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Meeting adjourned at 8:26pm. This concludes the @indylibrary.bsky.social Board Meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 20th, 2025. For more meeting coverage, check out documenters.org
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She would like to get a sense of a head count for folks coming in for those services at the next meeting & if there are avenues to provide more partnerships for these services.

We are moving on now to any future recommended agenda items from Board members. Dr. Murtadha brings forward that she is concerned for the number of folks needing support from our Social Work team, especially as need is sure to increase in the coming months.

Board Member Woodard asked if there are any efforts to advertise library services to community members that may be attending meetings by organizations reserving Community Rooms. Marianne says that there are not currently efforts to do so, but that that could be beneficial to increasing borrowers.

Marianne acknowledged that many of the groups that use the services are nonprofits & are not charged a fee, but that some orgs didn't book when the system only offered yearly reservations versus soon offering quarterly.

Dr. Riolo asked if there is any that the team has noticed leading to the decrease noted in Community Room revenue.

IndyPL is offering more programs overall which is bringing in more attendees, even though attendance at each program itself averages. around 23 attendees, so IndyPL is working to continue to increase program offering.

IndyPL has seen a 6.6% increase in visitors this year from last in this same quarter. 671,120 visits were made to branches this quarter, & are working to turn those visits into more borrowing & overall program utilization.

IndyPL is still seeing an upwards trend in cardholders with 68% of total cardholders being active borrowers. Physical circulation is still trending slightly down, e-circulation trending up, overall leading to relatively steady total circulation.

Marianne McKenzie is now going to present some highlights from the Quarterly Statistical Report. IndyPL will be upgrading the way they measure service point assistance which should help to address language barriers at service points in the next quarter.

Fall Fest & Slammin' Rhymes Challenge XIX on Saturday 11/15 at Central Library is a contest for all poets, rappers, & spoken word artists grades 6th-12th, with this year's theme being Strength.

IndyPL Staff Day is Monday Nov. 3rd 8am-3:30pm. At the Spades Park Branch Thursday Nov. 6th, there will be a Storytelling Drawing Session - An Art workshop in partnership with the Harrison Center from 1:30pm-2:30pm.

Maria Zimmerman retired as of 9/30/2025. Robin Kelly also retired on 10/3/2025.

Last week were the IndyPL quarterly Star Awards. Awardees can be viewed starting on page 100 of today's meeting agenda documents.

The Shared System Schools program is in full swing, with 8 schools circulating more than 7 books per student. 12, 817 items were checked out at Shared System Schools.

Social Workers are at Central Library Mondays & Wednesdays, host local partner orgs there Mondays & Thursdays, & visit branches across the city each week. The team aim to be here for all Indy residents that need their assistance. They've recorded 1,056 program & service referrals this year.

CEO Hill wanted to quickly recongnize the work of the Social Work program at IndyPL & the great work they do offering direct help to library patrons to access the information & services they need for things like housing, food support, financial, educational, & legal help.

Programs across the IndyPL system saw good participation as well, with 3,072 adults participating in the 353 adult & senior offerings, & 11,987 infants, kids, & teens participating in the 611 youth programs. The top program this month was Farm Fun for Toddlers with 256 participants.

Getting into his presentation for the evening, he's highlighting the activities of September. IndyPL saw 7,425 visitors in September with 14,132 items in physical circulation, & 516 attendees of their 32 programs with around 16 guests at each program.

Next we have the CEO Report from CEO Gregory Hill. starting with request for approval of The Finances, Personnel, & Travel Resolution 48-2025, which is quickly moved for approval & approved.

This month, the foundation has provided more than $102,000 in support to the library, inlcuding for the upcoming Fall Fest 2025 Slammin' Rhymes Challenge XIX which will be at the Central branch 12-4pm, 11/15.

Next we have the Library Foundation Update from Dr. Riolo. Foundation President Roberta Jaggers will be attending the November meeting & requests she be contacted if anyone has something specific they would like her to address.

The board moves to approve the resolution with positive recommendation from the Facilities committee, Dr. Murtadha & Dr. Payne abstained while the rest of the board approved, carrying the motion.

Dr. Murtadha asked what the next phases would like if these updates don't prove sufficient. Parsons clarifies that the next option being looked at would be standing walls in the active children's area which are estimated at around $300,000, & will determine if that is needed post acoustic upgrades.

Parson is clarifying that it more so has to do with the distance that sound is traveling vs the volume itself, stating that due to the open layout, you can hear from the children's section on the east end all of the way on west end of the library.

Dr. Palacio asked if specific decibel requirements were an original part of the plan & if numbers higher than that have been recorded.

Dr. Murtadha says that she finds it deplorable that a new build would so soon require acoustic remediation after so much care & effort went into assuring this branch has the kind of facilities that meet the needs of the community in any way, but finds no fault in COSO Parson's & his teams' handling.

The awarded cost is $198,00, $78,000 over the project estimate of $120,00, with additional funding being available from remaining funds from the Facilities Improvements III Bond (Fund 485).

12 vendors were sent notices, including 6 XBE vendors, with the lowest, responsive, & responsible bidder to be reward with Gillette General Contractors, Inc. being selected. They are an Indy based vendor.