January 14, 2025
Library Advisory Board Minutes: January 14, 2025
For Multnomah County Library Advisory Board
The Multnomah County Library Advisory Board (LAB) met for a hybrid meeting at Holgate Library on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. The meeting began at 5:05 pm.
Board members present were: Clare Wilkinson, David Jarvis, Domiè Newton, Jade Chan, Joe Marquez, Kelsey Fong, Kristi Ketchum, London Sorcinelli, Madison Riethman, Megan Parrott, Naomi Margolis, Nikia Kae Solbjor, and Taryn Sauer.
Cassie Duprey, Ingrid Jacobson, Kate Fleming, and Tia-Theo Thompson were unavailable.
Staff members present were: Annie Lewis, library director; Jen Studebaker, community services director; Jon Worona, director of innovation & technology; Kim Sutton, director of marketing & communications; Kirby McCurtis, location services director; Maddelyn High, management analyst; and Sonja Ervin, equity & inclusion manager.
Jackie Starr, Friends of the Library; and three members of the public were also in attendance.
WELCOME & CHECK-IN
Meeting attendees joined the meeting either in person or via video. Attendees introduced themselves, sharing their pronouns and roles.
UPDATES FROM LIBRARY LEADERSHIP
Library Director Annie Lewis shared recent systemwide updates and highlights from the Director’s Report, including:
- Everybody Reads 2025 events kick-off this month, based on the library’s featured community reading selection, Solito by Javier Zamora
- The announcement for the opening of the new North Portland Library on February 8
- Growth of MCL’s Library Writers Project, which adds works by local authors to the library’s e-book collection
Lewis also shared a longer update about planned gap services during the closure of the St. Johns Library for renovation, including Mobile Library services and exploration of a temporary holds pick-up location.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Lee Dayfield, a member of the public and St. Johns community member, read a written statement sharing concerns about the temporary closure of the St. Johns Library.
BOARD BUSINESS
Meeting minutes for the December 10, 2024 meeting were approved.
EQUITY LENS TRAINING
Library Equity & Inclusion Manager Sonja Ervin led attendees through an interactive equity lens training — covering key definitions and concepts; and what an equity lens is and how and when the library and LAB members can use this tool.
Ervin led LAB members through an exercise, applying the equity lens tool to how LAB currently conducts new member outreach and recruitment. LAB members and library staff expressed an interest in supporting LAB’s continuance of this work, led initially by the Membership Committee when it first meets this spring.
The meeting adjourned at 6:35 pm.
Respectfully submitted by:
Maddelyn High, director’s assistant
Multnomah County Library, Oregon