Airdrie Public Library

Airdrie Public LibraryPlan of Service

2018-2020

Airdrie Public Library Plan of Service 2018-2020

OUR MISSION

OUR VALUES

MISSION, VALUES, and VISION

Airdrie Public Library fosters literacy, knowledge and cultural connections. We seek to inspire lifelong learning,

imagination and creativity through our inclusive programs, services and collections.

• Intellectual Freedom• Literacy & Lifelong Learning• Service & Organizational Excellence• Innovation• Community Collaboration• Accessibility & Inclusiveness

OUR VISION

An inclusive landmark destination that engages the mind, strengthens community

and enhances quality of life.



MISSION, VALUES, and VISION STATEMENTS pages 2-3

MESSAGE FROM LIBRARY BOARD CHAIRPERSON page 5

LIBRARY GROWTH page 7

PLAN OF SERVICE PROCESS pages 8-9

PRIORITIES AND GOALS pages 10-18

Priority 1 – Community Gathering Space: Physical & Virtual Spaces Priority 2 – Engage in Early Childhood Development Opportunities* Priority 2 – Connect to School-age Children & Teens* Priority 4 – Know Your Community** Priority 4 – Understand How to Find, Evaluate & Use Information** Priority 6 – Pursue Personal Interests & Self-development

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS page 19

* Two priorities were judged to be of equal importance in the community, ie: tied in second place.

** Two priorities were judged to be of equal importance in the community, ie: tied in fourth place.

CONTENTS


MESSAGE from the LIBRARY BOARD CHAIR

As we move into what we hope will be the last Plan of Service in our existing facility, the library continues to search for in-novative ways to expand service through outreach and online delivery. Library staff and the Board of Trustees are constantly on the lookout for things we can do to make Airdrie Public Library a more vibrant community connector. Important goals include making the library as welcoming, convenient, and comfortable as it can be.

In our young community, offering early childhood develop-ment opportunities and connecting to school-age children and teens are important service priorities. The library is commit-ted to doing its part to ensure children enter school ready to learn. Over the next three years, we will offer many oppor-tunities for children and teens to connect with one another, explore new technology, and express themselves.

Stakeholders have told us they would like the library to be a place where people can locate information about where they live. We will continue to find ways to connect Airdronians to the wide variety of programs, services, and activities provided not only by the library, but also by local community agencies and organizations. We will also help citizens understand how to find, evaluate and use information.

The library is proud to play a role in the development of a community dedicated to lifelong learning. We have the collections, programs, services, and spaces the people of Airdrie need to inspire creativity and imagination, and to engage their minds. Airdrie Public Library’s 2018 – 2020 Plan of Service recognizes the importance of library resources to individuals and the com-munity as they imagine, discover, connect and grow.

Daniel Nelles

Library Board Chair Daniel Nelles


City of Airdrie Library Board

Daniel Nelles (Board Chair)Shelley Sweet (Vice-chair)

Tina Petrow (Airdrie City Council Representative)Candice Kolson (Airdrie City Council Representative)

Kayla Jessen (Marigold Representative)Glen Anderson

Cathy Buchanan Leon Cygman

Tanner DesrosiersDustin Fedun


LIBRARY GROWTH

• Customer visits increased 21.73%• Number of cardholders increased 19.88%• Program attendance increased 15.37%• Circulation increased 21.04%

2013-2017


The Planning ProcessPublic libraries in Alberta are required to file a plan of service with the Public Library Services Branch (PLSB) at least once every five years. The Airdrie Public Library (APL) uses a three-year planning cycle. With our 2015 – 2017 Plan of Service expiring at the end of December 2017, planning started for the 2018 – 2020 Plan of Service in fall 2017.

APL follows PLSB’s recommendation to adopt the approach outlined in Sandra Nelson’s Strate-gic Planning for Results (Chicago: ALA, 2008). This community-focussed approach is considered industry-standard best practice in North American public libraries.

Community ConsultationThe first step in our planning process was to schedule a community consultation day on Novem-ber 4, 2017. Thirty-nine stakeholders from a wide range of community organizations and affilia-tions were invited to attend the all-day session facilitated by Ken Feser, Library Consultant with PLSB. Twenty-eight stakeholders, including three library board trustees and four library employ-ees, participated in the visioning and planning sessions.

The community consultation day began with a staff presentation on public library trends. The facilitator then asked attendees to explore current community strengths and needs, and envi-sion what they would like to see in Airdrie in the future. The afternoon was spent discussing possible library service responses. By the end of the day, library service possibilities had been narrowed down to a core list that best represents community needs and desires, as identified by participating stakeholders.

PLAN of SERVICE


Service PrioritiesThe six service responses prioritized by stakeholders at the November 4, 2017, Community Con-sultation Day were:

• Community Gathering Space: Physical & Virtual Spaces

• Engage in Early Childhood Development Opportunities

• Connect to School-age Children & Teens

• Know Your Community

• Understand How to Find, Evaluate & Use Information

• Pursue Personal Interests & Self-development

Goals and ObjectivesThe community’s recommendations were approved by the library board at the November 28, 2017, meeting. In December, the library management team conducted an analysis of current library service in relation to the new priorities, drafting a set of goals and objectives designed to move library service forward in identified priority areas. Goals and objectives for the 2018 – 2020 Plan of Service were approved by the library board at the January 30, 2018, meeting.

Action PlanThe 2018 – 2020 Plan of Service includes six service priorities, eleven goals, and twenty-six objectives. In addition to the official plan as outlined in this document, library staff created a detailed action plan through which the plan of service will be implemented. The action plan, while initially plotted over the three years of the plan of service, is a dynamic document flexible enough to respond to changing circumstances. The action plan will be reviewed and adjusted each year as part of the library’s annual business planning.

EvaluationPlan of service progress is reported to the library board at the end of each year, with an overall evaluation conducted at the end of the three-year cycle. Progress reports and evaluations help inform the next planning cycle.

PRIORITY 1 - Community Gathering Space: Physical & Virtual Spaces

PRIORITIES and GOALS

Vision: A community where citizens engage and interact with each other.

Service Response Description: The library will have events, services and spaces designed to provide opportunities for interaction, engagement and social networking.

APL is a place with welcoming, accessible and safe physical and virtual spaces to meet and in-teract with others.

GOAL 1: Library users will have a more welcoming, comfortable and convenient library experience.

Objective 1: By 2020, 85% of library users surveyed will report that they feel welcome and comfortable in the library.

Objective 2: In each year of the plan of service, APL will implement two new changes that make the library users’ experience more convenient.



GOAL 2: Library users will have accessible and safe physical and virtual spaces.

Objective 1: By the end of 2019, the provincial accessibility auditor will report significant improvement in accessibility at APL.

Objective 2: By the end of 2019, the library will have reviewed and updated all of its safety policies and procedures.

GOAL 3: Library users will have a more attractive and interesting facility in which to engage and interact with one another.

Objective 1: In each year of the plan of service, the library will offer users a minimum of three new opportunities to engage and interact in the library.


PRIORITY 2 - Engage in Early Childhood Development Opportunities*

Vision: A community where all children enter school ready to learn.

Service Response Description: Children from birth to five will have library collections, pro-grams, services and spaces designed to ensure that they enter school ready to learn.

APL supports caregivers and their preschoolers in developing early literacy, communication and social skills.

GOAL 1: Preschool children will have enhanced development opportunities to ensure they enter school ready to learn.

Objective 1: By 2020, three new circulating collection types will be offered for loan as part of APL’s preschool collections.



Objective 2: By 2020, nine additional off-site library programming opportunities will be available to Airdrie preschoolers.

Objective 3: In each year of the plan of service, one new type of library service will be introduced for preschoolers.

GOAL 2: Parents and caregivers will have increased support in their efforts to provide preschoolers with early childhood development opportunities.

Objective 1: By 2020, improved access to the preschool collection will result in a 10% increase in the circulation of preschool materials (exclusive of A/V material).

Objective 2: At the end of each year of the plan of service, parents and caregivers surveyed will report that they are aware of 90% of the library’s programs, collections and services available to preschoolers.

Objective 3: By 2020, the library’s online preschool resource selection guides will receive 2,000 views.


PRIORITY 2 - Connect to School-age Children & Teens*

Vision: A community where children and teens connect with one another and have opportunities to express themselves.

Service Response Description: Children and teens will have library collections, programs, ser-vices and spaces to help them connect with one another, explore new technologies, and express themselves in multiple formats and mediums.

APL provides children and teens with opportunities to connect with one another, explore new technologies and express themselves creatively.

GOAL 1: Children ages 5 through 12 will have enhanced opportunities to connect with one another, explore new technologies and express themselves creatively.

Objective 1: By 2020, the library will introduce three new online services that support creative expression by school-age children.



Objective 2: By 2020, three different types of technological devices will be available for school-age children to borrow for at-home exploration.

Objective 3: By 2020, 85% of school-aged children surveyed will respond that the library provides them with inviting, comfortable, & stimulating spaces.

GOAL 2: Teens ages 13-17 will have enhanced opportunities to connect with one another, explore new technologies and express themselves creatively.

Objective 1: By 2020, there will be a 25% increase in teen attendance at programs that offer opportunities to connect, explore new technologies and express themselves creatively.

Objective 2: In each year of the plan of service, the library will offer at least three offsite opportunities for Airdrie teens to connect with each other, explore new technologies and express themselves creatively.


PRIORITY 4 - Know Your Community**

Vision: A community where citizens can easily locate information about where they live.

Service Response Description: The library will be a central source of information about the wide variety of programs, services and activities provided by local community agencies and organizations.

APL provides access to information to help community members connect with one another.

GOAL 1: The community will have easy access to local information

Objective 1: In each year of the plan of service, Airdrie Public Library staff will have two training opportunities to develop their ability to connect community members with local information.

Objective 2: By 2020, 80% of library users surveyed will respond that they found the library’s digital services helpful in connecting them to community resources.

Objective 3: By 2020, 80% of library programs and events will incorporate elements that enhance the participants’ awareness of local resources.



PRIORITY 4 - Understand How to Find, Evaluate & Use Information**

Vision: A community where citizens know how to find, evaluate and use information.

Service Response Description: Library users will have collections, programs, services and spaces that support them in searching for, finding, evaluating and effectively using information.

Airdrie Public Library is a place that supports and builds information literacy.

GOAL 1: Library users will have enhanced opportunities to participate in library activities that help them find, evaluate and use information.

Objective 1: By 2020, there will be a 50% increase in library programs that include instruction on how to search, find, use and/or evaluate information.

Objective 2: In each year of the plan of service, at least 15 adult community groups/ organizations will have an opportunity to learn about library services and resources that can help them search for, find, use and/or evaluate information.

Objective 3: In each year of the plan of service, the library will offer one new online service that helps users search for, find, use and/or evaluate information.



PRIORITY 6 - Pursue Personal Interests & Self-development

Vision: A community dedicated to lifelong learning.

Service Response Description: The library will have collections, programs, services and spaces designed for lifelong learning.

APL is a place for making informed decisions and engaging in quiet reflection, reading and independent learning on a wide variety of topics.

GOAL 1: Increase the use of the library for lifelong learning activities.

Objective 1: In each year of the plan of service, attendance at adult programs will increase by 5%.

Objective 2: In each year of the plan of service, 90% of users surveyed will report that they were engaged in skill development or a learning activity at the library.

GOAL 2: Support adults engaged in lifelong learning by offering enhanced services and more flexible spaces to meet a variety of learning needs.

Objective 1: By 2020, the library will offer an additional five services to support adults engaged in independent learning at the library.

Objective 2: By 2020, independent learners will have access to five different types of library spaces in which to engage in independent learning.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank:Community members for their time, commitment and support for the process, and their effort in determining library service priorities.

Library board chair Daniel Nelles for his contributions and feedback throughout the process. Library board members Kayla Jessen and Leon Cygman for their participation in the community consultation day on November 4, 2017. The library board as a whole for their work in consider-ing and approving the 2018 – 2020 Plan of Service.

Library staff members for their input, feedback and effort during the planning process and, in advance, for their work in implementing the plan. Special thanks to Pamela Medland (Library Director), Monique Fiedler, Miranda Johnson, Kelly Kirkpatrick-Lauzon, Lynne McKishnie, Lindsey Skeen, Wyatt Tremblay and Jean Van Buren for many hours of work on this project.

Ken Feser, Library Consultant, Public Library Services Branch, Government of Alberta, for his guidance and leadership as facilitator of the library’s community consultation day.

Absent with regrets: Jen Bayly-Atkin (Writers’ Club), Cara Dore (Bow Valley College), Elizabeth Hall (Airdrie Regional Arts Society), Melissa Muise (Magic Mountain Daycare), Juliet Smith (Airdrie Soccer Club), and Pieter AJ Taljaard (Rotary Club).

Consultation Day Participants:Clay AragonChris BelandKerry Bostick Elissa BreakenridgeMyrtle BrewsterCathy Buchanan

Fred Burley Nancy DempsterDmitri DimopolousJudy DufortTonya EasterSapphire ErmantroutLuciana FernandezJessica Friesen

Paul GerlaCindy GillespieDebbie HabberfieldKrista McLeanVivyan OneilSandy PhillipsAngela Wright


Imagine ... a place that welcomes everyone and shares everything.

Discover ... the world through lifelong learning.

Connect ... with each other and build our community.

111, 304 Main St. SEAirdrie, AB T4B 3C3

403-948-0600www.airdriepubliclibrary.ca

Airdrie Public Library

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