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Glendora library staff report CLA conference takeaways; trial of ‘Nook’ privacy pods gets positive feedback
Summary
Library Director Janet Stone told the Glendora Public Library Board that staff attendance at the California Library Association (CLA) conference inspired several service and outreach experiments now underway, including book recycling, mobile office/meeting pods (branded as “Nooks”), staff self‑care initiatives and new outreach programming.
Library Director Janet Stone told the Glendora Public Library Board that staff attendance at last year’s California Library Association (CLA) conference inspired several service and outreach experiments now underway, including book recycling, mobile office/meeting pods (branded as “Nooks”), staff self‑care initiatives and new outreach programming.
Why it matters: the projects aim to make library services more flexible and visible across the community and to preserve staff capacity as the library faces budget and facility planning decisions.
Stone said about 25 staff attended CLA, totaling roughly 200 staff hours and attending a large number of sessions across 36 unique topics; the trip was an investment of about $4,000 for registration and incidentals. Stone told trustees that follow‑up projects informed by the conference include book repurposing/recycling, mobile meeting pods, anti‑burnout training and a “risk literacy”/emergency‑readiness information area on the library’s main floor.
Library Services Manager Shraddha Duque reported that the trial two‑person Nook received “a lot of positive comments” from the public and that staff collected usage feedback both in person and via the city’s Engage Glendora website. Duque said staff moved the Nook from a side area to the main floor during the trial and posted prompts (“Ask me about the Nook”) to encourage interaction.
Trustees asked about a single‑person Nook model that offers more privacy for telehealth or private videoconferencing. Staff said they are evaluating a single‑unit demo but must review building‑code and door requirements with the city building official before any purchase. Staff emphasized that Nook units are portable and could be redeployed if the library undergoes renovation or reconstruction.
Other conference‑driven initiatives described at the meeting include a renewed book‑recycling contract being evaluated by staff; a mobile‑office loaner program the library is testing; outreach events (for example, astronomy and virtual escape rooms) that drew several dozen visitors each; and a pilot English‑language conversation group held at a senior living site.
Stone said the CLA investment has produced ongoing staff ideas and implemented activities that “continue to pay off.” Trustees approved regular board business at the same meeting; no procurement decision for Nook units was made — staff said they will report back after the demo and building‑code review.
Less urgent details: the Friends Foundation and other partners helped fund some pilot activities; the library is using its Volunteer Match program to recruit volunteers for outreach events and expects future community feedback to shape permanent adoption of several pilots.
