Title
Library Department recommending the Board:
1) Receive and file a presentation on the October 23, 2023 in-service day; and
2) Provide direction for closures of County Libraries and Museum for annual in-service days.
FUNDING: General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On September 23, 2023, the Board approved closure of all County Libraries and Museum for a staff in-service day held on October 23, 2023. This allowed staff to learn, train and grow in a dedicated collaborative environment.
The focus of this year’s in-service day was providing excellent customer service to all patrons of the library, focusing on practical information related to visitors that are experiencing homelessness and how de-escalation, trauma and conflict can affect customer service.
The training was comprised of four hours of building staff confidence and skills related to patrons that are experiencing homelessness, three hours team building activities, and an hour with the El Dorado Sheriff’s Homeless Outreach Team.
The team building activities included exploring library marketing possibilities and developing a new logo for the library. Staff brought nearly 50 proposed logos and worked in group activities to select one logo that would be explored further. A new logo for the library would better tell our story to the community and strengthen our brand from a marketing perspective.
HOT provided an overview of what they do to help our community. Staff also heard challenges and opportunities that HOT encounters and how we can team up to provide safe and welcoming spaces at the library. Staff members also engaged in a question-and-answer session resulting in additional ways staff can make their surroundings safer.
HOT’s suggestions resulted in the Placerville Library pruning additional shrubs to creating more effective sightlines around the building, modifying the wireless internet schedule to the hours of 6AM to 8PM, installing additional outdoor lighting, and plannin...
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