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Franklin library board begins second five-year strategic plan, sets program evaluation and outreach steps
Summary
The Franklin Public Library Board of Trustees reviewed its first-year action items for a new five-year strategic plan, including program-evaluation forms, communication standards, targeted outreach to schools and community groups, and a push to mobilize the library foundation in response to possible federal funding cuts.
The Franklin Public Library Board of Trustees on April 28 reviewed first-year activities for a new five-year strategic plan, approving program-evaluation forms, drafting communication standards, and outlining outreach and fundraising steps to address possible cuts to federal library funding.
The plan’s first-year priorities include formal program-evaluation forms with outputs and outcomes, codified communication standards for marketing and event notices, an assessment of media and foreign-language collections, and a community-outreach push that would involve the Franklin Public Library Foundation.
“We’ve completed [the program-evaluation form],” Library Director Jennifer Lovell said, describing a fillable checklist that captures attendance, cost, staff roles and post-event reflections. “We wanted to make sure that all of our programming meets the needs of the community.”
The board discussed communication guidelines that would standardize flyers and online listings. The checklist calls for consistent branding (logo and library contact information), clear date/time formatting, registration instructions, a 1–3 sentence description including speaker qualifications and costs, and a dissemination plan that uses the library website, in-house flyers, Facebook, the city newsletter and targeted school communications.
Board members emphasized outreach to local groups: library staff cited recent community programs with the Muslim community and a Diwali event as successful models. “That was one of the best days of her library life,” Jennifer Lovell said of a community program Carrie organized. The board also noted successful school outreach after a 4K family-engagement event in April that brought families into the library for the first time.
Members discussed fundraising options in case federal support through the Institute of Museum and Library Services were reduced. Board members proposed a postcard campaign for patrons to contact elected officials and asked the foundation to consider targeted fundraising, including sponsorships drawn from a library wish list.
Board members requested quarterly status updates on the plan so accomplishments can be recorded each quarter. The board agreed to continue developing communication standards and to gather program-evaluation data for a larger report in the fourth quarter.
The board did not take a formal vote to adopt the full five-year plan at this meeting; members discussed in-progress items, approved the program-evaluation form for staff use and asked staff and the foundation to coordinate on outreach and fundraising.
