SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY COMMISSION
Minutes of theRegular Meeting of DECEMBER 18, 2025
The San Francisco Public Library Commission held a regular meeting DECEMBER 18, 2025, atthe Koret Auditorium, Main
Library and virtually on Zoom.
The SFPLCommissionmeeting was called to order at 4:30 PM.
Commissioners Present: Wolf, Huang, Lomax Ghirarduzzi, Lopez, Bolander, Jones and Calhoun.
President Wolf presented the ancestral homeland acknowledgement ofthe Ramaytush Ohlone.
AGENDA ITEM NO. 1 GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
Public Comment
Peter Warfield, Executive Director of Library Users Association: Libraryusers2004@protonmail.com, PO Box 170544,
San Francisco California 94117-0544, said the author talk was the fullest he has ever seen it, there was a lot of interest
and he got a clear impression from the author of the book; she was not neutral about AI.
Emily Garvie, Executive Director, Friends of the Library: congratulated the Library for the One City One Book
program and said the Friends is wrapping up its Annual Fund appeal and Mission Branch renovation campaign is in
the home stretch.
Nicky: said Public Comment is perfunctory and he is not supportive of AI or the Library promoting it.
Jason Gibbs, former SFPL Librarian: Coming to these meetings again, I sometimes feel a little bit like a Rip Van Winkle. I
actively participated in Commission meetings in the early 1990s. It may seem quaint now, but back then we opened
the meetings by standing up, placing our hands over our hearts, facing the flag in the Lurie Room in the old building
(yes, that Lurie family), and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. This gesture of solidarity between commissioners and the
public took 15 seconds.
Out of curiosity, I recently had the notion to research the evolution of the Bylaws of the
Library Commission—particularly concerning public comment. One statement has remained constant in the bylaws:
“The Commission shall hold meetings open to the public and encourage the participation of interested persons.”
Attending these past few meetings, I have seen that each of you is accomplished, intelligent, dedicated, and attentive,
and truly wants to support the library and its users. I hope you would assume that the “interested persons” who
attend these meetings share your outlook. There is always a barrier of sorts between the public and government, and
the exhortation to “encourage participation” is the way to lower that barrier. In the early 1990s, when I began
attending meetings, the bylaws stated no time limit for public comment. By the mid-1990s, the Commission adopted a
4-minute time limit, which by the end of the decade dropped to 3 minutes. In March 2024, the Commission acted to
amend the Bylaws. Four present members cast votes to do so. The current amended Bylaws continue to state that
each member of the public can address the Commission “for up to three minutes.”
The Bylaws are a legal document
vetted by the City Attorney’s office. Every meeting I have attended, the Commission has violated its own bylaws—
bylaws that current commissioners approved. If you cut me off before 3 minutes have transpired, you are violating
your own rules. You must either follow your bylaws or amend them. The public should learn your rationale for limiting
public participation. If you amend the bylaws to shorten the time limit, you could also amend the statement about
encouraging participation. But I cannot believe that you really want to discourage participation. The people who stand
on this side of the microphone are not enemies of the library or of the Commission. Everyone here supports the San
Francisco Public Library.
AGENDA ITEMNO. 2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES – NOVEMBER 20, 2025
Peter Warfield said he is concerned about the Library’s continual shrinking of privacy of the patrons, and he
commented on a variety of other issues.
Jason Gibbs said there have been complaints of the minutes of the meetings have been brief and he looked up in the
city charter what are required of minutes. Public comment 67.16 says that a summary of each statement should be
included, that varies from one line to 5 lines. I don't know that is being violated here.
Commission Discussion
Motion: Motion by Commissioner LOMAX GHIRARDUZZI to approve the minutes with three changes seconded by
Commissioner LOPEZ to approve the NOVEMBER 20, 2025, Commission Minutes.
Action: AYES 7-0 (Wolf, Huang, Lomax Ghirarduzzi, Lopez, Bolander, Jones and Calhoun)
AGENDA ITEM NO.3 FYS 2027 & 2028 ANNUAL BUDGET
Mike Fernandez, CFO, presented an overview of FYs 2027 & 2028 Budget Priorities including the three phases of the
Budget process, the Budget calendar, how the priorities align with Vision 2030, the Budget environment and revenue
outlook.
Public Comment
Jason Gibbs said the presentation was great, page 14 is interesting, and is curious about services of other departments,
how that works and asked for cost savings breakdown and where the zero number for equipment came from.
Peter Warfield said he was stunned by $8 million in the category of community programs and partnerships and
remember when they broke 1 million and they were amazed by that and asked about improving access to print of all
kinds including improvements in the catalog and the speed with which print arrives.
Commission Discussion
Commissioner Bolander said there is a2.5 million delta between the approved budget and the estimate, the funding
seems worse than last year.
Fernandez said they are seeing at the end of the last year there was a lot of momentum over there and all indications
that it will continue. A lot of larger events are happening in the city and the surrounding areas that are onetime events
that would indicate a good reason for positive outlook.
Vice President Huang asked what numbers on slide 15 could potentially change next time.
Fernandez said 27 through 29 will get revised as they get new information.
Commissioner Calhoun asked about the delta between full employment and actual employment. Where would they see
that in the presentation.
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4 CITY LIBRARIAN’S REPORT
Michelle Jeffers, Chief of Community Programs and Partnerships, presented on the SF Drag Laureate and the Drag
Story's 10th Anniversary. The 2025 Drag Laureate, Per Sia, was the first reader to perform a Drag Queen Story Hour a
decade ago. They hosted the 10th Anniversary celebration at the Main Library, which included multiple story hours
happening throughout the day, a parade through the building, crafts, play, food, and fun.
Ten years ago, the City Librarian and Deputy recognized the importance of delivering and celebrating this community
with an innovative and inclusive idea that was brought to the Library by Radar Productions. The Library does this
because Drag Queen Story Hour sparks imagination and serves audiences with joyful, glamorous, and proudly queer
role models. Kids are particularly able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions, and they can be their authentic
selves.
City Librarian Michael Lambert reported on his trip to Taiwan at the invitation of the National Taiwan University Dean
of the School of Learning and the Graduate Institute of Library and Information Studies. He served as the keynote
speaker for the Library Association of the Republic of China (Taiwan) conference and visited many of the newly
constructed and most innovative libraries in Taiwan, which are far ahead of SFPL. The reason they invited SFPL is
because of how our libraries operate as social infrastructure—anchoring our communities, fostering shared
experiences to bring our community together, encouraging civic engagement, amplifying culture, and celebrating
diversity.
Public Comment
Peter Warfield said he wondered how books are pushed out from a vending machine device and asked where people
browse the books, noting that's one of the ways people find materials of interest.
Jason Gibbs said he had the opportunity to go to National Taiwan University to present a paper, though he never made
it into the library. He noted that Taiwan is a very impressive society and that they do not have some of the societal
problems that we experience here in terms of its public. It is a very different society.
Commission Discussion
Commissioner Lopez congratulated Jeffers, noting that this work is challenging. She stated that Jeffers does a great
job, does not give up, and keeps pushing; her initiative in dealing with everything the process entails is not easy, as
there are people in this world who do not have an open mind. She also thanked the City Librarian for representing the
San Francisco Public Library across continents, noting it is inspiring to learn what other libraries are doing.
Commissioner Calhoun said the ten years of history is remarkable and asked where that history lives.
Jeffers stated that the Hormel Center is the keeper of that history.
Commissioner Lomax Ghirarduzzi said Jeffers was the best in the nation, noting that no one does community work like
her.
Commissioner Jones said it was incredible what Jeffers does during these moments where the Library is making
history. As the budget gets leaner, he asked how one doubles down and leans into history-making moments—focusing
on being the best at a few things versus doing many things. He also wondered about the role of merchandise when
celebrating these milestones. Commissioner Jones thanked Lambert for showing them incredible libraries across the
world, noting it pushes the Commission forward.
AGENDAITEM NO. 5 2026 COMMISSION MEETING CALENDAR
Public Comment
Peter Warfield stated that cutting the second meeting in February is a pity and noted that there is no break in the
summertime.
Commission Discussion
Motion: Motion by Vice President HUANG to approve the 2026 Commission Meeting Calendar seconded by
Commissioner CALHOUN.
Action: AYES 7-0 (Wolf, Huang, Lomax Ghirarduzzi, Lopez, Bolander, Jones and Calhoun)
AGENDAITEM NO. 6 ELECTION OF 2026 OFFICERS
Public Comment
Peter Warfield stated that it is a pity the Commission does not have nominations prior to public comment, as this
requires members of the public to address everyone generally rather than speaking to specific nominees.
Commission Discussion
Commissioner Lopez nominated President Wolf to be the 2026 Commission President, which Wolf accepted.
Action: AYES 7-0 (Wolf, Huang, Lomax Ghirarduzzi, Lopez, Bolander, Jones and Calhoun)
Vice President Huang thanked the Commission for the opportunity to serve and nominated Commissioner Calhoun as
the 2026 Vice President; the nomination was accepted by Calhoun.
Action: AYES 7-0 (Wolf, Huang, Lomax Ghirarduzzi, Lopez, Bolander, Jones and Calhoun)
THE MEETING ADJOURNED at 6:23 PM
Margot Shaub, Commission Affairs Analyst
Commission Affairs Analyst, Main Library, San Francisco, CA 94102-4733
