Keene Valley Library Long-range Plan adopted August, 2005

Library Vision

The patrons of the Keene Valley Library will:

• Have the information they need to succeed at school, at work, and in their personal lives;
• Have reading, viewing and listening materials and programs that stimulate their thinking, enhance their knowledge of the world, and improve the quality of their leisure time;
• Discover the joy of reading and develop a love of learning;
• Enjoy a high level of access to electronic information resources and develop the technological, information seeking, and information evaluation skills needed in an increasingly complex world;
• Think of the Keene Valley Library as a focal point of community life that connects and unites the people of the entire region;
• Use the resources and services of the Keene Valley Library and encourage others to do so as well.

Library Mission Statement

The mission of the Keene Valley Library is to be a center of community life, offering opportunities for people of all ages to learn, gather and grow.

The mission of the Keene Valley Library is to be a dependable source of reliable information and of challenging ideas that enlighten and enrich, and of materials in many formats that enhance leisure time and expand knowledge of current events.

The mission of the Keene Valley Library is to encourage the love of reading and the joy of learning, and to offer the assistance people need to find, evaluate, and use electronic and print information resources that help them live successful and rewarding lives.
 

Foci of the Long Range Plan

• Lifelong Learning
• Automation
• Community Center
• Capital improvement
• Policy Review

Goals & Objectives

What follows are the library's goals and objectives for the years 2005-2010, arranged under the five major service categories. In this planning process, goals describe the result or the outcome that the library is trying to achieve. Objectives are ways in which progress toward achieving those goals will be measured. Specific activities and tasks to be performed in pursuit of the goals and objectives are not included as a part of this document. In order to ensure that the plan is a living, changing document, activities and tasks are developed on an annual basis and are changed and modified as needed.

Lifelong Learning

Goal 1

Children of Keene Valley and the surrounding areas and Keene Central School will develop a lifelong love of books and a desire to learn that will help them live productive and satisfying lives.

• Keene Valley Library will maintain a partnership with Keene Central School
• Keene Valley Library will maintain an up-to-date collection of children’s books, both fiction and non-fiction to serve as the school library classroom for elementary students
• Keene Valley Library will add more than 200 books to the children’s collection each year
• Teachers will be asked for input on book selections for the children’s collection
• Keene Valley Library will survey Little Peaks Preschool for input on their needs.
• At least 9 children’s programs will be held each year of the cycle

Goal 2

Residents of KeeneValley and the surrounding area will have the information, resources and assistance they need to achieve success in their schooling and personal independent learning.

• Keene Valley Library will add more than 600 books and audiobooks to the adult collection each year
• Keene Valley Library will maintain a collection of periodicals and newspapers based on readership and request.

Goal 3

KeeneValley LibraryPatrons of all ages will develop the information seeking and evaluation skills that are critical to success in an increasingly technological world.

• Keene Valley Library will maintain 5 public computers with internet access for the public
• Keene Valley Library will offer a computer course once a year for the public
• Keene Valley Library will publish information on use of the library catalog and website and available databases.

Goal 4

Keene Valley Librarywill have access to popular materials that stimulate their thinking, satisfy their curiosities, expand their knowledge of contemporary culture and society, and make their leisure time more productive and enjoyable.

• Keene Valley Library will purchase at least 80% of the New York Times best sellers list of fiction and 20 % of the non-fiction list for patron use
• Patrons of the Keene Valley Library will be able to request a book or library item on ICICLL or Horizon

Automation

Goal 5 -

KeeneValley Library will be fully automated by 2010

• By January 2006, Alpine collection will be barcoded
• By January 2006, card catalogs will be removed
• By January 2007, unknown collections will be renamed

• By January 2008, oversized art books will be barcoded

• By January 2009, missing books will be deleted from database
• By January 2010, all reports will be generated from the automated system

Community Center

Goal 6

Keene Valley Library Patrons will find a safe and welcoming place where the entire community comes together to celebrate culture and knowledge, to enjoy engaging programs and to find others with whom to share their interests and enjoy unique learning experiences.

• Keene Valley Library will provide meeting space to community groups who request such a space.
• At least 9 adult programs will be held each year of the cycle.
• At least 9 children’s programs will be held each year of the cycle
• Work with community partners to develop a teen program.

Capital Projects

Goal 7

Keene Valley Library recognizes the continual need of building projects to maintain a functional, efficient building. The following projects are planned for the next five years

Funding for capital improvements is secured from one or more of the following: capital campaigns, investment income, donations and grants and is not included in the Library’s annual budget.

Except in the case of an emergency requiring a more immediate solution, a committee of the Board undertakes capital improvements only after careful planning and investigation of design and costs. The project’s costs and design are to be presented to the Board for review and possible revision over a designated time period.

Policy Review

Goal 8

Plans call for designated sections of the Library’s Policy Manual to be reviewed and revised at the monthly meetings of the Executive Committee. This process began in the fall of 2004 after a complete review of current policies by the Board President and the Library Director.

The Executive Committee is given a copy of policies to be reviewed prior to each monthly meeting. Following discussion among Executive Committee members and the Director, changes are made to policies where indicated and then approved by the Executive Committee at the following monthly meeting. The date and year for completion of the updating the Library’s Policy Manual is August 2006 when the Library’s Policy Manual will be presented to the Board for final approval.