Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Outreach topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission subcommittee urges modernized digital outreach, better signage and an ambassador program for Belle Haven outreach
Summary
An ad hoc subcommittee reported metrics and recommended low-cost outreach strategies — simplified newsletter signup, mobile-friendly library card registration, an ambassador poster program, and improved signage — and asked the Commission to pursue dashboards and local partnerships.
The Library Commission’s District 1 ad hoc subcommittee presented a progress report on April 20 and recommended a set of low-cost and data-driven actions aimed at increasing awareness and engagement in the Belle Haven (Belhaven) neighborhood.
The subcommittee said it reviewed 2025–26 usage metrics and found that most statistics track with Menlo Park population patterns, with one notable divergence: physical checkouts lagging where library size may be a factor. The group urged continued collection of visualized trend data (dashboards) to make metrics easier to discuss at Commission meetings.
On digital engagement, the subcommittee recommended modernizing outreach channels and simplifying user flows. The report said the city’s public-facing library pages list platforms such as Twitter but omit more current channels used by younger audiences, and that the newsletter signup process requires three forms and multiple checkboxes, which creates friction. The subcommittee recommended exploring YouTube, TikTok and Nextdoor, simplifying newsletter opt-in for new cardholders and improving the mobile-friendliness of the card-registration flow.
For low-cost community presence, the subcommittee proposed an ambassador program in which volunteers or commissioners can pick up posters and help publicize events, and recommended assessing signage and wayfinding at the Belle Haven Community Center to make the library space easier to find. “One thing about the experience of the building itself — going into our library — the television in front is really, really good at just, like, marketing,” the subcommittee reported; it also noted occasions when programs were moved to alternate rooms and signage became confusing for visitors.
Commissioners discussed potential coordination with East Palo Alto library staff and with the city’s marketing lead (Kendra) and Library and Community Services colleagues (Ashley). Staff noted the city is exploring a grant-funded neighborhood concierge position for Belle Haven that could centralize outreach across departments. The Commission agreed the subcommittee should return with a timeline for prioritized recommendations and to follow up on signage and dashboard options.
Votes at a glance: the Commission approved the March 16 minutes by unanimous vote earlier in the meeting; no other formal actions were taken on the subcommittee report.
