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Library Strategic Plans

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Strategic Plan 2009-2034

Approved by the Rochester Public Library Board of Trustees on January 21, 2004. Revised and approved by the Rochester Public Library Board of Trustees on March 18, 2009.

Mission Statement

The Rochester Public Library (RPL) is dedicated to providing the community with access to information, literature, and ideas.

Vision Statement

RPL will be a model of excellence in library service as perceived by its customers and the library community, with materials, hours, technology, staff and facilities that meet the needs of our changing community.

Core Service Responses

Primary : Lifelong Learning General Information Current Topics and Titles

Secondary: Formal Learning Support Commons Information Literacy Cultural Awareness

Core Values

The Rochester Public Library is committed to providing quality library service. Staff is committed to providing prompt, objective, confidential, and knowledgeable responses to requests for assistance. Staff is committed to assisting library users in finding, using, and evaluating information sources, to meeting demand for popular materials, and to making the use of the library a pleasant experience for our users. Rochester Public Library serves all users fairly and equally.

The Rochester Public Library is committed to intellectual freedom and the need for the library collection to represent many different points of view. Library staff believes that individuals are responsible for making their own choices regarding appropriateness of materials, and that parents/guardians are responsible for the choices made for their children.

The Rochester Public Library is committed to education. Staff seeks to provide service for students, teachers and independent learners, and to provide learning opportunities for all members of our community, and to assist school media centers where practicable.

The Rochester Public Library is committed to providing basic library services at no charge. This includes general access to books, periodicals and all forms of media including online resources. Some optional services may carry a fee. Access to library service and electronic information will not be denied because of inability to pay fees.

The Rochester Public Library respects intellectual property rights and copyright law. These legal rights may affect access to resources and remote accessibility.

The Rochester Public Library is committed to the safety of library patrons and staff. More detail is provided in the Library’s Code of Conduct and the Library’s Internet and Internet Safety Policy.

The Rochester Public Library acknowledges that available public monies control our ability to fund collections, formats, staff and technology. Staff strives to support growth within our tax supported budget and to expand the funds available through grants, contributions, and other fund sources.

The Rochester Public Library views technology as a means to the end of better library services and not an end in itself. Staff is committed to assisting and providing training and educational opportunities for those who find technology a barrier to library use.

The Rochester Public Library honors diversity, and seeks to represent diversity in its collections, programs, services, workforce and other areas.


Table of Contents

Executive Overview 3 Ongoing Use of the Strategic Plan 3 Strategic Issues 3 Process & Timeline 6

Appendices: 1-Reference Material Bibliography 7 2- Peer Library Comparison 10 3- Strategic Outlook 11

Executive Overview

The RPL Board of Trustees (Board) recommends implementation of a strategic planning process for the years 2009-2034. This Strategic Plan outlines that process together with strategic issues and goals. Action plans and measurement metrics change regularly and are in a separate document that references this Strategic Plan.

The attached Appendices contain a Reference Material Bibliography for use in connection with the planning process, a Peer Library Comparison to assist with assessing whether plan performance objectives are being achieved, and a Strategic Outlook to address likely long-range issues.

Ongoing Use of the Strategic Plan

The RPL Board will use this document for the following purposes:

RPL Staff will use this document for the following purposes:

Strategic Issues

Strategic Issue #1: Maintain and Enhance Quality Services, Programs and Collections

Goal #1: Provide collections to meet the needs of its citizens.

Goal #2: Provide programs and services to support its mission and enhance the quality of life of its citizens.

Goal #3: Provide sufficient staffing and expertise to provide needed library services.

Goal #4: Actively keep informed on changes to the information marketplace and changes in the community in order to meet citizen needs. Evaluate, plan, and implement changes in response to these shifts.

Goal #5: Actively maintain automation infrastructure to reflect current technology based on the needs of users and staff.


Strategic Issue #2: Ensure Access to RPL Services, Programs and Collections

Access 

Goal #1: Provide adequate facilities to provide needed library services.

Goal #2: Use other delivery means to provide needed library services when possible.

Goal #3: Improve access to collections, programs, and services through other means such as optimum placement of various types of materials, clear signage, user-friendly computer programs, etc.


Strategic Issue 3: Secure, Manage and Develop Funding Sources

Goal #1: Provide adequate public funding for core services.

Goal #2: Seek alternate sources of funds to enhance and expand library services, programs, and collections.


Strategic Issue 4: Maintain and Enhance Public Relations, Marketing and Public Information

Goal #1: Improve community understanding of library collections, programs, and services and how it enhances their lives.

Goal #2: Provide information to funders and key constituents on how the library is key infrastructure for a strong community.


Strategic Issue 5: Build and Maintain Partnerships in the Community to Meet the Library’s Mission and Vision.

Goal #1: Strengthen the library’s programs, services, collection, and visibility in the community by creating and maintaining strategic community partnerships.

Goal #2: Strengthen the library’s programs, services, and collection by learning from colleagues at peer libraries who show excellence.

Goal #3: Strengthen the library’s programs, services, and collections by working at the regional and state levels to build strong structures to support the local public library.

Strategic Issue 6: Using a Systematic Approach, Discover and Evaluate Strengths, Weaknesses, and Gaps in All Operational Areas

Are Programs, Services, and Collections Achieving Goals?

Goal #1: Determine one or more methods for continuous assessment to determine whether we are serving the community well.

Goal #2: Find strengths, weaknesses and gaps in meeting community needs.

Goal #3: Use what is learned to create additional strategic issues, goals, and action plans.

Process and Timeline


• January – Board President/Library Director provide information to the Board on how the goals/action plans were achieved the previous year.

• January-December – Library staff implements action plans for current year.

• February-March – Planning committee reviews and revises the Strategic Plan for the following year noting any specific initiatives Library Staff should address.

• April – Library Board reviews and approves Strategic Plan changes.

• May-June – Library Staff creates specific action plans and incorporate plans into budget for the following year.

• June – Planning Committee reviews progress on current year’s action plans and reviews actions plans for the next year.

• June – Library Staff presents budget to Finance committee for input and recommendation.

• July – Library Board reviews and approves budget.

APPENDICES

1-Reference Material Bibliography

Himmel and Wilson Library Consultants. An Organizational Study of the Rochester Public Library, November, 2000.

Rochester Public Library. Analysis of Key Data: 1999-2006, April, 2007.

Rochester Public Library. Bookmobile Mission Statement and Core Values, 2001

Rochester Public Library. History of Rochester Public Library, February, 2001.

Rochester Public Library. Policy Manual, 2009

Rochester Public Library. Report of the Future Environment Team, June, 2001.

Rochester Public Library. Report of the Organizational Task Force, July, 2001.

Rochester Public Library. Report of the Technology Study Team, March, 2002.

Rochester Public Library. Report of the Facility Study Team, 2002.

Rochester Public Library. Technology Plan of the Rochester Public Library, 2007

2- Peer Library Comparison

In an effort to compare RPL to other similar libraries, data was sought from the "Public Library Data Services" (PLDS) survey data available annually. While much data is available, what was sought were libraries of similar size and configuration from the upper Midwest. Since RPL's "Service Area Population" in 2003 was 120,326 (this is much of Olmsted County), what was determined was to get 9 or 10 libraries with service area populations within 30,000 patrons located in the upper Midwest (Minnesota, adjacent states, plus Illinois and South Dakota). Also the selected libraries should have a roughly comparable facilities configuration (RPL is one Central Library, no Branch libraries, and one Bookmobile). A couple of exceptions were made to note trends for growth.

As a first cut, ten libraries were selected as follows:


3- Strategic Outlook

The Planning Committee divided the 25 year strategic period into three sub-periods as follows: 

   1-2 years:		Operating Plan     2-7 years:		Strategic Plan (the subject of this document)     7-25 years:	Strategic Outlook (a long range outlook about which many 					assumptions must be made)  
While any outlook 7 to 25 years into the future must be based upon several unknowns and assumptions, some thought regarding significant impacts are valuable.  Annual review and updates are essential to maintain its value.

1. FACILITIES - By the year 2025, additional space facilities are very likely to be needed based upon our growing need for added holdings and for continued convenient access. In recognition that it takes years to plan for significant building modifications, the Library Board needs to be actively planning by 2015.

In 2006 the Library Board worked through various options for expansion including building a branch library, adding a third floor to the existing Central Library, opening a series of small libraries thoughtfully placed in existing facilities such as supermarkets, department stores, etc., and adding bookmobile routes. After consideration, the library board has placed the expansion of the library to a third floor as the highest priority for expansion. Some of the reasons for the decision include:

The Library Board would consider remote locations for service delivery when the technology, price point, and cost effectiveness of such installations converge to further the mission of the Library without detracting from the services provided in the main library and on the bookmobile.


2. LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY - Technologies pertinent to libraries will grow dramatically in the next 25 years.

A. TECHNOLOGY - Some technologies are: (1) access and services via the internet will improve for place-bound or limited mobility patrons; (2) access and services over wireless will allow people to access the library from anywhere; (3) computer access at the RPL building will increase and broaden in services provided; and (4) special purpose machines will proliferate (e.g. language translators).

B. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS - The legal implications (e.g. copyright, fee-based access, access to undesirable materials, etc) will present many challenges to RPL. Legality and ethical behavior will be tested but absolutely maintained for RPL's diverse customer set.

C. OTHER IMPLICATIONS - Some of the statistics demonstrating RPL’s status and trends will be impacted by technology. For example, counts of library visits may level off or even diminish due to computer access to RPL holdings, services, and programs. Another example is counting "references assistance" which may need to include emails. Even "Facilities" needs above may diminish in light of growing RPL usage via computer access.

 

Last updated: 5/6/09

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