Confirmation of Libraries Director – Sean McGarvey – To Fill Libraries Director Position – $125,000.00

1:56:44So I guess we'll do R 43 after lunch. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. No, this is uh this is a great day. R forty-three. Confirmation of Library's Director. Yes. Sean

1:56:54McGarvey. Good morning, County Commissioners. Welcome back, Commissioner Bradford. Um, Kathy Pearson, Assistant County Administrator for Public Services, and it is a proud moment. I want to shout out to the library folks before I introduce Sean. They are here too today they are fantastic. Library of the year for the state of Florida. So thank you for all we do each and every day.

1:57:19So with that said, a familiar face to some and maybe not familiar to some of you, but Sean McGarvey. He was uh worked with us in 2013 to 2019 as one of our library administrators. He um decided to go to Hillsborough County and realized after four years it was a horrible move on his part. So he has now decided to come back to Pasco County as our library director, and I couldn't be more proud and more humble to have him come back to

1:57:49us. Um Sean was has lots of IT experience. He's got lots of uh library experience, grant experience. experience. He started our robotic team, one of the ones only ones in that had libraries robotics. He was very instrumental in when we were passing the government obligation bond. Uh educating our public back in 2018 on a on a big educational spree with him and Keith uh Wiley from Parks and Rec. So With that, um

1:58:19I am respectably asking all of you to confirm Mr. Sean McGarvey as our library director today.

1:58:26Move approval.

1:58:26Second.

1:58:28Roll call vote.

1:58:29District One, Commissioner Oakley.

1:58:31Aye.

1:58:31District two, Commissioner Weightman. Aye. District three, Commissioner Starkey. Aye. District four, Commissioner Bradford. Aye. District five, Chairman Mariano.

1:58:40Aye. Sean, congratulations. Welcome back.

1:58:44Thank you, Commissioner. Thanks. It's feels really good to be back.

1:58:47So

1:58:48um I just wanted to say thank you for your confidence in me and um I stand on the shoulders of giants both in the library system as a whole and the public services uh team and uh I can't wait to get started and to work with all of you and do continue to do great things for the County of Pasco.

1:59:10Well fantastic. You got a great group of people to work with. Uh the passion shows, the performance shows even more. So It should be a great uh great run for you. We're looking forward to it. Commissioner Weightman.

1:59:20Chairman, thank you. Congratulations. I know we haven't. Met I'm new, you're back. So look forward to working with you. Uh learn a thing or two from you, hopefully. Uh we talked about Commissioner Starkey brought this up last meeting about what's the identity of our libraries and she and it was it made sense. We're in a modern era, we're a different time. What is a library today? What kind of resources can it bring? What kind of out-of-the box thinking thinking can we use these fantastic facilities for for

1:59:50our kids, for whoever, anybody in our community. And she talked about kind of bringing up a re a rebranding, a new identity of what our Pasco County Libraries and our library system is all about and the service offerings. So I just wanted to share her thoughts with you if she hadn't already and tell Commissioner Starkey that I've really been thinking about what you said.

2:00:09Community

2:00:10centers and community centers, entertainments, um uh what she said and uh challenge you to uh I guess think bigger and your team think bigger what can we do to take our library system to the next level and I'd like to see what what you guys can come up with and and make it a fun project. So thank you and congratulations. Thank you.

2:00:31Mr. Rokley Yeah, I would like to welcome you back and uh We're glad to have you and you got a great library system. We're already at the top, so we're gonna see where you gonna take us. So So you got a big job. So But uh I just visited not too long ago the Hugh Embry Library and just opened up for a Pre opening. and talked to some folks that were there. And they're very excited about the library and the changes that were made. So It means a lot.

2:01:02uh to all our citizens for the library system 'cause they do serve uh a lot of our citizens that don't have some of the Wi Fi and other things in the in their home or All right. computers like like you would think everybody would have. Some families do not have those. So the library system really does a great job. um young and old alike. When you close one down to remodel it. look out, you're fixing to get a a world of calls about it, so And we had a lot for Human

2:01:32Member Library there in Dade City and Uh we're happy it's back open. So but thank you and welcome back. Okay. Mr.

2:01:41Starkey.

2:01:42So I'm so glad you're back and I I um want you to come see Amskills and um and am hoping we can reignite that uh robotics team that you had. And I'd like to have those all over the county, the the first robotics teams. Um And yeah, I I think we should rename our libraries personally. I think they should be more they should be community centers. And I think our some of our biggest opportunities come with those various makerspaces. for

2:02:12continuous learning and opportunities. And um And why not have more more activities at these centers on the weekends and the evenings and Um Uh Elaine Smith recently had an event at the Starkey, I can't I can't I won't call it what they call it. The Starkey Cultural Center. and she had three hundred people there for a a concert.

2:02:35Wow.

2:02:36For a uh I think it was a kind of like a Jimmy Buffett's uh tribute. And um that that's amazing. That's amazing. So Uh we can do a lot more in these And these properties and Personally I think everyone should have a playground as well, not just the books. And we're getting one I think eventually in holiday, hopefully. Um, but yeah, they're community centers and we look forward to hearing all about all the great things you might have learned in Hillsboro. um and bringing

2:03:06good ideas back to us, but um I know you're gonna be wonderful and so I'm glad you're back. Thank you, Commissioner.

2:03:11I can say honestly that I took more things to Hillsboro from Pasco.

2:03:16Oh

2:03:18But

2:03:20Commissioner Bradford.

2:03:21Commissioner Oakley.

2:03:23I don't know if we're doing it now or to what degree, but you know, public private partnerships. is a great tool to use. Um Jesus can't do their homework. Without computers. And they're expensive. So

2:03:43I know you have to be careful ethically. Yeah. Well I think that's an area that we should explore.

2:03:52Okay.

2:03:53Okay.

2:03:54Shaw bring up one idea too that we talked about and you had done before is that Battle of the Bands. Scalloping season is back in Pasco, starting July first. Sun West is probably a great venue for it again or to to run it up there. Uh so I'd love to see you take a look at that and if you want to get in there, happy to work with you on making that happen.

2:04:12I believe that's uh Parks and Rex now, so I'll be happy to communicate

2:04:17and work with my compell

2:04:21So together

2:04:26Welcome Welcome back. Thank you,

2:04:28sir.

2:04:28Good

2:04:28to be back.