We’re in a new budget year at the City and the Library. It’s time to look back at the previous year and plan for the new one.
We didn’t accomplish all of our goals from last year. Namely, our Technology Plan and our Disaster Plan aren’t finished. The Technology Plan is in its final stages and will be sent to the Board and Council soon. The Disaster Plan will be completed in the Fall, though COVID-19 has inspired some parts of it already.
Luckily, we aren’t starting the new year off too far behind. Some of our goals for the new fiscal year have already been accomplished. Our Strategic Plan calls for us to evaluate the need to purchase local ebooks and digital audiobooks, which the Library Board decided to start doing when we closed for COVID in March. We are also slated to look at STEM programming this year. Thanks to the stipend we received from the Mid-America Industrial Park, we’ve already got the programs outlined and the supplies and equipment in stock. We just have to wait until it’s safe enough to implement them.
None of our Strategic Plan goals or activities for this year are particularly flashy or noticeable by anyone not on staff. Much of what we’re doing this year is preserving institutional memory by documenting procedures, processes, and other knowledge. Once we’ve accomplished these goals, we’ll be a stronger organization with a solid foundation on which to grow.
One of the things you will notice in the coming fiscal year is changes in our front-line staff. Assuming the Library Board, Budget/Personnel Committee, and the Council approve our plan, we’ll be shifting some staff around. We will also be saying farewell to a beloved staff member in a few months. Stay tuned for how we will celebrate her time with the Library and wish her well in her new adventures.