The Library Board met 06/17/2025. They received 5 different updates and reports including an update on the new building, an update on the hiring process, the 2024 annual report, an update on children’s programming, and an update on community partnerships.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:
[Before I get into the update, I just have to say I’m very unimpressed with the audio-video equipment in the library’s Cornerstone Conference Room. I’ve been trying to convince myself that it’s okay, but it’s not. Library Board meetings are highly unwatchable. There’s a severe sync issue between the audio and the video, so it’s very difficult to tell who is talking at any given time, and the audio is muffled enough that it’s unpleasant to listen to and difficult to understand what people are saying when more than one person is talking or when the conversation transitions from one speaker to another speaker. Whatever equipment is used in the Common Council chambers seems to be much better quality, and it’s a shame the library didn’t go with a system like that. Every time I listen to a Library Board meeting, I come away with a generally negative feeling about how much money we spent on the building and how that contrasts with the poor function of its equipment.
UPDATE: Director Rortvedt it looking into what is causing the syncing issues. The problem seems to be happening during the process of uploading the video into the city’s granicus system.]
NEW BUILDING UPDATE – Library Executive Director Colleen Rortvedt indicated that she was probably going to take new building updates off future agendas because everything was winding down. There were a few projects still finishing up. Additional donor signage has been installed and is almost completed. Hearing loops were going to be installed in the large meeting room, the Cornerstone Conference Room, and at the service desks. The Learning Stairs will not just be exposed concrete but will have a rubberized surface on it. The gate for the Children’s Garden has been put on but is not yet fully functional, and there is some additional landscaping that needs to happen.
APL HIRING PROCESS UPDATE – The update was that there was no update because, for the first time in a long time, the library is fully staffed.
2024 LIBRARY ANNUAL REPORT – The annual report wasn’t included in the agenda packet for the meeting and I don’t see it on the APL website either. The board didn’t talk about any of the details in the report, but one person did say, “Looks really nice. It’s easy to read. It’s really nicely put together, I thought.”
It was mentioned that Director Rortvedt used the report a lot when meeting with different stakeholders.
[Update: the minutes for the meeting have been posted and the Annual Report was attached to that. I’ve included it below.]
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM UPDATES – The summer session started the week of June 6. Over the summer they have expanded the play programs that they offer. They had been offering a Friday morning play program for birth to 5 which was very well attended and getting crowded, so they started offering a bi-weekly toddler play program. The first one was held last week and had about 50 people come. Parents were very appreciative that there was an event that was just for little kids. The library is also offering a multilingual play program. Finally, they started offering a 3PM afternoon play program. Because it took place at a time when many children were napping, it had a smaller number of attendees, some of whom could not attend a morning play program due to scheduling issues and some of whom appreciated having a smaller group to bring their child to.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS UPDATES – They just brought on a summer intern named Maia. Maia has worked as a substitute library page since 2022 and, over 12 weeks in the summer, in her capacity as an intern will be assisting with programs and partnerships for teens and adults.
Additionally, the library just wrapped up a community partnerships internship. That internship was held by a Lawrence University graduate named Evelyn who is pursuing a Masters in Library and information Scient at the University of Michan’s Information School. During her time at APL, she conducted a review of how Gen Z uses the library. She did that through independent research, conversations with staff, observations, and by setting up a playing card collage self-directed activity for teens to participate in. Additionally, she provided the library programming staff with some tangible recommendations on younger adult interests, practices, and preferences for using the library. Her presentation highlighted that library staff should meet library users “with shared values that libraries are free, they’re fun, they’re private, value privacy, and green, and focusing on authenticity, realness, and experiences.”
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1288860&GUID=68AD64EA-7894-4668-92FE-DEF807FC7985
Be the first to reply