Carlsbad library board hears August stats, new staff introductions and approves postponement of FY 2024–25 work plan

At the Carlsbad Library Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 25, Deputy Director Sheila Crosby introduced multiple staff role changes and hires and updated trustees on operations, collections and upcoming programs.

Crosby announced four staff in new roles, including Miley McQuan as collection development librarian in Collections and Technical Services, Sandra promoted to library assistant in literacy, Marin Ferreira as a full-time librarian at Cole with an adult-and-teen focus, and Jennifer Benson moving into a full-time children’s-services role at Cole. Crosby said additional recruitments are underway for a lead librarian of public services and bilingual outreach positions.

“Beginning September 3, all board, commission and committee members must complete harassment-prevention training every two years,” Crosby told trustees and noted staff would circulate instructions for accessing the Carlsbad Learn platform; she and the chair clarified the board was working with an Oct. 2 internal date while an email from staff cited Oct. 9.

Principal Librarian Andrea Hilliard presented August circulation and program statistics. “For August, the circulation of physical items was basically flat, but circulation of our electronic materials is up almost 14%,” Hilliard said, and added that e-magazine circulation rose about 57% and video streaming increased about 20%. She said the number of programs offered was down because children's staff took a typical two-week break after summer-reading work, but overall program attendance remained steady. Trustees asked staff to provide more detailed study-room usage data; Hilliard said staff track that metric and can supply time-of-day breakdowns.

Crosby previewed upcoming events and partnerships, including Banned Books Week (Sept. 22–28), a combined Teen program month (“Teentober”), and an In-N-Out 'Cover to Cover' reading incentive running Oct. 5–Nov. 12 that will offer burger coupons to children who meet reading goals. She also announced donations of four induction cooktops from the San Diego Green Building Council and Sierra Club to circulate through the library’s 'Library of Things' and said the library will roll that lending out shortly.

On election logistics, Crosby said Carlsbad libraries are among the county’s most used ballot-drop-off locations (not polling places); she said drop boxes are installed at all library sites and will be opened Oct. 8, with collection and security handled by the Registrar of Voters’ team and libraries opening extended hours on election day, Nov. 5.

Trustees had no public speakers on the work-plan item. Chair Chapler moved to postpone discussion of the FY 2024–25 work plan to the October meeting so proposed edits could be prepared; Trustee Laufer seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m.