Castroville Library Advisory Board Thursday, March 13, 2025 Meeting Minutes 6:31 p.m. 802 London Street Castroville, Texas 78009 I. Call Meeting to Order The regular meeting ofthe Castroville Library Advisory Board was convened on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 802 London Street, Castroville, Texas 78009. The meeting was officially called to order at 6:31 p.m. by Lauren Cortéz, MS, Chair. I. Roll Call Members present: Isabella Cortéz, Board Member Crystal Stutes, Board Member Lauren Cortéz, Chair Kelly Hoog, Chair Pro-Tempore Bertha Benedetti, Board Member Shelley Estrada, Alternate Board Member Beth Farley, Library Director Bob Lee, (Interim) District 5 Councilmember Liaison A quorum was declared present. II. Review and Approval of LAB Minutes Chair Lauren Cortéz inquired ifthere were any corrections to the minutes from the previous meeting held on November 11, 2024. No corrections were: noted. Motion: Board Member Kelly Hoog moved to approve the minutes as distributed. Second: Board Member Crystal Stutes. Vote: Unanimous approval. Minutes approved as distributed. IV. Citizen Comments: Chair Lauren Cortéz opened the floor for citizen comments. Mr. Bob Lee (Interim City Council Liaison) addressed the board with concerns regarding library funding and expansion. Chair Lauren E. Cortéz, MS thanked Mr. Lee for his input and reminded attendees that the board would take no action on topics not already on the agenda. V. Library Director's Report - Library Director Beth Farley Director Beth Farley presented the following updates: Library Usage Statistics (Dec 2024 - Feb 2025): O Total Visits: December: 898 January: 1,197 February: 1,326 Circulations: January: 1,525 February: 1,655 Computer Logins: January: 324 February: 369 Programs & Community Engagement 0 Story Time: Averaging 20-25 kids per week. Spring break attendance peaked at 32. , Senior Events: Partnered with AACOG for a 9-week balance and nutrition course. New Programs: Bingo Size (Starting May) Textercise (Starting April) 1 Castroville Library Advisory Board Thursday, March 13, 2025 Meeting Minutes 6:31 p.m. 802 London Street Castroville, Texas 78009 Chair Yoga (Planned for Fall 2025) Community Outreach: Baptist Daycare: Story Time event for 65 children. Silos Elementary: Participating in Career Day. Castroville State Bank: Planning financial literacy classes. Home Instead Senior Care: Providing staff training. Facility & Service Adjustments Extended Library Hours (Effective June 1, 2025): Thursdays: 9:30 AM - 8:00 PM (Previously 6:30 PM) Saturdays: 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM (Previously 1:30 PM) Library Cooling Station: The library will serve as a cooling center for vulnerable community members during hot months. VI. Review & Finalization of Library By-Laws - Crystal Stutes Board Member Crystal Stutes presented updates to the Library By-Laws, incorporating previous feedback. Key Changes: Clarified procedural language for decision-making. Addressed board responsibilities for conflict resolution and decorum. Board members were asked to review the revised draft, and a vote will be held at the next meeting. VII. Update on Accreditation Progress Library Director Beth Farley detailed the extensive process of regaining state accreditation. The library is now accredited for Fiscal Year 2026. Accreditation was previously lost due to failure to submit reports by the prior administration. Texas State Library & Archives Commission assisted in resolving the issue. Board members acknowledged this as a major achievement. VII. Update on Policy Development Library policies were last updated in 2017. The new policy book is now available at the front desk and office. All policies have been signed and finalized. IX. Discussion on AACOG Health & Wellness Programs Collaboration The library has officially partnered with AACOG to host senior-focused wellness sessions. Current program: 9-week "Matter of] Balance" course. Upcoming: Textercise (April) - Focus on stretching. Bingo Size (May) Interactive activity. Board Comment: This is a fantastic resource for our community!" X. Discussion on Development of a Structured 2026 Funding Proposal for the 2025/2026 City Budget Funding Priorities: Technology Upgrades: Replace outdated Windows 10 computers before October 2025. Reallocation ofFunds: Unused audiobook funds to be reassigned. Facility Expansion: To accommodate increasing community demand. 2 Castroville Library Advisory Board Thursday, March 13, 2025 Meeting Minutes 6:31 p.m. 802 London Street Castroville, Texas 78009 Library Director Beth Farley will meet with city officials to review budget allocations. XI. Discussion on Grant Support Library Director Beth Farley provided updates on pending grant applications: Priority: Replace all computers before Windows 10 expiration (October 2025). Additional Consideration: A coin-operated printing system for efficiency. Board members agreed that funding solutions should be explored to ensure technological upgrades. XII. Review and Approval of New Board Member Applications New Applicants: Bertha Benedetti - Retired teacher passionate about promoting reading. Shelly Estrada 20-year Air Force veteran, advocates for library accessibility. Both applicants were unanimously approved and welcomed to the Library Advisory Board! XIII. Discussion for Future Agenda Items Board Members proposed: Finalizing the 2026 Budget Proposal. Exploring grants for library expansion. Assessing the library's role in community development. XIV. Set Next Meeting Date and Time The board unanimously agreed to set the next meeting date for: April 3, 2025, at 6:30 PM XV. Adjourmment With no further business, Chair Lauren Cortéz entertained a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion: Kelly Hoog moved to adjourn the meeting. Seconded: Isabella Cortéz seconded the motion. Outcome: The motion carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:01 p.m. We certify this is a true and correct record of the meeting proceedings on 03/13/2025. 5H7g Lauren Cortéz, MS; Chair Kelly Hoog; Chair Pro-Tempore 3 -