The library board discussed how to move forward with a strategic plan and future bond plans at Tuesday’s meeting.
The board saw a draft of the new strategic plan that featured the library’s mission, goals and potential uses if a new capital campaign is passed in the future.
The vision statement reads, “The Eudora Community Library envisions being the welcoming heart of our community where all come to learn, discover, create, and connect; where all people feel seen, safe, and valued.”
The strategic plan said the library’s goals are to inspire community learning, improve the quality of life for all residents and enhance library services while maximizing the community’s investment in the library by opening the new building.
The final copy of the strategic plan will debut near the end of January, and will play an important role in getting the library’s story out, especially as a new campaign moves forward, Director Carol Wohlford said.
Making sure the document is provided to all major stakeholders like city officials, school district leaders and other local organizations will be a top priority, she said
“I think we need to hand carry it,” Wohlford said.
Board member Amy Jankowski said she feels something that is missing from the strategic plan is discussing adapting to more online reading resources. With other libraries doing more with web resources, it is important Eudora plans for those changes in the future.
“It has to adapt not just to be more social services, but has to also adapt in the physical versus online resources,” Jankowski said.
President Kenny Massey also said it will be important to do annual reports each year in the future to make sure the library stays on track with the five-year plan.
The board also discussed plans to put together a building planning committee to help execute the board’s goals for the new library. After the library decides what exactly they find most important to have in the new building, the committee will help with more specific designing and planning elements. Members of the community will serve on the committee.
The board also debriefed on its joint meeting with the City Commission. Board members agreed it felt like a step in the right direction and helped to get the city and library more on the same page.
Board member Eric Magette said it was important to know what the City Commission wants, as this will be an important part of the conversation moving forward.
“I came away from that meeting feeling very good about that. I felt that the meeting was really productive. It felt good,” Magette said.
Making the campaign more oriented on a smaller library than the last bond while still providing more space and resources seems like what the community wants, Massey said.
Jankowski agreed the city seems to want a library that meets the community’s needs and is bigger, but isn’t over the top or too big.
“We’re just gonna have to come up with something in between,” she said.
The board’s next regular meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected]
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