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Hayward City Council adopts 2025–2029 Public Library strategic plan; council votes 7-0
Summary
The City Council unanimously approved a resolution adopting the Hayward Public Library’s 2025–2029 strategic plan. Library director Donna Adelman described the community-led process, goals for literacy, equity, outreach and staff development, and next steps including expanded outreach and consideration of Sunday/evening hours.
The Hayward City Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Jan. 28 approving the Hayward Public Library’s five-year strategic plan for 2025–2029.
Library Director Donna Adelman presented the strategic plan and said the effort combined consultant-led analysis with extensive community input, staff and partner interviews, youth engagement and peer benchmarking. She said key findings included high patron and partner satisfaction (library net promoter score cited at 63 and partner score at 81), increased program attendance, expanded social-service activity at branch locations and staffing and workload pressures.
The plan sets six strategic focus areas: education and literacy; Hayward culture and heritage; outreach and connecting community members to library offerings; social services and economic development supports; Hayward Public Library team culture (staff development and retention); and stewardship of public resources. Adelman said the library will treat the document as a living plan and that implementation details, including possible expanded evening and Sunday hours and a new mobile technology vehicle (Moby Tech), will be advanced through the city budget and operational planning.
Council members praised the plan and thanked library commission members and staff for the process. Library Commission Chair Shonda Gowerd attended and spoke in support; the library commission voted earlier to recommend adoption. Mayor Pro Tem Roach moved the resolution; the motion was seconded and the council voted unanimously 7-0 to adopt the plan.
Ending: The plan was adopted with no recorded amendments. City staff and the library said they will return with implementation roadmaps and budget requests as appropriate.
