The Southborough Library is hosting another Legislative Breakfast this Friday, February 26 from 8:00 – 9:00 am:
Join several elected officials as well as members of the Southborough community in an effort to support libraries across Massachusetts. Pre-registration is encouraged, just click here.
It was around this time last year, that I shared an invitation from the library to help with their Strategic Planning. So, I think it’s fitting to share how that went.
Over several months, the library conducted a survey and worked with volunteers in feedback sessions and focus groups. Using the feedback, the Director and Trustees developed a Strategic Plan to guide them through FY2020.
The final version of the report was completed by October. Two of the many goals identified included working with schools to exhibit art in the display case and adding self-checkout service.
The school partnership has been taking place since early fall. And Southborough Wicked Local posted news that the self-checkout equipment is in. (Plus iPad kiosks for searching catalogs.)
Here are more goals from the report:
- More Adult Programs – introduce at least one new program yearly
- Community Partnerships – includes ongoing relationships with schools, historical society, etc.
- Historical Collection – identify and hire an archivist, add preservation infrastructure
- Readers Advisory – identify and select participants to develop programs
- Planning & Design Grant – seek grant monies for library building upgrades, work with an architect
- New Furniture – yearly additions of new items in different rooms
- Coffee Area / Café – in depth assessment of needs, costs and likelihood of customer usage
- Program Space – yearly improvements / cost to new programs space needs
- Electronic Resources – plan on devoting funds and identifying specific resources for inclusion
- Classes and Workshops – identify potential new avenues of attraction for new attendance
- Information Commons Space – develop an individual area plan for a technology space
- Staff Development – identify staff improvement areas for training yearly
- Marketing – build awareness of new events yearly, people to revisit the library
- Expanded Staff – identify staffing needed to add hours on regular work week
- Better Signage – clearly identify and label different areas of the library collection
To read the full plan, click here.
SSSHHHHH… QUIET PLEASE!
What happened to the days of a library being a place where one tries to be quiet in respect to other patrons? I spend a lot of time on the road which enables me to frequent libraries in many areas. The ones I frequent the most are Northborough, Marlborough and Southborough. I understand some people, and especially children, not knowing this. But when did the staff become so inconsiderate in some of these locations as to speak so loudly? They will have work-related and trivial conversations between one another and I find it difficult to focus on the reason I am there. I guess I will just need to start bringing earplugs.