Library director and youth librarian outline teen programs, park‑pass and summer reading plans

Dana Vinkie, director of the Redondo Beach Public Library, and Lisa Winter, the library’s youth services librarian, presented an overview of the library’s mission, usage statistics and teen programming to the Youth Commission.

Vinkie said the library system serves roughly 60,000 registered users and logged more than 200,000 visits last year; the library recently added about 5,000 new borrowers. She described two physical locations (a main library and a North Branch), the library’s digital offerings (an app, Hoopla and Libby), extended express service hours at the North Branch, and the Friends of the Library nonprofit that supports programming.

Winter outlined teen offerings: one monthly program at the main library (third Tuesday) and one at the North Branch (fourth Thursday), both 4–5 p.m.; recurring program themes include art, wellness and technology. She highlighted a Teen Advisory Council (TAC) that meets the first Wednesday of each month (September–May), ongoing volunteer opportunities (school‑year and summer shifts that count toward hours) and a summer reading kickoff carnival on June 13 with a ten‑week reading challenge and prizes. Winter said typical TAC attendance ranges from about 5–20 members and popular teen programs can draw 10–40 participants.

During public comment, Naomi Willawan asked whether study rooms could be made quieter or more private for exam takers; Director Vinkie said the rooms are heavily used, staff enforce a rules of conduct and the library will look into noise‑mitigation improvements and reminded patrons to notify staff about disruptive behavior. The presenters said the library funds most operations from the city’s general fund, with supplemental pilot programs supported by Friends donations and grants.

Commissioners offered to help promote programs through school mailings and social media and asked the library to provide statistics for the commission’s upcoming presentation to City Council. The commission unanimously voted to receive and file the presentation.