The Long Range Planning Committee, consisting of one library trustee, the director, the literacy coordinator, two staff members, three members of the public, and a facilitator have met monthly for five months to formulate this plan. The plan will be presented to the Library Board of Trustees as follows for final approval.
Committee members are: Facilitator Dennis Lawson from WVTA
| Sandra Sawyer, trustee representative | Don Groenleer, community representative |
| Chloeann Jones, staff representative | Lorraine Severns, community representative |
| Mary Jane Roller, staff representative | JoAnn Herbst, community representative |
| Lois Morton, literacy coordinator | Dave Ewick, director |
Library Board of Trustees, 1995:
| Thomas Brovont | Sandy Sawyer |
| Dave McGowen | Jody Newton |
| Gordon Potter | Linda Stayton |
| Bob Uhrich |
Mission Statement: It is the mission of the Fulton County Public Library to provide programs and materials to our community which promote education, culture, information, and entertainment.
Roles of the Library:
1. The library is a community information center. a. Clearinghouse for current info. on organizations, issues, and services of the community
2. The library is a community activities center that provides a central location for cultural, civic, and recreational activities.
a. Meeting area for non-profit public organizations
b. Literacy program
c. Library sponsored activities for all ages
3. The library acts as a formal education support center.
4. The library provides popular materials of current, high interest in a variety of titles for all ages for reading, listening, and viewing.
5. The library is a reference and research center for scholars with basic information in business, government, etc.
6. The library provides Inter-Library Loan services.
7. The library will provide the most recent methods of information delivery which are economically possible.
The following goals and objectives are devised to facilitate fulfilling the roles of the library and its mission for the community for the next five years.
A. Increase fund raising efforts
1. The director will investigate and make a report on professional fund raising options
2. The library will participate in the Community Foundation by creating an endowment of at least $5,000, to be completed by September 1, 1995.
3. The library will create a plan to consider the institution of user fees for some services
4. Develop and implement a plan for providing special event fund raisers
5. Create a planned giving program
B. Seek more outside grant funding
1. Schedule staff time devoted to grant writing (beginning in March of 1995)
2. Develop expertise on staff to better write grants
3. Annually identify grants for which the library is eligible
4. Apply for those identified grants
II. Training - The Library staff will be prepared to handle their current and changing responsibilities.
A. Design a program of continuous staff development
1. Provide opportunities for computer literacy training
a. Hold in-house programs (at least two annually)
b. Send staff to seminars, workshops, classes
2. Provide a cross training program of staff between libraries
a. Bring branch personnel into the main library for training, and vice versa (4/95)
b. Create a procedures manual to which staff can refer questions
c. Maintain communications between libraries
3. Encourage/promote/support outside job related training
a. Develop a plan to pay part of job related training fees and expenses
b. Create a set of guidelines for staff to know what qualifies as job related training
B. Upgrade job descriptions to support changing needs
1. Write minimal continuing education requirements into job descriptions
2. Design job descriptions to require/encourage computer abilities/literacy
3. Develop a plan for tying increased competence to promotion/salary schedules
III. Programs - The public will benefit from expanded cultural and educational offerings of the library.
A. Expand author visit opportunities
1. Seek grant funding for these opportunities
2. Seek cooperative opportunities to share costs of such visits with other institutions
B. Provide computer training for the public annually
1. Hold bibliographic instruction classes of the library's on-line system & the Internet (including morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend offerings)
2. Hold computer literacy classes for basic software and hardware (at least 1 annually)
IV. Facilities - Library facilities will accommodate the changing role of the library and the needs of the community.
A. Investigate alternatives to accommodate the changing needs of the library facilities
1. Children's areas
2. Separate Young Adult sections in each building
3. Create adequate Technology areas in each building
4. Branches
5. Maintain the Community Room/meeting room space
6. Evaluate needs of the Literacy program
B. Maintain the physical plant of each building
1. Look for ways to improve the Heating/Cooling maintenance
2. Keep the buildings clean and in good working condition
3. Maintain the Arboretum - replace dead trees, etc.
C. Investigate alternative hours of operation at each library site for better service
1. More night hours
2. More Saturday hours
3. Sunday hours
4. Close at earlier times, or open at later times to facilitate necessary changes
V. Technology - The information needs of the community will be adequately supported by the library through up to date technology.
A. Provide new technological programs and services when economically possible
1. Provide a technology room/area for the public
2. Expand dial-in access to include additional services (databases, Internet, etc.)
3. Provide Internet access to the public
4. Monitor changes in library technology areas
B. Maintain the library's current automation system at comparable or increased levels
1. Upgrade software as needed
2. Develop and implement a hardware replacement and upgrading schedule
VI. Outreach - All segments of the community will be provided with access to library services.
A. Create an Outreach Services program
1. Review the following services/programs for possible placement under this program
a. Branch liaison
b. Literacy liaison
c. Shut-In program
d. Jail library
e. Hospital library
f. Friends of the Library liaison
g. Nursing home visitation
h. Volunteer services supervisor
2. Establish an Outreach Services Department Head position to supervise this program
a. Write job description
b. Advertise the position
c. Hire a person for the position
3. Investigate additional programs/services to be placed in this department