LIB 03-25-2011 (Special) City of Cupertino
Library Commission
Special Meeting
March 25, 2011
1. CALL TO ORDER
At 1:10 p.m. the meeting was called to order at Cupertino Senior Center 21251
Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, Bay Room.
2. ROLL CALL
Commissioners: Susanna Tsai, Adrian Kolb, Ron Miller, Rose Grymes, Ann
Stevenson
City /County Library Staff Carol Atwood, Mark Fink, Melinda Cervantes, Liz Nunez
Absent:
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
No minutes to approve at this time.
4. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS- None
5. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS -None
6. RETREAT ITEMS:
A. Brown Act: Kim Smith, City Clerk, reviewed different scenarios pertaining to
Brown Act situations and limir:ations for government bodies.
B. Roles Descriptions:
1. Commissioners: Advisory; Recommend support for local Library and meet
community needs; Research on specific items; Promote Library patronage;
Respond to City Council requests.
2. County: Different than City Staff in that County has more knowledge of
local Library function and needs; Concerned with topics, content, programs
and policies (i.e. SV Reads); informational for County Library Strategic plan;
Represent local Library as member to Santa Clara County Joint Powers
Authority. (JPA)
3. City Staff: Bring any budget items for Council to review and approve;
administer meeting notices, minutes and other administrative functions;
coordination with other commissions.
C. 2011 Work Plan
Commission began discussion with item #1-promoting library services and
patron recruiting. Commissioners asked if welcome packets were still being
distributed. Carol Atwood will follow -up with Kelly Kline and Laura Lee
about status of welcome packets to include information about library and
events. Mark Fink began discussion of County's Strategic plan to increase
awareness and use with current library card holders.
Carol will provide list of City funded community events to be held at City
venues for Commissioners to be aware of and decide which ones to participate
in.
Commissioner Grymes joined the Friends of Library and reported that books
that were placed for sale at the Library were disappearing from shelves and
solicit help from the Commission to address this issue. Various solutions
were discussed. Commissioner Grymes volunteered to ask a
representative from Friends of Library to come to the next regular meeting and
explain this issue. Carol Atwood recommended that Commission contact
Calix, CALTAC or CLA to find out if other libraries have experienced a
similar issue and find out how this was dealt with.
D. SCC Strategic Plan
Mark Fink reviewed the attached recommendations from the Strategic Action
Steering Group.
7. AGENDA BUILDING
Friends of Library — books disappearing from shelves at Cupertino Library
Poet Laureate
8. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
Liz Nunez, Recording Secr�
g rY
January 24, 2011
Strategic Action Steering Group Recommendations
The Strategic Action Steering Group began meeting in October 2010 and has been
studying the Library's strategic plan research report. Our goal is to improve services for
the non -user clusters Kid's Sake, Those Who Read Together, The Borrowers, and Free
Agents based on their likelihood of getting a library card. The following are
recommendations for service initiatives.
1. Increase outreach and programming, targeting all non -user clusters.
Outreach is defined as library services promoted outside of the library. We recommend
an Outreach and Programming Action Team, chaired by Davi Evans, Programs Services
Manager, which will develop tools for staff. Goals for the Action Team include:
• Identify small non -user groups in each community with library staff
• Emphasize personal interaction with the community
• Create an outreach tool kit for each library, with customizable folders, flyers, and
presentations (see below)
• Tools will be cohesive in style and in Santa Clara County Library messaging
• Create customizable folders that includes basic information (library hours,
website, etc.) for use in the outreach tool kit and in community welcome packets
• Develop a SPOT page Outreach portal with flyers, presentation and program
outlines for targeted non -user audiences
• Develop a simultaneous program for parents and children utilizing Adult and
Children's Librarians
• Set goals for each Community Library including creating Outreach Squads, target
audiences, and number of outreach activities per quarter
• Discuss how to outreach fits into a balanced workload with each library's
Community Librarian using current resources
2. Develop Family Reading to reach the Kid's Sake and Those Who Read Together
clusters. Family Reading includes childhood literacy and recreational reading. A Family
Reading Action Team will create literacy skills, collection and program content for these
clusters. We recommend Collections Services Manager Patricia Lorenzo to chair this
Action Team. Goals for this Action Team include:
• Develop circulating family reading kits, including recommended reading, songs,
audio books, finger plays, rhymes, anc: more
• Deliver a system -wide Every Child Ready to Read program
• Create a family reading program
• Develop a family reading portal on the Library web site, including literacy skills,
book lists, partner agencies and sites, and story time at home ideas
• Increase popular children's materials at every library
• Develop strategies for targeting non -user participation in the Summer Reading
and Silicon Valley Reads programs
• Target audiences include parents to be. multigenerational families, and caretakers
• Consider bilingual content as appropriate
3. As a short term marketing and outreach goal, we recommend the creation of a
Promotional Video Action Team, chair to be determined. This Action Team will create a
short video that demonstrates Santa Clara County Library's core services and
conveniences. Its target is the Library's non - users, and is to be used in outreach and
advocacy. The video will be representative of the system and no more than three minutes
long. The video will be posted on the Library's web site and on a Santa Clara County
Library YouTube channel. In addition, the Promotional Video Action Team will create
video guidelines for the Library, including a common look and feel, and will train and
oversee library staff in creating their first video for non - users. (see number 5).
4. Create a Santa Clara County Library brand. The Library needs a strong,
identifiable message to reach its users and nor -users across a variety of platforms. To
create a brand, the Steering Group recommends hiring either a marketing director or
writing an LSTA grant to hire a marketing consultant.
5. We recommend the purchase of Flip cameras and video editing software for each
library to document and promote our work with non - users, including outreach,
programming, and family reading services.
6. We recommend a temporary e- library card for patrons who register online with
access to the Library's e- resources. This sery ice promotes convenience and a wealth of
valuable content with 24/7 access to all patrons in the Library's service area.
Next Steps:
Strategic Action Steering Group: The Steering Group will concentrate its efforts on
reaching The Borrowers and The Free Agents, and will continue to identify service
improvements for the Library. Another Action Team for these clusters will be formed
when the Steering Group identifies goals and ways to achieve them.
Action Teams: An application to join the three Action Teams will go to staff shortly.
Action Team Chairs will meet with the Steering Group Co- Chairs and Deputy County
Librarians to determine the composition of the Teams, and will continue to meet
periodically moving forward to achieve goals.
Libraries: Library staff will work with the three Action Teams. Staff will present
outreach and programs in the community when they are developed by the Action Teams.
Community Librarians will share new strategic developments with their local advocacy
groups and determine ways in which they can get involved.