I just received a very nice note from Danielle alerting me to the appeal from another local library’s foundation requesting donations. Danielle wanted to know if the Sunnyvale Public Library is considering forming a foundation, too. We would love to do so! All that is needed is a few concerned community members to discuss the purpose of the foundation, establish their board and file the appropriate paperwork, and voilà, a nonprofit foundation in support of the Sunnyvale Public Library will be formed. Well, it probably sounds simpler than it is and I may have missed some steps, but it’s been done before elsewhere and I believe that it really wouldn’t be that hard to do here.

My understanding, however, is that as a Library staff member and City employee, I cannot, or perhaps should not (due to the possible conflict of interest) establish a nonprofit foundation to raise funds for the Library myself. That’s where you, my friendly reader, have an opportunity to help. I believe that I, on the other hand, can serve as a technical resource.

If three to five people could be brought together to begin discussing this, I imagine it would be a great start to help the Sunnyvale Library of the Future. The timing seems perfect, too, as we are smack dab in the middle of looking at the future needs of the community from its library. Just give me a call and we can meet for lunch to discuss this idea. I would love to talk with any of our library supporters about the next level of support from the community, which indeed could be a foundation.

Thanks for reading this Blog. Thanks for mentioning it and thinking about a foundation. I hope to hear from you. Ok, that’s probably as much as I should say about it for now :-)

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

We’ll do anything to get this job done on time! No, seriously, we will. Sam and I needed to attend the California Library Association conference this past weekend because of prior commitments, and to obtain important information we knew would be available at the conference. Even though it’s essential to go, attending a conference under normal circumstances would have meant taking time away from completing tasks for the Library of the Future project. However, in our case it just meant more multitasking! While at the conference, Sam and I would have meetings about the Library of the Future (LOF) between the conference sessions and we would strategize which sessions to attend for the best value to the project. Our deadline for the first draft of the study of the LOF could not be adjusted, so the work went on - doubletime. And, we worked while we were sick - Sam the previous week and now me this week. (I know that's not a good thing to do and I do not recommend it.)

The conference provided some crucial information though, including an answer to a question that one of the members of the Library Board of Trustees had asked of us. I was able to get a copy of a report that was delivered at the conference, a survey of costs, benefits and staffing needs related to the implementation of RFID in libraries in California. Librarians are great, we always share information. I owe a debt of gratitude to Elena Engel, the Branch Library Improvement Program Director for the Friends of San Francisco Public Library. In a show of true librarian sisterhood, Elena understood my plight when I told her I was writing a report that very day and really needed the information she was just making available at the conference. She was very gracious and went out of her way to help me.

Sam and I worked through the conference and then went on to complete our reports on Tuesday. I am very pleased to say the draft documents for the Sunnyvale Library of the Future - the Needs Assessment, Plan of Service, Building Program, and Existing Facility Assessment are complete for review by our various internal reviewers. What a relief! With a lot of help we got the job done and it’s pretty doggone good!

There are many steps still to go. What we have just completed in draft form is the study that will be delivered to our Board in December and the Council in January. We think there’s some compelling information to help determine a future direction. We’ll see what the Council thinks in January. In the meantime, there’s still plenty of work to be done on the next phase of preparation. It’s a good thing we have great people like Sam, the folks at ABA, my fabulous library and City colleagues, and the other wonderful that people we run into along the way, like Elena. Couldn’t get the job done without ‘em!

Staff from ABA and project Core Team members have been working diligently on the draft Needs Assessment and Plan of Service. The efforts all around are commendable and considerable progress has been made. The Needs Assessment part of the document is nearly ready for review and presentation to the Council.

The Core Team is reviewing the first draft of the Plan of Service. The assumptions that are made in the Plan of Service are meant to be a starting point to give an overall idea of staffing requirements, materials needed and the anticipated costs for providing future library services based on the needs and expectations that have been expressed. Adjustments to the plan will be made based on Council direction regarding preferred options and the level of funds available to be allocated.

The project came closer to reality in the minds of staff members as architects and engineers arrived at the library a few days ago to measure and review the existing facility. The information that has been gathered is being compiled in the first draft of the Building Program, which will be discussed by the Core Team tomorrow. This is a very exciting step as it translates all of the information gathered so far into square feet and describes the relationship and function of the spaces within this remarkable “ideal” library.

I had the wonderful opportunity to see Homestead High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) in action yesterday. I walked into the Homestead High School gym to attend a dodge ball tournament/fundraiser in support of teen space in the Sunnyvale Library of the Future, and to my complete surprise entered a room full of people!

Rohit and Max, as I have mentioned before, are the students in charge of the community service project for the Homestead High School FBLA. The FBLA students came up with a fundraising idea that was fun for everyone, fueled by school and team spirit, and a sense of commitment to their community. Every single high school in the Fremont High School District was represented by students, teachers, staff, and administration.

In the audience were approximately 1,000 people rooting for their school’s team of teachers. The students were a vision to behold. The teachers danced to the music and dodged the ball. In general, they showed off and made sure the crowd had a good time. Decked out in a black suit, Charles, the President of FBLA, was the emcee for the evening. If you’ve ever seen the announcer rally the crowd for a professional boxing match, then multiply that excitement times 2 for the way that Charles rallied the attendees at the dodge ball tournament!

It was amazing to see 1,000 students and family members having fun on a school night! It was awe-inspiring to watch 100 teachers, staff and administrators in action as they showed their support for current and future students by dodging that ball! I felt very proud and thankful also for the contribution from my colleagues in Public Safety, Chief Don Johnson and Neighborhood Resource Officer Jim Davis, who acted as the tournament referees.

I still feel overwhelmed with joy and excitement to know that FBLA took on a project in support of their community and delivered such outstanding results in such a short time. I want to give a “shout out” to students, teachers, staff, and administrators of the Fremont High School District, to Cupertino High School, Fremont High School, Homestead High School, Lynbrook High School, and Monta Vista High School! Go-o-o-o teams, and thanks to everyone!

The future is very bright in the hands of these young leaders.