Every three years, we undergo a collaborative and community-driven process to develop a strategic plan. This plan establishes a clear vision for serving our community and fulfilling our mission. It acts as a guide for the future direction of the library district, building upon past strategic plans with our mission as the cornerstone of all we commit to our community: Cultivate Curiosity. Enlighten the Mind. Strengthen the Community.
For the 2020-2022 plan, the process focused on an extensive listening period — gathering feedback in a multitude of ways. Each one of the 3,500 comments were logged, read, and used by the Advisory Group to inform this plan.
Four common themes emerged as priorities.
Communication
The Clearview Library District is committed to providing easy access to information that is transparent, timely, and focused on our patrons. All communications will be designed to enhance relationships and build awareness of the important role the library plays in the community.
Goals
- Raise awareness regarding the opportunities and challenges of the library district with transparent and consistent messaging.
- Foster and maintain collaboration and support for communication efforts with all partners in the community.
Partnerships
The partnerships that the Clearview Library District has throughout the community will be strengthened through collaborative efforts and consistent, clear communication. We are accountable with our partners in responding to the needs and wants of the entire community we serve.
Goals
- Establish and maintain ongoing and trusting relationships with key organizations and institutions throughout the library district.
- Foster ongoing partnerships with other agencies for collaborative results in areas such as space, marketing/communications, programming, and services.
- Foster and maintain collaboration and support for communication efforts with all partners in the community.
Programs and Services
The Clearview Library District has a community-driven approach – we respond to community needs and wants through continued, expanded, and improved programs and services. Innovation and technology are the tools we use to fulfill our mission of cultivating curiosity, enlightening the mind, and strengthening the community. Our core services (physical and online materials, such as books, videos, and programming) will be balanced with new opportunities for the community to learn and grow their own knowledge.
Goals
- Develop financially sustainable and innovative programs and services that reflect the library’s mission statement.
- Plan for the future needs of the growing community, and anticipate the types of programs, services, and materials that the community will need.
- Expand and monitor the usage of technology within programs and classes, both as an organization and for our patrons.
Space
The Clearview Library District will evaluate all opportunities to provide adequate space for the programs and services that the community needs and wants. That may include remodeling existing space, building new space, renting additional space, collaborating with other local agencies for the shared use of space, and expanding into new locations. The focus will be on the ability to provide core services, including programs and physical materials.
Goals
- Have sufficient and efficiently used space to house all programs and services in locations that are convenient for all district residents.
- Build strong community awareness of the space needs of the library district.
Process
The goal of the 2020-2022 Strategic Plan was to help answer three main questions:
- Where are we now?
- Where do we want to be?
- How are we going to get there?
Strong community engagement was key. In the months of June and July 2019, we worked to gather feedback in a variety of ways:
- An online survey with 790 respondents.
- Post-it note question and responses at the library.
- Comments on engagement-focused posts on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
- One-on-one interviews with 24 individuals.
- A postcard survey found at the library, bookmobile, and various community events.
- Pop-up white board discussions at locations — businesses, faith organizations, government entities — across the district in Windsor and Severance.
- A community meeting on July 29.
The Advisory Group — representative of the district — took all of the community feedback and created a plan that contains priorities with actionable goals and projects matched to the budget. The Advisory Group presented their final recommendations to the Library Board for review and adoption.
Data Summary Reports
Download the final plan document.
