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Goshen Public Library unveils new community survey as it prepares 2026–2030 plan
Summary
Library staff reported completion of much of their 2021–2025 plan and launched a 2026 community survey (opened July 13) that had exceeded 800 responses, with nearly 90% rating the library extremely important to the community.
Grace Thomas, development and community engagement manager at Goshen Public Library, told the Goshen City Council that the library is preparing a new long‑range plan to cover 2026–2030 and has launched a community survey to inform priorities. "Right before I left here, we passed 800 survey responses," Thomas said, and reported that almost 90% of respondents rated the library "extremely important" on a five‑point scale (SEG 176–183). She noted the previous plan covered 2021–2025 and staff evaluated benchmarks showing about 70% of those benchmarks were achieved.
Thomas described outreach efforts intended to increase participation and representation: paper copies available at the library, English and Spanish versions, and targeted distribution through community partners. She also listed operational accomplishments tied to the earlier plan, including a bilingual outreach hire, a completed physical‑space assessment and steps toward replacing the building's failing HVAC. "We're committed to this being an inclusive, thorough process that includes staff, board, stakeholders, and community input," Thomas said (SEG 063–076; SEG 129–133). The library plans to submit the updated plan to the Indiana State Library by the end of the calendar year (SEG 071–076).
