2025-07-08 Library Board of Trustees MinutesMINUTES
LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING
TUESDAY, July 8, 2025
A. CALL TO ORDER
Board Member Eric Hoffman called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
B. ROLL CALL
Board Members Present:
Eric Hoffman, Barbara Yatabe, Audrey Davis
City Staff:
Mark Herbert, Library Manager
C. PRESENTATIONS
NONE
D. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS (Related to City Business only and for which the
Advisory Committee is responsible — 5 minutes per person; 30 minutes total).
NONE
E. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Approval of minutes for May 13, 2025.
MOTIONED by BY and SECONDED by EH to approve the minutes. MOTION CARRIED
3-0.
F. SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS
NONE
G. NEW BUSINESS
2. Introduction of New Library Board of Trustees Members.
Board members were introduced to Audrey Davis, one of the two new Board members
appointed by City Council last week. Jim Fenton, the other new member, was unavailable to
attend this meeting. Audrey has been an El Segundo resident for about a year -and -a -half,
and her husband is a long-time resident. Everyone introduced themselves and gave a little
background to their time in the City and on the Board.
H. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
NONE
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I. REPORT — LIBRARY MANAGER (No Board Action Required)
1. Discussion of Programs, Services, Budget, Material Collections, Facility Maintenance,
Personnel Changes, and Other Items Related to the Administration of the El Segundo
Public Library, School Libraries, and Recreation Division.
Library Manager's Report —
a. Human Resources began recruiting to fill the two vacant Library Clerk positions on June
24. Hilary Murphy's retirement, after 25 years at the library, created a third vacancy in
Support Services. A much smaller group of applications was received this time and
Bryce Tucker and Mark Herbert interviewed only a couple of people. Temporary
employee Raemi Thomas was one of the applicants and was offered a regular position
after her interview. Raemi accepted and began working as a City employee on July 7.
b. The library closed on June 16 for an all -staff training day. This was the first time in two
years that the library has closed during its regular business hours for a staff meeting.
ESPD officers provided active shooter training and conducted a walkthrough of the
building to review vulnerable areas. Afterward, staff discussed relevant topics and
viewed a training video on difficult patron interactions. After a lunch break, staff met in
their individual divisions for more focused meetings and then worked on collection and
program -related projects. EH: Was the training effective and do we see it happening
more often? MH: Yes it was effective. Besides discussing a variety of library issues,
staff had requested active shooter training and learned good techniques about how to
back each other up during difficult situations. Trainings might take place once a year, or
once every two years to prevent the library from being closed too often.
c. The History Committee held a History Room open house on June 21, making the room's
collections available for public viewing. Members of the Friends of the Library were
present to build membership. Julie Rochefort and Barbara Boland gave a talk on the
Blue Butterfly, volunteers took people around the pollinator gardens, and photographer
Sarah Ainsworth discussed her work. Additionally, staff held a small get-together with the
public in memory of Library Clerk Norma Nicolson.
d. Last November the Recreation, Parks and Library full-time staff attended two half -day
retreats to develop a department -wide strategic plan. Staff created new mission and
vision statements, as well as lists of values and unacceptable staff behaviors. From that
meeting, managers then developed three-year goals for each division. The goals for the
library are: increase collection use by 10% in the next three years, modernize portions of
the interior, and maximize use of library programs. The strategic plan was recently
approved by City Council.
e. Summer Reading Program registration is going well. To date, 192 adults, 265 youth, and
85 teens have signed up for the program.
f. The adult Summer Reading Program kickoff event, Book Buzz Tea, featured Penguin
Random House representative Liz Camfiord discussing recent and upcoming titles.
Forty-five people attended the event.
g. Poet Laureate Kweku Amibola held a program called "Poet Laureate Seeing Through
Sound: Generative Poetry Workshop" on July 2. Nineteen local poets attended. Library
staff are currently overseeing the poet laureate initiative for the next two years.
h. Sarah Ainsworth's nature photos will remain on display in the reading lounge area
through August and will be featured in the Art Walk, which takes place Saturday, August
23.
i. July 29 will feature a Harry Potter Birthday program for teens, where they can watch one
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of the HP movies, make slime, and enjoy birthday cake.
j. Staff continue to enhance collections: increasing the number and variety of manga titles,
refreshing the travel guides, test books, and classics. More face -out displays have been
ordered to promote adult fiction and nonfiction collections.
k. The Children's Summer Reading Program will close out on August 6 with a performance
of "Rhythm and Roots" by percussionist Louis Cruz Beltrane.
I. New programs are going well too. There were over 80 attendees at the first two "Pop -Up
at the Park" storytimes and 20 attendees at the Saturday "Story Explorers" program, a
storytime that focuses on family participation.
m. The new school year starts on Monday, August 25.
J. REPORT — SCHOOL DISTRICT LIBRARIAN (No Board Action Required)
2. Report on the School Libraries, including those at El Segundo High School, Center
Street School, Richmond Street School, and El Segundo Middle School.
School District Librarian's Report —
a. The high school library is being used as a location for the Arena and remedial summer
school classes.
b. As mentioned, the school year starts on August 25.
K. REPORTS — FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
1. Report on Book Sales, Donations, History Committee Activities, Special
Events and Other Items Related to Friends of the Library Business
a. President's Report
i. Brenda Ross reported that, as Mark said, the History Committee had an open house on
June 21.
ii. A membership drive will likely be held in October.
b. History Committee Report
NONE
L. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS —
EH: Prior to the start of the meeting, Mark mentioned the new TV in the library entryway. Let's
take a look as we leave tonight.
M. ADJOURNMENT —
The meeting was adjourned at 6:34 PM.
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