2026_02_04_LAB_APPROVED_MINUTES.PDF

Minutes of the LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD hybrid meeting recorded at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 
February 4, 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) 
Jessica Brown 
Martha Carter 
Katie Boligitz 
Dianne Haws 
(MEMBERS) Absent: 
Sonia Sen 
City Staff Present: 
Jessica Jupitus, Deputy Community Services Director ± Library 
Jasmine Mundo, Librarian ± Youth Services 
Erin Fillmore, Senior Management Assistant ± Community Services Admin 
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 January 7, 2026, Board Meeting Minutes: APPROVED 
Wendy Rosen, Board Chair, asked the Board members to review the unapproved meeting minutes 
document dated January 7, 2026.  
o 
No edits noted or requested. 
 
MOTION:   
Jesse Shank moved to approve the January 7, 2026 Board meeting minutes as 
presented. 
SECOND:   
Dianne Haws seconded. 
DECISION:  
Motion approved, 5-0.  
Minutes 
LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD 
Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Library Advisory Board 
February 4, 2026 
 
Ayes:  
Wendy Rosen (Chair), Jesse Shank (Vice Chair), Katie Boligitz, Martha Carter, and 
Dianne Haws  
Nays:   
None 
Absent: 
Sonia Sen  
Abstained:  
Jessica Brown 
Agenda Item 4± Staff Report: Jessica Jupitus, Deputy Community Services Director ± Library  
o 
Jasmine Mundo, Librarian ± Youth Services, presented on Maker Lab and Teen Programming: 
 
A Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant and funds from Friends of the Tempe Public 
Library allowed the Library to expand the Maker Lab. 
 
The Maker Lab has seen a 50% increase in kids attending since the Library purchased new 
creative tools and tech with the LSTA grant like a 3D printer, laser cutter, wood burner, and 
Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, among other items.  
 
The funds provided by Friends of the Tempe Public Library were used to purchase six VR 
headsets.  
 
The Board asked when the Maker Lab is open and if it¶s only open during that specific time 
and J. Mundo responded that it is open on Wednesdays but if a teen arrives to work on a 
program, they are allowed to. Additionally, Maker Lab is open Wednesday through Friday for 
teens who show up asking about using it.  
 
The Board asked if there was an opportunity to use an app to schedule time on 3D printer 
and J. Mundo responded that the Library is starting with paper requests to use the printer. 
 
The Board asked about funding for supplies once the LSTA grant is used and J. Jupitus 
responded that the Library sets aside funding for programming supplies and receives funds 
from the Friends of the Tempe Public Library. 
 
Lego Animatronics allows kids and teens to design moving creations with Legos and use 
computer coding to make their designs move.  
 
Teen Art Gallery supports creativity and experimentation with new artistic techniques and craft 
materials as well as showcase completed art on the Teen Gallery Art wall. 
 
The Board asked how the Library promotes Teen and Youth programming and J. Jupitus 
responded that program opportunities are promoted through the Library¶s calendar as well as the 
partnership with schools where the Library used Peach Jar monthly to promote available and 
upcoming programs. 
 
The Board asked how often the Library receives grant or donation funds and J. Jupitus 
responded that the Friends of the Tempe Public Library contribute funds as needs arise and that 
LSTA grants are annual, depending on the federal budget. Based on the budget passed by 
Congress, LSTA grants will continue this year.  
 
o 
Jessica Jupitus, Deputy Community Services Director ± Library, gave the following report specific to 
Tempe Public Library (Library) operations: 
 
 
402 adults were engaged in 25 programs during February 2026; programs included: 
 
 
Book Clubs 
o 
Mystery Club 
o 
Friends of Dorothy 
o 
Great Books 
o 
Bite Size Book Club 
o 
Love and Fate 
o 
Coffee, Tea, and Books 
o 
Let¶s Get Graphic 
o 
Weird Books for Weird People

Library Advisory Board 
February 4, 2026 
 
 
Writing Programs  
o 
Writers¶ Connection  
o 
My Travel Adventures 
 
Improv Club 
 
Library Stitch Club 
 
With A Twist: Rock & Roll and Recycled Crafts 
 
Reel Deal Film Society 
 
Board Game Café 
 
Puzzle Swap 
 
Inter-City Puzzle Tournament: Round 1 
 
WaterSmart for Tempe Water Utility Customers 
 
Stranger Things Trivia at Green 
 
The Library is celebrating the abundance of available puzzles with an honor-system puzzle 
lending library, located on the shelves behind the Answers desk. As the Library hosts 
tournaments, swaps, and a perpetual puzzle table in the Library, this seemed like a natural next 
step for Library users to have the chance to take home puzzles to enjoy.   
 
The Library¶s new Writer in Residence, Leslie Rager, starts on February 7, 2026 with Get Ready, 
Get Set, Write! The Library is working on the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) 
grant for the next cycle of Writer in Residence but are always accepting recommendations for 
terrific local writers.  
 
o 
J. Jupitus reported the following information specific to operations of the Library¶s Youth and Teen 
Services areas: 
 
 
1,387 participants were engaged in 43 youth programs during January 2026, J. Jupitus 
highlighted the following programs: 
 
 
Storytimes:  
o 
Baby Lapsit  
o 
Family Evening  
o 
Preschool  
o 
Toddler  
o 
Cuentos Contigo 
 
Mini STEAMers ± superhero straw shooters 
 
Budding Builders - building a home for a superhero 
 
LEGO Learning Lab  
 
Paws2Read with Finn and Roxy 
 
Sunday Funday  
 
Pokemon Hour 
 
Make Way For Books: Story School. 
 
Teen:  
o 
Maker Lab 
o 
Crochet Corner 
o 
Teen Art Gallery ± focus on scribble art and artists like Picasso, Kandinsky, and O¶Keefe  
o 
Level Up LEGO 
o 
Super Gaming Tournament 
 
 
The Library had 29 teen volunteers for the month providing 189.5 hours of service, including 
20 of them at FanCon helping at library stations, offering vendor relief, providing set up and 
tear down, and being essential to the smooth functioning of the event.

Library Advisory Board 
February 4, 2026 
 
 
105 Youth Activity Kits and 54 teen STEAM kits circulated as well as 236 scavenger 
hunters. 
 
The new program, Story School, is from an early literacy nonprofit dedicated to providing 
children and caregivers the chance to learn skills together using books as primary 
engagement tools. Learn more at this link: https://makewayforbooks.org/. 
o 
J. Jupitus reported the following information specific to the Library¶s Infrastructure: 
Physical circulation of materials for January 2026: 
 
Physical circulation of materials in January 2026 totaled 36,582 uses; 
 
Virtual/eResource circulation for January 2026:  
 
eResource circulation in January 2026 totaled 34,076 uses; 
 
 
Views (use of database resources without downloading content) for January 2026: 
 
Views in January 2026 totaled 45,422; 
 
 
Library staff added 1,461 new users and renewed 1,388 cards in January 2026.  
 
 
Public access computers saw 3,253 total sessions in January 2026. 
 
 
Gate Count: 38,259 
 
 
The Library had 230 App downloads (156 Apple; 74 Android) in January 2026. 
 
 
To more accurately capture usage statistics, the Library has added a ³views´ option for some of 
the databases including Library Speakers Consortium, Novelist, and Freegal to indicate where 
folks are using a resource without downloading content.  
 
The Library had some nice boosts on Instagram with @tinyexplorersphx mentioning what a great 
place the Library is for kids and families and the New Times sharing some of the best costumes 
of FanCon26. 
 
o 
J. Jupitus updated the Board on the following topics: 
 
FanCon was a success again! Attendees were estimated to be around 2,000 with about 1,400 
attendees around noon. The programming, vendors, food trucks, and delightful attendees made 
the event a very good time even though it ended up at 80 degrees for the last day of January.   
 
There are reports of non-Arizona residents trying to censor certain books. Some of these 
concerns have been presented at other Council meetings but people are going through the 
Statement of Concern process. 
 
The Board asked if the recent book that generated a Statement of Concern submission was 
returned and J. Jupitus said it was recently returned and is in the process of being reviewed 
by staff. 
 
The Board asked if the Request for Proposal for library materials vendors was completed and J. 
Jupitus responded that it went to Council in January 2026 and the Library now has four approved 
vendors plus the co-opt vendor to purchase materials from. The Library purchased over 5,000 
items in January. 
 
The Board asked how Library users make a request for library material not currently available in 
the catalog and J. Jupitus responded that on the Libby app, items can be tagged as a suggested 
purchase as well as a form on the Library¶s website under more information/suggest a purchase 
which the Library uses to help inform purchases. https://www.tempepubliclibrary.org/more-
information/suggest-a-purchase.

Library Advisory Board 
February 4, 2026 
 
Agenda Item 5± Member Announcements/Future Agenda Items 
None. 
 
Agenda Item 6 - Adjournments 
o 
Motion made by Jesse Shank to adjourn the meeting.
Second by Jessica Brown.
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, 
March 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  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
03/05/2026 
Approval Signature: Library Advisory Chair