Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSPL Strategic Plan (May 8, 2019) 1 PALM SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLAN 2019-2021 INTRODUCTION In October 2018, the Palm Springs Public Library (PSPL) began a strategic planning process to establish direction and the use of its resources in the near future - and also address the community’s need for a “new” library facility. The process was led by Library Strategies, a consulting group of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library in Minnesota – and was advised by a Planning Committee of individuals representing key stakeholder groups. The core activity of the planning process was a planning retreat. Over 70 individuals, representing a diverse group of the Palm Springs community - from religious groups to City Council members and business owners to the educational community - came to together to plan for the PSPL on January 29, 2019. A special meeting of the Library Trustees was held on March 13, 2019 to allow participants including Trustees, Friends and Foundation Board members and individuals from the community at-large to respond to the draft Strategic Plan. Revisions reflecting their comments are included in this document. All participants agreed that the major goal for the PSPL was to build a “new” Library; i.e. either renovate the current building; renovate and expand the existing facility or build a new library on a different site. (Note: Throughout this Plan, the term “new” will be used to designate a renovated, expanded or new library building.) This major goal would be addressed in two phases. The first phase, Preparing for Building the Library of the Future, is outlined within the timeframe of this strategic plan. 2 In the interim, participants acknowledged that achieving this significant goal will be a lengthy process and recommended that, in the short term, the PSPL continue to enhance services to all of Palm Springs residents. As such, this strategic plan is divided into two focus areas:  The Library for the Future: Prepare for Building the Library of the Future; and  Enhanced Library Service: Provide Excellent Service to Palm Springs Library Customers THE LIBRARY FOR THE FUTURE FOCUS: PREPARE FOR BUILDING THE LIBRARY OF THE FUTURE Based on broad based input from the community – and a series of reviews of this Strategic Plan by constituent groups– the Palm Springs Public Library Board of Trustees (the Board) recommends the following plan for updating the Palm Springs Public Library’s main library. The Board is unanimous in its determination that an updated, or new facility, is long overdue for our community. The following recommendations lay out the framework for this project which should begin as soon as the final plan is fully approved. Building a new library is a major undertaking and care must be taken to establish and adhere to guiding principles that will shape the building process. Initial guidelines include: 1. The Library is about the community. Every effort must be made to reach out to all stakeholder groups in the community to listen and learn about their priorities for a new library. 2. The Library’s architectural brand must be protected and enhanced. Architectural excellence should be the mandate for designing and building the new Library. 3. The new library will be a premiere information, archival and cultural institution, part of the rich fabric of buildings and spaces that make Palm Springs a unique architectural city. (Note: Additional guidelines should be developed by the Planning Committee.) The City of Palm Springs (The City) should engage in a two-phase process to build a new library. This Strategic Plan focuses on Phase 1: Preparing for Building the New Library. The second phase will be the actual building project. Leadership: Building the new library – and all of the activities that lead up to it – will be led by The City in conjunction with the Library’s Board of Trustees (the Trustees) and supported by the Library Foundation & the Friends. 3 GOAL 1: CREATE AN INFRASTRUCTURE TO PREPARE FOR BUILDING A NEW LIBRARY. STRATEGIES: 1. The City, in conjunction with the Trustees, will establish a definition of the roles and responsibilities and recruit and appoint a Building Committee comprised of individuals who will define and coordinate the building project. The Building Committee will include at least one representative from the Trustees, the Foundation and the Friends of the Library. 2. The City and the Building Committee will develop a budget and timeline for Phase 1. 3. The Building Committee will create appropriate subcommittees and recruit individuals for these subcommittees as determined by needs for additional involvement and/or support. GOAL 2: IDENTIFY THE BEST OPTION FOR THE NEW LIBRARY. STRATEGIES: 1. The City and the Building Committee will draft a “Guiding Principles” document that will inform the site selection and frame key elements of the new building. 2. The City and the Building Committee will conduct appropriate research on each of the 3 building options that will inform the City’s site selection decision. These options are:  Renovate the current facility;  Renovate and expand the current facility; or,  Build a new building on a selected site in Palm Springs. 3. The Building Committee will recommend the best option to the City and the Trustees and provide the rationale for its choice. GOAL 3: CREATE A VISION AND DESIGN FOR THE NEW LIBRARY. STRATEGIES: 1. The Building Committee will consult with the City on the best method for selecting an architectural design firm (the design firm) to lead the visioning and design process. 2. The design firm will conduct a series of town meetings to gather input into key elements of the new building. 3. The Building Committee will visit 5-6 new libraries in similar cities to stimulate and inform the visioning process. 4. Using community input and reflections from the site visits, the Building Committee will draft a vision statement that will serve as a tool for building support for the new library with donors and the community at-large. 4 5. The Building Committee will work with the design firm and The City and Library Management to develop the program (internal/external space needs), architectural renderings, etc. 4. The Building Committee will work with the design firm to determine the cost of the new building including (but not limited to) site development, labor and materials costs, furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E), opening collection, etc. 5. The Building Committee will work with Library Management to identify staffing costs for the new library. GOAL 4: BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THE FOUNDATION TO PREPARE FOR CONDUCTING A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. STRATEGIES: 1. The Trustees and Foundation Board members will identify and recruit selected individuals to the Foundation Board who will expand the Foundation’s current activities including annual campaigns, planned giving, special event(s), etc. This will include recruiting individuals who will be skilled at soliciting major donors to the capital campaign. 2. The Foundation will create a 3-5 year Development Plan to establish direction and tactics for expanding annual fundraising and preparing for conducting a capital campaign. 3. The Foundation will investigate the benefits of hiring a Foundation Director who will coordinate fundraising activities and hire a Director if funding for this position is available. 4. The Foundation will conduct an annual direct mail fundraising campaign each year beginning in 2019. GOAL 5: PREPARE FOR THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. STRATEGIES: 1. The City and the Building Committee will investigate and establish the amount of public funding that will be contributed to the building project by the City. 2. The City will negotiate and establish a “Compact” with the Library Foundation that will detail the public/private partnership between the two organizations. This document will detail appropriate practices and procedures for private funds to be contributed to the building project. The Compact will detail the approved City process for accepting financial gifts Including bequests, naming rights and endowments. 3. The City and the Building Committee will establish the amount of private funding that will be contributed to the building project by the Library Foundation. 4. The Foundation will hire a consulting firm to conduct a fundraising feasibility study for the capital campaign to determine the potential success of the identified campaign goal and identify major donors and capital campaign leadership. 5 GOAL 6: ENHANCE COMMUNICATIONS TO RAISE THE VISIBILITY OF THE LIBRARY AND ENERGIZE THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THE LIBRARY. STRATEGIES: 1. The Trustees and Library Management will establish a Communications Committee with the charge of engaging grassroots support for the Library. A representative of both the Friends and the Foundation will serve on this Committee 2. The Communications Committee will develop a public relations/communications plan to provide ongoing, transparent information about the building project. 3. Working with the Communications Committee, Library Management will develop new promotional materials that will both inform residents about current PSPL programs and services and inform the community about the building project. ENHANCED LIBRARY SERVICE FOCUS: PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICE TO PALM SPRINGS LIBRARY CUSTOMERS The focus of this portion of the strategic plan is ongoing service to the community – reaching out to underserved populations and improving services for all Library customers. Library Management will need to identify and secure fiscal resources to provide these services. This goal area also addresses the PSPL’s collection and communications within the community. The goals and strategies for Enhanced Library Service were informed by discussion at January’s planning retreat, Library usage data and City demographic data. LEADERSHIP: Library Management will provide leadership for this focus area. GOAL 1: PARTNER WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE LIBRARY SERVICES. STRATEGIES: 1. Library Management will make adult literacy a priority, developing literacy and citizenship services/programs and working with such local agencies as the Family Engagement Center – PSUSD and Coachella Valley Adult Education. 2. Library staff will collaborate with PSUSD Early Childhood Education to educate the children and their parents about Library programs and services and how the Library can help prepare children for school. 6 3. Library staff will strengthen the connection between LGBTQ youth and PSPL working with such community organizations as the LGBT Community Center of the Desert, LGBT Sanctuary Palm Springs, etc. GOAL 2: ENHANCE SERVICE TO TEENS BY ENGAGING THEM IN LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. STRATEGIES: 1. Library Management will develop a teen advisory board to work with PSPL staff on programs and services for this age group. 2. Library staff will reach out to teens who have community service hours to complete. 3. Appropriate Library staff will develop a summer reading teen internship program to offer teens a quality work experience. GOAL 3: CREATE SPACES IN THE CURRENT LIBRARY FACILITY TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS. STRATEGIES: 1. Library Management will develop a tween corner within the existing Youth Room. 2. Library Management will create 3-4 meeting/study rooms in the Library’s existing public area. GOAL 4: DEVELOP POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT WILL ENHANCE THE LIBRARY COLLECTION. STRATEGIES: 1. Library Management will determine weeding thresholds for each area of the Library collection (e.g. adult fiction, children’s non-fiction) and weed the collection on a regular basis accordingly. 2. The appropriate Library staff will develop a usage study for the reference collection to determine which titles are essential and which can be removed from the collection. GOAL 5: CREATE AN INTERACTIVE PROCESS FOR STRENGTHENING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE LIBRARY TO ENHANCE SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTS. 7 STRATEGIES: 1. Library Management will create sustainable mechanisms for gathering feedback about unmet or emerging community needs. 2. Library staff will respond to feedback with information about new or improved Library services that address community needs. 3. Library Management will leverage the newly-formed Library Board Communications Committee to scale, outline and implement a visibility campaign promoting the Library’s current services. IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING The final step in the strategic planning process will be implementation planning. Once the Strategic Plan has been adopted by the Board of Trustees, the Consultants will work with Library Management (and other appropriate staff) to create an 18-month Implementation Plan. This plan will prioritize the activities in the Strategic Plan that are staff-driven. The Plan will include more specific tactics, responsibilities and a timeline. Additionally, the Plan will identify needed resources (funding, staff, volunteers, etc.) and address how these resources will be secured. Library Strategies strongly recommends that both the Strategic Plan and the Implementation Plan be reviewed and updated after one year.