Arts, Culture, and Library Commission Meeting - February 11, 2026
Arts, Culture, and Library Commission Meeting - February 11, 2026
Note: The transcript indicates the meeting occurred on January 20, 2026, but the provided date for this summary is February 11, 2026. This discrepancy is noted per accuracy rules.
The Arts, Culture, and Library Commission convened on the recorded date to discuss project planning for the upcoming year, review ongoing grants, and receive updates. The meeting included roll call (five members present, quorum met), approval of previous minutes, and a brief staff report.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of December 16, 2025, by unanimous voice vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made.
Discussion Items
- Library Staff Report: The library director announced the upcoming ribbon cutting for the Stephen Taylor Sanctity of Life Pavilion on January 24, 2026, at Marina Park (14001 Wicks Boulevard), with an RSVP requested.
- Arts, Culture, and Library Commission Project Planning (Item 7A): Commissioners brainstormed potential projects that require minimal or no funding for the 2026-2027 cycle. Ideas included:
- An art show for past grant recipients or open to all artists, focused on display and networking (Commissioner Terry).
- Latinx reading and journaling workshops for middle and high school youth, leveraging community connections and volunteer authors (Commissioner Acevedo).
- A group bike ride (“Tour de Bibliothèque”) between all library branches, in partnership with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, to promote active transportation and library awareness (Commissioner Velasquez).
- A map of art locations and Little Free Libraries, a sidewalk chalk day for community beautification, a poetry program with poems on library receipts or bus stops, and a reader’s theater book club for all ages (multiple commissioners).
- A memorial plaque or citywide Fred Korematsu Day to honor the San Leandro resident and Supreme Court case figure (Commissioner Ridsdale).
- Quality of Life Priority Alignment: Discussion ensued on how these projects could serve as deliverables under the city’s Quality of Life priority, with library staff noting that new deliverables will be established in March.
- Grants Committee Report: All current grantees submitted final reports; review by the Grants Committee is pending. The next grant cycle opens February 3, 2026, with an applicant mixer scheduled for February 5, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the CARP room.
Key Outcomes
- Commissioners agreed to form a subcommittee to prioritize and refine the proposed project ideas. A follow-up meeting will be scheduled for the February meeting to rank ideas and begin logistical brainstorming.
- The Grants Committee will evaluate final reports via correspondence and support the upcoming grant cycle publicity.
- Commissioner comments included updates on the As Needed Bakery opening in the library café (expected mid-February) and mention of the Good2Go app for local food deals.
- The meeting adjourned at 7:22 PM.
Meeting Transcript
I'm ready, so it's the fact that you have a script. I call the Arts, Culture, and Library Commission meeting of January 20, 2026 to order. Bill, will you take roll call, please? Chair of Scotland. Present. Vice Chair Miller. Present. Commissioner Acevedo. Present. Commissioner Alvarez. Commissioner Guillory. Present. Commissioner Ridsdale. Commissioner Smith. Commissioner Velasquez. We have five in attendance so the quorum is met. All right. Item two announcements. We have no announcements. Item three consent calendar. Can I get a motion to approve the minutes of December 16th, 2025? I have a motion of a second. Well, any discussion? All right. All those in favor say aye, please. please. Aye. Any opposed? All right. Motion carries. Moving on to item four, library services staff reports and announcements. I do have one item that I just wanted to draw your attention to. I sent out actually two messages last week about the ribbon cutting of the Stephen Taylor Sanctity of Life Pavilion. That is this Saturday. Of course, you're all invited. I did my second message there was a RSVP form so if you are planning to attend please fill that out so they know that you're planning to attend I don't think there's a form I don't think there's a way to designate that you're a commissioner but then anyway if you're planning to attend please go ahead and fill that out and And again, it's this Saturday, the 24th, Marina Park, 14001 Wicks Boulevard. And like I said, there's an RSVP, starts at 10. It's at the end of the road. End of the road. At the very end of the road. Okay. All right. Well, I've seen a couple of images of the artwork, and I think the book's fantastic. So it really turned out to be a good selection. Anyway, that is it for my report. Thank you very much. Item five, public comments. We have no public. All right. Item six, presentations. No presentations. I'm just whipping through this. But item 7A, Arts, Culture, and Library Commission Project Planning. This is our chewy, meaty, delicious vegetarian burger item of the day. Okay. Did everyone bring an idea first off? I did. Okay. Terry and I did it too, sir. I got one in my head. Okay. Well, and Terry, you'd mentioned you're going to have to leave by 7.30, but it's only 6.35. Who wants to go first? Or should I go first just to give you guys an idea of like the level of detail? I can go first. Okay. Terry, you go first. I've been wrapping my brain to think, what can we do without funding? And so the only thing I really come up with is maybe, and with the indulgence of the library and whatever, is to hold an art show that would be focused on, I was thinking it could people who have been grant recipients, or it could just be basically open to all artists, and I'm not quite sure, I haven't worked out any details, but it could be, I suppose, out in the front like you normally do things, but sponsored by the commission. And that basically means volunteer, I guess. So that's really, I mean, that's the only thing I could really come up with. Yes?
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