Priority areas
Equity
We prioritize equity in all aspects of our work.
We know we can and must do a better job of reaching those in our communities who are disadvantaged, don't use our services, or are not aware of everything the library has to offer them. This is why building equity for marginalized communities is front and center in our plans. Our first steps will include providing our staff with information, training, and tools to help them see the value of equity work and feel confident doing their part to improve equity for people in our communities. You will also see equity is central to other parts of this plan.
Connections
We offer welcoming, inclusive opportunities for people to engage with services, resources, and each other.
We recognize the need to connect people with library resources in new and innovative ways. Whether you need to get on the internet, find your next great read, look for a job, or just spend time with others, the library has excellent and well-developed services available. You can expect to see library staff showing up at more places and events to share with your community all the great things the library has to offer. And if we don’t have the services you need, we’ll help you find out who does.
Partnerships
We build relationships with and between organizations to strengthen our communities.
Organizations can make great things happen when they work together. We will build on the great relationships we have in the community and strive to become trusted partners with groups that we haven’t had a chance to work with yet. You will see us learning from and working with organizations that help marginalized communities and others who would benefit from library services. In our role as a connector, you will also see us helping organizations find each other, build relationships, and strengthen communities.
Organizational Culture
We value and support each other’s skills, creativity, and resourcefulness.
Our staff are the friendly people you meet when you visit our libraries: the heart and soul of the many exceptional services we provide at your local library, online and in the community. We want to ensure that our libraries provide great services for you while providing our team with a great place to work. We are exploring ways to better support them through continuing education, schedule flexibility, local specialization, and career growth opportunities.
Action items include...
- All staff receive foundational training in equity.
- Improve how the library provides information in languages that meet the needs of our community.
- Use a relationship management tool to maintain consistent communication with partners.
- Make Wi-Fi available on our bookmobiles.
- Increase library presence at community events.
- Increase professional development opportunities for staff.
- Report progress on strategic plan regularly to staff and the public.