Plans

 

 

 

Bloomfield Public Library

Strategic Plan 2023-2026

 

We appreciate the following people for helping us create a strategic plan which will benefit our community.

 

Becky Heil, State Library of Iowa consultant

 

Board Members:

·       Roger Wuthrich, President

·       Marilyn Piper, Vice President

·       Amy Tyson

·       Lindsey Helton

·       Marty Hudson

·       Rhonda Eakins

·       Russ Mikels

·       Shannon Vesely

·       Sheila Westegard

 

Staff:

·       Anne Tews, Director

·       Margaret Nuttall, Children’s Librarian

 

Community Members

·       Chelsea Dearborn

·       Keelie Johnson

·       Helen Schroeder

·       Nikki Thordarson

·       Bobby Jolley, Jr.

·       Erica Good

·       Brent Wuthrich

·       Joanie Helton

·       Karen Spurgeon

·       Leslie Dotson

·       Ashley Tuvera

·       Jonathon Tuvera

·       Stephen Tews

·       Felicia Walker

·       Shawn Armstrong

·       And others

 

 

Davis County, Iowa was established in 1843 and Bloomfield was established in 1844 as the county seat. In 1912 the first library board was formed and in 1913 they built the original Carnegie structure. In 2015 the structure was added to the National Registry of Historic Places and in 2018, after an addition was built, the library reopened to the public.

The Bloomfield Public Library provides services to Bloomfield (pop. 2682), Drakesville (164), Floris (116), Pulaski (264) and rural Davis County (5884). The poverty rate in Davis County is 9.6% at the time this plan was compiled. There are approximately 1290 students in the Davis County Community School District from PreK through high school. There are approximately 1400 Old Order Amish in Davis County.

August 2022 the Bloomfield Library Board met with Becky Heil, State Library of Iowa consultant, to initiate/launch the Strategic Planning process. This process is a means to assist the library director and board in making decisions which are in the best interests of the community. It also announces the library’s priorities and vision of the future.

 

 

Mission Statement: 

The Mission of the Bloomfield Public Library is to serve all residents of the community and provide free and open access information resources, equipment, programs and services that encourage literacy and lifelong learning in support of educational, cultural, and recreational activities.

 

Vision: 

We strive to develop an informed, engaged, and connected community.

 

 

Goals & Objectives

 

Express Creativity (Create and Share Content)

            Goal 1: High School students gain new skills by creating a virtual library tour.

·       Director will contact Davis County high school business teacher to start the process by February18, 2023

·       Current staff will meet with students and describe what to feature by March 1, 2023

·       Students supervised by staff will  use their technology to create and edit videos of library spaces and features by end of 22/23 school year

·       Director and students will present finished project to the board by June meeting.

·       Director will add to the website by end of Fiscal Year 2023.

           

         Goal 2: Community members have an opportunity to see their creative endeavors reflected at the library.

·       Staff will contact the school art teacher(s) and community artists about scheduling a rotation of art displays along the basement hallway. The artwork will be created by community members and be on display for one to four months. This will begin in the 2023-24 school year.

·       Youth Services Librarian will schedule displays, talent show, or other events during the 2023 summer reading program.

·       Staff will make plain paper, coloring pages, and other supplies available to community members of all ages to create art for the glass walls of Director’s and Youth Services Librarian’s offices.

 

 

Build Successful Enterprises (Business and Non-profit Support)

Goal 1: Students or other potential entrepreneurs explore resources by connecting with community business owners.

·       Staff will coordinate with Main Street, FBLA, and local business owners to create networking opportunities by end of the 2024 Fiscal Year.

·       The library will host networking opportunity within six months after the above step.

 

        Goal 2: Volunteers have an opportunity to serve their community at the library from a young age.

·       The Library will have application form ready for volunteers

·       Develop a Teen Advisory Board (TAB) by March 2023

·       Youth Services will coordinate with middle school counselor to share information with students about volunteer opportunities by end of school year 2023-2024.

·       Youth Services will contact high school coordinator of Silver Cord program to encourage students to consider the library for hours by end of school year 2024-2025.

 

            Goal 3: Potential volunteers and service organizations are connected by the library.

·       TAB will coordinate with other service organizations to develop service opportunities in the community starting in fall 2023, to be formalized by fall 2024.

·       The director will organize a volunteer fair with local organizations and community members in fall 2023.

 

Know Your Community (Community Resources and Services)

            Goal 1: Community Organizations have a place to promote their services

·       Advertise that we have four bulletin boards for public and group use.

·       Organize a block party, invite nearby residents and business employees, and general public by summer or early fall 2024

o   Research how to block off the street for 2 hours

o   Research how block parties are organized.

·       Have rotating table of information from community resources groups along with one of their staffers to answer questions; flyers left will be available for pick up afterwards. Once or twice per month beginning fall 2023

 

  

Make Informed Decisions (Health, Wealth, and Other Life Choices)

Goal 1: Residents have educational opportunities to fill in gaps in their knowledge and education.

·       Invite local organizations to use our space for educational opportunities (i.e. ISU Extension Service, 4-H, IHCC Continuing Ed-General Interest courses: arts & crafts, fitness, etc) beginning autumn 2024.

 

Goal 2: Community members find tech help and information literacy resources at the library.

·       Help Amish community with basic technology skills (how to use a mouse, setting up email, basic online searches, etc) to supplement 1-on-1 service. Director will create a monthly class on Saturdays, about 3pm, sign up will be required Winter/Spring 2024

·       Advertise Brainfuse JobNow/VetNow and assist or introduce patrons to this free service.  Beginning autumn 2023.

·       Director will contact the new Davis County VA person, Laura Baird, and share resources we have for veterans. By summer 2023.

·       Director will offer course every six to eight weeks on information literacy instruction (how to search online better, etc) beginning in fall of winter 2023/2024.

 

Celebrate Diversity (Cultural Awareness)

            Goal 1: Diverse community members will see themselves reflected at the library.

·       Librarians will select materials which reflect content and creators from a wide variety of lived experiences and identity. This will include books in Spanish written by Latinx authors. Collection development is a continual process.

·       The Library will offer passive and/or active programs designed to educate or celebrate all forms of diversity on a quarterly basis no later than January 2025.

 

Goal 2: More underserved residents will be served by outreach services.

·       The library will design bookmarks with information about the Library of Things and other services to be distributed at local food banks and the Lord’s Cupboard.

·       The Director will coordinate with the Food Bank of Iowa’s Mobile Food Pantry,  Lord’s Cupboard, and the Friend’s of the Bloomfield Public Library regarding book distribution alongside their standard services.

·       Staff will host a bi-monthly (every other month) book club aimed at adults beginning winter 2023-2024.

·       The library will coordinate with Mulberry Place and the Bloomfield Care Center to have a rotating selection of Large Print books available for seniors who can’t visit the library. This program will be established by fall 2025/spring 2026.

·       The staff will coordinate with the Mutchler Center to have a rotating selection of age-appropriate books and activities available for participants in their summer program who can’t visit the library by summer 2026.