Pending Library Board Approval at the June 24, 2026 meeting
Minutes Prepared By: Camayia Dantzler, Communications Specialist
Call to Order and Roll Call
Bloom called the meeting to order at 6:34 pm. Secretary Yamamoto took roll.
Present: Megan Butman, Susanne Fairfax, Mika Yamamoto, Annie Wilkinson, Kristina Rogers, Virginia Bloom.
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), Shalonda Lane (Director of Equity & Anti-Racism), Genevieve Grove (Supervising Librarian, Children’s Services), Jennifer Norborg (Manager of Children’s Services)
Approval of Minutes
April, 15, 2026 Finance Committee Meeting
Motion to approve the April 15, 2026 Finance Committee Meeting minutes.
Moved by Yamamoto. Seconded by Butman. Approved by all present.
April 22, 2026 Regular Meeting
Motion to approve the April 22, 2026 Regular Meeting minutes.
Moved by Rogers. Seconded by Wilkinson. Approved by all present.
May 5, 2026 Governance Committee Meeting
Motion to approve the May 5, 2026 Governance Committee Meeting minutes.
Moved by Yamamoto. Seconded by Bloom. Approved by all present.
May 8, 2026 Advocacy Committee Meeting
Motion to approve the May 8, 2026 Advocacy Committee Meeting minutes.
Moved by Butman. Seconded by Fairfax. Approved by all present.
Public Comments
There were no public comments received in person or in writing for this meeting.
Trustee Comments and Calendar
The board reviewed upcoming calendar items, including Kapwa!: A Celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage, which was held on May 30 (the event had initially been listed with an incorrect date of May 20). The board also discussed upcoming committee meetings and the annual Day in Our Village event, noting that a few trustees plan to attend and staff the Library’s booth.
Bloom reported on the office hours she held at the Main Library during the previous month. She noted that the office hours were intended to provide an opportunity for governing bodies and community members to engage in conversation, and that three groups of attendees participated. Bloom also shared staff suggestions regarding library programs for Trustees to attend, as well as opportunities for staff to share information about their work and accomplishments. The Board further discussed the possibility of holding quarterly office hours, to be conducted by President Bloom.
Report of the Board Nominating Committee (Susanne Fairfax, Committee Chair)
Fairfax presented the Nominating Committee’s report, noting that the committee consisted of herself, Trustee Butman, and Trustee Wilkinson. She reported that the committee unanimously agreed on its recommendations for Board officers. The committee recommended the following slate of officers:
- President: Virginia Bloom
- Vice President: Colin Bird-Martinez
- Finance Officer: Annie Wilkinson
- Secretary: Mika Yamamoto
Review the Roles of Officers
President Bloom reviewed the duties of the Board officers—President, Vice President, Secretary, and Finance Officer—as indicated in the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of Oak Park Public Library.
Election of Board Officers
President Bloom called for a vote to accept the Nominating Committee’s recommendation for the election of Board officers.
Moved by Rogers. Seconded by Butman. Approved by all present.
New Business
Youth Engagement Program Township Presentation
Megan Traficano, Director of Youth and Family Services, and Dominique Hickman, Assistant Director of Youth and Family Services, both of Oak Park Township, presented an overview of the Youth Engagement Program Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA).
Traficano provided a history of the program, which began in 1996 as the Youth Interventionist Program through a partnership among the 11 taxing bodies of Oak Park and River Forest to address youth gang involvement, substance abuse, and community violence. She explained that the program shifted its focus in 2019 to youth mental health services, incorporating master’s-level social workers and clinical supervision. The program was renamed the Youth Engagement Program in 2022. Traficano highlighted services offered through the program, including free mental health counseling, youth support groups, and after-school programming.
Hickman reviewed data from the program’s April 2025–March 2026 annual report. During the reporting period, the program served 76 unique youth clients and received 81 referrals, including 37 related to anxiety and depression, 13 related to crisis or trauma, 26 related to behavioral concerns, and 5 mentoring referrals. Forty-two youth were discharged from the program during the school year; of those, 28 met their goals, 6 were referred to other services, 5 lost contact with the program, 2 declined services, and 1 moved out of the Oak Park/River Forest area. Hickman also reported that staff conducted 980 counseling sessions during the fiscal year.
Traficano and Hickman shared current data as of May 2026, noting that the program was serving 41 active youth clients. They reviewed client demographics, district participation, program completions, and referral trends. They also highlighted ongoing collaboration with the Oak Park Public Library, including partnerships with the Middle and High School Services team and the Social Services and Public Safety team.
Children’s Summer Reading Program Staff Presentation
Genevieve Grove, Supervising Librarian of Children’s Services, and Jennifer Norborg, Manager of Children’s Services, presented an overview of the Children’s Summer Reading Program, which began on June 1, 2026. The 2026 theme is Plant a Seed, Read.
They discussed the planning process for the program, including activities, participation incentives, and opportunities for participants to earn beads and bonus beads. They also reviewed registration numbers, noting that some participants are non–Oak Park residents.
Grove and Norborg shared that the library adopted Beanstack in 2020 to track reading and program participation. Participants may also track their reading using paper logs. Data collected through Beanstack is used to evaluate participation and inform planning for future Summer Reading Programs.
They also shared the annual Summer Reading Program promotional video with the board, which is distributed to all District 97 schools before the Summer Reading Program starts. Grove and Norborg discussed the library’s outreach efforts with local schools to encourage participation and support students, particularly those who may not regularly visit the library, in completing their summer reading.
Policy Review Procedure Review
The Board reviewed the Policy Review Procedure memo, which proposed renaming the document from “Policy Review Procedure” to “Policy Review Policy” to better reflect its purpose and align with standard naming conventions. The proposed revisions also included updates to portions of the policy language and description.
President Bloom entertained a motion for approval of the amended Policy Review Policy.
Moved by Wilkinson. Seconded by Butman. Approved by all present.
Board Liaison Appointments
Bloom discussed changes to board member liaison assignments with external groups, including the Intergovernmental Committee (IGov), Council of Governments (CoG), Friends of the Oak Park Public Library, Out with Purpose, PlanIt Green, and Collaboration for Early Childhood. The board agreed to continue board member involvement with the Intergovernmental Committee, Council of Governments, and Friends of the Oak Park Public Library. PlanIt Green, Collaboration for Early Childhood, and Out with Purpose will no longer have designated board member liaisons; instead, staff members will attend meetings as needed, with updates to be included in the Executive Director’s report. Board members will provide reports and hear from other external groups during Trustee Comments as needed.
Committee Chair Appointments
The board discussed committee chair appointments and agreed that there would be no changes to current board member representation. The board also discussed whether the finance officer role should remain tied to the Finance Committee.
Township of Oak Park Youth Engagement IGA
The board reviewed the Intergovernmental Agreement from the Oak Park Township Youth Engagement Program.
Bloom motioned to approve the Township of Oak Park Youth Engagement IGA.
Moved by Yamamoto. Seconded by Wilkinson. Approved by all present.
Unfinished Business
Consent Agenda Recommendation (Governance Committee)
Bloom motioned to approve the Consent Agenda Recommendation from the Governance Committee.
Moved by Fairfax. Seconded by Wilkinson. Approved by all present.
Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of the Oak Park Public Library
Bloom motioned for approving the amendments to the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of the Oak Park Public Library.
Moved by Bloom. Seconded by Butman. Approved by all present.
Committee Reports
Governance Committee
The Governance Committee met on May 5 and discussed the consent agenda, including the possibility of removing certain routine reports from the consent agenda if the number of reports pulled for discussion continues to increase over time. The committee also reviewed the Policy Review Procedure.
Advocacy Committee
Wilkinson provided a summary report from the memo and reviewed the presentation slide deck included in the meeting materials with the full board, including discussion on incorporating the belonging and othering framework. Three proposals were discussed: adopting the Belonging Without Othering framework within the strategic plan, engaging with the Othering & Belonging Institute learning infrastructure, and applying the Belonging Without Othering lens across the library’s work. Learning opportunities were discussed as a way to implement the framework.
Finance Committee
Did not meet.
Financial Reports
April 2026 Financial Reports
The board reviewed the April 2026 Financial Reports. Treece provided an update on property tax installments, noting that the library is 33% through the fiscal year and remains on track with revenues and expenses. It was also noted that upcoming projects will impact capital expenses.
April 2026 Resolutions on Disbursements
Motion to approve the Resolution on Disbursements for April 2026.
Moved by Yamamoto. Seconded by Wilkinson. Approved by all present.
Executive Director’s Report
Carman discussed his Executive Director’s report, highlighting his reflection on a year of impactful work with the board, including efforts ranging from a systemic policy review to the establishment of a leadership and governance structure.
Staff Reports
Strategic Priorities Report
The board reviewed the Strategic Priorities Report where the highlights were the staff attendance of the Public Library Association (PLA) Conference, highlighted the Middle and High School Services programs held during National Library Week.
Additions & Separations Report
The board reviewed the Additions & Separations Report of April 2026.
Staff Changes Report
The board reviewed the Staff Changes Report of April 2026.
Additional Reports
Intergovernmental Committee (IGov)
Rogers reported on a presentation given by Ali ElSaffar of Oak Park Township regarding revenue. He also noted that planning is underway for a presentation related to referendums anticipated for the fall of this year.
Council of Governments (CoG)
Bloom reported on the shared initiative with Oak Park to establish collaborative open office hours involving multiple governing bodies. She noted support for the concept of providing residents with a scheduled opportunity to meet and speak with representatives from the various governing bodies. Bloom also outlined next steps, including scheduling and logistical considerations. Further discussion is planned for the next CoG meeting in the coming weeks.
Carman reported on the proposal for these collaborative meetings among the different taxing bodies, noting that District 200 is prepared to host a meeting at the library sometime in June.
Friends of the Oak Park Public Library
Yamamoto reported on an update from the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library, noting that they are gearing up for the book fair in July, noting that they have over 7,000 bookmarks made to advertise the book fair and shirts available for the public and members to purchase. She also reported on the Spring Social event, where herself and Trustee Bird-Martinez attended.
PlanIt Green
Carman reported on notes provided by Matt Bartodziej, Director of Facilities, who attended the meeting. An update was given on Project 2, a major infrastructure initiative at Oak Park and River Forest High School. Tom Cofsky, a District 200 Board member, reported that the project has entered its final stages and remains on track for completion in the fall.
Mike Nichols of Energy Matters also provided an update on the organization’s work with the Village of Oak Park. He highlighted Energy Matters’ role in designing and installing energy-efficient heating and cooling systems in numerous Village buildings, noting that the improvements have enhanced occupant comfort while reducing energy costs.
District 97 provided an update on the implementation of its lunchroom sustainability plan, including the rollout of reusable silverware and two-way share tables at all schools.
Out with Purpose
Did not meet. No updates to provide.
Collaboration for Early Childhood
Did not meet. No updates to provide.
Adjournment
Bloom adjourned the meeting at 9:18 pm.