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Brownell Library trustees present 2026–2030 strategic plan after 500 survey responses
Summary
Brownell Library trustees summarized a community-informed strategic plan with six goals centered on community belonging, accessibility, physical environment and sustainability; trustees reported roughly 500 survey responses and described outreach methods.
Brownell Library trustees presented the library’s draft strategic plan for FY2026–2030 during the council meeting, saying the plan draws on roughly 500 public survey responses and community outreach.
Jean Grant, chair of the Brownell Library Board of Trustees, described the planning process and committee makeup: trustees, library staff and two community members worked on goals after an online and paper survey that ran several months. “One of the things that was really exciting was we got the survey translated into Nepali, through AALV,” Grant said, and she thanked community volunteers and local businesses that donated gift cards used as survey incentives.
Trustees said major goals include fostering community and belonging, improving accessibility for people of all abilities, maintaining a welcoming physical environment (lighting, HVAC and seating), supporting staff sustainability, conducting ongoing community engagement to assess needs, and better outreach and education about library services.
Survey results presented by trustees and staff showed that most respondents were Essex Junction residents, many had library cards, users reported that the physical collection and free resources were important, and 99.1 percent of respondents said Brownell Library is a valuable community resource. Trustees said attendance patterns skew toward midday visits and monthly frequency among many users.
Trustees and staff invited council feedback and suggested collaboration with city departments and councilors to host programs and public discussions at the library to attract more adults to events. Trustees said they plan ongoing engagement and will present the full plan and implementation steps to the city and the public.
No council action was required; the presentation was informational.
