Yeah. Thank you, everybody. You so much.

Alright. We then have concluded our agenda. So I'll just be looking for a.

So moved. Seconded.

All those in favor? Aye. Aye. We are adjourned. Thank you.