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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-23-2026-BLT-AGENDA PACKETCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES AGENDA Civic Center Council Chambers 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660 Monday, February 23, 2026 - 5:00 PM Board of Library Trustees Members: Lauren Kramer, Chair Antonella Castro, Vice Chair Dorothy Larson, Secretary Meghan Murray, Trustee Chase Rief, Trustee Staff Members: Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director Francine Jacome, Administrative Support Specialist The Board of Library Trustees meeting is subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act. Among other things, the Brown Act requires that the Board of Library Trustees agenda be posted at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance of each regular meeting and that the public be allowed to comment on agenda items before the Commission and items not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Board of Library Trustees. The Chair may limit public comments to a reasonable amount of time, generally three (3) minutes per person. The public can submit questions and comments in writing for the Board of Library Trustees to consider. Please send them by email to the Library Services Department at LibraryBoard@newportbeachca.gov by Monday, January 19, at 5:00 p.m. to give the Board of Library Trustees time to consider your comments. All emails will be made part of the record. The City of Newport Beach’s goal is to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in all respects. If, as an attendee or a participant at this meeting, you will need special assistance beyond what is normally provided, we will attempt to accommodate you in every reasonable manner. Please contact Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director, at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting to inform us of your particular needs and to determine if accommodation is feasible at (949) 717-3801 or mhartson@newportbeachca.gov. NOTICE REGARDING PRESENTATIONS REQUIRING USE OF CITY EQUIPMENT Any presentation requiring the use of the City of Newport Beach’s equipment must be submitted to the Library Services Department 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting. I.CALL MEETING TO ORDER II.ROLL CALL III.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IV.NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC The City provides a yellow sign-in card to assist in the preparation of the minutes. Completion of the card is not required in order to address the Board of Library Trustees. If the optional sign-in card has been completed, it should be placed in the tray provided. The Board of Library Trustees of Newport Beach welcomes and encourages community participation. Public comments are generally limited to three (3) minutes per person to allow everyone to speak. Written comments are encouraged as well. The Board of Library Trustees has the discretion to extend or shorten the time limit on agenda or non-agenda items. As a courtesy, please turn cell phones off or set them in silent mode. February 23, 2026 Page 2 Board of Library Trustees Meeting V.CONSENT CALENDAR All matters listed under CONSENT CALENDAR are considered to be routine and will all be enacted by one motion in the form listed below. The Board of Library Trustees has received detailed staff reports on each of the items recommending an action. There will be no separate discussion of these items prior to the time the Board of Library Trustees votes on the motion unless members of the Board of Library Trustees request specific items to be discussed and/or removed from the Consent Calendar for separate action. Members of the public who wish to discuss a Consent Calendar item should come forward upon invitation by the Chair. A.Consent Calendar Items Minutes of the January 20, 2026 Board of Library Trustees Meeting (pp. 4-9)1. DRAFT OF MINUTES Patron Comments (pp. 10-13)2. Monthly review of evaluations of library services through suggestions and requests received from patrons. PATRON COMMENTS Expenditure Status Report (pp. 14-15)3. Monthly expenditure status of the Library's operating expenses, services, salaries, and benefits by department. JANUARY EXPENDITURES Board of Library Trustees Monitoring List (p. 16)4. List of agenda items and dates for monthly review of projects by the Board of Library Trustees. MONITORING LIST VI.CURRENT BUSINESS A.Items for Review General Plan Update (pp. 17-29)5. Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft Arts and Culture and Historical Resources Elements STAFF REPORT ATTACHMENTS A-B Study Rooms/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy (NBPL 13)(pp. 30- 36) 6. Staff requests that the Board of Library Trustees review and approve changes to Library Policy NBPL 13, Study Rooms/Charles Sword Meeting Room. STAFF REPORT ATTACHMENT A-C February 23, 2026 Page 3 Board of Library Trustees Meeting Arts and Culture Update (pp. 37-39)7. Staff will present the annual report on the activities of the Cultural Arts Division. STAFF REPORT Children's Summer Reading Program Update (pp. 40-41)8. Staff will provide an update of the Summer Reading Program for summer 2026. STAFF REPORT Library Activities (pp. 42-50)9. Monthly update of library events, services, and statistics. STAFF REPORT B.Monthly Reports Library Foundation Liaison Reports (pp. 51-52)10. A. Library Foundation Board - Report of the most recently attended meeting. B. Library Live Committee - Report of the most recently attended meeting. C. Witte Lectures Committee - Report of the most recently attended meeting. FOUNDATION REPORT Foundation Literacy Liaison Report11. Trustee update of the most recently attended Foundation Literacy Committee meeting. Friends of the Library Liaison Report12. Trustee update of the most recently attended Friends of the Library Board Meeting. VII.PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Public comments are invited, and non-agenda items generally considered to be within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Board of Library Trustees. Speakers must limit comments to three (3) minutes. Before speaking, we invite, but do not require, you to state your name for the record. The Board of Library Trustees has the discretion to extend or shorten the speakers’ time limit on agenda or non-agenda items, provided the time limit adjustment is applied equally to all speakers. As a courtesy, please turn cell phones off or set them in silent mode. VIII.BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION ACTION OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM) OR RECONSIDERATION IX.ADJOURNMENT CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH Board of Library Trustees Civic Center Council Chambers 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA Meeting Minutes Tuesday, January 20, 2026 – 5:00 PM I.ROLL CALLChair Lauren Kramer called to order the Board of Library Trustees meeting for January 20,2026, at 5:00 p.m. II.ROLL CALL Trustees Present:Chair Lauren Kramer, Vice Chair Antonella Castro, Trustee Meghan Murray, Trustee Chase Rief Trustees Absent: Secretary Dorothy Larson Staff Present: Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director Francine Jacome, Administrative Support Specialist Rebecca Lightfoot, Library Services Manager Andrew Kachaturian, Adult Services Coordinator Annika Helmuth, Branch and Youth Services Coordinator Miranda Gentry, Circulation Coordinator III.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Library staff members led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV.NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC - Waived V.CONSENT CALENDARAdministrative Support Specialist Jacome read the Consent Calendar Notice to the Public. A.Consent Calendar Items 1.Minutes of the November 17, 2025 Board of Library Trustees Meeting 2.Patron Comments Monthly review of evaluations of library services through suggestions and requests received from patrons. 3.Expenditure Status Report 4 Board of Library Trustees Meeting January 20, 2026 Page 2 Monthly expenditure status of the library’s operating expenses, services, salaries, and benefits by department. 4. Board of Library Trustees Monitoring List List of agenda items and dates for monthly review of projects by the Board of Library Trustees. Chair Kramer opened the items to public comment, and there was none. Motion made by Chair Lauren Kramer, seconded by Vice Chair Antonella Castro, and carried 4-0-0-1 to approve the Consent Calendar Item Nos. 1-4. AYES: Kramer, Castro, Murray, Rief NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: Larson VI. CURRENT BUSINESS A. Items for Review 5. NBPL eBranch, Database, and Downloadable Services Update Staff will provide an update and overview of the Library eBranch, database, and downloadable services. Library Services Manager Rebecca Lightfoot reported on the Library’s eBranch, which is comprised of downloadable and streaming materials accessible anywhere at any time. She added that the streaming and digital resources are seeing a significant increase in popularity, with the databases constantly being reevaluated by staff to best meet the needs of the community. She noted that there has been a significant number of patron requests for a cookbook database, and the Library will be adding one soon. Chair Kramer opened public comment, and there was none. Chair Kramer received and filed the report. 6. Annual Budget – Preliminary Review Staff requests that the Board of Library Trustees review and approve the preliminary Library operating budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27. Library Services Manager Lightfoot noted that the Finance Department did not have final numbers on the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget when the staff report was prepared. She reported that the item is focused on the program enhancement requests made to the City Manager for additional funding. She reported that staff is requesting an additional $50,000 in the materials budget to help cover the cost of the growing eBranch, and an additional 5 Board of Library Trustees Meeting January 20, 2026 Page 3 $17,500 in facilities funding due to maintenance matters that staff learned the Department of Public Works does not finance. She reported that the Library requested a one-time $16,000 increase to install a new door count system for better accuracy, and an additional $100,000 to fund furniture replacement in the Central Library and Mariners Branch. She reported that staff is requesting funds to host another summertime Pacific Symphony concert, leading to a $45,000 request from the Library. In response to Vice Chair Castro’s inquiries, Library Services Manager Lightfoot clarified that the materials budget includes the cost of magazine and other subscriptions. She confirmed that the City shares some subscription costs with the Southern California Digital Library Consortium for OverDrive access but added that the City also has its own collection of content in addition to what it shares with the consortium. She added that the City’s contribution to the service is $10,000, which grants access to $1 million worth of materials. She clarified that the request for a larger materials budget is to cover both the increased cost of subscriptions and new materials. In response to Vice Chair Castro’s inquiry, Library Services Manager Lightfoot reported that databases cost about $250,000 in FY 2025-26 and are projected to be closer to $300,000 in FY 2026-27, adding that the final number will likely be less as the Library eliminates some underperforming databases. In response to Vice Chair Castro’s inquiry, Library Services Manager Lightfoot clarified that the Library had its own facilities budget up until FY 2025-26, but the retirement of the maintenance technician in June of 2025 and the assumption of day-to-day operational duties by Public Works led to the Library shifting its facilities budget to Public Works. In response to Vice Chair Castro’s inquiries, Library Services Manager Lightfoot reported that the new door count system would just count the number of Library entrants. She stated that there have been no conversations she is aware of about installing metal detectors. In response to Vice Chair Castro’s inquiry, Trustee Rief reported that there have been no official discussions about adding furniture for the children’s area. In response to Trustee Rief’s inquiries, Library Services Manager Lightfoot clarified that $100,000 is a starting point for the new furniture needs. She reported that most of the quotes received by the Library were higher than $100,000 so staff hopes to make the line item an ongoing budget component. Library Services Director Hartson reported having an ongoing conversation about the regular useful life interval for Library furniture with other City staff members because of aging buildings. Staff is looking at developing an ongoing replacement schedule for furniture. Chair Kramer stated that she has been reluctant to request too much in recent budgets because the City is paying $12 million towards the construction of Witte Hall, along with the reconstruction of the Balboa Branch. She noted that Witte Hall will be completed soon, and the differences between Witte Hall and the attached 32-year-old Central Library will be drastic. She expressed her support for staff to improve the furniture, interior paint, and other similar matters, also expressing concerns about the poor state of the restrooms. Trustee Rief agreed about the poor condition of the Central Library’s restrooms. 6 Board of Library Trustees Meeting January 20, 2026 Page 4 Chair Kramer stated that there are better options for restroom stall beauty and sturdiness other than the current metal doors. Chair Kramer opened the item to public comment, and there was none. In response to Chair Kramer’s inquiry, Library Services Director Hartson confirmed that staff intends to bring the FY 2026-27 back to the Board if there are material changes. Motion made by Chair Lauren Kramer, seconded by Trustee Chase Rief, and carried 4-0-0-1 to approve the preliminary Library operating budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27. AYES: Kramer, Castro, Murray, Rief NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: Larson 7. Acceptance of Donation from the Library Foundation Staff recommends the Board of Library Trustees approve the acceptance of a donation from the Library Foundation of Newport Beach. Chair Kramer, with Board concurrence, opted to skip the staff report. Chair Kramer opened the item to public comment, and there was none. Motion made by Trustee Chase Rief, seconded by Trustee Meghan Murray, and carried 4-0-0-1 to accept the donation. AYES: Kramer, Castro, Murray, Rief NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: Larson 8. Library Activities Monthly update of library events, services, and statistics. In a year-in-review update, Library Services Director Hartson reported that the 2025 Summer Reading Program far surpassed its goal of 600,000 minutes read. She reported that the City Arts Commission brought back the Pacific Symphony last summer for a Concert on the Green after a seven-year hiatus. She added that, in 2025, the Library was able to host a new film screening with assistance from the Friends of the Library and the Library Foundation, hoping to continue this programming in the future. She reported that the successful Storytime Specials at Corona del Mar Branch expanded to Central Library and Mariners Branch in 2025 with help from City partners, expressing hopes to also extend the program to Balboa Branch upon its completion. She lauded the successful launch of the new Tech Toys for Kids collection. 7 Board of Library Trustees Meeting January 20, 2026 Page 5 Library Services Director Hartson reported that the facilities were enhanced through completion of elevator modernization work at Central Library, a new Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning handler, and new carpeting in the Children’s Room. She added that the Mariners Branch roofing project remains on schedule despite recent rain and should be completed in the coming weeks. She added that the Newport Beach Civic Center’s ongoing exterior painting work will reach Central Library in early February. She reported that she and Library Services Manager Lightfoot attended a meeting earlier today about the Balboa Branch replacement project, stating that construction bids will close at the end of January, with an anticipated closure occurring at the end of February. Library Services Director Hartson reported that the number of patrons served jumped dramatically up to 70,000 in December 2025 because of a software malfunction on the tracking system at some gates, which led to underassessment of traffic from September through November. In response to Trustee Rief’s inquiries, Library Services Director Hartson clarified that the 9,208 new library card accounts in 2025, while impressive, are slightly down from 2024. She and Adult Services Coordinator Andrew Kachaturian collectively stated that there are about 90,000 total library card accounts. Chair Kramer opened the item to public comment, and there was none. Chair Kramer received and filed the report. B. Monthly Reports 9. Library Foundation Liaison Report A. Library Foundation Board – Report of the most recently attended meeting. B. Library Live Lectures Committee – Report of the most recently attended meeting. C. Witte Lectures Committee – Report of the most recently attended meeting. Trustee Rief reported that Library Foundation Chief Executive Officer Jerold Kappel has a comprehensive written report from their latest meeting included in the Agenda packet. Chair Kramer opened the item to public comment, and there was none. Chair Kramer received and filed the report. 10. Foundation Literacy Liaison Report Trustee update of the most recently attended Foundation Literacy Committee Meeting. Vice Chair Castro reported that the next meeting is not until March, but they held an annual celebration in December. She reported that 12 learners have entered a writing contest to be judged in March and included in a book to be published for International Literacy Day. Chair Kramer opened the item to public comment, and there was none. 8 Board of Library Trustees Meeting January 20, 2026 Page 6 Chair Kramer received and filed the report. 11. Friends of the Library Liaison Report Trustee update of the most recently attended Friends of the Library Board meeting. Trustee Murray reported that the Friends of the Library met and are focused on preparing for their February book sale. Chair Kramer expressed her amazement at how long some of the Friends of the Library have been volunteering for the organization. Chair Kramer opened the item to public comment, and there was none. Chair Kramer received and filed the report. VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS – THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER None. VIII. BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION ACTION OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM) None. IX. ADJOURNMENT – 5:26 P.M. The next meeting will be on February 23, 2026. 9 NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY PATRON COMMENTS JANUARY 2026 Comment #Comment Response Date Received Source of Comment Staff Member Staff Member Title Date Responded to Patron 1 01/02/2026 Comment Card Rebecca Lightfoot Library Services Manager 01/05/2026 2 01/04/2026 Email Andy Kachaturian Adult Services Coordinator 01/05/2026 3 01/07/2026 Email Annika Helmuth Branch & Youth Services Coordinator 01/07/2026 4 01/07/2026 Email Rebecca Lightfoot Library Services Manager 01/08/2026 5 01/08/2026 Email Miranda Gentry Circulation Coordinator 01/08/2026 I stopped by administration and you were off today, so [I] let [the] front desk know. I arrived at the library central branch at about 9:15 a.m. I parked right outside [the] entrance. When I left to return to my car at 11:25 a.m., I noticed that gas had been stolen from my fuel tank. I am reporting this because this has occurred 2-3 times in [the] last month and [I'm] concerned also for others having their gasoline stolen. Feel free to contact me if necessary. Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your experience recently at the Central Library. I’m sorry to hear about the fuel being stolen from your gas tank. I would recommend contacting the police at their non-emergency number, 949-644- 3717, the next time this happens. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. Thank you. Our company ... is an education company. Our students are currently participating in ... a global initiative ... that encourages girls to engage in STEM learning, leadership, and community outreach. As part of this challenge, students are required to collaborate with influential community organizations, such as libraries, to promote STEM education and create meaningful community impact ... Because of the library’s important role as a community hub for education and lifelong learning, we would be honored to explore a partnership ... We hope to work with Newport Beach Public Library to make [STEM] experiences accessible to local students and inspire them to embrace the “Girl Powered” spirit in STEM. We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to discuss this collaboration further and tailor the program to best serve your community. Thank you for your time and for your continued support of education and community development. We look forward to the possibility of working together. Thank you for your interest in the Newport Beach Public Library. Your program proposal will be shared with the youth programming committee for consideration in future program seasons. Youth programs are planned with a six- to eight-month lead time, and we are currently evaluating programs for Fall 2026. The committee evaluates proposals based on several factors, including: the needs and interests of the community; relevance and compatibility with the Newport Beach area; reference recommendations; suitability of format, subject, and style for the intended audience; availability of space, equipment, and staff; and how well the program supports the Library’s mission and complements the existing schedule of events. Programs must comply with Library policy and may be limited by space, budget, staff, or equipment availability. Should an opportunity to present your program become available, I will be sure to reach out. What is the daily rate on overdue books? Thank you. Thank you for your inquiry to the Newport Beach Public Library. Fines on overdue material varies depending on the item. For general items, the daily fee is $0.25/day to a maximum fee of $10.00. Here is a link to our circulation policy that lists all items and fines in more detail ... Please let us know if you have any further questions. I just requested a transfer hold for Better Call Saul, Season 2 DVD, pickup at Mariners. Would you please ensure that the DVD is transferred from CDM branch? The DVDs at Central in my experience for this series were too scratched to read. Thank you so much! Thank you for letting us know—we will be sure to get our copy at Central cleaned and we will make sure you get the Corona del Mar copy to fill your hold until our other copy has been attended to. Have a great day. I was wondering if the library were hiring for any positions. I would be interested in volunteering as well, but do need some part time work. I am a very dedicated writer, and would be a great representative for the library. I am talented at sales as well as sponsorships. Please let me know if I can send a resume over for a position and or come by. Thank you! Thank you for your interest in working at the library! All open positions are posted on the City website, which you can find here ... If you click on the Employment Opportunities link, it will take you to Government Jobs, which allows you to view open positions, read job descriptions, and start the application process. You can also sign up to be notified when new positions are posted. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you. 10 NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY PATRON COMMENTS JANUARY 2026 Comment #Comment Response Date Received Source of Comment Staff Member Staff Member Title Date Responded to Patron 6 01/10/2026 Email Rebecca Lightfoot Library Services Manager 01/12/2026 7 01/12/2026 Email Rebecca Lightfoot Library Services Manager 01/12/2026 8 01/12/2026 Comment Card Andy Kachaturian Adult Services Coordinator 01/13/2026 9 01/14/2026 Email Miranda Gentry Circulation Coordinator 01/14/2026 10 01/15/2026 Email Melissa Hartson Library Services Director 01/16/2026 I was impressed with Josie who assisted me with tech support. She assisted me with a website I had difficulty signing up for. She was excellent with every detail helping me to meeting my deadline. She made my day. I just want Josie to know how much I appreciate her kind and most helpful assistance. 5 stars. Thank you so much for taking the time to fill out a comment card at the library regarding the service Josie provided to you. We are so very pleased that she was able to assist you and leave such a positive impression upon you. We will be sure to share this with Josie as these interactions do make such a lasting difference. Thank you so much. [I] want to re activate my account. [I] have been away for many years. I still have same address, same drivers license number, [and the] same phone number. Do I have to apply in person? Thanks … Thank you for the information you have provided. Yes, you do still have an active account in our system. Do you have possession of the library card? If so, the number on the back allows access to your account as well as access to our online resources. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I'm a junior in high school organizing a free flash fiction writing competition for adults as part of my Girl Scout Gold Award project, which focuses on promoting creative writing and literacy. I'm reaching out to ask if it would be possible to display a flyer about the competition at your library. The contest is open to all adult writers, with a March 15th deadline for 300-word submissions. I'd be happy to send over the digital flyer for review if you're able to help! Would this be something you could support? I'd really appreciate any help in getting the word out to writers. Thank you for considering this, and please let me know if you have any questions! Thank you for considering us to assist with your unique project to promote creative writing and literacy. The Library’s Display and Distribution of Materials Policy establishes the criteria for the types of flyers eligible to be displayed. Materials from non-governmental agencies are not permitted on our designated display shelves so this competition flyer is not something we would put out for display. Thank you again for contacting us and I wish you the best in accomplishing your goal to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award. I was wondering if you guys offer free Wi-Fi or do people purchase a library card to access Wi-Fi? My laptop only can connect with Wi-Fi, so I was wondering about that. Thank you! The library’s Wi-Fi is free to use and does not require a library card to access it. You can find a list of our locations and information about the computers, printing, and Wi-Fi here on our website ... I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you. When I use the NBPL app it requires two forms of identification, "Barcode" and password. When I use the NBPL website, it requires "Library Card Number" and password. My Google password manager makes it easy to use the website, but it can't help me with the app. I know of no other app that I use which requires scanning a barcode as the primary form of user identification. Is there any solution to this issue on the app which I might have overlooked? Thank you. The login screen on the app gives you the option to type in your barcode manually or scan the barcode using your camera. As you can see in this screenshot, I have started to type my barcode in, so you have that option … I hope that helps. Please feel free to bring your device into the library if you would like some additional help. Staff would be happy to assist you. Thank you. 11 NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY PATRON COMMENTS JANUARY 2026 Comment #Comment Response Date Received Source of Comment Staff Member Staff Member Title Date Responded to Patron 11 01/19/2026 Email Miranda Gentry Circulation Coordinator 01/20/2026 12 01/19/2026 Email Rebecca Lightfoot Library Services Manager 01/20/2026 13 01/21/2026 Email Rebecca Lightfoot Library Services Manager 01/22/2026 14 01/28/2026 Email Mary-Kay Lutgen Reference Librarian 01/29/2026 I am inquiring [about] how I can volunteer at the Newport Beach library. I am a Corona Del Mar resident that is semi-retired and I am a (library) card carrying member that would like to learn about available volunteer opportunities. Thank you. Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the library! We have three different volunteer opportunities available. Adults can volunteer through the library’s Homebound Delivery service, providing monthly book deliveries to Newport Beach library patrons who are unable to visit the library; Project Adult Literacy, supporting adult learners through one-on-one tutoring; or through our support organization, the Friends of the Library, working in the Friends’ Bookstore and helping with upcoming book sales. Each opportunity has different training requirements and time commitments. To learn more about these opportunities, please visit ... Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. Best regards. I'm reaching out from The AI Social Club. We run hands-on AI workshops here in Newport Beach that teach people practical skills like building custom ChatGPT assistants, automating tasks, and using AI tools confidently in everyday life. We'd love to reach library patrons who might benefit from learning AI in a supportive, in- person environment. Could you share information about advertising opportunities in your newsletter? I'd love to know about rates, deadlines, and any submission rules. Thanks so much for your time! Thank you for reaching out. Unfortunately, the library is unable to offer this kind of advertising opportunity. You might try reaching out to Stu News, Greet and Stroll, or the Patch. They are local area newsletters that offer advertising. Here are links to their information ... I hope this helps. Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with. Thank you. To start with, I want to thank you for your article, here ... I found your page while searching for online safety tips for my grandma. She was recently targeted by scammers online but, luckily for her, she asked me what to do and I stopped her from giving the scammers any money. That's when I realized how vulnerable she is to scams, and I wanted to find ways to help her stay safe online. Unfortunately, seniors are one of the most unguarded groups on the internet and I believe we have to do our best to keep them safe. During my research, I found an article that helps seniors understand how they can stay safe online with some really good tips and clear explanations. It's a very complete and accessible resource that I think could be a great addition to your page. You can find it here ... I hope you and your readers will find value in the article should you decide to share it on your page! Thank you for thinking of us, but we are not looking to add any content to our website. I left my book on the airplane and it hasn’t been returned yet. Can I purchase a new one and bring it to you? [The book is titled] West with Giraffes . I’m so sorry. While we do not accept replacements for items, I can let you know the options we have for you to consider. The item “West with Giraffes” currently has two more available renewals that we can exhaust before you pay for the item if you think there is a chance that it will be returned to you. Those renewals will be for three weeks each so that potentially gives another six weeks to hope for its return. The other option is to mark the item lost and charge the cost of the item to your account, which will be $24.95 plus a $10.00 processing fee totaling $34.95. Please note that after you pay for the item, if you do gain possession of it within one year, you can return it to the library, and you will be refunded $24.95. I will say that this is not the first library book to want to continue traveling! Thank you for letting us know. Please let me know how you would like to proceed or if you have any other questions. 12 NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY PATRON COMMENTS JANUARY 2026 Comment #Comment Response Date Received Source of Comment Staff Member Staff Member Title Date Responded to Patron 15 01/31/2026 Email Rebecca Lightfoot Library Services Manager 02/02/2026 I'm wondering if you are accepting field study applicants from UCI as a part of their field study program. If so, I am interested! Thanks! This email inquiry was forwarded to our City Human Resources department. 13 LIBRARY EXPENDITURES FY 2025-26 (February 4, 2026) ACCOUNT DESCRIPTION ORIGINAL APPROP REVISED BUDGET MONTHLY EXPENDED YTD 2025-26 EXPENDED AVAILABLE BUDGET YTD 2025-26 % EXPENDED YTD 2024-25 EXPENDED I SALARY & BENEFITS SALARY FULL-TIME REGULAR 3,359,526 3,459,888 259,734 1,894,014 1,565,874 54.7%1,735,737 SALARY PART-TIME 1,510,834 1,629,992 76,583 561,728 1,068,264 34.5%504,028 BENEFITS 2,265,515 2,507,777 173,916 753,350 1,754,426 30.0%1,301,813 SALARY & BENEFITS TOTAL 7,135,875 7,597,656 510,233 3,209,092 4,388,565 42.2%3,541,578 II MAINT & OPERATION PROFESSIONAL SERVICE*6,488 3,988 11,874 29,698 (25,710) 744.7%129,688 UTILITIES 391,004 391,004 43,297 205,500 185,504 52.6%227,754 PROGRAMMING 2,000 4,800 642 3,518 1,282 73.3%2,584 SUPPLIES**53,750 53,000 5,380 27,764 25,236 52.4%47,010 LIBRARY MATERIALS 669,740 677,631 37,611 547,325 130,306 80.8%552,931 FACILITIES MAINTENANCE 45,802 69,926 14,554 32,949 36,977 47.1%138,274 TRAINING AND TRAVEL 10,681 10,681 - 550 10,131 5.1%2,433 GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES***27,274 36,524 3,032 23,573 12,951 64.5%14,211 PERIPHERALS & SOFTWARE 4,500 4,500 1,348 1,348 3,152 30.0%28 INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS 1,810,801 1,810,801 150,900 1,056,301 754,500 58.3%987,814 OFFICE EQUIPMENT 2,000 2,000 86 86 1,914 4.3%379 MAINT & OPERATION TOTAL 3,024,040 3,064,856 268,724 1,928,613 1,136,243 62.9%2,103,107 LIBRARY BUDGET TOTAL 10,159,915 10,662,513 778,957 5,137,705 5,524,808 48.2%5,644,685 *INCLUDES OUTSIDE PRINTING **INCLUDES OFFICE AND PROCESSING SUPPLIES ***INCLUDES, ADVERTISING, DUES, EVENT INSURANCE 14 FY 2025-26 (February 5, 2025) DATE FUNDED AMOUNT PURPOSE AMT EXPENDED YTD NOTES JULY 2025 WISH LIST 100,000 NEW MATERIALS 0 SPENDING TO BEGIN IN THIRD QUARTER 50,000 PROGRAMMING 3,830 IN PROGRESS 100,000 BALBOA OPENING DAY COLLECTION 0 SPENDING TO BEGIN IN FOURTH QUARTER TOTAL 250,000 3,830 DATE FUNDED AMOUNT PURPOSE AMT EXPENDED YTD NOTES AUGUST 2025 WISH LIST 34,000 BALBOA OPENING DAY COLLECTION 0 SPENDING TO BEGIN IN FOURTH QUARTER 6,000 FURNITURE 5,799 SPENDING IS COMPLETE TOTAL 40,000 5,799 FRIENDS FOUNDATION 15 Previous Agenda Date Scheduled Agenda Date Ongoing Ongoing Feb 24, 2025 Feb 23, 2026 Mar 17, 2025 Mar 16, 2026 Apr 21, 2025 Apr 20, 2026 Apr 21, 2025 Apr 20, 2026 May 19, 2025 May 18, 2026 May 19, 2025 May 18, 2026 May 19, 2025 May 18, 2026 Jul 21, 2025 Jun 15, 2026 Jul 21, 2025 Jun 15, 2026 Jul 21, 2025 Jul 20, 2026 Jul 21, 2025 Jul 20, 2026 Aug 18, 2025 Aug 17, 2026 Aug 19, 2024 Aug 17, 2026 Sep 16, 2024 Sep 21, 2026 Oct 20, 2025 Oct 19, 2026 Oct 20, 2025 Oct 19, 2026 Nov 17, 2025 Nov 16, 2026 Jan 20, 2026 Jan 19, 2027 Jan 20, 2026 Jan 19, 2027 LAST REVIEWED Mar 17, 2025 NBPL 13 Study Rooms/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy Feb 23, 2026 Mar 18, 2024 NBPL 3 Library Gift and Donor Policy Mar 16, 2026 Jul 15, 2024 CC I-1 Library Services Policy (Council Policy I -1)Jul 20, 2026 Sep 16, 2024 NBPL 9 Expressive Use Areas Sep 21, 2026 Nov 18, 2024 NBPL 1 Library Use Policy Nov 16, 2026 Nov 18, 2024 NBPL 6 Media Lab Use Policy Nov 16, 2026 Nov 18, 2024 NBPL 7 Sound Lab Use Policy Nov 16, 2026 Jan 21, 2025 NBPL 12 Circulation Policy Jan 19, 2027 Jan 21, 2025 NBPL 5 Internet Use Policy Jan 19, 2027 Jan 21, 2025 NBPL 11 Rules for Acceptable Use of Wireless Internet Connections Jan 19, 2027 Feb 24, 2025 NBPL 8 Display and Distribution of Materials Policy Feb 16, 2027 Jul 21, 2025 NBPL 4 Children in the Library Policy Jun 21, 2027 Aug 18, 2025 NBPL 14 The Friends Meeting Room Aug 16, 2027 Nov 17, 2025 NBPL 10 Laptop Borrowing Policy Nov 15, 2027 Nov 17, 2025 NBPL 2 Collection Development Policy Nov 15, 2027 POLICY REVIEW Adult and Reference Services Update Branch Update - Balboa Literacy Program Update Youth Services Update Branch Update - Corona del Mar Marketing Update & Social Networking Update BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES MONITORING LIST Policy Review (See List Below) Branch Update - Mariners Media Lab Update Newport Beach Public Library eBranch, Database and Downloadable Services Review Proposed Library Closures for Winter Holidays Review Holidays / Meeting Schedule Performance Review of Library Services Director (Closed Session) Annual Budget - Preliminary Review AGENDA ITEM Arts & Cultural Update Financial Report Comparison of Beginning Budget to End of the Year Amended Budget Information Technology Update Annual Budget - Approval Library Material Selection Election of Board of Library Trustees Officers/Trustee Liaisons 16 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES STAFF REPORT February 23, 2026 Agenda Item No. 5 RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Board of Library Trustees review the Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft Arts and Culture Element and Historical Resources Element. The Board should conduct a vote to consider recommending the City Council adopt them as part of the comprehensive General Plan Update later this year. BACKGROUND: The General Plan is a State-mandated, long-term policy document that guides a community’s physical development and informs local decision-making on land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, parks, and related issues over a 20- to 30-year horizon. Newport Beach’s General Plan was last comprehensively updated in 2006, prompting the City Council to initiate a full review in 2019; however, the effort temporarily shifted to address the unprecedented 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) and complete the Housing and Circulation Elements. As that work concluded, the City resumed the comprehensive update and, in the middle of 2022, the City Council established the three-member General Plan Update Steering Committee (GPUSC), chaired by Nancy Gardner, to guide the process and report to the City Council. In early 2023, the City Council also formed the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), a 24-member community-based body chaired by Jeremy Evans and Arlene Greer, which organized subcommittees to support efficient and focused review of each General Plan element. This included the Arts and Culture/Historical Resources Subcommittee, composed of GPAC Members Dennis Baker, Rita Goldberg, and Paul Watkins, with GPAC Member Greer serving as the Subcommittee’s Chair. The General Plan Update effort has been broken into four primary phases, as described in Table 1 on the following page. Phase 3 (California Environmental Quality Act) is nearing completion with Phase 4 (Hearings) in progress. It is anticipated that the entire process will be completed by June 2026. TO: BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES FROM: Library Services Department Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director (949)717-3801, mhartson@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: Benjamin M. Zdeba, Planning Manager TITLE: General Plan Update: Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft Arts and Culture and Historical Resources Elements 17 General Plan Update: Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft Arts and Culture and Historical Resources Element February 23, 2026 Page 2 Table 1, General Plan Update Process Phase 1 (Background Analysis + Visioning) Phase 2 (Policy Development + General Plan Amendment) Phase 3 (California Environmental Quality Act) Phase 4 (Hearings) • Community Engagement and Outreach Plan • Research and Data Analysis • Online Survey • GPAC + GPUSC Meetings • Pop-up Events • Paid Advertisements • Development of General Plan • Online Survey • GPAC+GPUSC Meetings • Community Workshops • Paid Advertisements • Virtual Open House • In-Person Open House • GPAC + GPUSC Meetings • Environmental Analysis • City Boards, Commissions, and Committees • City Council Adoption Completed late 2024 Completed late 2025 Open houses completed late 2025; Environmental analysis in progress In progress To get to the point of having initial drafts of the General Plan Elements available for review, City staff worked extensively with the GPAC Subcommittees, the GPAC, and the GPUSC. This started with the review of existing conditions and background analysis reports for each element. These documents are considered a “snapshot in time” to identify current condition in Newport Beach under each topical area as well as what needs to be addressed from a State requirement standpoint. Each subcommittee then worked on identifying a potential refresh for the individual elements and helped to create “ideas to support” them. These ideas were shared with the community through digital engagement on the City’s website for the effort (https://www.newportbeachca.gov/gpupdate), as well as at community workshops. Based on the feedback received, City staff alongside consultant Dudek refined the ideas shared as actual goals and accompanying policy statements in furtherance of each. The draft goals and policies were then shared with internal City staff from various departments for review prior to finalizing them as initial draft elements. These initial drafts were then reviewed by the Subcommittees, as well as the full GPAC and the GPUSC prior to being shared with the City’s boards, commissions, and committees for further input, and then advertised for additional public input from the broader community late last year. At a special joint meeting of the GPAC and the GPUSC on December 3, 2025, those Committees reviewed 56 comments received on various draft elements from six different City Boards, Commissions, and Committees, as well as 69 comments received from community members. Based on guidance received at that meeting, City staff returned to another special joint meeting on January 21, 2026, with a comprehensive set of revised draft elements. By a vote of 25 ayes to 1 nay, the GPAC and the GPUSC voted to move the draft forward as the Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft General Plan Update. This draft, including the Arts and Culture and Historical Resources Elements, represents the culmination of three years of diligent work by the GPAC, its subcommittees, the GPUSC, and engaged community members. Notably, the GPAC and the GPUSC combined for 57 meetings held in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and 47 public meetings of the various Subcommittees. 18 General Plan Update: Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft Arts and Culture and Historical Resources Element February 23, 2026 Page 3 DISCUSSION: The Arts and Culture Element and Historical Resources Element are both important and unique to Newport Beach but not required by State law. They serve to place emphasis on Newport Beach’s robust arts and culture offerings, and its important history. Together, they set forth a decision-making framework for the maintenance and enhancement of the City programming, as well as continuing to raise awareness and recognize the early beginnings and integral historical components that are meaningful to the community. The refreshed Arts and Culture Element includes updates that: support art in both public spaces and larger private development projects; offer enhanced policy support for City libraries and services; include policy support for musical and culinary arts programming; add a focus on marketing to engage the community; and emphasize collaboration with other organizations. The refreshed Historical Resources Element includes updates that: celebrate Newport Beach’s historical resources; encourage enhanced outreach, education, and interpretation of Newport Beach history through signage, partnerships, walking tours, and school programs; and consider the establishment of a legacy business program. Prior to this meeting, both Elements were brought to the City Arts Commission for review and consideration. By a unanimous vote (6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 abstention) the Commission recommended their approval. The purpose of this item is to share those draft Elements, as revised and supported by the GPAC and GPUSC, as well as the City Arts Commission (Attachments A and B). City staff recommends the Board review the updated drafts and conduct a vote to recommend the City Council adopt them as part of the comprehensive General Plan Update later this year. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The Board of Library Trustees’ action of making a recommendation to the City Council is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. An addendum to the Program Environmental Impact Report for the City of Newport Beach General Plan Housing Element Implementation Program is being prepared and will be provided for the City Council’s action on the General Plan Update. NOTICING: This agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the Board of Library Trustees considers the item). ATTACHMENT A: Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft Arts and Culture Element ATTACHMENT B: Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft Historical Resources Element 19 Attachment A Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft Arts and Culture Element 20 January 2026 AC-1 Arts and Culture Element PURPOSE The Arts and Culture Element focuses on enriching the community by bolstering art and culture through facilities, educational programming and activities, and events and festivals. OVERVIEW Art and culture play an important role in the social fabric of Newport Beach. The dedication and involvement of the City of Newport Beach (City) and the community have resulted in a wide range of art and culture organizations, resources, attractions, and activities that create a sense of community pride and enrichment. The Newport Beach Public Library offers robust art, culture, and literary programs, serving as a central hub for accessing and experiencing diverse forms of art and culture. GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS Engaging with Art and Culture Art, culture, literary and educational opportunities, and opportunities to be creative can enhance quality of life for residents, improve visitor experiences, and contribute to the local economy. Art and culture bring a unique sense of identity to Newport Beach, and can connect residents to each other and their community by expanding creative opportunities, promoting art and culture activities, and facilitating partnerships that support art and culture. Art and Culture Opportunities: Expanded art and culture opportunities can include new public art installations, culture events, culinary arts, and programs. Creating opportunities to engage with art and culture across Newport Beach can make art accessible to people of all backgrounds and generations. Promoting Art and Culture: Raising awareness and generating enthusiasm for the arts and culture are key to increasing participation in programs, exhibits, and events. This entails distributing marketing materials throughout Newport Beach, initiating social media campaigns, and creating new ways for people to engage in the arts through interactive technologies. A multifaceted approach that includes both traditional and novel outreach and engagement methods can capture the attention of residents and visitors of all ages. Strategic Partnerships: Partnerships are crucial for maintaining existing and realizing new opportunities to cultivate art and culture exhibits, programs, events, and funding. Strong coordination between City staff and private institutions, partner agencies, and local artist organizations can facilitate community involvement in art and culture, procurement of funding, and successful management of public art. Goal AC-1: A community enriched by and connected to the arts, culture, and education •Policy AC-1.1: Public Places. Promote arts and culture by incorporating art in widely used public places, such as parks, open spaces, public plazas, view sites, villages, and along corridors that attract visitors. (Imp. 1.1, 20.1, 20.3, 30.1) •Policy AC-1.2: Events and Programs. Attract new and cultivate existing signature events and programs that add to the quality of life for residents, enhance Newport Beach as a hub for art and culture, and stimulate economic activity. (Imp. 23.3, 29.2, 30.1) DR A F T 21 City of Newport Beach General Plan – Arts and Culture Element January 2026 AC-2 • Policy AC-1.3: Public Projects. Assess capital improvement projects for opportunities to incorporate public art in a manner that enhances community character and the built environment. (Imp. 1.1, 20.1, 23.3, 29.2, 30.1) • Policy AC-1.4: Private Projects. Develop regulations or incentives for the incorporation of public art into larger commercial projects that enhance Newport Beach’s community character and its built environment. (Imp. 1.1, 8.1, 8.2) • Policy AC-1.5: Shared Spaces. Acquire and display art in public facilities citywide to bolster civic pride and increase exposure to arts and culture. (Imp. 29.2) • Policy AC-1.6: Emerging Technologies. Explore and implement new technologies in art and culture displays, such as augmented reality and smartphone applications, to engage the public, track engagement, and enhance education about art and culture in innovative ways. (Imp. 29.2) • Policy AC-1.7: Arts Engagement. Incorporate artwork into the public realm that encourages interaction provides educational opportunities. This could include education for visitors in areas that attract tourists. (Imp. 1.1, 20.1, 23.3, 29.2, 30.1) • Policy AC-1.8: Planning Processes. Consider integration of public art into other City planning efforts, such as Specific Plans and Corridor Plans. (Imp. 3.1, 20.1, 29.2) • Policy AC-1.9: Educational Programming. Nurture creativity and artistic talent in local youth and adults through a rich offering of well-balanced and appropriately distributed arts, culture, and literary educational programs and services. (Imp. 23.3, 30.1) • Policy AC-1.10: Event Transportation. Coordinate with the Orange County Transportation Authority to explore options for the expansion of transportation services, such as trolleys, event-specific bus routes, or reduced transit fees, for major community art and culture events. (Imp. 14.4, 30.1) • Policy AC-1.11: Musical Arts. Continue to recognize and support musical performances as a vital community asset by providing increased opportunities for music in public spaces, signature music events, and other opportunities that highlight local talent and/or attract visitors. (Imp. 29.2, 30.1) Goal AC-2: Programs and exhibits in Newport Beach that are widely promoted, marketed, and attended • Policy AC-2.1: Arts Tourism. Promote reasonable tourism in Newport Beach to attract visitors and tourists interested in art, culture, and literary events to support and sustain local arts through coordination with the Chambers of Commerce and other community groups. (Imp. 24.1, 29.1) • Policy AC-2.2: Community Engagement. Conduct marketing through the City’s various social media and communications platforms to build public awareness and encourage participation in City-affiliated arts, culture, and literary activities. Cultivate partnerships with local businesses and other groups for marketing efforts for cultural arts. (Imp. 29.1, 29.2) • Policy AC-2.3: Promotional Banners. Develop and maintain regulations for the reasonable provision of banners on lights or other media materials in the public right-of-way to promote and advertise Newport Beach’s art and culture events across various villages and neighborhoods. (Imp. 8.1, 8.2, 29.1) • Policy AC-2.4: Arts Awareness. Expand awareness of art and culture by integrating public art and culture tours as a regular component of community engagement. (Imp. 23.3, 29.1, 29.2, 30.1) • Policy AC-2.5: Library Services. Improve and enhance existing library facilities, collections, and computer and related facilities, such as the Media Lab. (Imp. 23.2) DR A F T 22 City of Newport Beach General Plan – Arts and Culture Element January 2026 AC-3 Goal AC-3: Strong partnerships that support thriving arts, culture, and education • Policy AC-3.1: Educational Partnerships. Partner with the community and educational institutions to encourage and strengthen arts education for children, youth, adults, older adults, and people of all abilities throughout Newport Beach. (Imp. 14.2, 29.1) • Policy AC-3.2: Resources for Artists. Where available, provide reasonable in-kind resources and services, such as advertisements, equipment, security, and space, to artists and organizations offering programs for the public and contributing to art and culture in Newport Beach. (Imp. 29.2) • Policy AC-3.3: Public Support. Collaborate with local art and culture groups to pursue private and community sponsorships and donations for art and culture events and programs. (Imp. 29.1, 29.2) • Policy AC-3.4: Culinary Arts. Cultivate the culinary arts into City programs through partnerships with local restaurants, educational institutions, and other private and public partners that offer culinary expertise. (Imp. 14.2, 29.2, 30.1) Financing Art and Culture Investment from philanthropic organizations, the City, and community members can help the arts thrive by supporting local artists, providing new and upgraded facilities, and bolstering programs. Such financial contributions to the arts can increase the quantity and quality of art and arts programs in the community. Funding and investment should reflect the high value the community places on the arts. Goal AC-4: Funding that helps local artists and art programs flourish • Policy AC-4.1: Funding Support. Partner with, and reasonably support, non-profit, private, and community organizations in applying for public and private grants and promote community and business donations, fundraising, and sponsorships that support art, culture, and literary activities. (Imp. 29.1, 29.2) • Policy AC-4.2: Volunteer Support. Promote and support volunteer opportunities for public involvement in City-affiliated arts, culture, and literary programs and events. (Imp. 29.1, 29.2) • Policy AC-4.3: Geographical Partnerships. Utilize culture resources outside of Newport Beach through the promotion of programs, such as the Newport Beach Sister City Association and other cultural exchange programs. (Imp. 29.1, 29.2) • Policy AC-4.4: Grant Awards. Evaluate the impact of City art grant awards periodically. This could include review of awardee-submitted progress reports. (Imp. 30.1) Providing and Maintaining Arts and Cultural Facilities and Assets Facilities dedicated to the arts, such as galleries and performance halls (for example, Witte Hall), provide a place for the community to gather in appreciation of the arts and to promote Newport Beach as a regional destination for the arts. Additionally, integrating art into existing community centers, libraries, recreation facilities, parks and other open spaces, and private buildings plays a vital role in realizing Newport Beach as a community of the arts. Such assets must be well-maintained, and they require a well-functioning system for accepting, maintaining, and rotating art and art-related activities/programs through public spaces and facilities to help sustain interest and ensure the high quality of exhibits. Developing guidelines and criteria for accepting art donations and acquisitions and dedicating staff to manage public art can ensure that the system for managing art is consistent and operates smoothly. DR A F T 23 City of Newport Beach General Plan – Arts and Culture Element January 2026 AC-4 Goal AC-5: State-of-the-art facilities to host art exhibits and programs • Policy AC-5.1: Shared Venues. Explore opportunities to accommodate current and emerging culture and arts programs within existing and new facilities by working with community groups to facilitate sharing of performance and exhibit space. Consider the potential for new facilities. (Imp. 9.1, 29.1, 29.2) • Policy AC-5.2: New Facilities. Explore reasonable opportunities, as needed, to create a new, larger arts center to host performances and exhibitions. (Imp. 1.1) • Policy AC-5.3: Theaters. Maintain the Newport Theatre Arts Center while exploring opportunities to enhance, expand, or relocate the facility based on community needs. (Imp. 9.1, 29.1, 29.2) • Policy AC-5.4: Temporary Displays. Consider amendments to the Zoning Code, as needed, to facilitate the temporary or interim use of vacant ground-floor commercial or lobby space for art exhibits, display space, and “pop-up” art and culture activities. (Imp. 8.2) Goal AC-6: A wide collection of art exhibited throughout Newport Beach • Policy AC-6.1: Public Art Policy. Revise the City’s public art policy to (1) establish suitability criteria to guide the selection of sites for new and innovative public art installations in a manner that considers citywide needs and the balanced distribution of art throughout Newport Beach; (2) establish guidelines for the commissioning and conveyance of public art on private property; (3) refine guidelines and criteria for accepting art donations for display in public spaces, and consider establishing guidelines for storage and long-term maintenance; (4) consider an artwork acquisition plan for expanding the City’s permanent art inventory. (Imp. 8.2, 9.1) • Policy AC-6.2: Arts and Culture Plan. Pursue the adoption and regular updates to the 2014 Newport Beach Arts and Culture Master Plan, and report periodically on implementation progress to City Council. Identify future locations for public art citywide. (Imp. 8.2) • Policy AC-6.3: Staffing and Resources. Support the provision of reasonable staff resources for arts and culture programming, funding, arts management and maintenance, and coordination and communication with artists and City departments. (Imp. 30.1) DR A F T 24 Attachment B Final GPUSC/GPAC Draft Historical Resources Element 25 January 2026 HR-1 Historical Resources Element PURPOSE This Historical Resources Element focuses on the identification, documentation, preservation, and celebration of historical resources. OVERVIEW Historic preservation is essential for preserving the unique character, culture, and identity of Newport Beach. Efforts for historic preservation can strengthen resident ties to the community and enhance tourism for those who seek authentic cultural experiences and a deeper connection to Newport Beach’s rich history. By having systems in place to identify, preserve, and protect historical resources, the City of Newport Beach (City) is able to balance growth and development with the preservation of cultural and historical heritage while providing tangible benefits to the economy, environment, and the City’s residents and visitors. GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS Identification of Historical Resources Documenting and protecting archaeological and paleontological resources are crucial for preserving the evidence of human history and life forms of the distant past. These resources inform our understanding of ancient ecosystems and cultures. This stewardship fosters a culture of respect and responsibility, ensuring that future generations can continue to learn from and appreciate this history. Goal HR-1: Recognize and protect historically significant landmarks, sites, and structures • Policy HR-1.1: Historical Resources Inventory. Maintain and update the Newport Beach Register of Historical Property for buildings, objects, structures, and monuments having importance to the history or architecture of Newport Beach. (Imp. 9.1, 10.1, 29.2) • Policy HR-1.2: New Historical Resources. Encourage local residents to research and nominate properties for review by the City and/or Newport Beach Historical Society. (Imp. 29.1, 29.2) • Policy HR-1.3: Standards and Documentation. Consider developing standards for the review of demolition, grading, and building permits prior to granting City approval based on potential effects on historical resources. If demolition is granted, require photo documentation (in conformance with the standards outlined by the National Park Service’s Historic American Buildings Survey program) of inventoried historic structures prior to demolition. (Imp 2.1, 8.1, 8.2) • Policy HR-1.4: Preservation or Re-Use of Historical Structures. Encourage the preservation of structures listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the list of California Historical Landmarks, and/or the Newport Beach Register of Historical Property. Provide reasonable incentives, such as waivers of application fees, permit fees, and/or any liens placed by the City, for properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, California Register of Historical Resources, or Newport Beach Register of Historical Property in exchange for preservation easements, designation applications, and other related preservation options. Partner with and reasonably support non-profit, private, and community organizations to apply for public DR A F T 26 City of Newport Beach General Plan – Historical Resources Element January 2026 HR-2 and private grants to help preserve and maintain historical resources throughout Newport Beach. (Imp. 8.2, 29.2) •Policy HR-1.5: Historic Context Statement. Consider preparing a Historic Context Statement to provide a consistent framework for evaluations and surveys. (Imp. 10.1, 29.2) •Policy HR-1.6: Citywide Survey. Every 10 years, or as needed, consider completing and updating a citywide historical resources survey to identify historical resources. Include community, neighborhood, cultural, and historic preservation groups; property owners; land developers; and the building industry in planning and implementing historical surveys. (Imp. 10.1, 29.2) •Policy HR-1.7: Streamlined Regulations. Consider provisions and policies related to historical resources under one ordinance in the Municipal Code to facilitate consistent application of the regulations and easier staff review. This may include the following: o Establish the National Park Service Secretary of the Interior’s Standards as the baseline City standard for project reviews, providing opportunity for certain projects to qualify for a categorical exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (Class 31 Categorical Exemption). o Define categories of major and minor changes that would be subject to review, the review required, and the assigned decision-making body responsible for the associated determination. o Revise, consolidate, and better define the City’s classification system for historical resources to align with the Federal and State systems of classification. Streamline the process for how landmarks are considered for listing in the City’s classification system. One decision-making body (for example, the Planning Commission) should be given authority to review, conduct hearings, and make recommendations to City Council on the adoption of the historical resources designation. (Imp. 8.1, 8.2, 9.1) •Policy HR-1.8: Preservation Expertise. Consider supporting the provision of staff resources to hire or train a preservation planner to advise staff on matters related to historical resources. (Imp. 30.1) •Policy HR-1.9: Certified Local Government. Consider meeting the requirements for becoming a Certified Local Government, including adopting a historic preservation ordinance, establishing a qualified preservation review commission, providing adequate public participation in the historic preservation program, and completing other responsibilities identified by the State. (Imp. 29.2) Goal HR-2: Well-documented and protected archaeological and paleontological resources •Policy HR-2.1: Historical Records. Allow access to historical records among local preservation and cultural groups and among City departments and County of Orange agencies to the extent legally permissible. (Imp. 29.2) •Policy HR-2.2: Prehistoric and Ethnohistoric Context Statement. Consider completing, and updating as needed, a Prehistoric and Ethnohistoric Context Statement to serve as a template for identifying, evaluating, and developing plans for the treatment of archaeological resources found within Newport Beach. (Imp. 10.1, 29.2) •Policy HR-2.3: New Development Activities. Require that new development meet the applicable requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act with respect to paleontological and archaeological resources. (Imp. 11.1) DR A F T 27 City of Newport Beach General Plan – Historical Resources Element January 2026 HR-3 Preservation of Historical Resources Preserving the City’s history is essential for maintaining its unique identity and cultural heritage. By celebrating and safeguarding historically significant landmarks, sites, structures, and legacy businesses, the City can honor the stories and achievements of past generations. Further, by recognizing and celebrating those who have contributed to Newport Beach’s past, present, and future, our storied history can be captured. The recognition and protection of history not only enriches a community’s sense of place and continuity, but fosters civic pride and can attract tourism. Goal HR-3: Celebrate, preserve, and protect local history • Policy HR-3.1: Adaptive Reuse. Encourage alternatives to demolition of historical sites and structures by promoting architecturally compatible rehabilitation or adaptive reuse. Consider incentives for maintaining historical sites and structures, such as permit and application fee waivers, flexible building requirements, and free technical advice by person(s) qualified in historic preservation. (Imp. 8.2, 29.2) • Policy HR-3.2: Historical Components within New Projects. Encourage proposed development located on a historic site or structure to incorporate a physical link to the past within the site or structural design if preservation or adaptive reuse is not a feasible option. For example, consider incorporating historical photographs or artifacts within the new project or preserve the location and structures of existing pathways, gathering places, seating areas, rail lines, roadways, or viewing vantage points within the new site design. (Imp. 1.1, 29.2) • Policy HR-3.3: Mills Act. Consider development of a voluntary local Mills Act program to offset the ongoing stewardship and care of historic properties through property tax savings. (Imp. 8.2) • Policy HR-3.4: Legacy Businesses. Consider developing a legacy business program that aims to recognize, honor, and support longstanding businesses within the community that have made significant contributions to Newport Beach’s history, culture, and identity. The program may include the promotion of legacy businesses and potential grants. (Imp. 8.2) Celebrating Historical Resources Education is a key tool for enshrining the City’s history and ensuring that future generations appreciate and understand this heritage. Integrating local history into programs and events sponsored by the City, library, and others, and promoting it through various media can create a well-informed community that values its roots. This awareness not only enhances residents’ connection to Newport Beach, but also helps future generations value the past. The foundational history of tribal nations in the region provides unique insight into the importance of cultural places. Native American groups and individuals hold special interest in the protection of cultural places. Tribal views toward protection and preservation of cultural resources in Newport Beach should be respected, and the history of tribal nations should be recognized and acknowledged. Goal HR-4: Enshrine local history through education • Policy HR-4.1: Historical Landmarks. Encourage the placement of historical landmarks, photographs, markers, or plaques at areas of historical interest or value. Consider creating a Landmark Plan that will recognize and designate culturally important heritage sites that are eligible for the placement of historical landmarks or plaques. The Landmark Plan may also identify funding opportunities to support the program, such as development fees, corporate or civic sponsorships, or donations, or by using the City’s General Fund. (Imp. 8.2, 9.1, 10.1, 29.2) DR A F T 28 City of Newport Beach General Plan – Historical Resources Element January 2026 HR-4 • Policy HR-4.2: Local Interest. Consider expanding interest in and knowledge of local history through historic landmarks, photographs, markers, and plaques, and/or through self-guided walking tours as a means to promote and celebrate historic preservation. Such information may be published on the City’s website and social media channels and be made available through local publications to encourage thoughtful conversation about the history of Newport Beach. (Imp. 1.1, 29.1, 29.2, 30.1) • Policy HR-4.3: Historic Preservation and Tourism. Encourage collaboration with local preservation organizations, such as the Newport Beach Historical Society, to research, conduct outreach, and develop programs and activities to encourage and support historic preservation and tourism. (Imp. 14.16) • Policy HR-4.4: Educational Collaboration. Encourage collaboration with local educational institutions on preservation programs, activities, and exhibits/collections. (Imp. 14.2, 29.2) • Policy HR-4.5: Information Sharing. Consider encouragement of partnerships between local interested parties and historical societies to consolidate and share materials such as historical photographs, firsthand historical accounts and interviews, and any additional archival information. This may be done through the establishment of a City-recognized historical society or platform that welcomes representatives from various groups to share resources and collectively provide input to the City on historical resources. (Imp. 29.2) Goal HR-5: Celebrate tribal cultural resources • Policy HR-5.1: Government-to-Government Relationships. Encourage fostering government-to- government relationships with California Native American tribes in Newport Beach regarding issues of mutual concern. (Imp. 11.1) • Policy HR-5.2: Historic Themes. Consider the use of foundational local history themes in public spaces that highlight California Native American tribes, in coordination with tribal representatives. (Imp. 29.2) • Policy HR-5.3: Environmental Analysis. Require that new development meet the applicable requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act with respect to tribal cultural resources. (Imp. 11.1) DR A F T 29 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES STAFF REPORT February 23, 2026 Agenda Item No. 6 RECOMMENDATION: Staff requests that the Board of Library Trustees review and approve changes to Library Policy NBPL 13, Study Room/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy. DISCUSSION: The Newport Beach Public Library offers meeting room spaces at the Central Library consisting of three study rooms and the Charles Sword Meeting Room (Sword Room). The Central Library’s three study rooms are in high demand throughout the day. Policy has been implemented to ensure equitable access and to establish guidelines for the use of the rooms. There are no recommended changes to the study room portion of the policy as it continues to work effectively in guidance of the rooms. The Sword Room was originally intended to be an open quiet reading room but was found to be underutilized. In 2017, thanks to a generous donation from the Library Foundation of Newport Beach, the room was enclosed and made available to the public as a meeting space for groups ranging from six to 20 people. The Sword Room can be reserved through the Library Administration Office during business hours. Staff recommends a minor revision to clarify how to reserve the room consistent with Library Policy NBPL 12, Circulation Policy. NOTICING: This agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the Board of Library Trustees considers the item). ATTACHMENT A: NBPL 13, Study Room/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy - original ATTACHMENT B: NBPL 13, Study Room/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy - red-lined ATTACHMENT C: NBPL 13, Study Room/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy - final TO: BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES FROM: Library Services Department Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director (949)717-3801, mhartson@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: Andrew Kachaturian, Adult Services Coordinator TITLE: Study Room/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy (NBPL 13) 30 1 NBPL 13 Study Rooms/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy Study Rooms There are three (3) study rooms available at the Central Library for individuals or groups of 2-5 people, depending on the size and requirements of each specific room. The Library schedules these rooms same day on a first come, first serve basis. Patrons must request use of a study room in person at the Reference Desk on the second floor of the Central Library. The Library will not accept telephone or e-mail requests to use the study rooms. Patrons may only schedule one study room session at a time and must wait until their current session is over before scheduling a new session. Reservations for Study Rooms will be honored for 10 minutes past the requested time. Failure to arrive within 10 minutes of the requested time will result in a forfeiture of the reserved room. Study rooms are available for use Monday through Sunday for up to two (2) hours during the Library's hours of operation. Patrons can extend the length of their session for an additional two (2) hour period if no other patrons are waiting to use a room. A patron, or a patron acting as the representative of a group of patrons, must check in at the Reference Desk before their scheduled session. A patron, or at least one member of a group, requesting a study room must have a valid Newport Beach Public Library card. Rooms are checked out to a Library cardholder in the Library’s circulation system. The Library will consider any study room left unattended for more than 10 minutes to be available for use by others. The Library is not responsible for items left unattended. The Library will consider items left unattended to be lost and will place them in the Library's Lost and Found located on the first floor at the Circulation Desk. Users of the study rooms are responsible for leaving the rooms in a neat and orderly condition. Failure to do so may result in the denial of future requests to use a study room. Users may not move tables and chairs into or remove them from a study room. Users cannot tape or tack materials to study room walls or windows. Charles Sword Meeting Room The Charles Sword Meeting Room at the Central Library is reserved for larger groups. Use of the room requires a minimum of six (6) people and a maximum of 20 people. The Charles Sword Meeting Room is available for use Monday through Sunday for a maximum of four (4) hours per group during the Library's hours of operation. Room reservations can be made Monday through Thursday between 9AM - 5PM and Friday between 9AM – 4PM, through the Library Administration office in person, or by telephone at (949) 717-3801. The room may be reserved no more than four (4) weeks in advance. Patrons must have a NBPL card on file before reserving the Charles Sword Meeting Room. Student ID is acceptable for school age applicants under age 18. ATTACHMENT A 31 2 The members of the group scheduling use of the Charles Sword Meeting Room must be present during the period of usage. A representative of the group must check in at the Reference Desk before their scheduled reservation. The Reference staff will open the Charles Sword Meeting Room only for patrons who reserved the room through the Administration office. The room reservation will be released if the patron does not arrive within 10 minutes of their reservation time. The Library is not responsible for items left unattended. The Library will consider items left unattended to be lost and will place them in the Library's Lost and Found, located on the first floor at the Circulation Desk. No commercial activity is permitted in the room. The room is located in a quiet area of the Library, so users must keep the door closed during meetings. Users of the Charles Sword Meeting Room are responsible for leaving the room in a neat and orderly condition. Failure to do so may result in the denial of future requests to use the Charles Sword Meeting Room. Tables and chairs may be rearranged during room use; however, all furniture must be returned to its original configuration before vacating the room. Users cannot tape or tack materials to the room walls or windows. Adopted - April 1, 2013 Amended - September 17, 2018 Amended - April 23, 2019 Amended - April 19, 2021 Amended - April 17, 2023 Amended – March 17, 2025 Formerly I-22 This Policy will be periodically reviewed by the Board of Library Trustees on the first to occur of (i) as circumstances may require or (ii) every two years from the date of adoption, last amendment, or last review. Adopted, last amended, or last reviewed on March 17, 2025. 32 1 NBPL 13 Study Rooms/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy Study Rooms There are three (3) study rooms available at the Central Library for individuals or groups of 2-5 people, depending on the size and requirements of each specific room. The Library schedules these rooms same day on a first come, first serve basis. Patrons must request use of a study room in person at the Reference Desk on the second floor of the Central Library. The Library will not accept telephone or e-mail requests to use the study rooms. Patrons may only schedule one study room session at a time and must wait until their current session is over before scheduling a new session. Reservations for Study Rooms will be honored for 10 minutes past the requested time. Failure to arrive within 10 minutes of the requested time will result in a forfeiture of the reserved room. Study rooms are available for use Monday through Sunday for up to two (2) hours during the Library's hours of operation. Patrons can extend the length of their session for an additional two (2) hour period if no other patrons are waiting to use a room. A patron, or a patron acting as the representative of a group of patrons, must check in at the Reference Desk before their scheduled session. A patron, or at least one member of a group, requesting a study room must have a valid Newport Beach Public Library card. Rooms are checked out to a Library cardholder in the Library’s circulation system. The Library will consider any study room left unattended for more than 10 minutes to be available for use by others. The Library is not responsible for items left unattended. The Library will consider items left unattended to be lost and will place them in the Library's Lost and Found located on the first floor at the Circulation Desk. Users of the study rooms are responsible for leaving the rooms in a neat and orderly condition. Failure to do so may result in the denial of future requests to use a study room. Users may not move tables and chairs into or remove them from a study room. Users cannot tape or tack materials to study room walls or windows. Charles Sword Meeting Room The Charles Sword Meeting Room at the Central Library is reserved for larger groups. Use of the room requires a minimum of six (6) people and a maximum of 20 people. The Charles Sword Meeting Room is available for use Monday through Sunday for a maximum of four (4) hours per group during the Library's hours of operation. Room reservations can be made Monday through Thursday between 9AM - 5PM and Friday between 9AM – 4PM, through the Library Administration office in person, or by telephone at (949) 717-3801. The room may be reserved no more than four (4) weeks in advance. Patrons must have an NBPL card on file before reserving the Charles Sword Meeting Room. Student ID is acceptable for school age applicants under age 18. ATTACHMENT B 33 2 The members of the group scheduling use of the Charles Sword Meeting Room must be present during the period of usage. A representative of the group must check in at the Reference Desk before their scheduled reservation. The Reference staff will open the Charles Sword Meeting Room only for patrons who reserved the room through the Administration office. The room reservation will be released if the patron does not arrive within 10 minutes of their reservation time. The Library is not responsible for items left unattended. The Library will consider items left unattended to be lost and will place them in the Library's Lost and Found, located on the first floor at the Circulation Desk. No commercial activity is permitted in the room. The room is located in a quiet area of the Library, so users must keep the door closed during meetings. Users of the Charles Sword Meeting Room are responsible for leaving the room in a neat and orderly condition. Failure to do so may result in the denial of future requests to use the Charles Sword Meeting Room. Tables and chairs may be rearranged during room use; however, all furniture must be returned to its original configuration before vacating the room. Users cannot tape or tack materials to the room walls or windows. Adopted - April 1, 2013 Amended - September 17, 2018 Amended - April 23, 2019 Amended - April 19, 2021 Amended - April 17, 2023 Amended – March 17, 2025 Amended – February 23, 2026 Formerly I-22 This Policy will be periodically reviewed by the Board of Library Trustees on the first to occur of (i) as circumstances may require or (ii) every two years from the date of adoption, last amendment, or last review. Adopted, last amended, or last reviewed on March 17, 2025February 23, 2026. 34 1 NBPL 13 Study Rooms/Charles Sword Meeting Room Policy Study Rooms There are three (3) study rooms available at the Central Library for individuals or groups of 2-5 people, depending on the size and requirements of each specific room. The Library schedules these rooms same day on a first come, first serve basis. Patrons must request use of a study room in person at the Reference Desk on the second floor of the Central Library. The Library will not accept telephone or e-mail requests to use the study rooms. Patrons may only schedule one study room session at a time and must wait until their current session is over before scheduling a new session. Reservations for Study Rooms will be honored for 10 minutes past the requested time. Failure to arrive within 10 minutes of the requested time will result in a forfeiture of the reserved room. Study rooms are available for use Monday through Sunday for up to two (2) hours during the Library's hours of operation. Patrons can extend the length of their session for an additional two (2) hour period if no other patrons are waiting to use a room. A patron, or a patron acting as the representative of a group of patrons, must check in at the Reference Desk before their scheduled session. A patron, or at least one member of a group, requesting a study room must have a valid Newport Beach Public Library card. Rooms are checked out to a Library cardholder in the Library’s circulation system. The Library will consider any study room left unattended for more than 10 minutes to be available for use by others. The Library is not responsible for items left unattended. The Library will consider items left unattended to be lost and will place them in the Library's Lost and Found located on the first floor at the Circulation Desk. Users of the study rooms are responsible for leaving the rooms in a neat and orderly condition. Failure to do so may result in the denial of future requests to use a study room. Users may not move tables and chairs into or remove them from a study room. Users cannot tape or tack materials to study room walls or windows. Charles Sword Meeting Room The Charles Sword Meeting Room at the Central Library is reserved for larger groups. Use of the room requires a minimum of six (6) people and a maximum of 20 people. The Charles Sword Meeting Room is available for use Monday through Sunday for a maximum of four (4) hours per group during the Library's hours of operation. Room reservations can be made Monday through Thursday between 9AM - 5PM and Friday between 9AM – 4PM, through the Library Administration office in person, or by telephone at (949) 717-3801. The room may be reserved no more than four (4) weeks in advance. Patrons must have an NBPL card on file before reserving the Charles Sword Meeting Room. The members of the group scheduling use of the Charles Sword Meeting Room must be present during the period of usage. ATTACHMENT C 35 2 A representative of the group must check in at the Reference Desk before their scheduled reservation. The Reference staff will open the Charles Sword Meeting Room only for patrons who reserved the room through the Administration office. The room reservation will be released if the patron does not arrive within 10 minutes of their reservation time. The Library is not responsible for items left unattended. The Library will consider items left unattended to be lost and will place them in the Library's Lost and Found, located on the first floor at the Circulation Desk. No commercial activity is permitted in the room. The room is located in a quiet area of the Library, so users must keep the door closed during meetings. Users of the Charles Sword Meeting Room are responsible for leaving the room in a neat and orderly condition. Failure to do so may result in the denial of future requests to use the Charles Sword Meeting Room. Tables and chairs may be rearranged during room use; however, all furniture must be returned to its original configuration before vacating the room. Users cannot tape or tack materials to the room walls or windows. Adopted - April 1, 2013 Amended - September 17, 2018 Amended - April 23, 2019 Amended - April 19, 2021 Amended - April 17, 2023 Amended – March 17, 2025 Amended – February 23, 2026 Formerly I-22 This Policy will be periodically reviewed by the Board of Library Trustees on the first to occur of (i) as circumstances may require or (ii) every two years from the date of adoption, last amendment, or last review. Adopted, last amended, or last reviewed on February 23, 2026. 36 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES STAFF REPORT February 23, 2026 Agenda Item No. 7 ABSTRACT: Staff will present the annual report on the activities of the Cultural Arts Division. DISCUSSION: The Cultural Arts Division of the Newport Beach Public Library, with guidance and support from the City Arts Commission (CAC) hosts a variety of programs and events that are culturally enriching for residents and visitors of Newport Beach. The CAC acts in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to artistic, aesthetic, historical, and cultural aspects of the City. Cultural activities are ongoing throughout the year and include the coordination of revolving art exhibitions at Central Library (Central), the Sculpture Exhibition at Civic Center Park, the annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition, Concerts on the Green, and a variety of other arts events. The division includes one staff member, Cultural Arts Assistant Camille Escareal-Garcia, who provides administrative assistance for the program. In 2025, Cultural Arts presented the following programming: Concerts on the Green Three concerts were held in the summer on the Civic Center Green with thousands of residents and guests in attendance at each performance. In July, Cassie B performed a mix of pop hits and Motown soul. In September, crowd favorite, Tijuana Dogs, returned to give a high-energy rock/dance performance. The CAC was pleased to welcome back the Pacific Symphony in August after a seven-year hiatus. The Symphony performed patriotic and traditional songs that had the crowd singing along. They also hosted a musical playground with interactive, hands-on activities for children. Attendees at all three concerts were able to purchase food from onsite food truck vendors. Children’s activities included face painting and balloon animal artists. Marina Park Concert In October, residents and guests enjoyed the annual Concert at Marina Park, which featured 805 Social Club with a history of pop spanning the decades and included an audio montage of news and pop culture sound clips. TO: BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES FROM: Library Services Department Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director (949)717-3801, mhartson@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: Rebecca Lightfoot, Library Services Manager TITLE: Arts and Culture Update 37 Arts and Culture Update February 23, 2026 Page 2 Newport Beach Art Exhibition The CAC hosted the 58th Annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition on June 28, 2025. This juried art show invited residents and guests who attended to view and purchase original paintings, photography, and sculptures created by regional artists. A portion of the proceeds from the one-day exhibit benefit Newport Beach arts programs. City Councilmember Robyn Grant along with Juror Rick Stein presented the awards to the exhibition winners. Award categories included Drawing, Painting, 3D Art, Photography, Juror’s Choice, and People’s Choice. The event featured 244 pieces of artwork by 139 artists. Attendees visited with the artists and heard live music with refreshments available in the Pavilion on the Civic Center Green. Children’s arts activities were also offered to allow young artists an opportunity to express their own artistic creativity. Cultural Arts Grants Each year, the City of Newport Beach awards grants to arts organizations, enabling them to expand arts programs offered to the local community. The following art organizations received Cultural Arts grants in 2025: • Backhausdance: $4,000 Backhausdance used their grant money to present a dance education partnership program, Dance Expressions: Creativity and Choreography, which was held at three different Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) schools (Corona del Mar Midde/High School, Back Bay High School, and Newport Harbor High) culminating in a Fall 2025 Student Showcase. • Balboa Island Improvement Association: $3,000 The Balboa Island Improvement Association presented a new season of the Balboa Island Classical Concert Series, held at St. John Vianney Chapel and Carol Beek Center. • Baroque Music Festival, Corona del Mar: $4,000 The Baroque Music Festival focused on evocative vocal works by Vivaldi and Antonio Lotti. Grant funds allowed middle school, high school, and college students from Newport Beach to attend the dress rehearsals and opening concert in June. • Emerald Magic Events Inc: $2,000 Emerald Magic Events presented The Best Romantic Pieces of the Centuries, featuring two classical music concerts at OASIS Senior Center in October 2025. The concerts showcased groups from Newport Beach performing classical crossovers that fused classical with contemporary music. • Newport Theatre Arts Center: $5,000 The Newport Theatre Arts Center presented a new program conducting a theatre seminar for the local community with multiple sessions throughout the day for children and adults. • Pacific Chorale: $3,500 Pacific Chorale’s chamber choir presented three performances at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church, featuring Handel’s Exodus: Israel in Egypt and Carols by Candlelight. 38 Arts and Culture Update February 23, 2026 Page 3 • Pacific Symphony: $5,000 The Pacific Symphony used the grant funds for the Class Act Music Education Program at Andersen and Newport Coast Elementary Schools. This program places union musicians into local schools where students receive the value of music learning from teaching artists. • South Coast Repertory: $3,500 The South Coast Repertory used the grant funding for the Theatre for Young Audiences free school-day matinee performances of The Incredible Book-Eating Boy for students, augmented with weekend performances for the public. Student Art Exhibition The Newport Beach Student Art Exhibition features artwork created by pre-K through 12th grade students. A total of 103 young artists participated in the 2025 program. Accepted artwork was displayed at Central in January and February 2026, with entries coming in during October and November 2025. A ceremony recognizing first through third place and honorable mention winners was held during the CAC’s February 2026 Regular Meeting. Exhibits in the Central Library The CAC maintains exhibit space at Central. The Lobby Gallery has approximately 38 feet of linear wall space designed for two-dimensional pieces of art. Additionally, artists may apply to exhibit three- dimensional works in two display cabinets. The CAC’s Art in Public Places Ad Hoc Subcommittee meets periodically to review artist’s submissions for exhibits in the Lobby Gallery. Six artists’ works were displayed in the Gallery in 2025. Artists are currently booked for exhibition into 2026. Halloween Spooktacular The Recreation and Senior Services Department holds an annual Halloween Spooktacular event at Mariners Park every year at the end of October. The CAC hosted a pumpkin painting booth at the 2025 8th Annual Spooktacular. Attendees had two different sized pumpkins to choose from and enjoyed painting and drawing on their pumpkins. Over 400 pumpkins were distributed. Holiday Ornament The CAC passed out 100 custom-made commemorative holiday ornaments at the Marina Park Community Center Family Fun Night in December 2025. NOTICING: This agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the Board of Library Trustees considers the item). 39 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES STAFF REPORT February 23, 2026 Agenda Item No. 8 DISCUSSION: The Newport Beach Public Library’s (Library) annual Summer Reading Program (SRP) is an eight-week initiative designed to encourage reading engagement and continued use of library resources and services throughout the summer. New in 2026, the program is launching with refreshed in-house branding and an enduring theme, Summer Reading: Make it One for the Books!, providing a cohesive framework for program messaging and activities. Driven by high achievement in 2025, the reading challenge community goal is moving up to 1 million minutes of reading, which further reinforces reading as a shared community priority and highlights the collective impact of participation. Children’s SRP incorporates two primary elements: a reading challenge and family events. Together, these components make up the collective Children’s SRP. The program centers on a structured reading challenge complemented by weekly interactive programs and is designed to support literacy development and sustained learning during the summer months. The Children’s SRP Reading Challenge (Challenge) remains self-paced and flexible, allowing participants to read materials of their choice while tracking progress toward defined milestones. Children may read independently or be read to by a caregiver. Children complete the Challenge by logging 600 minutes of reading. Challenge participation is tracked through Beanstack, with paper materials available for families who prefer an offline option. The incentive structure emphasizes consistent reading through themed badges and prizes that reflect Newport Beach, local creativity, and the joy of summer reading. Several Challenge design changes have been implemented this year to improve clarity, participation, and administrative efficiency. Early registration has been added to reduce opening-day congestion. Weekly prize drawings and book review incentives have been discontinued due to declining participation and limited impact. Activity-based bonus badges have also been removed and replaced with a single incentive TO: BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES FROM: Library Services Department Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director (949)717-3801, mhartson@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: Annika Helmuth, Branch and Youth Services Coordinator TITLE: Children’s Summer Reading Program Update 40 Children’s Summer Reading Program Update February 23, 2026 Page 2 during the final week of the program, offering a bonus grand prize entry to encourage completion and increase library visits at the end of summer. Progress toward the community reading goal will be displayed at all library locations, with visible recognition of participant achievements. Completion certificates and finisher prizes provide formal acknowledgment of participation and program impact. Reading challenges for teens and adults are offered in a similar format to promote family engagement and shared participation. In addition to the Challenge, the Library hosts events at the Central Library and the branches throughout the summer to support in-person engagement and reinforce consistent library use. SRP event highlights include: • Week 1: The Week of Wonder Live animal presentation introducing children and families to rainforest animals through an interactive program with wildlife educators from Wild Wonders, Inc. • Week 2: The Week of Big Adventures Hey Hey Entertainment brings two hilarious, interactive puppet shows to the library, Dino Chase Through Space and Library Bandit. • Week 3: The Week of Creativity Drop-in craft programs focusing on hands-on creativity and themed summer projects for children and families. • Week 4: The Week of Discovery Self-guided “I Spy” activity encouraging exploration and observational skills within the library. • Week 5: The Week of Science Mad Science brings an exciting, hands-on show packed with amazing experiments and fantastic forces. • Week 6: The Week of Play Family BINGO program promoting intergenerational participation and informal play. • Week 7: The Week of Music Interactive children’s concert featuring The Ben Band, incorporating music and movement inspired by the Australian Outback. • Week 8: The Week of Celebration Program conclusion featuring a community celebration activity and a bonus raffle to encourage program completion. NOTICING: This agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the Board of Library Trustees considers the item). 41 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES STAFF REPORT February 23, 2026 Agenda Item No. 9 MELISSA HARTSON, LIBRARY SERVICES DIRECTOR Balboa Branch The request for proposals for the Balboa Fire Station No. 1 / Balboa Branch Replacement Project closed on February 5. Public Works received five closely spaced bids with the proposed bids coming in less than anticipated. Public Works will request that City Council award a contract for the project at the City Council Regular Meeting on February 24. If approved, staff are prepared to close the branch at the end of the month with a groundbreaking ceremony anticipated in March. The Friends of the Library have expressed interest in holding a book sale after the closure. City Council Planning Session Library Services Manager Rebecca Lightfoot and I attended the annual City Council Special Meeting at the end of January. During this planning session, City staff presented updates on the City’s financial status, budget development, Community Development projects, and the Capital Improvement Program. City initiatives in the coming year are focused on resiliency improvements, crime prevention and public safety priorities, technology and communications improvements, and harbor and operations management. WHEELHOUSE LIST FOR LIBRARY TRUSTEES •Witte Lectures: Julian Gewirtz Friday, February 27, 7 p.m. Saturday, February 28, 2 p.m. OASIS Senior Center •Board of Library Trustees Meeting Monday, March 16, 5 p.m. City Council Chambers, Civic Center •Library Live: Colm Tóibín Thursday, March 12, 7 p.m. OASIS Senior Center TO: BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES FROM: Library Services Department Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director (949)717-3801, mhartson@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director TITLE: Report of January Library Activities 42 Report of January Library Activities February 23, 2026 Page 2 REBECCA LIGHTFOOT, LIBRARY SERVICES MANAGER Literacy Project Adult Literacy (PAL) hosted Southern California Library Literacy Network’s Quarterly Meeting at the Newport Beach Public Library with 32 attendees from other literacy programs in Southern California. PAL held another Literacy Library Tour for a local ESL group with seven attendees. PAL Coordinator Christina Smith held Tutor Connection with 12 tutors attending. Coordinator Smith built a new partnership with a local college, Orange Coast College’s Adult Education Program. Programming In January, the Library hosted the original Storytellers Writing Workshop 3-part series, as well as two stand-alone Storytellers Extended classes: “Promoting & Marketing Yourself as a Writer” and “Crafting Dialogue,” which are part of the new series offered this year. The Library also presented a Beginning Genealogy workshop, facilitated by genealogy expert Arlene O’Donnell, who has taught genealogy research for over 10 years. This beginning class gave an overview of how to begin your research, covered various resources available, and each participant received a packet with fill-in charts, outlines, and research information to help them get started. Facilities The roofing project at Mariners Branch (Mariners) continued through January and is wrapping up. Public Works is also working on replacing the lighting at Central Library (Central), switching out the fluorescent lights for more efficient LED. ANNIKA HELMUTH, BRANCH AND YOUTH SERVICES COORDINATOR Branch Activities In January at Mariners, two monthly programs launched. BARK is now held on a regular fourth-Thursday schedule, and STEAM Lab debuted as a new second Thursday program supporting hands-on science and creative learning. Regular storytimes and LEGO Wednesdays remained well attended, and the Seed Library continued to grow with 148 checkouts. Facility projects included continued roof replacement, LED lighting upgrades, and fire sprinkler system repairs to bring the building back into compliance. At Corona del Mar Branch (CdM), children’s services were again active throughout the month. Staff presented storytimes, daily Drop-In Crafts, Toy Train Tuesdays, BARK, and the annual Stuffed Animal Sleepover. Educational toys remained a major draw, supporting consistent use of the children’s area. Facility improvements included deep carpet cleaning and installation of a new public printer, which resolved ongoing ePrint issues. At Balboa Branch (Balboa), children’s programming transitioned to Marina Park as part of preparations for the upcoming branch rebuild. Preschool Storytimes were restructured and moved to Wednesdays, and seasonal craft programs shifted to Thursdays. The first Marina Park craft program, Wonderful Winter Crafts, was well received by attendees. 43 Report of January Library Activities February 23, 2026 Page 3 Youth Services Storytimes resumed after the winter break and saw strong participation at all locations. January youth programs at Central included BARK, STEAM Lab, Book Club, Art Space, and Crafternoon. Family BINGO remained a popular program, with gift cards to the newly opened Gelato Paradiso generating strong enthusiasm among attendees. Special Programs CdM’s annual Stuffed Animal Sleepover returned in January. A community favorite, the program featured strong engagement on social media and positive feedback from families. The new STEAM Lab at Mariners also drew strong engagement, with hands-on STEAM activities including a brief butterfly life cycle lesson and an engineering-based craft that allowed children to build their own fluttering butterfly models. Outreach In January, Youth Services staff supported a first-grade class visit from Lincoln Elementary and a fourth- grade database instructional visit to Newport Coast Elementary. These visits supported student research skills and strengthened relationships with local schools. Personnel Several Youth Services staff participated in Sign, Baby, Sign!: ASL in Baby and Toddler Storytimes webinar that demonstrated practical ways to incorporate accessibility strategies into future storytimes. Mariners’ Librarian Leah Duffy joined the Youth Services team to support children’s programming while continuing her reference duties. Also at Mariners, the full-time Library Assistant and Library Page recruitments remain ongoing. ANDREW KACHATURIAN, ADULT SERVICES COORDINATOR Teen Services The January Young Adult Advisory Council (YAAC) was held on January 14, with 13 teens in attendance. The YAAC members had the opportunity to practice planning and running this meeting with staff coaching them, which proved to be fun and educational for the teens. The January group planned and implemented icebreakers to get to know each other, a winter trivia game, and a vision board as an activity for the group. They also began planning for the next meeting in February. Adult Services The Adult Reference staff continue to focus on refreshing their collections and have been updating call number signage throughout Central’s second-floor nonfiction area. Reference staff also met in January to discuss current tasks, and upcoming training opportunities. MIRANDA GENTRY, CIRCULATION COORDINATOR Staffing Central welcomed Cameron Andersen as a new part-time Library Clerk. NOTICING: This agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the Board of Library Trustees considers the item). 44 JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN 2025 2025 2025 2025 2025 2025 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 Tracked by #searches A to Z Databases 481 438 234 182 339 581 347 2602 Alexander Street 253 682 457 1123 236 574 170 3495 Ancestry 200 205 9 306 521 150 243 1634 AskART 12 17 9 13 31 11 104 197 Brainfuse JobNow/VetNow 107 62 25 3 4 3 **204 Britannica School Edition 9 0 82 248 75 15 5 434 Exploring Race in Society 24 14 4 40 4 18 7 111 Gale Archives Unbound 7 4 16 17 32 29 2 107 Gale Directory Library 45 25 ◊ ◊◊◊◊70 Gale in Context: Biography 1 8 14 81 13 2 23 142 Gale in Context: Elementary 2 0 6 6 7 2 3 26 Gale in Context: Environmental 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 Gale in Context: Opposing View 17 10 10 216 21 58 61 393 Gale Interactive: Science 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gale Literature Resource Center 16 17 6 116 9 3 9 176 Gale eBooks 52 15 15 60 172 10 12 336 HeritageQuest 405 325 180 90 587 173 1 1761 Legal Information Ref Center 64 57 22 130 59 70 129 531 National Geographic 12 26 20 46 24 16 33 177 National Geographic Kids 6 34 10 26 12 43 7 138 NewsBank 4794 4741 4505 4846 4260 4156 5216 32518 NoveList Plus 48 41 65 81 78 79 46 438 NoveList K-8 Plus 12 146 33 55 53 90 27 416 ProQuest 4466 * * 31725 2443 2182 2685 43501 Proquest eLibrary 0 33 23 4 1 1 4 66 Reference Solutions Business 322 609 392 412 105 319 493 2652 Reference Solutions Residential 12 29 14 19 25 17 8 124 SIRS Discoverer 4 12 53 13 1 0 0 83 SIRS Issues Researcher 267 659 1881 379 1 0 1 3188 StatsUSA (formerly State Statistics) 5 6 5 47 20 2 6 91 World Book Online 9 39 53 33 13 84 53 284 Tracked by #page views Artist Works 3 2 6 3 3 1 5 23 Consumer Reports 2475 2156 1853 1934 1981 1558 1117 13074 CultureGrams 68 36 4 49 115 23 130 425 Morningstar 3697 7618 4826 3483 3080 3973 4356 31033 RealQuest 8 14 121 36 3 10 14 206 Tumblebooks 35 33 11 33 25 ‡‡137 Value Line 9891 8507 10381 11564 9057 8620 10684 68704 Wall Street Journal 3393 3469 1439 4086 3856 4452 4545 25240 Tracked by courses LinkedIn Learning 254 262 209 484 431 210 138 1988 Tracked by books logged Beanstack 7403 2832 1877 2334 1662 1097 2045 19250 Tracked by Hours Used ABC Mouse †127.02 130.58 81.07 97.93 125.65 109.97 107.66 779.88 Beanstack 7738 1554 385 266 360 270 240 10813 Rosetta Stone 28.82 33.70 57.47 85.32 57.01 50.27 70.66 383.25 Notes: * Accurate date unavailable for August and September 2025. Data restored in October 2025 ‡ Tumblebooks Library subscription cancelled December 2025 ** Brainfuse subscription cancelled January, 2026 † Corrected values for ABC Mouse added for 2025. ◊ Gale Directory Library subscription cancelled September, 2025. Database FY Comparisons YTD 25/26 Proquest Articles Retrieved 2025-2026 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun AVG. Business Databases 3021 * *7149 1288 1206 1705 2874 Newspapers--Current 913 * *1000 798 641 618 794 Newspapers--Historical 3265 * *1196 1511 2419 1674 2013Magazines47* *1054 31 17 22 234 45 NBPL Website Usage 2025-2026 Metric Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Average Total Total Users 28317 28872 26436 36733 27126 25358 32957 29400 205799 New Users 14608 15467 14189 23841 15006 13147 19502 16537 115760 Sessions 47805 50528 45583 55929 43442 41915 51715 48131 336917 Pageviews 122016 123728 105782 122541 103499 101665 122042 114468 801273 Sessions Per User 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 -- Pages Per Session 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 -- Avg. Session Dur. (min)7 7 6 6 6 6 5 6 -- Bounce Rate (%)64 62 63 66 64 64 66 64 -- Today's Business Solutions Wireless (TBS): Total Data Transferred (GB) 2025-2026 Location Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Average Total Balboa 201 275 237 143 121 165 215 194 1357 CdM 391 514 540 420 292 287 317 394 2760 Mariners 2240 2200 2460 2340 1910 1570 1860 2083 14580 Central *14120 16200 6960 11000 12450 12190 15070 12570 87990 Total 16951 19189 10197 13903 14773 14211 17462 15241 106687 Today's Business Solutions Wireless (TBS): Total Unique Patrons 2025-2026 Location Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Average Total Balboa 383 278 278 291 206 248 229 273 1913 CdM 557 527 695 526 330 407 356 485 3398 Mariners 1454 1432 2038 1749 1376 1292 1211 1507 10552 Central *11130 10480 6307 8671 9493 9918 9773 9396 65772 Total 13524 12717 9318 11237 11405 11865 11569 11662 81635 Today's Business Solutions Wireless (TBS): Average Number of Patrons Per Day 2025-2026 Location Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Average Total Balboa 30 21 20 19 15 18 18 20 141 CdM 32 34 42 32 22 22 23 30 207 Mariners 111 109 150 135 108 100 94 115 807 Central *746 672 361 518 566 612 584 580 4059 Total 919 836 573 704 711 752 719 745 5214 Today's Business Solutions Wireless (TBS): Average Usage Per Patron (MB) 2025-2026 Location Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Average Total Balboa 536 1012 874 505 602 680 961 739 5171 CdM 718 999 795 818 905 721 912 838 5868 Mariners 1580 1570 1230 1370 1420 1250 1570 1427 9990 Central *1300 1580 1130 1300 1340 1260 1580 1356 9490 Total 4135 5161 4030 3992 4267 3911 5023 4360 30518 Central Library Closure: 09/15/2025-10/05/202546 JAN 26 YTD 25/26 YTD 24/25 BALBOA 1,788 15,525 18,304 CdM 3,872 30,134 25,790 MARINERS 20,309 153,361 144,571 CENTRAL *42,220 302,231 342,451 eBooks 8,477 58,301 56,436 eMagazines 7,807 53,489 38,526 eAudiobooks 8,586 57,040 53,150 Streaming Films 4,495 31,985 24,520 TOTAL 97,554 702,066 703,748 FEB 25 93,114 MAR 25 106,845 APR 25 101,417 MAY 25 102,137 JUN 25 106,003 JUL 25 112,143 AUG 25 110,848 SEP 25 85,603 OCT 25 107,301 NOV 25 95,530 DEC 25 93,087 JAN 26 97,554 TOTAL 1,211,582 * Central Library Closure: 09/15/2025-10/05/2025 12 Month Comparison NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY - JANUARY 2026 CIRCULATION BALBOA CdM MARINERS CENTRAL * eBooks eMagazines eAudiobooks Streaming Films 85,000 90,000 95,000 100,000 105,000 110,000 115,000 FEB 25 MAR 25 APR 25 MAY 25 JUN 25 JUL 25 AUG 25 SEP 25 OCT 25 NOV 25 DEC 25 JAN 26 47 JAN 26 YTD 25/26 YTD 24/25 BALBOA 363 2,824 2,698 CdM 509 5,714 4,955 MARINERS 1,843 13,458 14,145 CENTRAL *6,527 43,919 45,610 TOTAL 9,242 65,915 67,408 12 Month Comparison FEB 25 8,888 MAR 25 9,980 APR 25 10,439 MAY 25 9,439 JUN 25 12,069 JUL 25 12,051 AUG 25 11,518 SEP 25 6,638 OCT 25 9,149 NOV 25 9,133 DEC 25 8,184 JAN 26 9,242 TOTAL 116,730 * Central Library Closure: 09/15/2025-10/05/2025 NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY - JANUARY 2026 REFERENCE BALBOA CdM MARINERS CENTRAL * 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000 11,000 12,000 13,000 FEB 25 MAR 25 APR 25 MAY 25 JUN 25 JUL 25 AUG 25 SEP 25 OCT 25 NOV 25 DEC 25 JAN 26 48 JAN 26 YTD 25/26 YTD 24/25 BALBOA 1,818 13,817 15,380 CdM 5,953 50,939 22,448 MARINERS 10,736 91,871 85,404 CENTRAL * ^ '23,969 229,804 258,309 TOTAL 42,476 386,431 381,541 12 Month Comparison FEB 25 52,945 MAR 25 61,298 APR 25 58,738 MAY 25 58,962 JUN 25 65,123 JUL 25 65,474 AUG 25 63,224 SEP 25 46,714 OCT 25 41,823 NOV 25 35,120 DEC 25 91,600 JAN 26 42,476 TOTAL 683,497 * Central Library Closure: 09/15/2025-10/05/2025 ^ Central Library 2nd floor entry gate malfunction: 09/26/2025-12/9/2025; monthly total for December 2025 includes backlog ' Central Library 2nd floor entry gate malfunction: 01/15/2026-01/31/2026 NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY - JANUARY 2026 PATRONS SERVED BALBOA CdM MARINERS CENTRAL * ^ ' 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000 90,000 100,000 FEB 25 MAR 25 APR 25 MAY 25 JUN 25 JUL 25 AUG 25 SEP 25 OCT 25 NOV 25 DEC 25 JAN 26 49 JAN 26 YTD 25/26 YTD 24/25 BALBOA 226 2,171 2,745 CdM 1,066 11,603 9,077 MARINERS 1,837 15,309 14,449 CENTRAL *4,504 46,002 52,493 TOTAL 7,633 75,085 78,764 12 Month Comparison FEB 25 9,975 MAR 25 11,223 APR 25 13,152 MAY 25 12,209 JUN 25 12,429 JUL 25 13,246 AUG 25 14,714 SEP 25 9,773 OCT 25 12,766 NOV 25 8,506 DEC 25 8,447 JAN 26 7,633 TOTAL 134,073 * Central Library Closure: 09/15/2025-10/05/2025 PROGRAM ATTENDANCE NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY - JANUARY 2026 BALBOA CdM MARINERS CENTRAL * 5,000 7,000 9,000 11,000 13,000 15,000 FEB 25 MAR 25 APR 25 MAY 25 JUN 25 JUL 25 AUG 25 SEP 25 OCT 25 NOV 25 DEC 25 JAN 26 50 Jerold D Kappel, CEO The Library Foundation of Newport Beach Memo To: Library Trustees From: Jerold D Kappel, CEO Date: February 14, 2026 Re: Library Foundation Report 1. Governance and Management: The February 2026 Board Meeting was held on Monday February. Chase Reif, Library Trustee and Foundation Liaison, and Melissa Hartson, Library Director, attended. Mr. Reif by Zoom. a.Beginning with the March meeting, the Foundation Board meetings will be moved to the fourth Monday of the Month. The next meeting will be March 23. b. Kunga Wangmo Upshaw has returned from maternity leave. 2.Rebranding of Foundation: Name and logo change reflecting the new brand continues. Surprising on how many printed and digital documents, banners, brochures, etc., a logo lives on. a.The Foundation’s domain name is now LibraryFoundationNB.org b.Emails are @LibraryFoundationNB.org c.Website is www.LibraryFoundationNB.org 3.Witte Hall: The construction update states that May 18 is now the date for “Substantial Completion.” a.Regarding the donor signage in the Woolsey Lobby: The Foundation has committed to funding the design of new signage in the Woolsey Lobby of Witte Hall. The Foundation will be responsible for the revised signage manufacture and installation. b.The Development Committee includes the Grand Opening Committee. It interviewed two event planners/managers at its meeting on February 13. The final selection of an event planner will take place the week of February 16. c.The Grand Opening is now set for the weekend of July 10-12, 2026. That is the same weekend 32 years ago that the Central Library had its Grand Opening. Friday, July 10 is the Foundation’s event to thank donors at $25,000 and above. Other City officials, Trustees, and Community leaders will be invited. There are 121 donors at the $25,000 plus level to Witte Hall.51 2 4. Development: The annual Summer Solstice Celebration for new members of the Foundation will be held on Wednesday, June 24. It is planned for the Stahr Courtyard. In addition to new members and the Library Leadership donors ($1,000 and above), Library leadership staff, Library Trustees, and City officials will be invited. We will be honoring Clarence Turner and Tod and Linda White. a. The Foundation received $50,000 for a designated endowment for the Corona del Mar Library Branch. That amount will be combined with our Library endowment, and the Library will receive $2500 annually for the CdM Branch. These gifts are estate gifts from the S. Seven Dweck Foundation. b. Planning for a major legacy giving campaign to develop an endowment for Foundation programming will begin this summer. The goal is to raise $1 million to endow programming (distribution under current policy of 5% annually.) I anticipate that this will be a 3-5 year effort. 5. Programming a. All four Library Live lectures sold out. Both Colm Tóibín and Anthony Doerr will be held at the OASIS Center. b. The Witte series has sold 259 total season passes for Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Additionally, a total of 331 single tickets has been sold for the lectures. The first Witte Lecture is February 27-28 with China expert Julian Gerwitz. The promotional sponsor for this lecture is the World Affairs Council of Orange County. c. All Witte Lectures, except May 1, will be held at the OASIS Center. The May 1, Friday evening lecture will be held on the Civic Center Green with the same setting as the Library Live lecture with Bonnie Garmus in September 2024. d. The Spotlight on Science continues to have high registration. Spotlight is a free lecture. The April Spotlight is with Dr. Charles Norton speaking about small satellites, and the May lecture is with Nobel Prize winner Dr. Barry Barish talking about the evolution of the universe. Both will be held at the OASIS Center. e. The Library Foundation will participate in Art Week with a special Library Live presentation. The speaker will be Tim Grieving who has written a biography on composer John Williams. Co-sponsoring the event will be the Newport Beach Film Festival. 52