So first uh you will be attending and viewing statement here.

Uh this is the Rochester Public Library Board meeting.

Uh attend the meeting in person.

You can watch it via the library's YouTube channel, or you can see the recording afterwards on our website.

We have any community comments tonight.

We don't even have any community tonight.

Well I wouldn't say um we can see ourselves.

Jeremiah might walk out just for the second.

All right.

So since you're new, do you just want to give us a brief intro?

Sure.

Uh my name is Emily Saltis, and I um a librarian in Georgia.

Public library, and I worked here for a number of years, I think we're gonna be able to do it.

Here.

Do you want to give us uh sure?

Um I think I'm originally from Milwaukee.

Um briefly in Western Nebraska, which uh square I became a librarian.

I was the director of the public library.

And then my husband and I moved to Rochester about twenty years to go.

And I worked in Salville for about a year and a half, and then I went over and to the university when it's in a rochester.

So I was there like very uh for 15 years, and now I've retired.

Yeah.

Um so my husband and I live up in uh Haver Hills area, so I am the Holstein County representative to work.

Um because we uh Rochester ends in our neighborhood.

So my husband and I live there with our two big three dogs and um yeah.

Do you want to tell us a little bit about yourself as your work examples?

Sure.

Um English teacher here in the district, I've been teaching over 20 years.

Um teach nine great English.

And I was just here and very compelled to just like try to do something to get involved in the community.

It was like the library, obviously, because I love the library.

Um so I feel pretty lucky to be chosen because it's very clear that this is a high demand board position.

So here.

Right.

Um could I have the um um motion to approve the agenda.

So thank you a second.

All right.

Updates reports, the color foundation.

We don't have anything going on these days, do you?

We have an event on uh Saturday.

You're all invited.

Some of you have tickets.

Uh tickets are closed at this point.

But if you would like to attend, you can just um send me an email or get a hold of your library contact and I'll figure out a way to work it out for you.

Any questions?

Short report today, sorry.

Have an amazing time being you.

Oh, friends.

Hi, I'm Val Kellasky, president of the Friends, and we also have a very busy two and a half weeks coming up.

Um, first of all, on Monday, we have our friends annual meeting and luncheon, um, where we uh review what we've done over the past year.

And um then uh starting tomorrow, um, the friends bookstore is having a store wide health price sale.

Um and they're said that they are going to be open regardless of the weather, as long as the library is open over the next three days.

Um the bookstore will be open.

Sometimes they close if uh schools close due to weather.

Um, but they have a bunch of dedicated volunteers that said no, we we will be there.

Um, so everything in the store has price and they have extended hours um Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Um in order to have everybody come in and shop it it's a very big sale forum.

Um and then uh a couple weeks later here in this room we will have our auditorium sale, um, where we have 350 boxes worth of books that we set up uh over a couple hours and um we have a sale over several days, and then it takes us about an hour to completely empty this room.

So we have some awesome volunteers, but invite you to come shop at that sale.

The book store, for those of you who haven't been in the book, have you all been in the bookstore and shopped in there?

Okay, and never mind.

Um you probably know what all kind of pricing we do.

Um any questions for friends?

Thank you.

So I don't think we have a report right there.

I don't even know which meeting is, but okay, that's you.

Exactly.

All right.

Could I have uh motion to apply to the concept agenda as present?

So vote.

Thank you.

A second, so I can all in favor.

I think opposed.

Excuse me, we're on a strategy planning conversation.

So somebody over the chateau this weekend assigned over to the same time, try to say what you're doing.

No, actually I was teaching a call.

Go and test your high for a commercial district by program at which I do it's interesting here.

So there's gonna be no ways.

So we will also be in the same or should teach you things I mean this cheaper books.

I think we're sort of hard for sure.

Right?

Okay.

So really excited to be back with you.

And you can just go.

Do I have to push anything or is it already on the so uh what I'm here to do is the first of two uh strategy sessions that we will do, and um I'm gonna update you on what came out of all the engagement um sessions.

You had that in your agenda of having all go high level answering questions.

And then because of time and weather, we're going to truncate a little bit of our um facilitation today, because we're really looking at mission and vision.

So we'll talk about that in just a bit.

Okay, so um our current vision and mission right now for the library is a strong and equitable community, and uh you the mission is welcoming all to connect and learn.

And what came out on of the engagement session, there was a couple things that came out that said, you know what, if we're trying to be out and into the community, we're not sure that vision and that mission are in alignment.

Okay.

So today's purpose is really revisiting the mission and vision and really thinking about what sort of words something needs to happen for this next iteration of the library plan.

Um that's that.

So in the in your packet, you see you saw this, but I'm just gonna go high level.

So essentially I took all of that data, threw it into Excel and then started to theme it out.

And this is where we landed on the themes, and every single piece of data was counted, and this is how we landed on the count.

So if we look at the graph in the first one, essentially, if you look at your your um key over there, for staff um and supervisors, both of them were really high and making sure that facilities and operations were prioritized.

Much of their data and their input was about making sure facilities are accessible, making sure that operations are um you know running running well.

And what was interesting is that when we start to get into identity and leadership, yes, those things were important, but you can kind of tell that when we start to think about friends and foundation community partners and the whole board, identity started to rise up a little bit more.

Um, and leadership is interesting because that is out of all of them, less information that was shared on that, and yet when we think about financial um realize this through finances, that's where we're really gonna have to spend some time.

So just really thinking through on the engagement, the all four of those buckets are very important, but this is kind of how they shifted out in priorities.

And then within that data, then we seen out to about four different buckets there, infrastructure upgrades.

So really thinking about modernizing the facilities and expanding this uh satellite locations, but really the motivator behind that is this idea of accessibility that came out loud and clear.

How are we making sure that that wherever we are, whether we're doing partnerships, pop-ups, programming, that wherever we are is accessible for people to get in.

Um, for the efficiency of operations, the the bucket we're looking at was technology.

There was a lot of things that were um talking about techno technological integration and making sure that the staff um were cross-trained so that there was more flexibility of staffing when we start to think about opening up where the satellites are because the satellites most likely have the same programming and the exact same um staffing or size as the main campus, so making sure that we're thinking through what we need to operationalize all three of those potential sites at the same time.

What does that require of staff training?

What does that require of the technology?

Okay, and then this idea of identity and visibility.

So really um the call is to refresh the marketing brand is set, right?

The the branding isn't going to change uh very much, but the marketing, how are we selling our story?

How are we telling our story?

And how are we making sure that we are proactively reaching out to strengthen those community connections?

And then this other bucket was more around this inclusivity and leadership.

So really there was a lot of foundational inclusivity, um, thinking about multilingual programming, thinking about partnering with uh community partners to for them to maybe provide that programming, um, and we provide or the library provides the space, and then making sure that leadership alignment um is there for those partnerships.

Okay.

Any questions on that?

Okay.

The strategic focus areas.

I also have some copies on the table so that you can look at those as we move forward.

So then this breaks out by the master plan buckets.

So we've got facilities, operations, community and identity, leadership, and inclusivity.

The only way that wasn't really part of the four big buckets is inclusivity, and we're going to talk about that first.

And they had talked about addressing stigma and barriers for co-creative solutions with the community partners.

That's bolded because that is something that we want to make sure that we're prioritizing even within this first year.

What's the plan for us to go forward?

And the reason why is there was a few comments that Karen found problematic.

One came out on the night of the community partners programming or partners pro engagement session.

And a woman said I was here, I was with my son, we were having a great time until somebody who worked with the library, they didn't know if it was the staff or a volunteer, said, Oh, we also use cash here.

Yep.

And so and we don't know when that happened, we don't know how long ago that happened, we just know what happened.

And from that moment on, she clearly should have really been real welcome.

The other thing came out of some of the different um engagement uh interviews that Karen did really this idea of um the space itself feels kind of like a white space, right?

So people don't necessarily see themselves in representation uh within the building, and they don't there's this kind of this sense of like, well, this isn't for me.

So really thinking through how can we start to address those stigmas and those barriers through these co-creative solutions with community partners, right?

And really thinking through what that movement actually looked like.

And then the other thing that came through was this idea of expanding multilingual programming and cultural events, and both of those things that would start to break open this idea that oh, the library is really for everyone.

I can see myself in programming, I can see myself in this building.

Okay, any questions on inclusivity?

Okay, so I didn't want that kid to be lost in the master plan buckets.

I want us to make sure that that is out and we're addressing that with its own strategic priority.

Okay, so if we start back at the top, um the the three bullets are basically how the data themed out, and then there's a bolded one in each one because that was those are the ones that really started to that we need to start thinking about now.

So the facilities renovating the downtown branch to create a welcoming modern space, that's wonderful.

We need money to do that.

So one of the things that we'll need to start thinking about is what is the strategy that we're putting in place to in order to raise those funds and start to get that going.

But the one that we can start to think about is expanding those satellite locations to improve access and equity.

What does that look like?

You know, we have kind of from the master plan recommendations of spaces, how we do that in year one, year two, year three, because we're not going to just throw up a branch, there's going to be some other piloting that has to happen.

So, how are we going to start getting that plan in place now so that we can open it and test it in 2027?

And then addressing parking and accessibility challenges and the parking, we have that going right now with the pilots, and then thinking through how parking and accessibility also connect to the satellites as we go forward with that.

So, any questions on facilities?

Excellent.

And operations, the you'll see those two that came out on the other slide.

Uh, what's boldered here is cross-training staff for flexibility and adaptability in those satellite locations.

Again, thinking through if we're going to pop up and test a pilot, what's going to be there and what are we going to need for staff to be trained in in order to serve that space, not only effectively and efficiently, but they have what they need in order to feel comfortable and able to do this job.

Okay, so that one we need to start thinking through that plan now.

Like what is it?

Where are we going to go?

What are we going to do?

How are we going to cross-train?

Technology-driven solutions, a lot of those are already underway.

Um, like the ADA compliance for the website, um, and uh doing some assessment with the other technology platforms.

And on top of that, we don't know what else we're gonna need until we identify where those satellites are gonna go and how they're gonna operate.

So that's kind of why that one isn't bolded on top.

Some things are already going, and some of those things are dependent on what happens with the civilings.

Any questions on operations?

And making sure that that mission and vision state reflects vibrancy and growth that we already have in the library, but what we anticipate coming as well.

Raising the library's profile through partnerships.

These were ones that were mentioned, bioclinic was mentioned just because of proximity and how many employees use it and just some of that data that we already know about that.

Schools were one that came up.

There was quite a few, like, hey, you know what?

We used to, we all the third graders used to come or you know, like we used to have more partnership with that.

Um, so schools is another, and then cultural organizations again when we start to think about more um we'll say lingual um and more represented programming, and then developing outreach strategies specifically for non-users.

Why are they using what what did they not know?

If we truly are space for everyone, where are our board gamers, right?

We've like Chateau Theater, I think this weekend has a yeah, this week it has a big board gaming thing, right?

Does the library need to have a slide?

Like, hey, guess what?

We have a collection that you can check out from.

Just told them they should do their sale advertising.

Right, right.

So that these are the things that we want to start to think about.

What are the collections that we have that are underused and how they can we bid like actually do outreach strategies to reach the those folks?

Okay, and then uh the last one is leadership, um, and this really is around aligning friends, foundation, board, and staff under a unified narrative.

So no matter who I come in contact with and whatever their affiliation with that library is, I'm getting the same story, I'm getting the same message.

Okay, and that's really really vital when we start to think about um funding and support, right?

Um, because we need that data-driven uh return on investment from those pilot programs specifically for CD City and County and branching organizations to see that we have data-driven um assessments that already is telling us that this is a good use of their money, and then really thinking through how we foster partnerships that align with prioritized strategies, okay?

And part of that is you know, we're an example like the 125 live, you know, if we know that we have a lot of seniors that are um want to use the library but maybe aren't making it all the way down, does it make sense to have a pop-up there or have a pilot where we're seeing what it would look like to be able to pick up or retrieve our books to one two five line, like just thinking through some of those partnerships and what those could potentially look like.

And when we start to when we start to dive into strategies the next time around, once we have the mission and vision, I'll be coming to you for the your board specific strategies, right?

As the role of the board, you play one part as foundation as the spreads as this the staff, right?

And how are we making sure that we're moving all together unified toward that mission vision, but we're also in our lane, and we're acting as a multi-lane highway to get there, right?

Okay, any questions on the strategic focus areas or observations again.

Maybe I'll just a little slow, but I'm trying to understand how this fits in the context of the library study that we just have and we've card of everything on this relate to that much bigger project.

So this is so what this says is that takes that bigger project, and by going through and engaging all of these different stakeholders, what we learned was where they want us to spend our time and energy and funds in the first three years.

That's that's what we learned here.

Now, what we need to do is we need to revise the mission and vision so that they are ready for what's gonna come out strategically for each of these.

Sure.

Okay.

Any other observations or comments?

Okay.

All right, so what um what you're gonna do in your partners, and like I said, I'm gonna truncate this a little bit because uh we need to move a little bit because you would still have things on your channel.

Uh so what I what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna have you partner, I will have you be a three, so you three can be work together to do.

And what I want you to do is really think through what your vision for yeah, oh, yeah.

There's probably them.

No, they don't work out.

Never mind.

Um what is your vision for Holmes County residents and those business look like?

Okay.

So when we do the engagement uh sessions, there was this idea about the library how the library can be a driver in the community.

And so when we start to think about that, we actually have to think about okay.

So if I'm thinking about homesite county, what are the words that come to mind?

What do I want to see for this?

And this is aspirational.

And this is something that the library itself cannot do.

It has to do in partnership with the rest of community organizations and citizens.

So when you start to think about that, what I want you to do is you write down words together.

What are like top five words?

When you say my vision for homestead county looks like three minutes.

No, for the county.

Yes, please write it down.

Oh, no, no, no, uh, it's just like the five.

So this is for the whole city, I don't expect to think of just a big bit.

This one and this one and cover.

You don't even have to open your eye all the way.

All right, smell two here that you can see the one.

Uh you're just gonna go around, share uh what those words are that you type down, and then collectively we'll kind of start to mean some of those things together.

So when we start to but think about the vision, what are some of the words or what are the some of the phrases that you put down?

Number one on everything that I ever write here is third space, third space.

People can remember to try to use the microphone when possible.

Yeah, thank you.

The first thing we always write on any of these things is that it needs to be a third space, right?

And when we think about third space, what are the other adjectives that go with that?

Um the ones that we wrote down were welcoming or inclusive and inclusive, clean and safe.

Yep.

Clean included, bright, open spaces, well ventilated.

Yep.

Good.

Excellent.

Wonderful, thank you.

What else?

Yeah, I'll get to go.

So you're up, Steve.

Do you have bit ball and told?

Yeah, we can, but uh talking about the we need a more diverse infrastructure within the country.

Right?

Things are too focused on just a couple of organizations.

Right.

We need a stronger educational infrastructure throughout from, you know, birth all the way through procedures or retirement.

Wonderful.

Good.

Thank you.

All right.

Okay.

Um we only have two written out.

Is it one of us or Adams on board, but that's okay.

Uh I I think one of the the big ones for me, the first one that I thought of, like at the pie in the sky is the affordable housing piece.

Like it's it's it's nearly impossible to live here.

Um, and then as a as a teacher of young people, I I'm very concerned that Rochester does not have a lot of reasons for young people to want to stay and invest in the community.

Like we were talking about how a lot of them might come back down the road, but how can we do a better job of keeping them here, growing our resources, and then helping them?

Why I mean why do they have to leave?

Why do they want to leave?

What can we do to make this room?

So if we would flip that into like a statement, what do we think when I mean when you talk to your kids?

What did I say?

I met my kid.

I know my mind.

Oh, I said there's nothing to do.

There's nothing to do.

Okay, I don't disagree with them.

No, no, for there's no night I do.

Right.

So there it is.

Is that is it our thriving night life?

Is there a big a big art scene?

Is there, you know what I mean?

Like what are some of those things?

Yeah, you're like, if we want our youth to stay, we need X, Y, Z.

And 100% we need affordable housing.

And then what else?

Like, how would we look that?

Is it vibrant?

Is it I don't know, like things for youth to do or those activities for no matter where you live and what page you're at?

I mean, I think for lack of a more concise rate is I think of like the infrastructure for opportunity.

What is there to then create space for folks to make more that is new that is attractive than is library?

Yeah.

Yes.

There's definitely a call on the internet.

People that live here to do things in the evening after work.

Or after supper, even like what are you supposed to do at night?

Because everybody goes to work?

And then everything closes.

So yeah.

It is interesting because when you even think about night tech activities, now we come back and we're starting to see that third space.

Do we have enough third third space spaces?

For people to see themselves in and out of so automatically I log, ooh, interesting.

Interesting.

What you know, what could the library get in some of these places?

Well, you know, um we have a very good symphony works here, I guess, to volunteer for them and like the contents are oh, I don't know, five every six or seven, I don't know, the number per year.

But you know, it's only a select uh Saturday nights, maybe every other thing is I definitely go because it's worth an example of something that doesn't fill up everybody's time.

But that is a particular specific worthwhile thing.

Um if the library multiple programming something for something sustainable.

Right.

So these are things that have to be sustainable.

Um if they're if they're equality kinds of things.

Um can't remember the word that was used, but you you can ask yourself, you know, so Rochester is famous for the male tech.

If your background is armed in science, or medicine.

And you want to live here, what do you do?

And it's problem because people what else is left?

I think some people get kind of non-medical jobs in Mayway understand that.

Uh, mails the big deal.

Yeah, and I think see though by correct me if I'm wrong, but that's kind of what you were talking about with that diverse infrastructure a little bit.

Yeah.

Okay.

Excellent.

What other words did y'all have?

For your vision.

Right.

Oh, engaging.

Okay.

That's it.

You know, we love the wrong cover the whole economic.

Okay, so when we start to think about your vision, even though we don't have the words perfect, uh, yeah, but we're saying that Old Tech County is affordable, there's things to do, and there's also opportunities for me to grow.

And be who like be and do whatever I want.

Is that kind of what I'm hearing?

Yeah.

I'm keeping seeing head nods.

Okay, alright.

Okay, so then with that in mind, now we get to mission.

Okay.

So I want you to start to think about, okay, so now I have a vibrant Olm City County.

It is um like it is doing like it's doing all these things.

We've got nightlife going on, we've got diverse uh infrastructure, we have opportunities abounding.

So now visualize how does the library contribute to that overall vision?

What is it that they are giving day in, day out, over and over to contribute to this safe, engaged, vibrant Holmes County community.

Got it?

And then just write down those words.

I mean, do we get to look like Trinity College?

Yeah, yes.

Sure, anybody else.

Somebody did in the staff go, we can't put people on those ladders, though, that's a liability.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, that would be bad.

Okay, so you get about three three minutes to do this, really start to think about what um what does if we're doing our part of this and we're contributing, what does that look like?

Feel like what it sound like?

What is the library look like feel like sound like

How does the library contribute to this overall vision?

What did it like winning up?

I'll go first.

Excellent.

We're going to be part of it.

We need to be open.

And have well designed spaces for kids to get a little bit noisy and for teams to hang out and for people to study quietly if they need to.

And for there to be in clubs, etc.

There needs to be really clear communication about the fact that those spaces exist and have different places to be.

Yeah.

Always.

Awesome.

Great.

Thank you.

Resources to learn in your own.

A variety of experiences based on interests.

Okay, resources to learn in round.

Yep.

And then a variety of experiences based on interests.

Awesome.

Great.

Thank you.

And so then we talked about missions since you asked the actionable.

We basically said that the library will provide the necessary resources, connectivities, and services to support the intellectual health and development of the community of all community members.

Right.

So we're trying to cover the whole age range.

We're trying to address them providing materials, services, connections to other organizations, and then both, you know, intellectual educational growth, but also potentially safety and support issues as well.

Great.

So necessary resources and what was the other resources, connectivity and services.

I'd give you this, but you wouldn't read my head right.

So if you compile them out in front, that's great.

So essentially what happens next session and you look you already dove into there, especially these two groups.

You dove right in to identifying those strategic priorities and key actions that we want to take.

Um but what I will do is I'll come back with the with drafts of both the vision and the mission.

Um and that will be, you know, we'll look at that and uh use that draft as our uh diving endpoint to identify the strategic priorities and key actions that we need to take in 26, 27, and 28 in order to make this a reality.

Um so we're gonna check it out one when we're how you feeling about the feature of the paper.

Yeah.

You say it?

Good.

Hopefully, so I love it.

We can't everything so at this point that's just gonna be asking a lot of.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks, Jim.

Alright, on to uh 2026 to be soft had a chance to take a look at those.

And I clarified the finance committee's uh one of the permanent committees instead of an ad hoc committee.

And we have uh the um we have the description of the committee so that was pretty close in last meeting that we had yes, conference of that book.

It changes yes, okay.

Uh Nicholas is spelled with an H and not a K, but you could use Nick or just leave it.

We're probably talking about the same guy anyway.

Is it that way on the website?

I don't know.

But uh the one I have here is N I C K.

I'm wondering if the what if it's that way on the website because that's where those are the case though, right?

Yeah, he's asking the website is actually.

Well then I don't know if I don't check it or something.

But like I said, it's okay.

Okay.

Anybody have any questions about their committee assignments?

Or yes to what we're about to sorry.

I don't have a question about the assignment for say, but what I do have a question about is how do I know when these things are in?

Generally you get an email from Karen kind of saying, hey, we need to meet about policy or we need to meet about finance.

How does them historically have had just regular standing meetings?

So I know there's probably uh except for the executive committee that stuff first Friday of every five months or everything's gonna happen, right?

Um so the advocacy actually I would think probably should start to have standing meetings as we get our strategic plan in place.

Uh finance means basically in a two-year budget cycle to do that.

They meet like three times, maybe a year at most.

Uh planning is kind of added.

The policy committee probably should be meeting quarterly to, you know, it had work out with Karen a uh kind of rotation to make sure over any two-year period kind of all the policies can look at.

I think that needs to come here cultures.

Yeah, because the committee will obviously highly engage with the administration, so I'm sure we're going to be doing a like work from administration to get together.

Any other questions?

Yeah, yes.

I think there's already Stacy's already made a note.

So they'd care to watch your schools and much so.

Actually, if we go on Celco's website, it'll say for example.

If no other questions said about library at home.

Sure, I can use here.

Here, and I mean uh taking a team.

Oh, look here, that's okay.

So last month I came to talk about library at home and just let you know about the changes to the volunteer policy.

And one of the things I really appreciated last month was just the affirmation that we're not canceling the program, we're not ending the program.

So and in January we approved doing staff delivery of items.

So last week we had staff delivery of 45 items.

Um it took about five and a half hours.

We had two staff that were dedicated to that time.

So we're really looking at the data of how much staff time this is taking, how many people.

We have six new people signed up for next month.

So it is a growing program.

Right now I'm focusing on three different options and looking at continuation of staff delivery of time, tracking tasks of the substitute staff, and impact mail delivery, mostly focusing on the concept of free matter mailing, which is available through the federal government for people who are blind or print disabled.

And so I'll be hopefully connecting with the postmaster to talk about that.

And then do right now, you get delivery, but we do not allow um pickup of materials.

It's either delivery or nothing.

Um so investigating if we're gonna allow that.

So if my next door neighbor is willing to pick up items, so it would be delivery or pickup, not both.

And then one of the things we did mention last month was was a discussion of utilizing friends volunteers for delivery.

Had a great conversation with Bill Kalzewski, um, president of the Friends.

And really, as we talked about the nitty-gritty of how friends are processed as volunteers, all friends volunteers are library volunteers.

Not all library volunteers are friends, um, but the majority, many of them are.

So we wouldn't be able to use them for them because of the same policy.

Um another thing, because we've discontinued the deposit program this past uh December, we do have a little bit of staff capacity that we can move to library at home, and so we're utilizing some of that.

Um another thing we're watching is depending on when the bookmobile is on or off the road.

Currently, we're doing library at home deliveries on Thursdays, and so the bookmobile is on the road every other Thursday.

That's another staff impact.

So tracking all the different things that look at the availability and how we can ensure this is covered.

Um the last comment is really we're looking at the data.

We're trying to track how many people each month, how much staff time it's taking, as well as continuing to work with the city about other options.

Yes, Larry.

What is the primary concern about a designated individual doing pick up?

Is there a hesitation about that somehow?

The way the program was set up is a it's really for people who um who can't get to the library.

I mean, that's it was originally called homebound.

It is changed to a library at home program.

Um I can't tell you the specific reasons why it was set up that way it was only delivery.

And I think a big part of that is if somebody comes to pick up materials and the program we have is a delivery program, it logistically is challenging.

So as I'm going forward, I'm figuring out what would be the logistics if we have this separate option.

So hypothetically, yeah.

If somebody were to just put their books on hold, they would sit on a shelf and they could hand their library card to their neighbor, and their neighbor could go to the whole shelf and do a self-check, and you all would never know that this wasn't the person whose name was on the books.

Yeah, and either person is providing authorization to that other person by giving them their way.

Is there any reason that we couldn't advertise that as an option?

I say as a parent who regularly picks up holes for my children.

So Minnesota state law that says that anyone at the same address can pick up for them.

So if that neighbor came in and forgot the card or was having problem with the PIN or anything like that, we can't talk to the neighbor.

Like we can't give them information about your card.

Um so there's some things that we could logistically do to make that person an authorized person to pick up materials.

So yes, I mean, if you if your neighbor's willing to go pick up your stuff, um that's fine if if uh somebody who lives at the same address brings in their ID, they can pick up your materials uh per state law, but um, but then a the ability of staff to discuss and assist then that would work as long as there was no problems with the card, basically.

Yeah.

But we wouldn't do that as a setup library at home currently, right?

We would just do it too, yeah, we put it on home like I'm not very familiar with the free matter mailing.

Um it's not a post office thing.

So it is the um it is funded federally.

It's a federally funded program that is processed through the the postmaster and your local post office.

So the instructions and everything are actually part of the USPS.

And um, one of the reasons I would be talking to the postmaster is ensuring that people can do an application for free matter mailing.

Um, but they need to be certified in a way that says, yes, this person qualifies.

So and then certification person can be the postmaster.

Um it can also be a librarian.

And so, and then the only things that we can mail through that program are audiobooks or large print.

Large print.

Okay.

And this only only for persons that are blind or visually aware of the other kind of displayers, as it were.

Um, in terms of the number of people that we do serve what percentage are I don't have an identity or I don't know yet.

Well, maybe if you're report by the person.

And that's something I'm in I'm investigating with the person who actually does the um sells the banks.

We have a great library at home team.

There's also a state library of those materials that already does free mailing.

So if you know that somebody qualifies, we could also refer them to the state library.

And that's one of those processes with um when they're doing an application for a library at home, ensuring that we're talking to them about their options.

Um, because if state sources for the blind is a better option for them, then I would rather refer them to State Services for the Blind, because it's an amazing program.

And the library for the blind and visually impaired has got a lot of stuff for adults, basically for kids.

A lot of stuff for adults, and it's really easy to use.

But one of the things that they had advertising or do a delivery driver 13 hours a week.

Whether I want to just show a material along their different locations.

Um would it be like, oh, I looked at your budget, but I looked up the, you know, what you want to mean you even know what you are doing.

Oh, what do we bought?

All data maybe either a good approach or B, we would utilize all the person, and I don't want to talk about quality either for you, but possibly we can get them to kick in maybe a little bit already, you know, a wallet or whatever, you know, why talk to a couple of booking or maybe remarkable now you're gonna run your budget or where you all know if you only run the program.

Yeah, as I mentioned last month, we did get uh more from the foundation than we were expecting, and so part of that is being used in January to cover we had one of our longtime subs come in and cover a bookmobile shift so that our library at home staff could do the delivery for library at home.

So that is uh um looking at library funding, foundation um funding and all those options.

Um I am working with human resources to kind of clarify the volunteer policy and see if there's other um other opportunities, but that is something I'll have to the list.

So when you say polybone hall we're gonna be wall, but we don't lower an hour per week or a little overall.

Okay, yeah.

And one of the conversations we're having is because the program is growing.

Um, we have to do it split it into multiple days.

Um, so again, trying to work on getting all that data.

And so we're doing number one.

Oh currently, we're doing number one.

Yep.

Well, we've had the one month, and so we had the two staff um for five and a half hours.

Thankfully, that was a day that the bookmobile was not on the road, so I was able to use um uh outreach staff who weren't on the bookmobile that day so far in their meeting of need, as it were.

We met the need in January.

Yeah, okay.

Well, this is what we need to forget a browser library or assignment to start, you know, thinking about stretching staff and reassignment and what whatever you do.

One of the solutions that we had briefly mentioned last month was the possibility of partnering with another community group that's already going door to door.

Has have any of those conversations happened?

We've started having conversations just at the like administration level here.

Um and where we're at is we're discussing it with our privacy committee because there are there are privacy um implications in allowing another organization to deliver library materials.

So that's where it is, it's on the list.

I believe DoorDash was also um recommended last month.

Um, same similar um privacy things that we're looking at.

So what do you talk to great idea?

Well would you talk to all at all?

You know, what will be all you'll know when pull material rollout or the box out.

What would be pausable to utilize volunteers maybe in there material or so without wise?

So we already have volunteers doing that.

We have volunteers um calling a lot of these patrons, having those conversations, and putting together a list.

And then the volunteers will come to the library, pull materials and kind of give staff that pile, and then we process them and get them in the banks ready for the delivery.

So that process isn't gonna be changing, and that process doesn't require anybody getting better than the wheel.

Thank you.

No, just wanted to reiterate that this program is important so that we should find a way to make sure it happens.

Any other uh questions for Stacy?

Thanks, everybody.

Could I have a motion to address that?

Is that all in favor?

I'm interested in it.