Sort of just filling in for your pro tem council member Porterfield.

Um just a reminder we are sitting on Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Shawnee land, a reminder that no one is illegal on stolen land built by stolen labor.

All right, we do have two presentations tonight.

Um and the first one will be presented by council member Ewing, uh proclamation recognizing the life of Eleanor Willis, uh notable civic leader and lifelong Nashville.

Councilmember Ewing, are you ready?

Yes, yes, I am.

All right, I think we okay, thank you.

Okay.

Okay, ready?

Are we all ready?

Whereas notable civic leader and lifelong Nashvillean Eleanor Lawson Willis passed away on February thirteenth, twenty twenty-six, leaving a legacy of community service and leadership, and whereas Miss Willis was born on September 15th, 1936 to the late Helen and Harry Alfred Lawson Jr.

And was preceded in death by her brother Harry House Lawson and whereas Eleanor Willis, a distinguished graduate of Vanderbilt University, lived a life defined by service, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to strengthening her community and whereas she dedicated her career to expanding opportunities and care for others, founding the Heads Up Child Development Center to serve low-income families and children with development and disabilities, as well as co-founding the Rochelle Center to support adults with disabilities, reflecting a lifelong devotion to dignity across all stages of life and whereas her leadership in civic and environmental stewardship, most notably through the Friends of Warner Parks, the Nashville Tree Foundation, and Cumberland Region tomorrow, help to preserve Nashville's nature with thoughtful growth to guide future generations and whereas Miss Willis served as director of Friends of Winnipeg from 1994 to 2013, shaping the organization to the strong part nineties today.

In our time as director, Miss Willis helped to develop the full moon picking party fundraiser, a continuous annually to this day.

Whereas Eleanor Willis Hendur legacy is one of transformative impact, reflected in the it's shaped that lives is uplifted, and communities she helped to sustain.

Thank you.

Whereas she is survived by her three sons, Alfred Russell and his wife Debbie, William Reese and his wife Casey, and Brent Lawson and his wife Kathy Willis, ten grandchildren, Clayborn Klein, Merritt Woods, Sidney Reed, Elizabeth Drake, Kendall Reese, John Lawson, William Graham, William Morgan, Caroline Carden, and Gage Lawson Willis, and two great grandchildren, Bradley Stewart and Vivian Anderson Matthews.

Now therefore, I Sandy Ewing, District 34 Councilmember of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, along with the Vice Mayor and Undersigned Council members to hereby recognize Eleanor Willess Willis.

Excuse me, Eleanor Willis, in remembrance of her lasting contributions to Nashville.

She led by example as a model of service leadership and care for community, signed on this twenty-first day of April, 2026.

Would anyone from uh Miss Willis' family like to say a couple of words?

Or okay.

Well, next we have a presentation by Councilmember Gadd, a resolution recognizing April 19th to through April 25th, 2026 as National Library Week and recognizing April 21st, 2026 as National Library Workers' Day.

Councilmember Gadd, are you ready?

Wonderful.

Right here.

Oh, you ready?

Oh, thank well, thank you so much.

Uh Madam Speaker Pro Tim.

Um Sepulveda.

Um today um we have an opportunity to um share out loud our incredible gratitude to the Nashville Public Library workers and to our libraries across the the county.

Um we did our gratitude as well on the council floor with the passing of this resolution.

So um I'm really grateful to my colleagues who are standing up here.

Um, but I would did want to take just a moment before we read through the words that we've approved, uh, and just you know, state that the Nashville Public Library does something that this council talks about constantly.

It creates community every day across Davidson County, and that's free for all that that enter.

The programs are extraordinary, reading readiness for our youngest children, digital access for neighbors left behind, health literacy, literacy, spaces where every person can walk in and belong.

But here's what I want us to name clearly.

Public libraries are not just a community service, they are a cornerstone of democracy, free access to information to the freedom to read and think for yourself, and that is not a small thing right now.

That is everything, and none of this happens without the people we're honoring today.

The staff of the Nashville Public Library show up as guides, educators, and connectors.

And I have to do a special plug out to uh my home branch at Ripsland Park.

But this resolution is our way of saying we see you, and we are grateful for you.

With that, um, I'll open up the the resolution and um ask my colleagues to read a little bit as well.

So resolution number RS 2025.

Um I don't know what the whole number is.

Anyways, a resolution recognizing April 19th to April 25th as Nash Nash National Library Week and recognizing today, April 21st, um, as National Library Workers Day.

Whereas I'm uh ask, I guess you want to do one time.

Okay.

Whereas Nashville Public Library, or NPL serves as a cornerstone of knowledge and opportunity, providing essential resources, services, and programs that empower individuals and whereas National Library Week observed annually in April, is it time to celebrate the power and promise of libraries here in Nashville and across the nation to recognize the contributions of library staff and to promote library use and support and whereas the theme for National Library Week this year is find your joy, and whereas the 21 branches of the Nashville Public Library spark creativity, fuel imagination, and inspire lifelong learning, offering a space where individuals of all ages can find joy through exploration and discovery, and whereas in 2025, NPL served nearly three million visitors in 28 different languages.

However, the impact and reach of Nashville Public Library workers extend beyond the library branches to provide access to collections, professional development, enriching programs, and vital resources through meaningful community partnerships with over 140 child care centers, all metro Nashville public schools, over 30 youth development organizations, dozens of senior citizens centers, and hundreds of community centers and events across Nashville and Davison County, and whereas through programs such as uh Nashville After Zone Alliance, the Library of Things, Be Well, Begin Bright, and the Digital Inclusion Initiative, the Library reaches all ages to provide a variety of learning opportunities and whereas the success of the National Library would not be possible without its staff and volunteers who help people.

And reach of Nashville Public Library workers extend beyond the library branches to provide access to collections, professional development, enriching programs and vital resources through meaningful community partnerships with over 140 child care centers, all metro Nashville Public Schools, over 30 youth development organizations, dozens of senior citizens centers, and hundreds of community centers and events across Nashville and Davison County and whereas through programs such as uh Nashville After Zone Alliance, the Library of Things, Be Well, Begin Bright, and the Digital Inclusion Initiative, the Library reaches all ages to provide a variety of learning opportunities and whereas the success of the National Library would not be possible without its staff and volunteers who help people of all ages and backgrounds access and interpret the information they need to live, learn, and work in the 21st century and whereas over the last year, especially with the closure of the main library, library workers have worked tirelessly to maintain programs and bring the library to the public by holding events at alternate sites and working at various other library branches to ensure continued services and whereas recognizing the invaluable contributions of library workers is essential to appreciating the role they play in strengthening communities, advancing education and ensuring free and open access to information.

And whereas libraries, library workers, and library advocates across the nation are joining together to celebrate National Library Workers' Day, an initiative of the American Library Association, Allied Professional Association on Sunday, April 19th, 2026, to highlight the dedication and contributions of library professionals.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.

Section one.

The Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record to recognize Sunday, April 19th, 2026, as National Library Workers' Day in Nashville and David County, and express its appreciation for the dedication of the Nashville Public Library staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to serve the community and promote literacy, lifelong learning, and community connection.

Wonderful.

Thank you so much.

And um, oh, so that the Metropolitan Council further goes on record as recognizing the 19th through 25th as National Library Week in Nashville and Davidson County, and this resolution shall take effect uh from and after its endop adoption, the welfare of metropolitan government requiring it.

Thank you so much.

And Director Lou.

We have a couple of copies of this.