HomeMy WebLinkAbout081324 LAB Meeting Packet- Added After Meeting,��
To: Mayor David Faber
Melody Sky Weaver, MLIS Library Director
City of Port Townsend Public Library
1220 Lawrence St.
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360-340-3054
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CC: City Manager John Mauro, Vicechair David Tolmie, Council Liaison Owen Rowe, City Clerk Alyssa Rodriguez
Subject: Library Advisory Board Workplan
Date: July 15, 2024
Dear Mayor Faber,
Thank you for reaching out to the Library Advisory Board to give insight into the City's 2025 Workplan. Unfortunately,
due to unforeseen circumstances the Library Advisory Board has not met since your letter went out in late April as the
board had met earlier in April and had to cancel the June meeting. As the staff liaison to the board, I wanted to make
sure that the Library Advisory Board has some semblance of a response and wanted it to be clear that the following is
coming from my perspective since the board was not able to meet and discuss feedback this year.
• What is the status of your work in 2024 to date (i.e., highlights, accomplishments, future milestones)?
o The board received annual Intellectual Freedom and Anti -Censorship Training from the Library Director.
The board is well versed in library statistics, programs, and collections due to the two Library Managers
annual presentations. The board reviewed and recommended two important library policies be updated
and City Council approved those policies: Collection Development and Public Internet.
• What work from this year is likely to continue into 2025?
o Reviewed and revised library policies to make sure each library policy is up to date, and the board had
more annual training in public library operations and best practices so that the board can make
informed decisions and recommendations on library policies and services.
• What 2-3 priorities do you and your board believe are most important to consider as part of the overall City
workplan and related to your purpose and role as an advisory body?
o Financial sustainability, levels of services, community engagement for the City as a whole and especially
for the for the Library. We know the Library's current budget, levels of services, and annual 1% increase
are not sustainable and that steps to safeguard the Library's financial sustainability while sustaining
levels of services will be critical to undertake in the next two years. These will be reflected in the
Library's 2025 Strategic Plan update as well.
What has gone well this year that we should learn from or consider more broadly?
o Overall meeting every other month seems to work well for the frequency of meetings and workload for
the board. Staff giving specific and in-depth presentations on services and collections has helped to
deepen the board's knowledge of public library practices and policies. Having a Council Liaison is
incredibly beneficial as Councilmember Rowe shares important updates and perspectives with the
board.
• Are there things we should stop doing or do differently, both at strategic and operational levels?
o Continuing to build on great communication channels between the City Council, advisory groups, and
City staff. Also, continuing to improve onboarding process for new advisory board members including
important trainings on PRA, OMPA, and parliamentary procedures.
Thank you so much for taking the time to get feedback from advisory boards.
Warm regards,
Melody Sky Weaver, Library Director and Library Advisory Board Staff Liaison