City of Santa Clara
Meeting Minutes
Board of Library Trustees
Board
Approved
6:00 PM Northside Branch Library, Program Room
695 Moreland Way
Santa Clara, CA 95054
04/07/2025
The City of Santa Clara is conducting the Board of Library Trustees meeting in a hybrid manner (in- person and continues to have methods for the public to participate remotely). • Via Zoom:
o https://santaclaraca-gov.zoom.us/j/85864257230
Meeting ID: 858 6425 7230 or
o Phone: 1(669) 900-6833
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ZOOM WEBINAR: Please follow the guidelines below when participating in a Zoom Webinar:
- The meeting will be recorded so you must choose 'continue' to accept and stay in the meeting. - If there is an option to change the phone number to your name when you enter the meeting, please do so as your name will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak. - Mute all other audio before speaking. Using multiple devices can cause an audio feedback. - Use the raise your hand feature in Zoom when you would like to speak on an item and lower when finished speaking. Press *9 to raise your hand if you are calling in by phone only. - Identify yourself by name before speaking on an item. - Unmute when called on to speak and mute when done speaking. If there is background noise coming from a participant, they will be muted by the host. Press *6 if you are participating by phone to unmute. - If you no longer wish to stay in the meeting once your item has been heard, please exit the meeting.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Chair Evans called the meeting to order at 6:01 PM.
Chair Jonathon Evans, Trustee Daniel Huynh, Trustee G. Salim Mohammed, Vice-Chair Stephen Ricossa, and Trustee Debbie Tryforos Present 5 -
CONSENT CALENDAR
DRAFT
04/07/2025Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes
1 25-324 Action on the Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes of March 3, 2025 Recommendation: Approve the Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes of March 3, 2025 A motion was made by Vice-Chair Ricossa, seconded by Trustee Tryforos to Approve Staff Recommendation.
Aye: Chair Evans, Trustee Huynh, Trustee Mohammed, Vice-Chair Ricossa, and Trustee Tryforos
5 -
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
JoAnn Davis, Executive Director of Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends provided an update on the annual fundraiser Librarypalooza was held at Triton Museum of Art. No Saturday book sales will be held in April, but a porch sale is planned for Sunday, April 27, 2025 at Central Park Library. Saturday Sales will resume in May. A fundraiser is planned at Red Robin in Rivermark Plaza in May, anyone who mentions they're supporting the Library Foundation that day, a donation will be made to the Foundation. The date will be finalized and announced
GENERAL BUSINESS
25-413 Informational Report on Library Services at the Northside Branch Library Recommendation: Note and file informational report of the Northside Branch Library. 2 25-362
An informational presentation covering popular services and programs at the Northside Branch Library was shared with the Board by library staff Rachel Hughes and Helga Afaghani. The Board received the presentation and asked follow-up questions.
Action on Revised Santa Clara City Library Collection Development Policy Recommendation: Approve the draft Santa Clara City Library Collection Development Policy (Attachment 1)
City Librarian Patty Wong shared with the Board that while they had recently approved the revised Collection Development Policy, further updates were necessary to satisfy the requirements of AB1825 the California Freedom to Read Act. Deputy City Attorney Luis Haro reviewed the required language changes with the Board. The checklist to ensure AB1825 compliance, as well as clean and redline versions of the revised policy, were reviewed. Deputy City Attorney Haro confirmed that Council approval was not required for this policy update.
A motion was made by Trustee Mohammad, seconded by Vice-Chair Ricossa to approve the Collection Development Policy.
DRAFT
04/07/2025Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes
Aye: Chair Evans, Trustee Huynh, Trustee Mohammed, Vice-Chair Ricossa, and Trustee Tryforos
5 -
3 25-416 Informational Update on Impacts of Federal Funding Changes to Library and Discussion and Possible Action on Support Letter to Local Congressional Representatives
Recommendation: 1. Note and file informational report on the impacts of federal funding changes to the Library.
2. Authorize up to two Trustees to form a subcommittee to draft a letter in support
of local library funding for full consideration of the Board.
City Librarian Wong shared information with the Board on the impacts of federal funding cuts to library budgets nationwide and to the Santa Clara City Library in particular. Impacts to the grant funding supporting the Read Santa Clara literacy program at the library were addressed as were the impacts to funding for electronic resources heavily used by the library as well as Santa Clara Unified School District schools such as encyclopedias, databases, and the New York Times. City Librarian Wong provided information on many specific grants, programs, and resources previously supported by such funding and anticipated impacts to service including possible reductions in resources, programs and services. The likelihood of increased community demand was addressed as surrounding library systems face similar impacts to their services.
The Board discussed the need to reach out to congressional representatives to share concerns and the impacts of federal funding cuts to the library, and discussed addressing this issue with Council while receiving the National Library Week Proclamation on April 8, 2025. Deputy City Attorney Haro confirmed that letters could be sent to congressional representatives on behalf of the Board of Library Trustees, though not on behalf of the City of Santa Clara, and that the Board could prepare a draft letter template to distribute to the public to encourage advocacy for library funding. Template letters from the American Library Association and the California State Library were shared with the Board. A subgroup composed of Trustee Mohammed and Trustee Huynh was recommended to draft the letter.
A motion was made by Vice-Chair Ricossa, seconded by Trustee Tryforos to authorize two members , Trustees Mohammed and Huynh, to write an open letter from the Board of Library Trustees to local congressional representatives and a template letter for use by the public in support of Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funding.
Aye: Chair Evans, Trustee Huynh, Trustee Mohammed, Vice-Chair Ricossa, and Trustee Tryforos
5 -
DRAFT
04/07/2025Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes
4 25-419 Discussion and Action on the Selection of Informational Staff Report Topics
Recommendation: Approve list of topics for informational staff reports for future Board meetings 5 25-420
and recommended schedule to receive them.
The Board by unanimous consent directed staff to place on a future agenda the following informational report topics: Library of Things, Read Santa Clara, Seed Share, Trail of the Book: From Selection to Removal, and Library Grants.
Deputy City Attorney Haro determined no formal action was necessary because direction to staff was sufficient.
Discussion and Action on Scheduling a Joint Meeting with the Board of the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends
Recommendation: Identify potential dates and times for a joint meeting with the Board of the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends, and authorize City staff to coordinate scheduling with the Board of the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends.
Vice-Chair Ricossa and Trustee Tryforos were appointed to discuss the joint meeting and to obtain potential dates with the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends Board at a following meeting.
A motion was made by Trustee Mohammad, seconded by Trustee Tryforos to schedule a joint meeting between the Board of Library Trustees and the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends Board, and for the Board to recommend possible meeting dates on a future agenda.
Aye: Chair Evans, Trustee Huynh, Trustee Mohammed, Vice-Chair Ricossa, and Trustee Tryforos
5 -
STAFF REPORT
City Librarian Wong shared a reminder that National Library Week is April 6-12, 2025, and that she and Chair Evans would be receiving a Proclamation for National Library Week at the April 8, 2025 City Council meeting. Planned National Library Week activities were shared, including book displays, comment card displays for patrons to share feedback on the library, and a National Library Week Bingo game printout available at all locations, with bookmarks available as
prizes.
The Board was also informed that staff had updated the Board of Library Trustee Handbook so that those pages with FY 2022-23 statistics were updated with FY 2023-24 data. Updated copies were passed out to the Board, along with an updated printed calendar of events at the library and a printout of National Library Week Bingo.
Information was shared about a program featuring Cirque du Soleil on April 17, 2025 at Central Park Library, with a demonstration performance from their new show Echo.
DRAFT
04/07/2025Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes
TRUSTEES REPORT
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:06 PM.
A motion was made by Trustee Mohammad, seconded by Trustee Huynh to adjourn the meeting.
Aye: Chair Evans, Trustee Huynh, Trustee Mohammed, Vice-Chair Ricossa, and Trustee Tryforos
5 -
The Board of Library Trustees Meeting is adjourned to May 5, 2025, at 6:00 PM.
DRAFT
04/07/2025Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes
The time limit within which to commence any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi- adjudicative decision made by the City is governed by Section 1094.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, unless a shorter limitation period is specified by any other provision. Under Section 1094.6, any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City must be filed no later than the 90th day following the date on which such decision becomes final. Any lawsuit or legal challenge, which is not filed within that 90-day period, will be barred. If a person wishes to challenge the nature of the above section in court, they may be limited to raising only those issues they or someone else raised at the meeting described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Santa Clara, at or prior to the meeting. In addition, judicial challenge may be limited or barred where the interested party has not sought and exhausted all available administrative remedies.
If a member of the public submits a speaker card for any agenda items, their name will appear in the Minutes. If no speaker card is submitted, the Minutes will reflect "Public Speaker."
In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), the City of Santa Clara will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities, and will ensure that all existing facilities will be made accessible to the maximum extent feasible. The City of Santa Clara will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities including those with speech, hearing, or vision impairments so they can participate equally in the City’s programs, services, and activities. The City of Santa Clara will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities.
Agendas and other written materials distributed during a public meeting that are public record will be made available by the City in an appropriate alternative format. Contact the City Clerk’s Office at 1 408-615-2220 with your request for an alternative format copy of the agenda or other written materials.
Individuals who require an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or any other disability-related modification of policies or procedures, or other accommodation, in order to participate in a program, service, or activity of the City of Santa Clara, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at 408-615-3000 as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.
MEETING DISCLOSURES
DRAFT