Our Process
The goals of a Strategic Plan are to identify key areas a public library must focus on to meet the community’s changing needs and share that information with all library stakeholders—patrons, staff, and community. Selecting some goals over others does not mean that other aspects of the library’s work are less important. The selection of a goal simply acknowledges that the library will focus additional effort and resources in that area.
The Library held two community forums to assess the needs of the Swampscott community over the next five years. Our Director led these meetings as the community was encouraged to share their input and identify possible service responses and goals for the Library. These meetings also considered a new vision for the community of Swampscott and how the Library can help to facilitate these aspirations.
To solicit staff input, the Director led focus groups with all staff that included an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the Library, followed by consideration of possible service responses for the Library, and finally, a vision and possible goals for the Library.
Our Director also hosted a similar SWOT exercise with the Board of Trustees and members of the Friends of the Swampscott Public Library Board.
The final data came from a Community Survey the Library posted on its website, made available in-house, and distributed to other community locations. Reminders to complete the survey were also sent out in the Town’s census.
