BEACON FALLS
PUBLIC LIBRARY
MISSION AND GOALS

(taken from the Library Board's Five-Year Plan)

MISSION STATEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

GOALS OF THE BEACON FALLS LIBRARY

Customer Base

• Increase the number of Beacon Falls cardholder by 3% (120 registrations) per year
  
• Make registration easier by better coordination with the schools, off-site registration (examples: school offices for new students, Senior Center, etc.), mail-in applications, and through better publicity
  
• Attract new users through continuing current services (such as children's programs and story hours, adult craft classes, and computer training) and implement new services (such as cultural events, film discussions) as space permits
  
• Attract new customers through better communication and publicity of current and new services through use of brochures, annual focus groups, more town-wide mailings, newsletters, flyers, and use of the World-Wide-Web.

Collection

• Move to a larger facility
• Ensure that the library's collection reflects community needs by: periodically surveying the community via a written survey and cooperate with the local schools to coordinate library purchases.
• Expand library holdings in non-print areas by preparing bibliographies of non-print items based on demographic and survey information, and by utilizing the State Space Planning Guide to develop adequate non-print areas for future building.
• Increase library holdings in the area of reference materials by preparing and updating bibliographic materials in the area of library reference, and by utilizing the State Space Planning Guide to develop adequate reference area for future building
• Increase library materials budget by preparing a schedule of projected increases in the area of book and non-book purchases for the town Board of Finance and by utilizing the State Space Planning Guide to project a budget request in accordance with new library construction.
• Establish a reputation as a reference and resource center by providing high interest, high demand materials in a variety of formats and by utilizing electronic access to information data bases to enhance reference capabilities.
• Build the collection of classical works by establishing a policy for systematically replacing classics in disrepair while continuing to upgrade the present collection of classics by adding additional titles.

Facilities

• To incorporate a Five-Year Plan
• To establish a Library Building Committee
• Research grants for funding
• Develop a Library Building Plan
• Seek preliminary building sites
• Nuture community support of a building project
• Visit recently constructed libraries
• Provide the community with a free-standing library
• Provide the town with a cultural, technological, and community center

Staffing

• Use appropriations for Library service in the most efficient and cost effective way possible.
• Maintain the Town's level of support for the Library Operating Budget by continuing to increase this level of support 3 - 6% per year and continuing to work in partnership with the town to plan for benefits for library staff at the same rate as for other town employees.
• Encourage the growth of the Friends of the Beacon Falls Library as a primary resource for community support, fundraising, and advocacy.
• Review annually all financial management policies and plans including consideration of special fundraising such as endowment drive, planned giving campaign, corporate sponsorships, etc.
• Continue membership in the Western Connecticut Library Council and other regional efforts designed to maximize cooperation and resource sharing; continue to offer and participate in Interlibrary Loan.
• Develop a plan for attracting gifts to support library programs; i.e. books, equipment, and in-kind services.
• Develop a Library Capitol Projects Budget. Work with the Town to formulate a plan to fold large library projects into the Town's Capitol Plan.

Programming

• Utilize programs to increase library usage by using the State Space Planning Guide to plan for an adequate meeting/activity room, by structuring programs to meet library themes and exhibits, and by advertising programs in a manner most effective in reaching the town population.
• Sponsor programs of interest to community users by utilizing mass mailings to ascertain community interest, by working with local schools to coordinate curricula with programming, and by using exit surveys (evaluations) to judge the effectiveness of the programs.
• Sponsor programs in the area of continuing education and/or self improvement by sponsoring Internet and computer literacy programs, by holding diverse programs to meet the interests of the community users of the library, such as craft classes, book discussion groups, movie theme series, speakers on seasonal topics and interests, etc

Technology

• Integrate technology into information services and provide regular access to technology for patrons and staff to promote active, personalized, and collaborative learning experiences by continuing to increase patron access to technology until a ratio of one (1) computer for every five hundred (500) patrons and one (1) computer for every two (2) staff members is achieved; by using technology to accomplish specific goals in the library; by obtaining a variety of multimedia hardware and software for use by patrons and staff; and by integrating online services into patron and staff areas by establishing connections to the Internet.
• Utilize state of the art technology to facilitate communication within the Library community and the outside world by installing computer, phone, and video networks in the library to provide access for phone service, electronic mail, the sharing of printers, files, software programs, cable TV, and satellite broadcasts.
• Develop and implement a staff development plan to assist all staff in effectively integrating technology into library service and management responsibilities by providing support for staff development, curriculum integration, and technical assistance; by assisting staff to integrate current and emerging technology into daily activities.
• Provide leadership and technical assistance in the use of information and communication technology by ensuring appropriate technology planning; and by ensuring appropriate and uninterrupted operation of administrative, instructional, and library systems.
• Articulate the technology skills and knowledge needed by patrons for effective use of technology as a learning and research tool, and clarify the learning experiences needed to develop those skills by defining the necessary keyboarding, spreadsheet applications, and word processing skills needed by patrons; and by defining the electronic information finding skills needed by patrons.
• Automation of library services by defining and implementing the necessary programs needed to automate the library's patron, circulation, and catalog system; by defining and implementing the necessary programs needed to automate the ordering of materials.

Staffing

• Every staff member will be provided with at least one training experience per year.
• All staff members continue to share their knowledge and skills among other staff.
• Annual performance appraisals will provide appropriate evaluation of training needs.

Volunteers

• Increase the presence of volunteers in the library.
• Prepare a volunteer job description.
• Prepare a volunteer wish list of tasks to be accomplished.
• Create a recognition program for the library volunteers.

Contact Us
Website maintained by Sue Dowdell
Last updated October 18, 2000
Contact the Webmaster