1. KNOW OUR COMMUNITY
Deepen our understanding of who we serve and what they need
Goal 1.1: Strengthen our understanding of resident needs, preferences, and barriers.
- Conduct regular community listening efforts through surveys, focus groups, feedback at outreach and community events, and staff-patron interactions.
- Analyze patron usage trends to identify gaps in services, collections, and access across age groups and neighborhoods.
- Maintain relationships with local preschools, K–12 schools, homeschool networks, and community organizations to stay informed about changing needs.
Goal 1.2: Increase visibility among underrepresented or less-frequent users.
- Map service engagement to identify populations with lower usage.
- Develop targeted outreach and communication strategies to connect with non-English speakers.
- Provide ongoing opportunities for community feedback and ensure decision-making practices reflect a broad spectrum of voices.
- Understand the digital divide, where it impacts the community and ways to bridge the gap.
Goal 1.3: Deepen cultural understanding and promote global awareness.
- Collaborate with cultural groups to develop heritage and cultural education programs.
- Build collections that reflect diverse perspectives locally, nationally, and globally.
- Provide opportunities for patrons to share their stories and cultural experiences.
2. CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY
Foster meaningful connections among patrons, organizations, and ideas
Goal 2.1: Build social connections and strengthen community health and belonging.
- Offer programming that brings people together across ages, interests, and backgrounds to encourage connection, discourage isolation, and combat loneliness.
- Maintain welcoming, flexible spaces for gathering and collaboration.
- Design or find programs that encourage empathy, curiosity, civil discourse, and positive engagement across differences.
- Explore opportunities to offer or connect people to health screening services, support services, and social services.
- Evaluate the need for a volunteer-led support organization or other volunteer opportunities.
Goal 2.2: Expand outreach and meet community members where they are.
- Maintain the library’s presence throughout the community via programming and events, mobile resource tables, visits to schools, and home delivery and continue to evaluate and adjust for effectiveness.
- Welcome newcomers to the library district and promote connection in neighborhoods and spaces where residents may not currently use the library.
- Strengthen messaging so all residents understand the full range of library services, including nontraditional collections, digital resources, citizen services, and programming.
- Create multilingual and accessible outreach materials to ensure information reaches people of different backgrounds, languages, and abilities.
- Train staff to serve as community ambassadors who can confidently communicate the library’s value, offerings, and mission.
Goal 2.3: Expand and enhance partnerships.
- Maintain strong relationships with preschools, elementary/middle/high schools, and homeschool networks to ensure families and students are aware of library resources and formalize pathways for collaboration.
- Collaborate with community groups, cultural organizations, social service agencies, local businesses, and neighboring libraries to co-host events, share resources, and extend the library’s reach.
- Work closely with local government and civic leaders to determine and address shared community priorities.
Goal 2.4: Improve digital and information literacy skills across the community.
- Offer workshops and reliable resources to help residents evaluate information credibility, avoid misinformation, and make informed decisions.
- Provide instruction in emerging technologies, including AI literacy, digital creativity tools, and job-relevant software skills.
- Promote safe and thoughtful use of online tools, digital privacy, and digital well-being.
3. SERVE OUR COMMUNITY
Deliver resources and services that reflect community needs and aspirations
Goal 3.1: Deliver exceptional and sustainable programming for all ages.
- Conduct regular assessments of current programs to determine community impact, attendance trends, and demographic reach, and use assessment findings to identify which programs should be continued, refreshed, expanded, or phased out to ensure offerings remain relevant and effective.
- Develop a balanced programming schedule that provides adequate opportunities for all ages without overextending staff capacity.
- Continue developing theme kits, hands-on learning experiences, and intergenerational activities.
- Offer hybrid or recorded program options when appropriate to increase accessibility.
Goal 3.2: Strengthen and diversify library collections.
- Evaluate financial investment in physical and digital collections, including books, digital media, e-resources, kits, and Library of Things materials to ensure appropriate funding to respond to demand.
- Evaluate short- and long-term sustainability of and demand for materials formats.
- Expand multilingual materials and content representing diverse cultures and experiences.
- Expand access to large print and accessible physical and digital materials to meet demand.
Goal 3.3: Promote equitable and easy access to all services.
- Streamline the user experience to ensure patrons can easily discover, borrow, and use library resources.
- Evaluate library policies for clarity, fairness, accessibility, and legality.
- Highlight outreach services, including mobile pop-ups, home delivery, or off-site events that bring resources to people in the community who are unable to visit the library.
- Continually evaluate existing and potential services for opportunity, need, and sustainability.
- Regularly evaluate current spaces and consider future needs as part of long term facilities planning.
Goal 3.4: Maintain excellence in customer service.
- Reinforce a culture of hospitality by offering consistent staff training on service expectations.
- Develop a system for monitoring and addressing customer service feedback.
- Strive to help all patrons feel welcome, respected, and valued during every interaction.
4. SUPPORT OUR STAFF
Equip staff to succeed and thrive as ambassadors of library service
Goal 4.1: Strengthen training, onboarding, and internal communication.
- Redesign onboarding to ensure all new staff receive consistent instruction on library values, customer-service standards, technology basics, safety practices, and workflows.
- Establish mentorship and peer-learning opportunities to help staff build confidence, deepen expertise, and grow within their roles.
- Identify communication gaps through staff surveys and facilitated discussion and implement strategies to strengthen communication routines between both library buildings.
- Provide regular refreshers on policies, procedures, and service expectations.
Goal 4.2: Invest in professional development and workplace well-being.
- Support staff participation in workshops, conferences, and continuing education opportunities aligned with both organizational needs and individual professional goals.
- Encourage cross-training to build confidence, broaden understanding of library operations, and strengthen team resilience.
- Provide development pathways that help staff expand their skills and prepare for future responsibilities to ensure the organization has the knowledge-sharing, training, and internal capacity needed to maintain service continuity over time.
- Promote a workplace culture where staff feel respected, heard, and empowered.
Goal 4.3: Foster a supportive, connected, and team-oriented workplace.
- Strengthen staff morale by recognizing and celebrating individual and team accomplishments consistently and meaningfully.
- Build connections among staff across departments and locations through collaborative projects, shared initiatives, and intentional opportunities to interact.
- Encourage a culture of teamwork where staff support one another, share ideas openly, feel valued for their unique contributions, and feel safe trying new approaches—even when outcomes are uncertain.
- Promote an environment where communication is respectful, inclusive, and focused on collective problem-solving, including learning from mistakes and using them as opportunities for growth.