Oh no, you're a new cover.

Oh, you gotta move on.

Uh, my name is Tanya Landry.

Okay.

My name is Kelly Malicia.

Good morning, and my name is Loretta Mitchell.

So thank you.

We do have a quorum today.

So our first item of business.

Take a look at the minutes from the last meeting.

Do I hear a motion to approve the minutes of the previous meeting?

I so move.

And do I hear a second?

I second.

All right.

Is there any discussion?

Hearing none.

All in favor, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

And minutes are approved.

All right.

Do we have any citizens to be heard regarding items not on the agenda?

Seeing none, we will move on to new business items.

Merging of advisory boards, Rosemary call, city clerk.

Come on up and tell us what's happening.

Well, good morning.

First, I would like to thank each of you because I know you guys take time out of your busy schedule to volunteer to serve on this board.

So I do appreciate that.

But as part of this year's budget exercise, staff was tasked with finding efficiencies and specifically with the advisory board.

So I worked with several with all the departments who have an advisory board, and I we've identified boards that either were going to be sunset, and we found two boards to sunset, and then there was the issue of consolidating some boards to improve efficiency.

But I think of it as an opportunity to improve our community engagement.

So the library board was one of them with the Parks and Rec Board and the Environmental Advisory Board to consolidate it into one.

One of the issues that we have is that when these boards were created, specifically the library board, I think is and EAB and Parks and Rec, those are the three, they were created at a time when we lack the professional expertise, and 40 years ago, public meetings were probably the best way to get public feedback.

That has since changed.

It's where we've become more technological, um, so that seems to be more efficient, even just getting applications, individuals to apply.

I can post it on our website.

I can post an ad in the paper.

Not that I would add put an ad in the paper for that specifically, but we don't get any feedback.

But when we post it on social media, that's what triggers it.

And so we're just trying to find better ways to improve that process.

But one of the things identified by staff is that the most of the boards have become more of a council is no longer requesting tasks of you, and so that's how the boards were initially created because that was really the best way 40 years ago.

Have a public meeting and you seek the input.

So it really has I would say um has shown the power of one.

It just happens to be an individual on an advisory board, make a recommendation or share an observation to improve a service, and it just happens to get done.

But there really are no actions or asks of staff.

It really has just become staff updates or project updates.

And as we were discussing, is that really the best use of time of board members, not just staff, but of board members to come to a meeting and approve minutes, but just really identify recommendations that either a can be easily and for the most part, does not require really true discussion, and that may not be the case in this in this board, but current garner true discussion among the board members to um have staff adopt that that recommendation because that's one of the things I think that makes us our staff really good at that.

If you know somebody, you call them up, you can call Jennifer and make that recommendation.

You saw this, or I would like this.

And if it's within the budget, it's easily implemented.

So really do not need to have an advisory board for that purpose.

So the idea of this new board would be consolidating the three boards to be the community resiliency and leisure services advisory board.

They will now lost my train of thought there for a second.

So they will now be empowered to hold public meetings to actually garner community um input, holding education outreach sessions, um, and that can even just be uh providing um sessions to seek feedback for potential grants.

So that was one thing that we did identify.

One of the complaints that I have received from past board members is that the boards meet quarterly and not um in a free not frequently enough to receive projects prior to council receiving them.

So that would be one thing.

So review potential grant opportunities and actually seek public input.

So going to maybe different sections of the community depending on where that grant is and try to get the community's input and sentiment on potential grant projects or potential projects.

The new board will also focus specifically on community well-being and um environmental stewardship under the strategic plan, which is a living document and changes yearly.

So I am seeing that there will be projects for this new board to actually review every year and either a schedule education sessions or seek public input on those projects, in addition to see being available to the public to find to receive those input regarding library services, which is now on a modern take, now being thrown into the umbrella of leisure services.

Because as you know, the library is more than just checking out a book, it provides a lot of services, community.

Um I would say services that are needed to make a community community more resilient.

So resilience resiliency is not just about environmental stewardship.

You really and you really can't have one without the other.

And so with that, I will leave it to any questions.

And before I forget, the opportunity, so right now council will be reviewing tonight the first reading of the ordinance.

It will, if it passes, then it will be presented at the second meeting in just in November for adoption.

If it is adopted, I'm not saying that it's a done deal.

If it is adopted by council, then the current members of each three boards will have an opportunity to submit an application.

So one of the concerns that we had or how would we identify individuals or truly users of the library or parks and rec facilities and have an opportunity to be on the board.

So first the current members and then council will decide if we don't have enough individuals to who are willing to serve on the new board or are interested in serving on the new board, then I'm going to add questions on the application to hopefully identify individuals who are actually using and to hopefully describe their experience with libraries or the parks and rec and trails.

The board does contemplate three individuals with professional environmental background as a preference, it's not a requirement, but that at least also will help that the dais has some coming from the the information regarding environmental stewardship or sustainability or resiliency really come from the dais and not so staff-driven.

Okay.

I know, I know it's a lot, it's a lot.

Uh, first I'd like to ask other board members do you have specific questions for the city clerk?

I guess um in hearing your explanation, um, to put the board the library with those other pieces.

I'm just what you know.

Uh I think we've all talked about before too.

We is our concern is will the library sort of get lost in the sauce of the other of these.

That's what I hear, but I don't think so.

And why do I say that?

A the board will still have to hear the appeals, which is actually now being codified.

So it's a lot long-standing library practice in terms of citizen appeals regarding questioning the materials that are in the library system.

So that's one.

Uh two, it will still have the it's actually part of the board's purpose to still seek input regarding or provide uh input to the library director regarding the rules and regulations that govern the library system, but part of the purpose of the board is to still provide feedback regarding the library services, and so I although it's not in the name of the board, the library services now has expanded and there is a movement nationally to move it under the leisure services, and that's because you have expanded so much.

It's not just about checking out a book, you can check out seats.

Well, if you check out seeds, that means there's an environmental stewardship behind it.

So it really has expanded, and I don't think it will be washed out because again, we're gonna be making sure a the director will still be engaged, and so if there are questions regarding the library, uh if I'll make sure that the director is at that meeting, so I will be the liaison for the board.

So I will make sure that when agendas are created that it's actually transparent, not just for the members, because that that was one issue that I found with a couple of boards.

It just says project update, but that was not the intent of the member.

They want to do something.

Well, if it just says project update, the other members don't know, but more importantly, the community does does not know what is expected of the board.

So the idea is really to work with the board and identify those and make it as transparent as possible so that the community can come out, but it also gives me an opportunity to plan those meetings and make sure that the experts in that area are at the at the meeting to provide the board members the information.

Um I guess my follow-up question would be too uh is what is the response of those other groups to a combined board?

I'm just curious.

Parks and rec was not well, it was split.

So I would say there's one member who is definitely not happy, but the other individuals see it has an opportunity to be more engaged.

Again, if one were if I just looked at minutes, I I try to be as clinical as possible.

And when you look at the agendas and you see project updates, you have to ask yourself is that the best use of our community's time of our residents that we're I'm asking you to volunteer and to stop whatever you're doing during your busy day to come to a meeting and either A you're asking for a project that technically has already this the ship has sailed and you have no um opportunity to provide input at that point because council has already said this is what we're doing.

So the idea is really to try to not circumvent the process, but now I have the stakeholders in those departments to say no, we want to we need them to provide feedback regarding our grant projects, which are projects that are not cooked yet.

They're they're in the future projects and trying to seek public um support for it.

Okay, certainly my concern was minimizing the importance of library services and the library's importance to the community.

I feel that Clearwater's libraries are exceptional, and my concern has always been I don't want that just pushed aside.

Uh I still believe and will always believe that libraries are integral to the community.

So I I have truly been trying to keep an open mind because this you know, my initial response was perks and rec people are gonna make decisions about the library.

And you know, EAB, it's like I wasn't seeing how that might work, but I very much appreciate your thorough examination analysis and explanation to us.

So I would just ask do other board members have questions, observations, suggestions.

No, I have the same concern that you have.

It's just um not that I'm against or anything, it's just I was really trying to figure out where did those two come together, you know, parks and rec with the library.

See, what in parks so I used to think that as well, but over the years, Jennifer has um the director has kind of corrected me because I used to think of it when this board was created back in the day, it was just about checking out books, but now it is actually a community resource.

It provides computers for individuals who don't have computers at home, so they're able to access internet and seek um social service uh needs.

Uh we provide programming, crafting, um business programs and 3D printing.

There's just so many services that really calling it the library's advisory board isn't isn't adequate, isn't sufficient, and it isn't modern.

And I've seen other libraries across the nation.

I actually had approached um Ms.

Obermeyer before about that idea.

She's like, no, actually, there's a movement nationwide.

Because when you think about it, libraries are now becoming uh a collection of, I don't want to say things because it doesn't give it justice, but it's just a plethora of items that you can actually check out.

Yes, but you can also go to receive services to connect with other individuals, and that's not gonna change if anything.

I think it just modernizes it, but still puts it in a more um it gives it more of an importance because now you're gonna be more engaged, and I think more importantly, engaging the community to seek that feedback.

So that was one thing, and it's not just this board, several boards have lack that connection, and this board will be empowered to really connect with the community, and if that means going to another library to seek that public input, we we can do so.

Well, I think on the you know, as I as I think about it on the positive and what you've explained, one of the one of the positive things would be in working with these other boards, they have different constituents than necessarily the library does.

So it's an opportunity to broaden everyone's knowledge about what libraries do and what libraries are in the community.

So I do see that as a is a positive um and really hoping that there it will take some time for this new concept to take effect with the actual board members to come together.

But um, with your description of there being uh actual projects and actual public feedback that we can get, giving them something to do, because I think we've all talked about you know that you know the the all uh that we were joined, we want something to do to make the library better.

So I do see that as a positive in this new system, which I realize will take will take some time for all of it to come together.

Thank you.

Yeah, I I hope so.

I really I really do envision this to be a really a good opportunity to modernize it, but to be more active, and I think that's more important because for me as an individual who's always trying to seek to fill the vacancies when they do occur.

It sometimes it's hard depending on the board, and so like yes, we have those boards that are really popular, but this one probably touches so many individuals, whether they know it or not, that it's sometimes the hardest to to fill.

So I I get it.

Can you say the selection of the new board would be three members from both of the boards, the parks and recently and three members from the uh no?

So actually, so um the board membership would be seven members, and and it contemplates a preference for three environmental professionals, but in terms of the makeup of the new consolidated board, I'm actually going to ask each of you if it's a if it if the ordinance is adopted to ask all current members if they are interested, because some individuals may not be able to meet every other month if they're interested to submit an application and then or let me know, depending on on when your application is, then we can go with the current if it's within the year, but to um submit an application, and then that way I can let council know these are the current members of the three boards, um, and then they will decide.

So council will decide.

Wonderful.

Are there any other questions?

We thank you so much for your presentation.

Um it is sounding like this is going to move forward, and um certainly we will all be paying close attention, and I thank you tremendously for your attention to detail in this proposal.

Thank you.

And I do fail if if it doesn't work, because I know Perks and Rec asked me if it doesn't work, I will be the first one to advise council and city manager at this process and working, but it may take some time, but I am I am hopeful that it'll be a positive change.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, yes, I know we're still digesting.

But the next item is the 2026 library board schedule.

So at this point, we're contemplating continuing in the current form.

Do we have a schedule?

My suggestion would be for the board to come up with the 2026 schedule.

Because again, this tonight will be um they'll be voting on the first reading, and like Rosemary Clerk uh call mentioned, there's there needs to be a second reading uh this month, and then it will be adopted.

So I don't want to make the assumption that it will be because that's the council decision.

Okay, just to get the discussion started, I would suggest that we duplicate the current system of quarterly meetings on the first Thursday each quarter, which is February, May, August, November, and select those Thursdays as a tentative schedule.

Does that sound reasonable?

That makes sense.

But if she was saying that uh for more effectiveness, that board is going to meet every other month.

But yes, then we would adopt if this becomes approved, then we adopt the new schedule.

Right, but I'm but if it doesn't, should we meet every other month?

You know what I'm saying?

Like maybe that makes this board more effective if that doesn't get adopted, which probably it is, but I'm just putting that out.

I guess my feeling on that is if we had more turnout from the community at these meetings, yeah.

I'd say let's go for for every other month instead of quarterly.

But it at this point uh her points are well taken that we do not have a great deal of community involvement in this board at this time.

So uh I would just say that for now let's plan on if this motion doesn't pass, then we will have what has been our schedule for years, which is the first Thursday quarterly starting in February of 2026.

Okay.

So I think that makes sense.

Okay, so let's I guess we need to formally make it in form of a motion.

Would you make that motion?

Um I make a motion to continue the board schedule as pre in previous years, uh, the quarterly.

The next one would start in February of 2026.

Okay.

Do I hear a second?

Okay, all those any discussion.

All those in favor of the motion signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Motion uh any any negative, any other abstent abstentions or anything.

Yeah, okay.

Anyhow, the ayes have it.

So uh I would ask Jennifer to draw up that schedule for us and email it to us.

And certainly most of us will be trying to pay attention this evening and to the city council meetings, whether you intend uh attend in person or online.

Let's watch what the city council has to say.

I attended one of the workshops where this was presented, so I I had a sense of what was coming.

And um, I as I said, I I'm willing to see if this will increase community involvement because after all, that's what we really want is more interest from more members of our community because we know we have a fabulous library system, and I've always felt that the general public doesn't get a sense of all that can be done here and with the library's help.

So let's just run with it.

Okay, very good.

So now moving on to the director's report.

Take it away.

Well, I want to kick off my report with um uh saying that the fiscal year 2026 budget, city budget, and our department budget uh was approved back in September, and by state statute, there had to be two readings of the budget, and that was in sub the the month of September.

So that has been passed, and um and I've mentioned last meeting um that the library did have a reduction um they percent reduction in our budget, but um, and that translated into changing some hours and some position reductions.

Um so that has passed, and we're into we're already it was adopted October 1st, and we're we're heading into we're already into 2026.

So I just want to make that announcement.

Um holiday programs, of course.

Halloween, we had a bunch of um Halloween programs, trunk or tree in North Greenwood, um, bunch of uh uh individual programs um at our locations, and it was just wonderful to see the community come out, the children and families and costume, and and uh it's just uh a great holiday program that we enjoyed doing every year, and you know, we don't stop there because we have Thanksgiving coming up, and then our winter holidays.

So um, well, thanks again as part of winter holidays.

So I don't know if you after the meeting, if you want to take a look right out here at the main library, and also at our countryside library, we partner with an organization called Silver Santas, and that is an organization that provides um uh resources to um seniors in need, so it's kind of it's very similar to if you see like like giving trees where you you take you know for children, um, and they write on what their their wish list for the holiday season, um, but this is focused on seniors, um, particularly seniors in a uh assisted living facilities, but not limited to assistant assisted living uh facilities.

Um we kicked it off.

We piloted it last year at countryside, and it was so popular, and and the organization is great to work with that we've expanded it to our main library.

Um and like I the tree went up yesterday afternoon.

The organization gave us 50 cards from 50 seniors asking for particular things, um, and we're down to 25 cards from 50, and that was just from yesterday.

So we will be requesting more cards from this uh organization, and we'll keep that tree full and but it's just a wonderful program to help um the senior community.

So and then coming up we have our annual Posada at our East Library.

Um that will be December 13th from 2 to 5.

Um we have been doing this Posada celebration for many years, and it's um a Mexican holiday and uh celebrating Christmas time, and we always get a great turnout, and it's just a fantastic program.

So if you're free on December 13th from 2 to 5 at our East Library, please join us.

It is it is a great program, lots of activities, and we have a procession with Mary and Joseph, and it's it's really nice.

So North Greenwood, lots lots coming up for North Greenwood.

So I've mentioned in the past that North Greenwood will be getting a mural on the facade of the building.

Um we had a muralist um set up last year that fell through, but we have now um contracted with another muralist, and we are we have finalized the design of this new mural, and uh I believe we are planning to she's planning to come in in February and actually uh uh put the mural on on the facade, and it is it's it's beautiful, it's gonna be beautiful, and it's really gonna make the library pop.

Um and it's gonna be the entire front entrance, so we're really excited about that.

Can you say who the muralist is?

You know, I knew you were gonna ask him that her name at the moment.

Um she from Clearwater, or is she from another she's local, but she's I don't know if she's a Clearwater resident, but she's local.

Cool.

I can find that information out and email that to the group.

Sorry, I don't have that.

And we've emailed many times, and I just care about her name.

Um and then in addition, so you know our North Greenwood library um was open in 2005, and we've done incremental updates to the furniture and the you know uh the equipment, uh, but we are it it's time to do a true overhaul of their uh desks and chairs and and seating areas.

So we've been working with the vendor for uh quite a while, and just last week uh we finalized everything that we've been planning.

Um so we have to make some uh changes to the infrastructure, um, some wiring and whatnot, but that should happen very soon, and then uh we just will order the furniture and hopefully that'll come in fairly soon.

Um, but it will look very different inside, and it's it's it's gonna be more modern and new and and really nice and more functional, you know.

Libraries in the past, we we never even thought to make mobile tables and chairs and things to move because we have flexible spaces now.

Years ago, we never needed that.

We need that now.

So all of the furniture that we buy, and this is for the past five-seven years, everything's on wheels because we operate in flexible spaces, so um it's it's it's gonna be quite impressive.

Um, so once that's installed, hopefully we can once we submit the order.

Um, I don't know how long it's gonna take for the vendor and the uh furniture company to come you know deliver the furniture, but we'll definitely keep I'll keep the board updated.

So and Jen, I just had a question for that.

So will there be sort of a uh a grand opening of the new space or what but do you have any kind of project like that planned for showing the community what the new space showing off the new space to the community?

Absolutely, and especially for the mural, and we chose February um, particularly because February is Black History Month, um, and the muralists wanted to do it in February because we are also planning to do our annual nine at the library at North Greenwood.

So we want to get the mural the Ferrari Night of the Library so we can really have a excellent ribbon cutting and a grand celebration.

Krista must be very excited.

What I don't know is if we're gonna have the furniture by then.

Okay, we're gonna try our best, but you know, with the supply chain and back orders and so um um I will try my best, but it's really it's up to the the manufacturer, so uh shifting gears.

May I ask what the status of the beach library is?

Yes, that is on my list.

Oh, that's just wanted to make shift ahead.

Yes.

Um I am happy to announce that this week on Tuesday, we reopened our beach library.

We're calling it a pop-up.

And what that means is a temporary space in the pool office because the pool at the beach is closed from the end of October till April.

So that pool office, which is a really nice size space, um wasn't being used.

So we thought, well, until the beach library reopens, we'll have a little pop-up.

And what that means is people can come and pick up their reserves if they put materials on reserves.

We have a special collection of popular materials just for the beach community if they want to come and pick out, you know, check out best sellers.

Um we have a friends of library book cart where people can purchase um uh books and other materials.

Um they can get library cards, um that we have Wi-Fi in that pool office.

So that that's what we're doing right now.

Limited hours, um, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday limited hours until April.

And then we are either next week or the week after meeting with the interior designer of the architect that is redoing the Grec Center and library.

We're meeting with her to start picking out permanent um furniture for the reopening of the library.

So we are still in the planning process for the beach library.

Um I don't know an exact reopening timeline.

I believe the recreation department um is shooting for uh sometime this spring uh to reopen, and I am hoping that the library can reopen at the same time.

So I get asked that all the time from that.

The beach community loves the library as they should.

And um, but at least this pop-up uh library with limited resources, but still and in a sense of community.

I was there on Tuesday, and you know uh people just gathering, and and that's a large part of what our libraries have become our gathering spaces, community spaces where people can gather and work together and collaborate.

Um so this is at least something we can offer the beach community until we can get our library back up running.

I had a question, Jen, for the um pop-up and and when the full library is going to be ready.

Um are there any um uh information given is there any information given to like the local hotels, the hotels over there that the pop-up library is available so that tourists could come and I don't even know, maybe you think about later charging a fee for like a temporary library card or access to the libraries because there are no bookstores anywhere around the beach area, and most people look for a book during their beach time, and especially if you have children and it's a rainy beach day, you're looking for somewhere to to send your children to get a book or some activity for the family.

So I just uh was curious if there is any interaction or liaison between hotels and businesses to the pop-up.

Absolutely, absolutely.

In fact, we um are we should be getting flyers very soon or like trifolds um to promote and um the branch manager out at the beach is going to be giving them to the local businesses and um the church across the street and just various uh organizations over there to help promote that this pop-up is available.

Great, yeah, and maybe in the future some sort of fee for tourists to get a temporary card or some kind of.

I'm just thinking of a way to also monetize some of the sort of the great services for outside of the community.

Absolutely.

We do offer temporary cards for visitors.

Um they are free of charge.

Uh, but we do offer temporary because we do have and then a lot of snowbirds and computer use only cards.

So if someone wants to come in and just print out their boarding pass or a document, we have computer use only cards.

Great um, so we do I just want to mention so back in March we uh we need to renew our strategic plan, our department strategic plan.

So the city has their strategic plan, and then we have our own department that is definitely aligned with the city's priorities and goals.

Um and we've needed to renew ours for a little bit.

Um so we found a uh consultant and he came in and in uh the end of March.

Actually, we wanted to do it last October, but Helene and Milton had other ideas, so we we had to delay it until March.

And it started off with a kicked off with a staff uh meetings with staff to get their input.

Um, and from that meeting in March, we we got staff input and areas that we wanted to focus on.

So we want to do a follow-up with our consultant, and that actually happened this week, Tuesday and Wednesday.

We had um three sessions with staff.

Um so that was the next step, and then after this step, we're gonna be reaching out to the community, um, going to meetings and and surveys, and everything you would do for traditional strategic planning to get input to really um see what the community needs are, what we're doing really well, where we need to improve, what new services they want, what services are no longer needed.

So this input is very very important, and then we also like to meet with our stakeholders, so you know the your board, our friends of the library, our foundation, um, even you know, other departments, city departments and organizations.

So we're that's just the the part the part of the process that's that gathers input to provide direction for our for our department strategic priorities and goals.

So it is a process and it doesn't, it's not a fast process, but it's an important one.

So hopefully we'll have a strategic plan somewhat soon, but we do have to go through this process.

Speaking of upcoming plans, we all know that the construction of the new hotel and everything else.

How will that impact the functioning of the main library?

And that's on my list too.

You are I'm sorry, patients in the library.

What I have on my list is what you want to hear about.

Yeah, so I don't know if you've been getting uh the city's newsletters about the downtown construction and all the activity that's gonna happen in the downtown area.

I mean you know, the parking garage, the old city hall property with the apartments, uh the hotel, which is right outside.

Um and then there's gonna be an Ossiola street skate, so a lot of activity is gonna be happening downtown.

Um I know the hotel will be starting their construction soon.

What I don't have for you is an exact day they will be starting construction, um, but I believe it's gonna be fairly soon.

Um so obviously all this construction and activity downtown will have an impact with accessing our main library.

They did have a schedule post it on I I read so much about what's going on with our city.

I saw it online this week, and they actually had the data construction was supposed to start with a hotel, and the completion date I think was June of 2027.

Yes, yeah, yes, it's always coming soon.

It's coming.

It's coming.

And you know, so um, yeah, there will be uh challenges for parking and accessibility, but we're still gonna be open, okay, and we're still gonna be here.

Um, but there are you know uh parking garages in the area that people can you know have access to parking, may have to walk a little bit.

Um but uh like again, we we're still gonna be open, open for business and providing services.

So are we anticipating any of Aceola being closed?

I haven't heard that Aceola would be closed for a long period of time.

Um lane changes will probably happen because you know the hotel will need probably a lane to get their construction and their equipment through, so there may be some um uh impact, there will be impacts to Aceola, it may not be the two lanes with the parking and may it may just be two lanes and no parking on the street.

It may not be the two lanes with the parking and may it may just be two lanes and no parking on the street.

So let's see about that.

And the city is does a very great job with sending out frequent updates, especially with the downtown activity.

So I'm sure you're all signed up to get those.

But um it is something because it yeah, there's gonna be a lot of activity and a lot of exciting uh projects that are happening downtown.

So every year we do a staff development day, and through our interlocal with the PPLC, the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative, all of our member libraries every other year meet as a county for staff development day, and we alternate each year.

So this year was the county's staff to development day, and we had it at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Um so all member libraries and staff got it together, and it was just a day of you know, professional development and you know uh uh gathering and networking.

So that was October 13th.

Um, and like I said, it was just a great day, and and because normally, you know, there's four team member libraries, we don't always see each other and work together, so this is just an opportunity to get together and meet either people you haven't seen in a while or people you don't know because we have so many commonalities, even though we operate in different each municipality, we still work together in so many ways.

Um, so it was an opportunity to just get together and and professional development, learn new things.

So I just want to make an announcement, and you probably have already heard our municipal services building uh uh had been under renovation.

Um that has reopened, um, and I think actually it started to reopen in October last year, um last month, and I think there may be some departments that are still in the process of moving back in, but it is reopened, has been reopened.

Um the new city hall is still under construction.

Um I think the anticipated uh opening date, if that hasn't changed since I last heard was uh January of 27.

So a little more uh time for our the new city hall, and as you know, our human resources department moved here at the main library as a temporary home until the new city hall reopens.

So they will remain at the main library until the new city hall reopens.

Is it anticipated that the meetings will continue to be held in this room?

Or does do you think that's going to go over to the new facility?

The plan that I have um heard is once the new city hall opens, then chambers will move to the new city hall.

Okay, thank you.

That makes sense.

But until then, the chambers will stay here.

Yes.

So we don't work directly from like Barnes and Oval, and so we go through vendors that work with publishers and get books and other materials, and one of our big vendors actually are no longer in business, and this happened very quickly back in September.

Um, and they were one of our major vendors to get our materials, and I'm just in saying that just because it it had an impact on all libraries, not just Clearwater, but all libraries across the country who have used this big, it's called Baker and Taylor, and they've been in business for a long time.

Um, so it's quite surprising to see them not be in business anymore.

Um so but we were in a great position because we always diversify with our vendors.

So we had we always work with other major vendors to offset, you know, and get different materials from different vendors.

So we just had to do a quick pivot on, you know, when Baker and Taylor was no longer in business.

We had to, you know, cancel those orders and reorder through our other vendors.

So I just wanted to mention that, you know, it did cause a little impact in how fast we got materials, but it seems to be getting better every day.

So and we announced on our website and social media, you know, to our patrons in our community that this happened, it was out of our control, and they may have to wait a little longer to get their you know book or reserve or other material.

Um, but it seems to the impact seems to be very minimal, and so I just wanted to mention that.

And lastly, I'm gonna end with great news.

Uh so I don't know how many of you know that our first free library to the community in Clearwater was a Carnegie library.

So back in 1915 or 1914, um, Andrew Carnegie uh was so passionate about offering free library services to the community that he awarded 10,000 to communities to build a public free public library.

So 1911, Clearwater had a library, but it was a subscription library, so people would have to pay like you would, you know, Netflix or Amazon Prime or whatever, they'd have to pay a fee to use the library.

Well, with this Carnegie Carnegie grant of $10,000, and back then $10,000 a whole lot of money.

Um Clearwater Clearwater was a water awarded um this a grant from the Carnegie Foundation, and uh the city at the time said, okay, we will build a free library for our community.

Um so we opened our first library free library to the community in 1916.

Um this year they're celebrating the 250th of uh anniversary of the declaration of independence, so they decided every Carnegie Library in the country will be getting 10,000.

Oh, that's fantastic as an award.

Wow.

Um, and even though this building isn't obviously the original Carnegie building, they still said if you still have a library, you know, a Carnegie Library can uh you will get the award.

So we will be getting the award.

Uh they said that they will be issuing this award in January of 26.

So we will be making many announcements and presentations and to celebrate this very generous gift to our history and and his generosity for the foundations.

Well that's unexpected good news.

Yes, I know.

Wow.

So yes, so very exciting.

Wonderful.

And I believe in Florida there were only seven Carnegie Libraries, and four of them were public and three of them were academics.

So not many Carnegie Libraries in Florida, and Clearwater was awarded one of them.

That's great back in 1914.

So very proud, very proud.

Yes.

And that wraps up my report.

So I'm open to any questions.

It was very thorough so much.

Very good.

All right, now turning to board members.

Do any of you have issues you wish to raise at this time?

I just had a question if there was an update of the proposals that were out for facilities that might actually be used coming here that were art related.

Is there an update on that?

There is.

Okay.

I can't believe I forgot that.

Yeah, I was wondering why there's no art out there right now.

Well, that that space that our main library is managed to the Clearwater Arts Alliance.

Right.

Yeah.

So and I think I mentioned, yes, that prior meetings.

So this Clearwater City Council uh voted to uh request proposals from cultural organizations and art organizations to submit a proposal for to have a presence in the main library.

There was a staff committee to review the proposals.

We got six proposals.

The committee reviewed the proposals.

We uh submitted the top three to the city council with our recommendation.

Um this is back in August.

Um, and then in one of their September meetings, uh, they reviewed the proposals and had a public meeting to discuss how to move forward or make a decision.

What they decided was they were envisioning something bigger or more unique or different than their initial um vision.

So they decided that they would like to reissue a call for proposals, and that should go out the beginning of the new year.

And they also decided to leave the proposal, um the call for proposals to extend the time frame to at least six months to give and anybody who is interested, any organization, and this doesn't just have to be local, it's nationwide or maybe even global.

Um give them more time to consider submitting a proposal.

So would the existing organizations that submit it resubmit, or would they be eligible to resubmit, or is this council's vision beyond what those organizations could provide?

I mean, I think that they could resubmit the proposal if they would if they choose to.

And do you have any idea how are they defining broader, bigger, more unique, more different?

I think that they are just open up to any possibility.

So they didn't really define because that's really yeah, yeah.

I was just wondering in their minds what does that look like?

Yeah, exactly.

And they don't know either.

Is that like well, and I think when when they reissue the call for proposals, they'll know what we'll do criteria like there was the first time, and maybe that will be more defined.

I I don't know.

That's interesting.

Okay, yeah.

Okay.

So stay tuned.

All right, yeah.

I'm glad you brought that up because I I completely forgot that.

So Jim, I have a question.

Yes, how many of our libraries offer a seed bank?

Seed libraries?

Right now, our countryside and our East Library with SBC.

Um we are definitely considering widening that and maybe main library, North Greenwood, even the beach library when it reopens.

I know it's such a small space, but we could have a presence.

So ideally we it could be a system-wide program because it's just been so popular.

I get tons of calls, yes.

Um yes.

So it's these are definitely were we're considering uh the feasibility of providing them.

I'll make sure I make I have my monthly classes that I offer free while I offer my monthly gardening classes, and it always comes up the year.

I knew about Clewart East, but I wasn't sure about the other, so hopefully one day soon we'll be classes in clue worse.

Yes.

Absolutely.

It's a great program.

All right.

Anything else that anyone wants to raise?

I don't think so.

Okay.

Hearing nothing further, I'm adjourning the meeting of the library advisory board.

Thank you so much for being here today.

It's always so informative.

Thank you, Jennifer.

Such a great report.

Thank you.

Excellent.