Focus Group Meeting for Strategic Plan 2017-2020

May 10, 2017
Focus Group Meeting for Strategic Plan 2017-2020 

An email was sent to all active members of the Friends of Maxwell inviting them to participate in a Strategic Plan Focus Group. A group of members of the Friends held a meeting on May 10, where we drew upon our personal experiences and sources such as the 21^st Century Library Strategic Plan Model (https://21stcenturylibrary.com) and the Britton Report: Needs Assessment and Summary Building Program, by Britton Consultancy, Library Counseling for Digital and Beyond (December 2013). We also studied Maxwell’s current strategic plan. These sources helped inform and organize our process as we brainstormed ideas that would help meet the evolving needs of Maxwell and the community.
Our input does not represent the Friends group as a whole.
It does represent the ideas of those present, who are library patrons, and who happen to be members of the Friends of Maxwell Memorial Library.

The culmination of our ideas can be found in the enclosed document, which is the existing Strategic Plan from 2015-2017. We added suggestions and comments (in red, for ease of reading) for you to consider as you develop the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. These suggestions and comments refer to the mission, vision, goals, and strategies. 

We strongly encourage the Strategic Plan Committee to consider adding outcome-based evaluations (OBEs) for each strategy in the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. For example, Goal V strategy 3: Develop a process for evaluating programs. The OBE could be distributing a brief survey to those who attended a program.

We hope our input will be helpful to you and the Board of Trustees.

Input (in red) from Focus Group Meeting, May 10, 2017 

Maxwell Memorial Library Strategic Plan 2015-2017
Approved June 15, 2015

MISSION STATEMENT

The Maxwell Memorial Library’s mission is to nurture minds, empower individuals, and enrich our community. The Mission Statement reflects what the library wants to do, what will be accomplished, why it exists and for what purpose. Some ideas to include in Maxwell’s Mission:

-Serve a larger percentage of the chartered population.

-Active involvement in community life by partnering with local government, cultural, educational, and business entities.

-Collaborate with Maxwell’s neighboring library, Fairmount Library, to complement programs, services, and materials.

-Be an access point for information, education, entertainment, resources and services, and civic engagement.

VISION STATEMENT

The vision of the Maxwell Memorial Library Board of Trustees is to provide a library suitable in size, configuration, amenities, and staffing to properly and fully serve its total chartered population.  The Vision Statement reflects where the organization wants to be, its impact on the community, i.e. future-focused. Some ideas to consider including in Maxwell’s Vision:

-To provide a library that is inclusive, accessible to everyone, forward thinking, and at the center of the Camillus community.

GOALS AND STRATEGIES

GOAL I. COMMUNITY: Establish and maintain an effective presence.

Strategy 1: Continually assess the community’s needs by aggressively seeking input from the entire chartered population, in addition to current patrons.

Strategy 2: Collaborate with key local organizations in the town of Camillus such as the Erie Canal, Village of Camillus, Parks and Recreation, Fairmount Library.

GOAL II. LIBRARY FACILITY: Have a facility that offers flexible use, can change to meet community needs, and be the community’s sanctuary.

Strategy 1: Define criteria for an appropriately sized facility, based on the 1999 Town of Camillus Library Study, the 2013 Library Consultant’s Report, and current library literature and trends.

Strategy 2: Actively pursue the acquisition of property that would allow for the building of an appropriately sized library facility with room for future expansion plus adequate on-site parking.

Strategy 3: Examine the use and configuration of the current library in order to create a more flexible and inviting space.

Strategy 4: Conduct and energy audit to review maintenance and energy needs of the existing facility.

Some ideas to update these strategies:

-Offer a safe, welcoming environment where beauty, ambience, and imagination meet.

-Conduct an energy audit to determine energy needs, repairs, and upgrades.

-Actively oversee the exterior grounds.

-Prepare and implement policies and procedures for fire drills, patron code of conduct, and awareness of patrons at the library who aren’t in view of staff.

-Keep traffic areas, such as the Children’s Area floor, clear of small objects.

GOAL III. MATERIALS & TECHNOLOGY: Develop a comprehensive plan for materials and technologies.

Strategy 1: Review and refine policies and procedures for selection, acquisition and collection management including weeding and disposal. Update and define these policies in more detail.

Strategy 2: Review and revise the technology plan annually.

Strategy 3: Maintain a balanced collection from a variety of genres and formats to meet the community’s needs.

Strategy 4: Strive to improve the ratio of ILLs going out from Maxwell, versus ones coming in from other OCPL libraries.

GOAL IV. STAFF: Maintain a knowledgeable staff with diverse skills, experience, and abilities.

Strategy 1: Develop an overall plan for library staffing as library facility and services change and grow. Review and refine staff scheduling, duties, and policies.

Strategy 2: Support ongoing staff training and education.

Strategy 3: Review the importance of creating an environment of respect and dignity for all patrons and staff members.

Strategy 4: Offer equal and excellent service to all patrons. Review policies and procedures for patrons with difficult issues.

GOAL V: LIBRARY PROGRAMMING: Provide programs and services that meet the diverse needs of the community while furthering the mission of the Library. Offer a wide range of educational, cultural, and entertaining programs, workshops, and events.

Strategy 1: Develop new programs. Strengthen existing programs based on continuous assessment of community preferences. Innovate ideas for new programs and approaches.

Strategy 2: Develop programs in partnership with community organizations such as schools, museums, other libraries, the business community, community organizations and service organizations.

Strategy 3: Develop a process for evaluating programs.

Strategy 4: Establish and maintain interaction with local governmental entities that may lead to identification of programming needs.
Strategy 5: Promote lifelong learning from birth through adulthood
Comments on Goal V: Maxwell is fortunate to have one full time, and one part time certified Children’s Librarian.
Expand program initiatives that support all age groups and interests, including tweens and teens. Develop hands-on, exciting weekly programs for tweens and teens which feature pop culture themes, S.T.E.A.M. initiatives, life and career skills, creative exploration such as gaming, coding, arts, music, and crafts.

Goal VI: LIBRARY FUNDING: Identify and establish sources for sustained Library funding.

Strategy 1: Develop a fund raising plan for operating and capital needs.

Strategy 2: Develop contact with organizations and businesses that may be willing partners in fundraising efforts.

Goal VII: OUTREACH and MARKETING: Create public awareness of the Library’s resources, programs, services and willingness to accommodate community input.

Strategy 1: Assess the advertising and marketing needs of the library.

Strategy 2: Develop an advertising and marketing plan for the library in collaboration with the Onondaga County Public Library.

Strategy 3: Evaluate and enhance the online presence of the library, explore mobile apps opportunities and develop a plan to continually update the Library’s website. Invest in a targeted approach to social media; evaluate the library website in terms of content, design, and accessibility.

Strategy 4: Increase transparency by posting key library documents and proceedings on the website

Strategy 5: Expand services to youth (discussed in Goal V)

Strategy 6: Expand services to remote users such as lending services to homebound patrons. Add an additional bulk loan such as Camillus Ridge (15+ years ago, the Friends developed a bulk loan to Fairmount Gardens).

GOAL VIII. TRUSTEES, FRIENDS, STAFF & VOLUNTEERS: Promote understanding and collaboration among Trustees, Friends of the library, volunteers, director and staff to further the mission of the Library.

Strategy 1: Continue to foster an enhanced relationship with the Friends organization.
Offer a yearly meeting between Trustees and Friends.
Strategy 2: Effectively use volunteers. Draw upon their expertise and interests, (such as reading/homework help, offer programs about foreign language/travel).

Strategy 3: Encourage Trustees to participate in available training opportunities. Visit and learn about other local libraries. Refer to other libraries’ websites and calendars for ideas.    

Strategy 4: Recruit Trustees with specific skills and knowledge in areas such as law, business, finance, fine arts.

Black - Maxwell’s Strategic Plan, 2015 - 2017    
Red - input from Focus Group Meeting