East Lansing Public Library FY2019 Action Plan

Date: July 18, 2018

Mission

The East Lansing Public Library provides a place and resources where people gather to share information and ideas to enrich lives and foster community.
Vision
The East Lansing Public Library enriches, connects and transforms lives through knowledge and innovation.

Core Values

  • Accessibility
  • Community
  • Innovation
  • Knowledge

Accessibility

  • Continue to work with BiblioCommons on website and catalog accessibility
  • Work with the Michigan State University (MSU) office of accessibility on making our policies and documents accessible
  • Investigate how to implement automatic renewals for checked out materials with Sierra
  • Implement homebound patron delivery and service options
  • Investigate using interns from MSU for assistance with analyzing our services
  • Circulate Children’s Early Literacy iPads
  • Research grant opportunities to revamp the Community Languages Collection
  • Create a more detailed and attractive map of the library. Work with Ableye Inc to create a map of the library and its services
  • Research the feasibility of adding mapping software to Bibliocommons for wayfinding
  • Investigate improving collection signage throughout the building
  • Investigate improvements to end panel signs
  • Complete rotation of projects listed on the Collections Project Plan
  • Update our circulation policies and personnel policies to be more inclusive; including additional library card services
  • Supplement children’s programming with multilingual events and storytimes

Community

  • Continue to be good stewards of tax dollars
  • Search for and hire new assistant director
  • Search and hire marketing specialist
  • Host National Night Out in collaboration with East Lansing Police Department and East Lansing Fire Department
  • Host One Book, One Community storytime and reception with Associate Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
  • Provide regularly scheduled homework help after school at least three days a week with the help of volunteers
  • Collaborate with the MSU Museum on programs such as story walks, traveling exhibits and interactive displays
  • Reinvigorate and create more dynamic programming for children, teens, and adults
  • Revamp the Summer Reading Programs
  • Develop a new logo and branding guidelines with AnInterval Inc
  • Create a new strategic plan and priorities
  • Participate in community events--Farmers Market, festivals, Robot Fest
  • Develop and send out preference emails to patrons--get to know our patrons and personalize our email marketing
  • Create a Welcome email to new cardholders
  • Compile a list of of patron preferences for targeted email marketing
  • Host a volunteer recognition event
  • Collaborate with the Planning Department to scan collection of historical photos of East Lansing houses and showcase on elpl.org
  • Create a handout/map of areas that have East Lansing mailing addresses but pay property taxes elsewhere
  • Youth Services/Teen Services staff visit and provide programs to all East Lansing Public Schools at least once per month (12 times per year)
  • Transition Teen Advisory Board to Teen Activist Coalition and collaborate with local/national grassroots organizations
  • Work with youth-oriented crisis intervention organizations like Gateway to provide in-house access to services for at-risk teens
  • Collaborate with home school community to access educational opportunities w/ ELPL
  • Host ELPL nights at the library by grade to show what we offer to students/give out library cards, and promote these at curriculum nights
  • Continue to seek partnerships with local businesses for reading rewards and other ways to collaborate
  • Promote and host 8th Annual Books, Bites, and Bids fundraiser on Friday, April 12, 2019
  • Collaborate with the City of East Lansing and MSU to host “East Lansing Welcomes the World” in October 2018
  • Partner with Key Club volunteers to assist in children’s programming and mentor them to develop their own children’s event at the end of the 2018-19 school year

Innovation

  • Search for and hire a full-time Maker Studio/STEAM specialist
  • Build and develop the Pop-up Mobile Library
  • Apply for grants for technology, programming, early childhood literacy, and other areas of development
  • Investigate the feasibility and cost efficiency of a materials sorter
  • Purchase a Glowforge, or comparable device, for the Maker Studio
  • Revamp the Programming Team
  • Implement staff scheduling software
  • Implement room scheduling software
  • Appropriate dedicated funds towards non-traditional collections
  • Launch a seasonal seed distribution program
  • Continue to research BiblioCommons eContent API to reduce technical services workloads and improve accessibility for patrons
  • Research current ILS and LSP products and determine if a change in vendor is warranted
  • Implement an in-house checkout system for video game consoles, controllers, games, and accessories
  • Introduce phone chargers for in-house checkout and/or circulation
  • Introduce a board game collection for in-house checkout and demo/game-night programs geared toward 18-35 year olds. Collaborate with local game shops
  • Grow and adapt storytime and parenting kits available for checkout
  • Utilize NASA STEM programming kits available through Library of Michigan

Knowledge

  • Develop a social justice reading/topic discussion for adults (one per quarter to start)
  • Hold at least one all-staff in-service day during the calendar year
  • Create and hold Adulting classes in the fall
  • Partner with the Michigan State University Citizen Scholars program on various patron-oriented projects and possible internships (Social Justice Reading Group for Adults, teen after-school program, Maker/STEAM programs, Local History)
  • Develop quality early childhood literacy programs and reading programs beyond storytimes
  • Implement the Reading Buddies program
  • Collaborate with and participate in East Lansing Public Schools, and other area schools on school events--science nights, STEM activities, book discussions, and more
  • Create and implement a readers’, listeners’ and viewers’ advisory plan
  • Create and share Best Practices resources for children's readers’ advisory
  • Implement core competencies for all staff
  • Create a “Staff Recommends” book display or handout in the library - similar to the reviews posted in Bibliocommons
  • Continue to track collection and acquisitions data to inform collection development and building projects
  • Develop and maintain a list of short survey subjects for monthly e-Blast
  • Continue to digitize and upload Local History materials to elpl.org
  • Develop a curriculum to use the NAO platform to teach coding and robotics
  • Implement digital and database literacy workshops
  • Train more staff in various technology formats to help with one-on-ones.
  • Partner with elementary school teachers to provide in-classroom book delivery services
  • Develop a six-month programming calendar. Plan programs six months out and post these programs on appropriate calendars/website
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