REPORT TO BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
SUBJECT
Title
Review and Discuss Progress on the Santa Clara City Library Strategic Plan and Library Facilities Master Plan
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
The Santa Clara City Library is engaged in two significant planning efforts: the Strategic Plan and the Library Facilities Master Plan.
• The Strategic Plan, informed by community and staff engagement, will identify the Library’s work priorities over the next three years. The output of this work will be a plan to help Library staff direct work efforts with strategy and intent, to strengthen services in those areas that will be most impactful for the community. The plan will include a regular survey of public needs to better inform future service development.
• The Library Facilities Master Plan, informed by community and staff engagement, will provide documentation to support maintenance and upkeep of Library facilities, recommendations for optimal space utilization, and a nexus analysis to correlate long-term facility and service needs with population growth and development in the City’s General Plan. The output of this planning will be a forward-thinking, 20-year Facilities Master Plan providing guidelines and recommendations to coordinate the growth and maintenance of Library facilities and services with the City’s long-term planning and service goals.
Background on the Strategic Plan
Since February 2023, the Santa Clara City Library has been working with consultants Fast Forward Libraries to develop a strategic plan for the Library. This work included Board and Staff Kick-Off Sessions encompassing Environmental Scans and SOAR Analyses (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results); a Community Survey which collected 1,543 responses in five languages; Community Mapping activities involving interviews and focus groups; production of a Learning Report of data collected; Staff and Board retreat sessions; and a Staff Objective Setting Workshop.
At the April 1, 2024 regular meeting of the Board of Library Trustees, the Board engaged in discussion with Amanda Standerfer of Fast Forward Libraries, the consultants working with the Library to develop a Strategic Plan. The Board drafted language for the Vision and Mission statements for the draft Strategic Plan.
On April 23, 2024, Library leadership, in coordination with Fast Forward Libraries, held a Strategic Plan Implementation Meeting, during which the team reviewed the process of selecting and developing specific, actionable Objectives and Activities in support of Strategic Plan goals.
At the May 6, 2024 regular Board of Library Trustees meeting, Fast Forward Libraries reviewed the finalized Vision and Mission statements for the draft Strategic Plan with the Board.
At the August 5, 2024 regular Board of Library Trustees meeting, the Board reviewed progress in revisions of the Goals and Objectives of the draft Strategic Plan and heard examples of Activities. These revisions were informed by the local data collected in the Learning Report phase of the Strategic Plan process, and the ideas and recommendations generated during the Staff retreat, to develop an Implementation Plan. This plan includes SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound) Objectives and Activities.
At the August 19, 2024 special meeting of the Board of Library Trustees, the Board reviewed further progress on the draft Strategic Plan, reviewing an illustrative sample of specific activities recommended to implement and achieve the higher level goals and objectives.
At the September 16, 2024 regular Board of Library Trustees meeting, the Board was updated on engagements with all work units in the Library to review and prioritize SMART activities that will have the greatest impact in addressing community-informed service goals over the next three years.
Background on the Library Facilities Master Plan
The Library Facilities Master Plan began in August of 2024, following a Request for Proposal (RFP) and the selection of consultants Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, LTD (MSR). Beginning steps included information and data gathering related to the Library’s services, facilities, and equipment. In September 2024, the first site visit by MSR occurred, which included facility tours, staff engagements, and community engagement at all the Library branches as well as at Art & Wine Festival.
DISCUSSION
These two significant planning projects will provide insightful data-based guidance for the future of Library services and facilities, for both the near-term and long-term. Regular updates to the Board are being provided for transparency into these significant efforts.
Strategic Plan Progress
Library work units have provided recommendations on Activities to prioritize systemwide and within their teams to best meet community needs and Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives. Activities selected were informed by community input as captured in the Learning Report as well as by staff engagement and professional best practices.
Currently, Library leadership is engaged in finalizing Activities for the implementation portion of the final Strategic Plan. Activities are being drafted to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). Design and drafting of the final Strategic Plan is also in progress. The intent is to review a draft of the Strategic Plan with the Board at the regular November meeting, and to review with the City Manager’s Office prior to bringing it before the City Council.
Facilities Master Plan Progress
MSR is currently active in project tasks related to community and staff engagement, resource and data collection, and review and analysis. The consultants plan to return for a second site visit in October, to coincide with Comic Con on October 12, 2024. Their second visit will include more community engagement, as well as virtual meetings with several stakeholders and commissions, including the Youth Advisory Commission, the Planning Commission, the Development Cabinet, and the Senior Advisory Commission.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact other than staff time.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Board agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Review and Discuss Progress on the Santa Clara City Library Draft Strategic Plan and Facilities Master Plan
Staff
Reviewed by: Sami James, Management Analyst
Approved by: Patty Wong, City Librarian