Library Commission April 16, 2026 meeting

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 16, 2026
Location: Main Library, Koret Auditorium; public access via Zoom webinar.
Call to Order: Approximately 4:30PM.

CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Commission Affairs Analyst Margot Shaub opened the meeting, explained Zoom and public comment procedures, and the Commission delivered the Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement.

ROLL CALL
Present: President Calhoun; Vice President Jones; Commissioners Lopez, Bolander, Kenaston, and Menon (quorum established).

1. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT

Anonymous Citizen — Criticized perceived Commission elitism and disengagement, referencing a prior meeting joke about adjournment; argued Commissioners should welcome engagement; used a racial epithet, and the chair halted the comment.

Anonymous Citizen public comment
Thank you very much, commissioners. Speaking as an anonymous citizen, of course, and stop the hate, stop the ignorance, don't give money to Friends of the Library, don't accept money from the Friends of the Library. And there are no agendas in the back of the room.

Conceive of this as a two-part presentation. The first part today and the second part in May. So to the extent that you're following at all, the conclusion will be in May. At the last meeting, the president of this commission made a joke. He was not trying to be profound or insightful. He thought it was a little witicism with just enough of a hint of the truth to make it funny. Do you remember he said,

"Now we come to the favorite part of my of the agenda adjournment."

He's glad when he thinks it's over. Don't you know in your heart of hearts that if this were a just society, library commissioners would be looking forward to the agenda, would be looking forward to engaging with the public and engaging with people who cared about the library. Of course they would. What does it mean when the library commissioners are the ones who dread the meetings? 

I mentioned before that you attempt to establish your elitism by disain displaying your disdain for power of language because a it it there's an aphorism which demonstrates that the idea that you demonstrate your elitism by your disdain for the public. That aphorism operates on many levels cannot be paraphrased and the phrase is no one hates a field [ __ ] like a house [ __ ] The thing t's it's an aphorism that's existed for a long time. icrophone cut]

[a link to Malcolm X's explanation of this aphorism]

Commission Analyst Margot Schaub:

So the legally safest course is to your comment is off topic and I'm stopping your time. So yes. 

Anonymous citizen

No abs...

Commission Analyst Margot Schaub:

Absolutely. Thank you. Okay. Can you turn the mic off, please?

Allison Fong, Friends of the Library Board, — Praised Night of Ideas as dynamic and joyful; announced June 6 Block Party Book Sale; promoted the Friends’ new Hammer Guides collaboration hoodie via the SFPL store.

Jason Gibbs, Retired Librarian — Commended Mission Branch renovation and restoration of Leo Lentelli’s sculpture; described historic significance of Lentelli’s works removed from the old Main; urged retention of valuable collections (e.g., LPs) that might otherwise be lost. 

Jason Gibbs' Public Comment
About three meetings back, we had a nice presentation from the facilities director that went into
Mission Branch in its renovation. And I was very pleased recently to to walk past there and see that the the sculpture there by Leo Lintelli -- two children reading a book -- is looking better than ever. 

Leo Lentelli was a fairly significant part of of San Francisco life for a time. He was part of the City Beautiful Movement that that helped create the San Francisco Civic Center. When you go to Market Street, it's called the path of gold - he designed the light standards that are in the on that path of gold. He had five sculptures at the front of the old Main Library representing art, literature, philosophy, science, and law. When it became an Asian art museum, the iconoclasts of the Asian Art Museum and the Art Commission had them removed and I think they're in some collector's backyard in Contra Costa County,  these fine sculptures.

But that brings me to l the celebration of 30 years of the main library. I was here on the day that we moved in. I was part of the moving process and one thing I remember distinctly from that time is we had a collection of LP records at the old Main Library and we were given instructions by the chief of the new main library to get rid of that collection. At that time I was supervised by a woman who was about as mild-mannered and cooperative a person that you could imagine but she was not going to have that. And so when we moved over, we brought over the LP collection. 

Basically they wanted a new library and a new collection and new technology. But who would suspect now that LPS surpass CDs in sales today? If we had followed her idea for right sizing all of those long playing records would would have been would be in a landfill right now. Nowadays there are genres of music that we can offer like opera, folk music, certain kinds of jazz -- recordings that were created before the vinyl revival that are available to the public that would have been otherwise lost. So when you think about removing collections or moving fast and doing things, you have to consider that the world changes and the values of things change where maybe right now ebooks look like they're doing better than regular books, but you get a lot of reports of how people are returning to print and finding that they want to be disconnected. So I I just to plant the seed of the idea that um that things are sometimes worth holding on to even when they don't seem like like their time has passed.

Peter Warfield, Executive Director Library Users Association, Libraryusers2004@protonmail.com, PO Box 170544 SF, CA 94117-0544 — Requested fairer handling of relevancy during public comment (allowing clarification if time is stopped); criticized SFPL’s promotion of social media citing court rulings and youth harm; urged reconsideration of publicity practices, especially for minors.

Ruben Jaurez, Circulation Supervisor; Union Officer— Thanked speakers for supporting consistent three-minute comment time; recounted essential service roles Library staff took during COVID-19 (food banks, testing sites, hotels, contact tracing); urged alternatives to layoffs for public sector workers. 

Ruben Juarez public comment
Hello, commissioners, management team members, and assembled attendees. My name is Ruben, and I'm the circulation supervisor. I'm the circulation supervisor, union officer, and the union representative on the libraries health and safety committee. First off, I would like to thank Jason for his research, diligence, and ultimately his advocacy, ensuring all future participants have three minutes to speak in this forum. Thank you, Jason, for your resolve. 

Now, I missed the March Commission meeting. That said, I thought I would share what I intended to speak to last month. I thought we'd be remiss if we didn't mark a date that was significant in March. On Friday, March 13, 2020, Mayor Breed began the process of shutting down the city due to a health emergency, the Corona virus. And last month, I wanted to reflect on that day, Friday the 13th. It was a week after the commission meeting, six years later, and how our public sector workers, including a large amount of library staff, responded to the onset of the pandemic. At a time when there was so very little information about the virus, workers stood up when our city was at its neediest. Workers staffed the food bank, food bank popups which were throughout the city, distributed flyers, t staffed testing sites, hotels, the Covid command center, offered translation services, contract contact tracing among other things. 

City workers stood up to provide vital essential services when everything else was shut down. I worked principally at the food bank pop-ups where we worked where we workers bag groceries, distributed food, and managed lines. I chocked the lines measuring the distance between where clients would stand to ensure the six feet distance was maintained. Food insecurity was very real. The desire for food to provide for one's family was an urgent need. 

The image that sits in my head was the day at the Cow Palace where hundreds of people came to get food. Our public service workers showed up and showed out providing essential services showing the right stuff. 

As we are in the midst of layoffs to city workers and other departments, I think it's important to underline what workers did, what public sector workers do when the chips are down. And we ask that our workforce, our public service workers be afforded the same level of 6reciprocity when it comes to finding alternatives to layoffs. Thank you.

ITEM 2 — Approval of February 12, 2026 Minutes

Public Comment

• Anonymous Citizen — Said the February minutes were redrafted but failed to incorporate corrections raised in March; cited omissions (commissioner qualifications, labor emphasis, privacy concerns, staff reporting context); urged inclusion of full public testimony consistent with a data-driven organization.

• Peter Warfield — Asserted misrepresentation or reversal of his comments’ intent; emphasized respect for Commissioners but reiterated concerns about harmful technologies and patron privacy; asked for corrections to prevent mischaracterization.

Commission Discussion/Action : Motion from Commissioner Lopez second from Commissioner Bolander to approve the February 12, 2026 Minutes. Action: Approved unanimously. Roll-call ayes: Calhoun, Jones, Lopez, Bolander, Menon, Kenaston

ITEM 3 — Approval of March 19, 2026 Minutes

Public Comment

• Anonymous Citizen — Argued the ordinance allowing a 150-word speaker summary was misinterpreted; described difficulties submitting the summary (documentation and “include vs. attach” dispute); alleged evasive handling of public submittals. 

• Jason Gibbs — Requested replacing “another speaker” with his name; cited Sunshine Ordinance placement (summary belongs within public comment section, not addendum); asked to avoid further Task Force appeals by correctly acknowledging testimony.

• Peter Warfield — Said addenda disconnect public remarks from agenda items; argued minutes lack item linkage for commenters; reiterated concerns aboutsocial media promotion and prior inaccuracies/omissions.

Commission Discussion: Commissioners confirmed the requested correction (naming Jason Gibbs) and proceeded to vote.

Commission Discussion/Action: Motion from Commissioner Kenaston and second from Commission Jones to approve the March 19, 2026 Minutes with one edit to include Jason Gibbs name.

Action: Approved unanimously with correction

ITEM 4— 2025 Media Analysis Report

Staff Presentation — Public Information Officer Pocheolo Carsi-Cruz analyzed 2025 media coverage (paid/owned/earned); highlighted three themes (library love spectrum, diversity champion, city pride) with examples and early 2026 uptick.

Public Comment

• Anonymous Citizen — Praised the presentation but urged a national shift back to literacy-focused missions; criticized visible disengagement by some Commissioners; requested a stronger emphasis on books, history, and core literacy.

• Jason Gibbs — Commended analysis yet cautioned about PR growth versus frontline service; emphasized libraries as refuge for patrons needing quiet and help; urged balancing “bright, shiny” programming with core service. 

Jason Gibbs' public comment
A very nice presentation. I do have to say that one thing that I've noticed over my career towards the end is just how much energy and staffing has gone into public relations at the library. It really was not a big
thing in the past. And I think the combination of the set aside and the reallocation of public service jobs
towards the sixth floor to work on public relations has created a, I mean I I see it on the news all the time. 

There's a lot to be proud about at the library and I'm sure that you're proud too and that's why you enjoy doing this because there's so much to be grateful that the library does. But, you know they emphasize the loud and lively part because that seems so unlike a library. But that's where this quote from Emily Hovind comes in so well because my experience at the library is feeling the gratitude that we could provide a peaceful safe place for the people of Tenderloin people living in SRO's where they can come in and basically just be left alone and be on their own because they don't really have spaces.

And and I always worry that this overemphasis on the bright shiny stuff detracts from really recognizing and rewarding the everyday stuff. And so like I objectives and key results is one of those things that's spoken about. And again it's a matter have you devoted your institutional energy towards public relations or have you devoted them to actually being there to serve people when they need it. The one day that you need to come in and print out your resume. You don't know how to do it. Well, the the librarian is busy giving a program. You know, it's like you missed out on that person and and so my hope when I worked there was to never miss out on that person wherever they're at to provide them with service and I see the public service positions changed to be more sort of administrative or public relations jobs and I feel like it is going to have an outcome on the objectives and key results.

• Peter Warfield — Reported packet collation issues (upside-down pages, no page numbers); argued SFPL’s media narrative under-represents books/newspapers/periodicals; urged stronger reporting on collections amid declining traditional media.

Commission Discussion

• Lopez — Expressed pride in media attention, commended diverse programming and outreach success.

• Menon — Asked whether coverage correlates with program attendance or materials use; supported next-phase tracking of user pathways.

• Jones — Praised balancing positive/challenging coverage; recommended adding impression metrics and using owned/paid channels to support literacy priority.

• Bolander — Suggested earned-media dollar valuation and sentiment analysis; recommended tracking pitch success.

• Kenaston — Encouraged benchmarking SFPL against major systems(e.g., DC Public Library).

ITEM 5 — Branch Division Report

Staff Presentation — Chief of Branches Rebecca Alcala Veraflor reviewed branch history/renovations (BLIP, LIFT), district organization, multilingual services, and community partnerships; systemwide visits recovered to ~87% of pre-COVID levels with local variation (construction, demographics, staffing).

Public Comment

• Ruben — Spoke to the rewarding nature of branch work and patron relationships; noted safety importance and lack of on-site security at some branches; highlighted staffing challenges for seven-day service.

• Peter Warfield — Warned against “de-bookification”; urged capacity and visibility for book collections; criticized temporary renovation sites for limited use Commission Discussion

• Kenaston — Praised service excellence based on multiple branch visits, clean facilities, organized stacks, positive interactions.

• Menon — Highlighted libraries as teen third spaces amid rising loneliness; asked about low-hanging-fruit improvements, site-specific solutions described.

• Lopez — Commended Council of Neighborhood Libraries and language support; affirmed value of community-led input.

• Jones — Requested future district-level trend reporting and insights to address “stagnant 80” recovery cluster.

ITEM 6 — City Librarian’s Report

Night of Ideas, Michelle Jeffers, Chief Programs and Partnerships — Largest in the U.S.; 7,100 attendees at Main and ~2,500 at Asian Art Museum; 300+ presenters/performers/vendors; extensive staff support.

Main Library 30th Anniversary, Naomi Jelks, Chief of Main — Reviewed 1996 opening and affinitycenter history; programming included “Librarians on Film,” Hormel Center celebration, Civic Center cemetery-history talk, and in-library wedding ceremonies.

Public Comment

• Peter Warfield — Noted discrepancies between versions of
anniversary materials; recounted controversy about book reductions and space reallocation; criticized Night of Ideas for limited discussion of AI downsides.

Commission Discussion: Commissioners praised creativity, scale, and resilience of programming (e.g., astronomy session pivot due to rain); commended leadership and public service.

Meeting adjourned by President Calhoun. At 6:41 PM

Library Commission May 15, 2025 meeting

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY COMMISSION

Minutes of theRegular Meeting of MAY 15, 2025

The San Francisco Public Library Commission held a regular meeting May 15, 2025, atthe Koret Auditorium, Main Library and virtually on Zoom.

The SFPLCommissionmeeting was called to order at 4:30 PM.

Commissioners Present: Wolf, Huang, Jones, and Calhoun.

President Wolf presented the ancestral homeland acknowledgement ofthe Ramaytush Ohlone.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 1 GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT

Public Comment

Stacy Smith said he had an administrative hearing, and the hearing officer did not have access to the appeal and video footage, which countered the incident report.

Peter Warfield, Executive Director of Library Users Association Libraryusers2004@yahoo.com, PO Box 170544, San Francisco California 94117-0544, said there are threats against anyone with the top political person in the country including libraries, which the Commission should consider.

Emily Garvie, Executive Director, Friends of the Library, gave updates of Friends work for the Library including raising $560,000 through the 2025 Laureates event.

Walt Bilofsky, SF Bay Chapter Freedom From Religion said The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were going to make public comment about SFPL joining Books Unbanned.

Jason Gibbs, who retired from the Library, learned about the strategic plan, which one discussion was of joy and wonder at the Library, which happens when the trained professionals help patrons find the book or item they are looking for, they are astounded by the system.

Comment
My name is Jason Gibbs. I've recently retired from the library, but about a year ago while I was still employed learned a lot about the strategic plan which I was not involved with. one of the things that was very heartening in the discussion was sthe discussion of joy and wonder at the library and I thought I'd tell you a little bit about joy and wonder. 

It's not uncommon that someone will come into the library who doesn't use the library. Somebody will give them a piece of paper with a number for a book on it. They don't know what to do. There are so many books. But then you lead them to the shelf, there it is. And they are just astounded that we have the system where you can find that one book. 

But it's not really magic that does it. It has to do with trained professionals. Somebody had to select the book. Somebody had to negotiate the contract so we could buy the book. The book arrives. We have to do physical processing, cataloging. It has to get transported to the library. Then it gets shelved. then it has a life on the shelf. Somebody has to decide do we keep it, do we withdraw it and um all these things are done by dedicated professionals. 

So it really isn't magic. It's involvement of systems of people who are overlooked and and not really mentioned in all the sort of wonderful things you like to talk about. I feel like you should know that wonderful things are happening among the staff that we have systems in place. we have dedicated people and that the maintenance every day of a collection that serves the public is what we are all dedicated to and um I hope you will be dedicated to.

Ruben Juarez said he was a representative of SEIU, which welcomes the new and returning Commissioners back.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES – APRIL 17, 2025

Ruben Juarez asked for a correction in the minutes.

Peter Warfield said the minutes do not include every time he mentions his contact information and are brief.

Commission Discussion

Motion: Motion by Vice President HUANG to approve the minutes with one edit seconded by Commissioner CALHOUN to approve the APRIL 17, 2025, Commission Minutes.

Action: AYES 4-0 (Wolf, Huang, Jones and Calhoun)

AGENDA ITEM NO.3 PROGRAMMING PERFORMANCE METRICS

Dolly Goyal, Chief of Public Services and Angel Castro, Administrative Analyst presented Library programming and performance metrics, which are aligned with fulfilling vision 2030 Strategic Priorities of Literary Champion, Cultural Amplifier, Community Catalyzer, Thoughtful Navigator and Resource Provider. They highlighted that although programing has not yet returned to pre-Covid levels they are on track to deliver more than 14,700 programs for all ages, a 63% increase for all programs compared to fiscal year 23 which is when they begin to ramp up programming numbers following the pandemic.

[Michael Lambert: I just want to highlight that over for over a decade now, the San Francisco Public Library has been intentional about delivering a more experiential service model, hosting thousands of events, performances, classes, workshops, story times every year, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors. So this has been a growth area for us as we continue to make the transition from a more traditional service model which has centered around more transactional touch points for our residents.]

Public Comment

Peter Warfield said he generally does not have a problem with what is being presented, but he did not hear about books or anything at all about how to access the tremendously rich collection at the library.

Ruben Juarez said for every program there is preparation for physical preparation that goes into getting the space ready. There is a prep whether it's an in-house program or someone from the outside.

Comment:
Wonderful presentation. I um just wanted to speak to what programs involve. So just to flesh it out and this will be a little granular. 

So for every program there's preparation for it. The physical preparation that goes into getting a space ready. There's a prep for whether in-house prep or somebody coming from the outside.There's a preparation there on the para-professional side which is where I'm at. Working with the talent to make sure they feel comfortable with the physical landscape when they come in. Is there anything we can do to help with the setup? Do we need to put a screen up? So there's a lot involved on that end. 

And obviously there's the the program itself which is always such a such a delightful thing because on our end to see an audience that's happy. Because one of the other pieces we have to do is get the count for how many people are attending the program and then afterwards after the program's over and, you know, thank you for coming, please come back and see us again see you soon, you know, that piece of it. 

There is the breakdown where we had to put everything away. And then the next level which is looking at the program. What could we have done better? What can how can we improve upon it? Are there things that we might have missed? So there's a lot of different elements that go into a program. I'm sharing all this just to I know I'm getting granular. Sharing all this to give you all a sense of what a program entails and the work that's involved in it. And I think when we're being intentional in looking at resources to involve staff in terms of this process would be important given all that happens. Thank you so much.

Jason Gibbs, retired Librarian, said he noticed over the past few years there is an inflation in the demand to give programming to the point where there is conflicting programming that divides up the audience. He said it used to be typical for a program to have 100 people attend.

The one thing I noticed over the past few years is a great inflation in the demand to give programming to the where there's conflicting programming that where you basically divide up your audience and you don't really get the attendance you want. Early in my career, it was pretty typical to have a program in here where 100 people was normal, often more. Nowadays, you know, it's it's hard to bring in that many people. I think because of just the inflation of activity going on. 

The other thing I'm sort of concerned about is this preference of the experiential versus service. I mean I'm old-fashioned, but to me the job is all about service, about being there to serve the public day in and day out to provide them access to the resources of the library. And it it is a telling thing about the strategic plan and and the discussion of all this like Mr. Warfield said that that the book is left out and I guess it is a four-letter word. 

Because there are still people dedicated to the book and I know the staff is too and there's a way I think to follow up. We used to do programming where we would uintroduce databases, how to search the collection but that has all been deemphasized. So I think that that is a worthy goal. Thank you.

Commission Discussion

Commissioner Calhoun thanked staff for the presentation and asked if on the slide with the patron satisfaction where pretty much everything was green, were there things below the fold there may be rated differently. Randy McClure, Chief Analytics, responded that on the topic of programming this is the complete set of questions. Commissioner Jones said the work was incredible and this is the power of the systems working together to make all the programming come to life. She asked that for the data to separate out adult versus youth in the diagnostics, it would help the team understand where some of the pain points are and feel focused about supporting patrons effectively.

Vice President Huang said he is proud of SFPL programming and congratulated to everyone who has done anything r for a single program and would like to understand the framework by which you consider what better means. President Wolf said it is fascinating to notice that youth programs have been cut in half since, and adult programming has doubled, this is a great shift and asked if it was this intentional and how does staff set goals each year for the kind of balance and the kind of participation they want.

City Librarian said coming out of COVID, they were focused on recovery and the restoration of what they had prepandemic. Michelle Jeffers, Chief of Community Programs and Partnerships (CPP) said hiring after the pandemic, as we were down some children's librarians, took some tome to get fully staffed up and adult attendance does reflect online programs, which we don't see kids coming to online programs.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 4 CITY LIBRIARIAN’S REPORT

Jess Ouyang and Sachiko Iwabuchi, CPP presented highlights of Weaving Stories: Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage month including curated book lists that connect patrons to library materials, the Asian Pacific Islander American a (APIA) biography project, which includes educating the public about APIA Americans and a website created for K- 12 students and a Sake and Shochu event in partnership with the Consulate- General of Japan. Ruben Balderas, CPP, presented Dia de los Ninos/Dia de los Libros 2025, a celebration of children and books. The first Dia event was held in 1999 and each year since then organizers continue to volunteer time and resources to champion and promote literacy and unite families of all cultures through a community-based child center event. They gave away a thousand children's books in English and Spanish, the annual celebration has distributed over 25,000 multilingual books in the community.

Michelle Jeffers gave highlights from the Jewish American Heritage Month, a new program started this month. Jeffers said this heritage needs to be celebrated in San Francisco and that the Jewish community has been instrumental in this city since gold rush days. The celebrations included a series of family programs, author talks, concerts and workshops.

Public Comment

Peter Warfield said he was glad to hear about programming that included books.

Commission Discussion

Commissioner Calhoun said he agrees that there is a lack of programming around Jewish heritage and asked what kinds of questions they asked about impact as they were putting that programming. Jeffers said they talked to partners before planning any programs to identify what was missing and they are working with a pro bono consultant to bring in more questioning and more evaluation of the programs. City Librarian Lambert said through Vision 2030 and implementing our new strategic plan, part of that process for the upcoming fiscal year is to develop criteria to assess programs success and what to sunset. President Connie Wolf said the public programs are at the core of who the library is in reaching community partnerships and every program is free and accessible.

PRESIDENT WOLF ADJOURNED THE MEETING at 6:01 PM

Margot Shaub, Commission Affairs Analyst

Success and Strategic Planning - March 21, 2024

Commissioner Susan Mall:

Where are the measurable outcomes? How are we to judge what's happening and if it's if this is successful?

City Librarian Michael Lambert: 

The overriding outcome that we currently strive to achieve will remain the same and that is our resident satisfaction with our services.

Skeptical Commissioner Susan Mall on Strategic Plan - January 18, 2024

Commissioner Susan Mall:

Well, for fear of being thrown off the dais here...

Commissioner Jarie Bolander (off-mic):

I don't think we would do that. I mean it would be very frowned upon.

Commissioner Susan Mall:

It would be frowned upon. 

Commissioner Jarie Bolander:

We're respectful here. 

Commissioner Susan Mall:

Okay, well, I'm very respectful of the work that you've all done and I'm especially respectful of the work the staff has done, period. 

However I was a skeptic going in and I'm still a skeptic, just saying so. 

For my understanding, this is like twelve things too many. I don't understand why there has to be the outer circle, the under circle and then the circle in the middle. 

 
I think it's, you know, you, you covered every little thing the library does. I don't think that's necessary myself. 

I'd much rather see a more focused streamlined elevator pitch, if you will, description of what the plan for the library is 

Some of the language I'm dead set against, like the amplified joy and wonder. Sorry, but it just, it just screams at me that this is - I hate to use the word - silly but, I don't think it reflects the ...  I think people, yes, they feel joy when they're in the library of course and reading. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing more joyful than reading a great book, frankly. But I think you've expressed that in other areas here. 

The thing that I'm a little disappointed in - that I'm a lot disappointed in - is the things that you use as examples I think are wonderful. The, you know, the information about navigating the neighborhood, the Innovation Hub, the Teen Mental Health Center. I wouldn't even put the Jay-Z exhibit I because that is a oneoff that we can't even replicate here.Sso I wouldn't even, I mean, of course that's fantastic. 

But, the Early Childhood Hub the new immigrant Center, I mean, yes,  these are all wonderful ideas but unless we have a different physical plant, especially right here, it's going to be very hard to implement any of these. 

I think I've mentioned on the commission that I've visited some libraries in Europe last summer where they have all these comfy chairs and I mean everything looks like a living room and you just want to you know sit down and get comfy with your neighbors and your community.

I mean you can barely find a chair to sit in in this Library um and nonetheless a comfortable chair. But I think that many of these ideas, just don't line up with the facts on the ground.  I might have more but those are my initial thoughts.

San Francisco Public Library Commission January 18, 2024 meeting

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY COMMISSION
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of JANUARY 18, 2024
The San Francisco Public Library Commission held a regular meeting JANUARY 18, 2024, virtually and at the Koret Auditorium, Main Library.
The SFPLCommission meeting was called to order at 4:30 PM.
Commissioners Present: Wolf, Huang, Ono, Mall, Lopez and Bolander.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 1 GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT

Peter Warfield Executive Director of Library Users Association Libraryusers2004@yahoo.com, PO Box 170544, San Francisco California 94117, said why he gives his contact information.

Glen Rogers, Landscape Architect, said he sent the Commission an article regarding the Oceanview Library and what he believes to be a better location, the IT Berkman Center, and that the Orizaba sight location is unsafe.

Michael-Vincent D’Anella-Mercanti of Friends of the San Francisco Public Library Foundation said Friends smashed their fundraising goals, brought on many new donors to support the Library and they are excited to start 2024 on that note. Friends is hosting its legacy Stong breakfast for people who have entrusted them with personal legacies. They plan to continue to host the Friends Lounge for Night of Ideas. He said they are in full support of the Strategic Planning Initiative and budget process.

AGENDA ITEM NO.2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES – DECEMBER 14, 2023

Public Comment

Peter Warfield said the minutes are deficient and continue systematically to exclude his comments about the toxicity of social media.

Commission Discussion

Motion: By Vice President HUANG seconded by Commissioner LOPEZ to approve the DECEMBER 2023 Minutes. Action: AYES 6-0 (Wolf, Huang, Ono, Mall, Lopez and Bolander)

AGENDA ITEM NO. 3 STRATEGIC PLANNING UPDATE

Gensler Senior Associate, Midori Mizuhara shared the core components of the draft Strategic Planning Process and asked for feedback from Commissioners on clarity of purpose and desired community outcomes. Mizuhara presented the draft Vision of “A Democratic, equitable and vibrant San Francisco for everyone”; draft Mission “Connect our diverse communities to learning, opportunities and each other”; and draft Values of “well-being, equity, community, collaboration and exploration.” The SPI strategic priorities are Literacy Champion, Cultural Amplifier, Community Catalyzer, Thoughtful Navigator and Resource Provider. Mizuhara said to achieve Vision, Mission, Values and Strategic Priorities the organization will undergo shifts in the service model.

 
Public Comment

 
Marciel Gamino Murphy, SFPL Meeting Room Coordinator, said she was incredibly grateful to have been recognized as an ambassador this past year and have the opportunity to participate in the Strategic Planning Process, to collectively understand the direction of the organization and the ambitious goals and objectives they aspire to achieve. Gamino said the inclusivity of everyone in this process fosters a sense of accountability among all to feel deeply connected to the organization mission.

Peter Warfield said he found the plan very problematic and the Library’s existing mission statement is a very nice one, he did not see what was wrong with free and equal access to a variety of things including joys of reading for the diverse community. The Library’s traditional role has always been the education, enlightenment, and entertainment through its collections, which is one of its strongest assets.

Commission Discussion

Vice President Pete Huang thanked the many people for all of their input and work on the Strategic Planning Initiative (SPI) this past year. He said when they started this process, he did not know the last time they updated it was 1996, and this is the right time to do this work. This plan represents so much clarity in what the Library means to patrons, and their experience with the it, the fantastic programs like giving away free books at community events and helping the recently incarcerated enter their post incarceration lives. Huang said that word ‘connect’ shows up so much in this plan because it acknowledges perhaps, for the first time, that this is the reality of the changing natures of libraries across the country and the Library is changing its service model to be in place, where fifteen years ago, that we would not have possible. He said he is excited about the implementation of the SPI, and what they’ll do when they fully recognize the intentionality of the plan.

Commissioner Mall said she is very respectful of the work that has been done and the work of the staff, however she is a skeptic. From her perspective, there are too many things, and she does not understand or think it is necessary to cover everything the Library does and would rather see a more focused streamlined, elevator pitch description of what the plan for the Library is. Mall said she is against some of the language like Amplified Joy and Wonder and the examples given are wonderful, but unless they have a different physical plan, especially right here, it’s very hard to implement any of these.

President Wolf said part of the challenge is to align what they have and these ambitions as part of the movement going forward how do we make that happen.

Vice President Huang said if they don't put aspirational examples, does that end up preventing people from even trying in the first place, he would love for people to try and if they don't get there fine, but it will be work and trade offs, and different ideas or modifications that don't feel like the original inspiration because they are forced to match the dream with what we have, but he would rather try than not.

Commissioner Mall said she is all for aspirational but which of these many things is the priority.
Vice President Huang responded that the SPI gives them a framework to decide amongst a list of projects.

City Librarian Michael Lambert said when they started this the aspiration was to dream big and to develop a bold vision for the future of the Library and that the framework they will then be operating under, is different but not too dissimilar, the biggest change is incorporating this new dimension of internal organizational shifts. The Library has five updated strategic priorities, and the organizational shifts are more internal.

Commissioner Ono asked if the current budget is based on the old strategic priorities and going forward will it be using these new five strategic priorities to build the future budgets and in March will they be changing the Mission and voting on that.

Lambert said that is correct and in March the Commission will vote on the updated Bylaws, which will incorporate the updated mission. Regarding facilities, the reality is they were designed with a different sensibility.

Chief Operating Officer, Maureen Singleton said the next step is a facilities master plan and to do that they need to understand what the service model is for thinking about and trying to achieve how current facilities meet or not that ability.

Mall asked for the goal for facilities changes be included in the strategic plan and if the staff signed off on the Strategic Planning Priorities.

Lambert said the next iteration of the SPI will include information about facilities planning and staff has had the opportunity, throughout, to provide feedback and they will also present this information to the Commission this spring.

Commissioner Lopez thanked the 32 Ambassadors and the team for their work and prefers the language amplify wonder because joy is subjective, it is what they hope the patrons feel but many times the Library serves as a place for non-joyful things and what comes after in the SPI is up to everybody, they need to act on and hold everyone accountable.

President Wolf said the language Spark Curiosity was strong and felt more grounded versus the joy issue. Commissioner Bolander said this is the vision to the promised land and in 20 years they will get there, it takes a lot of effort and one of the things he likes is about trying to visualize it this way. He said the biggest challenge any strategic plan is alignment throughout the entire organization, and he likes the idea of having a big idea of what this is an elevator pitch that encapsulates and goes beyond the vision, mission, and values, brings it to life in a way, that anyone anywhere at any level of the organization can repeat. And the language for amplifying joy and wonder, he thought was from the staff not the patron perspective.

Mall said staff safety is a priority, they can’t be joyful if they are scared to death.

Lambert said this plan was co-created with staff, a bottom-up model and when he when he sees amplified Joy and Wonder, it is from a service model standpoint where every public facing staff member, every staff member, in the organization is an ambassador for the organization.
Michelle Jeffers, Chief of Community Programs and Partnership said staff needs to hear this language and it needs to be one of the foundational statements of what the organization is or it will go by the wayside, it is easy to get caught up in all the important things they do, teaching people computer skills, helping them with re-entry and giving incarcerated individuals books. Staff want them to know that when they come to the Library, they will feel joy.

President Wolf said there is a disconnect between this idea and the language on the page. There are 900 people who are employed at the San Francisco Public Library, over half of the budget is to support those people and they do have an investment to make sure the staff is joyful in their experiences, that is critical. Commissioner Mall said all the Commissioners want people to feel satisfied and happy in their jobs. Gensler said this was a draft, which they will refine, and they appreciated all the comments. They will go back to the drawing board on some issues and have a new iteration soon.

President Wolf thanked the Commissioners for the robust discussion and said the San Francisco Public Library is a leader, they can't forget the leadership role in their communities and around the world, if they do not take that stance of being bold, taking the leap forward and taking a few risks, they are not serving the community. Wolf said, it's providing services but also being very San Franciscan and being bold and forward thinking.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 4 FY 25-26 BUDGET

Chief Financial Officer, Mike Hernandez gave an update on the FY 25 & 26 Budget, including the budget process calendar and the Mayor’s budget instructions, which included the prioritization of improved public safety and street conditions, economic recovery, reduce homelessness, transform mental health services, further prepare for weakening economic outlook and no new positions. Hernandez said the Library Preservation Fund estimates $0.4 million more than the FY25 adopted budget and expects a 2.2% increase next year. FY 25 & 26 budget priorities include Partnerships for Excellence, Literacy and Learning, Youth Engagement, Organizational Excellence, Digital Strategies and Facilities Maintenance and Infrastructure. Through January they will continue to refine the budget proposal and the Commission will approve the budget in February.
Public Comment

Peter Warfield said he hopes the Library is still following the existing budget priorities and many of the goals mentioned including joy and some of the others and about equity, free equal access, e-books, and paper books, and e-books are not the same, they don’t have the features on the flaps about the book itself and the author, the quotes in the endorsements and so on. They are not accessible to folks who have less or no access to computers.

Commission Discussion

Vice President Huang asked about the investments in the JARS patrons, the per person spending seemed high and when the issue comes up again, he would like to see more data. Shellie Cocking, Chief of Collections said there are 800 beds not patrons in the system, so they might support three people using a bed over a month. It is a new program, four months, they are still assessing costs per month.

Commissioner Lopez asked about the grant that funds the program.

City Librarian Lambert said the grants funds 3 FT temporary staff positions.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 5 CITY LIBRARIANS REPORT

Anissa Malady, Adult Engagement Coordinator, presented 2024 One City One Book selection, “The Chinese Groove”, by Kathryn Ma, and said there will be an author conversation on May 4, 2024 at the Main Library. Malady said this is the 18th One City One Book San Francisco Reads.

Shawna Sherman, African American Program Manager, African American Center outlined More Than Month: Black History Culture & Heritage programs events and authors, including Music is First! Band performance by Bryan Dyer and Sareen Poonenn Levien at the Parkside and Richmond Branches, Artist Charles Dabor Creating Collage Art event and the On the Same Page selection of On the Rooftop by Margaret Wilkinson Sexton.

Public Comment

Peter Warfield said it’s always terrific to hear about programs and what resources there are, and he wished databases were on the Agenda.

Commission Discussion

President Wolf said she and Commissioner Mall both love serving on the One City One Book, and they have started already for next year. Wolf encouraged everyone to read the book and attend the May 4th event.

Commissioner Ono said she read the Chinese Groove, it is amazing and More Than a Month, an entire year of what the Library does with African American black history month, she really enjoys the innovative programming.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 6 ADJOURNMENTOF THE JANUARY 18, 2024 COMMISSION MEETING

Public Comment

Peter Warfield said the Commission should have an item on its Agenda at the end of the meeting for future agenda items that they would like to see on the agenda and asked about what is measured when the Library mentions circulation, he hears how popular e-books are but is concerned there is a thumb on the scale to make those numbers look bigger.

A Public Commenter said this was their first time ever doing this, thanked the Commission for being so open about this and being very precise in what they say and how they discuss, allowing everyone to voice their opinion and they were glad they came today.

Commission Discussion

Motion: By Commissioner MALL seconded by Commissioner ONO to adjourn the meeting.

Action: AYES 6-0 (Wolf, Huang, Ono, Mall, Lopez and Bolander)

The meeting adjourned at 6:25 PM

Margot Shaub, Commission Affairs Analyst

Thoughtful Navigator - only a euphemism?

Jason Gibbs - comment at the March 19, 2026 Mid-Year Progress Report

I long had trouble conceptualizing the euphemism "Thoughtful Navigator." So I turned to AI and got a very inspiring answer from Grok. Here's a long quote. 

It's someone who treats navigation as an ethical and intellectual practice rather than a mechanical task. They plan rigorously but remain flexible. The map is not the territory. Anticipate ripple effects. What happens two steps or two decades downstream. 

Listen to the environment and to other people instead of imposing a preconceived route. 

Find beauty and meeting in the process itself, not just in arrival. 

You see this quality in the quiet sailor who double-checks the log at 3:00 a.m., the leader who asks, "What are we missing?" before committing a team, the parent who guides a child without controlling them, or the researcher who follows curiosity wherever it leads while still keeping the bigger question in view. 

In short, to be a thoughtful navigator is to steer, not by force or fear, but by attentive presence. It is the art of moving wisely when no one else can see the full picture yet. 

Vision 2030 purports to apply this to a library service, but it should apply even more toward leadership culture of the San Francisco Public Library where everything is top down. Everything is very siloed. They wallow in numbers. Big numbers good, small numbers bad. And in fact, they only know staff and their contributions through numbers. And of course, nobody ever considers the possibility of the future harm their visions may cause. 

Moving to one of the specifics in the Vision 2030 report, there was a mention of training. The staff training and development committee Stadcom [The Staff Development Committee] has been in hibernation for a while. It consists of a chair and nobody else. There's apparently no funding for staff to attend workshops or sessions at conferences. The library cannot provide coverage to staff to attend the trainings they want within the library and city or even provide adequate time to take online or pre-recorded training. 

So staff asks, they continue to ask, "How can the library support us in attending professional conferences and taking professional level workshops so we can stay informed and relevant?" They also don't understand what it means when you report says of staff development projects that "two are in flight and two are completed." 

It's actually rather kind of traumatizing to some of us to hear in the building-in-flight because during our service as Disaster Service Workers, we were constantly being told that we were building the airplane as we were flying it. And what that meant is we were in the middle of a huge, confusing anxiety producing mess. 

But the library is not in a disaster emergency. It has had established systems that worked and these have been replaced only by a vision. 

Jason Gibbs' statement on Library Commission violation of the Sunshine Ordinance and Censorship by the San Francisco Public Library

Transcript of Public Comment at the March 19, 2026 meeting

During your December 2025 meeting I tried to prevail upon the members of this body to follow their bylaws and allow the stipulated up to 3 minutes of public comment. I realize that not all of you sat on the commission then. Since you ignored my request I appealed to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force on this matter. I learned a great deal during this process including that the 3 minute language is part of the Brown Act enshrined in the Sunshine Ordinance and is part of the City’s administrative code. That’s why your bylaws contain this language and why you can’t vote to change it.

On March 4, 2026 I prevailed - File No. 26015: Complaint filed by Jason Gibbs against the San Francisco Library Commission for allegedly violating Administrative Code (Sunshine Ordinance), Section(s) 67.15, by failing to allow public comment for up to three minutes. The Commission analyst ably defended you in this instance, but there wasn’t much she could do because your action was indefensible. It was illegal.

I refer to this as “your action” because the Library Commission was the named party in the matter, but it might be more unsavory than that. You never acted on this matter. Any change in public comment time must be made at the sole discretion of the Commission’s presiding officer on a meeting by meeting basis not by an administrative analyst. Any of you could have questioned the library’s actions yet you let it continue for 13 consecutive meetings.

In January 2025 at the outset of this illegal practice the administrative analyst only said that “leadership decided.” Who was leading? Is the Library Commission the passive proxy of the Library’s administration? I ask you to carefully ask yourselves that. You all have impressive life and work experience and are very worthy of serving on the commission. I have heard moments of brilliant insight in your discussions at meetings. You are very smart people and I’m sure you want to do what is right.

The Administrative Code states that you are here to serve the public’s interest. You are a governance body that “provides oversight and direction” to the work of the Library. You represent the people out here and many more people you cannot see who use the library. You don’t represent the people seated at the far ends of the table.

As representatives of the government you suppressed legally guaranteed speech. Isn’t that called censorship? I cannot imagine you that consciously desired to censor, yet you continued to do so for more than a year. The administrative code also states:

“The willful failure of any elected official, department head, or other managerial city employee to discharge any duties imposed by the Sunshine Ordinance, the Brown Act or the Public Records Act shall be deemed official misconduct.”

Please put the public first.

San Francisco Public Library Commission March 19, 2026 meeting

San Francisco Public Library Commission
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of March 19, 2026
The SFPL Commission meeting was called to order at 4:30 PM

Meeting opened following the Ramaytush Ohlone land acknowledgement.

Commissioners Present: President Calhoun, Vice President Jones, Commissioner Huang, Commissioner Lopez, Commissioner Bolander, Commissioner Kenaston, Commissioner Menon.

Staff presenters / participants: Margot Shaub (Commission Affairs Analyst); City Librarian Michael Lambert; Chief of Public Services Dolly Goyal; Chief Analytics Officer Randy McClure; Youth Services Manager Ileana Poulou; Hai Ching Chen (Chinese Center Program Manager); Sachiko Iwibuchi (Japanese Language Librarian).

AGENDA ITEM NO. 1 GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT

Jason Gibbs, retired librarian, reported prevailing at the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force (File No. 26015) requiring three minutes public comment; criticized past two-minute limits and urged the Commission to prioritize public oversight and free speech obligations under the Brown Act/Sunshine Ordinance.

Citizen Summary:

During your December 2025 meeting I tried to prevail upon the Commission to follow their bylaws and allow 3 minute public comment. Unsuccessful here, I appealed to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force. On March 4, 2026 I prevailed in “File No. 26015: Complaint filed by Jason Gibbs against the San Francisco Library Commission for allegedly violating Administrative Code (Sunshine Ordinance), Section(s) 67.15, by failing to allow public comment for up to three minutes.” While the Commission was the named party in the matter you visibly never acted on this matter and allowed it to continue for 13 consecutive meetings even after being warned that it was improper. The Administrative Code states that the commission exists to serve the public’s interest. It are a governance body that “provides oversight and direction” to the work of the Library and should represent the public and not library leadership. 

Anonymous citizen accused the Commission of “elitism” and questioned unannounced changes in comment time 2 to 3 minutes and warned against serial meetings; urged respect for democratic process.

Citizen Summary:

General Public Comment Anonymous commenter said stop the hate, stop the ignorance, don’t give money to or accept money from the Friends of the Library. I came in February of 2025 to commemorate the fifty-year anniversary of my attendance at Library Commission meetings. I was so “horrified,” that I forgot to mention it. The institution is “Public” “Library.” Yet, anti-intellectual elitist are appointed Library Commissioners. Real elitism would be based on positive elements. Demeaning and denigrating the public to establish elitism demonstrates how thin commissioner’s elitism really is. Commissioners who cared would encourage even the less elite public. You granted three minutes of public comment on the agenda without any reference to who did it or why. Reduction to two minutes in January 2025, was also without rationalization. You are totally neglectful and oblivious to responsibility, or you have illegal seriatim meeting to make secret decisions. Respect for democracy would recognize both as equally bad. 

Peter Warfield, Executive Director of Library Users Association Libraryusers2004@protonmail.com, PO Box 170544, San Francisco California 94117-0544 faulted lack of clear announcement of 3-minute change; cited prior interruptions and minutesthat incompletely or misleadingly summarize public comments; raised concerns about AI/social media risks and privacy.

Kate Lazarus, Board, Friends of the Public Library, updated on the Mission/Chinatown remodels; Friends advocacy to restore $3.2M to the California Library Services Act; ongoing charter reform monitoring with no proposed changes to the Library Preservation Fund.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 2 APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 12, 2026 MINUTES

Public Comment

Anonymous citizen argued drafts misrepresent/omit significant portions of prior remarks (e.g., Lynn Davidson, Peter Warfield, Jason Gibbs) and omitted Ruben Juarez entirely; urged accurate, complete minutes.

Citizen summary:

Anonymous commenter said stop the hate, stop the ignorance don’t give money to or accept money from the Friends of the Library. The City Librarian described new commissioners with comments of “millions of dollars in political giving” and “wealth management leader.” Qualifications as library commissioners would be included in the minutes. Item No. 1, Lyn Davidson’s first ten seconds are summarized. Omitting her emphasizing the role of labor is a gross misrepresentation. Peter Warfield also summarized for the first ten seconds. Omitting his point that this Commission was deliberately neglecting the important violations of privacy is a gross misrepresentation. Jason Gibbs was summarized for a minute, management’s failure to provide follow-up was not included. Ruben Juarez followed Jason Gibbs reinforcing the importance of accurate data. With no convenient way to misrepresent him, you just left him out Just erased him. Was there not a single comment from any commissioners under the budget discussion. 

 
Jason Gibbs requested explicitly including Ruben Juarez’s comments in the minutes.

Peter Warfield detailed substantive points he felt were missing (privacy audit; whistleblower Frances Haugen testimony; Surgeon General concerns; risks of uncritical social media promotion) and asked for accurate attribution of his email address and comments.

Commission Discussion

 
Commissioners proposed returning the minutes for revision rather than approving language absent exact corrections; suggestion review and bring back to April Commission meeting.

Motion: Motion by Commissioner JONES to bring back the February 12, 2026 minutes to the next meeting; seconded by Commissioner LOPEZ
Action: AYES 7-0 (Calhoun, Jones, Huang, Lopez, Bolander, Menon and Kenaston

AGENDA ITEM NO.3 VISION2030 MID-YEAR PROGRESS REPORT

Dolly Goyal, Chief of Public Services, presented Vision 2030 Mide Year Progress Report

Public Comment
Anonymous commenter criticized perceived “elitism,” questioned “right-sizing” as euphemism for book dumping; argued for preserving literacy and culture.

Citizen summary:

Anonymous commenter said stop the hate, stop the ignorance, don’t give money to or accept money from the Friends of the Library. My goodness! Did anyone understand that? Will this item appear in the minutes as a Powerpoint only without any of the staff’s presentation or any of your questions as last month’s budget discussion did? You are desperate to establish your elitism but your anti-intellectualism is unquestioned. Something called “right-sizing the collection” is now being blamed on the pandemic? Can that be anything but another euphemism for book dumping? This once prime research library has become an expensive alternative for Netflix. Will the public’s cherishing can be extended through college. You look for popularity rather than value. People will recognize that. You are abandoning literacy, intellect, culture and learning for what is popular. 

 
Youth Advisory Board intern advocated for continued investment in teen spaces across districts for safety,study, and social connection.

 
Peter Warfield warned of “de-bookification,” challenged “misalignment” rationale, and raised concerns about electronic-only titles and long holds; urged caution about social media and AI harms to youth.

 
Jason Gibbs offered an extended reflection on “thoughtful navigator” ideals, questioned training resourcing and asked for support for staff professional development time/funding.

 
Commission Discussion

 
Commissioner Menon asked about YAB–nonprofit connections; Poulou described first-year environmental scan, partnerships, teen-led program design, branch evaluations, outreach, and field trips (e.g., SF State).

Commissioner Huang pressed for visibility into data & analytics, workforce culture, and systems/operations; staff previewed patron churn analysis, equity zone mapping, HR initiatives (employee shout-outs; standard training).

Commissioner Jones encouraged organizing KPIs under thematic micro-pillars (e.g., celebration & collaboration) and blending quantitative and qualitative feedback; suggested an “engagement model” lens for CTS relabeling outcomes.

Commissioner Lopez requested clearer visuals distinguishing completed vs. active work and mapping projects to Vision 2030 goals; asked detailed questions on YAB selection/process/roles and K2C partnership responsibilities.

Commissioner Bolander praised the difficult culture shift toward outcomes/OKRs; asked for clearer visual reporting; staff emphasized accessibility work and cross-department learning.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 4 PUBLIC SERVICES PERFOMANCE MEASURES MID YEAR REPORT
Randle McClure, Chief RSA, presented Public Services Performance Measures Mid-Year Report

Public Comment

Anonymous Commenter Anonymous urged fuller minutes that capture cross-item overlap and substantive Commission discussions. 

Citizen Summary:

Library Commission President introduces public comment with the implied threat that the relevance of our comments might be narrowly construed and ruled out of order. Really? Don’t all of these issues overlap with each other? At the last meeting you had very crucial comments about the budget, particularly Commissioner Jones, that you should be reminded of. The previous item on the mid-year report pointed out that you should pay attention to details, note how things work, be thoughtful and accessible. Will that discussion be reflected in the minutes? Will you take that to heart? You have been dumbing down yourselves persistently. In this crucial transition in library service we need to be thoughtful. It is about the role of the library, not patron satisfaction. You should be open to all public comment. 

Jason Gibbs asked whether e-resource usage is reflected in active card status praised circulation gains as evidence of effective “rightsizing.”

 
Peter Warfield questioned survey methodology online-only sampling, noted hours consistently lowest, critiqued definitions, and asked about measures like visits per open hour.

 
Commission Discussion

Bolander asked for action plans to lift the bottom-three satisfaction areas(hours, website, programs). City Librarian Lambert contrasted SFPL 52.1 hours vs. national 41.9; reaffirmed all branches 7 days/week; next Open Hours Assessment in 2028.

McClure flagged DOJ ADA web requirements and the need to rethink the website for digital-native access over the next 3–5 years.

Huang explored Wi-Fi decline hypotheses, connectivity improvements, building factors.

Jones suggested benchmarking peer libraries and target-setting; posited a possible “analog third-space” trend where patrons choose books/conversation over Wi-Fi.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 5 CITY LIBRARIAN’S REPORT

Hai Ching Chen, Chinese Center Program Manager, recapped Lunar New Year programming.

Sachiko Iwibuchi, Main Librarian, highlighted the screening of “Paper Lanterns.”

City Librarian Michael Lambert reported collaboration with the Consulate General of Kazakhstan.

Public Comment

Peter Warfield praised the Kazakh concert but criticized perceived selectivity in event publicity, asking for better onsite print communications.

Commission Discussion

Menon asked how programming is strategized acrossthe year and the best waysfor the public to learn about offerings. Lambert cited the At The Library (ATL) monthly newsletter, flyers, website, and mobile app; acknowledged robust attendance and room for improvement; emphasized co-creation with partners and volume 15,000 programs/year. 

THE MEETING ADJOURNED at 6:37 PM