HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-13-2022 Library & Community Engagement Commission MinutesSaratoga Library & Community Engagement Commission Minutes | February 13, 2023
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MINUTES
SARATOGA LIBRARY &
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Victoria Zhang called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Victoria Zhang, Vice Chair Cristina Meiser, Commissioners Robert
Gulino, Eric Lewis, Valerie Nygaard
Absent: None
Also Present: Jennifer Weeks, Saralyn Otter, David Guidry, Manlin Zhang, James
Lindsay, Crystal Bothelio
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS
None
AGENDA ITEMS
1. Library & Community Engagement Commission Minutes
Recommended Action:
Review and approve the minutes from the December 5, 2022 Regular Meeting.
GULINO/ZHANG MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 5, 2022
REGULAR MEETING. MOTION PASSED. AYES: GULINO, LEWIS, MEISER, NYGAARD,
ZHANG. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
2. Saratoga Teen Advisory Board Report
Recommended Action:
Receive Saratoga Teen Advisory Board report.
Manlin Zhang, Teen Advisory Board Co-President, shared that the Board has seen
increasing attendance at events. Upcoming events include SED Talks, a collaboration with
the Youth Commission. The two groups are working on securing speakers for the event.
The intended audience is high school students and attendance is estimated at 50 people.
The Commission provided suggestions on speakers based on the theme of the event.
Saratoga Library & Community Engagement Commission Minutes | February 13, 2023
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3. Santa Clara County Library District Report
Recommended Action:
Receive Santa Clara County Library District report.
Jennifer Weeks, Santa Clara County Librarian, provided an overview of the District’s
Friends and Commissioners forum held in February. She reminded the Commission that
Overdrive is being retired and patrons can now use the Libby app to enjoy electronic
books and audio books. The District is holding kinder readiness programs in multiple
languages. During the month of February, the District will be sharing more about the
strategic plan. Jennifer provided additional information about how this will be
implemented and how the larger community will be invited to participate in the strategic
planning effort.
4. Saratoga Community Library Report
Recommended Action:
Receive Saratoga Community Library report.
Saralyn Otter, Acting Community Librarian, noted that Saratoga Library is working on
developing 3 strategic goals, including circulating hotspots, patron feedback on
programming, and senior programs and partnership.
David Guidry, Friends of the Saratoga Libraries Presidents, shared insights from his
experience as a High School District Trustee in distributing hotspots.
Saralyn Otter, Acting Community Librarian, provided information on recent programs,
including participation levels, Silicon Valley Reads, Lunar New Year celebrations, in-
person homework help, Family Bingo, story time, art exhibits, and a history of Saratoga
blacksmiths exhibit. Upcoming programs include a story time hosted by Santa Clara
County Supervisor Joe Simitian, a display of gourd art by artist Christy Tsai, and the
addition of the Everbright interactive light wall in the Saratoga Library lobby.
The Commission discussed the tutors who support in-person homework help at the
library and options for online tutoring.
5. Friends of the Saratoga Libraries Report
Recommended Action:
Receive Friends of the Saratoga Libraries report.
David Guidry, Friends of the Saratoga Libraries President, thanked Jennifer Weeks for the
excellent Friend and Commissioners forum. Overall, the Friends are doing well financially
with fundraising efforts are going well, strong membership support, and successful
paperback sales. The Friends plan change to an electronic newsletter and will be
exploring ways to communicate information in a way that is less costly and labor
intensive. The Friends will be hosting a trivia night on March 2.
Saratoga Library & Community Engagement Commission Minutes | February 13, 2023
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The Commission discussed corporate matching and other fundraising ideas.
6. Commission Committees Report
Recommended Action:
Receive report from Commission Committees that have updates to share on recent
efforts.
Chair Victoria Zhang provided an update on the Celebrating Diversity Subcommittee,
noting that the committee was unable to make significant progress since the last meeting
due to holidays and travel. The committee is working on prompts to be used to invite the
community to share their stories about what brought them to Saratoga.
The Commission discussed differences between an oral and written history project to
celebrate Saratoga’s diversity, as well as the inspiration for the committee’s
recommended approach.
Commissioner Valerie Nygaard provided an update from the Parent/Student
Collaboration Subcommittee, sharing that the committee recently discussed options for
an informal coding club for students to provide them with the chance to spend time with
other youth interested in coding.
Vice Chair Cristina Meiser added that the committee is also still exploring opportunities
to collaborate with West Valley College. She shared insights on the reading crisis and
inquired about literacy programing for youth.
7. Library & Community Engagement Commission Chair Report
Recommended Action:
Receive Library & Community Engagement Commission Chair report.
Chair Victoria Zhang commented on ChatGPT.
8. City of Saratoga Report
Recommended Action:
Receive City of Saratoga report.
Crystal Bothelio shared updates on the return of in-person Commission meetings,
provided an update on the Housing Element, noted Commission recruitments, and
shared information about both the Online Art Challenge Virtual Exhibit and Paint the City
program.
Saratoga Library & Community Engagement Commission Minutes | February 13, 2023
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9. Community News & Trends
Recommended Action:
Share news and trends within the community.
None
10. Fiscal Year 2023/24 Work Plan
Recommended Action:
Finalize the proposed 2023/24 Work Plan to be presented to the City Council for
consideration at the Commission Work Plan Study Session on Monday, March 27 from
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the City Hall, Linda Callon Conference Room.
Commissioner Bob Gulino requested a correction to the spelling of his name and asked
that the first sentence of the Community Event Grant item be revised to “for which other
event organizers can apply.”
The Commission discussed options for including metrics to evaluate the success of work
plan items. The Commission agreed to include language in work plan items 2, 3, and 4
that indicates that the Commission will measure and analyze participation and program
engagement.
GULINO/NYGAARD MOVED TO RECOMMEND CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE
PROPOSED 2023/24 WORK PLAN WITH THE EDITS TO BOB GULINO’S NAME,
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMUNITY EVENT GRANT WORK PLAN ITEM DESCRIPTION,
AND ADDITION TO ITEMS 2, 3, AND 4 TO NOTE THAT THE COMMISSION WILL
MEASURE AND ANALYZE PARTICIPATION AND PROGRAM ENGAGEMENT. MOTION
PASSED. AYES: GULINO, LEWIS, MEISER, NYGAARD, ZHANG. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN:
NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
SUMMARIZE ACTION ITEMS
Commissioners Lewis and Gulino noted they may meet to discuss Good Neighbor Day.
Commissioner Lewis noted that he will likely be unable to attend the June meeting.
Commissioner Valerie Nygaard shared that the Parent/Student Collaboration Subcommittee
may reach out to Saralyn Otter.
Chair Victoria Zhang added that the Celebrating Diversity Subcommittee may also need to
meet with Saralyn Otter.
Saratoga Library & Community Engagement Commission Minutes | February 13, 2023
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AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING
The Commission asked staff to work with Chair Victoria Zhang to manage the amount of time
needed to complete the Community Event Grant item at the April meeting.
GULINO/NYGAARD MOVED TO RESCHEDULE THE APRIL 10 MEETING TO APRIL 17. MOTION
PASSED. AYES: GULINO, LEWIS, MEISER, NYGAARD, ZHANG. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE.
ABSENT: NONE.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Victoria Zhang adjourned the meeting at 9:30 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted:
Crystal Bothelio