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Prescott Valley Library unveils 2025 community assessment; identifies five focus areas and outreach plans
Summary
Library staff presented results of a 2025 community assessment, reported more than $300,000 in grant awards over 12 years, identified five priority service areas, and said staff will return in September with proposed adjustments to hours and outreach plans including a bookmobile and a May 2026 book festival.
Casey Van Herren, presenting with Michelle Yordin, the library’s public services manager, told the Town Council that the Prescott Valley Library completed a second community assessment in 2025 to align services with community needs and support grant applications.
Van Herren said the library used conversations with senior centers, schools, parent-teacher organizations and public-safety staff, plus a community survey, to identify five focus areas: economic empowerment/financial literacy; STEM and hands-on learning for teens and youth; wellness and social connection; homeschool support and flexible programming; and community engagement and outreach, including a bookmobile and pop-up libraries.
Why it matters: Library staff said understanding patron needs helps them design programs, demonstrate value to funders and pursue grants from the Library Services and Technology Act and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Van Herren noted the library has obtained more than $300,000 in grant funding over the past 12 years and used a $30,000 Technology Act grant to support the 2019 assessment.
Key details: Van Herren said the library plans to return to council in September with a proposal to adjust operating hours so more working adults can attend evening programs. She highlighted a teen program that drew 78 attendees and said teen engagement efforts will expand. The library announced a book festival planned for May 2026 that will feature Ann Hillerman as a speaker.
Discussion versus direction: The council received the assessment; councilors praised recent teen programming and the staff’s outreach. No formal action or funding decisions were taken at the meeting.
Next steps: Staff will bring an operating-hours adjustment plan to the council in September, continue pursuing grants and expand outreach through pop-up libraries and a bookmobile.
