

When I wrote my last Library Notes column this past fall, Ames Public Library was in the beginning stages of its strategic planning. We were setting up teams to do research and mapping out our process. Fast forward to now, and those teams have been hard at work.


The Research Team has paired up with the city of Ames GIS group to map out data sets. They have been reviewing research such as the Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey, the Public Library Data Survey, Census data and even a recent Gallup Poll showing that more people use the public library than go to movies, live sporting events, museums, concerts and amusement parks.


The Survey Team worked with Iowa State University graduate students to craft a survey to help us better understand what our customers value at the library and what the broader community needs are. We shared the survey with both library users and non-users. We asked community organizations to take the survey with the lens of their particular organization in an effort to better understand the needs of those they serve.


Survey results have been coming in over the last month and we encourage everyone to share their important feedback now if they haven’t already at www.amespubliclibrary.org/strategicplan.


Our Community Engagement Team has been honing its group facilitation skills, and identifying stakeholders of more specific groups including arts and culture, nonprofit service providers and educators. We held two sessions in January and have four more scheduled through February and March.


We will host a broader open-house style engagement from 5:30 to 7:30 on Thursday, April 9, in the library auditorium to hear important input from the community at large.


Internal library stakeholders are a vital component, too. We’ll be getting ideas from the Library and Friends Foundation Boards as well as volunteers. To capture staff insights, the library will be facilitating a brainstorming opportunity for library employees as part of our annual all staff day on Monday, Feb. 17, when the library is closed to the public.


This annual in-service day allows library staff the time and space to gather together as one large group - something that is challenging when you are open to the public seven days a week and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. most days. It’s an important opportunity for staff to reflect and celebrate the hard work we do daily and acknowledge the successes of the past year.


We share updates on ongoing work like our Novel Ideas staff innovation projects. It’s also a space to continue to grow with staff development activities and to review important safety procedures.


We’ve been busy on the planning side these past few months, and I am so proud of the progress we have made. We’ve been able to utilize our talented and capable staff from the library along with the expertise from the city of Ames, ISU and our community partners.


It has been my hope and intention that by taking on such key roles in leading and planning during this first research phase, that staff would feel more connection and ownership of the plan overall as we implement it over the next several years. This is already paying off.


Staff have connected on teams, developed new skills, and had the opportunity to step back from day to day operations to think more long term and big picture.


The work is not done though. Over the next few months we will be a analyzing the information gathered and considering community needs, library trends, and best practices to shape the specific goals, tasks, and outcomes for our strategic plan. Stay tuned for the unveiling at a celebratory public event in July.


If you would like to stay connected with the library, including upcoming programs, new services, and updates to our strategic plan, please sign up for our email newsletter at www.amespubliclibrary.org/events-new/page-one.
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