Library Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan FY 2021 – FY 2025

Approved by the Board of Library Trustees for Caroline County
April 15, 2020

Mission

The Caroline County Public Library brings people, information, and ideas together to increase knowledge, build community, and enrich lives.

Given the entrance of COVID-19 into our lives globally in early 2020, the staff and Board of Library Trustees recognize that we and the community we serve will face continued uncertain times with health and economic challenges at the forefront.

This strategic plan aims to provide a concise, flexible, agile roadmap that will guide us to effectively address the needs of the residents of Caroline County during these unpredictable times.

We are expanding our Pillars of Service to adopt the American Library Association’s E’s of Libraries ®:

  • Education
  • Employment & Entrepreneurship,
  • Empowerment
  • Engagement for Everyone, Everywhere [in Caroline County].

We add to that list Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Current challenges and needs facing Caroline County residents, along with economic, health, educational, and technological trends were also reviewed.

We will focus on Education, Economic Growth (which includes Employment & Entrepreneurship), and Engagement. Empowerment, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will be a part of everything we do.

In FY2019 we completed a Library Space Utilization Study of our three facilities. Input came from staff, library customers, library board members, and community members. From the Study we have a plan to renovate the first floor of the Central Library and improve the public space at the North County Branch.

The Board of Library Trustees and staff are committed to maintaining sustainable operating and capital budget levels by continuing to work with County and State funders; seeking new grants and donations; and supporting the Friends of the Library in their membership and fundraising efforts.

Due to rapidly changing conditions, this Strategic Plan will be reviewed and amended as needed.

PILLARS OF SERVICE


Annual Plans will be developed based on the Strategic Plan. Qualitative and quantitative assessment will be conducted as part of the Annual Plans.

EDUCATION

  • Early Childhood: All young children and their families will thrive.
    • Provide access to high-quality materials, support, and instruction through family engagement activities for preschool children and their caregivers, with a special focus on community-based funding for and increasing enrollment in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Caroline County.
  • Youth Advance in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)
    • Provide fun, free-choice, out-of-school STEAM experiences that support student achievement and create lifelong learners.
  • Teens Succeed
    • Along with community partners, create a bundle of services and programs that will strengthen and diversify the county’s services for teens.
  • Lifelong Learning Opportunities for Adults
    • Provide access to current technology and other resources, with an emphasis on skilled instruction to meet individual needs.
  • Health and Wellness
    • Collaborate with partners to improve the health of Caroline County residents by providing family health information and programs.

ECONOMIC GROWTH

  • Adjunct Career Center
    • In partnership with other agencies, continue to develop services that meet the needs of local job searchers.
  • Business Supporter
    • Assist businesses through the provision of information, programs, technology resources, meeting space, and promotion.
  • Food Security Partner
    • Support community efforts to reduce food insecurity by providing information, referrals, and coordination.
  • Information Access
    • Increase awareness of the library as the community’s premier information resource through skilled information professionals and targeted marketing of community information, databases, and downloadable resources.
  • Support for Vulnerable Populations
    • Collaborate with community agencies to serve vulnerable populations through the provision of library space, programs, and resources.
  • Internet Access
    • Work with partners to reduce the digital divide in Caroline County.

ENGAGEMENT

  • Expand the Library’s role as the community’s center for transformation and innovation.
  • Increase use of the library through outreach and relationship building.
  • Continue and diversify our arts and culture programs.
  • Continue the library’s marketing strategy to ensure county residents are informed about what the library offers and how it can connect them to their community.
  • Collaborate with our government partners to create spaces people need in our physical facilities and virtually:
    • Complete renovations of the first floor of the Central Library by 2024.
    • Create spaces at the North County Branch, Greensboro for flexible use of collections, technology and programs.
    • Enhance and grow our Virtual Branch to provide better access to digital content, online learning, and virtual programs.