At NoveList, we believe reading has the power to transform lives, and libraries are uniquely positioned as centers for reading. If building a community of curious, active readers is a core focus of your library, does your strategic plan reflect that? If not, get inspiration from these strategic plans that focus on the importance of reading.
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Los Angeles Public Library, CA
https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/media/pdf/about/LAPL_Strategic_Plan_2015-2020.pdf
Los Angeles Public Library knows that it’s important to raise readers:
“No other public institution can match the power of the library to capture the imagination and stimulate the minds of young children.” What’s especially great about this goal? The focus is as much on leisure reading for children as it is on reading for education. As their strategic plan states, reading brings together “children and adults together from diverse cultural, ethnic and economic backgrounds.”
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Elmhurst Public Library, IL
https://elmhurstpubliclibrary.org/about-us/strategic-plan/
Elmhurst Public Library “is the place for discovery at the heart of the community,” which means putting a love of reading at the beginning of their vision statement. Their focus on reading is supported by their service initiatives, which include “actively promoting their collections so patrons can check out items.”
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Public Libraries Victoria
https://execofficer0.wixsite.com/plvnsigs/reader-development
The state of Victoria put together a reader development strategic framework to encourage a consistent approach to adult readers throughout the state and to provide examples of good practice.
The goals of their framework include “start with the reader” and “libraries connect readers,” and all of their goals include examples of good practice, performance indicators, and other helpful guidelines for any library wanting to make reading a focus.
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Hennepin County Library, MN
https://www.hclib.org/about/strategic-plan
Hennepin County Library keeps its strategic plan simple; the document outlines their promises to their community, to their patrons, and to their staff.
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Abington Public Library, MA
https://www.abingtonpl.org/files/Strategic_Plan_July_2017_to_June_2022.pdf
Abington Public Library breaks its strategic plan into service priorities, including promoting their collection, increasing participation in book discussion groups, and promoting a One City One Book program, Abington Reads.
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Jacksonville Public Library, FL
https://www.jaxpubliclibrary.org/about/strategic-plan
The first goal of Jacksonville’s strategic plan is to “Inspire Lifelong Learning and Discovery.” Their first step in this strategy is to “champion reading.” Simple can be powerful.
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Forbes Library, MA
https://forbeslibrary.org/info/strategic-plan/
The title of Goal Five in Forbes Library’s strategic plan is “Fun.” And reading should be fun! Recreational reading enriches lives and libraries are one of the best places in a community to develop the imagination and creativity of all ages through books and audiobooks.
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DC Public Library
https://www.dclibrary.org/sites/default/files/dcplstrategicplan_2017_2021_full.pdf
DCPL balances the needs of a highly literate population and its adults who are developing readers. The plan points out a truth for all public libraries: “The entire city prospers when more residents are literate and reading.”
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Orange City Public Library, IA
https://orangecityiowa.com/residents/library/about-us/strategic-plan/#tab-id-3
Orange City Public Library has enhancing their readers’ advisory as part of their work on their collections. As part of their strategic plan, they will “Provide material displays, promotional materials, newsletter and social media recommendations and updates. Train staff on Reader’s Advisory techniques.” This includes increasing usage of NoveList.
Sample strategic plans
If reading is a focus of your strategic plan (or you are looking to make it one), we have resources and ideas to support you.
- Find tools to build the readers’ advisory skills of your library, including PowerPoints to train staff in the Improve section of our Idea Center
- Get readers’ advisory tips delivered to your inbox monthly by subscribing to NoveList newsletters.
- Want to develop a community of readers? A NoveList expert can train your staff to think strategically about your readers' advisory services. Email learnwithnovelist@ebsco.comlearnwithnovelist@ebsco.com so that we can learn more about your needs and discuss how NoveList services can help you.