Long Range Plan

2023-2027

Approved and recorded in the 4/18/23Robey Memorial Library Board minutes

MISSION STATEMENT

Robey Memorial Library is the information center of Waukon and the surrounding community. Our mission is to support and serve individuals of all ages by providing current print and non-print information and technology resources in order to enrich lives through lifelong learning.

LIBRARY VISION

Robey Memorial Library will function as a community resource for reading and learning by acquiring high demand materials in a variety of formats for persons of all ages. It will conduct necessary research to answer informational questions using the print and electronic resources in our collection. The library will support the community's access to the wider information world and support the formal and informal education needs of our community.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

The foundation for this plan is the assessment of community needs. Data has been gathered from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, the State Data Center of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Education, city and county informational studies, and patron requests. This information is the basis for Robey Memorial Library's Long-Range Plan, and has been used to determine patron programming, material purchases, and use of public space.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES/MEASURES

Goal #1—To increase funding for the library.

Objectives:

  1. Library administration and Trustees will continue to foster strong relationships with Waukon City Council and Allamakee County Board of Supervisors
  2. The Robey Memorial Library Foundation will develop a long-term fundraising plan.
  3. Library administration will research appropriate grant funding.

Desired outcome: Overall funding will increase over the next five years.

Goal #2—To provide a high-quality, high-demand collection that is responsive to community needs as determined by item usage statistics collected by the director.

Objectives:

  1. The library will purchase high-demand materials for leisure reading, for patrons of all ages.
  2. The library will purchase high-quality non-fiction, reference, & periodical materials which reflect community needs, for patrons of all ages.
  3. The library will examine every item in the collection for potential withdrawal at least once a year.

Desired outcome: Library circulation will increase or remain consistent over the next five years.


Goal #3—The library will provide community access to information via electronic means.

Objectives:

  1. The library will increase access to computers/internet for the community.
  2. The library will continue to provide access to electronic books and downloadable audio materials via OverDrive, and will explore alternative means to provide these materials to patrons of all ages.

Desired outcome:

  1. The library will maintain at least 6 public access computers.
  2. The library will continue to provide access to wireless internet connection, while providing more space in which patrons may access it.

  3. Library administration will examine network usage statistics in order to maintain a technology plan that best serves the interests of the community.

Goal #4—The library will use patron usage statistics collected by the director in the library's monthly report to provide valuable informational and educational services to members of the community of all ages.

Objectives:

  1. The library will promote literacy and build awareness of the breadth of library services available across all age groups. This will be achieved through selection of materials, story times, summer reading program, reading challenges for adults, book discussion groups and other means.

  2. The library will be pro-active in responding to community information needs, by meeting individually with local leaders from government, business, nonprofit, education, civic, & religious organizations to ascertain and meet their information needs.

  3. The library will provide programming of an informational/educational nature for patrons of all ages.

Desired outcome:

a) Attendance at or participation in reading programs and groups will increase by 10% over the next five years.
b) Attendance at library programs will increase by 10% over the next five years.


Adopted May, 2000
Revised May, 2003
Revised February, 2013
Revised April, 2018
Revised February, 2020
Revised April 2023