OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Sacramento Public Library Authority Board Meeting – October 30, 2025

Boards and Commissions — Thursday, October 30, 2025
BodySacramento County, California
SessionBoards and Commissions
DateThursday, October 30, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:08:20
Transcript — Verbatim
0:03

I will begin.

0:04

Oh.

0:08

I'll be there as well.

0:09

So at the time of 303, I'll begin the Thursday, October 23rd meeting of the Sacramento Public Library Authority Board.

0:17

Um, may we have the roll call clerk?

0:20

Roger Dickinson.

0:22

Karina Telemontes.

0:24

Phil Plucky Baum.

0:26

Katie Maple.

0:27

Here.

0:27

My Vang.

0:29

Phil Cerna.

0:30

Patrick Kennedy.

0:32

Rich Desmond.

0:34

Rosario Rodriguez.

0:36

Pat Hume.

0:38

Mary Jane Lopez Taff.

0:40

Here.

0:41

Rod Brewer.

0:42

Here.

0:42

Kevin Spees.

0:45

Tim Reed.

0:47

Linda Budge.

0:51

Tanya Kravchuk.

0:54

Vina Lefkovitz.

0:56

Here.

0:57

And who else is attending?

1:00

That gives us a Nick Voice there.

1:05

So we have eight members present.

1:07

Thank you, Clerk.

1:08

And now we have the meeting statement.

1:10

This meeting of the Sacramento Public Library Authority is broadcast live and recorded with closed captioning.

1:16

It is cable cast on Metro Cable Channel 14, the local government affairs channel on the Comcast and Direct TV Uverse Cable Systems.

1:24

It's also live streamed at Metro14Live.sackCounty.gov.

1:28

Today's meeting replays Saturday, October 25th at 4 p.m.

1:32

on Metro Cable Channel 14.

1:34

Once posted, the recording of this meeting can be viewed on demand at YouTube.com slash metro cable 14.

1:41

The meeting will also be recorded via Zoom.

1:44

A DVD copy will be available upon request no later than two weeks following today's meeting.

1:50

The full agenda, including reports, is available on the library website at www.saclibrary.org.

1:57

Members of the audience wishing to address the board should complete a speaker identification form located at the back table and give it to the clerk.

2:05

Members attending via Zoom should raise their hand on the Zoom program.

2:09

Please speak clearly when addressing the board and state your name for the record.

2:13

Comments are limited to three minutes so that everyone may be heard.

2:17

Thank you.

2:32

I applied to you to the flag in the United States of America.

2:36

And to the Republican stands, one nation, Underground, Indivisible, and Justice For.

2:44

You may please be seated.

2:50

Item number two, public comment on matters not on the agenda.

2:56

I do not have any any slips.

2:59

So we'll move on to item number three, presentation.

3:08

Thank you, Chair Brewer and members of the authority board.

3:12

This week marks National Friends of the Library Week.

3:16

It's an annual celebration recognized this week, October 19th through 25th.

3:24

This is a national um week sponsored by the American Library Association and others to uh thank and recognize and promote the great work that the Friends groups across this country do for America's public libraries.

3:38

And so we have a proclamation today thanking the friends for their work.

3:43

It's a little lengthy because the friends do a lot, so I ask for your patience as we share all the great things the friends have done for us.

3:51

Whereas National Friends of the Library Week was is celebrated throughout the nation in Sacramento County and all of the cities and communities therein from October 19th to October 25th, 2025, and whereas the Friends are the library's official fundraising partner, and along with its affiliates provide more than $300,000 annually to support library programs, collections, and services in all 28 locations.

4:17

And whereas the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library have impacted the lives of first graders throughout Sacramento County, thanks to their generous support of the library's book first program.

4:27

And whereas in the 10 years, Book First has been a library initiative, the Friends have raised more than $600,000, which provided over 169,946 books to first graders and helped Sacramento Public Library staff visit over 4,588 classrooms in 185 schools.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement█████████████████████████████████████████████47%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████30%
Technology and Innovation█████████████14%
Procedural█████████9%
Summary of Proceedings

Sacramento Public Library Authority Board Meeting – October 30, 2025

Note: The transcript of the meeting opens with the chair stating the date as Thursday, October 23, 2025, but the provided metadata records the meeting on October 30, 2025. This summary uses the date from the metadata as instructed. All other content is drawn from the transcript.

The Sacramento Public Library Authority Board convened to receive presentations on Library Friends appreciation, building project updates, and a new brand and website. The board approved the consent calendar unanimously and heard reports from the Executive Team. No public comments were made on non-agenda items.

Consent Calendar

  • The board approved four consent items by a roll‑call vote of 10–0 (all members present voting aye).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public addressed the board on matters not on the agenda.

Discussion Items

  • National Friends of the Library Week Proclamation (Item 3.1): Director Coyle read a proclamation recognizing Friends groups for their contributions, noting the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library have donated over $1 million (later corrected by Friends past president Anita Scurry to over $5 million in the past ten years) and provided over 169,946 books to first graders through the Book First program. The board unanimously adopted the proclamation.
  • Friends of the Sacramento Public Library Report (Item 3.2): Anita Scurry, substituting for Devon Graves, reported the Friends’ recent antiquarian sale raised $10,000 in six hours. She expressed solidarity with the Colonial Heights Friends and urged a timely reopening of that branch. The Friends are developing a communications plan based on a branch survey and announced upcoming events (paper shredding and tea ceremony).
  • Building Projects Update (Item 3.3): Deputy Director Keller presented the Colonial Heights Library restoration timeline after the July 2024 fire. The branch will require a new collection of approximately 22,798 items (2,637 linear feet, 217 bays, half a mile of books). Furniture and book deliveries are scheduled for late October; a soft opening is targeted for December 2025, with a firm opening by January 6, 2026. Keller also updated on the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Elk Grove Library, North Sacramento‑Hagginwood Library, and Isleton renovations, noting that the usual three‑to‑six‑month outfitting period after construction is due to custom furniture, collection processing, and vendor delays. Director Dickinson questioned whether steps could be taken to shorten that period; Keller responded that process improvements are underway but some delays (shipping, telecommunications) are outside library control. Vice Chair Maple requested proactive community communication, noting resident frustration. The board acknowledged the challenges and applauded progress.
  • Brand and Website Presentation (Item 3.4): Lisa Martinez introduced the library’s new brand identity and website, launching November 5, 2025. The new logo, tagline (“Where Curiosity Meets Community”), and color palette were developed from community research showing residents value discovery, staff, and diverse services. The redesigned website will be more accessible, with plain language and translation tools. Director Talamantes asked about the logo’s meaning (evoking books, pages, and 28 branches). Director Budge appreciated the branding but suggested boosting color intensity. Chair Brewer suggested adding a preamble video with music to the website. Martinez noted the extended color palette and that the tagline reflects the library’s role as a convener.
  • Executive Team Report (Item 4.1): Director Coyle highlighted the Rancho Cordova Library’s 50th anniversary celebration, a talk by Pulitzer‑winning reporter Jodi Kantor, the graduation of 71 Career Online High School students (365 total over 11 years), and the all‑staff day with workshops and therapy llamas.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (10–0).
  • Colonial Heights Library: Confirmed timeline: soft opening December 2025, full opening by January 6, 2026. The board directed staff to improve community communication.
  • Brand Launch: The new brand and website will debut November 5, 2025; exterior signage rollout will follow.
  • Other Building Projects: Isleton Library expected to reopen late November/early December 2025. Multiple ADA and HVAC projects scheduled through 2027.

The meeting then recessed into closed session.

Meeting Transcript

I will begin. Oh. I'll be there as well. So at the time of 303, I'll begin the Thursday, October 23rd meeting of the Sacramento Public Library Authority Board. Um, may we have the roll call clerk? Roger Dickinson. Karina Telemontes. Phil Plucky Baum. Katie Maple. Here. My Vang. Phil Cerna. Patrick Kennedy. Rich Desmond. Rosario Rodriguez. Pat Hume. Mary Jane Lopez Taff. Here. Rod Brewer. Here. Kevin Spees. Tim Reed. Linda Budge. Tanya Kravchuk. Vina Lefkovitz. Here. And who else is attending? That gives us a Nick Voice there. So we have eight members present. Thank you, Clerk. And now we have the meeting statement. This meeting of the Sacramento Public Library Authority is broadcast live and recorded with closed captioning. It is cable cast on Metro Cable Channel 14, the local government affairs channel on the Comcast and Direct TV Uverse Cable Systems. It's also live streamed at Metro14Live.sackCounty.gov. Today's meeting replays Saturday, October 25th at 4 p.m. on Metro Cable Channel 14. Once posted, the recording of this meeting can be viewed on demand at YouTube.com slash metro cable 14. The meeting will also be recorded via Zoom. A DVD copy will be available upon request no later than two weeks following today's meeting. The full agenda, including reports, is available on the library website at www.saclibrary.org. Members of the audience wishing to address the board should complete a speaker identification form located at the back table and give it to the clerk. Members attending via Zoom should raise their hand on the Zoom program. Please speak clearly when addressing the board and state your name for the record. Comments are limited to three minutes so that everyone may be heard. Thank you. I applied to you to the flag in the United States of America. And to the Republican stands, one nation, Underground, Indivisible, and Justice For. You may please be seated. Item number two, public comment on matters not on the agenda. I do not have any any slips.

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TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
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