2026_01_07_LAB_APPROVED_MINUTES.PDF

Minutes of the LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD hybrid meeting recorded at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 
January 7, 2026, held in a hybrid format in-person at Tempe Public Library, and via Microsoft Teams.  
 
(MEMBERS) Present: 
Wendy Rosen (Chair)  
Jesse Shank (Vice-Chair)  
Martha Carter  
Katie Boligitz  
Dianne Haws  
Sonia Sen  
 
(MEMBERS) Absent: 
Jessica Brown 
 
City Staff Present: 
Jessica Jupitus, Deputy Community Services Director – Library 
Erin Fillmore, Senior Management Assistant – Community Services Admin 
Clarence Matherson, Jr., Deputy City Attorney 
Kara DeArrastia, City Clerk 
 
General Public Present: 
None 
Agenda Item 1 - Call to Order: 
Wendy Rosen, Library Advisory Board (Board) Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. 
  
Agenda Item 2 - Call to the Audience: 
No public comments from the audience to report. 
 
Agenda Item 3 - Approval of the December 3, 2025, Board Meeting Minutes: APPROVED 
Wendy Rosen, Board Chair, asked the Board members to review the unapproved meeting minutes 
document dated December 3, 2025.  
o 
No edits noted or requested. 
 
MOTION:   
Katie Boligitz moved to approve the December 3, 2025 Board meeting minutes as 
presented. 
SECOND:   
Jesse Shank seconded. 
DECISION:  
Motion approved, 4-0.  
Ayes:   
Wendy Rosen (Chair), Jesse Shank (Vice Chair), Katie Boligitz, and Sonia Sen 
Minutes 
LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Library Advisory Board 
January 7, 2026 
 
Nays:   
None 
Absent: 
Jessica Brown 
Abstained:  
Martha Carter and Dianne Haws 
Agenda Item 4– City of Tempe’s Open Meeting Law Training Video 
o 
Jessica Jupitus, Deputy Community Services Director – Library, informed the Board that we would be 
watching the Tempe City Attorney’s Office Open Meeting Law training video. 
 
Tempe Open Meeting Law Review, City Attorney’s Office was played (video can be found at the 
following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzTl58YGlK8). 
o 
This item was opened for questions by Board members. 
o 
The Board had no questions. 
 
Agenda Item 5 - Staff Report: Jessica Jupitus, Deputy Community Services Director – Library 
o 
Jessica Jupitus, Deputy Community Services Director – Library, gave the following report specific to 
Tempe Public Library (Library) operations: 
 
 
408 adults were engaged in 17 programs during December 2025; programs included: 
 
 
Book Clubs 
o 
Mystery Club  
o 
Friends of Dorothy  
o 
Great Books  
o 
Footnotes Walking Club 
o 
Bite Size Book Club 
 
Writing Programs  
o 
Writers’ Connection  
o 
Memories About Seasons of the Year 
 
Making and Playing Simple Percussion Instruments 
 
Reel Deal Film Society 
 
Writing Contest Book Launch 
 
Board Game Café 
 
Puzzle Swap 
 
Car and Motorcycle Show 
 
 
The Library’s first ever car and motorcycle show was a (modest) success! Just under 150 
attendees including kids who were thrilled to sit on the back of a motorcycle and feel the 
vibrations. The Friends set up a table to sell vintage car books, the fire department brought one of 
their trucks, and Dixxon set up a mobile shop to sell flannels. The Library is looking at making this 
an annual event to highlight some of the lesser known resources like the Chilton and Mitchell’s 
car repair databases.  
 
The Library is almost ready for FanCon! An annual all-hands event celebrating fandoms of every 
kind is happening on Saturday, January 31, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Board Members 
are all cordially invited to attend this free event with over 80+ vendors, activities for kids, and a 
stellar costume contest.  
 
The Board asked if the Library sees a jump in circulation of Manga/Comics before and after 
FanCon and J. Jupitus responded that there is not a noticeable jump in circulation but the 
Library will focus more on these items this year to promote FanCon. 
 
With A Twist programs will now occur monthly, on 2nd Sundays at 2:00 p.m.  
 
The first program is Rock and Roll and Recycled Crafts, followed by Latin and Love Notes in 
February, and KPop and Coffee in March.

Library Advisory Board 
January 7, 2026 
 
 
With A Twist programs have been some of the Library’s best attended adult programs in 
2025, so broadening the options and program presenters makes it more sustainable.  
 
If you haven’t checked out the Library’s meetup, consider this your invitation: 
https://www.meetup.com/tempe-public-library/  
o 
The Board asked if people attending programs advertised on the Library’s Meetup had to 
have a Library card and J. Jupitus responded saying some of the available programming 
does require a Library card. The Board suggested this may be an opportunity to increase 
Library card holders.  
 
o 
J. Jupitus reported the following information specific to operations of the Library’s Youth and Teen 
Services areas: 
 
 
762 participants were engaged in 30 youth programs during December 2025, J. Jupitus 
highlighted the following programs: 
 
Storytimes:  
o 
Baby Lapsit  
o 
Family Evening  
o 
Preschool  
o 
Toddler  
o 
Cuentos Contigo 
 
Mini STEAMers  
 
Budding Builders 
 
LEGO Learning Lab  
 
Paws2Read with Finn and Roxy 
 
Sunday Funday  
 
Pokemon Hour 
 
Raising a Reader with Southwest Human Development 
 
 
Teen:  
o 
Maker Lab 
o 
Crochet Corner 
o 
Teen Art Gallery 
o 
Trivia: Harry Potter 
o 
Super Mario Kart 
o 
New Year Tarot and Vision Board 
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Movie Marathon and Crafts 
o 
Book Review Pizza Party (we won this from Penguin Random House) 
 
The Library had 22 teen volunteers for the month providing 55.5 hours of service, including 
judging at the car show and handing out the 3D printed trophies.  
 
55 Youth Activity Kits and 46 teen STEAM kits circulated as well as 212 scavenger 
hunters. 
 
Like the November “Wall of Gratitude”, the Library invited families to post their favorite 
memory of 2025 on the wall and had 31 participants.  
 
In 2025, Youth had some major changes, including moving the young adult collection to the 
main floor, establishing a teen MakerLab, hosting the Library’s biggest Summer Reading 
program to date, and hosting our first ever Literacy Night.  
 
 
Physical circulation of materials for December 2025: 
 
Physical circulation of materials in December 2025 totaled 34,219 uses; 
 
Virtual/eResource circulation for December 2025:  
 
eResource circulation in December 2025 totaled 50,778 uses;

Library Advisory Board 
January 7, 2026 
 
Library staff added 1,188 new users and renewed 1,380 cards in December 2025.
Public access computers saw 3,465 total sessions in December 2025.
Gate Count: 29,962
 
 
The Library had 208 App downloads (141 Apple; 67 Android) in December 2025. 
 
 
The Library ended the year with 84,225 active cardholders. About halfway to our goal of everyone 
in Tempe having a Library card! Staff created an Instagram video thanking Library users for 
spending time with the Library in 2025 and it was one of the Library’s higher performing posts for 
the year, with one commenter claiming responsibility for at least a quarter million of the circs.  
 
The Library is working on an Orbit bus channel card marketing campaign with literary quotes and 
teasers to help drive traffic (pun intended) to the Library by building interest. The book quotes will 
have a QR code linking to a copy of the item to encourage folks to read further.  
 
The Library conducted a staff survey in advance of the larger Strategic Plan survey and found 
that most of the pain points for staff are currently in technology – helping Library users with 
printing, having limited options for payments, and frequent failures of equipment due to outdated 
service contracts or lack of updates. This is something the Library is prioritizing for 2026.  
 
The Library completed the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for purchasing library materials 
and established a cooperative contract with Brodart, with approval pending from City Council to 
add four (4) additional vendors. Diversifying vendors is intentional to prevent future disruptions in 
materials purchasing, such as those experienced during the Baker & Taylor bankruptcy. 
o 
J. Jupitus updated the Board on the following topics: 
 
The Library is experimenting with a multi-month programming theme to see if it creates a 
cohesion in the programming offered and encourages repeat attendance.  
 
Staff started having youth and adult programming meetings three (3) times a year to bring 
everyone together to discuss ideas and potential opportunities for cross-department 
collaboration.  
 
Library programming focus for January through April 2026 is highlighting creativity and all the 
various forms it takes.  
 
The Library had a clock tower refresh; new hands and mechanisms were installed on January 6, 
2026 to ensure the clock displays the accurate time for anyone driving by.  
 
This refresh was especially needed since it features prominently in our new logo!  
 
The Library added floor maps to the website so people can more easily navigate through the 
building on their own, should they want to do so.  
 
The Tempe Community Survey results from 2025 rated 85% satisfaction with the quality of 
Tempe Public Library.  
 
For context, the national average rating for library satisfaction is 59% and mid-sized city 
average is 64%. The quality of library programs and services was rated at 82% satisfaction. 
There was also 82% satisfaction with the perception of safety at the Library complex during 
the day and 65% satisfaction at night.  
o 
Perception of safety is something the Library is actively working on with security and the 
police department.  
 
For more community survey results, check out the report here: 
https://www.tempe.gov/government/strategic-management-and-innovation/signature-surveys-
research-and-data. 
 
The Library is considering a Library Open House in May 2026 that could include tours, sampling 
story time and other programs, showing how to use the Library’s app, among other possibilities.  
 
The Board asked if people could sign up for a Library card online and J. Jupitus responded 
that they can.  
 
A quick year in review, Tempe Public Library 2025 by the numbers:

Library Advisory Board 
January 7, 2026 
 
 
2,032 stories provided on the short story machine: 43% were 1 minute, 30% were 3 minutes, 
and 27% were 5 minutes.  
 
960 new members on Meetup with 130 events, 4.8 out of 5 stars rating, and +438% 
attendance over 2024.  
 
Over 9,000 phone calls were answered.  
 
3,087 open hours with 461,466 people through the doors.  
 
577 programs for youth and teens with 26,021 attendees; 252 programs for adults with 4,084 
attendees.  
 
Two (2) Writers in Residence and two (2) Tempe Writes contests.  
 
3,250 estimated attendees at FanCon, 4,658 registrants for Summer Reading, and 1,500 
books provided for One Tempe One Book.  
 
3,104 Library app downloads. 
 
51,648 items were added to the collection. 
 
483,314 physical items and 583,182 digital items were circulated for a grand total of 
1,066,496 circulations. This is about a 9% increase from the 2024 circulations. The chart 
below shows physical and digital circulation for 2025. Note the increase in circulations during 
Summer Reading.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Agenda Item 6– Member Announcements/Future Agenda Items 
None. 
 
Agenda Item 7 - Adjournments 
o 
Motion made by Jesse Shank to adjourn the meeting. 
Second by Sonia Sen. 
Meeting Adjourned at 6:48 p.m. 
 
The next meeting of the Library Advisory Board is scheduled to occur at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 
February 4, 2026; 
 
o 
This public meeting will be held in a hybrid format in-person and virtually via Microsoft Teams. 
 
Prepared by:  Erin Fillmore; Reviewed by: Jessica Jupitus  
 
 
 
 
 
02/05/2026 
Approval Signature: Library Advisory Chair 
 
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