A New Strategic Plan for the Library Part Three – November 2015

stratplan.toledolibrary.org

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Developing our new Strategic Plan (2016 – 2020)

• The Library is unique in terms of our mandate, geographic reach, and the skills our librarians and clerks have to offer• Our team of 400 people deliver services from 19 (soon to be 20)

facilities• We take great pride in the work we do, and are deeply committed to

supporting the communities we serve• Our new strategic plan will guide the Library for the next five years

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Meetings were held in July and September to discuss opportunities and ideas for the future, including:

• 2 working sessions with Community Leaders• 6 working sessions with Library staff• 8 meetings with the public

Discussion Guides and the website were used for sharing information and seeking feedback

350+ Participated in discussions to date

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WE A

RE HER

E

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TLCPL Draft Strategic Plan

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PAST:To provide information, education, and technology, to help the community live, learn, and grow.

NEW::To engage all of our communities, inspire lifelong learning, and provide universal access to a broad range of information and ideas

Draft Mission

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NEW:

To continue evolving Library services to best meet the needs of the communities we serve and be a catalyst for positive change in all corners of Toledo and Lucas County

Draft Vision

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NEW:

Draft Values

Welcoming The Library respects and values diversity, equity, and fairness

Innovative The Library encourages creativity, experimentation and new ideas

Collaborative The Library works with others to strengthen Toledo and Lucas County

Accountable The Library takes responsibility for its actions and services

Objective The Library supports the free exchange of information and ideas

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3 Key Focus Areas

1. Support essential literacies

2. Foster a culture of innovation and leadership

3. Strengthen our community engagement

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3 Key Focus Areas

1. Support essential literacies

2. Foster a culture of innovation and leadership

3. Strengthen our community engagement

We are striving to:1. Maintain and improve the quality of

life for all the communities we serve2. Keep people and jobs in Toledo and

Lucas County3. Help people get out of poverty and

equalize access to opportunity

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3 Key Focus Areas

1. Support essential literacies

2. Foster a culture of innovation and leadership

3. Strengthen our community engagement

We are striving to:1. Have our Library team work with a

shared set of values, driven by a shared mission and vision

2. Be a responsible organization that is able to adapt to the ever-changing context in which we work

3. Embrace opportunities to respond to community needs in new ways

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3 Key Focus Areas

1. Support essential literacies

2. Foster a culture of innovation and leadership

3. Strengthen our community engagement

We are striving to:1. Ensure citizens from all walks of life

and all parts of the County are aware of, use, and appreciate Library services

2. Be the “go to” location to find out about community

3. Increase the connectedness between communities, community organizations, the Library, and Library users

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Support essential literacies

Recognizing the importance of multiple literacies will be a key area of focus for the next five years• The world is rapidly changing - with new words, technologies, ideas, relationships.• Success is more and more linked to people’s ability to access and learn what they

need, when they need it.• The Library often provides the first introduction to a range of literacies that help

people living fulfilling lives and be strong contributors to their communities.• Print and digital collections are central to this work, as are excellent Library staff

that have a critical role in connecting people to resources.

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Support essential literaciesStrategies:

1. Support basic literacy by maintaining our focus on children and youth, and broadening supports to young adults and parents

2. Support digital literacy by continuing to introduce new technologies, making it easier to bring technology and the internet home

3. Support cultural and civic literacy by celebrating the value of our cultural heritage and genealogical resources that help us understand where we came from, and by facilitating information sharing and knowledge exchange on current community issues and services

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Support essential literaciesStrategies:

4. Support visual literacy by helping people interpret the visual world and understand stories and messages communicated through images

5. Support employment literacy by providing access to materials, knowledge and tools required to write a resume, apply for a job, and research potential employers

6. Support health literacy by connecting users to multiple credible sources of high quality, easy-to-understand information regarding health and wellness, illnesses, and aging

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Foster a culture of innovation and leadership

Over the next five years, an important part of our work will involve:• Identifying new and creative ways to respond to community needs• Ensuring the Library remains operationally and financially sustainable

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Foster a culture of innovation and leadership

Strategies: 1. Be a user-centered space that provides opportunities to access tools and

resources with which to discover and create new knowledge2. Explore other things to lend and share other than books, audio-visual resources,

and computers3. Continue to deliver economic value and return on investment4. Continue to pursue revenue sources and business models that maximize efficient

and sustainable Library operations and customer service5. Invest in the ongoing development of our staff through a range of creative

professional development opportunities6. Make this strategic plan come alive through a culture of responsible

experimentation and iteration

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Strengthen our community engagement

We heard time and time again that the Library plays an essential role in communities throughout Toledo and Lucas County• For many, the Library may be the only public resources they access – whether that

be for the internet, collections, social interactions, or the safe neutral space for spending time alone or with others• People told us they wished even more people know about all the Library offers• They also wish that Library services would reach even more broadly to areas and

populations not currently well served

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Strengthen our community engagement

Strategies: 1. Communicate more broadly about what the Library has to offer2. Increase the demographic and geographic reach of the Library’s services3. Establish creative and mutually supportive partnerships that support our ability to

meet community needs4. Facilitate connections between Library users and other organizations and services5. Create opportunities for strengthened relationships between staff and users6. Design our physical and virtual public spaces to support strengthened

relationships in the communities we serve

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Questions for You1. What are your thoughts on the key elements of the Draft Strategic Plan?

2. Do you have any suggested refinements to the Draft? If so, what are they?

3. Do you have any other advice?

Complete the online form at www.stratplan.toledolibrary.org by Friday, December 11, 2015