Pending Library Board approval at the July 22, 2026 regular meeting
Minutes Prepared By: Camayia Dantzler, Communications Specialist
Call to order and Roll Call
President Bloom called the meeting to order at 6:35 pm. Secretary Yamamoto took roll.
Present: Megan Butman, Susanne Fairfax, Kristina Rogers, Annie Wilkinson, Virginia Bloom, Mika Yamamoto
Absent: Colin Bird-Martinez
Also attending: Elsworth Carman (Executive Director), Suzy Antell (Deputy Director), Billy Treece (Director of Finance & Human Resources), Leigh Tarullo (Director of Collections & Technology), Alexandra Skinner (Director of Communications), Latonia Jackson (Manager of Middle and High School Services), Janea Kitchen (High School Liaison)
Public Comments
There were no public comments submitted in person or in writing for this meeting.
Consent Agenda (Meeting Minutes, Routine Personnel Reports, Financial Reports & Executive Director’s Report)
Bloom entertained a motion to approve all items in the consent agenda.
Moved by Yamamoto. Seconded by Rogers. Approved by all present.
New Business
Resolution–Update Financial Signers
Motion to approve the resolution to update the financial signers.
Moved by Butman. Seconded by Bloom. Approved by all present.
Middle and High School Services Presentation
Latonia Jackson, Manager of Middle and High School Services, and Janea Kitchen, High School Liaison, presented an overview of their service area and the work they provide to support middle and high school students.
Jackson highlighted the team’s outreach efforts, emphasizing the importance of meeting young people where they are and building strong community partnerships. She shared examples of key collaborators, including the Youth Network Council, Urban Libraries Council, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and YourPassion1st, among others.
The presenters also discussed the library’s summer reading program for teens, which encourages middle and high school students to log their reading for the opportunity to earn prizes. In addition, they highlighted four upcoming staff-led programs designed to engage teens and foster exploration of their interests.
Kitchen described her role as High School Liaison on the Middle and High School Services team, highlighting her partnership with Oak Park and River Forest (OPRF) Parent University. She also discussed her outreach efforts at the high school, emphasizing her work to build relationships with students and connect them with library resources, programs, and services.
Unfinished Business
Project Update: Strategic Facilities Plan
Skinner presented a memorandum regarding the Strategic Facilities Plan being developed with Woolpert Architects, providing an update on community engagement metrics and outlining opportunities for Board involvement in the next phases of the process. The memorandum included a summary of stakeholder engagement and feedback collection efforts, as well as a breakdown of community survey responses.
Skinner also reviewed three options for the Board to engage in the process, identified as Options A, B, and C, as follows:
- Option A: Dedicated Visioning Workshop: A facilitated focus group/visioning exercise with the Board to map high-level priorities.
- Option B: Findings Presentation: A formal presentation detailing the full findings of the staff and community surveys.
- Option C: Strategic Roadmap Presentation: A presentation focusing strictly on proposed next steps and spatial concepts.
The Board discussed each of the proposed options, including whether the matter should be addressed at a regular Board meeting or a special meeting. After considering the alternatives, the Board selected Option B, with the understanding that Options A and C may be considered at a future date.
Reports and Updates: Trustee Comments and Calendar
The Board discussed highlights from the Strategic Priorities Report, including the Metra advertising campaign developed by the Communications Team in collaboration with other public libraries. The Board also reviewed the calendar of upcoming committee meetings, noting that the next two Governance Committee meetings and a Finance Committee meeting are scheduled for July.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:26 pm.