Giulia Gambale, NHFPL patron since 1992. Expanded STEM resources, earlier opening hours, and better advertising of library services were on the minds of nearly a dozen library patrons asked to envision how the city’s national award-winning public library system could improve over the next five years. Library staffers Jennifer Gargiulo and Seth Godfrey: How can we do better? Those ideas rose to the fore Monday night as library-goers took part in the latest public feedback session for the library’s upcoming five-year strategic plan. The meeting took place at downtown’s Ives Main Library on Elm Street.Monday’s workshop was one of ten such community feedback sessions and was led by Jennifer Gargiulo, manager of Ives Squared at Ives, alongside librarian and head of references Seth Godfrey. Read about last week’s Fair Haven branch meeting here. The 11 participants at Monday night’s session struggled to find outstanding issues with the library, with one noting that the staff was ​“already doing a good job.” Most agreed that they appreciated the job training, the public resources for necessities like bathrooms, and the broader connectivity the services of the library provide them. All lauded the staff’s helpfulness, and their willingness to ​“think outside of the box.”“[The staff] is how I found books like this,” Kimit Trotman said, holding up A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. ​“They’re always there to answer questions or just have random conversations.”When prompted to suggest improvements to the library, the participants seemed to struggle to come up with immediate ideas. Some suggestions — such as community theater offerings or improved technological education services — either exist elsewhere in the city, or are already offered at the library.Eventually, the group settled on some minor improvements. Trotman said that he would like to see more creative spaces, such as open mics and writing workshops. Another patron said he wanted to see the library open earlier, so people could stop by before work.City Librarian and Director Maria Bernhey asked the group how they had heard of the meeting, in an attempt to gauge how well library services were advertised. Most heard through email. Together, the group thought of new ways to advertise library services and events around the city. Perhaps the library could hand out fliers. Perhaps it could start posting on Yale campus billboards and email threads. Perhaps it could advertise on the morning news with Channel 8.Giulia Gambale has been attending the NHFPL library system since 1992. She noted that the library system has changed so much over the years, with new services popping up to meet new needs — what she deems as the library ​“keeping up with the times.”For Gambale, the library services helped her through tough times, especially during Covid. During the height of the pandemic, Gambale had picked up ​“take-and-make bags” from the library, which entailed a craft that she would make alongside others through Zoom. She still keeps those trinkets around her house, her favorite being a purple toy altar.“It was more of an emotional response for me,” Gambale said, reflecting on how the library had helped her then. It was exciting to have ​“something tactile you can bring home and feel connected.”Brainstorming on the board ... ... at Monday's downtown library meetup.