Major Tasks • Gain an in-depth understanding of the Library’s organizational structure, capacity, resources, services, and programs. Assess the Library’s inputs, outputs, and performance measures relative to comparable public libraries (similar size, demographics, and with similar socioeconomic and cultural dynamics). • Identify strengths and weaknesses inside the Library and outside of it, and examine the political, economic, social, and technological trends that affect the Library and its operating environment. • Assist in identifying gaps where current library operations are insufficient to meet the identified service priorities. • Facilitate an in-person strategic planning session with the Library Commission, select staff, and Library Foundation. • Design and implement an effective method to gather community input and data to identify community perspectives, needs, and opportunities. Data collection and analysis should include surveys, focus groups, stakeholder interviews, and library usage data. The community input process must target library users and non-users. The proposed methods should consider opportunities for staff to be involved in data collection. Key stakeholders include but are not limited to library staff, the Library Foundation, Library Advisory Boards, Friends of the Library groups, and JPA Partners. • Evaluate data to identify goals and priority areas. Facilitate a planning session with library staff to determine measurable outcomes and strategies to achieve goals. • Prepare and present the final strategic plan to the Library Commission for approval. Deliverables • Organizational assessment. • Community engagement feedback analysis. • Finalized scope of work and timeline. • An internal communications plan to ensure accountability and successful implementation of the strategic plan. • An external communications plan that includes a summary publication to ensure transparency and accountability to stakeholders. Plan should include a template for annual updates on the plan. • An equity-centered five-year plan that provides measurable, quantifiable goals and timetables for achievement. The plan should be flexible enough to adapt to new priorities, evolving trends in libraries, and shifting community needs. The plan should suggest reasonable performance metrics to ensure staff and teams maintain alignment with the priorities outlined in the plan. • Presentation to the Library Commission for adoption.
