Coronado Public Library

Stakeholder Interviews

SummaryPrepared By The Singer Group, Inc.

February 2011

Purpose of interviews

To collect data from key Stakeholders for input into the Strategic Plan

To enhance relationships and opportunities for collaboration

2

Who we interviewed Bob Balfour – Board President, Coronado Historical

Society

Robin Franck – Library Board Trustee

Steve Johnson, Web Publisher of E-Coronado

Blair King – City Manager

Debbie Riddle – Principal, Lee Mather Company

Need to include other names here

3

Who we interviewed

4

What We Wanted to Learn

Their relationship with the library

Strengths and weaknesses of the library

Trends

Unmet community needs

Opportunities for improvement

Advice for us

$1,000,000

5

What We Learned

6

Relationship with the Library

Positive, outstanding, accessible

Good customer services

“Most professionally run organization”

It is #5 on his tour list when he has out-of-town visitors

Good – trying to foster the relationship – historical association board recently had a wine and cheese with the library board

Both historical association and library accept gifts and contributions and work together on some exhibits (e.g. naval exhibition)

7

Strengths

Welcoming staff Facility (6)

Winn meeting room Location Size Wonderful public room Mural Physical environment that people enjoy,

experience8

Strengths

9

Library - continued Very popular place (2) It is the “jewel of the City – iconic” Very welcoming, warm environment Children’s library Young family loves the library Fees are very fair Coffee cart outside – very popular

10

Strengths: programs/services

Free internet (2)

Exhibits

Entertainment, cultural, + Educational programs

Library keeps up with the times (e.g. DVDs etc.)

Interpreting and sharing Coronado’s history

Children’s programming

Christmas and Halloween events

Summer Reading program

Puppet shows

Great selection!

Weaknesses or Limitations

Are non-residents using internet at expense of residents’ ability to do so?

Open earlier on Sunday (2); more hours “ access should be a high priority”

Parking

Have more copies of books – then could extend the borrow time from 14 days to 21

Have more copies of movies

Hard to find events on website

No competition – no one wants to leave the island

11

Trends

Technology (2)

E-readers and downloadables (3)

Convenience

Schools changing when and how teach

More empty homes (2nd and 3rd in Coronado)

Increasing traffic

Becoming 3 separate communities

12

Trends

More people using the computers

Economic downturn

13

Unmet Community Needs

Not all have internet/ students (2)

Need hours for people who work

Seniors

Need 24/7 school

Improve relationships with the schools

Cultural programming

14

Improve?

Make community more aware of services;” blow own horn”; marketing of services (2)

Ongoing survey of patrons; get real data

Better future planning for users ; where headed?

More weekend hours

Lend e-readers

Move 2nd Hand Prose forefront

Let patrons drink coffee in a cordoned off part of the library

Use space differently

15

Improve?

More computers

Do as much as can for kids and young adults

Enhance role as museum of local history; encourage people to donate artifacts

Have a URL that makes sense e.g. coronadolibrary.com

Post events on the website

Put library information or events on the back of the receipt - can have a Coronado library “bookmark”

School has its own library – may be redundant; figure out how to meet needs without duplicating; could centralize the library and utilize that space more

16

Opportunities to improve relationship

None (4)

More of a presence, communications ; bring people back into the community decision making process regarding community quality of life

Library can get more out of e-Coronado –have a staff person responsible for posting all events – is willing to provide training on e-coronado to library staff*

The historical association and library could do more cross-referring –develop a reciprocal relationship

Need to better coordinate the idea that the historical museum has professionally archived historical artifacts and a world class archive

17

Ways to Tell Story

Have annual meeting/ this year share strategic plan

Let people know!

Library seen as ‘stand alone,’ should be seen as a city institution (like recreation)

More media attention

Need PR person to reach out into the community

Stories about volunteers and employees in newspaper

Ongoing Facebook

On e-Coronado

Have banners put up outside the library

Have more lectures and guest speakers

Have a joint venture with a local bookstore

Invite service organizations to meet in the library18

Advice For Us

Don’t assume problem if there is none (local orgs would ask for help if needed)

Plan should result in a few clear priorities

Let people know about strategic planning process and plan

Older, more educated population still wants books

Talk to stakeholders, listen to all voices

Tune into school system’s strategic plan

Could expand the kiosk outside

19

Advice

Would like to see more opportunities to donate books – more book drives

People could be referred to the historical museum for more information on historical collections

Large gifts have been donated to the library for historical collections/archives and the historical society would like to be thought of

Get organizations that complement the library (e.g. historical society, chamber of commerce, visitor’s center) to work with the library (to avoid duplication of effort); or share space with the library (can generate some funding and provide cross-promotion opportunities)

20

$1,000,000 grant

Storage facility for physical items

Augment collection with what is missing

Endowed librarian position

Integrate senior center with library; share services and programs

Expansion of computers and other technology

Programs to educate kids about computers

Support on-line learning

Blow up and display archived photos; share more of Coronado history visually

21