MOBAC Reference Committee Meeting Minutes

January 25, 2022 2:00pm-4:00pm
In person: Watsonville Public Library 275 Main St. Watsonville, CA 95076

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88568110797?pwd=MDdBbUpjZWpwQU4yajc5KzhsSWczUT09

Chair of Meeting: 

David Addison

Refreshments:  BYOR

Call to Order: 

2:07 p.m.

Present:  

David Addison (SCPL), Watonka Addison (WPL), Cynthia Ainsworth (HC), Be Astengo (MCFL), Joelle Mellon (MIIS), Elisabeth Thomas (MPC), Charlene Williams (PGPL), Sean Briscoe (MPL), Rochelle Eagen (SJBPL)

Recorder: 

Cynthia Ainsworth

Proxies:  

None

Approval of Last Meeting's Minutes:  

MSC: Astengo/Addison

Public Comments:  

None

Old Business: 

•  Survey Results: 7 responses to survey. All responses were positive
• Feedback on overall workshop success: Joelle mentioned some valid points regarding focus of presentation on academic libraries. Betsy talked about how engaging the workshop was including both the history of gaming as well as real world examples.
• Annual Report: David shared the Annual Report which was given by Cynthia at the MOBAC Council meeting December 17, 2021.

New business:

 Library Activities of public interest: 

• Elisabeth Thomas (MPC): Library is open with more in person hours. Vaccinations are required for all students, faculty, and staff. Students dropped from classes if not vaccinated. Chromebooks and hotspots are available to students. Lending Library is a new course reserve program for semester long checkout. Black History Month will include resource guide, exhibit, and presentation of History of Civil Rights at MPC. Music in the Stacks will start in April.
• Be Astengo (MCFL): Staffing is an issue with 3 resignations in the last month. Keeping branches and bookmobile open has been difficult. They are moving to Koha; all libraries will be closed Feb 22-24 for training. MORE grant received for materials for seniors and visually impaired including playaways and talking books. Fines and fees have been eliminated. New medical collection added to support needs of marginalized population. Public pressure to resume outdoor programing. CREI monthly padlet for professional development of racial equity terms.
• Watonka Addison (WPL): Staffing challenges as well. Trying to resume storytime in person. Most regular hours have resumed. Animation Creation club started with stop motion instruction. Bob Gomez is the new Poet Laurate for Watsonville. Passive programming in place with photo exhibit and story walk. Mask policy has been challenged with the new year. Need to signage.
• Cynthia Ainsworth (HC): Library open with full regular hours. Trying to determine how many services need to be offered to community users. An interim dean will be hired for spring semester.
• Charlene Williams (PGPL): Pop-up (passive programming) in place. A teen bingo challenge is popular. New programs every other month. 100 compost bins were offered to community. The library is working on a grant for an electric vehicle to function as a bookmobile. This will be available next year.
• Betsy Vaca (CC): Campus closed until Feb 22 so all library services back online. Slow in the fall semester so hoping to see more students spring semester. Aloha Sargent has started controlled digital lending for course reserves. One of the silent study rooms will be converted to a library instruction classroom. It is 50% larger than the current classroom.
• Sean Briscoe (MPL): Open all hours but staffing continues to be an issue. Storytime was happening on the lawn at Colton Hall but has been postponed until later in the spring. Many programs including Blind date with a book, mindfulness classes, genealogy, magical history tour, online book club, wine and chocolate fundraiser with grab and go party bags.
• Joelle Mellon (MIIS): Library hired a new circ manager. Masks are required on the closed campus. Students need to have a lanyard to get into the library. Welcome Week will be happening when the new quarter starts.
• Rochelle Eagen (SJBPL): Library open with masks and vaccination requirements. There is a delay on returning to in person programming. There has been an uptick in library card requests.
• David Addison (SCPL): New Director Yolande Wilburn along with a new city manager. Only 4 branches open out of the 10. Most are in some stage of construction and will be reopening in the upcoming months. The Downtown branch will be under construction (thanks to Measure S) but that won’t happen until 2025.

Brainstorming for Fall 22 Workshop: 1) Library advocacy securing support for resources; 2) MOBAC past members discussing what MOBAC has meant to them looking at past, present, future. Add other ideas to folder on the wiki.

Committee Goals for 2022: Discussing the nature of reference 

Reports:

Administrative Council: n/a

Tech Committee: None

ILL Committee: Rochelle reported a change in their meeting schedule and no meeting has happened in 2022

SPLAMBA: They will be meeting every other month.

Reference Shares:

Get Set Up to serve older adults 55+: over 500 classes. Many public libraries offer this resource. 

News from libraries (off the record)

Next meeting— March 22, 2022; Watonka to take minutes