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LONG RANGE PLAN
2011-2013
Library Mission Statement
The mission of the library is to help the community connect, learn and grow.
The library is an active participant in community organizations and events. This allows the library to learn about community needs and to be a vital means of connection for community members and organizations.
Goal I: Maintain a quality collection of materials.
A. Acquire materials to meet community needs.
1. Purchase or lease an additional copy of an item for every four holds.
2. Maintain a collection of current bestsellers with a shorter circulation time for a higher
turnover rate at the Seymour Library.
3. Provide access to collections throughout the state by remaining an active member of
Evergreen Indiana.
4 Acquire or provide access to at least 95% of requested materials not currently available
through Evergreen Indiana by purchasing or through interlibrary loan.
5. Expend at least 13% of the operating budget on materials by 2013.
B. Evaluate entire materials collection.
1. Evaluate circulation of materials and investigate new formats.
a. Use established collection development schedule to maintain sections of the collection on a
monthly rotating basis.
b. Update reference materials and sections of non-fiction as new material is available.
c. Consider requests from the public and formats successfully used at other libraries.
2. Evaluate condition of materials and replace as funds allow.
3. Evaluate outdated formats and replace as funds allow.
Goal II: Offer effective programs and services.
A. Meet the needs of all ages and diverse populations.
1. Periodically survey the community for interests and needs.
a. Conduct online surveys annually.
b. Conduct surveys in the libraries and throughout the community in 2012.
c. Offer suggestion/comment forms at all locations.
d. Periodically distribute program evaluations.
e. Plan programs using suggestions and comments from program attendees and the community.
2. Continually investigate ways to promote programs and services.
a. Attend conferences and workshops to learn new ways to reach out to the community
b. Brainstorm at staff meetings.
c. Use exterior signs for promotion.
d. Connect to the world with local media, the library website and social networks.
i. Debut a re-designed website by 2012.
ii. Maintain existing website and social networks.
iii. Add new options as developed.
B. Partner with individuals and organizations.
1. Recruit community members and professionals to conduct and facilitate library programs.
a. Solicit community members and volunteers through internal publications and news releases in
2011.
2. Connect staff members with community organizations.
a. Encourage full-time staff members to serve on local boards or committees that promote and
benefit the library and the community.
i. Staff members will share library services with the organizations.
ii. Staff members will bring back organization information for planning programs and services.
iii. The library will post and distribute organization information.
b. One full-time staff member will participate in the Leadership Jackson County program each year.
c. Participate in countywide community events.
3. Obtain sponsors for programs and services.
a. Annually solicit donations for the summer reading program and other special programs.
b. Request funding from the Friends of the Library every two months.
C. Use technology to benefit the community.
1. Keep abreast of cutting edge technology.
a. Monitor publications and national trends.
b. Attend workshops and meetings.
c. Annually update technology plan.
d. Provide up-to-date technology.
i. Maintain public laptops for in-library use.
e. Educate the community on current technology.
2. Maintain an enhanced level of service and attain exceptional level by 2013.
Goal III: Maintain staffing and resources to respond to community needs in a timely manner.
A. Provide adequate qualified staffing to maintain state standards.
1. Offer job-related training for staff.
a. All new staff will complete orientation checklist within their first four weeks of
employment by 2011.
b. Technology Instructor will lead staff-only computer classes on an as-needed basis.
c. State certified staff must earn the required number of library education units to maintain their
certificates and keep their positions.
d. Give all staff opportunities to attend workshops and conferences as opportunities arise and schedules
allow.
e. Offer to host state-offered training at least annually.
2. Apply for summer work study and hire qualified applicants.
3. Apply for or participate in grants to enhance the existing staffing levels.
4. Evaluate staffing levels in response to staff turnover.
a. Maximize effectiveness of available staff hours.
5. Increase the personnel budget by at least 2% annually through 2013 as funding allows.
6. Contract a consultant to evaluate staffing and services in 2012.
7. Provide equitable salaries and benefits.
a. Compare salaries with similar-sized Indiana libraries and local businesses and organizations in 2011
and 2013.
b. Annually review and evaluate benefits.
8. Promote an environment that results in positive morale.
a. Continue to offer and expand the staff recognition program.
b. Participate in the National Library Workers Day each April.
c. Continue Staff Development Days in February and October.
d. Maintain the staff wellness blog.
e. Continue to purchase staff logo shirts using money from the gift fund each year.
f. Continue to offer staff participation themed opportunities.
B. Recruit volunteers to supplement staff.
1. Maintain and expand the volunteer program.
a. Continue to recognize all volunteers during the annual National Volunteer Week in April.
b. Look at other library volunteer programs to see what opportunities we might offer.
c. Increase the number of volunteers by two each year through 2013.
d. Add incentives to retain current volunteers.
e. Encourage Friends members to increase their volunteer time.
2. Maintain and expand the junior volunteer program.
a. Continue Teen Advisory Groups in Seymour and Crothersville.
b. Improve the summer program and expand to year-round in 2011.
C. Provide information and answers to questions.
1. Respond to all questions within twenty-four hours.
2. Obtain 75% of all answers within two days.
3. Genealogy and inter-library loan requests will be processed within two weeks.
Goal IV: Provide adequate library facilities.
A. Maintain current facilities.
1. Inspect all premises annually.
a. Note necessary improvements.
b. Make repairs and improvements.
2. Continue a line item in the operating budget to transfer annually to the library improvement reserve fund
for anticipated replacements and improvements.
a. Develop an equipment and facility maintenance replacement schedule in 2011.
b. Annually budget the library improvement reserve fund to replace equipment and facility needs.
B. Evaluate facilities for current use and future library growth.
1. Contract a consultant to evaluate facilities in 2012 or 2013.
a. Include discussion on additional meeting room space.
2. Monitor publications and national service trends.
3. Investigate options for Discovery Bus storage by 2012.
4. Investigate options for expanded parking at Crothersville in 2011.
5. Evaluate service costs at each facility in 2012.
a. Explore cost-cutting measures at each location.
b. Meet with Brownstown Library staff then board to explore consolidation.
Goal V: Seek sufficient funding for growth in services.
A. Increase current funding levels.
1. Annually increase budgets by the state growth quotient.
a. In 2012, plan to keep bond payment amounts in 2013 operating budget.
b. In 2013, use former bond payment amounts to increase LIRF and/or Rainy Day Fund.
B. Investigate possible third source funding opportunities.
1. Continue to seek grants and sponsors.
a. Utilize the Indiana Youth Institute in grant seeking and writing each year.
b. Continue to request the Community Foundation of Jackson County to sponsor GrantStation each year.
2. Promote the building fund and the library endowment at the Community Foundation.
a. Submit annual news release.
b. Include in all speaking engagements.
c. Reminder in the library online newsletter.
3. Publicize memorial and estate giving.
a. Annually notify attorneys, accountants, and funeral directors.
C. Work with the Friends of the Library on expanding their support.
1. Concentrate on requesting program funding support in 2011.
2. Investigate holding an annual fundraiser to benefit the library gift fund in 2012.
January 18, 2011