W Tali Hairston: We have our agenda.
W Tali Hairston: Can I receive a motion to approve the agenda for today?
Yazmin Mehdi: So moved.
Faith Pettis: 2nd.
W Tali Hairston: It's been moved and 2nd all in favor.
W Tali Hairston: Raise your hand. Say hi opposed.
W Tali Hairston: OK.
W Tali Hairston: We have our agenda for today.
W Tali Hairston: I'm hoping Ryan will be able to join us but.
W Tali Hairston: He did say he might be busy today.
W Tali Hairston: So as noted at the top of our agenda, the library board is accepting public
W Tali Hairston: comment by e-mail in person at the Central Library and in this remote
W Tali Hairston: meeting.
W Tali Hairston: Are there any comments for today?
W Tali Hairston: Any public comments for today?
Amy Lawson: There is no public comment for today.
W Tali Hairston: OK.
W Tali Hairston: We have our consent agenda as well.
W Tali Hairston: Two items.
W Tali Hairston: Minutes of May 27th regular Library board meeting in our May 2020 Finance Report.
W Tali Hairston: If there are no changes, may I hear a motion to accept.
Yazmin Mehdi: I can second I do have one question about the Finance Report.
W Tali Hairston: Mm hmm.
W Tali Hairston: This is the time. Yep.
Yazmin Mehdi: Should I? OK.
W Tali Hairston: Go for it.
Yazmin Mehdi: It's page 14 of the packet and I just it's not a big deal,
Yazmin Mehdi: but there's a note B for under space rental and there's no actual footnote.
Yazmin Mehdi: So I'm just curious if staff can just let us know if that was a mistake.
W Tali Hairston: Are we requesting that anything be changed in the report?
W Tali Hairston: Let me say it.
W Tali Hairston: Let me ask you that yes.
W Tali Hairston: And or is this a clarification?
Yazmin Mehdi: Just clarification for me.
W Tali Hairston: OK.
W Tali Hairston: Rick, if you want to clarify, but we're we're OK to vote to approve as
W Tali Hairston: is with clarifications.
Amy Lawson: I also promoted Rob. If you have questions for him.
Yazmin Mehdi: Again, your staff, if you guys will just like let me know if
Yazmin Mehdi: there's supposed to be an actual footnote to the revenue related to space rentals
Yazmin Mehdi: on the revenue page or the financial report and it doesn't have to be right
Yazmin Mehdi: this second.
Yazmin Mehdi: Just let.
Yazmin Mehdi: Maybe just send an e-mail?
Rob Gannon: So members of the board yazmin I see the discrepancy.
Rob Gannon: You're pointing out and we will follow up and make sure that information is
Rob Gannon: circulate back to the board.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK. Thanks.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you, rob.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you yazmin. OK.
W Tali Hairston: It's been it's been moved.
W Tali Hairston: Do we have a second?
Yazmin Mehdi: I think I seconded it.
W Tali Hairston: Yes, I think you did.
W Tali Hairston: OK, all in favor.
W Tali Hairston: Opposed. OK. We have our agenda and consents agenda.
W Tali Hairston: Let's move to our Chief Librarian report. As noted,
W Tali Hairston: Thomas being replaced by Rick today, so.
W Tali Hairston: Rick, technically, it's still the Chief Librarian's report,
W Tali Hairston: right?
Rick Sheridan: That is correct, Mr. Chair.
Rick Sheridan: So TomTom does send his regrets.
W Tali Hairston: Go for it.
Rick Sheridan: He is currently en route to the American Library Association Conference in
Rick Sheridan: Philadelphia.
Rick Sheridan: In fact, he might be in the air at this moment.
Rick Sheridan: So he did ask the board's permission that you accept his written Chief Librarian
Rick Sheridan: report.
Rick Sheridan: That's part of your board packet for item one of this section.
Rick Sheridan: He did say that if there are any questions or concerns about any elements
Rick Sheridan: of that report, he would be happy to answer them at the
Rick Sheridan: next formal board meeting.
Rick Sheridan: In terms of the second item of the Chief Librarian's report,
Rick Sheridan: this is a systems report about the 10 year strategic plan.
Rick Sheridan: As I'm sure you recall, in November of last year,
Rick Sheridan: the board approved this 10 year plan that will guide library operations in terms of
Rick Sheridan: improving our work in support of the Community and in support of staff.
Rick Sheridan: One of the commitments we made at that time was to ensure.
Rick Sheridan: That the board received regular updates about our work on the plan and progress
Rick Sheridan: against it.
Rick Sheridan: And so the goal of today's system report is to just to do just that.
Rick Sheridan: And so I'd like to go ahead and have Jessica Smith give him permission to
Rick Sheridan: provide a formal presentation.
Rick Sheridan: Jessica Smith is our strategy and policy advisor.
Rick Sheridan: She leads a small team within the library system that focuses on strategy, planning,
Rick Sheridan: data analysis, and has been instrumental for the library
Rick Sheridan: system in terms of ensuring that we stay.
Rick Sheridan: On track in terms of delivering its strategic plan.
Rick Sheridan: And so with that, Jessica, the floor is yours.
Jessica Smith: Thank you, Rick.
Jessica Smith: Very kind words for Thursday morning.
Jessica Smith: OK.
Jessica Smith: Good morning board.
Jessica Smith: Let me get my screen up.
Jessica Smith: I am going to click present in teams and hopefully.
Jessica Smith: I said hopefully it will load one second.
Rick Sheridan: We can see it.
Jessica Smith: OK. Can I get a thumbs up?
Jessica Smith: Yay. Thumbs up. Love it. OK.
Jessica Smith: Good morning.
Jessica Smith: As Rick Sheridan is implementation update.
Jessica Smith: On the strategic plan?
Jessica Smith: So high level overview I'm going to discuss strategy and marketing and
Jessica Smith: communications.
Jessica Smith: This is a question that was asked in the past, so I wanted to give.
Jessica Smith: A nice update for you all.
Jessica Smith: We'll review the project.
Jessica Smith: Review Timeline, quarterly review process and improvements,
Jessica Smith: as well as one brief strategic plan metric and then.
Jessica Smith: And go through some project status updates.
Jessica Smith: So first strategic plan marketing and communications.
Jessica Smith: We will have rack cards which are multilingual.
Jessica Smith: We already have them and they will be updated at the end of the year.
Jessica Smith: This update will include achievements. What's happening now?
Jessica Smith: What's happening next?
Jessica Smith: Also, our web page will be which is translated
Jessica Smith: into four prioritized languages.
Jessica Smith: We will update the impact area.
Jessica Smith: At least two times annually.
Jessica Smith: And this will be updated as work progresses.
Jessica Smith: Links to programs and deliverables will be included as appropriate.
Jessica Smith: And will do an advertising push when we do updates to the web page.
Jessica Smith: So the four languages that the web page is translated into are Spanish,
Jessica Smith: Vietnamese, simplified, and traditional Chinese.
Jessica Smith: And when we do our advertising push, these will not be one offs.
Jessica Smith: This is part of a strategic.
Jessica Smith: Marketing and advertising plan that we have.
Jessica Smith: And we have quarterly ad buys and standard locations,
Jessica Smith: including ethnic media.
Jessica Smith: So some of those would be Daybreak Star Radio, Vietnamese News, El Rey,
Jessica Smith: Seattle Chinese times, as well as the Stranger Seattle Times.
Jessica Smith: Seattle Medium and others.
Jessica Smith: OK.
Jessica Smith: So we've seen this before.
Jessica Smith: I just wanted to highlight where we're at.
Jessica Smith: We've completed the Q1 quarterly review.
Jessica Smith: If you remember.
Jessica Smith: Last time I gave an update.
Jessica Smith: We.
Jessica Smith: We initially thought like, oh, we'll just review all of the projects all
Jessica Smith: at once and we'll just, like, get it done and, you know,
Jessica Smith: have all the projects launched at the same time. And then we're like,
Jessica Smith: there's not. We don't have capacity for that.
Jessica Smith: Like that's too much work to do all at once.
Jessica Smith: So we sort of phased the approach to reviewing project plans.
Jessica Smith: And so the first round was in January, January 29th.
Jessica Smith: Round 2 project presentations to SMT were in February.
Jessica Smith: Round three was March.
Jessica Smith: Round four was April.
Jessica Smith: Round five was in May.
Jessica Smith: Round 6 presentations will occur in July and those are the two remaining projects
Jessica Smith: that we have left to review.
Jessica Smith: So with all that information.
Jessica Smith: As SMT, the senior management team reviews the
Jessica Smith: project plans. The project owners and sponsors received
Jessica Smith: a ready to proceed letter from me as well as any recommendations,
Jessica Smith: feedback or corrections that were suggested by SMT.
Jessica Smith: So.
Jessica Smith: Through the end of the first quarter.
Jessica Smith: Any projects that were complete that were given a ready to proceed letter were
Jessica Smith: asked to provide.
Jessica Smith: A status report.
Jessica Smith: This is a one to two page report high level which will be used to help.
Jessica Smith: Us deconflict projects in the future, so if there are conflicts about resources.
Jessica Smith: Time etc.
Jessica Smith: We'll be able to pull those status reports,
Jessica Smith: bring those teams together and discuss to come up with a solution.
Jessica Smith: In addition to that, all of the projects that were launched
Jessica Smith: were asked to provide.
Jessica Smith: I'd an update in our quarterly template, so let me show you what those looked like.
Jessica Smith: So on the right side is a screenshot of what the status report looks like.
Jessica Smith: Again, just high level information.
Jessica Smith: This is supposed to be a snapshot.
Jessica Smith: And this was just.
Jessica Smith: For projects that received that ready to proceed letter.
Jessica Smith: On the left hand side at the top.
Jessica Smith: Is a snapshot from the appendix of our implementation toolkit.
Jessica Smith: And so every project.
Jessica Smith: Was asked to fill out.
Jessica Smith: Q1 impacts to budget, different challenges, risks,
Jessica Smith: opportunities and provide a short narrative update.
Jessica Smith: This allows for a consistent reporting across all projects and across the system
Jessica Smith: and it's all entered in the same place, so it's easy for us to track.
Jessica Smith: Let's see.
Jessica Smith: So this was our first quarterly review.
Jessica Smith: For the strategic plan, there were some lessons learned.
Jessica Smith: There were some hiccups along the way.
Jessica Smith: And we're working to improve the process going forward.
Jessica Smith: Couple of lessons learned that I'd like to share #1A single 60 minute quarterly
Jessica Smith: review session is not nearly enough time to go through all of these projects with
Jessica Smith: the amount of detail and attention that they need.
Jessica Smith: There were some really meaningful discussions that happened during these
Jessica Smith: reviews.
Jessica Smith: Some points for future decision making etc and so.
Jessica Smith: That 60 minute container is not quite appropriate.
Jessica Smith: #2.
Jessica Smith: I need to do a better job setting expectations regarding the appropriate
Jessica Smith: amount of detail to share.
Jessica Smith: In most cases we received like way more detail than is necessary for a short
Jessica Smith: quick template update, so I will be working with teams to.
Jessica Smith: Review and refine what that quarterly update should look like and then share
Jessica Smith: back with folks as far as like this is what we're looking for in the future.
Jessica Smith: So this is an ongoing process. It's iterative.
Jessica Smith: We will be learning and growing as we go.
Jessica Smith: So but we have done a really good job getting quarterly reports in and a lot of
Jessica Smith: projects are moving forward successfully.
Jessica Smith: The final lesson that I'd like to share is that.
Jessica Smith: This isn't necessarily specific to the quarterly review process,
Jessica Smith: but rather how we structured project sponsors and project owners.
Jessica Smith: In instances where we had multiple project sponsors and multiple project
Jessica Smith: owners who are all members of the senior management team.
Jessica Smith: It was really hard to coordinate schedules to move projects forward and so
Jessica Smith: instead we have a couple of projects where we're realigning the sponsors
Jessica Smith: sponsorship and ownership assignments for the project so that we have a single
Jessica Smith: point of ownership.
Jessica Smith: A single point of sponsorship.
Jessica Smith: So that and also potentially adding an additional layer of implementation
Jessica Smith: coordinator to certain teams to help with scheduling, coordinating information,
Jessica Smith: taking notes, providing the updates. It wasn't that.
Jessica Smith: These teams were unsuccessful.
Jessica Smith: It was just like these are folks who are already involved in daily operational.
Jessica Smith: Very high workloads and so being able to.
Jessica Smith: Readdress and like recast how the ownership structure.
Jessica Smith: Works for certain projects. Is going to be really effective.
Jessica Smith: In helping to move these projects forward.
Jessica Smith: So.
Jessica Smith: OK.
Jessica Smith: So for the quarterly review process?
Jessica Smith: Smt. The senior management team identified
Jessica Smith: projects that would benefit from changes to project sponsor and owner assignments.
Jessica Smith: As I just discussed, the following SMT considerations were
Jessica Smith: reviewed and discussed by the E team.
Jessica Smith: So some of our considerations were what's in what is in the way of our ability to
Jessica Smith: move projects forward.
Jessica Smith: How can you identify or can you identify any project conflicts and what are they?
Jessica Smith: Can we simplify project ownership and sponsorship assignments?
Jessica Smith: And is an implementation coordinator recommended for any projects?
Jessica Smith: So those were the questions that we really tried to keep top of mind as we
Jessica Smith: went through our project reviews.
Jessica Smith: And some of the decisions made by the E team were that we would continually
Jessica Smith: review barriers to implementation and respond as needed.
Jessica Smith: Umm.
Jessica Smith: Potential project conflicts would be addressed in SMT meetings,
Jessica Smith: so that could be bringing project teams together in SMT meeting or just having.
Jessica Smith: Owners discuss, but it would be within the venue of SMT.
Jessica Smith: And then I have a star here starting July 1st,
Jessica Smith: 4 projects have simplified assignments. So as we go through the rest of the
Jessica Smith: presentation where you see the star, this is where we've adjusted the
Jessica Smith: ownership or sponsorship assignments.
Jessica Smith: And finally, an implementation coordinator will be
Jessica Smith: assigned to two projects.
Jessica Smith: OK.
Jessica Smith: V1 metric for this month's update.
Jessica Smith: So we've been doing a red yellow, green tracking for all of the projects.
Jessica Smith: This is something that I review with E team on a bi weekly basis and I wanted to
Jessica Smith: look at how are we doing towards meeting our goals.
Jessica Smith: For the different impact areas and those different transformational states,
Jessica Smith: so the impact areas are.
Jessica Smith: Funding capacity, building technology and sustainability,
Jessica Smith: and those are all within the transformational state of organizational
Jessica Smith: reliance.
Jessica Smith: Additionally, we have literacy, enrichment and empowerment,
Jessica Smith: and those are within the transformational state of community belonging.
Jessica Smith: So we have two projects that are on hold and we'll get to those later.
Jessica Smith: But overall, most of our projects are green.
Jessica Smith: We have 12345 projects that are yellow.
Jessica Smith: Those projects are yellow and we can see this in a few minutes.
Jessica Smith: Mostly because.
Jessica Smith: Because of how much attention we need to pay to them,
Jessica Smith: we keep them as yellow just to make sure that they're top of mind.
Jessica Smith: They are being discussed at every meeting, not that there is necessarily anything
Jessica Smith: wrong, but there are a number of resources.
Jessica Smith: There is a lot.
Jessica Smith: Of capacity needed and a lot of coordination needed.
Jessica Smith: So a couple of implementation highlights. This is just for Q.
Jessica Smith: One the community belonging impact for literacy, this is really exciting.
Jessica Smith: We have what is now called SPL Story squad.
Jessica Smith: The goal was to provide students access to more library materials,
Jessica Smith: and this is specifically students in SPS Title I schools for grades two through 4.
Jessica Smith: This project is on track for pilot implementation.
Jessica Smith: At Bailey Gazert Elementary School, Moss supported our marketing and online
Jessica Smith: services, supported the story squad rebranding for
Jessica Smith: this project, and this is a great opportunity to
Jessica Smith: strengthen relationship with SPS.
Jessica Smith: The other community belonging impact for I'm sorry,
Jessica Smith: the other community belonging project for empowerment that I want to highlight is
Jessica Smith: the programming standards and quarterly calendar.
Jessica Smith: The goal was to develop and provide programming that helps people build
Jessica Smith: confidence and skills to achieve their life goals.
Jessica Smith: This is an opportunity to integrate programming with displays annual
Jessica Smith: observances heritage months without adding additional budget needs.
Jessica Smith: So this is something that.
Jessica Smith: There was launched at the end of the we have an internal.
Jessica Smith: Project request form that is helping to coordinate.
Jessica Smith: All these things across the system.
Jessica Smith: A couple more highlights.
Jessica Smith: So these are both for buildings, technology and sustainability.
Jessica Smith: Number one, we have the new library app in 2025.
Jessica Smith: This has been launched.
Jessica Smith: It is available in iOS.
Jessica Smith: It's currently. Oh, I'm sorry, iOS and Android.
Jessica Smith: It's currently in beta, with patrons and staff.
Jessica Smith: Next steps include optimization and translation into additional languages.
Jessica Smith: And this is and there's the opportunity to add more tools in the future.
Jessica Smith: So this is really exciting.
Jessica Smith: Our app is up, it's out.
Jessica Smith: It has been translated and once the bugs are fixed it will be released in the app
Jessica Smith: stores and translated languages.
Jessica Smith: Helen said this could be as soon as next week, so we're chugging along.
Jessica Smith: The other.
Jessica Smith: Organizational resilience project that I want to highlight is that we hired a
Jessica Smith: cybersecurity specialist and that cybersecurity specialist is helping us to
Jessica Smith: create a cyber security program to improve the library cyber security
Jessica Smith: posture.
Jessica Smith: So a full time permanent cybersecurity analyst was hired in January 2025.
Jessica Smith: Additionally, SPL has significantly increased
Jessica Smith: investment in cyber security infrastructure.
Jessica Smith: That improves our defensive capabilities and decreases response time to emerging
Jessica Smith: threats and incidents.
Jessica Smith: So there's a lot of really great work going on behind the scenes as well that
Jessica Smith: we may not necessarily see.
Jessica Smith: So I want to make sure to highlight those OK quick status updates.
Jessica Smith: So these are projects that are in progress.
Jessica Smith: There's nothing needed for them to proceed.
Jessica Smith: There's nothing in the way they are chugging along.
Jessica Smith: I started the books unbanned project because we have a shift in project
Jessica Smith: sponsorship and ownership.
Jessica Smith: This was previously Tom for both sponsor and owner.
Jessica Smith: We all know that Tom's really busy and he probably doesn't want to write updates
Jessica Smith: for me.
Jessica Smith: So we have a really great team put together to carry on this work.
Jessica Smith: The other one that I want to highlight here is the scheduling software.
Jessica Smith: So these are projects where the AI and Technology acquisition policy is needed
Jessica Smith: for them to be fully realized.
Jessica Smith: So scheduling software is start just because it is so.
Jessica Smith: Critical that we have like a solid understanding and baseline for AI
Jessica Smith: technology acquisition.
Jessica Smith: Policy the scheduling software is going to largely impact library programs and
Jessica Smith: services, but may impact other work areas in the
Jessica Smith: future.
Jessica Smith: So this is a really big project that we want to keep eyes on.
Jessica Smith: OK.
Jessica Smith: These are the two projects we're an implementation coordinator.
Jessica Smith: Role will be created.
Jessica Smith: So this is the 2026 and excuse me, because I will get tongue tied 2026
Jessica Smith: library levy spaces and programming evaluation and coordination.
Jessica Smith: It's not a big project at all.
Jessica Smith: It's like just something we're going to do over the weekend.
Jessica Smith: No, I'm kidding.
Jessica Smith: So this is a really big project.
Jessica Smith: It has lots of hands on it and it was a lot of hands from around the.
Jessica Smith: Senior management team, so we've simplified that ownership and
Jessica Smith: sponsorship all of the folks that were previously identified as Co owners are
Jessica Smith: going to be subject matter experts. We're going to bring in implementation
Jessica Smith: coordinator to help with the scheduling, scheduling meetings,
Jessica Smith: tracking down information, tracking down reports just a.
Jessica Smith: Lot of that administrative and project management work.
Jessica Smith: Same with the cross divisional service level guidelines.
Jessica Smith: This was like half of the senior management team was in the Co ownership
Jessica Smith: role for this project.
Jessica Smith: So we simplified and we're going to bring in an implementation coordinator for that
Jessica Smith: for that project as well.
Jessica Smith: And finally, we have 4 projects that.
Jessica Smith: Need staff capacity and or a new hire to proceed.
Jessica Smith: These are.
Jessica Smith: Just really, when we look at.
Jessica Smith: The director of inclusion and belonging and establishing a new office.
Jessica Smith: That position has been posted.
Jessica Smith: There has been a lot of resumes submitted.
Jessica Smith: We're working through that, but there's also the establish a new
Jessica Smith: office, right?
Jessica Smith: So we're keeping that yellow so we can keep eyes on it.
Jessica Smith: Same with the security and Emergency Management manager.
Jessica Smith: I believe that went out and was posted, but there's also the security audit that
Jessica Smith: comes with that. And then the early literacy project.
Jessica Smith: Just due to staff capacity, we are waiting for the successful launch
Jessica Smith: of Story squad in fall.
Jessica Smith: To reactivate staff around this other project because it's a lot of the same
Jessica Smith: staff and we got a lot going on, the library is busy.
Jessica Smith: People like us.
Jessica Smith: So that's what I have today.
Jessica Smith: That was not 15 minutes.
Jessica Smith: I'm sorry, that was a little long.
Jessica Smith: But I hope you all had fun and have lots of really good questions for me.
W Tali Hairston: Any questions?
W Tali Hairston: It was a lot of fun and you make it fun.
Jessica Smith: Thank you.
Jessica Smith: I like my job makes it easy.
W Tali Hairston: Awesome yazmin.
Yazmin Mehdi: Thank you, Jessica.
Yazmin Mehdi: It's nice to see the level of detail around how you're tracking all of this
Yazmin Mehdi: work, because it's a tremendous amount of work.
Yazmin Mehdi: I think one thing that I am trying to figure out sort of from what you
Yazmin Mehdi: presented is.
Yazmin Mehdi: Like the lever level of granularity that you've given us here is really helpful as
Yazmin Mehdi: board members.
Yazmin Mehdi: But what?
Yazmin Mehdi: I'm curious about is if you in the library,
Yazmin Mehdi: I mean the marketing team too can give us some insight into how you're taking.
Yazmin Mehdi: This detail.
Yazmin Mehdi: And translating it for the public.
Yazmin Mehdi: And I I think about this for two reasons.
Yazmin Mehdi: One is we want the public to have some transparency around all of the work
Yazmin Mehdi: that's happening as a result of the investment.
Yazmin Mehdi: Of time put into the strategic plan and you know some of what you're talking
Yazmin Mehdi: about here is not, I think, readily translatable for for the public.
Yazmin Mehdi: Like you know, when when we use some of our inside
Yazmin Mehdi: terminology, that isn't necessarily something that
Yazmin Mehdi: that the public will understand just off the top.
Yazmin Mehdi: But the second thing is and you know, I've said this before.
Yazmin Mehdi: For I feel like our implementation of the strategic plan is critical.
Yazmin Mehdi: To the story that we're going to be sharing with the public about why
Yazmin Mehdi: supporting the levy is so important.
Yazmin Mehdi: And so being able to like quickly and easily say to the public,
Yazmin Mehdi: here's what we're doing with the resources we already have.
Yazmin Mehdi: And here's why voting for the levy.
Yazmin Mehdi: Is gonna, you know, step up what we what we already do.
Yazmin Mehdi: And I recognize that to some extent. Renewal the levy isn't even stepping up,
Yazmin Mehdi: right.
Yazmin Mehdi: Renewal of the levy is continuing what we already do,
Yazmin Mehdi: but the I really feel strongly that the strategic plan is critical.
Yazmin Mehdi: The implementation of it is critical to telling the story of the public about.
Yazmin Mehdi: What we're already doing and what the Lev the new levy is gonna allow us to do.
Yazmin Mehdi: So that's kind of the big picture.
Yazmin Mehdi: Like I'd love to know how we're translating this for the public.
Yazmin Mehdi: And then the one thing I would like to push you all on is.
Yazmin Mehdi: Hiring positions is definitely a milestone,
Yazmin Mehdi: but that's not the hiring of the position is not the end goal.
Yazmin Mehdi: The end goal is something much bigger, which is the library's much better
Yazmin Mehdi: protected against cyber threats.
Yazmin Mehdi: The library is much better at making sure that everyone feels included and belongs.
Yazmin Mehdi: Like those are the those are the actual angles.
Yazmin Mehdi: So I'm sure you know that.
Yazmin Mehdi: I know you know that.
Yazmin Mehdi: So I don't mean to sound patronizing, but again,
Yazmin Mehdi: I feel like what we want to do is translate the hiring of these positions
Yazmin Mehdi: into like actual.
Yazmin Mehdi: As you say, transformational transformation of the
Yazmin Mehdi: organization.
Yazmin Mehdi: So sorry, that was a mouthful.
Yazmin Mehdi: Thank you for listening.
Yazmin Mehdi: I really appreciate your report.
Jessica Smith: Thank you.
Rick Sheridan: So yes, Yasmin, I would just say that like your point is
Rick Sheridan: well made.
Rick Sheridan: Like there's a lot of effort going into this staff time,
Rick Sheridan: resources and and we certainly want the public to be aware of the progress made
Rick Sheridan: against the plan and I think there's some areas where like it's going to be obvious
Rick Sheridan: in terms of programming, for example, like if.
Rick Sheridan: You go to our website now, there is far more programming.
Rick Sheridan: It's deeper.
Rick Sheridan: It's it's wider.
Rick Sheridan: So I think the public will see some things,
Rick Sheridan: but we're going to have to do a good job both in terms of communications and
Rick Sheridan: marketing.
Rick Sheridan: Putting things on the website.
Rick Sheridan: To make sure people are aware of behind the scenes activities like cybersecurity
Rick Sheridan: like we are going to have a much more robust security effort when it comes to
Rick Sheridan: our electronic work. Thanks to this hire and thanks to the
Rick Sheridan: program he's building out. But the public's not going.
Rick Sheridan: To see that and conversely or in addition, I don't think the public's going to be
Rick Sheridan: aware of this. The security supervisor role that we're
Rick Sheridan: very close to completing the hire on when we complete an audit and we do
Rick Sheridan: implementation work like that won't really be seen to.
Rick Sheridan: The most members.
Rick Sheridan: The public. It'll be sort of outside of the public
Rick Sheridan: eye.
Rick Sheridan: And so we do need to do a robust job in terms of making sure people are aware of
Rick Sheridan: the effort and the outcome and how it's having an impact on making their system
Rick Sheridan: better.
Rick Sheridan: But yes, we we we hear you.
Rick Sheridan: And that's something that we are committed to doing and to your second
Rick Sheridan: point, absolutely, we're in year one of this plan.
Rick Sheridan: I think you see in some instances like the security supervisor role,
Rick Sheridan: we've called out a couple key things they need to do immediately.
Rick Sheridan: But in others, like the belonging director,
Rick Sheridan: we're going to obviously set up a work plan for that person for that office,
Rick Sheridan: and that there is more to come when it comes to those activities.
Rick Sheridan: So you'll see more detail in the future.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you, Rick.
W Tali Hairston: Any other questions or points of discussion for Jessica?
Faith Pettis: Can I just just a really quick one and that is I,
Faith Pettis: I really appreciate breaking down the strategic plan into pieces like this and
Faith Pettis: then tracking it.
Faith Pettis: I have seen many organizations that spend a lot of time on strategic plans and then
Faith Pettis: shelve them and don't really track until four years later when the next time comes
Faith Pettis: up and then they rush to try to figure out what they've done and recreate a
Faith Pettis: history. But this.
Faith Pettis: Is very deliberate and thoughtful, so thank you for that work.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you, Faye and Jessica. What is bringing you and your team some
W Tali Hairston: joy around this implementation?
W Tali Hairston: What is been motivating or inspiring as you've met some of some challenges?
Jessica Smith: See, this wasn't part of like my planned
Jessica Smith: presentation, so give me a second.
Jessica Smith: So for me personally, I love solving problems, right?
Jessica Smith: So like when we.
Jessica Smith: When we look at like, OK.
Jessica Smith: What what is causing a project to stick right?
Jessica Smith: Like, why can't we get it out of the mud?
Jessica Smith: It's like, well, maybe it's the structure, maybe it's the wording, maybe.
Jessica Smith: If we were not clear, coming up with solutions for me is really
Jessica Smith: rewarding.
Jessica Smith: And then also like I just have such a strong team around me,
Jessica Smith: not just like my small team of three people, including myself,
Jessica Smith: but the senior management team, the people working on the strategic plan.
Jessica Smith: There's lots of really good thought partners.
Jessica Smith: There's so much good information to share and to receive from within the
Jessica Smith: organization.
Jessica Smith: That.
Jessica Smith: I feel like whenever I ask for help, there's like, oh, we could do this.
Jessica Smith: We could do that, you know, so.
Jessica Smith: That that brings me a lot of joy and I feel like we're we're all in this
Jessica Smith: together like as you were saying, faith like this isn't a plan that sits on
Jessica Smith: a shelf.
Jessica Smith: I feel like there's a lot of ownership with this plan and we all see
Jessica Smith: opportunities for improvement and so being able to have people pulling
Jessica Smith: together.
Jessica Smith: To move discrete elements forward in a specific order,
Jessica Smith: I think is just seeing progress is really rewarding to me so.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you for that. I think part in terms of Yazmin's
Jessica Smith: Yeah.
W Tali Hairston: question about.
W Tali Hairston: The public facing narrative part of it, does come from what you're finding to be
W Tali Hairston: very joyful and inspiring and motivating.
W Tali Hairston: So when it comes from the actual work, it's easier for us to share that those
W Tali Hairston: stories.
W Tali Hairston: So that's why I asked that question and maybe next time we update,
W Tali Hairston: you'll think about that as well.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you so much.
Jessica Smith: I will have Joyce. Yes, thank you.
W Tali Hairston: If that's all for your presentation, we will move on to.
W Tali Hairston: Old business rec.
W Tali Hairston: Am I missing anything from our systems report?
W Tali Hairston: I think that that is the only bullet point there under systems report.
Rick Sheridan: Mr. Chair, that that is that is the only item in
Rick Sheridan: terms of the system report.
W Tali Hairston: Awesome. OK.
W Tali Hairston: So we will move to new business.
W Tali Hairston: There are five points we do not have an executive session.
W Tali Hairston: And so.
W Tali Hairston: Let's start with our new business right off of uncollectible patron account debt
W Tali Hairston: procedure. I believe that's in your packet as well.
W Tali Hairston: Yes, Jasmine.
Yazmin Mehdi: Sorry, before we move on to new business, can I just quickly note a couple of
W Tali Hairston: Mm hmm.
Yazmin Mehdi: things from the board packet because I know that these reports that get put in
Yazmin Mehdi: the packet are people put their energy and effort into them and we don't always
Yazmin Mehdi: get a chance to.
Yazmin Mehdi: Just recognize. I just wanted to say that I thought
Yazmin Mehdi: Richard counsels.
Yazmin Mehdi: Description of the work that's happening in Southeast was beautiful.
Yazmin Mehdi: I love the idea of the seed library and the mindful doodling.
Yazmin Mehdi: That's also happening.
Yazmin Mehdi: I think that was in the Southwest report.
Yazmin Mehdi: So I just wanted to note that like I really do appreciate those written
Yazmin Mehdi: reports, we don't always get to talk about them.
Yazmin Mehdi: And I just wanted to call that out. Thanks.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you. OK, who's up for right off of uncollectible
W Tali Hairston: patron is that you, rob?
Rob Gannon: Yes it is.
Rob Gannon: Again, good morning. Members of the board. If I could just interrupt the new
Rob Gannon: business for a moment.
Rob Gannon: Detail oriented as our finance team is, we wanted to report back that the page 14
Rob Gannon: missing footnote, the letter B was in error.
Rob Gannon: That should have been deleted.
Rob Gannon: There is no missing footnote.
Rob Gannon: So thank you for allowing me to clear that up.
Rob Gannon: We'll also send an e-mail out explaining exactly why it was there and what I feel
Rob Gannon: better now that we've corrected our error.
W Tali Hairston: Right, no problem. Thank you for that.
Rob Gannon: So if I may on to new business.
Rob Gannon: So I'm joined by our circulation manager Bo Kinney,
Rob Gannon: and we're here to present information on the administrative procedure that speaks
Rob Gannon: to how we handle uncollectible patron account debt.
Rob Gannon: So this has been an issue that has been worked on for many years and is finally
Rob Gannon: coming to.
Rob Gannon: A final approval. So I'm gonna turn it over to Bo,
Rob Gannon: who can give you a full presentation.
Rob Gannon: On what we're doing and why we're doing it,
Rob Gannon: it represents very thorough work by not only Bo and his team,
Rob Gannon: but many people throughout the library.
Rob Gannon: There is no board action that we're requesting on this,
Rob Gannon: but it is such an important topic that we wanted you all to be fully aware and for
Rob Gannon: the public to be aware of how we're handling this and why,
Rob Gannon: but to speak on the details and the expertise I.
Rob Gannon: Going to turn it over to my colleague, Mr. Kinney, Bo, go ahead.
W Tali Hairston: And Bo, before you go, can I just clarification there.
W Tali Hairston: Rob, you said approval and you said we're not
W Tali Hairston: approving, right?
W Tali Hairston: Who? Who is the approval?
W Tali Hairston: What is their approval process for this?
W Tali Hairston: Just so I'm clear.
Rob Gannon: Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Rob Gannon: So this is an administrative procedure that we have developed and drafted inside
Rob Gannon: the library and.
Rob Gannon: With our standard protocols, this is something that is approved by the
Rob Gannon: Chief Librarian.
Rob Gannon: So this has been very thoroughly vetted inside the organization.
W Tali Hairston: Yeah.
Rob Gannon: It's been reviewed by divisional units as well as a senior management team.
Rob Gannon: It's been recommended to Tom for his approval,
Rob Gannon: and in fact he is signed this and it is ready to go into effect.
Rob Gannon: This is our first opportunity to bring information to the board so you
Rob Gannon: understand what we're doing.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you.
W Tali Hairston: I appreciate the explanation.
W Tali Hairston: Go ahead, Bo.
Bo Kinney: Thank you.
Bo Kinney: Thanks Rob for the introduction and thank you, Ward.
Bo Kinney: It's really exciting to be here talking to you about this today.
Bo Kinney: My name is Beau Kinney.
Bo Kinney: I am the circulation services manager for the library and that role includes
Bo Kinney: developing and implementing our procedures around access to the library
Bo Kinney: collection, including lending practices and patron
Bo Kinney: account management.
Bo Kinney: So I'm here to share today about this new procedure for managing our uncollectible
Bo Kinney: patron account, charges that are in the patron database,
Bo Kinney: also known as the Integrated Library System or ILS.
Bo Kinney: So that's a mouthful. So what?
Bo Kinney: What am I actually talking about?
Bo Kinney: So a little bit of background, when a patron borrows a book or other
Bo Kinney: physical item from the library, they are expected to return that item
Bo Kinney: when it's due.
Bo Kinney: If items are returned late, of course we don't charge overdue fines,
Bo Kinney: but we do take a couple actions. If if items are long overdue.
Bo Kinney: So after two if an item is 2 weeks overdue,
Bo Kinney: we suspend the patron account from checking out additional items.
Bo Kinney: Items and then after a month if an item is still not returned,
Bo Kinney: we consider it to be lost and we charge a replacement fee to the patron within the
Bo Kinney: the patron database, the iOS.
Bo Kinney: When when that last item or item replacement fee is charged the patron,
Bo Kinney: there's several options that patrons have for resolving those fees.
Bo Kinney: They can return the item which is of course the preferred and hoped for.
Bo Kinney: Resolution. That's what most what? That's what happens most of the time.
Bo Kinney: Also, if it's not possible to return the item,
Bo Kinney: patrons can pay that replacement charge.
Bo Kinney: And then there's also a process of patrons.
Bo Kinney: Can't return the item and can't pay the fee that they could request a a waiver
Bo Kinney: and and we have a process for sort of assessing and and granting fee waivers in
Bo Kinney: exceptional circumstances.
Bo Kinney: So most account charges are resolved through one of those 3 methods relatively
Bo Kinney: quickly, but there are some account charges that
Bo Kinney: never get resolved and so that's what this procedure.
Bo Kinney: Is intended to address. Is the situation where account charges
Bo Kinney: are assessed and they.
Bo Kinney: They just sit there in, in the the ILS indefinitely, so.
Bo Kinney: After three years, it's very unlikely that those charges are
Bo Kinney: ever going to be paid.
Bo Kinney: And so we the new procedure kinda sets out the process for how we will resolve
Bo Kinney: those.
Bo Kinney: So after after that three-year time frame has passed,
Bo Kinney: we will consider those charges to be uncollectible and clear them from the
Bo Kinney: patron account in the iOS.
Bo Kinney: And so there's kind of two different scenarios that could happen.
Bo Kinney: At the patron account is inactive, meaning the patron hasn't used their
Bo Kinney: library card within that three-year time frame.
Bo Kinney: The account will be deleted from the system through our standard inactive
Bo Kinney: account deletion process.
Bo Kinney: If the account is still active, meaning that the patron has actually been
Bo Kinney: using their library card because there are still things that lots of things that
Bo Kinney: people can do, even if they have those charges.
Bo Kinney: For instance, use library computers or use user account
Bo Kinney: for other purposes.
Bo Kinney: The Count will still remain active, but the charges will be cleared.
Bo Kinney: That means that that patron will regain full access and be able to check out
Bo Kinney: materials again.
Bo Kinney: So implementing this new procedure has a few really big benefits for the library.
Bo Kinney: The first is, it just brings our patron account.
Bo Kinney: Financial management practices kind in line with more standard financial
Bo Kinney: accounting practices.
Bo Kinney: Second, it improves patron access by restoring
Bo Kinney: borrowing privileges for patrons who've been maybe unable to pay their charges.
Bo Kinney: After a three-year time frame has passed.
Bo Kinney: And then finally it it improves database management and it will reduce complexity
Bo Kinney: of our upcoming iOS migration by by having a process to kind of clear up
Bo Kinney: these outdated charges and inactive patron accounts from the system.
Bo Kinney: So in the board packet there is the full written procedure signed up by Tom as
Bo Kinney: well as a memo with some additional context and some of our related practices
Bo Kinney: too, including no longer working with a debt
Bo Kinney: collection agency to try to recover unpaid account charges and some of.
Bo Kinney: The reasons why we've stopped doing that.
Bo Kinney: And a newly revised billing notice that will be starting up soon too.
Bo Kinney: That was rewritten. All of these things really to support our
Bo Kinney: goals of, of belonging and access.
Bo Kinney: Yes.
Bo Kinney: So that's it for my formal presentation.
Bo Kinney: But if I think there's, there's time.
Bo Kinney: If there's any questions.
W Tali Hairston: Bo, can I ask you, is there a metric associated with this in
W Tali Hairston: terms of impact on current?
W Tali Hairston: Numbers.
W Tali Hairston: Well, this reduced the number of something or
W Tali Hairston: increase the number of something.
Bo Kinney: Sure. Yeah.
Bo Kinney: So there there. I think the biggest and most important
Bo Kinney: one is that there are.
Bo Kinney: Close to 10, 000 patron accounts that are in that
Bo Kinney: category where the account is still active,
Bo Kinney: people are using it for other things, but they don't currently have firing
Bo Kinney: privileges because they have old charges on them. So.
Bo Kinney: So there's again thousands of patrons who will conceivably have their borrowing
Bo Kinney: privileges restored after this.
Bo Kinney: So that again like kind of one of our big goals here is to really look at if the if
Bo Kinney: the after that three-year time frame has passed if the.
Bo Kinney: You know the item is unlikely to ever be returned at that point.
Bo Kinney: The charges are unlikely to be paid but but we will be able to welcome those
Bo Kinney: patrons back to full full barring privileges in that case.
Bo Kinney: So also there's a large number that will be cleared of inactive accounts that will
Bo Kinney: be cleared from the system as well.
Bo Kinney: So that's another trick.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you, yazmin.
Yazmin Mehdi: So that's really helpful data that it's 10,
Yazmin Mehdi: 000 active accounts without borrowing privileges.
Yazmin Mehdi: I guess number one, I think it's a great to like eliminate
Yazmin Mehdi: these uncollectible debts.
Yazmin Mehdi: It makes perfect sense to be clearing those out.
Yazmin Mehdi: But I guess I have a question about.
Yazmin Mehdi: If if you basically restore borrowing privileges.
Yazmin Mehdi: And.
Yazmin Mehdi: Essentially, there's no penalty, which I think makes sense,
Yazmin Mehdi: but is there a way to flag the account so that if it happens again that you know
Yazmin Mehdi: that's just useful data? I think whether or not we do anything
Yazmin Mehdi: with it.
Yazmin Mehdi: So that's one one question for you. And then I'm curious,
Bo Kinney: Yeah. Oh, sorry. Go ahead.
Yazmin Mehdi: do you have a number for the inactive accounts that will be just shut down?
Bo Kinney: Sure. So great questions.
Bo Kinney: The first to the first one. First of all, I just want to just state sort of for the
Bo Kinney: record that I wouldn't say that there's no penalty because as I said earlier,
Bo Kinney: if if an item is not returned for after actually just two weeks,
Bo Kinney: the count loses B.
Bo Kinney: Privileges. So. So we're the accounts in this situation
Bo Kinney: that are active, have actually already been penalized for
Bo Kinney: the past three years or more.
Bo Kinney: By not having access to be able to check out.
Bo Kinney: Item so so there in a sense the pages have already sort of paid that penalty of
Bo Kinney: not having full access. And I'm excited that we'll be able to
Bo Kinney: restore that access after that time frame has passed in terms of flagging the.
Bo Kinney: Yes, there the those charges will be will be
Bo Kinney: cleared from the account, but they still will be retained in the
Bo Kinney: account history. So it will still be visible to staff that
Bo Kinney: there's that. There's this history so so.
Bo Kinney: So yes, to your point, if if there was kind of a long term
Bo Kinney: pattern that that would be visible to staff as they were reviewing the
Bo Kinney: accounting.
Bo Kinney: I do not have a total number on the account, the inactive accounts and.
Bo Kinney: Rob, do you wanna speak to that question at
Bo Kinney: all?
Rob Gannon: I don't speak to the question directly, but I do want to make a a balancing point
Rob Gannon: to all of this and that is that it's when we're talking in the context of this
Rob Gannon: policy, we are not talking about true debt,
Rob Gannon: that the library has.
Rob Gannon: We are very carefully saying this is debt within our patron accounts. So there is.
Rob Gannon: There is no account receivable due.
Rob Gannon: There is no formal write off procedure in our accounting.
Rob Gannon: In finance team, and Even so, this is been carefully reviewed by our
Rob Gannon: finance team and it is in line with.
Rob Gannon: Good accounting practices across the city, so.
Rob Gannon: I I just want to make that distinction.
Rob Gannon: We're not foregoing revenue, we're not foregoing or we're not.
Rob Gannon: Writing off debt in a formal sense, this is all about restoring access at the
Rob Gannon: appropriate time for patrons who have stale patron account debt.
Rob Gannon: That's registered in our system.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK.
Yazmin Mehdi: Sorry, thanks for saying that, Rob, because I thought we were actually also
Yazmin Mehdi: writing off the debt even though no. OK.
Rob Gannon: No, we are not writing off debt formally, that's correct.
Yazmin Mehdi: All right. That's helpful.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK.
Yazmin Mehdi: All right.
Yazmin Mehdi: Thank you.
W Tali Hairston: OK. Any Carmen faith? Anything from you? Are you good?
W Tali Hairston: All good. OK.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you, Bo.
Bo Kinney: Thank you.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you, rob. I appreciate it.
Rob Gannon: You're welcome.
Rob Gannon: Thank you.
W Tali Hairston: Next on our agenda, we get to talk about artificial
W Tali Hairston: intelligence.
W Tali Hairston: Like that's not being talked about enough in the news. OK, let me stop.
W Tali Hairston: Jim, are you joining us?
Jim Loter: Hello I I am.
Jim Loter: Can everybody hear me OK?
W Tali Hairston: We can thank you.
Jim Loter: OK, so I may or may not be an AI generated
Jim Loter: bot here to tell you and talk to you today about the libraries proposed AI
Jim Loter: policy which is included in your packet and if you give me a moment, I will.
Jim Loter: Share slide deck.
Jim Loter: There's lot of material here, so I will go through it rather quickly
Jim Loter: and hopefully there'll be time for questions at the end.
Jim Loter: Can everybody see this?
Jim Loter: Slide.
Jim Loter: Yes, OK. All right. Thank you.
Rick Sheridan: We can.
Jim Loter: So why are we here today?
Jim Loter: You noted that that this is a topic that is being discussed.
Jim Loter: It's it's very much in the zeitgeist of of the world today.
Jim Loter: AI has been around for a long time.
Jim Loter: And recently, however, certain advances and developments in the
Jim Loter: technology.
Jim Loter: We have made it what I would consider and what the library considers to be
Jim Loter: oppressing issue in need of policy guidance.
Jim Loter: Starting in about 2023, artificial intelligence technologies have
Jim Loter: become widely available, accessible and popular,
Jim Loter: largely through tools such as ChatGPT, and additional tooling that is currently
Jim Loter: being incorporated into Microsoft, Google, Amazon and other popular technology
Jim Loter: stacks.
Jim Loter: AI is the though the the concept and and technologies have been around for a while.
Jim Loter: This emergence of the technology into the consumer space with such rapidity.
Jim Loter: Has introduced new and novel risks, and it is not without controversy.
Jim Loter: Some of those risks and controversies may conflict with the library's values.
Jim Loter: The commitments we've made to our staff and to the public,
Jim Loter: and with legal and regulatory obligations, and that has formed the the concerns
Jim Loter: about.
Jim Loter: About those risks that form the basis of the analysis that led to the draft policy
Jim Loter: that you have in your packet.
Jim Loter: I I won't spend too much time talking about the operational requirements of of
Jim Loter: actually using AI successfully in a organization. But just to note that.
Jim Loter: They're the successful and responsible and safe use of these tools does require
Jim Loter: specialized guidance, training and development.
Jim Loter: Which is also something the library needs to address beyond the policy.
Jim Loter: So what are we doing?
Jim Loter: We were adopting.
Jim Loter: Or will hopefully adopt library policy that directs how library staff may
Jim Loter: acquire access and use AI technologies as they conduct library business.
Jim Loter: And I will note that there is a commitment to do this in the library
Jim Loter: strategic plan.
Jim Loter: We will develop following the policy, we will develop necessary and related
Jim Loter: procedures and methods that will be used to evaluate AI technologies for library
Jim Loter: use.
Jim Loter: And ensure that they align with libraries, values, objectives and obligations.
Jim Loter: We will.
Jim Loter: I am proposing need to develop a training program so staff can obtain the necessary
Jim Loter: skills to use these approved technologies in a responsible and safe manner.
Jim Loter: And we are not alone in this.
Jim Loter: We are part of and can become more of a part of a large network of partner
Jim Loter: organizations that include the City of Seattle and other surrounding
Jim Loter: organizations in this region, but also nationally.
Jim Loter: And also I would propose we have an obligation to educate the public about
Jim Loter: the responsible use of AI technologies, both what we are doing as a as a library
Jim Loter: institution and what members of the public need to know about and and and
Jim Loter: need to learn about in using.
Jim Loter: This technology, very similar to how we approach how the
Jim Loter: library approach social media for example.
Jim Loter: 15 odd years ago and how we.
Jim Loter: Approached educating the public about the Internet.
Jim Loter: Now probably going on 30 years ago.
Jim Loter: Defining AI.
Jim Loter: It's notoriously slippery.
Jim Loter: It has very specific meanings within computer science,
Jim Loter: but it has largely been adopted by marketing teams in large technology
Jim Loter: companies now to mean something completely different.
Jim Loter: And I have a couple of examples of of or shorthand versions of what we mean when
Jim Loter: we talk about AI.
Jim Loter: By a generative AI as a new flavor of AI that has recently emerged.
Jim Loter: And often is now being used synonymously with the the term AI.
Jim Loter: Very simple. AI is as a technology.
Jim Loter: It makes predictions and recommendations and decisions based on an automated
Jim Loter: analysis of data.
Jim Loter: And you can see uses of this in applications like the photos app on your
Jim Loter: phone, which you can even now search for example
Jim Loter: for pictures of cats without you having needed to explicitly label pictures of
Jim Loter: cats.
Jim Loter: Applications like reading, viewing or buying recommendations on
Jim Loter: Netflix or Amazon are examples of AI being used to find patterns between
Jim Loter: similar kinds of activities in a workplace setting.
Jim Loter: Job applicant screening applications using AI have been around for 10 or 15
Jim Loter: years.
Jim Loter: And AI this the green term there.
Jim Loter: AI also includes more controversial uses, such as facial recognition and behavior
Jim Loter: prediction.
Jim Loter: Generative AI, on the other hand, is a subset of general AI.
Jim Loter: As can be found in applications like ChatGPT, Google Gemini,
Jim Loter: it's fairly new and it is what is driving a lot of the recent attention and buzz
Jim Loter: about artificial intelligence.
Jim Loter: Critically generated AI creates new content and does not simply act on or
Jim Loter: process existing data.
Jim Loter: And it is that distinction that that is critical to keep in mind.
Jim Loter: So what we've done in developing the draft policy is take a look at a subset
Jim Loter: of the major concerns that have been addressed through other organizational
Jim Loter: policy, have been part of various state
Jim Loter: legislative and regulatory efforts to to control or to add some guidance to this
Jim Loter: technology.
Jim Loter: I previously have worked at the Seattle City of Seattle and Lee.
Jim Loter: Development of the city's AI policies a couple of years ago worked closely with
Jim Loter: University of Washington researchers and members of.
Jim Loter: Artificial intelligence organizations and research institutions around the the area.
Jim Loter: And the City of Seattle has been part of a broader municipal government coalition
Jim Loter: centered in San Jose that has contributed a lot of thinking and research to this
Jim Loter: matter as well.
Jim Loter: The over the large list of policy concerns about AI could probably be a
Jim Loter: couple dozen or more.
Jim Loter: But these seven we are focusing on because they represent.
Jim Loter: Specific risks to the mission and institutions of public libraries in
Jim Loter: general, and the Seattle Public Library
Jim Loter: specifically.
Jim Loter: And this has been determined based on a review of library literature and
Jim Loter: positions and statements.
Jim Loter: That Seattle Public Library has taken in the past on related topics such as data
Jim Loter: privacy and environmental sustainability, for example.
Jim Loter: I'm not gonna drain these slides.
Jim Loter: They're very content rich, but I I will note that accuracy is
Jim Loter: probably one of the chief concerns and risks in the use of AI and generative AI
Jim Loter: technology.
Jim Loter: Any the the goal of technologies like ChatGPT is to generate plausible sounding
Jim Loter: content, not necessarily to verify its truth.
Jim Loter: So as a result technologies may produce content that sounds.
Jim Loter: Sounds reasonable, but may be inaccurate.
Jim Loter: You've perhaps encountered the term or heard the term hallucination used in news
Jim Loter: stories about situations where users publish output from ChatGPT that includes
Jim Loter: sources, for example, that are entirely made-up.
Jim Loter: So the technology behind generative AI is not designed to differentiate what's true
Jim Loter: and what's not true.
Jim Loter: So a library policy consideration is to ensure that the.
Jim Loter: Output from these tools is reviewed by staff for accuracy.
Jim Loter: And that the tools themselves go through.
Jim Loter: A rigorous and structured evaluation process to benchmark their overall level
Jim Loter: of accuracy. Those processes have yet to be developed.
Jim Loter: They are policy processes and procedures that will need to be developed
Jim Loter: collaboratively with stakeholders throughout the library,
Jim Loter: as well as incorporating materials from the Gov AI coalition.
Jim Loter: And other materials developed at the City of Seattle.
Jim Loter: But the policy exists to direct that the library shall do.
Jim Loter: Those shall do that work and shall proceed in that manner.
Jim Loter: Accuracy and information literacy, for example,
Jim Loter: is a core principle of libraries, and This is why this is a particularly
Jim Loter: key risk that we have to control for.
Jim Loter: Very similarly to that, systems are trained using data that
Jim Loter: exists in the world and data that exists in the world tends to be culturally and
Jim Loter: linguistically biased.
Jim Loter: So those biases can be replicated or reinforced in the outputs that the
Jim Loter: systems produce.
Jim Loter: So, similar to accuracy, our policy is directing the library staff
Jim Loter: evaluate the outputs utilizing for example, training and other.
Jim Loter: Methods available to them through unconscious bias training, for example,
Jim Loter: or the work that staff do as part of the city's race and social justice program.
Jim Loter: In both of those cases, for accuracy and cultural and linguistic
Jim Loter: bias, review the library operationally also
Jim Loter: must be very sensitive.
Jim Loter: To ensure that desired gains in productivity through the use of these
Jim Loter: tools are not completely offset or obliterated by the work necessary to make
Jim Loter: sure that the tools are producing acceptable outputs.
Jim Loter: If you if you get my meeting.
Jim Loter: Accountability is a key issue that the policy is seeking to address,
Jim Loter: first and foremost by by its very existence.
Jim Loter: Demonstrating the library's commitment to being accountable and responsible in
Jim Loter: using this technology.
Jim Loter: But the policy also directs or remind staff that ultimately.
Jim Loter: Library staff are the accountable parties to anything that is published under the
Jim Loter: library's name or decisions that are made by the library.
Jim Loter: So this.
Jim Loter: Part of the policy or or the focus on accountability is complicated because the
Jim Loter: AI systems that we are seeking to use tend to be opaque and their internal
Jim Loter: operations and the data that they rely on are considered proprietary.
Jim Loter: So it may be.
Jim Loter: It may again present a challenge that we need to address through training and
Jim Loter: development of new procedures to to fully.
Jim Loter: Fully.
Jim Loter: Be accounted truly responsible accountable parties to the use of these
Jim Loter: technologies.
Jim Loter: Privacy is another major concern. The library has long been committed to
Jim Loter: protect and promote the freedom and privacy of intellectual inquiry,
Jim Loter: and we do this by treating data about certain library activities as
Jim Loter: confidential. Generative AI operates by incorporating
Jim Loter: data into its training model for use in other UN.
Jim Loter: Contexts.
Jim Loter: And so the library use of AI must be sensitive and mindful of these risks.
Jim Loter: Environmental impact.
Jim Loter: Is highlighted in the policy as a consideration for the use of these tools.
Jim Loter: AI technologies continue to evolve and proliferate, and demand is rising.
Jim Loter: And with that is a demand for increased power,
Jim Loter: electricity and water usage to cool to both power and cool data centers that
Jim Loter: operate this very computationally intensive technology.
Jim Loter: So the library has in the past.
Jim Loter: Asked touted its commitment to sustainability.
Jim Loter: By virtue of the design and efficiency of its buildings,
Jim Loter: and the library is part of the City of Seattle,
Jim Loter: which has made certain commitments to building a mission.
Jim Loter: Performance standards etc.
Jim Loter: So this is a an area that the library has publicly said. We care very much about,
Jim Loter: and that care should be reflected in the use of the technologies in,
Jim Loter: in our use of technology.
Jim Loter: There is a part in the policy that addresses or or highlights considerations
Jim Loter: regarding intellectual property.
Jim Loter: There's recently earlier this week, in fact.
Jim Loter: A case that was settled.
Jim Loter: Essentially concluding that AI use of certain copyrighted materials does
Jim Loter: constitute fair use.
Jim Loter: I expect that is going to be challenged, but that is very much an open question
Jim Loter: right now.
Jim Loter: Now as to the way in which the AI systems use.
Jim Loter: Copyright protected content in its training.
Jim Loter: Data given the libraries you know existence within a a world in which we
Jim Loter: care very much about intellectual freedom and intellectual property in the
Jim Loter: intersection of those two arenas.
Jim Loter: This is something that we have to also be very mindful about when using these
Jim Loter: technologies.
Jim Loter: And finally, AI technologies are marketed as enabling
Jim Loter: efficiencies.
Jim Loter: And in use in recruitment and other HR related functions and so we are
Jim Loter: recommending and will be developing policy positions regarding the use of AI
Jim Loter: and recruitment, hiring and other types of decision making
Jim Loter: processes in order to make sure that we treat everybody fairly and equitably in
Jim Loter: those.
Jim Loter: Areas.
Jim Loter: S.
Jim Loter: So in conclusion, our task or the task is I understand it
Jim Loter: in front of us is to draft an AI policy that covers the concerns that I raised
Jim Loter: and that has been done, and that is present in your packet.
Jim Loter: That policy should be stewarded through to your review.
Jim Loter: And and adoption?
Jim Loter: Later this year, probably quarter three of this year,
Jim Loter: if not sooner.
Jim Loter: Following that, we will collaborate with local and
Jim Loter: national organizations and other resources.
Jim Loter: Is to develop frameworks for evaluating AI use in the library and approving
Jim Loter: acceptable uses so that we can continue to do that in a safe and responsible way.
Jim Loter: And that will also include training programs and and helping staff use that
Jim Loter: technology in consistent in ways that are consistent with library policy and
Jim Loter: principles.
Jim Loter: So that concludes my presentation. Hopefully provides you with the context
Jim Loter: you need to review the draft.
Jim Loter: And I am here to answer any questions.
W Tali Hairston: Go for it, faith.
W Tali Hairston: We'll start with you.
Faith Pettis: Yeah, I'm. I'm interested in the reference to the
Faith Pettis: Governance Committee that you're considering establishing in connection
Faith Pettis: with this policy.
Faith Pettis: Who can you give us a little color on what you're thinking?
Jim Loter: At the moment, the details of that Governance committee
Jim Loter: are not fully developed, but I can tell you that we do need a body,
Faith Pettis: Yep.
Jim Loter: a representative body within the library, to advise on some of those.
Jim Loter: Evaluation procedures and processes that I referred to before,
Jim Loter: so just to operationalize what the policy is directing and to make decisions about
Jim Loter: which technologies are meet, meet our.
Jim Loter: Our criteria and meet our standards for adoption within the library would be the
Jim Loter: main functions of that committee, as well as to review any,
Jim Loter: any sort of disputes or issues that come up with material that may be generated or
Jim Loter: published by AI.
Jim Loter: There, there should be a group of folks in the
Jim Loter: library who are responsible for that.
Faith Pettis: So it's internal.
Faith Pettis: I I was thinking it was potentially external with experts in the industry or.
Jim Loter: Mm hmm.
Jim Loter: Oh, I see. I see.
Jim Loter: Yeah. No, that that is intended to be an internal
Jim Loter: governance committee within the library.
Faith Pettis: OK.
Faith Pettis: OK, it is such a fast moving area that it
Faith Pettis: might be worth thinking about how we plug in people who are working in that area to
Faith Pettis: help continue to give us input.
Faith Pettis: I have a feeling that this policy will be important to have that it may also be
Faith Pettis: outdated within a year just based on how fast things are moving.
Jim Loter: No, you're absolutely right.
Jim Loter: And and you know, we are in fairly regular contact with the
Jim Loter: responsible AI program folks at the city and the stakeholders who who helped us
Jim Loter: when I was at the city develop that that policy.
Jim Loter: And you're right.
Jim Loter: I mean, you can't really turn around without
Jim Loter: another event or panel or conference popping up that covers AI.
Jim Loter: I just attended one last week at Seattle University, for example,
Jim Loter: in which a demonstration broke out.
Jim Loter: And and disrupted the event.
Jim Loter: So those are happening.
Jim Loter: There are a lot of resources in the area that we can draw from,
Jim Loter: but as I mentioned this not without controversy.
Jim Loter: This topic and we have to be mindful of that.
Bendixen, Carmen: I just had a request.
Bendixen, Carmen: Thanks for the presentation. It really helped kind of fill out the
Bendixen, Carmen: background of what was actually in the packet.
Bendixen, Carmen: I'm wondering if we could get a copy of the presentation also.
Bendixen, Carmen: Because it kind of helped me wrap around the my mind wrap my mind around the need
Bendixen, Carmen: that we have for this.
Bendixen, Carmen: Makes it a little a little clearer because sometimes it turns into word
Bendixen, Carmen: salad for me and I can't.
Jim Loter: Yeah.
Jim Loter: You just need to run it through ChatGPT.
Jim Loter: Then you'll be fine.
Bendixen, Carmen: Apparently I've been told that yes.
Jim Loter: Yeah.
Jim Loter: Yeah, I work.
Bendixen, Carmen: But.
Jim Loter: I'll work with Amy to get that, to get that sent out to y'all.
Bendixen, Carmen: OK.
Bendixen, Carmen: Thanks.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK.
Yazmin Mehdi: Thank you, Jim, for this presentation.
Yazmin Mehdi: I have a series of questions for you. First, though,
Yazmin Mehdi: I wanted to note that on page 27 in the packet,
Yazmin Mehdi: which is the second page of the policy draft.
Yazmin Mehdi: Under bullet a sorry bullet, three of item a, it says.
Yazmin Mehdi: Library staff or its representatives shall not input library data.
Yazmin Mehdi: That has been classified as sensitive or confidential into an AI product or
Yazmin Mehdi: service without further review and approval by the LTO,
Yazmin Mehdi: and I think you need the word or their designee.
Jim Loter: Yes, correct.
Yazmin Mehdi: OK so.
Jim Loter: Thank you for catching that.
Yazmin Mehdi: That was the first thing. The second thing I wanted to ask about is.
Yazmin Mehdi: Is there?
Yazmin Mehdi: So first of all, just noting what Faith said.
Yazmin Mehdi: It sounds like, and especially given your former role at
Yazmin Mehdi: the city, that the library's taking some of its
Yazmin Mehdi: some of the lead from the city, and that makes sense.
Yazmin Mehdi: Because.
Yazmin Mehdi: You know, when I was working at the city, I was actually.
Yazmin Mehdi: On the data Processing Advisory Council and the whole point of that group was to.
Yazmin Mehdi: Pre vet certain new IT.
Yazmin Mehdi: And so it makes sense to take some lead because.
Yazmin Mehdi: They're managing sort of AI, if you will, impacts across the city.
Yazmin Mehdi: But I'm also wondering if there must be at Ala or Urban Libraries Council there.
Yazmin Mehdi: They must be thinking about this.
Yazmin Mehdi: Particularly through the lens of libraries,
Yazmin Mehdi: and I'm wondering if are you thinking about?
Yazmin Mehdi: I'm sure you're engaging with them and I'm just curious how you're doing that.
Jim Loter: Yeah, it's a good point.
Jim Loter: Frankly, I was a little surprised to not find too
Jim Loter: much information from those organizations about this topic.
Jim Loter: But in reviewing the conference program for the Ala Conference that that our
Jim Loter: Chief Librarian is attending this week, I did note that there were a couple of
Jim Loter: panels there and. And so I intend to reach out to the
Jim Loter: individuals on those panels after the conference.
Jim Loter: Conference to make those connections.
Jim Loter: But, but yeah, you're right.
Jim Loter: Those were some of the first resources that I turned to.
Jim Loter: You know, Ala used to have a library, information technology,
Jim Loter: sort of sub association called Lita.
Jim Loter: That I I thought would be a natural fit for this.
Jim Loter: But sadly, that organization no longer is supported
Jim Loter: by Ala.
Jim Loter: So I think that given everything else that's happening in the world right now,
Jim Loter: maybe this topic has not risen to the.
Jim Loter: To the top of the list for Ala policy considerations,
Jim Loter: but I do continue to monitor that and.
Jim Loter: And I do plan to reach out to folks at the Ala Conference who are presenting and
Jim Loter: and deliberating on this topic this week.
Yazmin Mehdi: That's great, 'cause. I mean, I think Faith's point about having some
Yazmin Mehdi: AI tech professionals.
Yazmin Mehdi: Is is really important if we don't have, you know,
Yazmin Mehdi: sort of library specific assistance around how we use AI or how we allow AI
Yazmin Mehdi: to be used.
Yazmin Mehdi: So then my my last sort of large question, overarching question is you know?
Yazmin Mehdi: The way that I read the policy is that it's about particularly this,
Yazmin Mehdi: this idea of generative AI, which is useful because what that means
Yazmin Mehdi: is that AI is being used to create new content.
Yazmin Mehdi: But AI is, as you said, everywhere, and so I'm I'm curious is.
Yazmin Mehdi: There a plan to like maybe give staff examples of how and when.
Yazmin Mehdi: This policy applies because, like I think about, I do a search on Bing,
Yazmin Mehdi: not Google, and I get, you know, copilot immediately at the top.
Jim Loter: Mm hmm.
Yazmin Mehdi: And so like is that is using that OK.
Yazmin Mehdi: I'm guessing no, but.
Yazmin Mehdi: That, I mean, I think that level of example might be
Yazmin Mehdi: useful to to, you know, for me to understand as a board member
Yazmin Mehdi: but also.
Yazmin Mehdi: For staff to know when they can and can't use the different iterations of AI.
Jim Loter: Yeah.
Jim Loter: Yeah, it it's a really good point.
Jim Loter: And you're right, it's very slippery.
Jim Loter: The retrieval augmented generation or the the the the kind of AI that's baked into
Jim Loter: search engines for example, is a combination of searching for things.
Jim Loter: But the technology's also also generating things and and those results can be very
Jim Loter: inaccurate, you know and and I'm old enough to
Jim Loter: remember when the Internet started and libraries had to train its staff on how
Jim Loter: to how to use, you know.
Jim Loter: Alta Vista and you know, early versions of search engines.
Jim Loter: And evaluate the results and and and determine what was coming from verifiable
Jim Loter: sources versus what was not.
Jim Loter: And I think in our larger, you know, cultural context that is the role that
Jim Loter: the library serves for our patrons as well.
Jim Loter: But yes, you're absolutely right.
Jim Loter: We will, as we develop the processes and the
Jim Loter: methods to evaluate those technologies. We will look at things that are
Jim Loter: incorporated into everyday tools like search engines and like increasingly
Jim Loter: Microsoft Office for.
Jim Loter: Sample Adobe Acrobat.
Jim Loter: Aai or AI like technologies are being incorporated into the tools that we use
Jim Loter: everyday.
Jim Loter: They're not necessarily separate products that we have to buy.
Jim Loter: And so that's very much in the in the context and to your point about the
Jim Loter: generative AI, I think the policy does sort of skew in
Jim Loter: that direction because I think in in the research that I've done that.
Jim Loter: Where the largest and and and most concerning risks exist.
Jim Loter: But for kind of traditional standard AI which is being used even right now to
Jim Loter: influence or make decisions, you know that that that also is going to
Jim Loter: be incorporated into those evaluation frameworks.
Yazmin Mehdi: That's great.
Jim Loter: So yeah, thank you.
Yazmin Mehdi: Last thing on that is I think you talked about the library's role in educating the
Yazmin Mehdi: public and I just want to under score that like you know when we have.
Yazmin Mehdi: A mixing chamber full of, you know, PC users.
Yazmin Mehdi: That's an opportunity to educate people who are probably using the Internet and
Yazmin Mehdi: AI to educate themselves.
Yazmin Mehdi: So really would and and actually.
Yazmin Mehdi: To educate people about the incredible, tremendous amount of resources used for
Yazmin Mehdi: that AI to just pop up answers.
Yazmin Mehdi: All of that is a role that I think the library is well suited to play,
Yazmin Mehdi: so I really appreciate that you are thinking about that.
Yazmin Mehdi: Thanks very much.
Jim Loter: Great. Well, thank you for that endorsement and I'm
Jim Loter: glad that Christina Darnell I see is on this call.
Jim Loter: As our she and I have been have been talking about that and and I plan to work
Jim Loter: very closely with her and her team and others in the library to decide what kind
Jim Loter: of programming makes sense in this area.
Jim Loter: So I appreciate your comments on that.
Yazmin Mehdi: Thank you, Jim.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you, Jim, for that and thanks board for a largely
W Tali Hairston: discussion.
W Tali Hairston: Look forward to more conversation as it is a dynamic and organic experience right
W Tali Hairston: now.
W Tali Hairston: OK. Next on our agenda is a union update.
Jessica Lucas: Hello.
W Tali Hairston: Hi, Jessica.
Jessica Lucas: Hi, it's good to see you all this month.
Jessica Lucas: I will be out next month, but I will try to send someone in my
Jessica Lucas: place.
Jessica Lucas: I'm going to allow my report to stand however I in the theme of what Yazmin
Jessica Lucas: asked me last time. I did want to talk about a little bit
Jessica Lucas: about what's giving library staff joy despite some of our our problems that we
Jessica Lucas: face every day.
Jessica Lucas: So I would say that a job well done is one of the things that brings us to work
Jessica Lucas: and keeps us happy in the work that we do.
Jessica Lucas: Helping the public within the scope that we can provide as library staff access to
Jessica Lucas: resources, material and and information cleaning,
Jessica Lucas: clean buildings and predictable conditions,
Jessica Lucas: sharing joy and reading support.
Jessica Lucas: Reporting the community with fun and informational programs and outreach.
Jessica Lucas: All staff public facing and behind the scenes contribute to the library being
Jessica Lucas: that welcoming and supportive space.
Jessica Lucas: So that's all I wanted to add to my report this month.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you.
Yazmin Mehdi: I think I just want to give credit where it's due, Jessie.
Yazmin Mehdi: It was tally who asked you about joy.
Jessica Lucas: Oh, thank you. Yes.
Yazmin Mehdi: Because he that's a that's a good theme of his.
Yazmin Mehdi: But but thank you for thinking it was me. I appreciate that.
Jessica Lucas: Thank you for that correction.
W Tali Hairston: Can you?
W Tali Hairston: Anything else for Jesse?
W Tali Hairston: OK.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you so much.
W Tali Hairston: I appreciate your reporting up and finally updates on friends.
Jessica Lucas: Thank you.
W Tali Hairston: I believe there was no meeting.
W Tali Hairston: Of.
W Tali Hairston: The foundation or the the friends? I'm going off memory here.
Bendixen, Carmen: There was a foundation meeting which I have a couple notes on.
Bendixen, Carmen: I don't know, Rick, if you have notes on the friends meeting,
Bendixen, Carmen: maybe there wasn't a friends meeting.
Amy Lawson: The friends did not meet in June.
Bendixen, Carmen: OK, OK.
Bendixen, Carmen: So I guess I'm on.
Bendixen, Carmen: Just a couple, a couple of notes to pass along their
Bendixen, Carmen: last meeting from early June was mostly they kicked off their strategic planning
Bendixen, Carmen: effort.
Bendixen, Carmen: So that was probably like the second-half of the meeting.
Bendixen, Carmen: The first part was there's just a couple of news items just about giving.
Bendixen, Carmen: So they are on track for fundraising.
Bendixen, Carmen: They're at about 1.7 million, which is just.
Bendixen, Carmen: Over 50% of their goal for the year.
Bendixen, Carmen: And that's that's not quite the grand total.
Bendixen, Carmen: The grand total is at about 1.9 million.
Bendixen, Carmen: That includes a state and in kind gifts.
Bendixen, Carmen: The other item to mark your calendars, and I'm sure we'll be hearing more about
Bendixen, Carmen: this September 19th, they're doing a fundraising event and
Bendixen, Carmen: they're partnering with Special Collections Department and it's going to
Bendixen, Carmen: be at the Central Library, so.
Bendixen, Carmen: Stay tuned for more about that.
Bendixen, Carmen: And then on their strategic planning effort,
Bendixen, Carmen: I think I mentioned last time the meeting before they introduce their their
Bendixen, Carmen: planning consultant that's helping them with that Laura Pierce and they they
Bendixen, Carmen: basically kind of went over making sure the foundation mission vision and values
Bendixen, Carmen: are in line with the.
Bendixen, Carmen: Libraries kind of foundational.
Bendixen, Carmen: And then looking at putting together a planning committee that is actually
Bendixen, Carmen: meeting monthly.
Bendixen, Carmen: So actually more often than the foundation as a whole.
Bendixen, Carmen: Or the board as a whole is meeting, and then they're drafting a constituent
Bendixen, Carmen: listening plan.
Bendixen, Carmen: So I think we're gonna hear more about that too.
Bendixen, Carmen: But that is all of that's all that's fit to print for the foundation.
W Tali Hairston: Thank you, Carmen.
W Tali Hairston: Any board member updates anything personal professional you'd like to share?
W Tali Hairston: No. OK.
W Tali Hairston: Have fun at Ala if you are there.
W Tali Hairston: I believe Carmen in Faith and Tom are there.
W Tali Hairston: I am close by in Washington.
W Tali Hairston: DC we are the facilitating.
W Tali Hairston: My group is a facilitating organizers for physics and astronomers faculty teaching
W Tali Hairston: institute at the American Institute of Physics.
W Tali Hairston: That's where I am for the five days and I can't be at Ala is because I moderate
W Tali Hairston: their work so.
W Tali Hairston: Miss, you all have fun and we'll see you soon.
W Tali Hairston: This meeting is adjourned.
Bendixen, Carmen: Thanks everyone.
Faith Pettis: Thank you all.