09.02.20 BLC Minutes
CITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
Name of Board/ Commission: Library Commission
Date of Meeting: September 2, 2020
Contact information preparing summary: Celia Seaton
Commission members present: Juana Gómez, Joel Koenig, Jane Sykes Wilson, Steven Frost, Scott Steinbrecher
Commission members not present: None.
Library staff present:
David Farnan, Director of Library & Arts
Jennifer Phares, Deputy Library Director
Celia Seaton, Administrative Specialist
City staff present:
None
Members of the public present: None
Type of Meeting: Regular | Remote
Agenda Item 1: Review of Online Meeting Guidelines [0:00:05 Audio min.]
Agenda Item 2: Reminder: Commissioners please log monthly volunteer hours Count Me In Boulder [0:00:30 Audio min.]
The Commission logged their service.
Agenda Item 3: Approval of agenda [0:03:38 Audio min.]
The meeting was called to order and Gómez asked if there were any changes to the agenda. Hearing none, the commission
proceeded with the planned agenda.
Agenda Item 4: Public comment [0:02:32 Audio min.]
None.
Agenda Item 5: Consent agenda [0:01:19 Audio min.]
a. Approval of August 2020 Meeting Minutes: Gómez asked for any changes. Hearing none, Koenig moved to
approve these minutes, Sykes Wilson seconded, and the motion was unanimously approved. Frost abstained as he
was absent at the August meeting.
b. Resolution Concerning the Acceptance of Revenue from the Warner Charitable Trust – Frost made the motion to
accept the donation and send the letter. Sykes Wilson seconded the motion and commission indicated unanimous
acceptance.
c. Review Thank You letter for Warner Charitable Trust – commission reviewed and expressed approval of this letter.
Steinbrecher suggested the addition of a note about the extraordinary challenges of the present budget situation.
Phares will edit and circulate the appropriate forms for signature and receipt of this revenue.
Agenda Item 6: City Manager’s recommended budget for the library [0:10:50 Audio min.]
See Library Director’s memo in the packet for information about this item.)
Farnan: library leadership deliberated thoughtfully over a plan to retain the goal of providing the best possible service to the
community despite the constraints of the city’s current economic position. The cuts to the library “are not insignificant” –
supervisors are speaking to employees about potential lay-offs if the proposed budget goes through. The Library is “doing
the best” it can “given the resources” available.
Koenig wondered whether district libraries have received any cuts. Farnan: those libraries are not in the same financial
situation; he has not heard of any reductions. Boulder’s retail economy has been hit hard by the COVID fallout.
Sykes Wilson wondered whether the lay-offs affect just those already furloughed, or involve additional people. Staff: a
mixture of the two.
Agenda Item 7: Library Commission Update [0:21:40 Audio min.]
a. Items from Commission
i. Ongoing outreach efforts – Joni Teter, former Library Commission chair, and Gómez will be
meeting with Councilwoman Junie Joseph to discuss budget. Joseph is supportive of the district
and the plan for new in-house library security team.
ii. Frost and Gómez attended Planning Board Meeting and spoke during public
hearing in favor of the future North Boulder Branch Library. He reported that city staff did a
great job, thanking Phares in particular for her quick and helpful response to the concerns of
community and board members. Planning Board accepted the plans; the next step involves City
Council approval.
b. Updates from commissioners representing the Commission in other venues (verbal)
i. Boulder Library Foundation (BLF) update (Sykes Wilson/Koenig) – Koenig relayed that former
library staff member Juliette Bartsch has been hired as to assist with donor relations and
programming for BLF.
ii. Library Champions
c. Update on emails and phone calls to Library Commission
Agenda Item 8: Library and Arts Director’s Report [0:31:57 Audio min.]
a. 2021 City Manager’s Recommended Budget – please see the September 8th Study Session packet at this link for
City Council agendas and materials.
b. North Boulder Branch Library – Planning Board approved the submitted changes for a “Net Zero-ready” building
as opposed to “Net Zero,” with intention to complete certification in the future. In response to Koenig’s query
about when construction would begin, staff estimated mid-2021. Farnan: “It will be a boon for that neighborhood”
with significant cultural and economic impact. Library’s goals of education and outreach will draw in community
like a “magnetizing force.” Farnan plans to make Spanish speaking fluency a requirement for a portion of the
future North Boulder Library staff.
c. Update on Current Library Services – the Main Library re-opened in a limited capacity on August 3, 2020. Staff is
planning “Phase 3” now, which likely won’t occur until 2021. In response to Sykes Wilson’s query about Book
Rich Environments, Farnan reported a recent delivery of thousands of books to several different sites. Possibility
exists for a reopening of the Library’s beloved Seeds café under the governor’s guidelines, though it may not be
financially viable due to the lessened foot traffic resulting from COVID restrictions.
d. Dial A Patron
e. Library Performance Measures Q2 -2020 – planned for inclusion in October’s packet.
f. Public Art Installations – Adam Kuby’s 55°
Surveying on the site will begin Sept. 8, 2020, with construction following in mid-
September.
Construction is anticipated to take roughly 8-10 weeks, culminating with the sculptures
around Oct. 15.
https://boulderarts.org/public-art/in-progress/civic-area/
Agenda Item 9: Adjournment [1:09:10 Audio min.]
Frost, an instructor at CU, reported that he will be working alongside Cyns Nelson, an Oral Historian at Carnegie Library,
for his upcoming graduate level course Connected Media Practices. A broadcast journalist will assist to make stories from
the archive “radio-ready.” Students will be trained as oral historians to produce their own audio pieces.
There being no further business to come before the commission at this time, the meeting was adjourned.
Date, time, and location of next meeting:
The next Library Commission meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, through a virtual setting.
APPROVED BY: ATTESTED:
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Board Chair Board Secretary
_________________________________________ ________________________________________
Date Date
October 29, 2020 10.29.2020