JPL Has A New Chair For The Library Board Of Trustees

Ronnie King, last row on right, served us well as Board Chair and will continue as a member of the Board.  Carlo Fassi now serves as Chair of the Library Board of Trustees and officiated as such for the first time at their meeting, November 21, 2019.  (Mr. Fassi stands in front, 4th from left.) Other members of the Board are, L/R, front row: Mr. Guy Anderson, Mr. Donnie Horner, Ms. Virginia Haworth, (Mr. Fassi), Board Secretary Mario Payne, and Director Tim Rogers.  Second row:  Ms. Jill Dame, Ms. Celia Nass, Dr. Matt Swanson, Mr. Steve Eagerton, Mr. Fernando Meza, and Mr. Ronnie King. 

(You can click on both pictures to get a better view.)

Before the picture above was made, as usual, JPL's Board members were hard at work:

     All of us really appreciate everything you do.

Four New Members Join BOLT

Four new Library Board of Trustees were introduced and welcomed at the Board's October 24, 2010 meeting:

Virginia Haworth is Director of Government Relations and Community Engagement for Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ).

Steve Eagerton is Vice President of Investor Relations, Sales Operations and Strategic Initiatives of Black Knight Inc., headquartered here in Jacksonville.

 

Dr. Matt Swanson is Associate Vice President of Financial Management at Jacksonville University.

Fernando Meza opened the Wreck Tiki Lounge in Jacksonville Beach in 2015 where he serves as the establishment's operating partner. 

 

If you happen to see any of these new JPL Board members, please give them a warm welcome.

Honor Paid To 3 Departing Board Members

Three Library Board of Trustees members who are retiring from the Board were honored at the Board meeting, October 24, 2019: Jackie Perry (below) served as a member since 2010.  Mrs. Perry was profoundly thanked for her dedication for serving two extra years beyond her 2nd term and offering new ideas as to how JPL can better serve the community. 

Sybil Ansbacher, with a record of 92% attendance at Board meetings has served since July 2013.  Mrs. Ansbacher was involved with the building of the new Main Library from the planning stage.  She has served as a liaison to the Foundation and has been a tireless advocate to City Hall and Tallahassee. (Her husband Lukie's map collection hangs in the Ansbacher Map Room on Main's fourth floor.)  

Tim Anderson could not attend; however, Chair Ronnie King pointed out he has served since September 2014, commuting form Ponte Vedra for board meetings while juggling other demands of his company. "He also gave much needed advice to the Finance Committee and broached important issues.  His advocacy to community leaders will be greatly missed," Chair King said. 

A book in honor of each departing Board member will be placed in the JPL Collection.

Supporting No Domestic Violence

Mayor Curry's recent COJ Proclamation declared October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Subsequently, Mayor Curry requested COJ staff wear purple, October 24, 2019, in support of no domestic violence and to recognize Hubbard House's efforts to help families of domestic violence. Director Rogers added his support and many library employees wore purple on October 24, including these three region supervisors--Kelli Likins, Lynne Baldwin & Marshelle Berry--wearing various shades of purple. (They are pictured at the Library Board of Trustees meeting, which happened to occur on October 24.) 

Library Board Honors Leadership Award Wonners

Library Board Chair Ronnie King (R) proudly reviewed the accomplishments of staff who won Library Leadership Awards to Library Board Trustees at their meeting, August 22, 2019.  Meanwhile, Director Tim Rogers (L) gave the employees their awards and both personally congratulated the winners of the third quarter.

Employee of the Quarter, Marcie O'Dell, above, has been the creative mastermind behind kids' games and scavenger hunts at the Pablo Creek Regional Library.  On average, about 150 kids each month enjoy the program, "Eye Spy with My Little Eye".  For this and much more, Marcie also received the Inspiring a Shared Vision Award. 



L/R above, Kim Bennett, Passhunate Payams, Nerresa Posey, and Noah Thomas (not pictured) combined their talents to make Firefighter Storytime at the Webb Wesconnett Regional Library a success.  Kim created flyers, Noah planned an edition of Young Children Read, Play and Learn to Match the Theme, and Passhunate got parents to sign the photo waiver.  Nerresa prepped goodies to thank the firefighters.  For this, they received the Carolyn Williams Modeling the Way Team Award.

L/R above, Greg Pierce, Lauren Lazar, Alison Pulley, and Carolyn Redmond (not pictured) pulled out the stops for Duval County Schools in April when they created a red carpet award ceremony for student art.  Alison crafted certificates, Lauren designed hand-delivered invitations to the schools, and Carolyn offered logistical support.  Greg served as the driving force.  For this, they received the Carolyn Williams Modeling the Way Team Award.

L/R above, Kat Simi, Margaret Morford, Joe Gaskin, Troy Eittreim, Jason Brown, Ryan Reid (not pictured), and Christina Pope (not pictured) displayed great professionalism when they fielded a high volume of phone calls and in-person inquiries after a negative Facebook post followed the cancelled Pride Prom.  They delivered excellent customer service in the midst of protesters.  For this, they received the Carolyn Williams Modeling the Way Team Award.


Joel Thorbs could not attend; however, Joel has been a valuable source of support for his fellow employees at the Highlands Regional Library, offering everything from back-up with disruptive patrons to help in making sure everyone gets out on time.  He even changed a colleague's flat tire one day after his shift.  For this, Joel received the Encourage the Heart Award.

BOLT Thanks Erica Brown for 31 Years of Service

The April 18, 2019, Library Board of Trustees kicked off their meeting with a warm tribute to Highlands (currently) Branch Manager Erica Brown.  Board Chair Ronnie King (R) introduced Erica to the board and guests and said, "Erica Brown has been a source of patience and good management at JPL for longer than most people have been librarians.  She is now retiring after 31 years, having started with JPL in March of 1988.  Her handprint is on many libraries here, having managed six of them--Highlands, Main, Southeast, Webb, San Marco, and Willowbranch. Director Tim Rogers read his letter to Erica, acknowledging and thanking her for her many years of service.  Then she was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  Everyone applauded Erica and we all wish her the very best in her future.  Erica Brown will retire May 4, 2019.  She will be sorely missed. 

Library Leadership Award Winners Honored By Library Board

The Library Board of Trustees honored these Library Leadership winners for the first quarter of FY2019 (October-December) at its regular meeting, March 21, 2019.  Board Chair Ronnie King (R) and Director Tim Rogers (L) personally congratulated them and presented them with their awards.

Nicolle Burton:  Employee of the Quarter:

 

 Nicolle first won the Encourage the Heart Award and ultimately the Employee of the Quarter Library Leadership Award.  Along with her many job responsibilities, Nicolle works hard and is positive and encourages staff to contribute to various citywide initiatives such as the Daniel organization's Thanksgiving baskets and Salvation Army's Christmas Drive for Children, etc.  Promoting participation by JPL staff while cooperating with other city departments running charitable campaigns, Nicolle has done a superb job--and always with a smile.  She is also appreciated for coordinating staff celebrations and get-togethers which take effort, patience, and passion.  Nicolle is a bright light in JPL!

 

Carolyn Armstrong - Inspire A Shared Vision:

 

 On Saturdays at Dallas Graham, each child is asked to do some reading before logging on to the computer. They check with staff on their reading, either relating elements of the story or reading along with a staff member. Part-time Clerk Carolyn Armstrong takes this mission seriously and spends significant time with each child, usually reading with them for several pages and ensuring they comprehend what is written. Her patience and determination serve as an example to other members of the team and reinforces the sense of purpose staff has in developing young readers.

 

Catherine Currier - Encourage the Heart Award:

 

Catherine formed and strengthened partnerships with local community organizations during the first quarter. She coordinated the exhibition of two Jacksonville Historical Society displays, ensured all paperwork was completed, and managed the installations. Catherine worked with Cummer Museum staff and library staff to develop adult and children's library programs to complement the Cummer Museum's Augusta Savage exhibit and to cross-promote institutions. She attended Memorial Park events and distributed library information. She established a partnership with Alliance Francais which resulted in the planning of a series of tours of Special Collections and English language instruction for a group of French visitors in the Main Library's Center for Adult Learning.  The partnership also resulted in promotion of the "Mapping Our Past" event on Alliance Francais's website and an email blast to Alliance Francais's email distribution list of 750 people.

 Mandy Elliott (not pictured) - Enable Others to Act:

For the 3rd year in a row, JPL has participated in Jacksonville Beach's Deck the Chairs by sponsoring and decorating a lifeguard chair. Each year, Pablo Creek Library's Mandy Elliott has stepped forward to give her assistance in this endeavor. This year, the library didn't have the help of the carpenter and an area school that had participated previously. The call was put out for regional staff to help assemble the chair and Mandy offered to chip in again. She studied the chair design, grabbed a string of lights, climbed up the lifeguard chair and within a few hours she led a JPL employee and a group of teens successfully through setting up and lighting the chair. Mandy brings this can-do attitude into every project and her willingness and talent are admired and appreciated.  (Region Manager Michael Sullivan accepted the award for Mandy Elliott.)

 Sylvester Rease - Model the Way:

Sylvester consistently goes above and beyond as he pursues and executes his duties at JPL's Conference Center.  He takes the initiative to look for improvements needed, projects to make our work more efficient, and to get started on tasks needing to be completed without being prompted or waiting for direction.  He prepares for event set-ups prior to his shifts by printing and reviewing floor plans and asking questions.  He exceeds expectations by being precise and taking measures to ensure safety and attendee comfort.   He sets up equipment properly and submits ideas and recommendations for improving working conditions and methods.  Sylvester models a strong work ethic, kindness, humility, and dependability.  He absolutely models the way for Conference Center helpers and is a huge part of the Conference Center's success.

 Stephanie Boilard (3rdd left) and Nicole Rivera (2nd left) - Challenge the Process:

Stephanie Boilard and Nicole Rivera 'Challenged the Process' in their efforts to develop, launch, and facilitate the first Girls Who Code Club at the Jacksonville Public Library.  With the idea to host a club for 6th - 12th grade students, they began meeting in the spring of 2018, along with volunteer Alexandria Lewis.  They established milestones, prioritized their tasks to launch the first club meeting, September 15, 2018, with 20 students in attendance.  Over the semester, they held a total of 11 sessions with an average of 13 participants in each session.  Since then, they have held regular planning meetings, attended webinars hosted by Girls Who Code, and reviewed the program tutorials and curriculum.  Although both Stephanie and Nicole have coding experience, they dedicated time to improve their skills and researched other Girls Who Code Clubs for best practices. Stephanie and Nicole developed the course and scope of the group project for the club.  In addition to the club curriculum, they compiled passive coding activities in the event of participant overflow.

They then worked with CR and M to develop promotional materials and reached out to local schools and organizations to generate interest and potential participation in the club and promoted it at outreach events.  Stephanie and Nicole also developed the parameters of the club, including holding club sessions in Main's e-Classroom and they set the semester schedule.  They are still working to improve the processes for the next semester.

 Shirdellah Grouix (not pictured), Kim Kirkland, Mary Fletcher (not pictured), Margaret Esposito (4th left), Doug Fair (3rd left), Akeem Adell (5th left), and Albina Akramova (not pictured) - Inspire A Shared Vision:

Murray Hill Branch Library celebrated its 50th Anniversary, Saturday, December 15, 2018, along with a name change and dedication to the late local attorney and library activist Bill Brinton. Over 300 people attended the event. The celebration was a perfect example of inspiring a shared vision and collaborating with others to achieve a successful community event.  MH staff organized and hosted the event, led by Branch Manager Shir Groulx and Assistant Manager Kim Kirkland with support from Library Associate Doug Fair, Library Assistant Margaret Esposito and Library Clerks Mary Fletcher, Albina Akramova and Akeem Adell.  Staff began planning in June and reached out to community groups and businesses for support. They decorated the branch with the theme Flashback to 1968 and the holiday season. Staff and many customers dressed in 1960's attire and 1960's games were played at the event. The team did a wonderful job working with other JPL departments, the Friends of the Murray Hill Library, community leaders, and area businesses to ensure that the celebration was a success.  Bedside this fabulous team, CR and M, Conference, and Facilities staffs, many local businesses, City Council members, our Director and Admin team all made this anniversary/renaming of MH a tremendous success.  Please see the December 19, 2018, article in this blog to enjoy fuller coverage of this event.   

Mr. Donnie Horner III Joins Library Board of Trustees

Mr. Donnie Horner III attended his first Library Board meeting as the Library Board's latest Trustee and received a warm welcome, November 15, 2018.  Mr. Horner is a national sales representative at Beaver Street Fisheries with a focus on retail grocery partnerships.  His accounts include Fortune 500 companies, small family owned businesses, and sole proprietorships.  He serves as Vice Chairman of the River Club and was president of the Naval Academy's Class of 2008.

Two Honored For Service On JPL Board Of Trustees

Two Jacksonville Public Library Board members who are ending their terms on the board were honored for their service to JPL at the Board of Trustees meeting, September 13, 2018.  Above center is Trustee Gerald Reid.  The library dedicated a book of his choice, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, to be placed in the library's collection to honor his service.

Trustee Charlie Kleeman also will be leaving the Library Board and he chose the book, Little Princes: one man's promise to bring home the lost children of Nepal by Conor Grennan. The title will be placed in the library system in his honor.  Library Board Chair Ronnie King, right, and Director Tim Rogers, left, thanked both Trustees for their service.  Their presence will be missed.

Ansbacher Family Thanked For Monitor

The Main Library's Special Collections Department is honored to have a collection of maps donated by the Ansbacher family and recently the family added a touch screen display monitor for the 4th floor where the Ansbacher Map Collection is housed.  Board Chair Ronnie King thanked the family and Library Board Trustee Sybil Ansbacher, personally,when she attended the Library Board meeting, August 9, 2018.  

Laura Minor, Special Collections Manager, displayed the monitor.  Director Tim Rogers noted the tremendous value this map collection is to JPL and our community and recalled the dinner that was held earlier in the year where eyeryone was treated to a tour of the collection.

Library Board Presents JPL Leadership Awards, February 8, 2018

Obviously, JPL's new Library Director, Tim Rogers, (pictured left below next to Alison McCarty) and and Library Board Chair Ronnie King thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the 4th quarter Library Leadership Award winners and presenting their certificates at the Library Board meeting, February 8, 2018.

Tasked to create training for JPL staff, Alison McCarty (pictured above), Chair of the Readers' Advisory Subcommittee, did just that--ahead of deadline (November 30, 2017.)  Alison teamed with RA Committee members to develop and test training for staff. Then Alison created a facilitator's guide for training and a list of activities to be used with the training.  She reviewed training options with her team and they presented the training as a webinar, making it easy for managers to present the training.  Simultaneously, she also 1) created the monthly RA newsletter 2) worked with CR&M and RA Committee to compile a list of Best of 2017 staff pics which are posted on JPL's Overdrive homepage; and passed the Librarian II promotional exam while 4) fulfilling her job responsibilities in  the Collection Development department! (Maybe that deserves two exclamation points, Alison.)

No surprise Alison McCarty received the Enable Others to Act and, subsequently, the Employee of the 4th Quarter Award (October - December 2017).

Margo Crafton and KR Manager Mark Hohnadel organized and inspired the Mandarin staff to assist with Prime Time Family Reading, a program which fosters a family habit of reading and discussing books together. The successful six-week series benefited greatly from staff buy-in, drawing users and non-users to JPL. For this, they received the Inspire a Shared Vision Carolyn Williams Team Award.

Robin West Rogers (mid-right above), Crystal Kadkhodaie (mid-left above), and Alison Pulley (not there) took on an extra responsibility--a monthly art program for a large group of home schoolers.  Alison created and loaned a full series of art history programs for school age children to other branches.  As a result, the library’s profile has been raised with parents and community organizations alike.  For this, Robin, Crystal, and Alison received a Model the Way Carolyn Williams Team Award.

Angelica Bencomo, Library Associate at the Main Library, eagerly serves on multiple committees, including Summer Planning, Youth Services Readers Advisory, and the Maker Con Committee, advocating to all for the library.  For this, Angelica received the Inspire a Shared Vision Award.

Melodie Brunson, Library Associate at the West Library, showed her heart with the Jane Harris project, curating photos and creating a display to honor Jane Harris, who passed away last year shortly after retiring from JPL as West Region Manager.  For this, Melodie received the Encourage the Heart Award.

Justin Keiser, Support Services Librarian for SST, did three days of investigation to solve a major bug that was bedeviling the library’s linked data project when embedded book carousels wouldn’t work in iOS systems.  The vendor was so impressed with Justin’s fix that they wrote him a note thanking him for his accomplishment and will include it in future releases.  For this, Justin received the Challenge the Process Award.

Cindy Mathieson, Library Associate at the Regency Library, worked within a Califa PLACE grant - PLACE meaning “Public Libraries Advancing Community Engagement" - to program events around the topic of global warming.  For this, Cindy received the Model the Way Award.

Brentley Stead, who could not attend, is a Specialist in Community Relations and Marketing. Brentley discovered hundreds of reviews on our libraries on Google and Yelp that had gone unanswered and developed procedures for reporting and responding to them.  For this, Brentley received the Challenge the Process Award and CR&M's Jenna Hassell received the award for Brentley.

Ru’Punzel Wooden, Library Associate at the Bradham Brooks Library, created one of the most well-attended events at the branch – Couponing.  The attendance is so large that Ru’Punzel began a monthly coupon club.   For this, she received the Inspire a Shared Vision award.

Siu Yam (not pictured but present), is a Library Assistant at the Pablo Creek Library.  She encountered a rather difficult customer who returned several magazines with covers ripped off and pages falling out.  Siu assessed the damage and told the customer he would be charged.  The customer balked and walked off with the magazines, then tried to turn them in at the automatic book return, got caught, and argued with staff for 15 minutes while Siu calmly softened him up.  By the end of it, the customer paid the fine and was seen laughing with Siu on his way out.  For this, Siu received the Get to Yes Award.

Library Board Recognizes Employee Of The Quarter & Leadership Award Winners

The Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees recognized the following outstanding employees at their November 9, 2017 meeting.  Winners, if pictured, are flanked by Interim Director Jennifer Giltrop and Library Board Chair Ronnie King:

Main's Tamethia Billings was nominated by POP Librarian II Mia Clark for a Model the Way Award and subsequently won the Employee of the Quarter Award for the last quarter of 2017 (July-September).  Mia hailed Tamethia as "an employee who is aware that a smile is the best accessory, and shares it with customers and staff alike. She is encouraging, understanding, and supportive, treating each customer and staff member with respect. She also shows strong leadership skills when her supervisor is away from the department, often acting on issues, answering questions in a constructive and positive way.  Tammy has received several compliments from customers through Counting Opinions. One customer wrote 'Received excellent customer service from Tammy when I got my new library card.'"   

Nominated by Deputy Director Mark Merritt, Michael Sullivan received the Model the Way Award.  Mark said, "On August 8, 2017, Michael was thrust into the position of Assistant Director for Facilities Management and Planning. Michael calmly took stock of his new responsibilities. Once he was in place he faced the immediate issue of the remodeling of Brentwood Library. Michael ensured that an up-to-date and accurate project plan was put in place. Then, working with branch and Facilities staff, he overcame several issues as this project continued into September. In early September, along came Hurricane Irma Michael was now working daily at the EOC, communicating the progress of the storm and working with JPL staff to get ready. Once the storm hit, Michael worked with other senior staff to deploy JPL staff to POD training and to several PODs as requested by the City. This was the first time in our history that PODs were deployed, so Michael broke new ground here! Michael was front and center in the post Hurricane Irma building assessments and spent considerable time visiting branches to check for issues, as well as working with Public Works and Public Buildings to ensure they knew what the library needed in order to function. Michael worked seamlessly with the in-place facilities staff and they responded to Michael’s leadership by doing everything they could to support the Department as well as JPL."

Model the Way/Carolyn Williams Team Award went to Amanda Whaley (pictured 2nd from left beside Interim Director Jennifer Giltrop, then: Stephanie Boilard, James "Jay" Brasfield, Amanda Whaley, Anthony Villareal, Corey Scott, Joanna Nigrelli, and Stephanie Boilard.  Also awarded but not present: Nancy Swaine, Greg Royce, Sara Radovic, Don Carpenter, Nancy Swaine and Gary Ammons. Main's POP Librarian III Kathleen Brunner said, "Saturday, August 29, 2017, is a day that will live in infamy at Main. The gate count count was 2,625 for that day when Main's average for a Saturday is around 1.600. The gate count was mostly due to the high number of people who came hoping to get eclipse glasses. Main's eclipse program was one of the last  scheduled in the system and we had 185 sets to give away. We had to design a system of distribution that was fair as to who could participate in the program and be eligible to receive the glasses. So our staff worked for hours before, setting up stations all around the edge of the Makerspace to direct people who wanted to participate. We saw a need and took initiative to solve a problem before it happened. Throughout the day, we talked to customers, listened to their concerns, and tried to make waiting a little easier. We passed out library card applications, and after verifying the info on the ID’s, we brought the ID’s and applications to CIRC employees, who then processed them. Then staff brought the new library cards back to the customers.  At the end of the event, several customers thanked us for the efficient manner in which the event was handled and told us that we had done a great job."

SS's Crystal Kadkhodaie (not pictured) was nominated by Teen Librarian II Kevin Douglas, who says, "Crystal consistently puts forth a great deal of effort and determination in regards to her story time programs. Her efforts have not only produced noteworthy programs, they have earned her the praise of many parents whose children attend story time. For example, on August 8, San Marco Branch received a customer comment praising Crystal for the positive influence on her daughter at story time. Modeling the Way for Crystal is providing outstanding customer service."

AYL Manager Kristi Dorney, who nominated Kimberly Bennett  for a Model the Way Award said, "Kim stepped up to cover the summer teen learning program after our teen associate quit. As Kim had only seen Harry Potter movies, she  read the entire series of books before summer. Kim created many props for the Dumbledor’s Army program series. She created 'potion' bottles, Dolores Umbridge’s cate plates, a Dementor and a Monster Book of Monsters. She changed the week 3 craft from flying keys to Monster Book of Monsters. She brought in snacks each week and for the final program, she made Harry Potter food (troll boogies, cockroach clusters, cauldron cakes, etc.) She took a good program and made it great. Each week, participants eagerly awaited the time to go in for the program. One child had no interest in the program until she saw Kim making wands for participants. The little girl attended all six programs. One child had never read a Harry Potter book but started reading them because of the program. Parents who observed the program have been giving Kim high praises. It has been requested that a family version of the program be presented because of this high quality program. Staff has also been impressed by all the props and activities Kim created and/or contributed to the program." 

KR's Margo Crafton, was nominated for a Model the Way Award by KR Branch Manager Mark Hohnadel. Mark credited Margo with "greatly improving the number and quality of adult programming at KR. Adult programs are up 32% this year and average attendance increased from 5.78 last year to 6.80 this year. Margo has done a fantastic job planning quality diverse programs that provide a great experience. For example, Mandarin hosted local author Mark Woods, who talked about his new book Lassoing the Sun, creating an opportunity for customers to connect with a local author and share their experiences. Another successful program featured a community expert who presented a program on Indian spices that are used in cooking and for medical needs. Attendees learned about different spices and had a chance to taste some recipes featuring authentic Indian cuisine.

Laura Minor (not pictured), who works in Special Collections, was nominated by former Librarian I Martha Smith, said, "The Special Collections Department received a bust created by local artist Augusta Savage. The piece (title unknown) had been at Graham Branch for several years when it was decided that it would be relocated to Special Collections and displayed as the work of art it is. Since the Cummer has works by Augusta Savage, Laura worked with their current and former staff to determine the best way to display the piece. She worked with two contractors recommended by the Cummer on the construction of the display box, as well as the installation.This included calling back the installer three days before the unveiling when she noticed a shadow caused by fingerprints inside the case. Laura also worked with CR&M on the wording of accompanying signage and with the Conference Center and Facilities on set up. There were numerous details and moving parts to coordinate that entailed working with other people inside and outside JPL to complete arrangements for the unveiling ceremony. Laura’s attention to detail and perseverance resulted in a beautiful and fitting display for a grand unveiling of this important Savage sculpture." 

AR's Becky Hatfield was nominated by Library Associate Lauren Lazar, for being "one of the most supportive and uplifting staff members at Regency Square Branch.  She develops relationships with all the kids, principals and teachers she talks to--inside the library and in outreaches. Becky thrives on creativity and teamwork, suggesting little things to do to bring the branch together, such as a candy making team building day at Sweet-Pete’s, Karaoke nights and Escape Rooms. She is constantly praising and telling those around her how good they are doing at their jobs, both in public and private and how much she appreciates them. Becky also talks about things we can do in the future to make the library a better place. For the kids, she wants to showcase their work so they feel a sense of ownership in coming to the library and are proud of what they’ve done. Becky is one of the best people you could work for and with. "

Meet Our JPL Library Board Of Trustees & DCPS' Board Rep

(L/R): Library Board Trustee and JPL Foundation Liaison Sybil Ansbacher; Ex-Officio member and DCPS' representative to the Board Tia Leathers; she is also Director, Duval County Parental and Community Involvement; Interim Director Jennifer Giltrop, Staff Liaison to the Board; Trustee Charlie Kleeman; Board Chair Ronnie King; Trustee Guy Anderson; our newest Trustee Carlo Fassi, confirmed by City Council, October 10, 2017; Trustee Marc Hardesty; Vice Chair Tim Anderson; and Trustee Jill Dame.  Not pictured:  Board Secretary Mario Payne, Trustees Gerald Reid and Jackie Perry, and Ex-Officio members Tommy Hazouri and Jim Love, who serve on the City Council.

We JPL employees sincerely thank and appreciate each and every one of you for giving your valuable time to serve on the JPL Board of Library Trustees, its committees, make JPL policy, attend the many functions you do on JPL's behalf and advocate for the library.   

Library Board Honors Former Chair Dr. Brenda Simmons-Hutchins

(L/R): Chair King, Interim Director Giltrop, Mr. Hutchins, Dr. Simmons-Hutchins and her mother and father

JPL Board Chair Ronnie King (L) and Interim Director Jennifer Giltrop are pictured with Dr. Brenda Simmons-Hutchins (yellow blouse) as the Library Board of Trustees honored her at their meeting, November 9, 2017. Dr. Simmons-Hutchins served as the Library Board's first African-American Board Chair and Chair King hailed her advocacy for JPL with state legislators, City Council members and our community.  The "READ" poster, seen above, with her picture will be placed in the Main Library. She thanked everyone and said she hopes the poster will inspire people to pick up a book and read.

As Dr. Simmons-Hutchins retires from the Board, Chair King dedicated a copy of Zora Neal Thurston's (one of her favorite authors) book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, with an inscription inside the book honoring her service. The book will be placed in the Main Library.

JPL Leadership Awards At Board Meeting, 8/10/17

The quarterly JPL Leadership Awards were presented at the JPL Board of Directors meeting at the Main Library, August 10, 2017.  Congratulations to all of our winners:

Shown above, flanked by Interim Director Jennifer Giltrop and Library Board Chair Ronnie King, JB Library Clerk Terry Welch receives two awards.

Winner of both the Challenge the Process and Employee of the Quarter Awards, JB's Terry Welch (above) regularly finds creative ways to engage customers in conversation about what they are reading and watching. The most notable example occurred when Dave Barry was Skyped at JB for 91 book lovers as he reviewed his latest book, Best.State.Ever.  

Above L/R former JPL Deputy Director Carolyn Williams, for whom the team award is named; Interim Library Director Jennifer Giltrop, Foundation Development Director Dr. Jamie Self; YS Librarian III Rebekah Mitchell, behind her: Coordinator of Lifelong Learning & Community Engagement Lisa Buggs, Library Clerk Terry Welch, Manager of YS&CO Amber Holley, SE Region Manager Keli Likins, Interim Assistant Director, Facilities Michael Sullivan, and CR&M Manager Chris Boivin.

This was the first presentation of the Carolyn Williams Team Award: Challenge the Process. The award winning team is pictured above (not pictured are Urban Librarian IV Stephanie Miller and CR&M Coordinator Olga Bayer and Graphics Artist Bryan Thomas.) These employees worked tirelessly to make this year's Jax Book Fest a success. Amber focused on recruiting youth authors, working with Stephanie and Rebekah; Lisa focused on recruiting adult authors. Keli was project manager, coordinating the event and she worked with Chris, Bryan and Olga.  Michael worked with Keli coordinating zine programming in Makerspace and with Terry, who pulled together gift items and baskets. On the Foundation's end, Dr. Self did the honors.   

Below are pictured recipients of the Carolyn Williams Team Award: Model the Way.  (Not pictured are PCR's Library Assistant Siu Yam, P/T Clerks Illesa Massline, Arlin Estes and Kristina Mikhedok, P/T Associate Shirley Holcomb.  Stephanie Harley received their awards for them.)                        

 L/R above: Carolyn Williams, P/T Associate Nicole Denton, receiving for absent winners: Library Clerical Supervisor Stephanie Harley, P/T Clerk Alicia Dottery, and Library Clerks Danielle Linnen and Kimberly Washington, then Interim Director Jennifer Giltrop.
At Pablo Creek’s June Turn it Up Thursday event, this "human jukebox" group chose four songs, created props, and set up a table in the lobby. If a customer agreed to make a donation to the High Five for Reading program, the group sang whichever song the customer chose.  

Nicolle Burton, Assistant to the Deputy Director, coordinated the Volunteer Recognition Program held at the Board Meeting during National Library Week, liaising with a wide range of parties. In her absence, Nicolle's Encourage the Heart Award was received by Andrew Herron. 

CW's Library Assistant Dana Curry (not pictured) created posters, characters and displays for the library’s Comic Con, going the tenth mile to ensure the project looked its best.  For this Dana received the Model the Way Award.

King & Giltrop Make JPL's Case Before City Finance Committee

Library Board Chair Ronnie King and Interim Director Jennifer Giltrop were early to rise to the occasion of the August 11, 2017, City Finance Committee meeting in the Council Chambers at City Hall to plead the case for JPL's no nonsense budget for FY2018 (October 1, 2017-October 30, 2018). THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

The Finance Committee members are Chair CM Garrett Dennis, Vice Chair CM Danny Becton, and Council Members:   Katrina Brown, Reggie Brown, Reggie Gaffney and Lori Boyer, who is also President of the City Council.) 

Special Exhibit Celebrates 75 Years Of Service To Mankind

Pictured are Deputy Director Jennifer Giltrop and Library Board Trustee Dr. Brenda Simmons-Hutchins at an exhibit, "75 Years of Service - The Gamma Rho Omega Story" on the 4th floor of the Main Library, August 5, 2017. The exhibit provides an overview of significant events in the existence of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated from its founding in 1908 by coeds at Howard University. Mrs. Simmons-Hutchins was President of AKA Sorority, 1996-1999. It was a special event for her to celebrate 75 years of service of the sorority. The exhibit, which will be up until September 1, shares the history of Gamma Rho Omega Chapter's commitment to the sorority's creed, "to be of service to all mankind." 

Trustee Dr. Brenda Simmons-Hutchins has served previously as Chair of the Library Board of Trustees and participated in other community services and has certainly fulfilled her sorority's creed.