MINUTES
AD HOC STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
February 6, 2019
Called to order at 3:06pm by Chair Halverson
Present: Halverson and Turner
Absent: Englebert
Also Present: Director Lenz and K. Dreyer (Business Manager)
Public Comment/Communication: None
Approval of Minutes
Motion made by Turner, seconded by Halverson to approve the Ad Hoc Strategic Planning Committee meeting minutes of December 19, 2019 and SOAR meeting on January 7, 2019.
2019-2024 Strategic Plan SOAR Analysis
Overarching statement:
Build upon people, platform, place, and partnerships to strengthen or enrich the library’s utilization and visibility to enhance the library’s place in our community.
This will be achieved through these four segments: people, platform, place and partnerships.
1. People
- Staffing and workforce needs including development
- Maintain strong customer service that we are known for
- Being responsive to customer needs
- Outreach to underserved communities and other target markets
- Marketing
- Volunteer strategy
2. Platform (products/programs/services – physical items is one platform, digital platform is another including tutoring services, internet connect is a service, programs are a platform, education is a platform)
- Includes lifelong learning – have a platform for lifelong learning. Kids separate from adults.
o School-readiness – we do well
o Reading ability (i.e. at the right level – 2nd/3rd grade seems to be the transition between reading to learn versus learning to read) – we don’t do as much on this now
o Everything else (we may want to have specific targets for young adults by decades?)
- Incorporate technology as a resource (a platform for what people use at the library)
- Innovation / being responsive to changing needs / add platforms as needed
- Access to materials / learning items / responsiveness
- Include something about Menasha’s rich history
3. Place (infrastructure – buildings, grounds, technology
- Promote the library as a community center
- Sustainability
- Safe place
- Gathering place
- Protect our assets – building, parking lot, computer systems, etc.
- Develop a facilities (buildings, grounds and technology) management plan
- Include that it is welcoming, inclusive and comfortable
4. Partnership
- Collaborate with MJSD, teachers and students
- Collaborate with school
- Collaborate with Boys & Girls Club
- Collaborate with City/City Council
- AARP
- Community Blood Center
- Fox Cities Memory Project (Memory Café)
- Vicki will come up with a list of all of our current partners; we will come up with a SMART objective for how many other organizations we want to be involved with – develop partnerships with at least X# of organizations or demonstrate strengthening these relationships
o Rather than more partnerships, enhance those we have
o Something about identify the ways that we can benefit the community and craft partners
o Build stronger partnerships, better managed
o Allocate the appropriate resources towards top 5ish partners
- Serve as a resource for other community resources / be a conduit / access point
- Funding / fund raising / endowments to serve as a safety net for operations and/or secure our future operations
Current Mission
The Elisha D. Smith Public Library is a dynamic and responsive community center for our diverse population, offering equal access to materials, programming, services, and entertainment to inspire and enrich while supporting learning for all ages.
Current Vision
The Elisha D. Smith Public Library will enhance the quality of life in our diverse community as we lead with exceptional customer service, a vibrant collection, innovative technology, and responsiveness to the people we serve.
Current Values
A free public library is essential to the public good.
All library users are entitled to the highest level of service.
All library users have a right to privacy and intellectual freedom.
Current General Goals:
· Provide Popular Materials in Various Formats
· Promote Reading to Young People
· Promote Lifelong Learning
· Be a Center of Community
· Maximize Library Funding
· Promote Lifelong Learning
· Provide popular materials
· Be a center of community
· Promote reading to people of all ages
· Maximize Library Funding (current high-level goals)
(Note: Those that are bolded are high-level goals in the 2014-2018 Strategic Plan.)
Trustees and supervisors will be asked to review these minutes along with the mission, vision and goals. Based on where we want to go, what do we want to keep, get rid of or add to the mission, vision and goals. Jill is asking that this feedback be emailed to her no later than Monday, February 11, at noon.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 3:57pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Dreyer, recording secretary
