Agenda - 11-05-2013 - 7a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

5 A great community like Orange County deserves and expects a great library. But the notion of what constitutes a great library is changing in the 21s' century as new technologies emerge, information consumption patterns evolve, and user expectations shift. The question of how to best serve our customers in a time of unprecedented change is more complicated to answer. This Strategic Plan —the first ever for OCPL —will be the touchstone that guides our work over the next three years, sharpens our focus on customers, and extends our services into the community. Strategic Plan Summary Recognizing that OCPL's external environment and customer needs will continue to change as the Strategic Plan is implemented, this document was created as a high -level framework that directs future space and organizational planning, as well as annual budgeting and work planning. This plan identifies four key strategic priorities to be undertaken by OCPL in the next three years. These are: • Library Collections and Materials • Community Connections • Service and Community Space • Technology Tools and Training Library Collections and Materials According to the 2012 -2013 Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, the public still want libraries to provide books on the shelves. Orange County Public Library (OCPL) customers told us the same thing in our 2012 Community Needs Assessment (CNA) and this assertion is supported by the fact that the number of printed materials borrowed from OCPL continues to climb every year. Our plan will promote customer self- discovery of our materials from how they are arranged on the shelf to where they are located within the library. Our knowledgeable staff will provide additional venues and opportunities to help everyone find that expected new favorite author or genre. Community Connections It has always been my firm belief that if a library does not extend its reach into the community it will cease to become relevant and eventually, and deservingly, disappear. It is easy to focus on just the people that come through our door to borrow materials, attend programs and bring their children to story time. But our real strength should be in the ties to our community and in the relationships we build with customers. The Pew Report provides evidence that tapping into community needs and interests is paramount to the success of libraries. Consistent interaction with residents, businesses, non - profits and other entities creates the opportunities for meaningful, lasting connections. However, in order to make inroads into the community we have to be more consistent in communicating what we are able to provide to all residents of Orange County. Responses from the CNA reveal that the general public does not know enough about the services available through the library to take full advantage of all that it has to offer. The fact that valuable resources and services at OCPL are under - utilized, and that only 41 percent of county residents have active library cards, suggests the need for a broad -based and pro- active outreach and marketing program. OCPL DRAFT Strategic Plan 2013 -2016 Page 4