Trustees say residents miss programs, urge better outreach and easier access to library information

Trustees at the May 18 meeting told library staff that many residents do not know about programs and services the library offers and urged more effective outreach.

Trustee Hall described positive reactions from students who attended a library escape-room program but said many residents still see the library narrowly as "a place for moms and kids in the summer." "I think our library has moved with the times," Hall said, "but the people and members of the community don't know this."

Trustee Johnson reported researching peer city libraries and found Glendora and San Marino are among the few city-run libraries without a dedicated library website, a structural barrier she said can make it harder for patrons to discover programs. "We are one of only two libraries that do not have their own dedicated website," Johnson said.

Interim Library Director Donna Dukes acknowledged the outreach challenge and told trustees staff are working on marketing strategies developed during a recent workshop. "I will come back to you with some information regarding how we market our programs and services," Dukes said, adding staff feedback indicated the workshop was "well received." Dukes and other staff also noted that some email totals include maintenance and closure notifications, which affects raw counts.

Trustees suggested options including a dedicated web presence or volunteer-run pages to surface programming, and asked staff to return with recommendations on how to increase awareness before seeking additional funding for capital projects.

The board did not take formal action on outreach during the meeting; trustees directed staff to continue developing communications plans and to report back with options.