Tali Hairston: Let's go.
Tali Hairston: It is now.
Tali Hairston: Let's see. My time is different.
Tali Hairston: Here it is 11/09. We have a quorum and I'd like to call
Tali Hairston: this regular meeting of the Seattle Public Library Board of trustees to order.
Tali Hairston: If there are no changes to our agenda, mad, hear motion to the approve,
Tali Hairston: approve the agenda as published.
Yazmin Mehdi: So moved.
Bendixen, Carmen: 2nd.
Tali Hairston: 2nd it's been moved and seconded all in favor.
Yazmin Mehdi: Aye.
Bendixen, Carmen: Hi.
Faith Pettis: I.
Tali Hairston: A post.
Tali Hairston: Alright.
Tali Hairston: And as noted at the top of the agenda, the Library board is accepting public
Tali Hairston: comment by e-mail in person and at the Central Library and in this remote
Tali Hairston: meeting. Are there any public comments for today?
No one is present at the Central Library and you don't have public comment by
e-mail.
No one has signed up in the Q&A, although I do see that there is a phone
number with a raised hand, so I don't know if you want to entertain
that as a possible person who maybe was trying to sign up.
Umm.
I'm not sure what to do about that one.
Tali Hairston: Are the yeah the only way to find out is the ask the person to unmute themselves
Tali Hairston: and.
Tali Hairston: Clarify.
OK.
I will.
I can move that person into the prisoner.
Yazmin Mehdi: And we we are now following our new rules, which is that speakers must speak on an
Yazmin Mehdi: item on the agenda, correct.
Tali Hairston: That is correct.
That's correct.
OK.
It'll allow the microphone for the person who's not present.
Tali Hairston: It looks like they've been unmeted.
Tali Hairston: Can they identify themselves and?
+12*******33: Hello.
Tali Hairston: Hello.
+12*******33: I was hoping to make public comment.
+12*******33: I'm not sure if it is directly related to the agenda today,
+12*******33: but you know it was part of the like strategic plan.
Tali Hairston: Well, we would need for it to be connected to
Tali Hairston: something on the agenda today.
Tali Hairston: I do not see the strategic plan on our agenda for today.
+12*******33: OK.
+12*******33: Yeah, I can send in comment via e-mail if that
+12*******33: is preferred.
Tali Hairston: That would be preferred then.
Tali Hairston: Thank you so much and we'll receive that when you e-mail it.
+12*******33: All right.
+12*******33: Thank you.
Tali Hairston: Thank you.
Tali Hairston: OK.
Tali Hairston: We have a consent agenda with minutes from our March meeting with March,
Tali Hairston: February and January 2025, finance reports.
Tali Hairston: If there are no changes, anyone have changes to those. If not,
Tali Hairston: I'll hear a motion to approve the consent agenda with the March, February,
Tali Hairston: January 2025 finance reports as published.
Faith Pettis: I can make that motion.
Yazmin Mehdi: And I can second.
Tali Hairston: It's been moving 2nd.
Tali Hairston: All in favor? Aye.
Yazmin Mehdi: Aye.
Faith Pettis: Right.
Ron Chew: OK.
Tali Hairston: Opposed.
Tali Hairston: No motion carries.
Tali Hairston: Can I clarify?
Tali Hairston: Is Ron on with us today?
Faith Pettis: Yes.
Tali Hairston: I can't see him, so I'm assuming he's not.
Tali Hairston: Bowling against 'cause, I can't see. I don't know where on the screen but.
Ron Chew: Yeah. Can you can you excuse me?
Ron Chew: Can you see me now, tally?
Ron Chew: I was having trouble with.
Tali Hairston: Now there you go.
Ron Chew: OK.
Ron Chew: Yeah. Thank you.
Tali Hairston: Gotcha. OK.
Tali Hairston: Hi, Ron, sorry.
Tali Hairston: OK.
Tali Hairston: Let's jump into our Chief Librarian report.
Tali Hairston: 'Cause I.
Tom Fay: More technology issues today, as you can see,
Tali Hairston: TomTom.
Tom Fay: we're moving through the year pretty rapidly as you saw through our financial
Tom Fay: reports.
Tom Fay: I'm very happy to see that we're on pace for all of those.
Tom Fay: We also had our quarterly review today on finance and our senior management team
Tom Fay: meeting. And as we look at our foundation spend,
Tom Fay: we're also right on on.
Tom Fay: Track for that spending to date.
Tom Fay: Which is about 25 to 27%, which is where we want to be.
Tom Fay: So I know you had the report last year showing that we spent 99 / 99% of the
Tom Fay: foundation gift and it looks like we're on a on a good track as we move in 2025.
Tom Fay: From my board report just a couple of things to note.
Tom Fay: From last month, it was a busy month, moving around both the city and across
Tom Fay: the country, we spent time.
Tom Fay: And was honored to speak at the first ever Seattle Civic poet inaugural
Tom Fay: ceremony.
Tom Fay: This was hosted by the City of Seattle's Office of Arts and Culture,
Tom Fay: and it was in partnership with the library and the Seattle City of
Tom Fay: Literature.
Tom Fay: This does mark the commencement of a new two year term for the 5th Seattle Civic
Tom Fay: poet Dujie Tahat.
Tom Fay: Duji will also be here.
Tom Fay: I can't remember.
Tom Fay: I think it's in May.
Tom Fay: I'll be introducing them at that particular program as that's all part of
Tom Fay: our Seattle reads program, which I think you all know and probably
Tom Fay: are reading the poetry in our in our latest yeah, we'll reads.
Tom Fay: I also as many of you know, because you've seen the op-ed.
Tom Fay: And other articles about.
Tom Fay: Imls I was, which is the Institute of Museums and
Tom Fay: Library Services. I was back in Washington, DC.
Tom Fay: See April 1st through the 3rd for the American Library Association's
Tom Fay: legislative fly in.
Tom Fay: I attended that with Susan Hempstead, who is the assistant director of
Tom Fay: Strategic Relations for Snow.
Tom Fay: While represent we represented Washington State libraries and and met with our
Tom Fay: congressional delegation.
Tom Fay: We were getting news, breaking news even the evening before we
Tom Fay: went to the hill that obviously the IMLS was going to be.
Tom Fay: People being sent home that grants were going to be terminated,
Tom Fay: which at that time we received notice that the states blocked grant had been
Tom Fay: terminated.
Tom Fay: So a lot of what we were doing was on the fly and and our congressional delegation
Tom Fay: was learning it. As we were telling it to them.
Tom Fay: So it was.
Tom Fay: A very interesting time to be in DC.
Tom Fay: And to talk to other colleagues across the country, as you know,
Tom Fay: we've also experienced some of that.
Tom Fay: That termination of grants here our grant that was around teen mental health was
Tom Fay: terminated on April 9th.
Tom Fay: We have not received the additional reimbursement that we should receive that
Tom Fay: we had submitted, which was about 88, 000 and we had about 6000 or 7000 that
Tom Fay: had not been submitted yet. Since then, the IMLS has sent out.
Tom Fay: How we would be reimbursed for that and all that we must do to be reimbursed.
Tom Fay: For that, but this is also a time when we have to
Tom Fay: be thinking about the state of Washington also has litigation.
Tom Fay: They've signed on with a number of states potentially litigating this matter,
Tom Fay: so we have some additional things in front of us as we look at how we approach
Tom Fay: this either going through. But IMLS is saying we must do or if we.
Tom Fay: Look at this from a litigation standpoint.
Tom Fay: We will keep you up to date on that.
Tom Fay: As we move through it, since the work has been done.
Tom Fay: We are contractually obligated from our standpoint to pay vendors etc.
Tom Fay: In this effort, our foundation, who has been supported in all of our work,
Tom Fay: has also said they will step in and assist to make sure this project
Tom Fay: completes as it's supposed to and to make sure that none of our other partners are
Tom Fay: harmed in it.
Tom Fay: Greatly appreciate their support and will work through all the other levers that we
Tom Fay: need to to to get that money reimbursed at all possible.
Tom Fay: On another note, which I think is an exciting note and
Tom Fay: hopefully you've all had a chance to try the library's new mobile app.
Tom Fay: That I'm very happy to announce has gone live on both Google for Android and Apple.
Tom Fay: Stores so that you can actually download it.
Tom Fay: The team has spent quite a time working with and engaging our patrons.
Tom Fay: As to what this app needs to be and then of course you know,
Tom Fay: we're not done with it.
Tom Fay: It's still coming out of beta, so you're still able to get in and give
Tom Fay: some feedback, so please do and as you might expect,
Tom Fay: it'll always be new phases that come along with an app,
Tom Fay: a new services that'll be coming on board as as we move through the.
Tom Fay: The course of the years, but this is our first.
Tom Fay: Real entry into a fuller fledged app, so really happy to see this and really
Tom Fay: will provide our patrons a whole new service platform moving forward.
Tom Fay: And another note that I think is also a positive is that we've been working with
Tom Fay: public health, Seattle and King County to distribute
Tom Fay: free naloxone kits to community members in need.
Tom Fay: We know that this can obviously reduce opioid deaths in our Community,
Tom Fay: so this is a lot of the extension of the work that we have done over the last
Tom Fay: couple of years of having staff trained in it's use,
Tom Fay: having it available for staff.
Tom Fay: To be able to provide this, this now will allow the Community to also
Tom Fay: access these kits.
Tom Fay: We receive 500 kits monthly and they're distributed through the branches and
Tom Fay: it'll be self-serve by the patrons.
Tom Fay: And we also have fentanyl test strips which can identify the presence of
Tom Fay: fentanyl in a drug and those will be distributed at the Central Library.
Tom Fay: So we'll keep kind of a some basic records on this.
Tom Fay: So we know how many we're using on a on a daily, monthly basis,
Tom Fay: but we'll report back as we get through the end of the year how this program has
Tom Fay: been working and.
Tom Fay: One of my favorite.
Tom Fay: Spring programs global reading at its 30th annual citywide final.
Tom Fay: And the library links team from Queen Anne Library Elementary won the
Tom Fay: championship this year.
Tom Fay: It's really good. While we know sometimes looking at
Tom Fay: everything, literacy is in decline and has been
Tom Fay: challenged through the pandemic has been challenging times with literacy in that
Tom Fay: time.
Tom Fay: It's really good to have this collaboration.
Tom Fay: Have been continuous with Seattle public schools more than 3500 fourth and 5th
Tom Fay: graders from 72 schools participated in the program.
Tom Fay: And if you haven't attended one, it is one of the programs.
Tom Fay: I encourage you to attend.
Tom Fay: But you're not going to see too much more excitement about reading. And then,
Tom Fay: as many of us who are older, remember that agony of defeat.
Tom Fay: I I it is.
Tom Fay: It is painful when they miss it and they miss it by just the smallest margin it is.
Tom Fay: It is staggering how much they've all committed to it.
Tom Fay: That's parents, teachers, our library staff who do an incredible
Tom Fay: job coming up with questions, coming up with tie Breakers.
Tom Fay: We've seen tie Breakers go into 10 and 12 and plus rounds.
Tom Fay: As they as they sort through this so.
Tom Fay: If you do get a chance, we'll we'll remind board members again
Tom Fay: next year that this is occurring.
Tom Fay: There's times you can see quarterfinals.
Tom Fay: You don't have to come to the finals, but you'll get a sense of how committed
Tom Fay: these teams are to reading. And with that, I'll pause and take a breath.
Tom Fay: If anyone has any questions.
Tom Fay: Yasmin.
Tali Hairston: Go ahead. Yeah.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK.
Yazmin Mehdi: I'll go first, but I see Carmen.
Yazmin Mehdi: Carmen did it correctly by raising her hand.
Yazmin Mehdi: I just wanted to say really quickly I've been using the mobile app.
Yazmin Mehdi: It makes me so happy and I've, like, actually gotten the chance to let people
Yazmin Mehdi: know that it's there and encourage them to use it.
Yazmin Mehdi: I was able to hold a hold, so anyway it's exciting and it really
Yazmin Mehdi: makes me happy that it sounds like our staff created this app.
Yazmin Mehdi: As opposed to it being an off the shelf thing.
Tom Fay: No, it actually it is actually off the shelf,
Yazmin Mehdi: No.
Tom Fay: but it's obviously our staff does a lot of that work to get it to look the way it
Yazmin Mehdi: OK.
Tom Fay: works and to also make sure all the back end functions.
Tom Fay: So yes, the vendor does a lot of it, but it is a lot of work on the staff's
Tom Fay: part to make sure that it is also meeting with patron.
Tom Fay: Expectations are.
Yazmin Mehdi: Yeah. I mean the thing that was awesome is that
Yazmin Mehdi: was super seamless.
Yazmin Mehdi: Like once I entered in my information everything just loaded right in
Yazmin Mehdi: beautifully.
Yazmin Mehdi: So kudos to the staff for that.
Yazmin Mehdi: I'm super excited.
Yazmin Mehdi: I it's almost like wow. Seems like that came along pretty quickly.
Yazmin Mehdi: Also wanted to just ask about the naloxone.
Yazmin Mehdi: It sounds like these kits that we're getting for free,
Yazmin Mehdi: they're not for our staff to use.
Yazmin Mehdi: The library itself provides naloxone for our staff to have access to.
Tom Fay: That is correct.
Tom Fay: We maintain that that inventory so that it's always available at every location.
Yazmin Mehdi: And not for today, Tom.
Yazmin Mehdi: But I know not long after we created that policy and provided the naloxone,
Yazmin Mehdi: we got a report on how that's being used, how often it's being used.
Yazmin Mehdi: I guess I just put in a request for another update on how that's going.
Yazmin Mehdi: Because I know it's voluntary on behalf of staff.
Yazmin Mehdi: And then the last thing well.
Yazmin Mehdi: The library cards.
Yazmin Mehdi: I don't know if we're gonna be talking about that later,
Yazmin Mehdi: but the online library card application is really, really exciting.
Yazmin Mehdi: I love that you can apply in a foreign language and it's looks like it's pretty
Yazmin Mehdi: easy to use.
Yazmin Mehdi: So here again, kudos to staff for getting that put
Yazmin Mehdi: together.
Tom Fay: And there's a great report by our circulation services manager, Bo Kinney,
Tom Fay: in your pack.
Tom Fay: Pardon me your packet today, so hopefully it'll have a chance if you
Tom Fay: haven't already, to review that.
Tom Fay: So some really good work, especially coming out of the ransomware
Tom Fay: event where a lot of systems and especially that one was disrupted.
Tom Fay: I think we came back bigger and better.
Tom Fay: So many kudos to the team's working on that.
Tali Hairston: Carmen.
Bendixen, Carmen: Yeah.
Bendixen, Carmen: My original comment was actually not something you talked about, Tom,
Bendixen, Carmen: but I do wanna pile on kudos about the app.
Bendixen, Carmen: And I was with a group of friends on Saturday.
Bendixen, Carmen: No one knew about the new app, so they were very excited and I would say
Bendixen, Carmen: word is, I think slowly trickling out to kind of.
Bendixen, Carmen: The the broader public that it exists.
Bendixen, Carmen: So hopefully folks are seeing the numbers kind of rise on people who have
Bendixen, Carmen: downloaded it.
Bendixen, Carmen: And using it.
Tom Fay: Yeah, there will be.
Tom Fay: There's been about 13, 000 folks already downloading it.
Tom Fay: Obviously it went live on Apple first.
Bendixen, Carmen: Mm hmm.
Tom Fay: Some more on Apple currently than the Android side,
Tom Fay: but they'll all start balancing out.
Tom Fay: And remember too that we haven't put a massive push behind it yet,
Tom Fay: because this is still the beta beta piece of this.
Bendixen, Carmen: OK.
Tom Fay: But I know when I talked to Helen last night,
Tom Fay: as we were all heading out of the building.
Tom Fay: That it's on their radar to for the promotion side of it.
Tom Fay: Side of it. Once they feel that they've gotten
Tom Fay: through the beta, any last feedback and or tweaks that need
Tom Fay: to occur, especially on back end if things are
Tom Fay: still having some challenges they want to make sure that's pretty much at that kind
Tom Fay: of 99% before they.
Tom Fay: Make the big promotional push.
Bendixen, Carmen: OK. Gotcha.
Bendixen, Carmen: The only other thing I wanted to say was and the reason why I raised my hand was
Bendixen, Carmen: that I saw that the job listing for the dei and B director was posted and I
Bendixen, Carmen: quickly glanced at it.
Bendixen, Carmen: But if you could just when were you hoping to have that person on board?
Bendixen, Carmen: Kind of. What's the timeline?
Tom Fay: Thank you for that.
Tom Fay: Yes. So the physician we hosted was the
Tom Fay: inclusion and belonging director and yes, they'll focus on deia efforts internally
Tom Fay: as well as externally.
Tom Fay: It's a big job.
Tom Fay: It is the start of this program.
Tom Fay: It doesn't mean I expect one person to be able to accomplish all things.
Tom Fay: We'll have to prioritize those elements.
Tom Fay: As well, we're very fortunate that.
Tom Fay: Our foundation has been working.
Tom Fay: Brian Lawrence and I have been working with a donor to secure their donation to
Tom Fay: help us bridge to the levy.
Tom Fay: It is a significant donation. I am not yet authorized to obviously say
Tom Fay: who or how much, but it is a significant portion of this
Tom Fay: position's salary.
Tom Fay: Very thankful to the donor and to the foundation for the continued support.
Tom Fay: We'll then pick up this position and some other support positions for this role.
Tom Fay: In the levy so that we can be able to do more of the work that we need to do.
Tom Fay: My goal in having it out now is that we will hopefully be interviewing some time
Tom Fay: in June and hopefully if all goes well, depending on where the person comes
Tom Fay: because it'll be a national posting that will have somebody on board late summer
Tom Fay: at the latest if all goes.
Tom Fay: Well, so I think from that standpoint, I'm very happy with the progress.
Tom Fay: Appreciate HR.
Tom Fay: Our HR team.
Tom Fay: Working to get the job description and the posting out in a timely manner.
Tom Fay: Once the donation was secured.
Tom Fay: Alright, well that is.
Tom Fay: All of my report.
Tom Fay: Happy to move to the system.
Tom Fay: Report if you'd like Tolley.
Tali Hairston: Yes, let's move to the system report. Thanks Tom.
Tom Fay: All right.
Tom Fay: And this time, we'll ask Kirsten Nelson to come to the
Tom Fay: virtual table.
Tom Fay: She is our community partnerships and government relations program manager.
Tom Fay: He saw Kirsten last month regarding the foundation spend.
Tom Fay: You'll get a bit of a legislative update from Kirsten of all the fun things
Tom Fay: happening in Olympia.
Kiersten Nelson: Hello all I'm sure I am the most exciting person to speak with you today because as
Kiersten Nelson: we know there are some things going on with the government,
Kiersten Nelson: not just the federal level, also the state.
Kiersten Nelson: So I'm gonna do just a very quick sort of summary for you guys.
Kiersten Nelson: Will start federal will go state.
Kiersten Nelson: And then will end with a little bit of city.
Kiersten Nelson: So as Tom mentioned, IMLS funding was pulled,
Kiersten Nelson: employees were put on leave.
Kiersten Nelson: We've had some issues with our reimbursements.
Kiersten Nelson: As a result I have been in pretty regular contact with the Attorney General's
Kiersten Nelson: Office as well as the Secretary of the Deputy Secretary of State because the the
Kiersten Nelson: state of Washington, it has joined a lawsuit regarding the
Kiersten Nelson: pulling of the.
Kiersten Nelson: Funds.
Kiersten Nelson: And the dismantling of an institution outside of the appropriate channels in
Kiersten Nelson: Congress not actually doing that. Last week we had the lawsuit heard in a
Kiersten Nelson: Rhode Island court.
Kiersten Nelson: So we are expecting a preliminary ruling from the judge who heard that hearing
Kiersten Nelson: last week any day now.
Kiersten Nelson: The hearing itself was like 4 1/2 hours.
Kiersten Nelson: It was really long.
Kiersten Nelson: It was a very interesting.
Kiersten Nelson: Conversation and.
Kiersten Nelson: The government's argument that they had the right to do it was a little bit.
Kiersten Nelson: Weird. In my particular opinion, just because the angles that they were
Kiersten Nelson: coming at it were like, yeah, we just should be able to do this.
Kiersten Nelson: And you're like, but Congress appropriated the funds.
Kiersten Nelson: That is Congress's job.
Kiersten Nelson: So the whole thing was interesting.
Kiersten Nelson: We'll see the ruling.
Kiersten Nelson: And that will be a very interesting take on this particular.
Kiersten Nelson: This particular entity, especially because they are regularly
Kiersten Nelson: reauthorized by Congress, which is one of the other things that was
Kiersten Nelson: coming up.
Kiersten Nelson: It's like we authorized every so many years.
Kiersten Nelson: You didn't just pull up.
Kiersten Nelson: We have been authorized through this window, so as soon as that comes out,
Kiersten Nelson: I will make sure that Tom gets the information and gets it passed along to
Kiersten Nelson: you guys.
Kiersten Nelson: But it's definitely something to keep an eye out for,
Kiersten Nelson: and it will probably make news when the decision itself is released.
Kiersten Nelson: Also, Speaking of congressional funding and
Kiersten Nelson: appropriations, the City of Seattle has resubmitted our
Kiersten Nelson: earmark request for seismic renovations.
Kiersten Nelson: To the Columbia branch.
Kiersten Nelson: That went back into representative Adam Smith,
Kiersten Nelson: the Columbia branch last year was selected by Congressman Smith,
Kiersten Nelson: and it passed the FEMA Sub Appropriations Committee as well as the House Homeland
Kiersten Nelson: Security budget and their specific appropriations bill.
Kiersten Nelson: It passed in the House.
Kiersten Nelson: That bill did not go to the Senate.
Kiersten Nelson: As we all know, they've decided to do a continuing
Kiersten Nelson: resolution for the entire year.
Kiersten Nelson: So all earmarks that were submitted and processed and reviewed last year
Kiersten Nelson: basically just went ****. As a result, the overwhelming majority of members of
Kiersten Nelson: both the House and the Senate are basically just resubmitting their earmark
Kiersten Nelson: requests from last year.
Kiersten Nelson: There are obviously new members. Those particular new members are having
Kiersten Nelson: to do a bit more of a full analysis of all the requests that they had.
Kiersten Nelson: Congressman Smith has indicated that he's going to be following sort of the path
Kiersten Nelson: that most members are taking and resubmitting all of their requests from
Kiersten Nelson: last year, as well as a handful of new requests.
Kiersten Nelson: The City of Seattle likewise has decided that all of the requests they decided to
Kiersten Nelson: push forward.
Kiersten Nelson: They were going to resubmit and then they added two more additional requests.
Kiersten Nelson: So the Columbia City has once again been.
Kiersten Nelson: Resubmitted.
Kiersten Nelson: Where our initial request is again for the 5 million,
Kiersten Nelson: which is about the most that Congress will appropriate in these particular with
Kiersten Nelson: the new rules around.
Kiersten Nelson: Community based project funding is how it's called in the House and then it's
Kiersten Nelson: community funded projects in the Senate.
Kiersten Nelson: Close enough, but just enough difference so that you're
Kiersten Nelson: like really guys, can we just come up with a unified term?
Kiersten Nelson: Last year, Congressman Smith submitted it to the sub
Kiersten Nelson: Appropriations Committee for three million because of the various projects
Kiersten Nelson: that were on board.
Kiersten Nelson: So we are working with the city and the congressman to nail down what he believes
Kiersten Nelson: will actually be able to pass through the subcommittee and into the Homeland
Kiersten Nelson: Security appropriations budget. It is worth noting.
Kiersten Nelson: That the administration and several other Republicans continue to speak at length.
Kiersten Nelson: About closing down FEMA, part of that is included by Doge.
Kiersten Nelson: Personally, I do not think that FEMA will be.
Kiersten Nelson: Closed up shop.
Kiersten Nelson: We just have to wait for hurricane or tornado season to hit the Midwest and the
Kiersten Nelson: Southeast and all of a sudden, the value of FEMA and the way that the
Kiersten Nelson: federal government can come in and actually provide resources that states
Kiersten Nelson: might not be able to have will be.
Kiersten Nelson: On full display.
Kiersten Nelson: So I think it's just a lot of bluster, but it is going to be an undercurrent
Kiersten Nelson: during the appropriations.
Kiersten Nelson: Process for the FEMA specific subcommittee,
Kiersten Nelson: as well as Homeland Security as a whole, and FEMA is the FEMA subcommittee,
Kiersten Nelson: is where our earmark requests will go through because we're seen as a hazardous
Kiersten Nelson: pre mitigation part of funds.
Kiersten Nelson: So we're trying to make sure that if an earthquake hits,
Kiersten Nelson: Columbia does not fall down and become a pile of rubble.
Kiersten Nelson: So that's a pre pre mitigation.
Kiersten Nelson: That's basically high level what's going on at the federal level.
Kiersten Nelson: Government, there's some other stuff surrounding the
Kiersten Nelson: FCC and some new.
Kiersten Nelson: Members.
Kiersten Nelson: Some new commissioners at the FCC and some hotspot and being conversation.
Kiersten Nelson: But that's all sort of within the broader framework,
Kiersten Nelson: and it's still a bit up in the air what's going on. So I will jump to the state,
Kiersten Nelson: which is now officially days away from wrapping up.
Kiersten Nelson: Up their constitutionally mandated 105 day legislative session.
Kiersten Nelson: Those members, all those people down in Olympia,
Kiersten Nelson: are like Sunday cannot come soon enough.
Kiersten Nelson: The big things that remain to be voted on by Sunday that need to be voted on by
Kiersten Nelson: Sunday are the budget packages for the operating budget,
Kiersten Nelson: the transportation budget and the capital budget.
Kiersten Nelson: None of those have been published as of about 25 minutes ago when I looked.
Kiersten Nelson: We're expecting them to be released sometime between now and Saturday.
Kiersten Nelson: Once a budget is published, legislators have to wait 24 hours before
Kiersten Nelson: voting on it, and the session is up on Sunday evening.
Kiersten Nelson: So we would expect the latest for bills to these particular bills to be pub.
Kiersten Nelson: Saturday afternoon.
Kiersten Nelson: This past week, the House and Senate have really been
Kiersten Nelson: focused on reconciling the differences between bills that have passed out of the
Kiersten Nelson: House or out of the Senate, and then in the opposing chambers and
Kiersten Nelson: have to go through the reconciliation process as well as a slew of revenue.
Kiersten Nelson: Bills.
Kiersten Nelson: There is a little bit of palace intrigue in the sense that we have a governor who
Kiersten Nelson: doesn't have necessarily has beefed up a legislative liaison staff as he hasn't as
Kiersten Nelson: the position has been in years past, as well as some infighting amongst
Kiersten Nelson: Democrats.
Kiersten Nelson: Which is really interesting and it has made the revenue portion of the budget.
Kiersten Nelson: A bit more.
Kiersten Nelson: A bit more contentious than it would have been in years past.
Kiersten Nelson: So that leads us to the possibility that whatever passes from the House and the
Kiersten Nelson: Senate over the weekend, the governor might actually line item
Kiersten Nelson: veto based off of some of the revenue bills that have come into play.
Kiersten Nelson: He's vocally said that there are things like the wealth tax that he does not want
Kiersten Nelson: to be included in this, and especially not for the budget to rest
Kiersten Nelson: solely on balancing.
Kiersten Nelson: Because of the funds of this wealth tax, so things like that,
Kiersten Nelson: if he does line item veto, that means he will then call back and
Kiersten Nelson: legislators for a special session.
Kiersten Nelson: One of the things to note in this whole budget process,
Kiersten Nelson: we do have a request in on the capital budget side for the library Capital
Kiersten Nelson: Improvement project for the university branch.
Kiersten Nelson: This particular program receives about 20 million / a biennium,
Kiersten Nelson: and I split between 10 million in the first year and 10 million in the second
Kiersten Nelson: year.
Kiersten Nelson: There for about 10 to 15 projects, they say 10 to 20,
Kiersten Nelson: but in the past couple years it's been about 10 to 15.
Kiersten Nelson: Ours is one of those bills, or one of those projects that has been
Kiersten Nelson: selected.
Kiersten Nelson: It's 2,000, 000 for the university retrofit.
Kiersten Nelson: The House bill has all 10 that were selected by the Commerce Department and
Kiersten Nelson: included input from the Washington State Library and the Governor's office.
Kiersten Nelson: For that 10 million, the Senate's version has less than two
Kiersten Nelson: million and only four of those 10 projects included. We are obvious.
Kiersten Nelson: On the House side, we are not listed on the Senate side.
Kiersten Nelson: The Commerce Department is actually extremely baffled by the selection that
Kiersten Nelson: the Senate side made.
Kiersten Nelson: They're like this has no rhyme or reason.
Kiersten Nelson: So it has been largely seen as just purely a bargaining tool to get some
Kiersten Nelson: other things over the end line.
Kiersten Nelson: The this has happened in years past and it is pretty universal that we've always
Kiersten Nelson: seen the full 10 million allocated.
Kiersten Nelson: So thankfully, we've had some advocacy efforts by the
Kiersten Nelson: foundation and their political action committee or their political advocacy
Kiersten Nelson: network.
Kiersten Nelson: Send a bunch of letters out to their state senators saying please,
Kiersten Nelson: please please make sure that you match the house,
Kiersten Nelson: the House budget for the Library Capital Improvement program.
Kiersten Nelson: So that's what we're looking for when we see the capital budget released,
Kiersten Nelson: that's kind of the big thing that we are keeping an eye out for.
Kiersten Nelson: But again, the expectation is that will be included
Kiersten Nelson: this year with the budget hole the way that it is, we just have to you know.
Kiersten Nelson: Continue to do our outreach and make sure that they know that this is not a.
Kiersten Nelson: Particular part of the budget that needs to be cut in any way, shape or form.
Kiersten Nelson: So that's kind of it as far as the big sort of budget background,
Kiersten Nelson: there were a couple of bills that we were keeping a close eye on.
Kiersten Nelson: One of them is the digital equity bill that's been sponsored by Representative
Kiersten Nelson: Me and Gregerson. That would create a very expansive
Kiersten Nelson: digital equity program across the state. She's been working on this for several
Kiersten Nelson: years now.
Kiersten Nelson: That particular bill failed.
Kiersten Nelson: Its companion bill, which was a flat tax on the on digital
Kiersten Nelson: devices.
Kiersten Nelson: To fund the program also failed it the digital equity bill itself actually
Kiersten Nelson: passed out of the House and passed into the Senate.
Kiersten Nelson: The Senate did not approve it.
Kiersten Nelson: They just kind of let it die in the Rules Committee.
Kiersten Nelson: Neither Chamber actually took up the tax piece because of the way the legislative
Kiersten Nelson: cycle works.
Kiersten Nelson: This bill is technically still alive and could be resurrected next session.
Kiersten Nelson: As a result, we are going to continue to keep an eye
Kiersten Nelson: on it and push for the exemption.
Kiersten Nelson: Library of libraries when it comes to the flat tax in order to pay for the digital
Kiersten Nelson: equity bill.
Kiersten Nelson: The other sort of thing of note is revenue issues.
Kiersten Nelson: There was a very strong likelihood and still looks to be one of a levy Lib lift
Kiersten Nelson: increasing to 3%. Originally it was going to include all of
Kiersten Nelson: the local and special taxing districts and would allow them to.
Kiersten Nelson: Increase property taxes from.
Kiersten Nelson: A 1% annual increase to up to 3%.
Kiersten Nelson: To deal with inflation.
Kiersten Nelson: Discussions just Monday and Tuesday, they stripped out local and special
Kiersten Nelson: taxing districts.
Kiersten Nelson: And it is now currently limited to only K through 12 school levies.
Kiersten Nelson: Again, that is going to be a bill that will
Kiersten Nelson: likely be resurrected next session. The cities and the counties and special
Kiersten Nelson: taxing districts were extremely upset that this was stripped the way that it
Kiersten Nelson: was.
Kiersten Nelson: So.
Kiersten Nelson: You will see that one resurrected while it doesn't necessarily impact us as
Kiersten Nelson: directly, it does impact the city's funds.
Kiersten Nelson: So that allows them increases and some shifts in general fund usage that would
Kiersten Nelson: benefit us.
Kiersten Nelson: And lastly.
Kiersten Nelson: At the state level, I do want to mention that our digital
Kiersten Nelson: content study is not ruled out.
Kiersten Nelson: It looks less likely to occur as a proviso in this particular session,
Kiersten Nelson: just given all of the budget challenges and the fact that the governor.
Kiersten Nelson: Has said he's not a fan this session, given the challenges that we are facing
Kiersten Nelson: of including provisos at the last minute.
Kiersten Nelson: We still have a lot of strong interest from House members as well as from the
Kiersten Nelson: governor's office.
Kiersten Nelson: To look at getting a study done.
Kiersten Nelson: So our next steps are actually going to be looking to work closely with the
Kiersten Nelson: governor's office to get it included in their budget for 2026.
Kiersten Nelson: And finally, the last bit of news to wrap up before I
Kiersten Nelson: ask for any questions is the city level. As you guys all may know,
Kiersten Nelson: we do have several city citywide positions up for election this fall.
Kiersten Nelson: They include the mayor, the city attorney, both of our citywide councilmember seats.
Kiersten Nelson: The filing deadline is coming up within the next couple of weeks,
Kiersten Nelson: so we should know all the players for August.
Kiersten Nelson: Shortly.
Kiersten Nelson: And that is definitely going to be of interest for the foundation and their
Kiersten Nelson: advocacy network as they start to assess those particular people and making sure
Kiersten Nelson: that they are aware of the library and our role within the city and beyond that,
Kiersten Nelson: sort of the biggest news that you.
Kiersten Nelson: May have seen from the city front. Was the mayor yesterday presented his
Kiersten Nelson: deal Levy proposal?
Kiersten Nelson: For a staggering 1.3 billion, yes.
Kiersten Nelson: Billion with AB.
Kiersten Nelson: That is more than double the 619,000, 000 that the levy passed that the deal
Kiersten Nelson: levy passed for in 2018.
Kiersten Nelson: The mayor came out and said a lot of the reasoning for that was because of an
Kiersten Nelson: uncertainty around state and federal funds,
Kiersten Nelson: and so he wanted to shore them all up.
Kiersten Nelson: But this is a this will be the third particular levy that the mayor has
Kiersten Nelson: proposed for the residents of Seattle that is nearing a billion dollars.
Kiersten Nelson: Dollars is at or over a billion dollars, so that's just something to think about
Kiersten Nelson: as we move forward with our levy proposals.
Kiersten Nelson: Just knowing that this is the way that the mayor's office has been operating and
Kiersten Nelson: something for us to consider the deal, Levy is working through.
Kiersten Nelson: The same committee that ours that we report into as well.
Kiersten Nelson: So it is all part of the same group, and Councilmember Rivera has been.
Kiersten Nelson: Very active in this particular proposal.
Kiersten Nelson: So we assume that she will likely want to take a very active role as we get further
Kiersten Nelson: down the line on our levy process.
Kiersten Nelson: So those are high level. I can answer a lot more questions since
Kiersten Nelson: you guys have them.
Kiersten Nelson: It does get slightly depressing when, especially when you talk about the
Kiersten Nelson: federal level.
Kiersten Nelson: So if you want a little bit bummer of the day, I'm here to help.
Kiersten Nelson: If you want more uplifting news, probably not. The person with all that.
Kiersten Nelson: But I am here to help.
Tom Fay: If you ever wonder if Kirsten stays busy, I think today's.
Tom Fay: Presentation lets you know that she's constantly in touch in all these areas.
Kiersten Nelson: Yazmin.
Yazmin Mehdi: Hello, kiersten.
Yazmin Mehdi: Thank you for all your hard work.
Yazmin Mehdi: Really appreciate you.
Yazmin Mehdi: Yes, I have questions.
Yazmin Mehdi: One thing that's not clear to me.
Yazmin Mehdi: At the state level, or even the city level really is as they
Yazmin Mehdi: consider what the revenue picture really will look like.
Yazmin Mehdi: Do you feel like they are taking into account the compounding effect of loss of
Yazmin Mehdi: federal funds?
Yazmin Mehdi: Loss of jobs and therefore lower likely tax revenue.
Yazmin Mehdi: As well as the just the straight up economic.
Yazmin Mehdi: Impacts on tax revenue coming from things like tariffs, yes.
Kiersten Nelson: Certainly.
Kiersten Nelson: Yes. So the original assessment of this
Kiersten Nelson: particular budget cycle was that the legislature was going to stay in for a
Kiersten Nelson: special session or two in order to get a better picture of what the revenue
Kiersten Nelson: projections were going to be, hoping that the gap would narrow.
Kiersten Nelson: As soon as the Tariff Liberation Day, if you will, came out.
Kiersten Nelson: The House and Senate all of a sudden moved into high gear.
Kiersten Nelson: With all efforts made to get out on time, the longer they go,
Kiersten Nelson: the more likely it is that they will have to fall into the timeline of we can't
Kiersten Nelson: pass a budget until because the next revenue projection is going to be
Kiersten Nelson: imminent.
Kiersten Nelson: And all indications are that's going to be worse than the last one.
Kiersten Nelson: And because they are supposed to, we are constitutionally required to have
Kiersten Nelson: a balanced budget at the state level.
Kiersten Nelson: They are balancing to the last revenue package.
Kiersten Nelson: If they have to wait, they're likely going to have to make more
Kiersten Nelson: cuts because the revenue projections are not positive or favorable.
Kiersten Nelson: So the thought is if they can get the the bill passed, the budget passed.
Kiersten Nelson: Now they can leave and then spend the rest of the summer in a lot of
Kiersten Nelson: conversation as we see further revenue projections of how they're going to
Kiersten Nelson: bridge that particular gap next year.
Kiersten Nelson: It does mean that we are likely going to have a short session next year that is
Kiersten Nelson: going to be very heavy on budget items with a lot.
Kiersten Nelson: Of a lot of potential things still on the docket to be cut or hemmed in,
Kiersten Nelson: whereas they were originally hoping they could kick the can for far enough farther
Kiersten Nelson: enough down the road that.
Kiersten Nelson: We would get more positive news and then they wouldn't have to cut as much,
Kiersten Nelson: which would make their summer easier, which would make going into next year.
Kiersten Nelson: They're easier, but they are.
Kiersten Nelson: The state is very cognizant of that because they are also concerned with how
Kiersten Nelson: they are going to fill in some of the holes that.
Kiersten Nelson: The lack of federal funding is going to cause for them.
Tom Fay: I'm from the from the city's perspective, I think you know, you saw or heard.
Kiersten Nelson: So yeah.
Tom Fay: That they're taking the the pessimistic.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK.
Tom Fay: Projection. I think it's probably again a little more
Tom Fay: realistic at this point to do so.
Tom Fay: You can always have a a more generous ending fund balance if funds come in
Tom Fay: higher that you can then make decisions upon versus having mid year cuts that we
Tom Fay: will be you know most likely experiencing.
Tom Fay: As we move through this year or into 2026, depending on the conditions also you know
Tom Fay: we do projector or predict I should say at this point that 27 and 28 won't be the
Tom Fay: easiest either.
Tom Fay: So we have a few things from a city perspective that we will have to as a
Tom Fay: library also prepare ourselves for it'll play a key role as we build.
Tom Fay: Levy proposal, as Kirsten mentioned, as the city also looks at how they are
Tom Fay: restructuring some of their financials to to accommodate some of these situations
Tom Fay: that are coming.
Tom Fay: We'll get another update as we move through.
Tom Fay: Into August, November, there'll be additional updates that come
Tom Fay: in projection updates and we'll have a little more sense of what some of this
Tom Fay: has done, both from a national economic standpoint,
Tom Fay: meaning, you know, have we moved into recession territory.
Tom Fay: Are we likely to all of those types of things that are still out there?
Tom Fay: That we just don't know yet.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK.
Yazmin Mehdi: Thank you.
Yazmin Mehdi: And just one quick clarifying question.
Yazmin Mehdi: Kirsten, I wasn't clear when you talked about the
Yazmin Mehdi: property tax levy lid lift.
Kiersten Nelson: Mm hmm.
Yazmin Mehdi: It it does include the city's property tax.
Yazmin Mehdi: It does not.
Kiersten Nelson: Not it's. That's what was pulled from it.
Kiersten Nelson: So the cities are really upset about it 'cause they were hoping that they would
Kiersten Nelson: get that lift too instead of because right now we have AI believe it's a
Kiersten Nelson: constitutional amendment that property taxes can't increase more than 1%.
Yazmin Mehdi: Yes, that's right.
Kiersten Nelson: So the state was planning to lift it. Originally, the Senate had no lid,
Kiersten Nelson: and the House had a 3% cap.
Kiersten Nelson: So you could never raise it more than 3% in a given year.
Kiersten Nelson: And it was going to include basically most of the taxing districts.
Kiersten Nelson: The result?
Kiersten Nelson: That they just had this past Monday or Tuesday was they stripped everything
Kiersten Nelson: except for K12.
Kiersten Nelson: In an effort to continue to adhere to the Mccleary decision.
Kiersten Nelson: That was the the state isn't reaching its required obligations to fully fund
Kiersten Nelson: education.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK.
Yazmin Mehdi: That sucks. Thank you for clarifying.
Kiersten Nelson: So.
Kiersten Nelson: Yeah. Unfortunately, again, I said.
Kiersten Nelson: Like I'm not the bearer of good news.
Tali Hairston: Yeah.
Kiersten Nelson: This week.
Tali Hairston: Yeah.
Kiersten Nelson: Ron, do you have a question?
Tali Hairston: I'm Ron and.
Ron Chew: Yeah, Kirsten, I'm wondering whether you have any
Ron Chew: insight into.
Ron Chew: What's happening at state level?
Ron Chew: Mindful that I've watched a lot of these last minute scurries and you never know
Ron Chew: what's going to happen.
Ron Chew: But you know what's been on my mind a lot is the the huge cuts that are hitting the
Ron Chew: Washington state talking book and Braille library.
Ron Chew: And in particular, support for the Braille and Bard services.
Ron Chew: I've been doing some volunteer work with them as a result of them helping me
Ron Chew: record the audiobook version of my memoir.
Ron Chew: There's some wonderful programs where.
Ron Chew: They're having taping and creating audiobook versions of local authors.
Ron Chew: Very important work that provides access for folks who have inability to access
Ron Chew: materials otherwise.
Ron Chew: I have my own visual challenges, so I know.
Ron Chew: How important this is but.
Ron Chew: Is that on the minds of legislators, again mindful of their being squeezed by
Ron Chew: a lot of other things?
Ron Chew: About some ways it might provide, perhaps.
Ron Chew: Alternative funding to replace some of that federal support that literally will
Ron Chew: wipe out some of those programs.
Ron Chew: Because I have a friend who helped me on the audio book and he said all of his
Ron Chew: friends are cut, his programs going to be gone,
Ron Chew: so anything.
Tom Fay: So let me jump in a little bit on this one.
Tom Fay: 'Cause there is a little more nuance that cures that may or may not have on that.
Ron Chew: OK.
Tom Fay: So the it's a, it's a double whammy for the state
Tom Fay: library.
Tom Fay: In that the revenue that they receive for their entire program is down.
Tom Fay: So most of their funding is not what would be considered state general fund
Tom Fay: dollars.
Tom Fay: It's going to be well, I guess it's general fund.
Tom Fay: But a lot of theirs is very special or specific. Special use taxes.
Tom Fay: Those numbers are down, which most of the time special use taxes
Tom Fay: are going to be problematic.
Tom Fay: They often trail down not up, as people figure out ways not to have to
Tom Fay: pay it.
Tom Fay: So that is one piece in this particular situation.
Tom Fay: And then the second piece is the federal funding.
Tom Fay: So they actually have a situation that could be as bad as half.
Tom Fay: To 2/3 of their operation being affected.
Tom Fay: In this, and yes, the legislature well certainly is aware
Tom Fay: of it.
Tom Fay: Legislature also has $12 billion in other issues that they're trying to face.
Tom Fay: I was in communications last night as out of UW event and Sarah Jones,
Tom Fay: the state librarian, was there and we were talking about ways.
Tom Fay: That maybe even regionally we look as library systems to somehow assist in this.
Tom Fay: We know that a lot of our pictures use these services.
Tom Fay: This and if you think about just three or four of the largest systems here on the
Tom Fay: western side of the state.
Tom Fay: We represent the vast majority of the population state,
Tom Fay: so trying to think of interesting ways. If these cuts go into place,
Tom Fay: how to save some of these things that you mentioned.
Tom Fay: We are having those talks with library directors as well as the state librarian.
Kiersten Nelson: Yeah. The only thing to add beyond what Tom
Kiersten Nelson: just said is that it's still not looking good at the state level.
Kiersten Nelson: Legislators are definitely aware, and they they do not seem to have the the
Kiersten Nelson: purse strings to pull the Secretary of State's office continues to be very
Kiersten Nelson: active in trying to get some last minute funds moved over.
Kiersten Nelson: Legislators were definitely not happy with the fact that the federal funding
Kiersten Nelson: was pulled for the state library. They were really strongly.
Kiersten Nelson: Hoping.
Kiersten Nelson: That that money would stay there so that the library would be less impacted.
Kiersten Nelson: With their decision to probably not be able to fund it as much as they would
Kiersten Nelson: like.
Kiersten Nelson: As of right now, it does not seem that they are able to
Kiersten Nelson: add much back to the the state library versus what they originally proposed.
Tom Fay: The the state library does have for this particular element there is kind of a
Tom Fay: foundation or a nonprofit component to it.
Tom Fay: So there is some potential that they could help bridge to the next year or to
Tom Fay: some period in time in which the conditions may be better.
Tom Fay: Either federal funding coming in or additional state funding.
Tom Fay: So the state librarian's smart.
Tom Fay: I've known her a long time.
Tom Fay: She's worked through these processes in other states.
Tom Fay: Like Nevada, that had severe recessionary issues.
Tom Fay: So I have great faith that she will pull out every stop to try to get and maintain
Tom Fay: these services.
Tom Fay: But most certainly it is a big challenge.
Ron Chew: Yeah, TomTom, if I might just add it as a side note.
Ron Chew: Wearing a different hat because I'm the state president for AARP.
Ron Chew: It'd be worth having a conversation and perhaps putting out on AARP's radar
Ron Chew: because we do have national grants.
Ron Chew: And again, there might be a way for us to cobble
Ron Chew: together some some replacement funds, but you know,
Ron Chew: deeply concerns me from wearing that hat.
Ron Chew: As well, so maybe we can go.
Tom Fay: Well, I will let her know Ron. And because one of the things she will be
Ron Chew: OK.
Tom Fay: asking for is for various groups to amplify the message of their nonprofit
Tom Fay: element to really push for that.
Tom Fay: Because it's gonna. It's gonna take everyone to make sure it
Tom Fay: stays as robust as it is today.
Tom Fay: I mean, we have a talking book, embrail library that I believe has won
Tom Fay: the national award.
Tom Fay: Three years in a row.
Tom Fay: Which is not an easy award to get.
Tom Fay: So we have truly the best in the country and we would like to maintain that.
Ron Chew: Thank you, Tom.
Tali Hairston: Anything else?
Tali Hairston: Thank you, Kirsten.
Kiersten Nelson: You're welcome.
Kiersten Nelson: Hopefully you won't have to see me again for a while with any bad news.
Tali Hairston: Come back with good news anytime.
Kiersten Nelson: Exactly.
Kiersten Nelson: Thank you all.
Tali Hairston: Thank you.
Tali Hairston: All right, Tom.
Tali Hairston: I believe that ends our systems reports and we do not have any old business,
Tali Hairston: so we'll jump directly into new business.
Tali Hairston: Where we will need to vote on the next item.
Tom Fay: Correct. We have our pardon me, our information technology resource
Tom Fay: acquisition policy coming before you.
Tom Fay: I'll ask Rob Gannon and Charles Wesley to come to the table and they'll be
Tom Fay: presenting this policy you did hear, I believe some of the basics of this a
Tom Fay: couple of months ago.
Tom Fay: So this is coming to the culmination of what the policy will look like.
Charles Wesley: Right. Hello. Good morning, everybody.
Charles Wesley: For another like less than 60 seconds.
Charles Wesley: I'm happy to be here today to talk to you about the information technology resource
Charles Wesley: acquisition policy.
Charles Wesley: This was previewed at a previous session, and So what we're putting forward today
Charles Wesley: is the policy for your consideration and vote.
Charles Wesley: Just as a a reminder and a recap, the intention of this policy is to give
Charles Wesley: the library a policy that will govern how information technology resources are
Charles Wesley: acquired by the library. Whether these are things that we purchase,
Charles Wesley: whether these are things that are donated, and it will out.
Charles Wesley: And some requirements for how that can be approved and evaluated.
Charles Wesley: This is also beyond just a policy to help us to be better stewards of our
Charles Wesley: technology and to better manage our ecosystem.
Charles Wesley: This is also an enabling policy for other policies that will follow,
Charles Wesley: for example the.
Charles Wesley: Generative AI, or AI policy that will be brought to
Charles Wesley: future meetings. So.
Charles Wesley: Essentially, this is the overall process that will
Charles Wesley: govern how new information technology resources come into the library,
Charles Wesley: and then where there are more specialized considerations such as generative AI,
Charles Wesley: they will be a an add on or kind of a branch off of this policy.
Charles Wesley: So in the packet is the is the policy and just to briefly summarize for you,
Charles Wesley: it is to establish standards for the acquisition of information technology
Charles Wesley: resources and this policy at a high level.
Charles Wesley: Has three primary policy statements.
Charles Wesley: One is that it will require a information technology register to be maintained by
Charles Wesley: the IT division so that there is a a single list of all of the things that
Charles Wesley: have been pre vetted and pre approved. In addition to that,
Charles Wesley: there is an approval process which is where.
Charles Wesley: New acquisitions will be submitted to.
Charles Wesley: Approval.
Charles Wesley: In court in a.
Charles Wesley: Coordinates to a supporting administrative procedure which will lay
Charles Wesley: out the specific details of how that approval will be implemented.
Charles Wesley: But it will need to include.
Charles Wesley: Reviewing the purpose, the functionality, the cost and anticipated benefits of the
Charles Wesley: software.
Charles Wesley: And then lastly, the policy outlines the criteria by which
Charles Wesley: these.
Charles Wesley: It resources need to be evaluated.
Charles Wesley: And in that is including evaluating the vendor who we are doing business with,
Charles Wesley: the reputation of the company and if they're compatible with the library.
Charles Wesley: Standards there needs to be an evaluation of how this technology will comply with
Charles Wesley: applicable laws, regulations, contracts, policies and procedures.
Charles Wesley: There needs to be an evaluation for security and privacy concerns.
Charles Wesley: As we all know, security is a point of emphasis for the
Charles Wesley: library and a primary opportunity for us to do that evaluation is when new
Charles Wesley: technology is acquired and is coming into our ecosystem,
Charles Wesley: but also a lot of technology have privacy and data concerns, and so having an.
Charles Wesley: Intentional check where that is able to be.
Charles Wesley: Done thoughtfully.
Charles Wesley: Will be part of this policy.
Charles Wesley: These criteria.
Charles Wesley: Cost management is another area. Sustainable funding for new acquisitions
Charles Wesley: is defined as the total lifecycle of the technology.
Charles Wesley: So not just upfront or initial cost, but what is the total cost of ownership
Charles Wesley: over the expected lifespan and is there a belief that we will be able to ad?
Charles Wesley: Sustain that.
Charles Wesley: A technical evaluation.
Charles Wesley: This is basically the IT divisions opportunity just to ensure that this
Charles Wesley: would be compatible.
Charles Wesley: With our existing environment, whether it's hardware,
Charles Wesley: software or other factors, and then lastly,
Charles Wesley: an evaluation of the sustainable, the sustainability of the maintenance and
Charles Wesley: support, so new IT resources that come in need to
Charles Wesley: be deployed need to be supported, need to be maintained and that may have
Charles Wesley: IMP.
Charles Wesley: Not just from a technology standpoint, but from a staffing and resource
Charles Wesley: standpoint.
Charles Wesley: So when you put all of these things together, it's essentially a kind of.
Charles Wesley: A comprehensive look at the factors that really ought to be done by any
Charles Wesley: organization that is incorporating information technology resources into
Charles Wesley: their environment.
Charles Wesley: And lacking this policy, there is.
Charles Wesley: Less consistency and less standardization across the organization.
Charles Wesley: And so this will kind of create a common understanding and a common framework in a
Charles Wesley: common process for us to be able to review and manage and maintain our
Charles Wesley: portfolio.
Charles Wesley: This will help us reduce some duplication.
Charles Wesley: It will help us to better secure our environment and our data.
Charles Wesley: And I think it will also be a very helpful as we go into future environment
Charles Wesley: where costs and resources are constrained and we want to try and optimize across
Charles Wesley: those factors.
Charles Wesley: Lastly, the compliant or the approval process and
Charles Wesley: evaluation process implementation details. This policy mandates that there will be a
Charles Wesley: administrative procedure that will detail the current.
Charles Wesley: Process and mechanisms for doing this.
Charles Wesley: And will need to be reviewed regularly in order to ensure that they are effective
Charles Wesley: and up to date, and there are some policy enforcement
Charles Wesley: provisions as well to put some guardrails around what from a policy standpoint,
Charles Wesley: is allowed to be on our network and operate and what may.
Charles Wesley: Need to be.
Charles Wesley: Either mitigated or removed. If it doesn't meet approval for some.
Charles Wesley: For based on some determination.
Charles Wesley: And then lastly, just applicability, this would be for all divisions,
Charles Wesley: employees, vendors and contractors.
Charles Wesley: We just wanna make sure that we have enough coverage of this to ensure that if
Charles Wesley: there is a resource that is either on our network or that is storing data that it
Charles Wesley: is within the purview of this due diligence.
Charles Wesley: So that is a quick run through of of what the policy is about.
Charles Wesley: Happy to entertain any questions, clarifications or comments.
Tali Hairston: Go for it, yeah.
Yazmin Mehdi: Yeah. I'm so sorry. I just.
Yazmin Mehdi: I'm full of questions all the time.
Yazmin Mehdi: Obviously I understand the purpose of this policy.
Yazmin Mehdi: It makes good sense for the library to employ something like this.
Yazmin Mehdi: But I do have a few questions. One is.
Charles Wesley: Mm hmm.
Yazmin Mehdi: It seems to me that in that today, and particularly the younger generations.
Yazmin Mehdi: Are much more sort of fluent with respect to technology.
Yazmin Mehdi: And I'm I'm curious about two things.
Yazmin Mehdi: One is there's everything from like you download an app onto your phone for X
Yazmin Mehdi: reason that maybe is related to work, maybe is not.
Yazmin Mehdi: Does this apply to that? And then sort of related to that?
Yazmin Mehdi: Because there is more fluency among.
Yazmin Mehdi: Employees, I'm curious if there is a way for.
Yazmin Mehdi: Them to experiment with technology when it is appropriate.
Charles Wesley: Sure. So.
Charles Wesley: I'll answer that in in this way.
Charles Wesley: So the intent of this, the scope of this policy, will be to.
Charles Wesley: It resources that are under controlled or the responsibility of the library.
Charles Wesley: So what individuals do with their personal devices wouldn't really be in
Charles Wesley: purview of this unless you were putting library data onto those.
Charles Wesley: So for example, if you were to download an app and then
Charles Wesley: start adding library information.
Charles Wesley: Into it. That would bring it into into scope of
Charles Wesley: this.
Charles Wesley: So it's more of a the delimiters around our information and what is happening on
Charles Wesley: our networks. And so if you're putting our information
Charles Wesley: into it or connecting to our networks, then we need to take a look at it.
Charles Wesley: And while there are all of these areas and espe.
Charles Wesley: In the evaluation section that we're saying need to be reviewed,
Charles Wesley: there's nothing.
Charles Wesley: Explicitly in this.
Charles Wesley: Policy that is determinative of what the outcome is.
Charles Wesley: So it could be that this is reviewed and it is provisionally approved under
Charles Wesley: certain constraints for like a pilot program or order review.
Charles Wesley: So it's not meant to.
Charles Wesley: Be like an impenetrable fortress.
Charles Wesley: It's really just meant to be like the front door that everything goes through,
Charles Wesley: and as long as in that approval process there is consensus and approval that we
Charles Wesley: are going to accept the responsibility of whatever The thing is,
Charles Wesley: whether it's a financial commitment or if it's an accept.
Charles Wesley: Of a certain amount of risk with compensating controls.
Charles Wesley: It's really just about making sure that we have.
Charles Wesley: Awareness of everything that is in our environment and that we.
Charles Wesley: Have some kind of a basis to say that it was thoughtfully and intentionally
Charles Wesley: included as opposed to kind of more organically,
Charles Wesley: just like appeared one day and we don't know why it is or what it's here.
Charles Wesley: For or how it's being, you know, managed?
Yazmin Mehdi: Thank you, Charles.
Tali Hairston: Carmen.
Bendixen, Carmen: I think maybe this is just my lack of understanding of your team, Charles, but.
Bendixen, Carmen: This is gonna be a new process.
Bendixen, Carmen: Yes. And the way you've explained it and the
Bendixen, Carmen: way that it's in our packet makes sense. I'm totally not an expert.
Bendixen, Carmen: But I'm wondering because this some of this is new, the evaluation for example,
Bendixen, Carmen: do you, are you gonna have the resources you need
Bendixen, Carmen: to implement this?
Charles Wesley: Very good question.
Charles Wesley: So this is an. This is something that I've said in a
Charles Wesley: couple of different contexts here at the library within the last year.
Charles Wesley: This is a collective effort and responsibility,
Charles Wesley: and while it is bringing this policy forward and it is ostensibly about
Charles Wesley: technology, it really is a cross functional review.
Charles Wesley: So it's not just that it needs to be secure, or that the technology can be,
Charles Wesley: you know, compatible with our environment.
Charles Wesley: But it needs to have the financial support it needs.
Charles Wesley: So there is going to, you know, be an element related to our budget.
Charles Wesley: And it also needs to be aligned with our strategic and operational priorities.
Charles Wesley: And so the more operational divisions that maybe we'd be using,
Charles Wesley: this would also have an opportunity then to consider whether or not it fits into
Charles Wesley: their overall.
Charles Wesley: You know, priorities.
Charles Wesley: So it will be to be most effective. It will be a multidisciplinary,
Charles Wesley: crossfunctional review, which then like a lot of.
Charles Wesley: Kind of like workflow based processes will.
Charles Wesley: Kind of make the rounds amongst the different groups,
Charles Wesley: and we're gonna design this hopefully in a way that makes it so that it is not
Charles Wesley: onerous.
Charles Wesley: It doesn't need to necessarily be.
Charles Wesley: You know, like a a, a very thick report, but even just doing the due diligence
Charles Wesley: while not taking much time will help us to significantly mitigate some of the
Charles Wesley: risks of not doing this due diligence.
Bendixen, Carmen: Thank you.
Tali Hairston: Any other questions?
Tali Hairston: If there be none, may I receive a motion to approve the
Tali Hairston: policy as?
Tali Hairston: Published as in the in the packet.
Faith Pettis: I'm happy to make that motion.
Tali Hairston: It's been moved and 2nd all in favor.
Faith Pettis: Aye.
Ron Chew: Aye.
Tali Hairston: Aye, opposed.
Tali Hairston: It is passed.
Tali Hairston: Thank you, Charles for your work on this.
Tali Hairston: And we'll continue to look for ways in which you are learning how to.
Tali Hairston: Make adaptations as you go along as you know better than I do that so much of the
Tali Hairston: world we live in with it and and purchases and things just changing all
Tali Hairston: the time. It feels like nothing the same right now.
Tali Hairston: Just last year, it seems like the word AI was so new.
Tali Hairston: Now it's in everyone's minds.
Tali Hairston: There, AI is an everyday things so.
Tali Hairston: Thank you for your work and we look forward to more conversations.
Charles Wesley: Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Tali Hairston: OK, we have a Union report today.
Tom Fay: All right, Jesse, if you can come forward, please.
Jessica Lucas: Hello.
Jessica Lucas: Yes, thank you.
Jessica Lucas: Really appreciate everything I've heard today.
Jessica Lucas: So my report stands, but I also wanted to just follow up with.
Jessica Lucas: Feeling like the communication and collaboration with the library has felt
Jessica Lucas: more open, effective and authentic lately, which is a relief and moves us into a
Jessica Lucas: much more positive.
Jessica Lucas: Outlook going forward.
Jessica Lucas: I will say that staff.
Jessica Lucas: Are still stressed, and that will probably continue until.
Jessica Lucas: Until we can come to a place that's more stable,
Jessica Lucas: healing really starts when staff have stability in their work lives and.
Jessica Lucas: I say I would say that adequate staffing and the clear,
Jessica Lucas: relatable policies are essential to to to reaching that space.
Jessica Lucas: S.
Jessica Lucas: So that's all I really had to add.
Jessica Lucas: And does anyone have any questions about my report or what I had to say today?
Tali Hairston: I do not.
Jessica Lucas: OK.
Tali Hairston: Your port.
Tali Hairston: Your port is very clear. Thank you.
Jessica Lucas: Thank you.
Tom Fay: Accessing.
Tali Hairston: Library foundations and friends of the library yazmin do we have one from the
Tali Hairston: Library Foundation day?
Tali Hairston: I don't think we do, OK.
Tom Fay: No.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK.
Yazmin Mehdi: Well, I'm happy to share the friends met last
Yazmin Mehdi: week.
Yazmin Mehdi: And first of all, the most important thing is the friends
Yazmin Mehdi: are kicking into high gear with their outreach work.
Yazmin Mehdi: I mean, they do outreach all year long, but in the summer there's a lot more
Yazmin Mehdi: opportunity with farmer, farmers markets, etc. This year though,
Yazmin Mehdi: they are really focused on doing work with the the waterfront.
Yazmin Mehdi: They're gonna.
Yazmin Mehdi: They've got a they've got a spot that they're gonna be able to have a table.
Yazmin Mehdi: Everyone, not every Sunday, but many Sundays and a Saturday or two.
Yazmin Mehdi: So they'll be doing basically used book sales.
Yazmin Mehdi: It's at Pier 62 and as a consequence of doing that,
Yazmin Mehdi: they will not be doing branch pop ups this year, but they're very excited about,
Yazmin Mehdi: you know being.
Yazmin Mehdi: Accessible.
Yazmin Mehdi: At Pier 62.
Yazmin Mehdi: I wanted to note that on April 14th last week, the friends were part of an effort.
Yazmin Mehdi: Including the foundation around a program at town hall with Shamichael Hallman.
Yazmin Mehdi: They had.
Yazmin Mehdi: They had more than 50 totes and 150 books that they gave away to attendees,
Yazmin Mehdi: and this is part of the beginning of a relationship with town hall.
Yazmin Mehdi: Where they will be tabling at appropriate events.
Yazmin Mehdi: And not just giving away books and totes, but also being advocates for the library.
Yazmin Mehdi: As I mentioned, they have lots of events coming up this
Yazmin Mehdi: summer.
Yazmin Mehdi: Some highlights they're doing. They're actually partnering with a local
Yazmin Mehdi: woman owned business called Armoire that rents clothing and I am a new user.
Yazmin Mehdi: To do gifts.
Yazmin Mehdi: For teachers, giveaways for teachers.
Yazmin Mehdi: They're also doing.
Yazmin Mehdi: They're doing an event with Rainbow City at Benaroya Hall.
Yazmin Mehdi: Angel Sauls is going to be the the president of the friends is going to be
Yazmin Mehdi: speaking at the Beacon Hill branch for Sunday Assembly.
Yazmin Mehdi: Juneteenth and Pride events, and they have five books, sale events,
Yazmin Mehdi: 5 events at Pier 62.
Yazmin Mehdi: On May 10th, they're hosting a celebration.
Yazmin Mehdi: And of the one year anniversary of their Georgetown location,
Yazmin Mehdi: which has worked really well for them.
Yazmin Mehdi: The celebration is going to feature a marching band, balloons,
Yazmin Mehdi: a bookmark making station and more.
Yazmin Mehdi: It's from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Georgetown location, 5608 6th Ave. South.
Yazmin Mehdi: Be there or be square.
Yazmin Mehdi: And let's see.
Yazmin Mehdi: I think there was one more thing I wanted to note that friends.
Yazmin Mehdi: President Angel Sauls also sent a letter of support for the Columbia earmark.
Yazmin Mehdi: And they had 50 signups of plan. The Public Library Action Network at the
Yazmin Mehdi: Shemichael event last week.
Yazmin Mehdi: So that is that's going great.
Yazmin Mehdi: That's it. If anyone has questions let me know.
Bendixen, Carmen: Yazmin what was the date on the Georgetown event?
Yazmin Mehdi: Oh, it's May 10th.
Bendixen, Carmen: May 10th. OK. Thanks.
Tali Hairston: Thank you yazmin for such a thorough update.
Tali Hairston: And any updates from board members.
Tali Hairston: I will just submit I spending way too much time with Tom.
Tali Hairston: Other than that, I'm doing our.
Tali Hairston: Carmen.
Tom Fay: I I'm sorry about that, Alec.
Bendixen, Carmen: Well, it's not really an update, but just a heads up for I think Ron and
Bendixen, Carmen: Faith, you were both going to Ala later this
Bendixen, Carmen: year, just a heads up, if you haven't been on the website lately,
Bendixen, Carmen: they now have the detailed program available.
Bendixen, Carmen: So if you want to start looking through and all of your free time,
Bendixen, Carmen: start looking through.
Bendixen, Carmen: Different sessions that you might find interesting. So.
Faith Pettis: Great. Thank you for that.
Ron Chew: I have.
Ron Chew: Yeah, have a real quick.
Ron Chew: Announcement.
Ron Chew: So I'm starting a podcast later this year.
Ron Chew: It's my Unforgotten Seattle podcast will be interviewing a lot of locals.
Ron Chew: And we're looking at, so I got a small grant from the Mayor's
Ron Chew: Office of Arts and Cultural Resources to kick things off.
Ron Chew: But I'm looking at kind of having a community conversation to share more
Ron Chew: information about it and get input which will be hosted at moms.
Ron Chew: Books to my owned Asian American bookstore in Chinatown. ID.
Ron Chew: So I will be sharing more information about that the coming weeks and hope that
Ron Chew: that can be a fun fun.
Ron Chew: Event for all of you to attend, and I wanted to mention to Yasmin I I
Ron Chew: spoke a few days ago at.
Ron Chew: The Seattle Public Schools retiree group and one of your book club members was
Ron Chew: there, Joni. So. And he was kind of small world.
Tali Hairston: Thanks for sharing everyone.
Tali Hairston: I wish I could be with you at Ala, but I have to be in Washington,
Tali Hairston: DC during that week.
Tali Hairston: My Washington, DC has become my second home,
Tali Hairston: unfortunately.
Tali Hairston: But it's good work so.
Tali Hairston: And just to note, our next board meeting is moved from May
Tali Hairston: 29th to May 27th, same time same channel just two days
Tali Hairston: earlier to accommodate Tom's travel.
Tom Fay: I do appreciate that.
Tom Fay: I know it's not easy for you all to do that and you know, tally,
Tom Fay: if you get bored of DC, it's it's a short train ride down to.
Tom Fay: Down to see us for Ala in Philly.
Tali Hairston: I thought about that.
Tali Hairston: Yeah, if there be nothing else.
Tali Hairston: Our meeting is dismissed.
Tom Fay: Thank you all.
Faith Pettis: Thanks all.
Ron Chew: Thank you.