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WELCOME,[EBR Library Board of Control on May 21, 2026.]
WELCOME TO THE EAST BANG ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL.MAY 21ST, 2026 MEETING IF WE CAN ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
DON, MAY YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE, PLEASE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
THE FLAG OF THE UNITED, UNITED STATES, STATES OF AMERICA, MR. REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
MOVING ON TO THE APPROVE OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF APRIL 16TH.
I HAVE ONE SMALL CORRECTION FOR ME.
UM, UNDER FINANCIAL REPORTS ON THE FIRST PAGE, THE SECOND BULLET POINT, THE SECOND LINE SAYS THROUGH FEBRUARY, SHOULDN'T IT SAY THROUGH MARCH? WE SHOULD HAVE SPENT.
ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS? THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I SAW.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CORRECTION? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE.
THE CORRECTED MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPECIAL ORDERS AT THIS TIME.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA REPORTS BY THE DIRECTOR, THE FINANCIAL REPORT FINANCIAL REPORTS WE READ BY RHONDA PEN FOR 2026.
OPERATING EXPENDITURES THROUGH APRIL 30TH ARE $13,130,904 AND 64 CENTS ARE 24.67% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET THROUGH APRIL.
WE SHOULD HAVE SPENT NO MORE THAN 33.33% OF THE BUDGET.
CASH COLLECTIONS FOR PROPERTY TAXES FOR 2026 ARE AHEAD OF THOSE COLLECTED IN 2025 AS WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 1.9 MILLION AND 3.32% AHEAD OF THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
AND FINALLY, I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT AN E-RATE AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $201,960 HAS BEEN SECURED FOR THE 20 26 27 FUNDING YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS? I'VE GOT ONE OR TWO.
UH, I SEE ON CLEANING SUPPLIES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT MORE THAN HALF OF THE BUDGET, DOES THAT INCLUDE BLANKET ORDERS FOR SOME OF THESE SUPPLIES? MM-HMM
UM, AND THEN WE'VE ALREADY SPENT MORE THAN WE HAD BUDGETED FOR TRACKABLE SUPPLIES, COMPUTER HARDWARE.
UM, I THINK THEY WE'RE JUST GONNA BE MOVING AROUND A COUPLE THINGS FOR THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT BRYCE PROBABLY REQUESTED THAT WE TAKE CARE OF EARLY IN THE YEAR AND I JUST NEED TO FIX IT WITH A TRANSFER.
AND THE LAST ONE IS UNDER COMMUNICATIONS.
WE'VE ALREADY OVERSPENT OR SPENT MORE THAN THE ENTIRE YEAR'S BUDGET ON COMMUNICATIONS.
I NEED TO LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE WE RECEIVED A, UM, A REIMBURSEMENT THAT COULD BE SOME KIND OF ENCUMBRANCE OR SOMETHING THAT WASN'T CANCELED.
WE DID RECEIVE OUR E-RATE REIMBURSEMENT FOR LAST YEAR, AND THEN WE JUST GOT THE FUNDING AWARD FOR THIS ONE, WHICH WON'T BE REALIZED UNTIL LATER IN THE YEAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
SYSTEM REPORTS WILL BE READ BY MARY STEIN.
YOU DON'T, I DIDN'T PUT THE PICTURE IN WHERE ALL YOU SEE IS HEADS
UM, IT WAS A FABULOUS FAMILY EVENT.
THERE WERE LITTLES, MEDIUM SIZE PARENTS PARENTAL UNITS, GRAND PARENTAL UNITS AND BEYOND.
AND THEN ALL THE, THE TRAIN ENGINEERS IN THE, THE VARIOUS CLUBS, ET CETERA, THEY WERE JUST PHENOMENAL.
WE'VE ALREADY SET OUR DATE FOR NEXT YEAR.
THEY REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WANNA COME BACK.
UM, AND IN FACT, WE'LL PROBABLY EXPAND INTO
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THIS ROOM NEXT YEAR.UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S LITTLE TRAINS.
UM, THERE'S A TRAIN THAT FIT INTO A SUITCASE AND THEN THERE'S GIANT TRAINS.
AND I TOLD 'EM THEY COULD TAKE OVER.
IT'S A WONDERFUL STEM, UH, STEALTH STEM EVENT.
WE DO A LOT OF STEALTH LEARNING WHENEVER WE CAN.
SO THIS IS REALLY, REALLY COOL.
I WAS SO PLEASED AT THE VARIETY OF FAMILIES WHO CAME.
IT DIDN'T JUST APPEAL TO PEOPLE WHO COULD AFFORD TO BUY A MODEL TRAIN.
NOW, WE'LL SAY THAT LAST WEEKEND, IT WAS THE, KIND OF THE OPPOSITE OF THAT WITH THE FIX-IT FAIR.
OUR FIRST EVER, THE WEATHER WAS, UH, WHO CARED? THEY WERE OUTSIDE.
IT WAS ACTUALLY, WE HAD A BREEZE THE WHOLE TIME OUT IN THE PARKING LOT.
THEY WERE DOING EASY CAR REPAIRS, LIKE FOR HEADLIGHTS AND CHECKING PEOPLE'S OILS AND SHOWING THEM HOW TO DO THINGS.
SO THERE'S A CONSTANT STREAM OUT IN THE PARKING LOT ON, ON THE PLAZA FRONT.
THEY BROUGHT BIKES, THEY FIXED BIKES.
THEY SHOWED YOUNG PEOPLE HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN BIKES WAS AWESOME.
UH, INSIDE THERE WAS COMPUTERS AND DATA GUYS, AND THERE WERE JEWELRY REPAIRS AND CLOTHING REPAIRS.
THE SEWING MACHINE GUYS GOING TO COME BACK AND TEACH LESSONS.
OUR FABULOUS FRIEND FROM RHINO WHO TEACHES HOW TO DO EASY HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICAL REPAIRS, FABULOUS LAMPS WERE FIXED.
THERE'S MR. JOHN SINGLETON, AND WE FIRST MET HIM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, EVEN THOUGH HE IS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
UH, 'CAUSE HE'S INTERESTED IN HISTORY.
HE'S DONE A LECTURE, HE'S DONE OTHER THINGS.
HE, UH, HAD THE, THE AN THE, HE HAS A COLLECTION OF CARR ADVERTISEMENTS FROM BATON ROUGE DATING BACK, BACK, BACK.
AND WE PLAYED WITH THAT WHEN WE DID OUR CAR SHOW ON LABOR DAY.
UM, PEOPLE WERE POSTING ONLINE ABOUT IT.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, HE FIXED THIS.
THIS IS MS. ROUSE, UH, BIRD HOUSE.
AND LATER ON SHE TOOK THE BLUE TAPE OFF AND SHOWED IT IN ITS REPAIRED.
WE'VE ALREADY SCHEDULED, UH, THE NEXT ONE.
PEOPLE ARE LIKE, ASK ME AGAIN.
UM, I DID NOT COME TO WORK THAT DAY UNTIL AFTER THE FIXIT FAIR.
I BROUGHT THINGS AND THEY FIXED ME, AND IT
I WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, USUALLY WITH A BEADED PURSES.
UM, I SAW HIM LOOKING AT SOMEBODY ELSE'S SEW MACHINE, AND I'M LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GONNA BE FIXING SEW MACHINES.
AND HE SAYS, YES, WHAT YOU GOT? WELL, I DROVE HOME AND WENT BACK AND BROUGHT IT.
AND BASICALLY I SAID, IT'S PROBABLY OPERATOR ERROR.
EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED AND PATIENT AND KIND.
IT WAS EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO BE.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAD ALL KINDS OF BOOKS THERE AND THE DATABASES AND ALL, ALL THE THINGS, ALL THE THINGS.
THIS MORNING WE HONORED OUR FALLEN HEROES.
UH, YOU WILL SEE ON DISPLAY ON THE SIDE, THE VESTIBULE AREA OF THE LOBBY LEADING INTO THE LARGE MEETING ROOM IMAGES, UH, SENT IN BY FAMILY MEMBERS OF THEIR DECEASED LOVED ONES WHO DIED IN ACTIVE SERVICE.
THAT'S WHAT MEMORIAL DAY HONORS, UH, THE VALOR GALLERY.
THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR, UH, PROJECT OF ELENA ZARO, WHO IS A PARISH ATTORNEY, BUT ALSO A MARINE.
AND ONCE YOU'RE A MARINE, YOU ARE ALWAYS A MARINE.
SO EVEN THOUGH SHE MAY NOT BE ON ACTIVE DUTY, SHE'S STILL A MARINE.
AND SHE'S ON THE MAYOR'S TASK TASK FORCE FOR VETERANS AFFAIRS.
AND SHE PUT THIS TOGETHER A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND IT'S JUST GROWN AND GROWN.
THERE, YOU SEE, UH, THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT SPEAKING TO THE CROWD.
YOU SEE ELENA, A NEW DISPLAY THAT SHE CREATED THIS YEAR WERE THE BOOTS REPRESENTING EACH SERVICE UNIT.
UH, AND THESE ARE BOOTS OF SOMEONE WHO DID NOT COME HOME, UH, OR REPRESENTING THE BOOTS OF SOMEONE WHO DID NOT COME HOME.
AND, UH, THE LADY ON THE FAR RIGHT IS LON, UH,
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LON VITNER'S WIFE, WHO, UH, SHARED THE SYMBOLISM BEHIND THE MISSING MAN TABLE, WHICH IS ON DISPLAY CURRENTLY IN MISSING THERE.LON IS, WELL, I GUESS HE'S, HE'S NO LONGER ON ACTIVE DUTY, BUT HE WAS A CAREER.
HE SERVED IN THE NAVY, NOT JUST FOR A HOT MINUTE.
UH, SO, AND BROUGHT THAT NAVY LOGISTICS WITH HIM TO CITY PARISH.
SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
A CAN DO ATTITUDE RIGHT THERE.
UH, THERE WAS, UH, THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WAS SUNG AND AS HAPPENED IN THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, TAPS WAS PLAYED FROM OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY ON THE PENINSULA, UH, OF THE REFLECTING POOL.
SO IT'S JUST A LOVELY EVENT THAT WILL LEAD IN TO THIS MONDAY WHEN THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED FOR BUSINESS ON THE INSIDE.
BUT WE WILL BE OPEN ON THE OUTSIDE.
YOU ARE INVITED TO BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIRS, THOUGH.
I WILL HAVE SOME CHAIRS OUT THERE FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT OF THE BATON ROUGE CONCERT BAND.
THIS WILL TAKE PLACE AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
PEOPLE START ARRIVING 6, 6 30 DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH PICNIC FOOD THEY'RE BRINGING.
THEY BRING THEIR DOGS, THEY BRING THEIR LAWN CHAIRS, THEY BRING THEIR FANS, THOUGH I WILL HAVE THEM IF IT RAINS, WE'RE COMING INSIDE BECAUSE THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER.
IF IT'S JUST A DRIZZLE, WE WILL STAY OUTSIDE.
UM, LANYA DULCIMER SOCIETY WAS HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO.
THE CIVIC ORCHESTRA IS COMING UP WITH THEIR POPS CONCERT.
WE'VE JUST HAD THE TALENTED MUSIC CONCERT.
YOU KNOW, IT IS JUST WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO CELEBRATE, UH, WITH FREE CONCERTS, QUALITY CULTURE.
AUTHORS ROW IS COMING UP ON SATURDAY, MAY 23RD AT JONES CREEK.
THIS IS A LONG RUNNING PROGRAM OF THE LIBRARY THAT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL AUTHORS AND CREATORS TO SHOW UP AND SHOW OFF, AND THEY HAVE A GOOD TIME TALKING AMONG THEMSELVES.
UM, SO IT'S OUR OWN LITERARY MARKETPLACE HERE AT THE MAIN LIBRARY.
WE WILL BE HOSTING THE SOUL FOOD FESTIVAL.
AGAIN, THIS IS WITH MR. HENRY TURNER JR.
AND HE WILL BE HERE BOTH DAYS.
RAIN OR SHINE, HE SAYS, OKAY, THE WEATHER MEANS NOTHING TO US.
WE'VE BEEN HOSTING WONDERFUL WORKSHOPS FOR SENIORS THROUGHOUT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.
THIS IS WAFB, COVERING A WORKSHOP OUT AT JONES CREEK.
A FULL HOUSE FOR SMARTPHONES, ONE OH ONE FOR SENIORS.
UM, I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD ATTEND THAT AS WELL.
EVERY TIME THEY UPDATE MY PHONE, I AM CURF PLUMP
UH, SO, UH, THIS IS A SERIES THAT HUMANA IS DOING.
WE HAVE SOME OTHER COMMUNITY HELPERS THAT ARE OFFERING SERIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH ADULT PROGRAMMING.
UH, THE BOOKMOBILES DOING PROGRAMS WHEN THEY VISIT.
SO WAY TO KEEP THAT LIFELONG LEARNING, ESPECIALLY FOR THINGS THAT MATTER.
'CAUSE IF ANYMORE, IF YOU CAN'T OPERATE YOUR CELL PHONE, YOU ARE KIND OF IN TROUBLE.
AS I MENTIONED LAST MONTH, WE HAVE RESURRECTED, OR IT NEVER REALLY DIED.
THE SMALL BUSINESS ENGINE SERIES BACK FOR YEAR TWO.
UH, WE'RE FOCUSING ON AI INSIDE OF BUSINESS.
LAST MONTH WE HAD A FULL HOUSE IN THERE.
IT WAS SO GOOD, SO POWERFUL, SO HELPFUL.
UH, THEY WANTED TO KEEP THAT AI TREND GOING.
SO NEXT MONTH, ON JUNE 18TH, WE WILL HOST A SIMILAR, UH, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT WORKSHOP ON SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING USING AI.
AND I'M GONNA ATTEND THAT OF COURSE, WITH, UH, BUSINESS STRICTLY BUSINESS.
THIS MONTH, THE EMPHASIS WAS ON OUR INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS WITH SOME THREE OF THEM.
UH, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ATTEND THE EVENT THIS WEEK.
AND I WILL SAY WE KIND OF REFRAMED OUR, THE LIBRARY MEANS BUSINESS TO BEING BUSINESS FOR WOMEN.
AND SO WE KIND OF SLANTED OUR INFORMATION IN THAT WAY.
THOUGH EVERYTHING WE OFFER IS OFFERED TO YOU REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU ARE, WHERE YOU ARE.
UH, BUT THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
ALL THESE ARE ARCHIVED, AS YOU KNOW, SO YOU CAN GO BACK AND LISTEN AND, UH, CATCH
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UP WITH A NUMBER OF, UH, LOCAL EXPERTS AND KIND OF GET THEIR VIEW ON THINGS.THE VIRTUAL AUTHOR SERIES IS ALSO ARCHIVED.
WONDERFUL THINGS, UH, COMING UP, ROBOT PROOF WOW.
THAT IS A BREAKOUT BESTSELLER.
IT IS ONE OF THESE BOOKS THAT IS POWERFUL.
EVERYONE THAT IS READ IT HAS TAKEN IT TO THEM AND THEN SHARED IT WITH OTHERS.
SO I URGE YOU TO CHECK IT OUT AND THEN LISTEN TO THIS WONDERFUL CURATED CONVERSATION WITH THE AUTHOR.
UH, SOMETHING THAT WE ARE STARTING TO WORK ON NOW.
YOU REMEMBER AUGUST, 2016, IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS.
SO OUR ADULT SERVICES PROGRAMMING IS GETTING READY.
THEY'VE JUST PUT OUT, UH, THEIR FIRST KIND OF HINT THAT WE'RE STARTING TO COLLECT STORIES, ORAL HISTORY, UH, FOR PERPETUITY TO COLLECT THEM, TO CURATE THEM.
UH, IT'S ALL ABOUT RESILIENCY.
WE'VE WORKED WITH PEOPLE AT LSU AND PENNINGTON AND SLU ON RESILIENCY SINCE 2005 AND 2015, AND THEN 2016 GOT A WHOLE NEW ROUND OF THAT.
SO THERE'S WONDERFUL INFORMATION TO BE SHARED.
UH, BRANDON IS PLANNING A WEEK OF REMEMBRANCE WHERE WE WILL DO SERIOUS THINGS ABOUT STORM WATER AND HAVE FRIENDS FROM THE WATER INSTITUTE AND FRIENDS FROM CITY PARISH WILL BE THERE ON WHERE WE SIT AS A PARISH AND AS A REGION, BUT ALSO THE HUMAN STORIES.
UH, SO I URGE YOU TO THINK BACK AND SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
THIS WILL BE IN THE JUNE NEWSLETTER.
WE'LL START PUSHING THAT OUT REALLY IN JULY.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PUSH OUT IN JUNE, GETTING READY FOR AMERICA TWO 50.
WE OF COURSE, STARTED IT IN THE FALL OF 2025 WHEN WE PREMIERED THE KEN BURNS MINI SERIES ON AMERICA AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
OTHER EVENTS ARE GOING TO BE PLANNED.
OF COURSE, THERE'LL BE AN OUTDOOR CONCERT WITH THE CONCERT BAND.
THERE'LL BE BOOKS, THERE'LL BE SOME DISCUSSIONS.
UH, SO A LOT OF, A LOT IS GOING ON THERE.
UH, IN RESPONSE TO THE SHOOTING AT THE MALL FAIRLY RECENTLY, UH, THE LOUISIANA CRISIS CONNECT.
PEOPLE JUST CAME ON OUT AND THEY'VE BEEN AT LIBRARIES WITH LISTENING SESSIONS.
YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE, WE'RE HERE.
WHAT ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HELP YOU WITH IT? CAN WE JUST LISTEN? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STRESSED AT THE SAME TIME.
WE'RE WELCOMING THE BRIDGE AGENCY NEXT WEEK AT THE END OF MAY FOR A WONDERFUL CONVOCATION HERE.
THEY HAVE BEEN PUSHING THAT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IN THE REGULAR NEWS MEDIA.
I EXPECT A REALLY FULL HOUSE FOR THAT.
AND THEN FOR SUMMER, OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA KICK OFF HERE AT THE MAIN LIBRARY.
THE TEENAGERS ARE DOING THEIR THING ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 27TH.
THE REST OF US WILL BE OUTSIDE ON MAY 28TH.
UH, AS WE KICK OFF PLANT A SEED READ, WE WERE, WE WERE SEEDED ALL SPRING WITH THE ONE BOOK ONE COMMUNITY.
ANYWAY, UH, THE SEED GARDENS ARE EVERYWHERE.
WE'RE DOING GARDEN DISCOVERIES EVERYWHERE.
UM, MAYBE PEOPLE CAME TO BLOWS OVER THE ROSE.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THAT.
YES, IT'S A ROSE, BUT IS IT A HIGH? I WE JUST LOVE THE ROSES.
OKAY? UM, WE DON'T MAKE THE RULES.
UH, SO ALL KINDS OF THINGS HAPPENING.
BUT, UH, UH, AT YOUR SEATS YOU HAVE, UH, THE LITTLE BOOKLET, CHILDREN'S ROOM REALIZED THEY RANDOM PIECES OF PAPER, OUR FAMILIES WERE LOSING TRACK.
SO THEY'VE MADE A BOOKLET THIS YEAR.
OF COURSE, THE ADULTS ARE DOING BINGO IN THEIR OWN THINGS.
THE TEENAGERS ARE DOING THEIR OWN THINGS.
AND WE'VE STARTED A READER'S CONNECT VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB, VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB CHALLENGE.
AND THE LENDER CHALLENGE WILL BE BACK BETTER THAN EVER.
UH, THIS TIME WE HAVE A FANCY STAMP MAP INSTRUCTIONS.
SO, UH, LOOK FOR MORE IN THE JUNE NEWSLETTER.
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A LOT OF EYES ON BAKER.YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT.
BUT IT, IT WAS KIND OF SERENDIPITOUS.
UM, A LOT OF NEWS ATTENTION ON BAKER FOR VARIOUS THINGS, INCLUDING THE BEST YARD IN BAKER COMPETITION.
THERE THEY WERE IN THE BAKER LIBRARY.
UH, UH, COUNCILMAN KENNY WAS PUSHING THINGS OUT THROUGH HIS OWN, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, THE MEDIA WAS OUT AND LORI WILL TELL YOU A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.
BUT, UM, I'VE GOT LOTS OF STICK NOTES.
I WANNA SHOW YOU SOMETHING ELSE.
AGAIN, SERENDIPITOUSLY, UH, I'M LOOKING IN THE NEWSPAPER AND, UH, THE BRECK SUMMER KICKOFF.
I SEE A LIBRARY BLUE AND A BIG HEART.
AND THEN I'M LOOKING, YOU GO GIRL, YOU GROW GIRL.
UH, AND THERE'S A FAMILIAR SHIRT IN THE BOTANIC GARDENS AND THEN I SEE ANOTHER PICTURE AND IT'S RIVER READING.
I, I JUST LOVE ALL THAT, UM, ENERGY THAT'S OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO LORI'S GONNA TALK ABOUT THE BAKER CHARETTE WITH OUR SPECIAL GUEST COMING UP.
YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATES REMINDING PEOPLE THAT WEDNESDAY, MAY 27TH IS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE FOR THE JUNE 27TH ELECTION.
AND OUR PATRONS ARE PUSHING SOME THINGS OUT AND OTHER ADVOCATES ARE PUSHING SOME THINGS OUT.
SO YOU SEE A LOT OF GOLD AND BLUE OUT THERE.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE MILLAGE CONTINUATION ON THE BALLOT FOR JUNE 27TH.
THE LIBRARY HAS STARTED A SERIES OF, OF EVENTS LITTLE PRESENTATION SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
THESE ARE FAST BECAUSE IT'S A SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD STANDUP PROPOSITION THIS TIME.
UM, LOVING SAYING BUT AT A LOWER RATE AND WITH TWO ROLLBACKS AND RESTORING THE PAY AS YOU GO, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
THAT'S PART OF MY VOCABULARY NOW.
SO THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? ALRIGHT, I'LL GET OUTTA THE WAY.
MOVING ON TO OTHER REPORTS, MAINTENANCE AND ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THESE REPORTS WILL BE REGULAR
OKAY, SO FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, IN ADDITION TO REGULAR GENERAL MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT OUR FACILITY STAFF HAVE ADDRESSED, UM, THEY HAVE REPAINTED THE STUDY ROOMS AT THE JONES CREEK AND RIVER CENTER BRANCH LIBRARIES AT THE PRIDE BRANCH LIBRARY.
PARTS HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO REPLACE THE FAN ON AIR HANDLING.
UNIT NUMBER TWO AT THE MAIN LIBRARY, A PUMP WAS REPLACED ON THE NORTH SIDE REFLECTIVE POOL.
IN ADDITION, THE FACILITY STAFF ARE GETTING QUOTES TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER BOARD FOR CHILLER.
NUMBER ONE FOR THE MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
THOUGH THE ROOFING PROJECT, THE WORK IS STILL ONGOING FOR THE BOILER PROJECTS FOR EDEN PARK AND GREENWOOD SPRINGS ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES IS WAITING FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE SIGNED CONTRACT FOR THE EDEN PARK BOILER PROJECT.
AFTER THAT, A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING WILL BE ARRANGED AND WE'LL DISCUSS A POSSIBLE TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT.
UH, ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES STILL PLANS TO WORK TO DRAFT THE BID DOCUMENTS FOR THE GREENVILLE SPRINGS BRANCH LIBRARY BOILERS PROJECT AND FOR THE CHILLER PROJECT.
WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR FINAL ACCEPTANCE.
MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS WILL BE READ BY MS. KATRINA STOKES.
AS I'M SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE BY NOW, ON MAY 13TH, THE METRO COUNCIL VOTED TO INCREASE CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES SALARIES BY AT LEAST 3.5%.
THIS IS FOR BOTH CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES.
THE NEW, UH, PLAN GOES INTO EFFECT JUNE 27TH AND WILL REFLECT IN THE JULY 17TH PAYCHECKS.
RHONDA HAS BEEN CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS AND THE IMPACT, INCLUDING BENEFITS WILL BE 677,000.
I SHOULD PUT MY GLASSES ON, EXCUSE ME.
$677,049 AND 62 CENTS IN 2026, BUT ROUGHLY $1.4 MILLION ANNUALLY.
ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? READ THAT NUMBER AGAIN.
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6 7 7 6 7 7 0 4 9 0.62.YEAH, I MEAN, GET THE ESTIMATE.
YES, THIS IS ROUGHLY, ROUGHLY, I GO SIX SO FAR, RONDA'S STILL WORKING ON IT.
UM, A LOVELY PIECE OF INFORMATION, UH, A LOVELY PIECE OF NEWS AND VERY UPLIFTING FOR US ALL.
UH, ON TU TUESDAY, MAY 19TH, AT THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT IN NEW ORLEANS, WE RECEIVED THE FRIEND OF THE PRO BONO AWARD FOR PROVIDING SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT IN THE DELIVERY OF LEGAL SERVICES TO LOUISIANA'S UNDERSERVED AMY SEDARIS, OUR TRAINING LIBRARIAN, AND ANDREW TAMAN, OUR REFERENCE SERVICES COORDINATOR, ACCOMPANY ME TO THE CEREMONY WHERE WE RECEIVED THIS LOVELY PLAQUE.
WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF OUR STAFF.
THIS IS THE RESULT OF OUR HARD WORK.
SO COMING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET WORKSHOP, UH, RHONDA HAS REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN EXTENSION ON SUBMITTING OUR, OUR BUDGET FOR THAT YEAR UNTIL AFTER THE JUNE 27TH ELECTION.
ANTOINETTE HAS EMAILED A POLL TO THE BOARD MEMBERS TO SELECT A DATE FOR THE WORKSHOP.
UH, ANTOINETTE ANTOINETTE CAN RESEND IT AGAIN.
UH, SINCE YOU ALL NOW HAVE A LIBRARY EMAIL ADDRESSES, WE'RE GONNA SEND THEM TO THOSE.
UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED ANY, UM, ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR, YOUR EMAIL, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, I'M SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE THAT, UH, THERE IS SOME MIS MISINFORMATION REGARDING LIBRARY STATISTICS THAT IS CURRENTLY CIRCULATING.
UH, MARY AND RHONDA AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A STATEMENT FOR THE BOARD TO, UH, TO ADDRESS IT.
UH, HOPEFULLY JUST A ONE PAGER THAT WILL BE FAIRLY SIMPLE TO BE ABLE TO RELAY TO SOMEONE, ANYONE WHO IS CONFUSED ABOUT THE INFORMATION.
BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN RELEASE PUBLICLY.
UM, I HAVE, UH, SENT INVITATIONS TO YOU ALL THROUGH YOUR LIBRARY EMAIL ADDRESSES BECAUSE IT IS, UH, A DOCUMENT THAT I CREATED IN THE CLOUD.
UH, AGAIN, IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE FOR THAT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT PAIRED DOWN.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT ABOUT THREE PAGES BECAUSE WE WANT TO SAY A LOT.
BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR, CONCISE, AND TO THE POINT.
BUT ALSO, UH, FOR BREVITY'S SAKE, UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.
MOVING ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMI COMMITTEE REPORTS AT THIS TIME.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, THE UPDATE ON THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY.
ALRIGHT, SO FOR THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY PHASE TWO UPDATE, UM, CEILING TILE INSTALLATION HAS BEGUN SUSPENDED CEILING LIGHTS, INSTALLATION IS ONGOING.
MILLWORK INSTALLATION HAS BEGUN.
INTERIOR DOOR INSTALLATION IS ONGOING.
EXTERIOR METAL PANELS ARE BEING INSTALLED.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING INSTALLATION IS ONGOING.
METAL FENCING IS BEING INSTALLED IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH COURTYARDS.
PLUMBING, MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL WORK ARE ONGOING.
AND MOISTURE TESTING OF THE CONCRETE FLOORING SLABS WAS COMPLETED.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE FLOORING INSTALLATION HAS BEGUN.
SO THE PROJECT IS NOW EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY MID TO LATE JULY, THOUGH THIS COULD CHANGE.
SO I HAVE A FEW IMAGES I WANNA SHOW YOU.
SO THIS IS THE ROCK BED FEATURE THAT'S IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE, UM, LANDSCAPING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
THE LANDSCAPING AT THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE AND THE MEETING ROOM KITCHENETTE MEAL WORK BEING INSTALLED, THE PROGRAM ROOM MEAL WORK BEING INSTALLED.
AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THOSE HANGING SUSPENDED LIGHT FEATURES AND, UM, AND THAT IMAGE AS WELL.
UH, THE TEAM ROOM MEAL WORK BEING INSTALLED.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE CEILING TILES BEING INSTALLED BEGINNING IN THAT STAFF WORK ROOM.
THE FENCING INSTALLATION BEGINNING AT THE NORTH COURTYARD AND A MORE COMPLETE INSTALLATION OF THE FENCING AT THAT SOUTH COURTYARD.
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AND THEN HERE'S THE FLOORING THAT'S BEGUN IN THE CHILDREN'S AREA, THE FRONT ENTRANCE AND THE RESTROOMS. AND IT'S LOOKING GORGEOUS.AND THE LAST IMAGE HERE I HAVE IS OF MARY AND KATRINA PRESENTING COUNCILMAN KENNY WITH A FRAMED PHOTO OF RENDELL HENRY'S MURAL THAT WILL GO OVER THE BLACK HERITAGE ROOM AT SCOTLANDVILLE.
OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
UM, NEXT UPDATE ON THE BAKER BRANCH LIBRARY.
ALRIGHT, SO FOR THE BAKER BRANCH LIBRARY, LIBRARY STAFF, MR. BRIAN FALCON WITH GFP ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN, AS WELL AS THE CITY PARISHES ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT STAFF ALL PRESENTED US CHARETTE FEATURING TWO CONCEPT DESIGNS FOR THE BAKER BRANCH RENOVATIONS ON MAY 11TH TO THE BAKER COMMUNITY.
WE RECEIVED POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE BAKER COMMUNITY, INCLUDING METRO COUNCILMAN MCKINNEY BAKER MAYOR WAITS, AND SEVERAL BAKER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, RESIDENTS AND LIBRARY STAFF WHO ARE ALL EXCITED THAT THE PROJECT IS BEGINNING.
ALTHOUGH IT WAS A SMALL TURNOUT DUE TO RAIN, I SUSPECT THE, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM EVERYONE THAT WAS ABLE TO ATTEND WAS THOUGHTFUL, INSPIRED, AND APPRECIATED.
UH, YOU COULD TELL THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHEN THE BRANCH IS RENOVATED FROM THE LITTLE GIRL WHO WANTED A NAIL SALON AND A CASTLE IN THE CHILDREN'S ROOM TO THE TEENS WHO WERE THRILLED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN DESIGNATED SPACE.
AND TO THE ADULTS WHO WERE EXCITED ABOUT THE ENLARGED MEETING ROOMS AND THE POSSIBILITY FOR AFTER HOURS EVENTS, THEY WERE ALL ENVISIONING THEIR THE POSSIBILITIES.
SO OVERALL, EVERYONE LOVED ASPECTS OF BOTH DESIGN CONCEPTS AND WE, WE HAD TO TELL 'EM THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE CAN FIND OUT WILL BE POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, LET ME SHOW YOU A FEW IMAGES AND THEN I'M GONNA HAVE BRIAN TO COME UP AND PRESENT THE ACTUAL, UH, CONCEPTS.
SO FIRST IMAGE, MS. CANDACE WAS AT THE CHARETTE AND SHE TOOK A PICTURE, A LOVELY PICTURE WITH COUNCILMAN KENNY, THAT'S MS. DESIREE COLLINS OF, UH, THE BAKER CITY COUNCIL.
THAT'S COUNCILMAN, UM, YOUNG WITH BAKER AND COUNCILMAN VINCENT.
AND HERE'S THE PARENT AND THE LITTLE GIRL WHO ASKED FOR THE CASTLE IN THE NAIL SALON.
AND, UH, OF COURSE SOME MORE RESIDENTS AND STAFF GIVEN THEIR INPUT ON WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE.
AND THIS IS FORMER COUNCIL PERSON, MS. BRENDA JACKSON AND BAKER.
AND SHE LOVED THE IDEA OF THE OUTDOOR MEETING ROOM.
MS. BRENDA TALKED ALL NIGHT ABOUT THAT.
AND SHE WAS GOING OUT YELLING, SHE WAS DANCING, SHE DANCE, QUITE FRANKLY.
AND HERE ARE THE POST-IT NOTES THAT WE GATHERED FROM EVERYONE THAT ATTENDED WITH THEIR IDEAS FOR HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BRANCH RENOVATED.
AND THE NEXT DAY, THE TEENS THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THAT NIGHT, WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE BRANCH, OUR TEAM LIBRARIAN GRABBED THEM AND SAID, COME AND SEE.
AND I NEED YOUR IDEAS ON WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THIS TEAM ROOM.
AND SO THIS IS A IMAGE OF THEM SHARING THEIR IDEAS FOR THE CONCEPT AND MORE RESIDENTS, OF COURSE, SIGNING IN AND GIVING THEIR INPUT AS WELL.
AND NOW IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO HAVE MR. BRIAN FALCON TO COME UP AND SHARE HIS TWO CONCEPT DESIGNS FOR THE BAKER COMMUNITY.
DO WE WANT TO TURN THESE LIGHTS DOWN A LITTLE BIT?
IS THIS THE POINTER? THAT'S WHY I KEEP GOING.
YOU MAKE THE SCREEN ANY BIGGER? UH, ANY CHANCE? I DON'T KNOW.
SHE SAID SAYS SHE TRIED TO DO IT.
[00:35:01]
CAN WE, DO YOU KNOW, CAN WE, WE CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THAT BECAUSE IT'S EVEN HARD FOR ME TO READ.CAN YOU SEE IT ON THE SCREEN? I CAN SEE IT ON THE SCREEN.
WELL, LORI WAS VERY KIND IN SAYING IT WAS, UH, BRIAN'S DESIGN.
THIS IS A GROUP EFFORT AND I WANTED TO EXPLAIN TO YOU ALL HOW WE ARRIVED AT THESE TWO CONCEPTS.
FIRST, UH, WE HAD A, A TRUE CHARETTE WITH THE LIBRARY STAFF, ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DIVISION, AND THE DESIGN FIRM.
AND I SAID THERE WERE NO BAD IDEAS, THERE WERE JUST IDEAS THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO USE, BUT LET'S GET 'EM ALL ON PAPER.
SO I SPLIT US ALL UP INTO TWO GROUPS AND I PUT A BIG WALL IN BETWEEN SO NOBODY COULD CHEAT.
AND I ASKED ONE SIDE TO DESIGN THE STAFF COMPONENT OF IT AND ONE SIDE TO DESIGN THE PATRON COMPONENT OF IT.
WELL, WE ALL QUICKLY FIGURED OUT THAT WE COULDN'T DESIGN ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.
SO EACH GROUP CAME UP WITH THEIR OWN DESIGNS AND THEN WE TOOK THE WALL DOWN AND WE MET AND WE CAME UP WITH ONE THAT SATISFIED, I THINK BOTH PEOPLE.
SO I TOOK THOSE, UH, DESIGNS AND FASHIONED THEM INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE READABLE, UNDERSTANDABLE.
'CAUSE WE WORKED WITH BIG BUBBLE DIAGRAMS TO GET IT ALL IN PLACE.
SO THERE WERE TWO DISTINCT CONCEPTS THAT CAME UP.
UH, IN BOTH OF THEM, WE RELOCATED THE MEETING ROOMS FOR EASIER ACCESS FROM, UH, THE PARKING LOTS AND THE, THE PUBLIC PARK.
UH, THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THE LOCATION OF THOSE MEETING ROOMS AND THEN THE ENTRANCE.
SO ONE CONCEPT, UH, CREATED AN ENTRANCE THAT SPLIT THE BUILDING ALONG THE NORTH SOUTH ACCESS THAT WOULD PROVIDE AN ENTRY FROM GROOM ROAD AND ALSO AN ENTRY FROM JEFFERSON STREET.
THE OTHER CONCEPT, WHICH I WILL SHOW Y'ALL IN THE NEXT, UH, SLIDE, UH, CREATED A NEW MEETING ROOM IN THIS EXISTING OPEN SPACE AND REINFORCED A SINGLE ENTRY FROM THE NORTH PARKING LOT WITH ADDITIONAL, UH, HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACES.
SO, UM, IF YOU, IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THOSE DRAWINGS, YOU'LL SEE THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARLY.
BUT I'VE COLOR CODED, UH, THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT APPLY TO THE, UH, THE SPACE.
SO WE'VE GOT, UH, THIS SORT OF GRAYISH TONE, WHICH SORT OF LOOKS PURPLE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S FOR ALL THE SERVICE SPACES.
UH, THIS SORT OF PURPLEY PINK COLOR IS FOR CHILDREN.
THERE'S A BIT MORE TAN ORANGE COLOR THAT IS, UH, FOR THE TEENS.
UH, THERE'S A, A DARKER PURPLE COLOR THAT SIGNIFIES THE MEETING, STUDY AND SUPPORT ROOMS. AND THEN WE HAVE A MAKER SPACE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, MORE OF A HOT PINK COLOR.
AND THEN ALL THE REST OF THE SPACE YOU SEE IS FOR THE ADULT COLLECTION AND REFERENCE AND, UH, COMPUTER SPACES.
SO, UH, IN THIS CONCEPT, WE HAVE MAINTAINED PRETTY MUCH THE ORIGINAL ENVELOPE OF THE BUILDING, BUT WE HAVE ADDED, UH, 10 TO 12 FEET ON EACH SIDE OF THE COVERED DROP OFF AND FILLED IT IN BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT WORKS WELL WITHIN THE EXISTING ENVELOPE OF THE BUILDING THAT'S NOT FULL OF COLUMNS.
UH, WHEN THE BUILDING WAS BUILT, IT WAS CONSTRUCTED ON A GRID OF 20 BY 20, UH, STEEL COLUMNS.
AND TAKING COLUMNS OUT IS A BIT OF A DICEY ENDEAVOR.
UH, IN ANY CASE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY RIGHT NOW OF TAKING COLUMNS OUT AND TAKING DIAGONAL, BRACING OUT FOR THIS NEW FRONT ENTRY.
AND I'VE GOT OUR STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING THAT AND WHAT IT WILL COST RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE PROJECT.
BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE DIAGONAL BRACING, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE ONLY DIAGONAL BRACING IN THIS PART OF THE BUILDING, WE HAVE TO PUT IT BACK SOMEWHERE.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S AN IMPLICATION IN COST AND TIME TO THAT.
SO THAT'S PART OF OUR FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE BUILDING.
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY LARGE ENTRY FROM BOTH SIDES.
AND THE STAFF WAS VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH THE IDEA OF THE KIDS FROM THE SCHOOL BEING ABLE TO COME INTO THE BUILDING FROM THAT SIDE.
AND THEN PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS OR, UH, WANT TO TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE, BEING ABLE TO USE A COVERED DROP OFF AND A COVERED WALK TO GET TO THE BUILDING.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU CAN'T, THERE THERE'S LIKE NO EASY WAY TO GET TO THIS BUILDING FROM THE PARKING LOT.
AND THAT'S BEEN A SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION FOR PEOPLE.
UH, BUT WE'VE RECONFIGURED ALL THE ROOMS BASED ON THE LIBRARIES, UM, PROGRAMMING.
AND WE'VE ALSO SUGGESTED SOME SQUARE FOOTAGES IN THIS.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PRINTED MATERIAL, YOU'LL SEE A GRID ACROSS THE WHOLE, UH, PLAN THAT'S A TWO FOOT BY TWO FOOT GRID, SO YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF HOW BIG ALL THESE SPACES ARE.
[00:40:01]
CONCEPT ONE.I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S MUCH YOU CAN, UH, ASCERTAINED TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT, BUT DID Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS CONCEPT? OKAY, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
THIS ONE IS THE CONCEPT WHERE WE ADD LARGER MEETING ROOMS. THESE ARE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF TIMES THE SIZE OF WHAT SOUTH BRANCH IS.
UH, AND THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL AND SOME OF THE OLDER ADULTS.
I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE KIDS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T THERE.
UH, BUT I HAVE A FEELING THEY WERE MORE INTERESTED IN JUST THE TEEN SPACES.
BUT WE, THE NEXT DAY THEY SAID THEY LIKED THE MEETING ROOM.
WELL, WE HAVE, UH, ANYWAY, THIS ADDITIONAL BUILDING PRESERVES THE EXISTING ENVELOPE OF THE BUILDING WITHOUT MODIFICATION, WHICH IS GONNA SAVE US MONEY ON HAVING TO CHANGE COLUMNS AND WHATNOT.
UH, WE'VE ADDED, YOU KNOW, OUR AIRPORT STYLE BATHROOMS. UH, WE HAVE A COVERED WALKWAY AND DROP OFF ON THIS PARKING LOT.
UH, WE'VE GOT AN ENTRY GALLERY, UH, SET OF DOORS THAT CAN CLOSE AND LOCK WHEN THE LIBRARY'S NOT IN USE SO THAT THE MEETING ROOMS CAN STAY OPERATIONAL IN, UH, AND AFTER HOURS.
WE'VE RECONFIGURED THE ENTIRE SPACE SO THAT WE'VE STILL GOT CHILDREN ON THE FAR END.
UH, THE LIBRARY LIKES TO HAVE THEM AS FAR AWAY FROM THE MAIN ENTRANCE AS POSSIBLE, SO THEY CAN'T ESCAPE.
UH, THE TEENS ARE TUCKED IN IN THIS CORNER SO THEY CAN MAKE ALL THE NOISE THAT THEY WANT.
UH, SO IS THE MAKER SPACE SO THEY CAN DRILL AWAY, HAMMER AWAY.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED TO PRESERVE IN THIS CONCEPT ALL OF THE VIEWS OUT TO THE PARK IN THE EXTERIOR.
IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE OTHER CONCEPT, WE'VE HAD TO LINE ALL OF THE ROOM, ALL OF THE PERIMETER OF THE BUILDING WITH ROOMS TO MEET THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND THOSE NECESSITATE WALLS AND WINDOWS IN THERE.
SO THIS ALLOWS YOU TO SEE OUT THE PARK, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LIBRARY SITE'S GREATEST ASSETS.
AND THEN THE COVER DROP OFF, WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT.
IT STAYS LIKE IT IS, BUT IT BECOMES AN OUTDOOR SPACE, COVERED SPACE, UH, THAT MAYBE CAN BE USED BY LIBRARY OR PATRONS OR PEOPLE IN THE PARK.
UH, WHEN I, WHEN I SAW THE WAY THE BUILDING WAS ORIENTED, I THOUGHT THE, THE, THE SITE WAS INTEGRAL TO THE PARK AS MUCH AS THE PARK WAS INTEGRAL TO THE SITE.
UH, IT WAS DESIGNED TO FACE THE PARK AND ENGAGE THAT IN A VERY CIVIC WAY.
SO THERE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR, UH, PATRONS AND VISITORS TO, TO USE THE COVERED DROP OFF IF IT'S REPURPOSED AND REIMAGINED AS SOMETHING, UH, THE EXISTING CURVE DRIVEWAY IS GREAT PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, AND I CAN SEE IT LINED WITH, YOU KNOW, BOOTHS OR THINGS FOR WHEN THERE'S A PUBLIC, UH, FESTIVAL OR SOME OTHER EVENT.
AND AGAIN, THE GRID IS ACROSS THIS, UH, FOR HELPING YOU UNDERSTAND THE SIZE OF IT.
UM, COLOR CODING, IT ACTUALLY HELPS IN TERMS OF O SEEING MAYBE THE FOREST THROUGH THE TREES OR SEEING THE TREES THROUGH THE FOREST.
DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW THAT GOES.
UM, BUT YOU'LL SEE THE TEENS LOOKS A LITTLE BIT SMALL IN THIS CASE.
UM, THE PLAN IS TO TAKE THESE, UH, STUDY ROOMS AND PUSH THEM OUT FURTHER INTO THE OPEN AREA BECAUSE THIS IS A LITTLE TOO LARGE AND TEENS DOES NEED MORE SPACE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE THE, THE BUBBLE DIAGRAMS KIND OF TRANSLATED TO, UH, ONE OF THE BEST FEATURES OF BAKER A LIBRARY IS THIS BEAUTIFUL VAULTED CEILING THAT RUNS ON THE NORTH TO SOUTH ACCESS.
AND WE PRESERVE THAT IN BOTH CASES BECAUSE WE JUST, THE ARCHITECTURE THAT'S GOOD.
WE WANT TO TRY TO PRESERVE, UH, THE INTENT IS TO REALLY UPDATE THE INTERIOR SPACES, UH, AESTHETICS TO KIND OF FALL IN LINE WITH, UM, THE CURRENT STANDARDS THAT THE LIBRARY LIKES TO, TO USE.
IT'S, IT IS SORT OF A SERIOUS BUILDING WITH A LOT OF STAINED WOOD AND SOME, SOME MORE DARKER, UH, ELEMENTS AND WE JUST WANT TO BRIGHTEN IT ALL UP AND MAYBE ENGAGE THE PATRONS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, WE ALSO HAD A VISITOR, UH, DR.
TONY WHO, UH, WAS INTERESTED IN DOING THIS, LIKE A, A WELLNESS SPA.
SO WE MAY INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE BUILDING TOO.
SO THERE'S, THERE WAS A LOT OF FUN IDEAS THAT CAME OUT OF THE MEETING.
THE STAFF, UH, AT THE LIBRARY WAS SUPER ENGAGED.
SOME OF, I THINK SOME, SOME OF THEM FELT LIKE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN OVERSTEPPING THEIR BOUNDS, BUT WE REALLY NEED ALL THAT INPUT BECAUSE A COMMUNITY SPACE IS NOT DESIGNED WITHOUT COMMUNITY OR IN A VACUUM.
AND I THINK THAT WE'VE, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO EVERYBODY WE CAN AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK ULTIMATELY THE BUILDING IS GONNA TURN OUT REALLY WONDERFUL AND BE AN EVEN BETTER ASSET FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THE PRIOR SLIDE THAT YOU HAD MM-HMM
UH, GETTING BACK TO COLUMNS AND DIAGONAL BRACING, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE FOR REMOVING COLUMNS AND DAL PARTS? SO THIS PORTION OF THE BUILDING IS WHERE ALL OF THE EXISTING, UH, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING SERVICES ARE.
[00:45:01]
AND THOSE WERE SMALLER SPACES.THEY DIDN'T NEED WINDOWS IN THEM.
UH, THE BUILDING IS CONSTRUCTED OF STEEL COLUMNS IN A GRID, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE DIAGONAL BRACING TO KEEP THE BUILDING FROM RACKING.
AND SO THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN PUT THE DIAGONAL BRACING HERE AND HERE BECAUSE THOSE WERE SOLID BRICK WALLS.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE WINDOWS AND THERE WAS NO REASON NOT TO PUT IT THERE.
AND THOSE WERE ONE OF THE FEW PLACES YOU COULD PUT ANYTHING.
THE BACK WING IS RINGED WITH MECHANICAL ROOMS AND THOSE HAVE AIR INTAKE VENTS AND EXHAUST VENTS IN THEM.
SO, UH, IN ORDER TO GET THIS DUAL ENTRY, WE HAD TO SACRIFICE SOMETHING AND THAT IS THE EXISTING RESTROOMS FOR THE BUILDING.
BUT WE WERE GONNA REDO THOSE ANYWAY, SO THAT'S NO LOSS.
BUT THE DIAGONAL BRACING WAS PLACED HERE AND HERE TO HELP SUPPORT THE BUILDING IN ONE DIRECTION.
THERE'S SOME OTHER AREAS WHERE DIAGONAL BRACING IS PLACED AND WE'VE WORKED AROUND THAT AND BUILT AROUND IT.
BUT THIS WAS THE MAIN ISSUE WITH THE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT.
AND THEN THE, UH, CIRCULATION DESK IS CENTERED IN WHAT, WHAT IS THE OLD COURTYARD? SO THAT'S AGAIN, ON A 20 BY 20 GRID AND IT'S RINGED WITH COLUMNS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT INFILLING, THAT COURTYARD.
SO, UH, IN LOOKING AT THAT AXIAL RELATIONSHIP OF THE TWO ENTRIES, AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE'S A COLUMN AND A COLUMN RIGHT IN THE WAY.
AND WE WERE LOOKING AT TRYING TO JUST CREATE A, A MORE, UH, UH, CONNECTED OF, OF, OF A BETTER CONNECTION BETWEEN BOTH OF THOSE ENTRIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, WHETHER WE CAN TAKE THIS OUT OR NOT, UH, THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS LOOKING AT IT, HE INITIALLY SAID, WE CAN'T REALLY TAKE THIS OR THIS COLUMN OUT BECAUSE THEY'D HAVE TO PUT A COLUMN SOMEWHERE IN THE, IN WHAT WAS THE FORMERLY OPEN COURTYARD.
UM, 'CAUSE AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT TRUSSES THAT ARE SUPPORTING THE ROOF.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IS IT WORTH IT TO DO THAT? AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SOLVE SOME OF THAT WITH DESIGN AND HOW THOSE COLUMNS ARE BUILT OUT OR FINISHED OR WRAPPED, UH, SO THAT YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU'RE WALKING RIGHT INTO A MISTAKE.
SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LET'S TALK ABOUT PHASING.
THE LIBRARY, UH, IS DETERMINED TO STAY OPEN AND WE'RE DETERMINED TO HELP THEM STAY OPEN.
UH, THE EXISTING PLAN HAS RESTROOMS AND SERVICES ALL BACK HERE.
UH, WE WOULD NEED TO RELOCATE MOST OF THAT TO ANOTHER LOCATION, UH, BECAUSE CURRENTLY THE LIBRARY HAS SMALL RESTROOMS AND NOT THE AIRPORT STYLE, UM, LARGER, UH, RESTROOMS. SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME PHASING OPTIONS TO KEEP THE BUILDING OPEN WHILE WE REMOVE ALL OF THESE THINGS AND PUT THEM BACK IN.
UM, YOU'LL SEE BACK HERE, YOU KNOW, BRAND NEW RESTROOMS, NEW, UH, STAFF WORK ROOMS, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT'S GOTTA GO SOMEWHERE WHILE THIS BUILDING IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THE OTHER CONCEPT HELPS TO SOLVE A LOT OF THAT BY CREATING THE MEETING ROOMS AND THE RESTROOMS, UH, IN A SEPARATE BUILDING.
AND THEN THE LIBRARY CAN MOVE MOST OF ITS SERVICES ON A, ON A, ON A REDUCED STAFFING LEVEL, UH, TO THIS NEW BUILDING, WHICH WILL HELP TREMENDOUSLY WITH IT.
UM, I'VE ACTUALLY GOT A CALL INTO DO MIKE CONSTRUCTION, UH, TO LOOK AT THE IMPLICATIONS OF BOTH OF THESE AND WHAT CAN BE DONE AND, AND GIVE US SOME BUDGET NUMBERS ON A, ON A HIGH LEVEL BASIS.
UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COST TO PHASING AND SO WE'D LIKE TO KNOW IF WE CAN ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY AND TIME BY BUILDING THIS OTHER BUILDING AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE REST OF THE LIBRARY AND, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE BUILDING WHERE THAT NEW BUILDING CONNECTS.
YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST SAY MAYBE PHASING IS, THIS IS FIRST, THEN ALL OF THIS HAPPENS NEXT.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS PIECE IS OUR TEMPORARY LIBRARY SPACE OR YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S EASIER JUST TO DO THE TEMPORARY SPACE RIGHT HERE.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE WERE CONCEPTS FOR THE BUILDING, BUT THE, THE SITE PLAN IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.
UH, AND THESE WERE DESIGNED WITH SITE IMPROVEMENTS IN MIND.
THE, THE COMMUNITY WANTED ADDITIONAL, UH, HANDICAP PARKING.
SO WHAT I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE IS WE'VE GOT AN EXISTING DROP OFF RIGHT AT THIS POINT.
SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO USE THAT AND TURN THAT INTO A COVERED DROP OFF, DO A COVERED WALKWAY TO THIS BUILDING OR TO THE, TO THE ENTRANCE AT THE OTHER BUILDING, WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PRESERVE ALL THE HANDICAP PARKING RIGHT AGAINST THE BUILDING AND WE CAN ACTUALLY ADD HANDICAPPED PARKING ON THE OTHER SIDE.
[00:50:01]
AGAIN, IT JUST, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH WE WANT, WE CAN ADD.IT'S NOT THAT BAD, NOT THAT HARD TO DO.
UH, THERE'S ALREADY ENOUGH PARKING FOR THE WHOLE FACILITY, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS THERE.
YOU KNOW, BATON ROUGE HAS A, A, A, A STANDARD FOR HOW MANY PARKING SPACES YOU GOTTA INCLUDE AND WE'VE SURPASSED THAT SO WE CAN CONVERT PRETTY MUCH AS MANY PARKING SPACES TO HANDICAP SPACES AS WE NEED.
SO, UH, I THINK ONCE THIS BUILDING IS DONE, EVERYBODY WHO NEEDS IT FOR, FOR, UH, EVERYBODY WHO HAS AN ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE SHOULD BE WELL TAKEN CARE OF WITH IT.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE, THESE WOULD BE JUST THE ROUGHEST OF ESTIMATES.
IS THERE, IS THERE ANY KIND OF A PROJECTION AT THE MOMENT FOR THE COST OF OPTION ONE VERSUS OPTION TWO? WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW AND I, I DON'T WANT TO PUT ANYTHING OUT THERE BEFORE I REALLY HAVE A, A BETTER GRASP OF THOSE IMPLICATIONS.
'CAUSE WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD AND WE WANT TO TRY TO STICK TO THAT BUDGET.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THIS IS, IF OPTION TWO IS DESIRED BY THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S SLIGHTLY MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT IT SAVES TIME, YOU KNOW, THEN IS IT WORTH IT? MAYBE THEY'LL BUY INTO THAT IN A POSSIBLE INCREASE.
NOW, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE HAD QUESTIONED, BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS ADDED AFTER THE INITIAL BUDGET WAS, UH, THE DRIVE CONNECTING JEFFERSON STREET, UH, BECAUSE, UH, GROOM ROAD FLOODS AND ONE OF OUR PROGRAMMING ANALYSIS QUESTIONS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WAS THAT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET? BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A DRIVEWAY AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, HALF A MILE LONG AND, OR HOWEVER LONG IT IS.
I MEAN, IT'S A PRETTY GOOD CLIP TO GET DOWN TO THAT PART, BUT IT'S A FUNCTIONAL ASPECT THAT MAKES THIS A LOT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO USE TO GET TO.
UM, THERE ARE WORSE PLACES TO BE IN A FLOOD THAN A LIBRARY, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WANT TO GO HOME, YOU WANT TO GO HOME.
SO, BUT ANYWAY, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AND IT'S PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING SUBMITTAL.
UH, WE'LL BE SUBMITTING THOSE COM UH, COST ANALYSIS COMPARISONS.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SQUARE FOOTAGE BETWEEN THE TWO PLANS? THAT WOULD BE ADDING ANY IDEA? UH, THIS ADDS ABOUT 4,300 SQUARE FEET.
AND THEN THE COURTYARD ENCLOSURE I THINK IS, UH, MAYBE 40 BY 40.
SO 200 SQUARE FEET THAT WOULD BE ENCLOSED IN BOTH PLANS.
THE COVER DROP OFF, UH, IS PROBABLY, UH, MAYBE LIKE, IT'S PARTIALLY COVERED ALREADY, SO IT'S SORT OF, IT'S NOT QUITE THE SAME THING, BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, I THINK IT'S ABOUT 2000 SQUARE FEET ENCLOSED IN TOTAL.
VERSUS THE, THE OTHER OPTION? WELL, THE, THE COVER DROP OFF? YEAH, THE COVER DROP OFF ENCLOSURE WOULD BE I THINK ABOUT 2000 SQUARE FEET IN TOTAL ENCLOSURE.
AND ALSO ONE OF THE NEXT STEPS WE'RE GONNA DO IS ONCE WE RECEIVE COMMENTS, UH, FROM ALL OF THE, THE, UH, THE PEOPLE AND THE STAFF, UH, WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH, UM, BRANCH SERVICES ON TIGHTENING UP SQUARE FOOTAGE IS SEEING WHERE, UM, UH, BOOK STORAGE RACKS ARE GONNA GO.
ANYTHING COMPUTER TABLES, UH, IF THERE'S TOO MUCH ROOM WE CAN SORT OF TIGHTEN THINGS UP, BUT IF THERE'S NOT ENOUGH WE CAN EXPAND IT IF WE NEED TO.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF ROOM TO DO EVERYTHING THAT'S NEEDED PER THE PROGRAM.
LAURA AND HER FRIENDS WILL BE ALL OVER YOU ABOUT IT.
DO THEY HAVE ANY BUS DROP OFFS THERE, DO YOU KNOW, IN THE AFTERNOON OR IN THE MORNING? UH, SCHOOL BUS DROP OFF? NOT AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS JUST WALK.
AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS CAN WALK.
THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS AT BAKER HEIGHTS ARE NOT BEING DROPPED OFF THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? FLOODING THAT AREA HAD HAD SOME TERRIBLE FLOODING A DECADE AGO.
UH, WERE ALL THAT, THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT SITE LOOKED LIKE, UH, DURING THE FLOOD.
ANY, ANY IDEAS? UH, WELL THE BUILDING DIDN'T FLOOD.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE FOR THAT.
THE, THE, THE, TO THE SOUTH, I MEANT, I MEANT THE, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING WHERE, WELL, THE OTHER, THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING IS FLAT AND SLOPES DOWN OUT TO JEFFERSON AND WE'RE ACTUALLY, WE'RE GETTING A, UH, THE SURVEY UPDATED BECAUSE THE OLD ONE IS NOT QUITE, UH, CURRENT ANYMORE.
UM, I'M NOT AWARE THAT ANY FLOODING HAPPENED ON THAT SITE BECAUSE IF IT DID, THE LIBRARY WOULD'VE FLOODED.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE CAN ASK THE LIBRARY STAFF IF THEY CAN RECALL WHAT HAPPENED UP THERE.
[00:55:01]
UM, THE SCHOOLS DID.THE, THE SCHOOLS DID THE SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STREET.
AND FURTHER DOWN THE STREET DID UH, THE STAFF JUST REPORTED THAT IT WAS IMPASSABLE IN FRONT OF THE LIBRARY? YEAH, I JUST DON'T RECALL.
AND OUR MECHANICAL ENGINEER ACTUALLY DID REPAIRS TO ONE OF THE FACILITIES NEARBY, I THINK IT WAS FOR THE, THE CITY OF BAKER.
AND HE THOUGHT THIS BUILDING HAD FLOODED AND I SAID NO.
AND SAID, REALLY THAT'S
SO WHEN THE SITE WAS CHOSEN, IT WAS CHOSEN? WELL, YEAH.
NOW, UH, IF WE DID A SECOND ENTRANCE ACROSS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO ALSO HAVE RAMPS.
THERE'S ABOUT A TWO FOOT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FINISHED FLOOR AND GRADE RIGHT THERE BECAUSE THE LIBRARY SITS ON, IT STRADDLES THE, THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE HILL RIGHT THERE.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU WANNA MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY, WHICH YOU TYPICALLY DO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE UH, AN ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE SOMEWHERE.
BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA PUT A PUBLIC ENTRANCE, YOU MAY AS WELL MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO FEET GRADE DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A 24 FOOT LONG RAMP AND THAT HAS TO BE INCORPORATED AND, AND MADE BEAUTIFUL TOO.
OF CONCRETE, HARD TO VALUE ENGINEER THAT.
YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND TALKING TO US, SHOWING US THIS.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO ANY BUSINESS, ANY NEW BUSINESS.
TWO COMMENTS ABOUT THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, SAY TO REMIND EVERYONE TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE THE POLL FOR THE BUDGET SO WE CAN GET THAT ON OUR CALENDAR THAT OUT.
OTHER THAN THAT, IS THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS? I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE'VE GOT AN ELECTION COMING UP.
IF YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE, PLEASE CONSIDER REGISTERING TO VOTE AND, UH, ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET OUT AND VOTE.
UH, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL CHOOSE THE SAME VOTE THAT I DID AS VOTE FOR OUR LIBRARIES.
ANY FURTHER FURTHER BUSINESS HEARING, NO ADJOURN.