Strategic Plan 2021-2025
This strategic plan outlines goals for the Interlaken Public Library for the upcoming five year period. It reflects the library mission and vision statements given below, as well as feedback collected from library staff and volunteers and from community members and stakeholders during a series of public meetings held in 2019. The goals and objectives presented here were formed with an understanding that library services will change in accordance with the needs of the community that the library serves. The Board of Trustees will evaluate the progress of the library in meeting these goals at their annual meeting each January.
Library Mission
The mission of the Interlaken Public Library is to provide public access to educational and recreational materials, technological resources, engaging experiences, and the support necessary for individuals and groups to connect, learn, build skills, and succeed in our community.
Vision Statement
The Interlaken Public Library is known as a vibrant community center and indispensable community resource. By providing access to a broad array of materials, providing support for those who wish to use the varying mediums of those materials, and listening to the community for how the library can best meet changing needs, the Interlaken Public Library positively impacts the lives of its patrons and enhances the well-being of the greater Interlaken community.
- Expand the library building (or reconfigure the current layout) to create new spaces for different uses, such as programming, a library of things, a technology center, community meeting rooms, staff rooms, etc.
- Develop the outdoor spaces around hte library building for outdoor programming, events, and regular patron enjoyment, and to enhance the library visibility.
- Expand the types of offerings available at the library (services, technology, collections, and programming) and offer less traditional services and items that meet patron needs.
- Maintain a range of state-of-the-art technology for patron use in the library and for checkout, and provie education and in-depth assistance to maximize patron access.
- Increase access by expanding staff, hours, and user assistance with collections and services.
- Offer professional development opportunities for staff, volunteers, and trustees.
- Design a memorable library brand (logo, imagery, text) for use inside and outside of the library and online.
- Pursue a continuing understanding of the demographics and needs of the local community to guide the development of library outreach, services, programs, and collections that best serve all segments of the community.
- Expand outreach and marketing, employing the most effective media possible, to increase awareness of and engagement with the library among users and current non-users.
- Increase the library’s social media presence and use of the web to deliver information and diverse virtual programming.
- Offer/host programming, materials, and services in other locations in the community, outside of the library.
- Pursue offerings that will support community members connecting with each other.
- Add to the library staff an outreach coordinator, who will manage the execution of all outreach activities and develop relationships within the community.
- Collaborate with the Friends of the Interlaken Public Library and provide content and context for their advocacy of the library to build awareness of, interest in, and financial support for the library in the community.
- Grow and explore new avenues of collaboration with surrounding libraries.
- Further explore, refine, and expand programmatic activities in conjunction with other town and village institutions and organizations.
- Identify and leverage other resources in teh community and pursue less traditional avenues of collaboration to enhance patrons’ awareness of and access to library and outside offerings and resources in the community. This could include transportation assistance, remote book/programming/tech hubs, shared calendars, etc.