[EBR Library Board of Control on November 21, 2024.]
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WELCOME TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL.
MAY YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
STANDS, ONE NATION, NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, SO FOR OUR ROLL CALL, CAN TEMPLE HERE? DON
DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? YES, PLEASE LET THE RECORD REFLECT.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM MOVING ON THE APPROVE OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 17TH, 2024.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE.
I I HAVE A JUST, UH, ON ONE SECTION.
UM, I WAS LISTED AS MARY WASCOM AND ALTHOUGH MARY'S A LOVELY NAME, MARY STEIN, UH, IT'S, IT'S JUST NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED TO KATHY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, PROBABLY I READ IT ONLINE.
PROVE THAT WE MAKE THE CORRECTION AND APPROVE THE MINUTES.
MARY, DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
NEXT ON THE AGENDA WILL BE SPECIAL ORDERS.
YEAH, BUT RIGHT NOW, SPECIAL RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE SOME SPECIAL GUESTS WITH US TODAY AND, UM, WE WILL BE INTRODUCING THEM IN JUST A MOMENT.
THEY'RE HERE BECAUSE OF A LONG PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LIBRARY.
SPECIFICALLY CHILDREN'S SERVICES TODAY REPRESENTED BY CHILDREN'S SERVICES COORDINATOR, TARA DEERING, WHOM YOU HAVE ALL MET BEFORE.
AND AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO WAIT.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE BRANDON FOREMAN AND AMY FOREMAN AS OUR SPATE SCHOLARS OF THE YEAR, HONORING THEM FOR THEIR WORK, ADVANCING LITERACY AND LIBRARY SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, BRANDON AND AMY, COULD YOU COME UP AND, UH, KATRINA IS GONNA JOIN US OVER HERE.
I'M GONNA TAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL.
UM, SO BRANDON AND AMY, THERE HAS BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS A SPECIAL HONOR THAT WAS, UH, IN BASICALLY ENDOWED BY, UH, THE HUFF FOUND FAMILY FOUNDATION, WHERE THEY ASKED THE LIBRARY TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAD BEEN SPECIAL ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF LITERACY, LEARNING AND EDUCATION IN THE
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COMMUNITY.AND THIS YEAR, BASED ON YOUR WORK FOR THE PAST MANY YEARS, CELEBRATING EVERYTHING FROM PARENTS MAGAZINE.
AS YOU'LL SEE, WE PUT SEVERAL NAMES ON ON THE CERTIFICATE, UH, BATON ROUGE PARENTS MAGAZINE, YOUR, UH, THE FOUNDATION THAT YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED, YOUR WORK WITH KIDS, SCOOP NEWS, OUR WORK WITH YOU FOR EVERYTHING FROM CAMP FAIRS AND PINK AND BLUE AND COVER KIDS SOCKET TO ME, WHICH WE'RE COLLECTING RIGHT NOW, TRYING TO GET 50,000 PAIRS OF SOCKS HAW.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT, UM, YOUR WORK WITH US ON THE HOME LIBRARY PROJECT, YOUR WORK AT THE AIRPORT WITH THE FAMILY LEARNING LAB, UH, YOUR FUTURE WORK AT THE INSPIRATION CENTER THAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE AT HOWELL PARK, UM, YOUR PODCAST, WHAT'S WHAT, UM, WE COULD THINK OF NO BETTER UNIT TO HONOR THIS YEAR.
UH, AND I, OF COURSE, ESPECIALLY WORK WITH BRANDON, BUT, UH, BUT IT'S THE WHOLE FAMILY.
IT IS A FAMILY RESOURCE GROUP, DON'T YOU THINK? SO FOR THAT REASON, WE HAVE HONORED YOU AS EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATORS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO EXCELLENT IN EDUCATION.
AND, AND AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED IN LIBRARY ADVOCACY.
AND, UH, BECAUSE OF THIS, UH, THE HUB FOUNDATION HAS, UH, CHO HELPED US CHOOSE A NUMBER OF BOOKS, AND YOUR STAFF KIND OF HELPED US FIGURE OUT WHICH BOOKS TO HONOR, INCLUDING THE NEWEST ONE FROM YOUR FAMILY, UH, DONE BY AMANDA MILLER, WHO IS HERE WITH US TODAY, UM, FOR YOUR STAFF, OF COURSE.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS HAVE A PICTURE OF YOU AND KATRINA AND TARA, UH, WITH THIS, WHICH LIVES IN OUR, IT LIVES IN THE LIBRARY
SO I SEE MORE THAN 10 INCHES AWAY.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS PICTURE AND GET Y'ALL OUT THERE AND CONTINUE CELEBRATING ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO WITH BATON ROUGE PARENTS, KIDS, SCOOP NEWS, YOUR FOUNDATION, AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS Y'ALL DO.
BECAUSE FRANKLY, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THIS MAN IS AN INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY AND HE HAS HIS FINGER IN MANY PIES THAT HELP TO BUILD CAPACITY IN OUR REGION, IN OUR STATE.
AND WE'RE JUST EXCITED TO BE A PART OF EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.
LET ME TAKE SOME MORE PICTURES.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE WHOLE GAME TIME.
MARY, DO YOU WANT ME GIVE? OH, YES, YES.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW, AND NEVER ONCE HAVE I SEEN HER.
YOU WANNA SAY A WORD? I, I, I CAN, I GUESS.
IT WAS A LITTLE NERVE WRACKING.
THEY DIDN'T TELL ME WHAT I WAS COMING HERE FOR
BEEN ON TOP OF MY ASSISTANT'S, BEEN OUT FOR LIKE THREE DAYS TOO, SO I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON,
UM, NO, I WANT TO THANK YOU, MARY.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, FROM THE LIBRARY, ALL WE'VE EVER SAID WE WANTED TO DO IS HELP.
AND REALLY, WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO IT, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING.
IT'S, I MIGHT BE THE GUY ON THE FRONT END, BUT IT'S AMY, IT'S AMANDA, IT'S TERRY IN THE BACK, IT'S SARAH, IT'S OUR WHOLE TEAM THAT ACTUALLY MAKES THE WORK.
I JUST KIND OF SHOW UP AND KIND OF COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS AND RUN OUT.
SO THEY'RE THE ONES THAT REALLY SHOULD ALL BE UP HERE, INCLUDING EVERYBODY ELSE BACK AT THE OFFICE.
BUT IT'S EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY IN THE COMPANY.
WE'VE GOT A CULTURE THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, WANTS TO SERVE, WANTS TO HELP, WANTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER, AND JUST CUT THE RED TAPE AND GET OUTTA THE WAY.
I'LL RUN THROUGH, I'LL GET IN TROUBLE AND THEN LET DO THINGS THE WRONG WAY, AND THEN WE'LL LET
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SOMEBODY DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.BUT WE GET IT DONE SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER WITH THE HELP OF EVERYBODY HERE THAT ALLOWS US TO COME IN AND DO CRAZY IDEAS.
WE SET UPSTAIRS AND WE WERE JUST GOING LIKE, IT'D BE REALLY COOL TO GIVE BOOKS AWAY
WELL, WE, IT'S LIKE, WELL, LET'S GIVE BOOKS AWAY.
AND SHE'S LIKE, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
IT'S LIKE, NO, THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY.
IT'S LIKE, WHAT IF WE FIND SOMEBODY TO GIVE US SOME MONEY HERE AND DONATE THROUGH HERE? WE KIND OF FOUND THREADED THE NEEDLE.
AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE UP TO WHAT, 5, 5, 600 KIDS, SIX SCHOOLS, ABOUT 400, JUST OVER 400, OVER 400 KIDS, SIX SCHOOLS THAT ARE GETTING READ TO.
SO GETTING BOOKS THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO BEFORE.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE ON LITERACY.
SO WE JUST NEED TO KEEP IT ON TOP OF MIND FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, AND, UM, THE BOOKS, UH, WILL HAVE THE BOOK PLATES IN THEM, UM, STUDYING PROCESS.
YEAH, WE JUST GOT 'EM YESTERDAY.
SO, AND THE BOOK PLATE WILL HAVE, THIS IS THE STAINED GLASS THAT, UH, THE, THE WILL AND LEON HUFF FUND ENDOWED FOR THE LIBRARY ON THE FIRST FLOOR CELEBRATING EDUCATION AND LITERACY.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE BOOK FIGHT THAT WILL BE IN EACH BOOK.
AND Y'ALL MAY HAVE SOME COOKIE CAKE BEFORE YOU LEAVE
MOVING ON TO REPORTS BY THE DIRECTOR.
FINANCIAL REPORTS WILL BE READ BY OUR BUSINESS MANAGER, MS. RON RHONDA PEN FOR 2024.
OPERATING EXPENDITURES THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST ARE $36,323,109 AND 58 CENTS, OR 69.42% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET THROUGH OCTOBER.
WE SHOULD HAVE SPENT NO MORE THAN 83% OF THE BUDGET CASH COLLECTIONS FROM PROPERTY TAXES FOR 2024 REMAIN AHEAD OF THOSE COLLECTED IN 2023 AS WE ARE APPROXIMATELY $2.1 MILLION AND 3.9% AHEAD OF THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
THOSE INTEREST EARNINGS FINALLY POSTED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
A SYSTEM REPORTS WILL BE READ BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MARY STEIN.
LET ME GET THIS OUTTA THE WAY.
AND, UH, IN CASE YOU
UM, WE HAD TO, WE HAD TO BRING THE SNEAKY AGENDA THAT DIDN'T HAVE THEIR NAME ON IT.
UM, SO NOW LET'S GET ONTO REGULAR BUSINESS.
BUT ALL THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, THE WONDERFUL HALLOWEEN DIRECTION DECORATION SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE PARISH.
A MEMBER OF OUR STAFF CAME, UH, CAME ACROSS THIS ONE WHERE EVEN THE SKELETOR IS LOVING THE LIBRARY.
SO I HAD TO SHARE THAT WITH Y'ALL.
SO I ALREADY MENTIONED THE SOCKET TO ME PROMOTION THAT WE'RE, UH, WE'RE AVIDLY COLLECTING SOCKS ALL OVER THE PARISH, HOPING TO MAKE OUR GOAL OF 50,000.
UH, THAT CAME CAMPAIGN IS RUNNING THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER, THOUGH OF COURSE, WE'LL KEEP ACCEPTING SOCKS PAST THAT AND GET THEM TO THEIR PROPER PLACE.
UH, THE REASON IT'S SOCKS IS BECAUSE THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE REQUESTED ITEM OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO ARE IN FOSTER CARE, SHELTERING EMERGENCY CRISIS, HOMELESSNESS SITUATIONS.
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YOU, YOU KNOW, IN THE OLD DAYS THEY SAY THE ARMY MARCHES ON ITS FEET.YOU, YOU GOTTA HAVE COMFORTABLE FEET, AND THAT STARTS WITH GOOD SOCKS IN THE WINTER.
UM, SO WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE SOME LOVELY, UH, MEDIA TO HELP US WITH THIS.
THERE YOU SEE IN THE BOTTOM, UH, US ON THE LOCAL CHANNEL 33, UH, WITH, WITH TERRY AND TARA AND MYSELF.
NOW, THE MAKER FAIR WAS FABULOUS.
WE HAD 2,700 PEOPLE, MORE OR LESS ATTEND.
AND THE NEAT THING ABOUT IT THIS YEAR, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT THEY STAYED A LONG TIME.
WE, I WAS INTERESTED IN HOW A THEME OF MUSIC MIGHT AFFECT WHAT THE EXHIBITORS AND VENDORS AND DEMONSTRATORS DID OR BROUGHT, BUT THEY TOLD ME, UH, AS I KIND OF CANVASSED THE GROUP, THAT THEY, THEY ENJOYED THE CHALLENGE OF THE THEME AND, AND FINAGLING AND ARE FINESSING WHAT THEY WERE DOING IN THEIR BOOTHS WITH A MUSICAL THEME.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF MATH IN MUSIC.
THERE'S A SOUND PHYSICS, ALL KINDS OF SCIENTIFIC THINGS RELATED TO MUSIC.
IT'S NOT JUST ART AND CULTURE.
SO, UH, WE HAD, OF COURSE, THE USUAL MAKERS.
THERE WERE ROBOTS, THERE WERE ROBOT WARS, ONE OF OUR NEWEST AND ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR EXHIBITORS MADE CHOCOLATE Y'ALL.
I I CAME BY HIS BOOTH AND I THOUGHT HE HAD A ROCK, TUMBLR, BUT HE WAS TUMBLING CHOCOLATE AND TURNING IT INTO A LIQUID.
HE, AND THEN POURING IT INTO THE MOLDS.
AND HE'S ONE OF TWO CHOCOLATIER IN LOUISIANA THAT DOES IT THAT WAY.
SO, UM, HE JUST DECIDED TO LEARN HOW TO DO THAT.
AND HE'S ONLY BEEN ACTIVE FOR A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR.
UH, PEOPLE WERE FASCINATED BY HIS PROCESS.
OF COURSE, THERE WAS POTTERY, THERE WAS ROBOTS, THERE WAS ROCKS.
UM, I LOVE SEEING OTHER PEOPLE.
THEY WERE SLICING THINGS, LASER CUTTING THINGS.
UM, REALLY WONDER, OH, I WANNA SHOW YOU THIS, THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY, THEY ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE.
THEY BROUGHT ROCKS AND THEY MADE, THEY FOUND THE ROCKS AND THEY MADE A MUSICAL PIANO OUT OF ROCKS.
EACH ROCK WHEN YOU HIT IT HAD A DIFFERENT TONE.
SO THAT I JUST, THEY'RE ONE OF MY FAVORITES THIS YEAR.
THEY REALLY ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE.
BUT OF COURSE, THERE WAS MUSIC, THERE WAS CRAZY MUSIC, THERE WAS INTERACTIVE MUSIC.
THERE WERE ADULTS MAKING MUSIC.
THE LIBRARY BEAR HAD ON A NIRVANA T-SHIRT.
AND HE WAS WITH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY WERE, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF SOUND WITH OUR STEM LIBRARY, UH, OUR STEM, UH, UH, PROFESSIONAL, UM, ALL KINDS OF WAYS.
UH, WE HAD A MUSICAL PETTING ZOO.
WE HAD PEOPLE PERFORMING MUSIC.
UH, AND THEN WE HAD, UH, EVERYTHING FROM MAKEY MAKE WHERE YOU TURN FRUIT INTO MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS THROUGH THE WONDERS OF SCIENCE, YOU, YOU NAME IT.
AND AGAIN, I'M VERY PLEASED THAT PEOPLE CAME AND THEY STAYED FOR HOURS.
SO, UM, WE ALREADY HAVE OUR THEME FOR NEXT YEAR.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO TELL YOU IT'S GONNA BE FILM.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS WE CAN GO WITH THAT.
AND ALREADY SOME OF OUR VENDORS HAVE REACHED OUT AND SAID THEY'RE VERY EXCITED, UH, RELATED TO TELLING STORIES.
STORYCORPS WAS HERE FOR ABOUT A WEEK, UH, ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN A WEEK.
WE ARE LAUNCHING OUR REDS STICK RHYTHMS DIGITAL RESOURCE.
SO, SO THAT OUR AREA MUSICIANS CAN KIND OF SHARE THEIR STORIES.
IT'S, IT'S A PLATFORM WHERE THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, LOCAL MUSICIANS WILL HAVE A WAY TO SHARE THEIR TUNES WITH THE REGION, UH, FOR A YEAR AT A TIME.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S COMPETITIVE.
AND, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO POST IN A WAY, SIMILAR TO WHAT PRESS READER, A BIBLIO BOARD ALLOWS LOCAL AUTHORS TO DO, WHERE YOU CAN POST YOUR WRITING.
THIS IS A WAY TO POST YOUR MUSIC.
SO THAT'S, UH, OFFICIAL NOW, AND THERE'S A LITTLE BUZZ HAPPENING WITH THAT.
THERE'LL BE A LAUNCH PARTY FOR THAT IN JANUARY AS WE KIND OF GET READY.
AND THIS BOTTOM PICTURE RELATES TO CAMP FIREBALL, WHICH IS IMAGINE IMPROV AND CROWDSOURCING STORIES HAPPENING IN THE LIBRARY, WHERE WHOEVER'S THERE COOPERATES AND COLLABORATES ON A GROUP STORYTELLING
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EXERCISE.SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO AGAIN, WITH THAT IDEA OF, UH, COLLABORATION AND CREATIVE STORYTELLING.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH CAMPFIRE BALL.
WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE, AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT HAPPENS.
BEEN, UH, REACHING OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE WERE ABLE TO HOST THE, UH, THE, UH, BLACK JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION IN A SECRETS TO ACCESSING THE MEDIA WORKSHOP FOR NONPROFITS, WHICH WAS KIND OF COOL.
THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE RIVER CENTER BRANCH.
WE'VE HOSTED NAMI, WHICH IS, UH, MENTAL ILLNESS, THE, UH, ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL ILLNESS, UH, A WORKSHOP MENTAL HEALTH FAIR THAT WAS AT THE JONES CREEK LIBRARY.
SEE, NOT EVERYTHING HAPPENS AT THE MAIN LIBRARY.
UH, SO THOSE THINGS WERE HOSTED.
UH, THE GARDEN DISCOVERIES DID SOMETHING AGAIN, KIND OF CROWDSOURCING, GROWN FROM SEEDS.
THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST IN SEED LIBRARIES.
WE'VE HAD ONE AT THE GREENWELL SPRINGS REGIONAL BRANCH.
AND THERE'S A LITTLE BUZZ WITH THAT.
SO YOU'LL BE SEEING MORE OF OUR SEED, UM, JOURNEY HAPPENING.
SO I LOVE THAT GARDEN DISCOVERIES ATTRACTS OLD AND YOUNG, BLACK AND WHITE, UH, MALE AND FEMALE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, IN CREATING IN A DIFFERENT WAY, UH, AND GIVING BACK TO THE EARTH.
AND THEN HARVESTING FROM THE EARTH.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ROSES, IT'S, IT'S THINGS THAT YOU EAT.
THINGS THAT, UH, SUPPORT THE, OUR HEALTH, UH, HERBS, YOU NAME IT.
UH, THE WHAT WE COVER IN GARDEN DISCOVERIES IS REALLY COOL.
AND AGAIN, THEY START IN HERE AND THEN THEY GO OUT INTO THE GARDEN.
ATTIC TREASURES AND COLLECTIBLES IS REALLY COOL.
I'M SHOWING YOU ONE OF THE LARGEST AND ONE OF THE SMALLEST THINGS.
THIS COMPACT FROM A HUNDRED YEARS AGO STILL HAD POWDER IN IT.
AND THEN THIS WONDERFUL ROCKING HORSE.
AND THERE IS SPECIALIST MIKE WYNN, UH, CHECKING IT OUT BEFORE HE, UH, WAS ABLE TO DISCUSS IT WITH ITS OWNER AND CARETAKER BECAUSE WITH ANTIQUES, YOU, IN A WAY, YOU'RE A CARETAKER FOR THE FUTURE.
THE BOOK FESTIVAL WAS WONDERFULLY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, SO WE BROUGHT OUR NEWEST BABY KING CAKE.
UH, THAT'S THE PRESCHOOL BOOK MOBILE.
WE HAD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COME AND STOP BY THE BOOTH AND CHECK OUT THERE.
YOU SEE KATRINA RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
AND, UH, THE ACTIVITY FOR THE ADULTS THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE 'EM DO SOMETHING.
THEY DON'T JUST GET TO COME BY AND GET SWAG.
SO THIS YEAR THEY HAD TO SPIN, SPIN THE, THE WHEEL.
AND DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY LAND ON, UM, THEY HAD TO TELL US THINGS OR SHOW US THINGS, OR IN THIS CASE, DO KARAOKE.
AND THERE'S BRANDON RILEY DRESSED UP AS A GIANT BOOK.
HE'S WEARING A BLUE BOOKWORM COSTUME, AND HE HAS THE BOOK HAT ON HIS HEAD.
AND HE AND THIS YOUNG MAN WHO WE LOVE TO PICK ON, BECAUSE HE HAD A UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE SHIRT ON.
UH, SO HE HAD TO DO THE KARAOKE AND SING.
I THINK HE HAD TO DO THE ABCS.
MIGHT HAVE HAD TO DO WHAT YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE.
WE HAD A WHOLE, WE HAD A WHOLE PLAYLIST READY.
THIS FALL, WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME WONDERFUL NEW PROGRAMS. UH, WE HOSTED THE LSU THEATER FOR RITA IITA, WHICH IS A, A PLAY USING LIFE-SIZE PUPPETS ABOUT, UH, THE DAY OF THE DEAD.
SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT CULTURAL THING THAN WE'RE NORMALLY USED TO.
BRIGHT STAR THEATER WAS, UH, SHARING CHERRY CHEROKEE TALES.
UM, AND A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S NATIVE SOCIETY PRIOR TO 1492.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF, UM, COOL THINGS FOR ADULTS AS WELL AS KIDS.
OH, Y'ALL, AGAIN, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME AND THEY STAYED AND STAYED AND STAYED.
AND LOOK AT, THAT'S MY FAVORITE LOOK RIGHT THERE.
UM, KIDS WHO DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER GROUPED UP AND PLAYED GAMES TOGETHER, WHETHER IT WAS LIFE SIZE THINGS, UH, WHETHER IT WAS BOARD GAMES OR IT WAS INTERACTIVE GAMES, BUT ALSO GROWNUPS.
GROWNUPS PLAYED PEOPLE, PEOPLE BEYOND MEDICARE PLAYED GOOGY PEOPLE, BUT 20
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SOMETHINGS PLAYED AND THEY PLAYED TOGETHER.UM, SO YOU MEET, YOU MEET PEOPLE TOGETHER OVER THE, OVER THE PLAYING BOARD, UH, OVER THE DECK OF CARDS, OVER THE INTERACTIVE.
AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE HAD STAFF MEMBERS OR VOLUNTEERS WITH EVERY KIND OF GAME TO KIND OF BE THE DOCENT OR THE COACH, UH, TO KIND OF GET YOU THROUGH IT.
SO, UH, OF COURSE WE, WE, UH, PROMOTE THE BOOKS THAT WE HAVE ON GAMING, THE INTERACTIVE GAMES THAT CHECK OUT, AND JUST THAT WHOLE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION.
AND AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, I LOVE GAMES BECAUSE IT'S STEALTH CRITICAL THINKING.
THAT'S HOW YOU TRICK CHILDREN INTO THINKING.
WE'VE HAD SOME PROGRAMS RELATED TO FAMILY.
IT'S ALL ABOUT FAMILY THIS MONTH, ISN'T IT? Q OF THE D IS REALLY QUESTION OF THE DAY.
WITH JAN RICHER, WE KNOW HER FROM HER WORK AT THE ADVOCATE, BUT SHE HAS A NEW BOOK.
AND THE IDEA OF THE BOOK IS SO MESA ABOUT THE TABLE, OVER THE TABLE, THE CONVERSATION THAT TAKES PLACE AFTER DINNER KNIT, PUT THE PHONES DOWN, CONVERSE, BE INTENTIONAL.
TAKE THE TIME, WHICH AMERICANS DON'T DO.
WE'RE FAST FOODING AND WE'RE EATING ON OUR PHONE.
SO THIS WHOLE CONCEPT IS THAT EVERY DAY HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST FOR A FEW MINUTES BE INTENTIONAL AND START WITH THIS ICEBREAKER OF A QUESTION.
AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THE QUESTION OF THE DAY FOR THE DAY WE HELD THE PROGRAM WAS, WHO'S THE BEST STORYTELLER IN YOUR FAMILY? SO IT'S KIND OF COOL.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, WE PASSED OUT LITTLE QUESTIONS AT EACH PERSON'S TABLE.
WE SHOWED A DINNER TABLE SETTING, AND IT WAS JUST A MARVELOUS AFTERNOON.
AND THEN LAST NIGHT WE HAD THE A BEAR FAMILY.
UH, THAT WAS A WONDERFUL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, UH, LECTURE LAST NIGHT.
I WANNA REMIND YOU, THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS TO DO.
UM, WE WILL BE BRINGING BACK, UH, LADY CHOPS AND MADAME DLSR, THAT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL LAST YEAR THAT THEY HADN'T EVEN FINISHED THEIR SECOND CONCERT BEFORE WE, TARA HAD LINED THEM UP FOR THIS, THIS THIS SEMESTER.
SO THEY'LL BE HERE AND THERE WILL BE PROGRAMS FOR KIDS, OF COURSE, BUT REALLY, IT'S A FAMILY PROGRAM.
UH, YOU COULD NOT GO WRONG BRINGING OLD AND YOUNG TO ANY OF THEIR PERFORMANCES.
AND, UH, THE POLAR EXPRESS, UH, WILL BE OUTSIDE.
UH, THERE WILL BE HOT CHOCOLATE WINTER FOOD DRIVE TAKING PLACE.
WE DON'T DO FOOD FOR FINES ANYMORE BECAUSE WE DON'T CHARGE FINES, BUT WE STILL ACCEPT FOOD AND GET IT TO THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AREA FOOD BANK.
AND THEN THEY THEN DISTRIBUTE IT TO EITHER THE FOOD BANKS IN THE SMALLER COMMUNITIES OR FOR THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AREA.
AND EVERY YEAR, OUR PATRONS ARE SO GENEROUS AND LOVING IN WHAT THEY BRING.
IN FACT, THEY START ASKING US, UM, THEY WISH THAT WE WERE STILL CHARGING FINES SO THAT THEY COULD PAY THEM OFF WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR FOOD PRODUCTS.
UM, GIS DAY WAS LAST NIGHT IN THIS ROOM.
I HAD A FULL ROOM IN THE EVENING.
I HAD A FULL ROOM IN THE MORNING.
THERE YOU SEE ABOUT A HUNDRED KIDS.
UM, I WANNA SAY IT WAS THE EVIL GUARD SCHOOL.
IT WAS JEFFERSON TERRACE AND PARK FOREST ELEMENTARY.
UM, WE'RE HERE DOING, UH, HANDS ON GIS.
THEY WENT OUTSIDE, THEY MAPPED THE GARDEN, THEY MAPPED LITTER, THEY MAPPED ASSETS, THEY MAPPED TREES.
THEN THEY CAME INSIDE AND PUT THAT INTO, UM, UH, A DIGITAL PROGRAM.
THEY WENT UPSTAIRS AND WROTE STORY MAPS OR CREATED STORY MAPS.
AND IN THIS ROOM WE GOT, WE GET RID OF HALF THE CHAIRS AND WE PUT THIS GIGANTIC MAP ON THE FLOOR.
AND THEN THERE'S ALL THESE PRODUCTS THAT GO WITH, UH, LOUISIANA FOOD PRODUCTS AND INDUSTRIAL ECONOMIC DRIVERS.
SO IT MIGHT BE A CAR, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE OIL RIG.
UM, IT MIGHT BE A PORT WITH A BOAT.
AND THEY, WE TEST THEM AND TEACH THEM, AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE THEIR SHOES OFF.
WHICH GIGGLES? THE GIGGLES ABOUND.
WHAT CAN I SAY? WE BRING EXTRA SOCKS JUST IN CASE.
UM, THAT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT.
AND IT, IT, UH, FOCUSES ON THE IDEA THAT DATA'S ALL AROUND US, BUT HOW YOU COLLECT THE DATA AND THEN WHAT YOU DO DO WITH THE DATA IS WHAT REALLY MATTERS.
SO LAST NIGHT, UM, MS. DOLORES, I WANNA TELL YOU, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS HAD TO DO WITH URBAN FORESTRY.
AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE EYE TREE APP AND MAPPING THE TREES IN, UH, ALL THE BRE PARKS.
THEY HAD DONE SIX OF THEM, AND
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IT WAS A VERY SLOW, LABORIOUS PROCESS.AND THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO DO SOME MORE.
LIBRARIES CHANGED LIVES THIS MONTH.
FEATURES AN OUTREACH PATRON, KAREN FRITZ.
AND I HAD MENTIONED PRESCHOOL VAN OR THE PRESCHOOL BOOK MOBILE EARLIER, BUT THEY'RE, UH, NUNU DIGI BLUE.
SO THEY GO TO CENTERS, THEY GO TO RETIREMENT CENTERS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND THEN SOME COMMUNITY STOPS.
AND, UH, KAREN EXPLAINS HOW THE LIBRARY'S OUTREACH REALLY WAS A LIFESAVER FOR HER VIRTUAL AUTHOR SERIES.
REMEMBER, THERE'S REALLY, REALLY COOL AUTHORS HERE THAT WE COULD NEVER GET IN OUR AREA, NOT WITHOUT A NUMBER, WITH A LOT OF ZEROS BEHIND IT.
SO THIS WAY WE HAVE ACCESS TO THESE INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHORS ON ALL DIFFERENT TOPICS.
AND THE PROGRAMS ARE ARCHIVED, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CATCH 'EM WHEN THEY DROP.
YOU CAN GO BACK AND FOLLOW THEM LATER.
UH, THIS, THIS MONTH, YESTERDAY AGAIN, YESTERDAY, YESTERDAY WAS A BIG DAY.
COACH J JOHNSON WAS OUR SPEAKER FOR THE STRICTLY BUSINESS VIRTUAL TALK.
AND THAT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.
AND THEN I WANT TO TELL YOU A FEW THINGS.
DECEMBER 10TH, WE HOPE TO, WELL, NO, THERE'S NO HOPE.
DECEMBER 10TH, WE'RE GONNA TURN ON THE NEW WEBSITE.
WE'RE, AS WE POPULATE AND KIND OF DRAG SOME STUFF OVER, UH, THE, THE STAFF HAS, UH, GOT SOME TRAINING ON IT THIS WEEK.
AND, UM, OUR CONSULTANTS ARE AS FAST AS THEY HUMANLY CAN, MAPPING OVER PAGES AND MAKING SURE THE ARCHITECTURE WORKS.
UM, I DON'T, I GET THE REAL PAPER, BUT WHETHER YOU GET IT ONLINE OR IN, IN NEWSPRINT, UH, IT WAS LOVELY TO SEE, UH, LAST MONDAY, THE ROUTING INTEREST.
GENEALOGY RESEARCH LEADS TO DISCOVERIES, FINDS YOURS AT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY RIGHT THERE ON THE COVER.
UH, THAT WAS KIND OF A WONDERFUL THING TO SEE.
THE NEW GIVING IS AT YOUR DESKS.
AND OF COURSE, UM, WE ARE RIGHT HERE.
UH, GIVING IS MOSTLY FEATURING LOCAL NONPROFITS WHO TALK ABOUT HOW TO GIVE TO THEM.
WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE GIVE TO EVERYONE ELSE, AND HOW YOU SHOULD CONSULT THE LIBRARY AS A NONPROFIT, THE FOUNDATION CENTER BASED AT THE RIVER CENTER BRANCH, THE GRANTING, UH, GRANTS, THE DATABASES WE HAVE FOR GRANTS SEEKERS, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A GRANTS LIBRARIAN WHO CAN HELP PEOPLE STRATEGIZE AND FIGURE OUT THEIR APPROACH.
WE WON'T WRITE THE GRANTS FOR YOU, BUT WE WILL HELP YOU FIND THE BEST PLACE TO DIRECT YOUR INQUIRY.
SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
AND ONE LAST THING TO TELL YOU.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU, UH, SAW IN THE BUSINESS REPORT THE LOVELY ARTICLE, UH, THE LOVELY PARAGRAPH THAT, UH, PUBLISHER EMERITUS RALPH MCALLISTER WROTE ABOUT THE LIBRARY.
AND, UH, THIS EXCELLENT TAXPAYER, R-O-A-R-O-I COMES DOWN TO STRONG LEADERSHIP AND TEAM.
SO IT WAS REALLY LOVELY TO SEE THAT, AND WE MADE SURE THAT THE STAFF SAW IT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE TEAM.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
I WILL GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET'S SEE.
JOSEPH, UH, CATHOLIC CEMETERY IS BO UH, IS BECOMING, IT'S WILL HAVE CELEBRATE 200 YEARS.
AS A, IT'S A HISTORIC CEMETERY.
AND, UM, THE FOLKS WORKING ON THE, THE PROGRAM FOR NEXT YEAR HAVE BEEN USING THE BATON ROUGE ROOM.
AND THE, UM, THE THEME OF THE EVENT IS GONNA BE TELL US YOUR STORY.
AND SO THAT IS, UM, JUST ONE WAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE INTERESTED IN, UM, THIS IS MAINTAINING A HISTORIC CEMETERY MM-HMM
AND SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE ALL THE, UH, INFORMATION HERE.
IN FACT, THEY'VE PLANNED THEIR, UH, THEIR GALA IS GOING TO BE IN THIS ROOM AND SPILLING OUT, UH, IN APRIL, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK.
[00:35:01]
TOO.ANY ADDITIONAL BOARD COMMENT? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT UNDER SYSTEM REPORTS? MOVING ON OTHER REPORTS, MAINTENANCE AND ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS MAINTENANCE AND ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS WILL BE READ BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, LAURA DIRECTOR.
SO UNDER THE MAINTENANCE REPORTS, UM, AT THE CARVER BRANCH THIS MONTH, THE BURGLAR ALARM WAS REPLACED AT THE EDEN PARK BRANCH.
THE FIRE ALARM PANEL WAS REPLACED.
IN ADDITION, A BELT WAS REPLACED ON THE INTERIOR DOORS AT THE JONES CREEK REGIONAL BRANCH.
THE MODUS WERE REPLACED ON AIR HANDLERS NUMBER FIVE AND SIX, UM, AT THE MAIN LIBRARY.
WATER LEAK HAS BEEN NOTICED IN THE FRONT PARKING LOT THAT'S NEAR THE HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACES.
AND OUR FACILITY STAFF ARE OBTAINING QUOTES TO GET THAT, UM, AREA REPAIRED.
UH, AT THE RIVER CENTER BRANCH, THE FRONT ENTRANCE STORES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE FACILITY STAFF ARE GETTING QUOTES FOR INSTALLING AN INTERIOR SET OF ENTRANCE DOORS THAT WILL ENABLE STAFF TO HAVE AN ADDED LAYER OF SECURE FOR SECURING THE BUILDING AND WILL INCREASE ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
UH, UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AT THE OUTREACH BUILDING, THE CONTRACTOR IS CONTINUING TO WORK ON ADDRESSING THE PUNCH LIST ITEMS UNDER THE MULTI-BRANCH PROJECT.
UM, AT THE DELMONT BRANCH, THE PUNCH LIST ITEMS REMAIN TO BE COMPLETED.
AND FOR THE ROOFING PROJECT THERE'S CURRENTLY NOTHING NEW TO REPORT FOR THE BOILERS FOR EDEN PARK IN GREENWELL SPRINGS, THE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS FACILITY STAFF, WILL BE MEETING WITH THE ENGINEERING FIRM TO REVIEW THEIR DESIGN DRAWINGS.
ONCE THEIR DESIGN PLANS ARE ACCEPTED, WE WILL GO OUT TO BE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE AT THE BLUE BARN BRANCH LIBRARY.
THERE'S CURRENTLY NOTHING NEW TO REPORT ON THEIR RENOVATIONS.
UH, FOR THE CHILLER PROJECT, THE CARVER, ZACHARY, AND CENTRAL BRANCH LIBRARIES ALL HAVE THEIR NEW CHILLER INSTALLED.
BUT THERE ARE PUNCH LIST ITEMS THAT REMAIN ON THE WORK.
UH, PRIDE BRANCH INSTALLATION OF THEIR NEW CHILLER HAS BEGUN THIS WEEK.
AND THE LAST LOCATION IN THIS PROJECT TO RECEIVE A NEW CHILLER WILL BE THE BAKER BRANCH LIBRARY.
AND THAT WORK SHOULD BEGIN AROUND MID-DECEMBER.
MOVING ON TO MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS.
JUST A QUICK, UH, FEW THINGS TO GO OVER.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE METRO COUNCIL WILL BE VOTING ON OUR SLIGHTLY REVISED 2025 BUDGET.
IN THE DECEMBER MEETING, WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE CITY PARISH FINANCE DEPARTMENT APPROVED OUR PERSONNEL ALLOTMENTS.
THEY ALSO UPDATED THE BENEFITS NUMBER BASED ON THEIR CURRENT INFO.
UH, WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICLY THANK THE UH, CITY PARISH HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, FOR ASSISTING US IN QUICKLY PUSHING THROUGH NEW HIRE REQUESTS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND, UH, TO ADDRESS A BOARD MEMBER, UH, MS. ALMAN LYON'S QUESTION ABOUT, UH, THE VIRTUAL IN-PERSON HYBRID BOARD MEETINGS, WE CONTACTED COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR ASHLEY BECK.
SHE IS CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO THE MATTER.
WE'RE JUST WAITING TO HEAR BACK, UH, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING ANYTHING I'VE JUST MENTIONED.
IN THAT CASE, IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TWO OF OUR BRANCH MANAGERS, MS. KAYLYN JACKSON OF EDEN PARK, AND KIMBERLY REEVES OF FAIRWOOD.
SO KAYLYN, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING UP AND JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
MY STORY WITH THIS LIBRARY IS I GREW UP HERE, BATON ROUGE, BORN AND RAISED.
AND OF COURSE MY MOTHER ALWAYS TOOK ME TO THE LIBRARY.
ONE SUMMER SHE DECIDED TO JUST LET US VISIT EVERY SINGLE LOCATION.
SO ME AND THE LIBRARY GO WAY BACK.
THEN I GRADUATED AND GOT MY MLIS IN 2020.
DECEMBER, 2019, GOT HIRED TO BE EDEN PARKS LIBRARIAN, TEEN LIBRARIAN IN 2020.
AND AFTER THAT I MOVED ON TO FAIRWOOD.
SO IT'S FUN BEING HERE WITH KIM 'CAUSE SHE MANAGED ME THERE AS THE REFERENCE LIBRARIAN.
I WENT TO HOUSTON TO BECOME AN
[00:40:01]
ARCHIVIST, TRIED IT OUT.PUBLIC LIBRARY REALLY IS MY CALLING.
SO I'M HAPPY TO HAVE DISCOVERED THAT.
AND NOW I HAVE BEEN AT EDEN PARK.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A YEAR AS THE MANAGER ON DECEMBER 4TH.
EDEN PARK IS SPECIAL TO ME 'CAUSE IT WAS THE PLACE WHERE I STARTED OUT.
BUT I FOUND THROUGH WORKING AT OTHER LIBRARIES THAT THE LOCATION OF THE DESKS REALLY PROVIDE A CERTAIN HARMONY BETWEEN STAFF.
ONE IS CIRCULATION AND THE OTHER IS INFORMATION.
AND BECAUSE THEY'RE CENTRALLY LOCATED, EVERYONE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE LIBRARY.
EVERYONE HAS EACH OTHER'S BACKS.
AND DUE TO THAT, EVERYONE BECOMES REALLY WELL-ROUNDED IN EACH DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE AT THE INFORMATION DESK YOU HAVE CRC, NOT CRC, YOU HAVE TEAMS, CHILDREN'S AND REFERENCE.
SO EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON AND YOU JUST HELP WHOEVER COMES UP.
YOU DON'T PATCH IT OFF TO THE DEPARTMENT PERSON WOULD NORMALLY GO TO, UNLESS IT'S SUPER, SUPER SPECIFIC.
AND WHAT ELSE? I WOULD SAY WE PROVIDE A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE RIGHT ACROSS FROM CAPITAL MIDDLE.
SO DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE GET SOME TEENS THAT COME IN.
SOMETIMES THEY WAIT FOR THEIR RIDES, THEY COME IN, THEY GET ON THE COMPUTER.
SOMETIMES THEY JUST GRAB SNACKS FROM THE GAS STATION AND THEY JUST COME AND HANG OUT AS A NICE PLACE TO BE.
AND THE OTHER RESOURCE WE PROVIDE ALONG WITH THE BOOKS IS COMPUTER RESOURCES.
PEOPLE LOVE TO COME IN AND USE THE COPIERS, THEY LOVE TO USE THE FAX MACHINE AND THEY LOVE TO DO JOB APPLICATIONS OR JUST RESEARCH EVERYTHING GOING ON.
UM, LIKE KAYLYN SAID, I USED TO BE HER MANAGER, SO I'M VERY PROUD TO SEE HER BE A MANAGER HERSELF AS WELL.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE MY EMPLOYEES GROW IN THEIR CAREERS.
UM, I STARTED IN THE LIBRARY ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.
IT'LL BE 10 YEARS THIS DECEMBER.
UM, I STARTED OUT AS THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN AT SCOTLANDVILLE AND THEN I MOVED TO EDEN PARK.
ANOTHER THING WE SHARE, UM, WHERE I WAS BOTH THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN AND THE REFERENCE LIBRARIAN, I DID A LITTLE SWITCHEROO ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH MY CAREER THERE.
THEN I WENT TO GREENWELL SPRINGS AND SERVED AS THE, UM, HEAD OF CIRCULATION AT THAT BRANCH.
AND THEN LATERAL OVER TO ZACHARY WHERE I WAS THE, UM, BRANCH HEAD FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
AND THAT WAS AN INTERESTING TIME TO BE A VERY BRAND NEW MANAGER.
UM, LEARNED A LOT
AND THEN AFTER TWO YEARS I'VE MOVED TO FAIRWOOD AND I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE.
UM, I'VE DONE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING AT THIS IN THIS SYSTEM EXCEPT FOR TEENS AND BEHIND THE LIKE, SCENES LIKE CATALOGING AND STUFF.
UM, BUT BEFORE I WORKED HERE, I DID ONE YEAR AT WEST BATON ROUGE WHERE I DID DO TEENS.
SO I HAVE A NICE, WELL-ROUNDED, UM, CAREER IN EVERY DEPARTMENT, EVERY PUBLIC FACING DEPARTMENT.
UM, ONE THING ABOUT FAIRWOOD THAT I REALLY LIKE IS THAT IT IS A, IT'S A SMALL LIBRARY.
I JUST PHYSICALLY, IT'S SMALL, BUT THE COMMUNITY USES IT A LOT.
UM, WE HAVE VERY HIGH CIRCULATION FOR OUR, UH, A BRANCH OF OUR SIZE.
UM, IT'S NOT JUST ONE TYPE OF PATRON THAT COMES IN, SOME BRANCHES IN SOME LOCATIONS.
IT'S A CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC JUST BASED ON THE PHYSICAL LOCATION OF THE LIBRARY.
BUT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE HAVE A LOT OF VIETNAMESE, A LOT OF SPANISH SPEAKERS, A LOT OF ARABIC SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN COMING IN LATELY.
IT'S LIKE A LITTLE MICROCOSM OF THE COMMUNITY OF BATON ROUGE, WHICH I REALLY LIKE BECAUSE IT HELPS YOU GET OUTTA YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT JUST GETTING USED TO HELPING ONE TYPE OF PERSON.
SO YOU'RE GETTING TO SEE, OH, I'M HELPING THIS TYPE OF PERSON AND THIS TYPE OF PERSON.
AND, AND IT JUST GIVES YOU A, A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES FOR, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONAL GROWTH.
UM, OUR MEETING ROOMS ARE VERY HIGHLY USED.
UM, OUR STUDY ROOMS, WE HAVE ONE STUDY ROOM AND IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY HIGHLY USED.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH BOOKED ALL DAY.
'CAUSE OUR PATRONS, THEY SEEM TO HAVE A, A STRONG SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OVER THE LIBRARY, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE THERE FOR.
UM, YEAH, IT'S, IT, AND WE HAVE NICE LITTLE, UM, A STAFF JUST LIKE KAYLYN SAID, IT'S KIND OF, IT'S NOT AS CENTRAL AS THEIRS IS, BUT IT'S ONE BIG LONG HALLWAY OF A BUILDING SO YOU CAN SEE ONE END TO THE OTHER.
UM, THERE IS ONE SHARED DESK, SO EVERYBODY'S IN EVERYBODY ELSE'S BUSINESS IN A GOOD WAY.
EVERYONE'S HELPING EACH OTHER OUT.
SO YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT, THAT'S FAIRWOOD.
[00:45:01]
ABLE TO MAKE IT.I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN OUT TO THEIR BRANCHES, BUT THEY'RE BOTH LOVELY BRANCHES AND VERY HELPFUL.
UH, I, I, UH, WALKED THROUGH ALL THE BRANCHES AS I'M TRAVELING AROUND THE PARISH AND BOTH THESE BRANCHES, MULTIPLE PEOPLE REACHED OUT TO ME, ASK IF THEY COULD HELP.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST A GREAT, GREAT PART OF OUR SYSTEM.
SO IF YOU GET THE CHANCE TO PLEASE STOP IN ON 'EM, THEY, THEY'RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
LADIES, ANY COMMENTS UNDER MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? RIGHT.
MOVING ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS AT THIS TIME.
MOVING ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS UPDATE ON THE SOUTH BRANCH LIBRARY.
THE UPDATE ON THE SOUTH BRANCH LIBRARY WILL BE READ BY, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LAURIE JU.
SO WE'VE HAD MANY WONDERFUL UPDATES GOING ON AT THE SOUTH BRANCHES.
UM, BUT THE PAST MONTH, THE CONTRACTOR HAS COMPLETED THE FOLLOWING WORK.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE SOLID SURFACE COUNTERTOPS ARE INSTALLED.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE CARPET AND RESILIENT FLOORING HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
100% OF THE MILLWORK HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
100% OF THE DOORS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED, 90% OF THE DOOR HARDWARE HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
90% OF THE TOILET PARTITION AND ACCESSORIES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE EXTERIOR BOOK DROPS HA HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
UH, 100% OF THE MARKER BOARDS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AND A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE LANDSCAPING HAS BEEN INSTALLED WITH SOD, MULCH AND PLANTS.
AND 70% OF THE COURTYARD LIGHTING HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
THE CONTRACTOR EXPECTS TO CONTINUE INSTALLATION OF THE SITE FENCING AND THE EXTERIOR SITE FURNISHINGS THROUGH THIS WEEK.
UM, THEY WILL ALSO BEGIN INSTALLING INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SIGNAGE AT THIS TIME.
THE COMPLETION DATE IS STILL PROJECTED TO BE DECEMBER 31ST, THOUGH THIS COULD CHANGE BECAUSE THEY'RE MOVING REALLY FAST.
UM, THEY ACTUALLY CONTACTED US TODAY TO SAY THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING A PUNCH LIST IN THE NEXT COMING WEEKS.
SO THEY'RE, UM, MOVING EXPEDITIOUSLY.
I KNOW WHEN THAT, WHEN MARY SAID DECEMBER 10TH.
YEAH, THIS BIG DAY AND I THOUGHT, OH, WE GOTTA, IT'S GONNA BE FINISHED EARLIER.
THEN SHE WENT TO SOMETHING ELSE, LAURIE.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS A BUMMER.
SO
SO SOME OF YOU REMEMBER FROM, UM, OUR MEETING IN OCTOBER.
THE CIRCULATION DESK APPEARED AS SUCH BY OCTOBER 22ND.
THE CIRCULATION DESK WAS NEARLY FINISHED WITH THE COUNTERTOPS INSTALLED ON THE OCTOBER MEETING.
THE WOOD BATTEN ABOVE THE CIRCULATION DESK APPEARED AS SUCH, AS OF NOVEMBER 6TH.
THE ACOUSTIC PANELS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ABOVE THE CIRCULATION DESK AND IT'S LOOKING BEAUTIFUL.
THEY ALSO INSTALLED THE ACOUSTIC PANELS IN THE TEENS AND THE CHILDREN'S AREAS.
AND THOSE ARE BEAUTIFULLY COLORED BLUES AND I DIDN'T INCLUDE THOSE.
UM, BUT YOU'LL GET A CHANCE TO TO VIEW THEM WHEN WE GO OUT TO VISIT AGAIN.
THE FLOORING WAS INSTALLED IN THE STAFF WORK ROOM.
IT WAS ALSO INSTALLED IN MEETING ROOMS. THE COUNTERTOPS WERE INSTALLED IN THE BREAK ROOMS. THE MIRRORS WERE INSTALLED IN THE BATHROOMS, THE LANDSCAPING SHOWING THE SOD AROUND THE BUILDING LAST MONTH.
I SHOWED YOU THIS PICTURE OF THE BARRIER CONSTRUCTED AROUND THE TREE AND IT LOOKS BARREN AS OF LAST TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, PLANT AND MULCHING HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN THAT SOUTH COURTYARD AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S LOOKING MUCH NICER.
AND HERE ARE THE FENCE POSTS THAT HAVE BEEN SET ABOUT THE SOUTH COURTYARD.
AND YOU CAN SEE ACTUALLY IN THIS PICTURE, SOME OF THE SITE FURNISHINGS, INCLUDING THE BENCHES THAT ARE SET ALREADY OUTSIDE.
[00:50:01]
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.NEXT ON THE AGENDA, THE UPDATE ON THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY.
SO FOR THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH ARCHIVES AND LIBRARY UPDATE, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST MONTH, WE RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
UH, THE FURNITURE AND THE SHELVING WERE MOVED INTO THE ARCHIVES BUILDING, ALONG WITH A PORTION OF THE COLLECTION AND COMPUTERS FOR PATRON USE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO SAY THAT WE OPENED TO THE PUBLIC THIS WEEK AND THAT PATRONS ARE HAPPILY RETURNING AND EXPRESSING THEIR EXCITEMENT FOR THE UPCOMING RENOVATIONS TO THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH.
AND ADDITION, THE ONLINE SURPLUS SALE WAS HELD AND WE ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT ALL ITEMS WERE SOLD AND ARE BEING PICKED UP THROUGH MID-DECEMBER.
ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES IS FINISHING UP THEIR REVIEW OF PHASE TWO DOCUMENTATION, AND THEY ANTICIPATE ADVERTISING THE JOB BY DECEMBER 6TH.
THEREFORE, FOR PHASE TWO OF THE RENOVATION PROJECT, WE HOPE TO HAVE A CONTRACT AWARDED IN JANUARY OR EARLY FEBRUARY.
AND LET ME SHOW YOU THE IMAGES THAT CAPTURE SCOTLANDVILLE.
SO HERE'S THE FACADE OF THE NEW SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY ARCHIVES ANNEX THE ADULT AREA FACING THE ENTRANCE TO THE CHILDREN AND TEENS AREA, THE ADULT AREA THAT SHOWS THE CIRCULATION DESK, THE COMPUTERS FOR THE PATRONS, AND THE LOUNGE SEATING AT THAT BEAUTIFUL WINDOW, THE CHILDREN'S AND THE TEENS AREAS.
OUR FIRST PATRON TO VISIT THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH ANNEX WAS MR. JOHN THOMAS ON MONDAY.
AND WE HAD THIS TEEN WHO WAS EXCITED TO BE IN THE BRANCH.
UM, AND HE WAS READING AND WE WERE ACTUALLY STILL MOVING SOME FURNITURE IN Y'ALL.
HE STOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR READING HIS BOOK UNTIL WE GOT THE SEATING REPLACED FOR HIM.
SO EVERYTHING IS COMING ALONG.
GOOD ON TO, UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? GREAT JOB, LORD
THERE IS NO NEW BUSINESS AT THIS TIME.
ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL? UM, THE ONLY THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS IT'S BEEN, UH, SINCE THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING, I WANNA SAY IT'S BEEN A GREAT 2024.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.
IF I DON'T SEE YOU PRIOR TO THEN, HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.
AND DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I MOVE TO THE ADJOURN.