REPORT TO BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Approve Library Strategic Plan
Report
BACKGROUND
The Santa Clara City Library has developed a Strategic Plan to identify the Library's goals and priorities over the next three years. The Strategic Plan will be used to direct staff work efforts with strategy and intent, to strengthen services in those areas that will be most impactful for the community.
The Library began working with consultants Fast Forward Libraries in February 2023 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. Community engagement and data gathering, supported by engagement with staff and the Board, was intentionally prioritized to ensure strategic goals are responsive to the needs of the community.
The Board of Library Trustees engaged with the consultants at five Board meetings in 2024, during which they developed a Vision and Mission for the Strategic Plan and kept abreast of the information collected in the Learning Report and the progress on the development of the Strategic Plan. Library staff continued to develop and refine the Strategic Plan in coordination with the City Manager's Office in 2025.
DISCUSSION
The Santa Clara City Library has produced a Strategic Plan designed to be specific and actionable over the next three years, with a new mission and vision and three organizational priorities that are intentionally evergreen and can be refreshed with the growth and changing needs of the community.
The first organizational priority is to Increase Community Connection. The strength of the Library is i...
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