Library Innovation Subcommittee Minutes

August 9, 2022, 9 a.m.

Via BlueJeans

 

Action Items: None

 

Present:  Mehta Hess (MFD), Leah Fritsche (DEE), Alicia Woodland (MCM), Alex LeClair (LDI), Melissa Roelli (MTH)

 

Excused: Renee Daley (ROM)

 

Recorder: Tamara Ramski

 

SCLS staff present: Rose Ziech, Tracie Miller, Jean Anderson, Tamara Ramski, Tim Drexler, Mark Jochem, Shawn Brommer

 

1.     Call to order time 9:04 a.m.

a.     Introduction of guests/visitors

                                                    i.     Alicia Woodland (MCM) was welcomed as a new member.

b.     Changes/Additions to the Agenda: None

c.      Requests to address the Committee: None

 

2.     Approval of previous meeting minutes: 06-14-2022

a.     Changes or corrections: None

b.     Approved by motion: Leah approved, Alex seconded

 

3.     Action items: None

 

4.     Reports

a.     Social Work Intern Cohort (Mark reported)

                                                    i.     This is a pilot project led by Shawn, Jean, and Mark and UW-Madison and UW-Stevens Point schools of social work.

                                                   ii.     14 SCLS member libraries will have social work interns for the fall semester. Placements from UW-Madison will be determined soon.

                                                 iii.     UW-Stevens Point will not have any placements until 2023. Jess Bowers has developed needs assessment.

                                                 iv.     A recent check-in meeting discussed social work needs being shared by libraries and ideas for future CE opportunities.

b.     Collection Development User Group (Shawn reported)

                                                    i.     Email list is created. Tracie: Have received many requests to join the list.

                                                   ii.     First meeting date TBD.

                                                 iii.     Info about this group will be linked to the Collection Development page on the SCLS website.

                                                 iv.     Collection development meetings are scheduled for 1:00 pm on Wed. Sept. 14 and Wed. Nov. 16 on Zoom.

 

5.     Discussion

a.     Suggest topics of interest for 2022-June 2023 IDEA Team planning

                                                    i.     Mark: Inclusion Diversity Equity Action is a statewide initiative to provide CE opportunities on these topics.

1.     Last year’s topic was Libraries Talk About Race with webinars, discussions, and independent studies.

                                                   ii.     Looking for topics for next year. An advisory committee will be formed to help with the planning and facilitating opportunities and events. A meeting with statewide partners is scheduled for later today.

1.     Alicia: How broad/narrow of a topic? Did last year’s parameters work? Should it be more focused?

2.     Shawn: Looking for involvement from library staff on the planning committee, with identification of topics, and with suggesting presenters.

3.     Learned a lot in first IDEA year. Need to have more connection between library staff members. Maybe work with WLA to connect with librarians.

4.     Alicia: Recommended something like Ninja Librarian. The topic of a diverse staff dealing with diverse communities. Provide staff with tools/skills to have positive patron interactions.

5.     Jean asked: Did webinars and facilitated discussions work for library staff or is there a more effective way to use these funds?  Maybe staff in-service days for individual libraries or providing mini-grants?

6.     Melissa: Would like discussion for how to support everyone. It is super important that everyone feels safe, accepted, respected, and supported.

7.     Alicia: What do you find to be the most beneficial way of doing this at your libraries? What is an experience that has stuck with you?

8.     Leah: Anything that has interaction and allows time for people to discuss things, form ideas, and ask questions is good. In-person is better for generating ideas.  Melissa-agrees.

9.     Jean (in chat): If you have ideas for speakers, please share them. If something helpful/useful at your library, let us know that as well.

10.  Alicia: What I am hearing is that people want in person and to build their skills. Creating a connection and improving communication are important.

11.  Alicia: Can this group facilitate a speaker that would help a group of libraries? Jean/Mark-yes.

12.  Jean: IDEA is LSTA funded. DPI has it set-up so funding will continue in future grant years.

 

b.     Visits to libraries

                                                    i.     Alicia: Always neat to visit libraries when on vacation.

                                                   ii.     Alex: Visited Poynette. He is impressed by the renovations Jody has done. A nice outside seating space was created with grant funds. He noticed the higher ceilings make the rooms appear more spacious.

                                                 iii.     Alex: Milwaukee Public Library created a popular TikTok video. This is useful way of increasing awareness of the library.

                                                 iv.     Shawn: Visited the Education Library at UW Madison. The building felt very warm, welcoming, and inviting with open displays and shelving. Unexpected touches like pots of coffee and snacks. The restrooms had inspiring quotes on mirrors. Nice community and small group spaces.

                                                   v.     Rose: Interesting that details are paid to bathrooms, not often considered a traditional “service area”.

1.     Alex: Holographic mirror in a bathroom.

2.     Shawn: Impressed with bathrooms at Deerfield Public Library. Diapers are provided.

a.     Leah-In plans for library expansion, bathrooms will be kept exactly as they are.

3.     Alex: Changing tables and lidded, “smell-proof,” trash cans.

a.     Tracie-Recommended Diaper Genie.

4.     Shawn: There are also security issues around bathrooms.

5.     Alicia: Bathrooms are a point of welcome.

6.     Alex: Bathroom features, down to the small details, should be considered with library design.

7.     There's another statewide group that is focusing on library facilities/spaces. I'll have to share this conversation with them.

                                                 vi.     Alex: “Power washing” at the library (outdoors and deep cleaning indoors) could be an interesting topic.

                                                vii.     Alicia wanted a water feature with greenery in the library. A hydroponic garden was the solution. It has been a popular focal point.

1.     They also have an outdoor garden and share food from it with the local food pantry.

2.     Will use hydroponic garden foods for cooking classes in the future.

 

c.      Call for new members (follow up). 

                                                    i.     Angela and Nathan are no longer on the committee.

                                                   ii.     Mark reached out to Green County librarians and a request went out to SCLS Top 5.

                                                 iii.     Let Rose know any suggestions.

 

6.     Items from clusters (for Committees only)

a.     Alex: If there are ways to make summer program planning and finding potential programs easier, it would be a huge help.

                                                    i.     Could there be a way to share positive program experiences and recommendations amongst libraries?

                                                   ii.     Bridges System has a catalog of program providers that is shared with all libraries.

                                                 iii.     Melissa: Jean has a programming list (spreadsheet) that can be contributed to.

1.     Jean: It is a Google Sheets document, with a shareable link.

2.     Shawn: There is also one for children’s programs.

3.     The state created one too. It is not frequently updated.

 

7.     Plan for next meeting: October 11, 2022. 9:00 am, via BlueJeans

a.     If a hybrid meeting is a possibility, Alicia offered MCM to be an in-person site for the next meeting.

b.     Reports:

                                                    i.     Social Work Intern Cohort

                                                   ii.     Collection Development User Group

                                                 iii.     Chromebooks for Patrons - flier with SCLS Resources/guides to be distributed with the Chromebooks

c.      2022-June 2023 IDEA Team planning follow-up

d.     Visits to libraries

 

8.     Adjournment:  Leah moved, Mehta seconded. Motion passed. Adjourned at 10:03 a.m.

For more information about the Library Innovation Subcommittee, contact Rose Ziech

SCLS staff are available to attend cluster meetings to share information and answer questions pertaining to this committee meeting and other departmental projects.

Library Innovation Subcommittee /Minutes/2022-08