Date: July 19, 2017
Mission statement:
The East Lansing Public Library provides a place and resources where people gather to share information and ideas to enrich lives and foster community.
Focus Areas
Community:
Providing opportunities for people to meet, share ideas and take part in the development of their community.
Learn:
Promoting learning and literacy in all forms to all ages.
Collaborate:
Working with partners toward a common goal.
Develop:
Creating an environment that is future-oriented, serves as good stewards of public resources and innovates the staff and community.
Discover:
Providing a space and the resources that spark creativity and an organization that is in step with industry trends.
Community
- Create and implement a patron-centric marketing plan.
- Develop a brand and implement it in all aspects of the library -- services, programming, training.
- Update the strategic plan.
- Host the closing reception for the Michigan Library Association (MLA) Annual Conference on October 19.
- Host the East Lansing Welcomes the World event.
- Host the One Book, One Community author reception.
- Host the 7th annual Books, Bites, and Bids fundraiser.
- Promote sustainability via fundraising for solar panels for the library at the solar farm.
- Install signage throughout public service area.
- Continue to fundraise for the pop-up mobile library.
- Host coffee with the library director. Set up with the Friends of the Library.
- Have a table at ELPS Curriculum Nights to promote the library and give out library cards.
- Research, develop, and implement a material delivery/mailing service for homebound patrons.
- Continue to offer the monthly Social Justice Reading Group and look for additional community partners to support the program.
- Host a User Experience (UX) Coffee Hour in the library cafe.
- Develop and send out preference emails to patrons -- get to know our patrons and personalize our email marketing.
- Incorporate volunteers into other areas of library service, including programming and tech services.
- Plan an estate planning workshop for the community with the Capital Region Community Foundation and an estate planner.
- Analyze processes-starting with the process of getting a library card.
- Investigate additional non-traditional collections.
Learn
- Develop and implement organizational values and competencies.
- Create and place signs in the languages the books are written in the Community Languages Collection; i.e. Spanish--Espanol, etc.
- Add a sensitive topics page to elpl.org.
- Evaluate and revamp the children’s, teen and adult summer reading programs.
- Create and implement readers’ advisory plan.
- Train programming staff to manage their own budgets.
- Develop a parenting blog on Bibliocommons with links to helpful information, websites and also that highlights books from our Parent/Teacher collection.
- Develop analysis skills in staff and create a culture of metrics use for telling our story, program and service implementation.
- Evaluate and analyze effectiveness of current programs.
- Create accountability measures for programming, services and staff.
Collaborate
- Partner with the City of East Lansing (COEL) and MSU to develop and present Robot Week in September.
- Establish a relationship with the Towne Courier and regularly promote ELPL programs and resources in it.
- Investigate the need to expand the venues and locations in which children’s staff can offer library programming throughout the community.
- Formalize and implement a school outreach plan for children’s staff.
- Create more partnerships with MSU to promote, offer, and/or fund library programs and services.
- Partner with the Kiwanis Club of East Lansing to secure program funding.
- Partner through Therapy Dogs International (and/or related organizations) to offer regular Read to the Dogs programs.
- Coordinate Tim Busfield’s Third Annual Performing Arts Warm-Up September 9 & 10 at ELPL.
- Continue and grow our partnership with Wharton Center.
- Continue and grow our partnership with NCG.
- Grow our partnerships with MacDonald Middle School, East Lansing High School, and Gateway Youth Services.
- Create more partnerships with local teen organizations to promote, offer, and/or fund library programs and services.
- Investigate using interns from MSU for assistance with analyzing our services.
Develop
- Revamp how to apply and get a library card.
- Update emergency guide and continue safety and security training for staff by the Security Team.
- Create a Human-centered Design process for project and program feasibility.
- Revamp the Programming Team.
- Develop service plans for programming and plan programming for at least six-months out.
- Implement quarterly technology training for all staff.
- Implement core competencies for all staff.
- Hire a marketing/development specialist.
- Implement two mandatory staff in-service days per year.
- Catalog items in maker studio to increase public awareness and accessibility.
- Catalog and launch tool library collection.
- Revamp the following collections: large print, science fiction, romance, and juvenile graphic novels.
- Create and implement an Express Shelf for high demand titles.
- Continue to digitize Local History collection and investigate feasibility of featuring digitized local history on elpl.org.
- Train and mentor staff to use BiblioCommons to curate the collection.
- Create more BiblioCommons content that is unique to the city/region/state.
- Develop consistent avenues for positive staff recognition to continue to increase staff morale.
- Research and establish a 30-day trial card for nonresidents.
- Best Practices resources for Children's Reader Advisory.
- Develop and implement “ticketing” system for non-emergency facilities and custodial needs.
- Evaluate and update circulating hot spot collection.
- Analyze the process of adding materials to the collection.
Discover
- Identify what innovative services and programs our patrons want and need through user surveys and Harwood Institute techniques interviews.
- Implement a six-month programming calendar.
- Purchase and implement room scheduling software.
- Purchase and implement staff scheduling software.
- Analyze collection and usage one year after remodeling.
- Identify additional metrics and statistics needed to further library’s action plan.
- Review mobile sites from other libraries, as well as our own, and determine if purchase of a mobile app is needed.
- Purchase and implement next generation self-service infrastructure.
- Review options for payments at self-service locations (self checks, public printing) and determine if implementation is compatible with city’s system.
- Develop best practices and staff workload-procedures for the DLA Wand.
- Circulate Children’s Early Literacy iPads.
- Repair exterior sign and upgrade to LED lighting.
- Re-ignite and expand the Makers-in-Residence program.
