The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2025-07-23; Library Board of Trustees; 01; Library Reports for May and June 2025Meeting Date: July 23, 2025 To: Library Board of Trustees From: Andrea Hilliard, Principal Librarian Staff Contact: Andrea Hilliard, Principal Librarian andrea.hilliard@carlabadca.gov, 442-339-2041 Subject: Library Reports for May and June 2025 District: All Recommended Action Receive the Narrative Reports and Statistical Reports for May and June 2025. Executive Summary The library’s monthly narrative and statistical reports for May and June 2025 provides a summary of work completed across all Carlsbad City Library locations, as well as data and information about the services and programs provided for the community. Explanation & Analysis None. Fiscal Analysis No financial impact. Next Steps None. Environmental Evaluation The proposed action is not a “project” as defined by CEQA Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) and does not require environment review under CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) and 15061(b)(3), because the proposed action to report on the library’s monthly narrative and statistics is an organizational or administrative government activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. Any subsequent action or direction stemming from the proposed action may require preparation of an environmental document in accordance with CEQA or CEQA Guidelines. Exhibits 1.Narrative report for May 2025 2.Statistical report for May 2025 3.Narrative report for June 2025 4.Statistical report for June 2025 LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 1 of 12 Exhibit 1 Carlsbad City Library Monthly Library Report May 2025 Highlights: 1. CityStuff Tours Georgina Cole Library staff hosted 45 classes of third graders for tours of the library from mid-March to mid-May as part of the CityStuff program hosted by city partners for third graders in the Carlsbad Unified School District. The CityStuff curriculum focuses on civic and financial literacy lessons in the classroom for several weeks and culminates in a field trip to City Hall, the Cole Library and the Harold E. Smerdu Community Garden. More than 1200 students toured the library this year. 2. Literacy Anthology “Waves of Inspiration” is a powerful anthology created by the learners of Carlsbad City Library’s Literacy Services, showcasing original writing inspired by the themes of learning, gratitude, nature, family and celebration. Drawing on the imagery of the ocean and the resilience of the human spirit, this collection highlights the voices, experiences and creativity of adult learners who are strengthening their literacy skills and sharing their stories with the community. To honor their accomplishments, a book signing event was held at the Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane on May 3, where learner authors read their works aloud, signed copies for attendees and were celebrated by family, friends, library staff, state and city leaders. The event featured live music and dinner catered by Chapters Café. The anthology design and printing, along with the event, was funded by a grant from California State Library Literacy Services. July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 2 of 12 3. Authors Recognizing Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Seventy-five attendees gathered in the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium on May 12 at the Dove Library for an evening author event featuring Kristina McMorris, Rosa Kwon Easton and Sarah Ahn. Hosted in partnership with Adventures by the Book, the event recognized Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Guests were highly engaged throughout the evening, particularly during remarks by Sarah Ahn, a viral TikTok personality and author of "Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes," a cookbook co-written with her mother that celebrates cultural heritage and family traditions. Due to strong audience interest, the book signing portion of the event extended from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Library staff members Ashleigh Hvinden and Liza Blue provided support for the program. This event marked the first time a non-Carlsbad Reads Together program was livestreamed, representing a cool milestone for the library. 4. Dia de los Ninos/Dia de los Libros The Día Family Book Festival took place on May 3 at the Library Learning Center, welcoming 36 attendees to an afternoon of enriching experiences. Families received information about the upcoming Summer Reading Adventure and had the opportunity to engage with representatives from five local organizations. The event featured a performance by Opera4Kids, delighting attendees with their musical storytelling. Additional highlights included hands-on crafts and a demonstration by the Exploration HUB. The event offered a joyful space for families to come together, celebrate Día, and share quality time at the library. July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 3 of 12 Programs: 5. Tinker Tuesday Tinker Tuesday at the Dove Library highlighted Egyptian themed projects on May 20 with 59 attendees, and on May 27 with 71 attendees. Patrons participated in making a pharaoh's headdress and Queen Cleopatra’s mirror. 6. Tuesday Afternoon Adventures Young library patrons geared up for the Summer Reading Adventure with a few rounds of Book Bingo at Tuesday Afternoon Adventures at the Cole Library on May 25. Many of the 25 attendees had never played Bingo before and were excited to learn that the prizes were books for building their home libraries. 7. Toddler Time Beginning May 12, Toddler Time at the Cole Library expanded from one to two sessions on Monday mornings due to increased popularity. This change to a program of 60 attendees per session will enrich the early literacy experiences for children and their caregivers by fostering stronger connections with staff, who guide them in reading, singing, playing, talking, and writing together to create a foundation that develop confident readers. 8. Computer Basics The Exploration HUB launched their first class in a series of tech classes tentatively scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month. The inaugural class on May 21, entitled “Digital Literacy: Computer Basics”, was taught by Library Technician Marq Schuling. The class featured an engaging PowerPoint on the HUB’s big screen and an introduction to Microsoft Word. Participants followed along on library laptops and the small class size (four participants) facilitated hands on support. July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 4 of 12 Special Projects: 9. Third Grade Art Program Every year the Historic Preservation Commission sponsors “Drawing on Carlsbad’s Past,” an art contest for Carlsbad third graders put on in partnership with the library and local schools. The library’s Genealogy & Carlsbad History Division team coordinated both the contest and the event. After learning about Carlsbad’s historic sites, as part of the state curriculum for third grade, students created an artistic representation of the historic site. Three winners are chosen by each school. Winners were acknowledged on May 20 during a special presentation at the City Council Meeting where their winning artwork was displayed. Students received a certificate and an art kit. Families, teachers, and principals gathered to congratulate the students, and a photo was taken with the City Council Members, Commissioners and teachers to commemorate their accomplishment. The celebration continued with a reception on the lawn. Accomplishments: 10. Staff Graduations The Library & Cultural Arts Department is proud to announce that six staff members earned their Master of Library and Information Services degree: Sandra Liem and KT Ferris (Dove), Hannah Lockhart and Cathryn Coburn (Cole) and Jordan Daley and Grace Weinzettle (Literacy Services). Congratulations to the graduates! July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 5 of 12 Exhibit 2 LIBRARY MONTHLY STATISTICS – MAY 2025 MAY 2024 MAY 2025 Physical materials circulation 86,776 82,159 -5.3% Electronic materials circulation 25,677 29,506 +14.9% Programs 131 151 +15.2% Program attendance 4,117 4,865 +18.1% Study room utilization hours booked and occupancy 1,729 64.8% occupancy 1,812 69.7% occupancy +4.8% Visits 43,299 47,059 +8.7% July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 6 of 12 Exhibit 3 Carlsbad City Library Monthly Library Report June 2025 Highlights: 1. Summer Reading Adventure 2025 – Level Up at Your Library Summer Reading Adventure launched on June 1 and throughout the month, 2,449 participants “Leveled Up” by logging an impressive 855,093 minutes using the Beanstack platform. Special Summer Reading Adventure programs are being hosted at each library location, including a lively magic show with Zany Zoe at the Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane and Mr. Markus Music at the Library Learning Center. Five animal ambassadors from Wild Wonders, an animal refuge based in Fallbrook, visited the Georgina Cole Library on June 19 where 140 patrons learned about and met a live porcupine, opossum, hedgehog, fennec fox, and desert tortoise from desert habitats around the world. Audience members pet the animals and asked great questions about these ambassadors’ and species lives. The Dove Library hosted Wild Wonders on June 30 with 180 attendees in the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium. Patrons met an anteater, a chinchilla, an opossum, and an albino boa constrictor. Animal handler Kaia answered dozens of questions from many inquisitive young people. July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 7 of 12 2. Family Bible Featured The Genealogy & Carlsbad History Division recently received a family bible from the Assistance League of North Coast that had been donated to their thrift shop. The bible dates from 1790. Genealogy staff were surprised to discover that, in addition to the family record for the Baird family, it contained a list of enslaved people in the family record section. Staff shared scans with the 10 Million Names Project, and the bible was featured in an article in the spring 2025 issue of American Ancestors, a well-known genealogy magazine. Descendants of slaves often struggle to find information about their ancestors, so this was a particularly valuable find. 3. Local Author Fair Approximately 200 people attended the 2025 Local Author Fair at the Dove Library on June 7. The event featured 24 local authors from Carlsbad and surrounding communities including Oceanside, San Marcos, Encinitas and Vista. Attendees had the opportunity to meet and purchase books directly from local authors, attend an author panel and participate in a writing workshop with the nonprofit organization So Say We All, which is dedicated to supporting emerging voices through storytelling. The event was well-received and created many meaningful community connections. July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 8 of 12 4. Juneteenth Program On June 14, the Library Learning Center hosted a special Juneteenth program titled “From the Underground Railroad to Juneteenth: Tales & Poems,” presented in partnership with the North County African American Women’s Association. Members of the association shared original poetry, historical context, and powerful personal stories to honor the journey to freedom and the significance of the holiday. The program was attended by 20 community members and offered a meaningful space for reflection, education, and celebration. Programs: 5. Reading Intervention The Library Learning Center launched its summer reading intervention program on June 16 to support K-12 students who are struggling with reading, something many families are still navigating in the wake of COVID-related learning loss. In the first week, 16 enrolled students met with their tutors, and there is now a waitlist of students eager to join. The library is actively recruiting new tutor volunteers to meet the growing demand. Library Assistant Jasmine Venancio is coordinating the program. 6. Bilingual Storytime at Dove Library June’s weekly Bilingual Storytime at the Dove Library featured books, songs and rhymes in English and Japanese. Library Assistants Hugo Ricalday-Cuevas and Kylee Seal hosted an audience totaling 258 for five performances. July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 9 of 12 7. Author Visit Best-selling author Kristin Harmel visited the Dove Library for a memorable afternoon in the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium. A total of 105 attendees came to hear Harmel discuss her latest historical fiction novel, “The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau”, which centers on a jewel theft that spans decades. In addition to discussing her novel, Harmel gave a moving account of her personal journey with breast cancer, her recovery and how it impacted the publication timeline of this latest work. Her openness resonated with the audience and added emotional depth to the event. 8. Tuesday Afternoon Adventures Cole Library’s Tuesday Afternoon Adventures partnered with Carlsbad’s Parks and Recreation Department’s Nick Davidson, and additional lifeguards, for a fun-filled and interactive water safety presentation for elementary school students and their families on June 17. The children engaged with various pool and water rescue techniques, learned key safety tips, and learned how different pool and beach items, like brooms and beach balls, can be used in a water rescue. The program ended with a Q&A where kids also learned about becoming lifeguards. 9. Rainbow Storytime Cole Library celebrated Pride Month on June 5 with a Rainbow Storytime for families. Librarian Jennifer Benson and Library Technician Jade MacEoghain read books that celebrated diversity and individuality. The group sang songs, danced with colorful scarves and talked about loving and appreciating ourselves and others. The afternoon ended with a concentric rainbow heart craft project and a cloud with rainbow streamers that included each person’s favorite things about themselves. July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 10 of 12 10. Tween Game Time Cole Library hosted its first Tween Game Time on June 9 with seven tweens in attendance. Tweens joined Librarian Marin Faeyera and Library Technicians Kimberly Contreras and Astrid Gonzales in the Teen Room for snacks and a variety of games, including three different sizes of Jenga. The monthly program launched in conjunction with this year’s game-themed Summer Reading Adventure and will continue after the summer. Patron Stories (heard around the library) 11. Customer Service Spotlight On a Tuesday evening at the Cole Library, a patron approached the desk with a message on her phone which described what she needed. She's deaf and has communicated with staff in this way before. She was delighted when Library Technician Laura Martinez started speaking with her in ASL. The two of them immediately connected, chatting and smiling while she was assisted, and the patron left feeling very appreciative. Laura’s helpful response and ability to communicate with our patron made for a very special interaction. 12. Safe Place Genealogy & Carlsbad History Division Library Technician Talene Dodd recently worked with a patron, who commented that "...the library is a safe place, it's grounded, I always feel good about coming to the library, it's welcoming”. July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 11 of 12 Exhibit 4 LIBRARY MONTHLY STATISTICS – JUNE 2025 JUNE 2024 JUNE 2025 Physical materials circulation 86,863 84,787 -2.4% Electronic materials circulation 25,795 29,073 +12.7% Programs 112 141 +25.9% Program attendance 4,167 5,857 +40.5% Study room utilization hours booked and occupancy 1,416 55.5% occupancy 1,692 61.9% occupancy +19.5% Visits 42,298 47,656 +12.7% July 23, 2025 Item #1 Page 12 of 12