Lansdowne Public Library 2015 Strategic Plan

Goal 3. Create Young Readers through Early Literacy

OBJECTIVES:

• Early childhood educators will have materials, programs, and interactive experiences that support critical and creative thinking in preschool education.

• Parents and caregivers will receive encouragement and support in practicing early literacy activities to

ensure their educational success.

• Children will have materials, programs, and digital opportunities designed to inspire a love of

reading and learning.

Goal 4. Provide a Comfortable Space- Physical and Virtual

Goal 2. Connect to the Online World through Public Internet Access

OBJECTIVES:

• Provide a safe, accessible, welcoming and comfortable physical space for community members of all ages to relax, learn, connect and create.

• Community members will have free, easy, reliable, high speed access to online resources.

• Community members will receive training in computer use and internet searching.

• Steward an enhanced, purposeful, informative and user-friendly digital presence to support evolving information needs and foster a sense of community.

• Community members will discover technologies enhancing creativity, collaboration and interactivity.

• Explore options for the expansion of physical and digital library spaces in response to demonstrated increased demand for additional services and community spaces.

Early

Literacy

Goal 5. Understand How to Find, Evaluate and Use Information

Objective:

Community members will have resources that empower decision making and improve their lives.

Initiatives:

• Curate digital and print collections to ensure that major areas of interest are well covered by accessible, current resources.

• Work with other community and regional entities to ensure cross-promotion of events, programs and services attractive to our varied patron base.

• Ensure that all events and programs related to lifelong learning are designed for actionable patron-takeaways or lifestyle integration.

Objective:

Community members will receive individualized customer service to locate & evaluate information supported by programs & training.

Initiatives:

• Ensure all library staff are aware of and adhere to customer service best-practices in public environments.

• Engage staff in regular training to develop an information literacy skillset to assistance to users of all ages and skills.

• Create self-guided information literacy training guides for online and physical library space users.

• Offer optional "power user" training sessions.

Goal 4. Provide a Comfortable Space- Physical and Virtual

Objective:

Steward an enhanced, purposeful, informative and user-friendly digital presence to support evolving information needs and foster a sense of community.

Initiatives:

• Recognize and ensure that each facet of the library's digital footprint is current, purposeful and devoted only to information key to the interests and needs of the library community.

• Enhance signage above Circulation Desk to promote awareness of key services, policies and programs.

• Review the breadth of our digital presence and remove outdated or extraneous content to present a clean, user-friendly space.

Objective:

Provide a safe, accessible, welcoming and comfortable physical space for community members of all ages to relax, learn, connect and create.

Initiatives:

• Present an open and engaging floor plan which maximizes flexibility and the use of the existing library space.

• Promote a relaxing environment.

• Steward environmental elements for optimal patron comfort and safety.

Objective:

Explore options for the expansion of physical and digital library spaces in response to demonstrated increased demand for additional services and community spaces.

Initiatives:

• Expand programs beyond the library into spaces relevant to program content, in proximity to those we are trying to serve and/or are culturally significant.

• Promote sustainability in digital services.

Goal 3. Create Young Readers through Early Literacy

Objective:

Early childhood educators will have materials, programs, and interactive experiences that support critical and creative thinking in preschool education.

Initiatives:

• Support Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math (STEAM) initiative elements.

• Develop and nurture open communication lines between local elementary/primary schools to ensure curricular standards and expectations have relevance in our collection.

Objective:

Parents and caregivers will receive encouragement and support in practicing early literacy activities to ensure the educational success.

Initiatives:

• Enhance our role as a Family Place Library.

• Promote early literacy workshops and programs for parents and caregivers.

• Establish the library as a caregiver-support element

Objective:

Children will have materials, programs, and digital opportunities designed to inspire a love of reading and learning.

Initiatives:

• Support the PA for Pre-K early learning initiative.

• Engage the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program.

• Prioritize the integration of technology into the early literacy resource base.

Goal 2. Connect to the Online World through Public Internet Access

Objective:

Community members will have free, easy, reliable, high speed access to online resources.

Initiatives:

• Regularly test the speed and efficacy of our wired and wireless networks.

• Investigate options for the addition of PC workspaces or portable production technologies.

• Review our existing patron-facing technologies against best-practices for installed applications, performance and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) norms.

Goal 2. Connect to the Online World through Public Internet Access

Early

Literacy

Goal 2. Connect to the Online World through Public Internet Access

Objective:

Community members will receive training in computer use and internet searching.

Initiatives:

• Offer computing skill and software exploration workshops.

• Survey and mirror best practices in public library genealogical resources.

• Ensure that Librarians and Circulation staff are current on best-practices in Lansdowne Public Library PC operations as well as OPAC and major research databases.

Objective:

Community members will discover technologies enhancing creativity, collaboration and interactivity.

Initiatives:

• Develop a dedicated Career Service/Support service area.

• Rebrand "News" section of the library site and use the space for content to broaden the horizons of visitors.

• Expand the former "Did you know?" circulation inserts.

• Promote the use and understanding of social media/conferencing applications and practices.

Access

Comfortable Spaces

Goal 1: Satisfy Curiosity & Life-Long Learning

Objective:

Community members will have the opportunity to connect and engage in conversations with one another to broaden their horizons.

Initiatives:

• Offer ample space for personal resource use.

• Evaluate library program promotions to raise awareness of opportunities to connect and engage with community members through library programs and spaces.

Objective:

Community members will discover the fun of lifelong learning through a wide range of programs and resources targeted to different age groups.

Initiatives:

• Provide portable devices, supported with hands-on training, to foster play and experimentation with the evolving landscape of technology-based engagement.

• Develop best-practices and "check this out" content to promote emerging resources in educational, informational, entertainment and personal development areas.

• Ensure that program and service availability is clearly and prominently promoted.

Objective:

Community members will have opportunities, programs, spaces, & resources to learn, grow, and satisfy their curiosity.

Initiatives:

• Benchmark community interest in practical personal development workshops in the areas of parenting, personal finance, education, health and aging.

• Develop partnerships with active professionals/experts to offer monthly workshops in the areas of survey-demonstrated interest.

• Ensure that community feedback avenues are in place and advertised to promote long-term service and program relevance in meeting evolving interests.

Life-Long

Learning

Information

Literacy

Lansdowne Library Strategic Plan

INITIATIVES

2015-2016

INITIATIVES

Access

Comfortable Spaces

Goal 1: Satisfy Curiosity & Life-Long Learning

Goal 5. Understand How to Find, Evaluate and Use Information

OBJECTIVES:

• Community members will have

opportunities, programs, spaces, & resources

to learn, grow, and satisfy their curiosity.

• Community members will receive individualized customer service to locate and evaluate information supported by

programs and training.

Life-Long

Learning

• Community members will discover the fun of lifelong learning through a wide range

of programs and resources targeted

to different age groups.

COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SUMMARY

Information

Literacy

What current library services/programs are valuable to the community?

"Balance of technology and print", “Childrens’ programs are instrumental...", “Can’t emphasize enough the importance of the library providing access to and education in the use of technology", “Somewhere to relax”, “Having a place to be able to access information for work and recreation”, “Community meeting space”...

What key attributes are needed to ensure a successful future for the library?

"Should support key community needs and interests”, “More digital offerings”, "Visibility at community events”, “Greater partnership with local organizations and schools”, "Locate additional streams of support”, "Expand resources for kids, teens and older adults", "job services", “Promote existing programs better”, "Continue to provide safe comfortable service”, "Staying on the edge with technological advances”...

What do you see as the trends/opportunities in our community for the next few years?

“Aging population that is unable to afford high taxes", “Demographic changes”, “Economic Development”, “Erosion in

sense of community”, “Residents with school age children leaving”, “More people coming into the community”, “Growing arts community”...

What ways can the library strengthen the Lansdowne Community?

“Host community group activities”, “Strengthen relations with community groups”,

“Promote, promote, promote”, “Provide meeting spaces for collaboration”,

“Technology skills/classes”, “Job searching assistance”, “Support economic development”...

COMMUNITY SURVEY DATA

• Community members will have resources that empower decision making

and improve their lives.

• Community members will have the opportunity to connect and engage in conversations with one another

to broaden their horizons.

How did we get here: Developing the Strategic Plan

How did we get here: Developing the Strategic Plan

A number of factors have been considered in developing this Strategic Plan. Community input through surveys and forums, demographic trends and projections, and input from staff all helped to make informed decisions about the library’s future.

Strategic Library Team

Marie Campuzano, Board President, LPL Board of Trustees

Andrea Kenyon, Vice President, LPL Board of Trustees, Chair, Strategic Planning

Shirley Barnes, Treasurer, LPL Board of Trustees

Dan Burger-Lenehan, Secretary, LPL Board of Trustees

Donald Fry, Member, LPL Board of Trustees

Kymberly Hernandez, Member, LPL Board of Trustees

Neil Ronk, Member, LPL Board of Trustees

Magda Byrne, Liaison, Lansdowne Borough Council

Marian Schaner, Strategic Planning Consultant

Sandra Samuel Giannella, Library Director

Ken Norquist, Head of Technologies & Public Services

Rachée Fagg, Head of Children's Services,

Luzille Burnley, Office Mgr., Margie Hunter, Circulation Mgr.

Tony Campuzano, Mayor,

Lansdowne Borough Council

Craig Totaro, Borough Manager

Friends of the Lansdowne Public Library

…and of course all those member of the community who shared their time and thoughts

toward shaping these important goals. We listened and learned much

from their participation in our strategic planning process.

Share your thoughts about the plan! Please feel free to reach out via email

with any questions or comments for us at:

lansdownelibraryboard@gmail.com

#lplstrategicplan #lansdownelibrary

Lansdowne Library Strategic Plan

GOALS

2015-2020

GOALS

Our Borough

Your Library

~click images to enlarge~

On November 28, 1898 a group of Lansdowne residents gathered to organize a Library Association. After moving in response to community needs and expansion, the Lansdowne Library opened its doors in its current location at 55 S. Lansdowne Avenue in 1982.

Your Library

Today the library continues to grow in collection, service and popularity...merging technolgical growth with program and service expansions to meet or exceed the evolving needs of our community.

A Day In The Life

OUR VALUES

In pursuit of this mission, we rely on our staff, our collections, our physical and virtual spaces and on the following set of core values:

The library will provide fair and equal access, empowerment for users, opportunites for lifelong learning, a sense of community, and most of all...fun

OUR MISSION

Life-Long Learning

Objective 3: Community members will have the opportunity to connect and engage in conversations with one another to broaden their horizons.

• Offer ample space for personal resource use.
• Evaluate library program promotions to raise awareness of opportunities to connect and engage with community members through library programs and spaces.

The Lansdowne Public Library enlightens and enriches individuals by providing equal access to quality information and superior services to meet the changing informational, educational, and cultural needs of the Lansdowne community.

The library is committed to strengthening the diverse community of Lansdowne by advancing knowledge, promoting literacy, and fostering lifelong learning to improve their quality of life.

Lansdowne Public Library

2015 Strategic Plan