ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2019-2023 Strategic Plan and New Mission/Vision/Values Statements

 
2019-2023 Strategic Plan
Build upon people, platform, place, and partnerships to strengthen or enrich the library’s utilization and visibility and to enhance the library’s place in our community. 

People
The library’s future will be people driven.  We will consistently serve patrons with exemplary customer service while enhancing professional relationships with staff, volunteers, influencers, and community members, utilizing their talents to the fullest.

  • Research, evaluate, and implement alternatives for the roles of trustees, Friends of the Library, and volunteers in support of the library by 2023.
  • Develop a marketing and communications plan to elevate awareness of the library’s services throughout our community no later than yearend 2020.
  • Identify, meet, and get to know influential members of our community, meeting with at least six annually.
  • Continue to be responsive to library patrons’ suggestions, needs, and use trends; maintain a 90 percent satisfaction rating or greater based on surveys and/or aggregate internet ratings. 

Platform
The library will be the community’s learning platform to facilitate discovery, foster innovation, and bring understanding to an abundance of information.  Our platform will help prepare children for school and excel academically as well as support and encourage lifelong learning.

  • Provide our community with the best possible resources in multiple formats based on demand and emerging trends.  Maintain a checkout rate per service area capita of at least 15.
  • Explore and implement new programs to encourage library usage.  Grow library visits (based on door count) per capita to 6 by 2023.
  • Help community members become adopters of online resources by expanding access to digital resources at the library as well as remotely.  Increase total e-content use by 30 percent by 2023.
  • Increase annual expenditures on new materials and resources to at least 15 percent of total annual expenditures by 2023.
  • Preserve and celebrate Menasha’s rich history by continuing to keep archives, host local history displays, and hold celebrations of community-related milestones throughout the five-year period.

Place
The library will be a community destination, a place to establish personal connections, strengthen community identity, and explore the world of information, serving as a physical and virtual community center.

  • Develop a comprehensive facilities usage plan by 2021.

Partnerships
The library will cultivate and strengthen partnerships with people and organizations to connect community members with their resources, expertise, and services, multiplying our impact as well as the impact of our partners.

  • Establish an endowment plan to ensure the long-term viability of the library.  Initial plan to be completed by 2022.
  • Strengthen existing strategic partnerships with local schools, businesses, non-profit agencies, and government agencies.  Develop synergies with existing partners to meet and exceed evolving community needs.
  • Explore six new partnerships per year.

Mission
Elisha D. Smith Public Library:  Connecting people to one another and to resources for lifelong learning.

Vision
Elisha D. Smith Public Library will enrich the quality of life for people in our community. 

Values Statement
We are readers, demonstrating our values as follows: 
Respect. We respect the uniqueness and value of every individual.
Essential.  Libraries are essential to the public good.
Achieving excellence.  Our community deserves an excellent library.
Diversity.  Diversity is celebrated.
Education.  Education is important at all levels; we strongly support lifelong learning.
Responsible and compassionate.  We care about the citizens of our community.
Strength.  Libraries build strong communities.