Felton Library Friends Steering Committee Notes
August 3, 2021, 4:30 p.m.
Desired Outcomes
Strengthen relationships among members
Shared understanding of current/future Library, FLF, and FSCPL activities
Agreement on values statement
Plan for September and October meetings
Project Glow, plan for supporting the project
Present: Nancy Gerdt, Diane McCormick, Michele Mosher, Jenn Mount, Judi Sherman, Moana Whipple, Donna Ziel
Welcome, Outcomes and agenda review. Any additions?
The Library World
Library Advisory Commission: the SCPL system- -Jenn
As she was writing her report, Jenn considered how to give the most important point for FLF. Over the next month, there will be planning for the search committee for a new Library Director, and designing how to get community feedback. How can we discuss this and share with the LAC? If you have any considerations, reach out to Jenn.
The Felton Branch
Manager Angie: Busier now that SV is closed; hard to keep up with processing. Hired five new aides; SV officially closed; staff will start on the 14th; hours will change September 7. Open 7 days/week. Schedule will change again once they leave. Boulder Creek should open in the winter; Laura Whaley interim assistant director; up to a year hiring for the director position. Interim Director Eric Howard committed to DEI; serious, responsible and empathetic. Very accessible.
Librarian Jackie: Summer reading program was successful--small and engaged crowd. Starting in-person story times (plan for now) – toddler and pre-school. FLF is sponsoring a program to learn about Native Americans and build canoe models outside. Grant from Library Innovation Labs to focus on Latinx Communities and LGBTQ+. Dia de Los Muertos: outside Ofrenda. Screening of the movie “Coco”. Stories for Bedtime; Friendship Day.
FSCPL – Michele
The FSCPL capital campaign on behalf of the Aptos, Branciforte, and Garfield Park branch libraries is gearing up for the community phase of the campaign. All three branches are currently closed for construction and donors are already stepping up to support the work. These branch libraries will soon be joining the Felton, Capitola, and La Selva Beach successes in "Realizing the Promise'' of Measure S.
FLF discussion
Complete Values Statements:
See work on revised statements at the end of notes.
Next meeting:
Meeting in person and hybrid model/Nancy email everyone and ask about preference for next meeting. Try to end by 6pm?
Begin planning for a public FLF meeting in Oct.?
Project GLOW
Local resident and artist Stacy Monowitz has received a grant from the Arts Council of SC County to fund a collaborative community project that will be displayed at the Felton Library. The following sums up the intent of the project: "Engage community members of all ages living in the San Lorenzo Valley in a collaborative art project to create hope and connection amongst residents stressed by isolation and hardships related to the COVID 19 pandemic, CZU complex fires, and debris flow evacuations".
Stacy would like to train interested members of the FLF LT to make a window and if interested, take packets to others in the community. She has several groups in the valley she will be reaching out to. Nancy is in the process of scheduling a time for Stacy to train FLF LT, hopefully meeting on the patio. Stay tuned!
FLF Team Reports (as needed)
Treasurer’s report: Michele
Account Balances
FLF account with FSCPL as of June 30: $66,477.14
Community Foundation Agency Flex Account as of July 28: $107,581.02.
Expenditure of funds from the Community Foundation$50,000 grant.
Nancy and Michele have met twice with Eric Howard, Interim Library Director, We all agree on the need to develop a better, more transparent system for communicating and recording library’s expenditures of FLF donations for enhancements and programs.
Eric provided an accounting of $21,468.73 expended in categories, but without descriptions of items purchased The remaining funds are in a capital funds account for Felton.
We have requested that Eric ask Kira for a description of items in the Felton Staff Equip and Felton Park Collection: categories.
Funds budgeted for improvements to Teen/Multipurpose and Community Rooms
No expenditures have been made from the $50,000 in the 2021 FLF budget.
Nancy and Michele are talking with Eric Howard and Felton Librarian Jackie Danziger about assembling a group of stakeholders, including teens, to brainstorm possibilities.
Book sales
The FLF book sales cart is up and running. Lots of folks perused and bought books--FLF made over $40 in the first four days.
Having book sales carts outside branches with Chapters was discussed for months by Chapter presidents and treasurers at their monthly Zoom meeting Aptos Friends piloted the project until their branch closure. Branch staff is only responsible for rolling the cart outside on good weather days and bringing the cart in at closing.
FLF Volunteer tasks
Make signs for cart
Thank you, Moana!
Provide books for restocking:
Lorraine Sintetos, former manager of the FSCPL Civic book sales and Felton resident, has access to many boxes of sorted books in storage in Capitola. These were intended for Civic sales, which will probably not happen in the future.
Store books locally for restocking:
Currently there are 12 boxes in Michele's garage. we have permission to store books in one of the empty staff bike lockers by the parking lot once it has been re-keyed.
Restock and straighten books as needed.
FLF volunteers so far are Lorraine Sintetos, Glenn Lyons, and Michele. We may need an additional person or two for this if sales keep going well.
Collect donations weekly and deliver cash to FSCPL office for deposit:
Michele will do this for now
Park Team - Nancy
Nancy and Kirsten sent a replacement plant list to County Parks for approval to order for fall planting. We will add a few new pollinator plants and replace mitigation plants that have died.
In collaboration with the Library staff, a new storybook walk is being planned for the beginning of September. It will stay up for one month. The staff will laminate the pages and FLF park team will work on installation.
The FLF shade sail proposal for over the toddler gravel pit area was denied due to concerns about riparian disruption. We will continue to attempt to address this problem.
Ideas are appreciated from the FLF LT for engaging community groups to adopt a part of the park to maintain, arrange their own work day, or join the Park team on the first Saturday of the month. Summer hours are 9-11. Next work date is August 7th.
Chris Soriano, education coordinator for the Santa Cruz Natural History Museum, is interested in teaching teens about the environment through hands-on projects. He has contacted our team and hopes to bring them to the FDP this fall to help with maintaining plantings.
Next steps
Next meeting September 7, 2021
Agenda items:
Project Glow at 4:00 pm.
Confirm values
Agreement on future meetings (virtual, in-person, mix?). Open to Friends members?
Plan for “all Friends” meeting.
FLF Values Statements
Categories
Community Assets
Environmental Stewardship
Growth
Creativity
Collaboration
Connections
We believe in honoring, serving, and building on the resourcefulness and resilience of our mountain communities.
We believe in creating a sustainable future by promoting opportunities for environmental learning and action.
We believe that all life forms are connected and the well-being of all is interdependent.
We believe that collaboration leads to inclusiveness, equity, and understanding within the community.
We believe that all people have talent, skills, creativity, and the ability to contribute to a thriving community.
We believe that everyone learns in a variety of ways and settings, both indoors and outdoors.
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