SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
AND I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR PRESENTERS FROM GEORGETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY, WE HAVE LIBRARY DIRECTOR ERIC LASHLEY HERE, AND THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES COORDINATOR PATRICK LLOYD ARE HERE, WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU.
AND WE'LL ALSO BE JOINED BY ROSETTA STONE, WHO IS THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND CEO AT THE SACRAMENTO PUBLIC LIBRARY.
WELCOME TO BOTH ERIC AND PATRICK, AND THANK YOU FOR GETTING US STARTED.
>> THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE IT.
I'M ERIC LASHLEY, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE GEORGETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND GEORGETOWN -- IN GEORGETOWN, TEXAS.
GEORGETOWN IS JUST NORTH OF AUSTIN, IT IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 70,000, AND WE HAVE A LARGE -- VERY LARGE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY IN GEORGETOWN.
WE HAVE A DIVIDED COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF WEALTH, WE HAVE A VERY LARGE, AGAIN, RETIREMENT COMMUNITY THAT IS WELL OFF, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT 45 TO 48% OF OUR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN ARE ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT A GOAL OUR LIBRARY HAS OF BECOMING A MORE WELCOMING LIBRARY, AND HOW WE VIEW THE LIBRARY AS A PROTECTIVE FACTOR FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE PATRONS.
I'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAME TO THE DECISION A FEW YEARS AGO TO HIRE PATRICK, OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCES COORDINATOR, FOR OUR SOCIAL WORKER.
SO I FEEL LIKE I'M SETTING UP PATRICK FOR HIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW WE TRIED TO CREATE A WELCOMING LIBRARY BEFORE A PATRON EVEN COMES THROUGH OUR FRONT DOORS.
THE LIBRARY IS A TRUSTED INSTITUTE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE NEVER WANT TO LOSE THAT TRUST THAT WE'VE EARNED FROM OUR PATRONS.
SO BEFORE YOU EVEN COME INTO THE FRONT DOOR, YOU WILL SEE A SCULPTURE, YOU'LL SEE ARTWORK.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SCULPTURES IN THE OUTSIDE OF OUR BUILDING.
THEY'RE VERY WHIMSICAL, THEY'RE FRIENDLY, THEY MAKE PEOPLE SMILE.
WE EVEN HAVE A SUPERMAN TELEPHONE BOOTH, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT AGAIN WE'RE CREATING A WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE BEFORE THEY EVEN COME TO THE DOOR.
OUR LIBRARY HAS A COFFEE SHOP.
AND AGAIN, IT'S PERFECTLY OKAY TO EAT AND DRINK ANYWHERE IN OUR LIBRARY.
AND I FEEL THIS IS VERY WELCOMING.
ONE OF THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS IS FOR PEOPLE TO GET FOOD AND DRINK AND GET OUT OF THE ELEMENTS.
PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY COME INTO OUR LIBRARY THROUGH THE COFFEE SHOP IN THE MORNING BEFORE WE EVEN OPEN AT 9:00.
SO AGAIN, IT'S A COLD, RAINY DAY, THEY NEED TOE GET OUT OF THE ELEMENTS, THEY'RE FREE TO COME TO THE LIBRARY.
THE BUS STOP, SO THE LIBRARY IS THE HUB FOR OUR FIXED-ROUTE BUS SYSTEM.
I ACTUALLY HAD TO FIGHT TO GET THE LIBRARY TO BE THE HUB OF THE BUS SYSTEM.
THERE WAS A FALSE IMPRESSION BY SOME OF OUR CITY STAFF THAT THE LIBRARY WOULD NOT WANT A BUS STOP BECAUSE IT WOULD ALLOW MORE LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS TO VISIT THE LIBRARY.
WHICH IS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE OF THE WAY WE OPERATE.
SO, AGAIN, WE WANT ANYBODY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE LIBRARY, AND WE MADE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE BY BEING THE HUB FOR OUR BUS SYSTEM.
SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS PICNIC TABLE BENCH, OR PICNIC TABLE, OUT IN OUR PARKING LOT THERE'S A PICNIC TABLE, AND THIS IS BEING USED BY A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT FEEDS INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR PARKING LOT.
THEY DO THIS ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS.
WE ALSO ALLOW THE NONPROFIT TO PARK THEIR VEHICLES IN OUR PARKING LOT.
AGAIN, I HOPE THIS GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT TRULY EVERYONE IS WELCOME AT OUR LIBRARY.
WE MEAN THAT ALL ARE WELCOME.
THIS HAS CAUSED SOME BLOWBACK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL JUST BY ALLOWING THIS NONPROFIT TO OPERATE WITHIN THE LIBRARY'S PARKING LOT THAT WE'RE SOMEHOW ENCOURAGING HOMELESS, OR PEOPLE TO MOVE TO GEORGETOWN JUST BECAUSE OF THIS SIMPLE SERVICE.
BEFORE YOU COME INTO THE LIBRARY, AGAIN, WE WANT TO AGAIN HAVE MESSAGES, WE HAVE THESE ANTIQUE LAMPS IN OUR LIBRARY, AND SO LAST MONTH WAS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, SO WE HAD I THINK 40 BANNERS WITH DIFFERENT QUOTES FROM AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY.
AGAIN, SHOWING EVEN THOUGH OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN BE POPULATION IS VERY SMALL, WE WANTED THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE WELCOME TO USE OUR LIBRARY.
JUST COMING IN THE DOOR, WE HAVE OUR MISSION, RIGHT ON THE DOOR.
THE GEORGETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY ENGAGES, ENLIGHTENS, AND EMPOWERS THE COMMUNITY.
AS YOU COME IN THE FRONT DOOR, THERE'S A FOYER, AND WE HAVE LOCKERS FOR PEOPLE JUST TO USE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
SO IF THEY WANT TO DROP OFF A BACKPACK, OR HAVE SOMETHING STORED, WE'RE PERFECTLY FINE, WE ACTUALLY LOAN OUT THE LOCKS, THEY CAN PUT WHATEVER THEY WANT IN THERE FOR A DAY, IT GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT OF SECURITY FOR THEIR ITEMS, AND IT GIVES THEM, AGAIN, A WELCOMING PLACE AT THE LIBRARY -- THAT THE LIBRARY IS FOR EVERYONE.
ART.
GEORGETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY COORDINATES ALL THE PUBLIC ART FOR OUR CITY.
SO WE HAVE LOTS OF ART SHOWS.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS ONE, WHICH IS A SHOW THAT'S CURRENTLY UP, IT HIGHLIGHTS ALL OF THE STUDENTS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THIS IS A ONE-TIME-A-YEAR, WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF KIDS AND PARENTS COMING THROUGH OUR DOORS, SHOWING OFF THEIR ARTWORK.
A LOT OF TIMES THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF THE MINORITY STUDENTS BRINGING IN THEIR MOMS AND GRANDPARENTS TO SHOW OFF THEIR ARTWORK.
AND AGAIN, IT JUST SHOWS THAT THIS LIBRARY IS THEIR LIBRARY, IT BELONGS TO THEM, WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR TALENTS AND THEIR EFFORTS, AND WE SIGN UP A LOT OF LIBRARY CARDS DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.
DURING AFRICAN-AMERICAN OR BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE HIGHLIGHTED A NUMBER OF LOCAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS.
AGAIN, WE DID IT RIGHT IN THE LOBBY, WE HAD A PANEL DISCUSSION.
AGAIN, THIS WAS SOMETHING WE WANTED TO SHOW THAT EVEN THOUGH THE COMMUNITY IS VERY SMALL PER CAPITA, WE ARE VERY WELCOMING TO OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, AND WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM A SPACE TO SHOW THEIR ARTWORK.
STAFF.
ALWAYS STARTS WITH STAFF.
I HAVE ONE OF THE BEST STAFFS IN THE COUNTRY.
WE HIRE -- I FEEL THE RIGHT PEOPLE, WE TRY TO DO THE RIGHT TRAINING, WE'RE NOT PERFECT, AS YOU SEE THE STAFF MEMBERS, WE TOTE ALWAYS LOOK LIKE OUR COMMUNITY.
I WISH THAT ONE OF OUR WEAKNESSES IS WE NEED A MORE DIVERSE STAFF.
WE'RE WORKING ON TRAINING TO BECOME MORE EMPATHETIC, SET BARRIERS, OR SET DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOALS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
BUT AGAIN, I AM PROUD OF THE STAFF, AND I THINK THEY DO A GREAT JOB, AND IT ALWAYS STARTS WITH THE STAFF.
DOGS, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DOGS.
THIS IS REGGIE.
REGGIE IS THE CHIEF MORALE OFFICER FOR THE GEORGETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
WHEN OUR LIBRARY WON THE NATIONAL MEDAL, WE GOT TO GO TO WASHINGTON, DC AND REGGIE COULDN'T GO WITH US, SO WE BROUGHT A CUT-OUT OF REGGIE.
I THINK WHAT THIS SYMBOLIZES IS THAT REGGIE, WE ALLOW DOGS, WE'RE VERY DOG FRIENDLY AT OUR LIBRARY.
IT'S VERY WELCOMING.
I THINK IN SOCIETY NOW, SO MANY PEOPLE, THEIR PETS ARE THEIR BEST COMPANIONS.
A LOT OF SENIORS, THEY LOVE THEIR DOGS, THE LIBRARY IS A GREAT PLACE FOR THEM TO BRING THEIR WELL-BEHAVED DOGS.
AND AGAIN, WE EVEN HAVE DOG TREATS HERE AT THE LIBRARY.
COMFORT DOGS, THERE'S A LOT -- PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT COMFORT DOGS, ARE THEY REALLY TRAINED OR WHATEVER.
WE DON'T CARE.
WE TRULY DON'T CARE.
AS LONG AS THE DOG IS BEHAVED THEY'RE WELCOME.
AND IT CREATES A VERY WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT.
AND PEOPLE LOVE TO BRING THEIR DOGS TO OUR LIBRARY.
I WANTED TO SHOW THIS PHOTO, THIS IS A PHOTO WE USE A LOT IN OUR PUBLICITY.
IT'S A FATHER READING TO A CHILD.
THIS HAPPENED AT ONE OF ON YOU'RE SUMMER -- ONE OF OUR SPRING BREAK PROGRAMS.
AND IT WAS NOT STAGED, THIS WAS A FATHER READING TO HIS CHILD, AND AFTER WE TOOK THE PHOTO HE GAVE PERMISSION FOR US TO USE IT.
BUT WHAT I LOVE THIS PHOTO, IT SHOWS WHAT FATHERS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO READ TO THEIR CHILDREN, THE CHILD IS ENGAGED, BUT WE HAD A HUGE BACKLASH USING THIS PHOTO.
THIS PHOTO ACTUALLY WENT OUT THIS WEEK ON OUR WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER.
WHEN WE FIRST SENT THIS OUT, WE STARTED USING IT, WE GOT EMAILS SAYING THIS WAS STAGED, THAT THIS WAS SOMEHOW POLITICALLY CORRECT.
PEOPLE THOUGHT THIS GENTLEMAN WAS A GANG MEMBER.
AND THAT THE LIBRARY WAS A DANGEROUS PLACE.
THEY HAD NOTICED THAT WE HAD AN INCREASE, AN UPTICK IN INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS USING THE LIBRARY.
IT CAUSED A LOT OF ISSUES.
AND I WAS VERY PROUD THAT OUR LIBRARY BOARD WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE AND DIDN'T BACK DOWN, THAT WE WERE GOING TO USE THIS PHOTO.
BUT AGAIN, IT DID CAUSE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKLASH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
IN TERMS OF POLICIES, I AM NOT A POLICY GUY, BUT WE HAVE NO SECURITY GATES, WHICH AGAIN, I THINK CREATES A VERY WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE.
WE HAVE A VERY SMALL LOSS RATE, WE DO AN INVENTORY EVERY YEAR, WE HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF TRUST WITH OUR PATRONS, AND I THINK THAT PAYS OFF.
WE DO NOT HAVE FINES.
WE FEEL THAT FINES WERE CREATING A BARRIER FOR A NUMBER OF OUR RESIDENTS, AND WE JUST DO NOT HAVE FINES ANYMORE, AND THAT HASN'T CAUSED ANY PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE NOT RETURNING BOOKS.
WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS.
WE HAVE ONE GENTLEMAN WHO IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND HE HAS A WAGON, AND HE WAS BRINGING IT INTO THE LIBRARY AND IT WAS CAUSING ISSUES.
IT WAS TOO BIG TO PUT HIS STUFF IN THE LOCKERS THAT I SHOWED, SO WE ACTUALLY ALLOW HIM TO PUT HIS WAGON ON THE BACK OF OUR LOADING DOCK, AND WE MAKE THOSE TYPE OF ACCOMMODATIONS.
BECAUSE WE KNOW IF WE DIDN'T ALLOW THAT, HE WOULD NOT COME TO THE LIBRARY AND IT WOULD BE VERY -- IT WOULD BE POOR FOR HIS HEALTH NOT TO BE IN THE LIBRARY.
BEHAVIOR POLICIES, WE DON'T HAVE ANY WRITTEN BEHAVIOR POLICIES PER SE.
OUR POLICY IS BASICALLY, DON'T BE A JERK.
AND THAT'S THE WAY WE DO THINGS.
IF SOMEONE IS VIOLENT, WE DON'T TOLERATE ANY VIOLENCE.
AND LUCKILY WE DON'T HAVE THAT HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.
IF WE DO HAVE A VIOLENT INCIDENT OR SOME TYPE OF CRIMINAL INCIDENT, WE OBVIOUSLY CALL THE POLICE.
AND WE CAN DO A CRIMINAL TRESPASS IF THAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED.
A FEW YEARS AGO WE STARTED HAVING AN UPTICK IN PATRONS WITH -- IN CRISIS.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PATRONS IN CRISIS, A NUMBER OF FAMILIES IN CRISIS, AN UPTICK IN INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE WERE JUST -- THE STAFF WAS STRUGGLING TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES.
WE HAVE A CARING STAFF, BUT THEY WEREN'T -- THEY WERE DOING THINGS LIKE GETTING HOTEL ROOMS FOR PEOPLE, THEY WERE BUYING FOOD FOR PEOPLE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE GOOD BOUNDARIES.
I WAS STRUGGLING.
AND I HAD BEEN STRUGGLING WITH IT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND I KEPT SAYING, YOU KNOW, I'M A LIBRARIAN, NOT A SOCIAL WORKER.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I SAID THAT.
SO I FIGURED OUT MAYBE WE SHOULD HIRE A SOCIAL WORKER TO HELP US WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE WERE SEEING HERE AT THE LIBRARY.
AND LUCKILY THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND IMLS HAD A GRANT PROGRAM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET A GRANT, HIRE A SOCIAL WORKER AND THE GRANT LASTED FOR THREE YEARS.
AND NOW THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN IS PAYING FOR OUR SOCIAL WORKER, PATRICK LLOYD.
AND IT'S BEEN GREAT.
AND WE -- PATRICK IS PREPARING TO TRAIN THE STAFF FOR SOME MORE IN-DEPTH TRAINING ON TRAUMA, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HIM NOW.
WHEN HE GETS THROUGH, WE'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON CHAT, SO PLEASE SEND YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, ERIC.
THANK YOU, JENNIFER, FOR HAVING US, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING, QUOTE, YOU BE QUOTE, HERE.
MY NAME IS PATRICK, I'M THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES COORDINATOR, AKA, SOCIAL WORKER, AT GEORGETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS GIG FOR ALMOST 3½ YEARS NOW.
IT'S PRETTY CRAZY TO ME.
BUT I'M GOING TO BE MOVING REALLY QUICK TODAY.
BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT STUFF, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF TIME.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, OR WANT TO LEARN MORE, OR DIVE INTO THE TRAUMA SIDE OF THINGS MORE SO THAN THE PROTECTIVE FACTOR SIDE OF THINGS, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME, AND THIS IS -- WHEN THIS IS OVER YOU'LL HAVE MY EMAIL, AND I THINK MY PHONE NUMBER TOO, WHEN I'M DONE HERE.
SO IN THESE NEXT FEW MINUTES MY GOALS ARE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I MEAN BY VULNERABLE PATRONS, AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW OUR LIBRARY FUNCTIONS AS A PROTECTIVE FACTOR FOR EVERYBODY, PARTICULARLY FOR FOLKS WHO ARE HAVING A HARD TIME.
AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHY THIS LENS IS IMPORTANT FOR US.
I USE THE WORD "LENS" PURPOSEFULLY.
I THINK THAT A LOT OF TIMES I FIND THAT FOLKS, WHEN WE GET INTO TRAUMA WORK OR START TALKING ABOUT VULNERABLE PATRONS, THEY WANT TO LEARN HOW TO DO IT, THEY WANT TO LEARN THE SCRIPTS, WHAT TO SAY, HOW TO SAY IT, WHEN TO SAY IT, THEY WANT THE IF THEN, THE DECISION CHARTS.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S HOW THIS WORKS, IF YOU WILL.
IT'S -- I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS A LENS.
IF YOU WEAR GLASSES, YOU KNOW LENSES DON'T TELL YOU WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, THEY HELP YOU SEE CLEARLY.
I THINK IF YOU ADOPT THE LENS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT TODAY, IT WILL HELP YOU AND YOUR STAFF SEE YOUR WORK AND YOUR PATRONS MORE CLEARLY.
IN LINE WITH FOLKS WANTING THE CERTIFICATE OR THE IF-THEN DECISION CHART, I THINK BASICALLY FOLKS WANT TO LEARN HOW TO RIDE THE TRAUMA BIKE, RIGHT?
WE WANT TO LEARN HOW TO RIDE THE PROTECTIVE FACTOR BIKE.
I DON'T REALLY LIKE THAT METAPHOR, I LIKE TO THINK OF THIS WORK AS A GARDEN.
ALMOST ANYBODY CAN GARDEN.
IT ALSO TAKES A LONG TIME, AND A LOT OF WORK.
AND YOU'RE NEVER REALLY DONE.
IF YOU GARDEN, AND YOU'RE AN EXPERT GARDENER, MASTER GARDENER AND PRESIDENT OF YOUR GARDENING CLUB, YOU KNOW THAT DESPITE THE FACT YOU ARE VERY TALENTED AT THIS SKILL, THERE ARE VARIABLES THAT COME ALONG ALL THE TIME THAT FORCE YOU TO ADJUST, RIGHT?
THE PH IN YOUR SOIL COULD BE OFF ONE YEAR, IT COULD FLOOD OR DROUGHT, ONE YEAR THE BUGS MIGHT BE BAD.
SO YOU'RE NEVER REALLY 100%, CHECK THE BOX, I DON'T NEED TO KEEP WORKING ON THIS, DONE.
FINALLY, I THINK THIS IS ALSO FOR ME AT LEAST, A HELPFUL WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS WORK, IS ALSO THAT PLANTS CAN GROW ANYWHERE.
BUT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO THRIVE, THEY NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE, I THINK THAT PEOPLE GET BY.
BUT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO THRIVE, THEY ALSO NEED A COMMUNITY THAT HELPS TAKE CARE OF THEM, AND THAT'S I THINK ONE PLACE WHERE US, WE AS LIBRARIES CAN STEP IN.
SO IF WE WERE ALL IN THE ROOM TOGETHER RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY PLEASE JUST SHOUT OUT WHO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU HEAR THE PHRASE "VULNERABLE PATRON."
SINCE WE'RE NOT ALL IN THE SAME ROOM, I'LL ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A QUICK MOMENT.
AND YOU PROBABLY THOUGHT OF SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO FALL UNDER THESE DEMOGRAPHICS.
LIVE OAK FOLKS, OLDER FOLKS PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT LACK SUPPORT, PEOPLE WITH ONGOING PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, PEOPLE OF COLOR, FOLKS FROM THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY PROBABLY A MUCH LARGER DEMOGRAPHIC THAN MOST OF US REALIZE.
I DO TRACK THAT AND THE FOLKS I TALK TO, AND I DON'T NECESSARILY ASK EVERYONE THAT I SPEAK TO IF THEY'VE BEEN VICTIMIZED BEFORE, BUT THAT SAID, ABOUT 16% OF THEM VOLUNTEER, AND INDEED THEY HAVE BEEN.
SO WE KNOW THAT'S THE FLOOR.
AND THAT'S ABOUT ONE IN SIX HAS THE FLOOR.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE EVER DONE ANY STUDYING ON THE ACEs STUDY, ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK IT UP.
AS OF NOW IT'S KIND OF THE GOLD STANDARD IN THE STUDY OF CORRELATING CHILDHOOD TRAUMA TO DIFFICULTY IN ADULTHOOD.
THERE'S SOME INFORMATION OVER ON THE RIGHT-HAND GRAPHIC IF YOU'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT LATER ON.
BUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA ARE DEFINITELY IN MY OPINION VULNERABLE.
SO THIS IS MY DEFINITION OF VULNERABLE PATRONS.
ONE GROUP OF FOLKS WHO I DID NOT INCLUDE ON THAT PREVIOUS LIST ARE CHILDREN.
BECAUSE CHILDREN CANNOT MEET THEIR OWN BASIC NEEDS.
SO I WOULD SAY CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS ALSO VULNERABLE PATRONS.
SO UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT SOCIALIZES LAYINGS IS INCREASING.
I LIKE TO ASK GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN PERSON HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT A CONNECTEDNESS OF OUR SOCIETY RIGHT NOW, AND USUALLY I'M MET WITH SIGHS AND HEAD SHAKING.
PERSONALLY I SEE THIS IN MASS SHOOTINGS, ROAD RAGE, POLITICAL DIVISION, AND AS YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS, SOCIALIZES LAYINGS IS VERY BAD FOR OUR EMANUEL AND EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH.
COMPOUNDING THAT IS THAT MOST OF US HAVE A TRAUMA HISTORY.
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LOOK, OUR FRIENDS AT THE -- AT SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ESTIMATE BETWEEN 51-61% OF PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA, THAT ACEs STUDY I MENTIONED HAS IT HIGHER THAN THAT, AND I CAN TELL YOU ANECDOTALLY FROM CONDUCTING THE ACEs QUESTIONNAIRE WITH LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE AT MY -- MY GUESS IS THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY MUCH HIGHER.
WHAT DO I MEAN BY TRAUMA?
JUST KIDDING, THAT'S NOT -- THIS IS A SHORT PRESENTATION, SO WE'RE GOING TO SKIP OVER THAT PART QUICKLY.
BASICALLY TRAUMA ARE EVENTS IN OUR LIVES THAT CAUSE US GREAT DISTRESS AND BASICALLY STICK WITH US FOR A VERY LONG PERIOD.
SO PEOPLE VISIT OUR LIBRARIES FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR.
THEY COME FOR BOOKS, ENTERTAINMENT, TO SOCIALIZE AND MEET UP AND COME TO OUR FUN ACTIVITIES, SEVERAL OF WHICH YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS A FEW OF THE THINGS WE DO AT OUR LIBRARY.
VULNERABLE PEOPLE VISIT US FOR SOME DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT ALSO FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND.
BECAUSE I THINK WHEN I ASKED THIS QUESTION, FOLKS OFTEN SAY OH, THEY COME FOR A.C. OR SAFETY, BUT SOMETIMES FOLKS REMEMBER THAT EVEN VULNERABLE PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME, YES, THEY COME SOMETIMES FOR THE A.C. AND THE WATER AND THE SAFETY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO COMING TO HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE AND CHECK THEIR EMAIL.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS EMPATHETIC LIBRARY STAFF TO REMEMBER THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY MIGHT BENEFIT FROM, SAY, A MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION, ASKING THEM ABOUT THAT WHEN THEY'RE COMING TO THE LIBRARY TO HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE AND MEET THEIR BIBLE STUDY GROUP IS MAYBE NOT A GREAT TIME TO BRING THAT UP.
SO I'M GOING TO TALK IN A FEW MORE MINUTES ABOUT A BIT MORE ABOUT TRUST AND RESPECT, BECAUSE I THINK THOSE ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR OUR -- US IN OUR WORK GENERALLY, BUT PARTICULARLY AGAIN WITH VULNERABLE FOLKS.
SO AS YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS FROM THE TITLE OF THIS LITTLE PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE THE LIBRARY IS A PROTECTIVE FACTOR, AND THIS IS KIND OF AN OFFICIAL DEFINITION OF PROTECTIVE FACTORS.
I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK SECOND TO LOOK THAT OVER.
I TRY TO BOIL THESE ACADEMIC DEFINITIONS DOWN.
AND YOU MIGHT CONSIDER PROTECTIVE FACTORS TO BE THIS SPORTS TEAM OR THE ACTIVITY, THE AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT KEPT YOU OUT OF TROUBLE.
OR THE FRIENDS WHO DROPPED BY YOUR HOUSE WITH WINE AND PIZZA AFTER THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE.
THEY ARE THE TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND RELATIONSHIPS IN OUR LIVES THAT MITIGATE RISK, AND WHEN TRAUMAS DO HAPPEN THEY HELP US BOUNCE BACK.
SO AGAIN, THAT MIGHT BE TWO-PARENT HOUSEHOLD, HEALTHY FOOD IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR, OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT, CONSISTENT ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE PROTECTIVE FACTORS, AND AS I SAID, I DO THINK THAT THE LIBRARY ITSELF AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE CULTIVATED WITHIN BETWEEN PATRONS AMONGST THEMSELVES AND WITH STAFF ARE PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT AGAIN, ESPECIALLY FOR FOLKS WHO ARE HAVING A HARD TIME.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, THE WAY I INTERACT WITH OUR PATRONS OR THE WAY SOMETIMES I MIGHT NOT INTERACT WITH OUR PATRONS, ARE SEEN KIND OF THROUGH, AGAIN, THE LENS OF WHETHER OR NOT THAT CHOICE IS GOING TO INCREASE OR DECREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT VULNERABLE FOLKS ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO THE LIBRARY TOMORROW.
AND SO IF YOU LOOK OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT AT THIS TRIANGLE, YOU MAY RECOGNIZE IT FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE PSYCHOLOGY 101.
THIS IS MASLOW'S HIERARCHY.
ESSENTIALLY HE SAID THAT BEGINNING AT THE BOTTOM, WE REALIZE -- BEFORE WE REALIZE OUR POTENTIAL WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR BASIC NEEDS MET AND MOVE UP THIS PYRAMID.
YOU CAN SEAFOOD, WATER, WARMTH, AND REST, I THINK ALLY BRINGS PROVIDE THAT FOR FOLKS.
SAFETY AND SECURITY, I THINK BY AND LARGE OUR LIBRARIES ARE BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS AND FRIENDS, I THINK AGAIN, WE FACILITATE SOCIALIZATION, HEALTHY SOCIALIZATION IN OUR LIBRARIES AND WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO OFFER THAT, EITHER THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIPS AS STAFF PEOPLE OR HOPEFULLY MORE SO THROUGH THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT OUR PATRONS ARE ABLE TO FORM WITH ONE ANOTHER.
I USED TO THINK THAT PRESTIGE AND FEELINGS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT WERE PIE IN THE SKY, BUT THEN I STARTED TO REALIZE, WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER ADULTS THAT VOLUNTEER HERE AT OUR LIBRARY.
AND THEY MAY NOT ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT OUTSIDE OF THIS BUILDING.
WE ALSO DO A LOT OF ART SHOWS AS ERIC TALKED ABOUT.
AGAIN, A LOT OF OLDER FOLKS ARE ABLE TO PRESENT THEIR ART, SOME FOR THE FIRST TIME ON OUR WALLS.
WE HAD AT LEAST ONE THAT I KNOW OF, ART SHOW FOR A PATRON WHO HAS SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, SO ALTHOUGH IT'S MAYBE NOT SOMETHING WE'RE ABLE TO DO EVERY DAY, I DO THINK THAT OUR LIBRARY PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO FEEL ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND SELF-ACTUALIZE APPLES TO APPLES IS SOMETHING I THINK MUCH LIKE GARDENING, YOU'RE NEVER REALLY DONE.
SO IN THINKING ABOUT WANTING TOKES TO COME BACK TOMORROW, I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US, BUT PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE WORKING IN SMALLER COMMUNITIES OR COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE THE KINDS OF RESOURCES THAT YOU MIGHT FIND IN BIG CITIES.
SO HERE IN GEORGETOWN WE DO NOT HAVE ANY KIND OF EMERGENCY SHELTER.
WE ARE A SINGLE-GRANT SYSTEM, SO IF SOMEBODY DECIDES THAT I HAVE PISSED THEM OFF OR NOSED INTO THEIR BUSINESS OR THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE TALKING TO ME ANYMORE, THEY DON'T WANT TO COME TO THIS PARTICULAR LIBRARY, THERE IS NO OTHER LIBRARY TO GO TO.
AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT TRUST AND RESPECT, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE WORKING IN COMMUNITIES LIKE GEORGETOWN, I THINK THIS CONCEPT OF PROTECTIVE FACTORS AND INCREASING LIKELIHOOD OF PEOPLE COMING BACK IS REALLY IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY HERE IN TEXAS, BECAUSE AS YOU ALL PROBABLY ARE AWARE, OUR SUMMERS ARE ROUGH.
AND VERY LONG.
AND EXTREMELY HOT.
AND FOR A LOT OF OUR PATRONS, HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THAT'S A VERY REAL PHYSICAL DANGER.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I LIKE TO THINK THAT ALL OF US KNOW THAT LIBRARIES CAN BE LIFE-CHANGING.
BUT FOR VULNERABLE FOLKS, OUR LIBRARIES CAN BE LIFE-SAVING.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN I DELIVER LINES LIKE THIS, I GET FOLKS WHO SAY, "THAT'S NOT WHAT LIBRARIES ARE FOR," AND THEY MAKE A FACE KIND OF LIKE THIS.
AND IT'S USUALLY DELIVERED WITH SOME SORT OF HIGH-FALLUTIN' LANGUAGE ABOUT DRINKING DEEP, THE EVER LASTING KNOWLEDGE OF LITERATURE OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
AND WHAT ULTIMATELY WHAT I THINK FOLKS ARE GETTING AT WITH THAT IS THAT THEY'RE SAYING LIBRARIES ARE ABOUT BOOKS.
AND ABOUT INTELLECTUALS, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT USING THE LIBRARY FOR THOSE PURPOSES SHOULDN'T BE HERE.
AND MY RESPONSE TO THAT IS THAT IF BOOKS ARE -- I'M SORRY, IF LIBRARIES ARE ABOUT BOOKS, AND BOOKS AND MOVIES AND RESEARCH AND MUSIC ARE ALL AVAILABLE IN MY POCKET OR ON MY COMPUTER, THEN WHY DO WE HAVE THE PHYSICAL BUILDINGS?
BECAUSE THE BOOKS ARE OUT THERE.
I CAN GET THE BOOKS FOR FREE, JUST THE SAME AS I COULD AT THE PHYSICAL LIBRARY ON MY PHONE.
SO IF THEY'RE ABOUT BOOKS, LET'S SELL THE LIBRARIES.
SAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
TAXES WILL GO DOWN.
BUT I THINK THAT BOOKS -- THE LIBRARIES ARE NOT REALLY ABOUT BOOKS ANYMORE.
THEY ARE AS ERIC LIKES TO SAY, ABOUT PEOPLE.
 OUR LIBRARIES ARE THE ONLY PLACES WHERE EVERYBODY CAN COME TOGETHER.
IT'S FREE, EVERYONE IS WELCOME, I'VE DONE PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS ONE A LOT LATELY, AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO ASK FOLKS IF THEY CAN THINK OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT OFFER THE KIND OF GATHERING PLACE THAT LIBRARIES OFFER.
PARKS IS ONE EXAMPLE THAT COMES UP.
AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT'S US AND PARKS THESE DAYS, WHERE EVERYBODY COMES TOGETHER.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE MENTION SCHOOLS, BUT PEOPLE ARE ZONED TO SCHOOLS, AND THOSE ZONINGS ARE OFTEN DELINEATED ALONG INCOME LINES.
PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY CHOOSE THE SCHOOLS THEIR CHILDREN GO TO.
AND THEN WE START TALKING ABOUT JAILS AND EMERGENCY ROOMS, AND PLACES LIKE THAT.
SO REALLY, I THINK WE'RE -- WE'RE IN A VERY UNIQUE POSITION AS AN INSTITUTION TO TRY TO, IN MY OPINION, HOLD WHAT IS A FRAYING SOCIAL FABRIC TOGETHER.
OTHER THAN TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE TRUST US.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE KNOW THAT I THINK FROM EXPERIENCE, BUT THE PUGH RESEARCH CENTER DEMONSTRATED THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, TRYING TO DO A QUICK STORY ON HOW IMPORTANT I THINK TRUST IS.
IT'S -- WORKING WITH VULNERABLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PERCEIVED NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES WITH CASEWORKERS AND HOSPITALS, AND CHURCHES, AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER INTEREST GRACE IN THE -- INTEGRATION IN THE COURTS, YOU KNOW THAT VULNERABLE PEOPLE, IT'S HARD TO GAIN THEIR TRUST, AND IT'S EASY TO USE IT.
AND I THINK TO SERVE VULNERABLE FOLKS WE HAVE TO HAVE THEIR TRUST.
TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE HOW EASY IT IS TO LOSE, I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF OUR VULNERABLE PATRONS WHO IS A PRETTY ORNERY FELLA.
AT ONE POINT WE WENT INTO OUR CLASSROOM HERE AT THE LIBRARY AND HE BEGAN TO TELL ME A STORY THAT SEEMED TO BE LEADING DOWN A TRAUMATIC HISTORY AS HE HAD EXPERIENCED.
AND AT THAT POINT UNFORTUNATELY ANOTHER STAFF PERSON CAME INTO THE ROOM TO GRAB WORK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND THIS PATRON STOOD UP, WALKED OUT, AND WHEN I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP TO HIM IN THE LOBBY, HE STUCK HIS FINGER IN MY FACE AND SAID, THAT WAS A HITY THING TO DO TO A PERSON.
AND I SAID, I AGREE.
AND HE LEFT, AND -- BUT HE HAS CONTINUED TO COME BACK TO THE LIBRARY.
AND I HAVE NOT TRIED TO PUSH THIS ISSUE WITH HIM, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT HIS TRUST IN ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL IS DAMAGED OR POSSIBLY BROKEN, BUT HIS TRUST WITH THE LIBRARY ITSELF REMAINS.
SO HOPEFULLY HE'LL COME TO A POINT WHERE HE'S ABLE TO TALK WITH ME AGAIN, BUT IF NOT, HE IS STILL UTILIZING THE LIBRARY AND ACCESSING THE PROTECTIVE FACTOR THAT IT REPRESENTS.
SO THIS IS THE SAME STUDY I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT SOCIALIZED -- SOCIALIZES LAYINGS.
THE GOOD NEWS, FOLKS WHO ARE SOCIALLY CONNECTED ARE AT A REDUCED RISK OF PREMATURE DEATH.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IN LIGHT OF THAT PARTICULARLY THAT STRUGGLING THE FOLKS OFTEN NEED SOMEONE, MORE THAN THEY NEED SOMETHING.
AND I KNOW THAT'S HARD BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE ARE HAVING TOUGH TIMES, THERE'S A REAL DRIVE I THINK IN ALL PEOPLE TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO HELP MEET THIS NEED, WHAT CAN I GIVE YOU, HOW CAN I HELP YOU ADDRESS THIS AND PLUG THIS GAP?
AND WHAT I FIND IS THAT FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN HAVING A HARD TIME FOR A LONG TIME KIND OF KNOW, THEY KNOW WHERE THE FOOD BANKS ARE, THEY KNOW WHERE -- A LOT OF THE TIME IT IS TRUE.
AND WHAT I FIND IS WHAT THEY REALLY NEED IS SOMEONE, AND I LIKE TO ASK PEOPLE WHEN I GIVE PRESENTATIONS, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD YOUR LIVES CHANGED BY A PAMPHLET OR A 1-800- NUMBER?
AND THEN I LIKE TO ASK, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD YOUR LIFE CHANGED BY A RELATIONSHIP WITH ANOTHER PERSON?
AND I THINK YOU CAN GUESS THAT WHEN THE HANDS SHOOT UP IN THAT STORY.
THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU MAY HAVE WITH A PATRON MAY BE THEIR ONLY HEALTHY CONNECTION TO SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.
YOU MAY BE THE ONLY PERSON ASKING THEM HOW THEY'RE DOING, IF THEY'VE BEEN TO THE DOCTOR LATELY.
ANOTHER STORY, ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS IS A HUGGER.
AND A SWEET PERSON.
AND SHE WAS TALKING AGAIN TO ANOTHER VULNERABLE PATRON, AND HE HAPPENED TO -- AGAIN, ANOTHER KIND OF ORNERY PERSON, AND HE HAPPENED TO MENTION THAT IT WAS HIS BIRTHDAY.
AND OUR STAFF PERSON HUGGED THIS PATRON AND WISHED HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOMETHING I THINK MOST OF US WOULD DO, RIGHT?
A COUPLE DAYS LATER THAT INDIVIDUAL CAME BACK TO THE LIBRARY WITH A THANK YOU CARD FOR OUR STAFF MEMBER TO THANK HER FOR WISHING HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
AND SO AGAIN, I WOULD ASK YOU ALL, HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER GOTTEN A THANK YOU CARD FOR SOMEONE WHO WISHED YOU A HAPPY BIRTHDAY?
AND IF NOT, DR. WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT BE IN THE LIFE OF SOMEONE WHO FELT COMPELLED TO BUY A THANK YOU CARD FOR SOMEONE WHO WISHED THEM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I ALSO WANT TO BE CLEAR HERE THAT I'M NOT TRYING TO SUGGEST THAT LIBRARY STAFF FOLKS BECOME MENTORS, CASEWORKERS, THERAPISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, OR EVEN REALLY FRIENDS, NECESSARILY, WITH OUR PATRONS.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT AGAIN, FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED, VULNERABLE PEOPLE, WHO HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO THE EXTREME EDGES OF OUR SOCIETY, THREE THEIR HEALTHY CONNECTION TO YOU AS A LIBRARY STAFF PERSON, AS A TYPICAL APPROPRIATE, NOT GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND LIBRARY STAFF PERSON, MAY BE THE HEALTHIEST CONNECTION THEY HAVE TO ANYBODY.
SO OFTEN -- I'M ALSO MET WITH "THAT'S NOT OUR JOB."
AT THE BASE OF IT I AGREE.
I ALSO THINK IT'S NOT REALLY THE JOB OF SCHOOLS TO OFFER SEX EDUCATION.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THE JOB OF JAILS TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH CARE, AND I DON'T THINK EMERGENCY ROOMS ARE REALLY DESIGNED TO TREAT THE COMMON FLU, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE OUR JOB, BUT I DO THINK THIS WORK IS -- IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
SO I BELIEVE WITH THAT, YOU CAN SEE MY CONTACT INFORMATION THERE, AND I BELIEVE IT'S TIME FOR ME TO PASS THIS OFF TO RIVKAH.
>> THIS IS JENNIFER, AND I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE BEGINNING, I'M GOING TO HAVE US CONTINUE ON AND SO WE CAN GET TO RIVKAH'S PORTION, BUT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS ARE.
FOLKS WERE INTERESTED IN WHETHER HAVING FOOD IN THE LIBRARY CREATES ANY SORT OF TRASH OR PEST PROBLEMS.
OR ISSUES AROUND ALLERGIES WITH FOOD.
THERE WERE LOTS OF GREAT QUESTIONS AND LOTS OF INTEREST IN YOUR LOCKERS PROGRAM, PEOPLE ARE JUST -- INTERESTED IN HOW YOU MANAGE THEM, DO YOU CHECK OUT THE LOCKS, IS IT A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVE BASIS, WHAT IF PEOPLE LEAVE STUFF OVERNIGHT, AND WHO CLEANS THE LOCKERS.
AND THEN THE DOGS BROUGHT UP LOTS OF QUESTIONS, HOW DO YOU BALANCE BEING WELCOMING TO SOME DOGS, BEING SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS MUCH OTHERS, MAYBE WITH ALLERGIES OR FEARS OF DOGS.
AND THEN I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT QUESTION, AND WE CAN DEFINITELY CIRCLE BACK TO IT AND TALK ABOUT IT WITH RIVKAH, BUT THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT WHERE DO THESE WELCOMING INITIATIVES ORIGINATE?
IS THERE AN EXPLICIT MANDATE, ARE THERE GOALS AROUND THIS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF THE ADMINISTRATION?
.
>> I'M GOING TO HAVE RIVKAH DO HER PRESENTATION.
WELCOME.
>> HI.
I HOPE YOU CAN ALL HEAR ME.
I AM SITTING IN THE LOS ANGELES AIRPORT, I TRIED TO FIND THE QUIETEST SPOT I COULD AND THEN I WAS HAVING TROUBLE CONNECTING TO BLUE TOOTH.
SO BY THE TIME I GOT EVERYTHING ORGANIZED, NOW I'M IN AN AREA THAT'S SORT OF BUSY.
SO I'LL DO MY BEST.
HI, LAUREL!
I JUST SAW A FRIEND.
OKAY.
I'M TRYING TO FIND THE HAMBURGER AND DO THE SLIDE ADVANCE.
I SEE IT ON THE LEFT.
SORRY, I'M -- GIVE ME A MINUTE.
THERE WE GO.
OKAY.
I ACTUALLY REALLY APPRECIATED PATRICK'S COMMENTS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO SERVE OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION.
OUR STORY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
AND I THINK -- I HOPE AT THE END WE'LL TIE IT ALL BACK TOGETHER AND THINK ABOUT HOW ALL OF THESE THINGS CONNECT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE DO KNOW, ON DECEMBER 11th, 2018, AMBER FAWN WOOTON-CLARK, A SUPERVISOR AT ONE OF OUR LARGER LIBRARIES IN SACRAMENTO, WAS AMBUSHED AS SHE GOT INTO HER CAR AFTER WORK, AND SHE WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A DISGRUNTLED LIBRARY PATRON.
HE HAD BEEN RESTRICTED FROM THE LIBRARY ABOUT TWO MONTHS BEFORE, AND OF COURSE THIS CAME AS A HUGE SHOCK TO ALL OF US, BECAUSE WHILE LIGHTNING DOES STRIKE TWICE, AND I'LL EXPLAIN ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT, WE WORKED REALLY HARD TO TRY TO KEEP OUR STAFF SAFE, OUR CUSTOMERS SAFE, OUR COMMUNITY SAFE IN LIBRARIES, AND THIS WAS -- IT FELT LIKE A BETRAYAL OF THE TRUST THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AND THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE HANDLED THE AFTERMATH, THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES WITH YOU AND OF COURSE OFFER ANY ADDITIONAL HELP THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS BECOME A TOPIC IN ALL LIBRARIES, AND THAT WE HAVE A PLAN, SOMEWHAT OF A PLAN FOR HOW WE CAN DEAL WITH THESE KINDS OF EVENTS, BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY REAL.
SO I'M GOING TO WALK A LITTLE BIT THROUGH, BUT TRY TO TALK QUICKLY JUST ABOUT THE EVENTS OF DECEMBER 11th, 2018.
AND THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE DEALT WITH THE SHOCK, OUR GRIEF, THE VERY NATURAL FEAR THAT STAFF FELT, THE ACTIONS WE TOOK, AND HOW WE TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HEALING OUR SYSTEM, ONE ANOTHER, AND SUPPORTING LIBRARY STAFF.
THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY WANT YOU TO WALK AWAY WITH IS, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR SYSTEM, BUT NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE THINK WE'RE COMMUNICATING, COMMUNICATION IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S AN EVENT LIKE THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAD WITH THE MURDER OF A STAFF PERSON, OR OTHER TRAGEDY OR CRISIS, COMMUNICATION IS KEY.
I HAPPEN TO BELIEVE THAT BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE ALL GOING THROUGH IN TERMS OF THE FEELINGS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IS IMPORTANT, AND OF COURSE I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT PEOPLE.
SO IN OUR CASE, THAT INCLUDED ALL OF OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, COUNSELING, EAP, I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT, CHAPLAINS, AND I REALLY WANT TO -- I WANT TO HELP EVERYBODY PERHAPS THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT WORD INVOKES IN YOUR OWN MIND, BECAUSE I CERTAINLY LEARNED A LOT FROM THE CHAPLAIN.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, ANIMALS, HOW WE HANDLE PROVIDING ENOUGH TIME OFF FOR THE STAFF WHO WERE IN THE LOCATION AT THE TIME OF AMBER'S MURDER.
AS WELL AS OTHER STAFF WHO HAD WORKED CLOSELY WITH HER OVER HER BRIEF TIME AT SACRAMENTO.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED ON THAT EVENING WAS, I ROUTINELY -- I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO GO BACK FOR A MOMENT.
WE ASKED THAT IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT, A SERIOUS INCIDENT IN A LIBRARY THAT STAFF IMMEDIATELY CONTACT US.
SO I RECEIVED A CALL AT ABOUT 6:20 ON DECEMBER 11th FROM A STAFF PERSON AT THE NORTH NATOMAS LIBRARY, SAYING THEY WERE IN LOCKDOWN.
I WAS WALKING MY DOGS, AND I SAID, LET ME CALL YOU BACK IN A FEW MINUTES, KEEP ME POSTED, CALL ME IF YOU LEARN ANYTHING.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT I CALL IT MY SPIDEY SENSE.
WHEN I GOT HOME, I THOUGHT, I'M GOING TO GO OUT AND HELP THEM CLOSE THE BUILDING WHEN 8:00 COMES AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS OKAY.
IT'S A BUSY LIBRARY, AND IT JUST FELT RIGHT.
AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT I DID WAS I TEXTED THE COUNCIL PERSON IN HIS COUNCIL DISTRICT NORTH NATOMAS WAS, AND JUST -- IT WAS CITY COUNCIL IN SACRAMENTO, AND I LET HER KNOW I WAS ON MY WAY OUT.
SHE HAS A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POLICE, SHE WAS -- SHE GOT THERE BEFORE I DID.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE LEARNED OF ALL OF THIS TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE THING THAT HAPPENED TO AMBER.
SO -- AND IT REALLY WAS A SHOCK, BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T EXPECT IT.
AND IT LEAVES YOU FEELING VERY VULNERABLE, AND I KNOW THAT WE ALL DEAL WITH SITUATIONS LIKE THIS IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND I THINK -- I'M SEEING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS POP UP, AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DO IN TERMS OF SAFETY AND SECURITY AND CERTAINLY WHAT WE DID IN THE AFTERMATH.
I AM NOT A SOCIAL WORKER, AND I DON'T PLAY ONE ON T.V., BUT I WAS MARRIED TO ONE FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, AND A LOT OF WHO I AM AS A LIBRARIAN WAS INFORMED BY HIS EXPERTISE, AND PILLOW TALK, AND I THINK IT ACTUALLY INFORMS WHO I AM -- HOW I HANDLE SITUATIONS AND FOR ME, IT'S ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, IT'S ABOUT TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, IT'S ABOUT CREATING MEMORIALS, AND IT'S ABOUT GIVING PEOPLE TIME TO PROCESS.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, AND THIS IS REALLY FOR ME PERSONALLY, IS HOW DO WE REMEMBER AND HONOR THE PERSON WHO WAS TRAGICALLY TAKEN FROM US?
SO THAT'S, AGAIN, THIS IS ALL VERY PERSONAL FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
I WANT TO TALK ALSO ABOUT THE EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT INEF-BRING OCCUR WHEN THERE'S A SITUATION LIKE THIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH ANY KIND OF SITUATION THAT IS DIFFERENT OR OF INTEREST TO THE MEDIA, THEY ARE GOING TO INUNDATE YOU.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP YOUR TALKING POINTS AND YOUR STORY AND FOR ME, IT WAS ABOUT SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE, IT WAS ABOUT CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE, BECAUSE OF COURSE EVERYBODY, DEPENDING ON WHAT SIDE OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM OR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PICK UP DIFFERENT THINGS AND TRY TO RUN WITH THEM, AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS ABOUT THE PERSON WHO WAS MURDERED.
THIS IS ABOUT A LIBRARIAN ON THE FRONT LINE SERVING THE PUBLIC EVERY DAY, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONTROL THAT NARRATIVE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND PEOPLE WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
AND CERTAINLY FOCUS [INDISCERNIBLE]
AND WHAT WE ALSO LEARNED IN THE COURSE OF THIS WAS THROUGH OUR -- THERE ARE PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WANT TO HELP.
THE POLICE, THE INCIDENT, AMBER WAS MURDERED IN THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO.
THE SACRAMENTO PUBLIC LIBRARY IS A -- [INDISCERNIBLE] SEVEN INCORPORATED JURISDICTIONS -- FIVE INCORPORATED JURISDICTIONS, AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS IN THE COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO AS WELL.
SO WE WORK WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
AMBER WAS KILLED IN THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO, AND SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS ASTOUNDINGLY WONDERFUL TO US.
AND REALLY HELPFUL IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE FELT COMFORTABLE TALKING, AND I THINK -- I THINK WE ACTUALLY SURPRISED THEM A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I DID A NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS THE NIGHT AFTER AMBER WAS KILLED, AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION PERSON FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CALLED ME AT 11:15 P.M. AND SAID, "OKAY, I GET IT.
YOU'VE GOT THIS.
" [NO AUDIO]
 INVOLVED OUR -- A CRIME LIKE AMBER'S, THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT.
THERE'S INFORMATION THAT YOU CANNOT SHARE UNTIL THE PERSON IS SAFELY [INDISCERNIBLE].
SO THIS IS REALLY, AGAIN, ABOUT A GOOD -- THE GOOD AND THE BAD WE EXPERIENCED.
WE HAD A LOT OF WORRIES ABOUT THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE LIBRARIES ARE PUBLIC PLACES.
AND RIGHT NOW IS SORT OF ANALOGOUS TO WHAT GOES ON, WHAT WENT ON FOR US, WE'VE GOT THE CORONAVIRUS, EVERYBODY IS WORRIED, PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED.
AND THE BEST DISINFECT ANT IN MY OPINION IS BEING REALLY OPEN AND HONEST ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS, AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING ABOUT THEM, AND EXPRESSING YOUR OWN WORRIES AND FEARS AND MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION YOU'RE ABLE TO SHARE.
SO RIGHT AFTER AMBER WAS KILLED, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST FEARS WAS THAT -- AND THIS IS IN ONE OF OUR MOST MIDDLE CLASS AREAS, IT'S ON A SHARED CAMPUS WITH A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND A HIGH SCHOOL.
IT'S A VERY WELL-USED LIBRARY, IT'S ONE OF OUR NEWEST LIBRARIES, IT OPENED 2010, IT'S OUR LARGEST BRANCH OTHER THAN THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, AND WE -- OUR CONCERNS WERE RELATED TO DAILY OPERATIONS, THEY RELATED TO MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS A SCARY PLACE TO BE.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS WHERE THE AMAZING STAFF OF THE SACRAMENTO PUBLIC LIBRARY REALLY STEPPED UP.
WE HAD SUPERVISORS FROM -- WE HAVE 28 LOCATIONS, WE HAD SUPERVISORS FROM AT LEAST A DOZEN LOCATIONS ROTATE IN AND MANAGERS DID AS WELL.
WE WERE THERE EVERY DAY FOR THE FIRST MONTH AFTER AMBER WAS KILLED, MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE COMMUNICATING WITH THE STAFF -- THE REGULAR BRANCH STAFF THAT WERE PROVIDING STABILITY FOR ALL OF THE STAFF THAT WE WERE GIVING THEM TIME TO HEAL, THAT WE WERE MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAD TIME TO TALK TO COUNSELORS, WE HAD COUNSELORS ON SITE.
EVERY DAY FOR SEVERAL DAYS, AND THEN WEEKLY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS I THINK WERE IMPORTANT TO OFFER.
NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO TALK, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO OFFER THAT, IMPORTANT TO GET TIME OFF DESK FOR PEOPLE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE -- TO GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROCESS, AND TO HEAL, AND TO UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE FEAR OR THE TRAUMA THAT THEY'RE FEELING IS ABSOLUTELY NORMAL, AND NATURAL.
SO WE DID THE BEST WE COULD WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS.
BUT TO ME GIVING PEOPLE TIME WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
AND IN A WAY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT PART OF IT IS, WE'RE PRETTY OPEN AND HONEST.
I MEAN, TUESDAY WAS ELECTION DAY, CALIFORNIA IS A VOTE BY MAIL STATE NOW, SACRAMENTO COUNTY IS 100% VOTE BY MAIL.
EVERY SINGLE MANAGER WAS OUT AS WE ARE EVERY ELECTION DAY, AND WE ARE FREQUENTLY OUT IN ALL LOCATIONS, FACE-TO-FACE WITH STAFF, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON LOCALLY, AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT WE'RE THERE AND WE CARE.
AND I THINK WE DID THE BEST WE COULD WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE PRESENT, THAT WE'RE MANAGING A NUMBER OF THINGS, INCLUDING, REMEMBER, WE HAVE A BOARD, WE HAVE 15 ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT I REPORT TO, WE HAVE THE PUBLIC, WE HAVE THE STAFF, AND WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE WANTING TO KNOW CAN THEY HELP, OR WANTING TO KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING THEY CAN DO.
SO THE FOLLOW-UP, AND I'M TRYING TO TALK FAST, BECAUSE I THINK I'M ALMOST OUT OF TIME, SAFETY IS OF COURSE A HUGE CONCERN FOR US.
WE HAVE GUARDS AT ALMOST EVERY LOCATION, SECURITY GUARDS.
THEY'RE CIVILIAN, WE HAVE A RATHER LARGE CONTRACT AT THIS POINT THAT WE UTILIZE TO PROVIDE SECURITY IN MOST LOCATIONS.
WE HAVE SINCE -- SINCE AMBER'S DEATH WE REALLY LOOKED AT SAFETY AND SECURITY, WE ASKED STAFF TO TELL US EVERYTHING THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, AND WE HAVE A SPREADSHEET ON LEDGER SIZE PAPER THAT IS ABOUT EIGHT PAGES THAT WE HAVE CATEGORIZED AND THAT WE'RE SLOWLY GOING THROUGH.
WE'VE LOOKED AT STAFFING IN ALL OUR LOCATIONS, WE'VE MADE SURE WE'VE STRENGTHENED OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND OTHERS THAT WILL HELPFUL TO US, AND WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO TRAIN STAFF.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WORK IN A PLACE THAT DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE.
AND JUST AS PATRICK SHARED WITH US EARLIER, EVERY LIBRARY I KNOW HAS HAD SOME SORT OF INCIDENT, HAS EXPERIENCES WHERE THAT WHEN I BECAME A LIBRARIAN 40 YEARS AGO DID NOT EXIST.
AND YES, WE DID HAVE GUARDS IN PLACE BEFORE THE TRAGEDY, AND WE HAVE GUARDS IN PLACE NOW.
SO TRAINING IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
WE HAD ARRANGED FOR -- WE HAD ACTUALLY ARRANGED IN FEBRUARY OF 2018, WHICH WAS 10 MONTHS BEFORE AMBER WAS KILLED, TO HAVE EDMOND OTIS COME AND TRAIN ALL OF OUR STAFF.
WE HAD ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING IN PLACE.
WE HAVE DONE DRILLS WITH THE SWAT TEAM.
WE HAVE HAD STAFF DO DRILLS IN EACH LOCATION, OR I BELIEVE ASKED THEM TO.
WHETHER OR NOT THAT OCCURS, MANAGERS AREN'T ON SITE EVERY DAY.
SO SPRSHES CAN CHOOSE TO OR NOT CHOOSE FOLLOW-UP WITH THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, SO -- BUT WE HOPE THAT AT THIS POINT WE'VE OFFERED THE TOOLS FOR STAFF TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF TRAINING THEMSELVES AND BEING AWARE, AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND EDMOND OTIS.
SO LESSONS LEARNED, AND AGAIN, I'M TALKING VERY FAST.
THIS IS ABOUT A 40-MINUTE PRESENTATION USUALLY.
SOME OF THE THINGS I WISH WE HAD DONE DIFFERENTLY, HOW WE COMMUNICATED WITH AMBER'S HUSBAND, HER SISTER, AND HER MOTHER.
BECAUSE IT WAS AN ONGOING POLICE INVESTIGATION, POLICE ASKED US NOT TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
I REGRET THAT WITH ALL MY HEART.
I HAVE APOLOGIZED MULTIPLE TIMES, I HAVE TO SAY AMBER'S COUSIN CAME TO WORK FOR US.
AND HAS BEEN REALLY CRITICAL TO US IN TERMS OF HELPING US MOVE FORWARD AND HEAL AS WELL.
I THINK THE OTHER LESSON FOR ME PERSONALLY IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL GRIEVE DIFFERENTLY.
WE ALL PROCESS DIFFERENTLY, WE ALL GRIEVE DIFFERENTLY.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR EVERYONE TO EXPERIENCE THAT PROCESS ON THEIR OWN.
AND WE ALSO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOMETIMES EAP, PLOY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE, AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY PROFESSIONALS, AND THEY DON'T ACTUALLY ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO HELP PEOPLE WORK THROUGH TRAUMA.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE CHAPLAINS CAME IN.
THEY WERE EXTRAORDINARY.
WHEN I HEAR THE WORD "CHAPLAIN" I'M ALWAYS A LITTLE WORRIED SOMEBODY IS GOING TO TELL ME TO PUT MY HANDS TOGETHER AND PRAY, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THE CHAPLAINS THAT WE EXPERIENCED DID.
THEY'RE TRAINED LAW ENFORCEMENT CHAPLAINS, THEY WERE THERE WITH THERAPY ANIMALS THE DAY AFTER AMBER WAS KILLED FOR THE NEXT PROBABLY WEEK AND A HALF IN THE BRANCH.
THEY CAME TO OUR ALL-STAFF MEETING ON DECEMBER 14th, WHICH WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT EXPERIENCE FOR US TO SHARE.
WE CLOSED EVERY LIBRARY, WE ASKED EVERYBODY TO JOIN TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT AMBER, WE INVITED AMBER'S HUSBAND, THIS WAS THAT MEETING WAS HELD THREE DAYS AFTER SHE WAS MURDERED, IT WAS A FRIDAY MORNING, SHE WAS KILLED ON TUESDAY NIGHT.
THOSE WILL THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I THINK REALLY HELPED AND MATTER.
SOME OF THE ONGOING WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING BEFORE AMBER WAS KILLED, AS I MENTIONED, SAFETY AND SECURITY HAS BEEN TOP OF MIND FOR US SINCE I'VE WORKED IN SACRAMENTO, WHICH IS 10 YEARS.
WE'VE DONE CPTED.
I URGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT USUALLY HAS AN EXPERT, THEY WILL COME OUT, THEY WILL LITERALLY ASSESS BOTH THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FACTORS IN YOUR BUILDING.
WE HAVE STAFF REALLY WANTED SECURITY DOORS, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, WE DO NOT OWN OUR BUILDING, SO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE JURISDICTION TO COMPLETE THAT WORK, BUT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING SECURITY -- LOCKED SECURITY DOORS AT EVERY LOCATION SO THAT STAFF HAVE A PLACE TO GO IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT.
I MENTIONED WE'VE DONE SECURITY TRAINING, WE CONTINUE TO DO SECURITY TRAINING, AND THAT WILL KEEP HAPPENING.
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED A CUSTOMER CARE TEAM, WHICH IS REALLY A THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAM, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO USE THAT TERM.
AND WE CALL WHENEVER THERE'S AN INCIDENT THAT WE READ INCIDENTS EVERY DAY, ANYTHING THAT'S WRITTEN UP, WE CALL THE PERSON IN QUESTION AND JUST HAVE A CONVERSATION, HI, WE'RE THE CUSTOMER CARE TEAM.
WE'D LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT THE LIBRARY.
AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS, WE REWROTE OUR RULES OF CONDUCT.
THE ONES THAT WE HAD WERE A LITTLE DENSE, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING EDMONDS OTIS RECOMMENDED.
BASICALLY NOW WE HAVE FOUR CATEGORIES.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE A WELCOMING SPACE FOR EVERYONE, WE TRY TO STRESS THAT.
BUT WE BASICALLY HAVE BROKEN IT DOWN TO FOUR AREAS.
USE THE SPACES AS INTENDED, BE KIND, I WANTED TO SAY BE KIND.
BE CONSIDERATE.
COMMUNICATE WITH RESPECT, AND ACT RESPONSIBLY.
IF YOU EVER GO INTO A STARBUCKS YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THESE LOOK QUITE SIMILAR TO STARBUCKS' RULES OF CONDUCT.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS FOR STAFF, WE HAVE THE SIMPLE RULES OF CONDUCT ON ONE SIDE OF THE PIECE OF PAPER, AND THE MORE DETAILED, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN WHEN YOU'RE INTERACTING WITH A CUSTOMER, ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND WE THINK THAT'S PRETTY HELPFUL.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AMBER'S LEGACY.
SHE HAD BEEN NOMINATED FOR A LIBRARY JOURNAL MOVER AND SHAKER A MONTH BEFORE SHE WAS KILLED FOR HER WORK WITH ACCESSIBILITY AS AN ADVOCATE, THE DISABLED COMMUNITY WAS HER PASSION.
AND LIBRARY JOURNAL LET US KNOW THEY HAD SELECTED HER.
WE HAVE AN ACCESSIBILITY TEAM AT -- THAT DEVELOPS PROGRAMMING AND IS ACTUALLY TRAINED 13 LIBRARY SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ON HOW TO DO BETTER ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAMMING.
WE'VE TAKEN THE HARWOOD CONVERSATION VERY SERIOUSLY, AMBER WAS A LEADER IN THAT, THAT'S HOW WE CAME TO DO THE ACCESSIBILITY WORK THAT WE NOW CHAMPION.
SHE WAS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR TEENS, AND SHE IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMMING AROUND THAT, AND WE JUST HOSTED OUR FIRST SACRAMENTO SUPERFEST, WHICH IS A DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL THAT OCCURS EVERY YEAR IN SAN FRANCISCO.
THEY LET US BE A SATELLITE SITE THIS YEAR, WE WILL CONTINUE THAT WORK BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO AMBER'S LEGACY.
AND I'M SORRY I WENT A LITTLE BIT OVER, THAT'S MY STORY, I WOULD LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MY EMAIL IS HERE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
I'M ON MY WAY TO JORDAN, I VOLUNTEER A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR AT THE SYRIAN REFUGEE CAMP ON THE JORDANIAN BORDER, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE VOLUNTEER LIBRARIANS ARE TRYING TO GO, SO I'M GETTING ON A FLIGHT IN A COUPLE HOURS.
WHEN I'M STAFF AND HAVE FULL ACCESS TO EMAIL I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> EXCELLENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, RIVKAH.
AND FOR FITTING US INTO YOUR JOURNEY.
IT'S DEFINITELY A LITTLE TRICKY TO HEAR YOU, BUT I WONDER IF -- JUST TO CONFIRM, IS EDMOND OTIS, HE'S FROM NEW ZEALAND, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> HE'S AN AMERICAN WHO LIVES IN NEW ZEALAND, AND HE COMES BACK TO THE STATES ONCE A YEAR, AND DELIVERS TRAINING TO LIBRARIES.
AND I'M SO SORRY FOR THE AUDIO.
>> YEAH, AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DEFINITELY REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO RIVKAH WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU'VE HAD FOR HER.
I WILL DEFINITELY SHARE THOSE WITH HER AND WE CAN ADD ANY OTHER THOUGHTS THAT SHE BRINGS TO THE EVENT PAGE.
BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU MUTE YOURSELF, RIVKAH, AND I'M GOING TO CIRCLE BACK QUICKLY JUST, WE'RE GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME AND CIRCLE BACK WITH PATRICK AND ERIC ON A FEW QUESTIONS THAT I MENTIONED.
AND I'LL ACTUALLY LET YOU DECIDE WHICH ORDER YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THOSE IN PATRICK AND ERIC.
>> OKAY.
YOU ASKED ABOUT, THERE WAS A THING ABOUT FOOD AND TRASH.
THERE'S NO PROBLEMS.
AS LONG AS YOU HAVE TRASH CANS AND RECYCLABLE CONTAINERS, WE HAVE A VENDOR FOR OUR COFFEE SHOP.
SHE WIPES DOWN THE TABLES IN THE COFFEE SHOP, SO THERE'S REALLY ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM WITH THE FOOD.
ALLERGYING AND FOOD ALLERGIES, AGAIN, PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGIES DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME, AND WE JUST REALLY DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
LOCKERS -- THE LOCKERS ARE, AGAIN, THE FOLKS WHO USE THE LOCKERS KNOW THEY CAN GET A LOCK AT THE FRONT DESK.
WE CHECK THEM OUT, WE HAVE A CHECKLIST IN THE MORNING WHERE WE CHECK THE LOCKERS TO SEE IF THEY WERE -- IF THERE ARE THINGS STILL IN IT.
WE WILL PUT A NOTE ON THE LOCKER SAYING, HEY, YOU DIDN'T REMOVE YOUR ITEMS, AND IF YOU DON'T BY A CERTAIN TIME WE WILL REMOVE THE LOCK.
AND IT'S NORMALLY NOT AN ISSUE.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE SOMEONE WILL LEAVE SOMETHING IN THERE, BUT IT'S USUALLY FOOD, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
THE DOGS AND THE ALLERGIES, AGAIN, IT'S JUST REALLY NOT AN ISSUE.
THE SPACE IS SO LARGE, AND IT IS VACUUMED ON A REGULAR BASIS, IT JUST DOESN'T -- WE JUST DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE DOGS AND PEOPLE WITH DOG ALLERGIES.
AT ALL.
AND THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT OUR WELCOMING POLICY.
WHERE -- DID IT COME FROM OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION, I THINK, OR WHERE DID THAT COME FROM.
THAT CAME FROM BASICALLY THE STAFF.
IF I WAS 100% HONEST I WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS NOT ALWAYS OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY, AND -- BUT THE LIBRARY AND THE STAFF AT THE LIBRARY FEEL SO STRONGLY, THAT ALL ARE WELCOME, WE'RE WILLING TO FIGHT THAT FIGHT.
>> THAT'S EXCELLENT.
DO YOU REGULARLY CONVENE CONVERSATION WITH STAFF AROUND THAT?
HOW DO YOU SORT OF CHECK IN AS ISSUES ARISE, OR AS SITUATIONS NEED TO BE UPDATED OR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES NEED TO BE UPDATED?
>> CONSTANTLY.
WE COMMUNICATE CONSTANTLY ABOUT ALL TYPES OF ISSUES.
WE HAVE A COMMITTEE, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMITTEES THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS, ALL ARE WELCOME THEME.
THEY'RE WORKING ON DOING A VERY BIG PRIDE MONTH EVENT THIS YEAR, THERE'S A BIG MEETING TONIGHT WITH THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HELP US PLAN THE PRIDE MONTH.
AGAIN, THAT IS NOT COMING FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AT ALL.
THEY'RE NOT PUNTING ANY ROADBLOCKS, BUT -- THEY'RE NOT PUTTING ANY ROADBLOCKS, BUT I THINK ANYTHING THAT SEEMS CONTROVERSIAL, THEY -- BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE POLITICAL, THEY SHY AWAY FROM, BUT THIS -- WE FEEL THIS IS OUR CORE VALUES, AND WE'RE GOING TO LIVE OUR VALUES, AND ALL OUR WELL -- ALL ARE WELCOME.
>> FANTASTIC.
THAT'S GREAT.
BEING MINDFUL OF TIME, I KNOW PEOPLE PROBABLY HAVE TO GET BACK TO THEIR DESKS AND MOVE ON TO THE REST OF THEIR DAY.
I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE PHOENIX TO REACH OUT TO PATRICK AND ERIC AND RIVKAH WITH ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS, BUT I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT THE LEARNER GUIDE, THERE'S SOME STRUCTURE THERE TO HELP YOU ALL BRING THE CONVERSATION TO YOUR TEAMS, KNOW THAT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY ONGOING WORK FOR BOTH OF THESE LIBRARIES.
AND I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY OBVIOUSLY AS WELL, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CHECKING BACK IN AND SEEING HOW THINGS ARE GOING WITH YOU ALL, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP.
I'LL MENTION THAT I'M GOING TO SEND YOU ALL AN EMAIL ONCE THE RECORDING IS POSTED.
I ALSO AM GOING TO BE SENDING YOU TO A SHORT SURVEY AS YOU LEAVE, WE LOVE TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK, IT HELPS US GUIDE OUR ONGOING PROGRAMMING.
AND I WILL SEND YOU ALL A CERTIFICATE FOR ATTENDING TODAY.
THAT USUALLY COMES OUT WITHIN A WEEK.
SO YOU CAN KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR THAT.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL THREE OF OUR PRESENTERS, AND FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU AND YOUR LIBRARIES ARE DOING FOR YOUR COMMUNITIES.
AND I AM ESPECIALLY EXCITED THAT WE CAN BRING THIS IDEA OF LIBRARIES AS PROTECTIVE FACTORS TO THE FIELD, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CARRYING ON THAT CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU ALL, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.