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"Read With Rex" Challenge Exceeds Vice-Mayor's Ambitious Expectations In Number Of Items Checked-Out Within 100 Days Of Opening New Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library


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(Dec. 31, 2016, 8:45 p.m.) -- LBREPORT.com noticed it, and included it on our video coverage of the Sept. 10 opening of LB's Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library: we saw LONG lines of mainly-young people getting library cards.

When we mentioned this to Vice Mayor Richardson on opening day, he pointed to a sign (photo right) promoting his "Red With Rex" challenge, asking the community to check out at least five books within the first 100 days of opening the new library.

The stated goal of Vice Mayor Richardson's challenge was to have 25,000 items checked out within the first 100 days of the library's operation. Instead, 41,395 items were checked out within the first 100 days.

In a release, the Vice Mayor's office states that "the community's youth spearheaded the surge in book reading with 4,336 of the books checked out being children’s picture books -- the largest collection checked out during the challenge."

"Since the opening of the new Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library, library patron rates have increased substantially and readership has increased 175%," said Vice Mayor Richardson in the release. "I am amazed by these results, and incredibly proud of our residents for rising to the challenge." [Scroll down for further.] `

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The release indicates the "Read with Rex" challenge began at Colin L. Powell Academy on Read Across America Day where students were given pledge cards to sign and make their commitment to check out books from the new library and read. Pledges were collected from children and adults beginning in early March through June 1, 2016.

"With over 75,000 visits to the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library, I'm not surprised that we overwhelmingly surpassed our goal of checking out 25,000 items," said Library Services Department Director Glenda Williams in the release.

The Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library opened on September 10, 2016 to a crowd of over 1,000 residents. LBREPORT.com acovered the opening ceremony with extended video of remarks by elected officials at this link and a walking tour of the impressive 25,000 sq. ft. facility (which includes an expanded children's library, a story time theater space and community center for large and small gatherings) at this link..

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But the First Lady wasn't present at the opening of the library named in her honor, although LBREPORT.com learned and reported that she was likely only about 120 miles from Long Beach in the Palm Springs area. KESQ-TV in Palm Springs spotted her jet parked at Palm Springs Airport during the weekend of the library's opening ceremony.

The wording of Vice Mayor Richardson's Council-majority approved motion (Jan. 19, and Feb. 9, 2016) that named the library for Mrs. Obama included the following text: "...Direct the City Manager to work with the White House to invite the First Lady to the city of Long Beach for a naming dedication ceremony."

When Long Beach city officials declined to tell us what Mrs. Obama or her office told the City in response to the invitation to attend the library opening, LBREPORT.com invoked the CA's Public Records Act to request correspondence involving the Mayor, Vice Mayor and Mrs. Obama's White House office on the matter.

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Among the documents LBREPORT.com received and reported to our readers was a letter dated March 21, 2016 was sent on the letterhead of Mayor Garcia and co-signed then-9th dist. Councilman/now Vice Mayor Rex Richardson, inviting Ms. Obama to "a dedication ceremony to the Long Beach Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library in north Long Beach." It left the date open and indicated that Long Beach [city representatives] "will be in Washington, D.C. this April and would like the opportunity to meet with your staff to discuss the event, and explore a timeframe during the fall that would work with your schedule." The invitation letter continued in pertinent part:

After hearing countless testimony, especially testimony from children who have shared their admiration of you and the President, the Long Beach City Council voted to name the new library in north Long Beach after you on December 22, 2015. Our purpose is to inspire a new generation of leaders to read, learn and grow into the positive potential that we know is in each one of our young people.

...It is our sincerest hope that you will be able to visit and read to a few of our neighborhood kids. North Long Beach is a diverse community where the median age is just 29 years old, and the majority of the population is a vibrant mix of African American, and Latino families. We would be honored to welcome you to our great City.

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But the City didn't provide any documents indicating what response the City received from Mrs. Obama or her White House office or any other White House office. There's a gap in documents released by the City for a roughly four month period between March 21 and July 25, 2016. On July 25. the City invited a White House staffer or a representative of the White House to attend the event...and his response wasn't provided by the City either.

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LBREPORT.com plans to continue to pursue the public records that we believe exist and City Hall hasn't provided to us. When we have a complete record showing what Mrs. Obama or her White House office told the City of Long Beach in response to the City's invitation, and how City officials responded, we intend to report the information and present a digital copy of our coverage (including the opening day extneded videos) to the Michelle Obama Neighorhood Library and LB's Main Library for inclusion in their collections.



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