[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6509585,"mediaKeyId","5422883-9865cf039051a397deae65fe37070e55","parentId",5422883,"title","Library director reports year three of levy: 800,000 visitors, expanded programs and digital services","audioSeconds",1718,"startMs",696000,"endMs",2414000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5422883-9865cf039051a397deae65fe37070e55&start=696&end=2414","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5422883-9865cf039051a397deae65fe37070e55/thumbnail_696000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6509585/Eugene/Lane-County/Oregon/Library-director-reports-year-three-of-levy-800000-visitors-expanded-programs-and-digital-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509585-8d3f674f46788d5d937bfc2eb4d2680e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152147&Signature=ijcijpAk5~yN3opZiCCyEY5a~h5O7wFFHOBnEWhO1vnmyTeiMoKVsSt6Yq0~V6xmVypdJ8RMOBhA0tnmZiWlJpq3JfbCPr~aw2WJihzTWhSE5XBALu6D64Nqpayjm1AyPXQ~0b6Rk0i3kwA9ZVHavdGjknQti9xSYFSC-1RQoHwpNwnXxxTGCAAcGgyqevLKz~vXQSgTKyhzydnrkxyPGmORKUNYT5M~om4HthJIT4oE8XX6JjZyNgBqwpsCUSkyVFiMsC7dG9Dpp1YKxRCu~A~da7DhDHNb7A6gnm3NDzniNghF-FKCQ2oO9X7d7de9Vdv2-~Jex41XfvXYJ2z8KQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Eugene, OR","date","2025-07-17T12:35:22.753Z","article","Angela Ocana, Eugene's library services director, presented an overview of year three of the local library option levy (covering July 2023'July 2024) at the City Council work session July 16, reporting increased usage, expanded programs and several policy and digital-service updates.

Ocana said the levy was renewed in 2020 with 76% voter approval and described the library's priorities as hours and access, programs and services, and materials and technology. She reported the system saw \"over 800,000 visitors\" during the year, operating 160 hours each week across three locations.

The director highlighted targeted services at branch locations: Sheldon focuses on older adults and adults with developmental disabilities; Bethel emphasizes early literacy and Spanish-language outreach; and downtown youth services concentrates on reading proficiency and youth confidence. Ocana also described expanded programs such as increased weekly story times, a philosophy circle, outreach to the Lane County Mission and the return of drop-in tech help to address the digital divide.

Councilors asked about program specifics and operations. Councilor Zelenka noted additional metrics, saying the library had \"2,800,000 circulation\" and a collection of \"1,800,000 items,\" with \"1,400,000\" digital and \"436,000\" physical items; Ocana confirmed the library has been seeing steady gains and emphasized the shift toward digital content and diversified services.

Ocana described new and continuing initiatives: the Bibliomatico book vending machine (a partnership with the Lane County African American Black Student Success program) dispenses inclusive books via tokens given to community partners so youth may keep the books; a \"library of things\" allows checkout of maker items and community-use equipment; and the library added a free monthly notary service at the downtown branch and Spanish early-literacy programming at Bethel.

Ocana also addressed national- and platform-level issues that affect local collections. She told councilors the library ended its relationship with the Hoopla digital platform, citing concerns that \"Hoopla's inability to, take out works that we would consider fiction that are shelved as nonfiction, so anti Semitic works, as well as their inability to control artificially created books that then end up on their platform,\" and said those concerns informed the decision. She said national conversations at the Oregon Library Association conference included federal court decisions about whether libraries constitute government speech and the emergence of AI-authored materials; the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library were also discussed in the broader funding context.

Councilors praised the library service and asked about operational impacts. In response to a question about ordinances limiting unauthorized camping near the downtown library, Ocana described that council action as \"essential\" and said it improved how the library operates, while also emphasizing that long-term downtown vitality (housing, development, partnerships) contributes to a safer, more accessible library.

No formal council action was taken during the work session on levy policy; Ocana noted the library will engage in upcoming levy renewal work for 2026 and encouraged council follow-up and partnership outreach.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Work Session: July 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Library Services Director Angela Ocana briefed the Eugene City Council on year three of the local library option levy, reporting increased visits, program expansion, digital-equity work and operational changes including leaving the Hoopla digital platform over content concerns.","taxTitle","Eugene , Lane County, Oregon","taxId",2848,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6509590,"Eugene council unanimously approves two-step merit increase for municipal court judge",466,174000,640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5422883-9865cf039051a397deae65fe37070e55&start=174&end=640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5422883-9865cf039051a397deae65fe37070e55/thumbnail_174000.jpg","/articles/6509590/Eugene/Lane-County/Oregon/Eugene-council-unanimously-approves-two-step-merit-increase-for-municipal-court-judge","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509590-1002d998aef5cdaabef6302828424b29/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152147&Signature=O15HbSMrK7ftdC2tyPstncRq2oXrrJAH2ALfvi9NryEK04dWoidc9CzAZ0O~N50-lvtp~7VSTLCOLi5tv5ZqOU47DRwAbatPvNOFc28z71ywFac1K4V2KvtJ4ok~GC2I0342nEIuGFe-xg8ywOM92L4MOxIinwokXfwPcDKf2RPN7sjatLQTc5IzVLR3e1-jRMnC4BDF3V1YloUMPF0dEHL6U6q6HlqUxGoKzOSbqAp7gDrkuCNsPxWffxFkZxrmx1pI1X9s-tk9~8u3gWfAlCYmy9C3xCZoVW2uXc3khMu5hp4ufPm6IciBHtOzXweAY32p9n8b72B-jMeGmGLmpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Eugene City Council voted unanimously July 16 during a work session to grant the municipal court judge a two-step merit salary increase and authorized the council president to execute an amendment to the judge's employment contract.

Councilors considered the annual judicial evaluation and compensation options presented by Becky DeWitt, interim employee and labor relations manager, and discussed a report by the Judicial Evaluation Committee before taking action.

DeWitt told the council the work session was \"for counsel to discuss compensation options as part of the formal presenting municipal court judge evaluation,\" and summarized the options included in the staff report and attachment B, which ranged from one- or two-step increases to alternative merit increases or donor-funded adjustments. She said the council has sole authority to determine compensation under the judge's employment contract.

Councilors praised the judge's work during discussion. Councilor Groves said, \"I really appreciate how you approach problems. You dig in, you figure out problems that we've experienced for some time, and you apply innovative solutions,\" specifically noting restorative-justice programs. Councilor Zelenka and Councilor Yeh also commended the judge's leadership and the alternative-court initiatives.

After discussion, the council president moved \"to award Judge Gill a merit salary increase of 2 steps, which is equivalent to step 10 on grade 12, about $191,817.60 annually or $92.22 hourly, and to authorize the council president to execute an amendment to Gill's employment contract with the awarded salary increase.\" The motion was seconded. The council then voted: \"That is 7, out of 7 today. So that is unanimous.\" The motion passed with a recorded tally of 7 yes, 0 no.

The action implements the compensation increase described in the motion; no additional directions or follow-up tasks were recorded during the session.

Background and context: on May 12 the council appointed members to a Judicial Evaluation Committee that provided the evaluation materials the council used in this review. Committee members named in the meeting included Blake Burrell (Human Rights Commission past chair), Ashley Weese (partner, Eckert, Wostman and Weese), Brooke Reinhard (Reinhard Law), the Hon. Jay McGalpin (presiding judge, Lane County Circuit Court) and Tracy Epler (Laurel Hill Mental Health Services). DeWitt said the committee met multiple evenings to produce the accepted report. The council did not place conditions on the salary amendment in the open session.","The Eugene City Council voted unanimously July 16 to grant a two-step merit salary increase to the city's municipal court judge and authorized the council president to execute an amendment to the judge's employment contract.","actionData","errors"]

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Library director reports year three of levy: 800,000 visitors, expanded programs and digital services

Eugene council unanimously approves two-step merit increase for municipal court judge