DATE: 12/04/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Community Services Department
2024-191
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
CORONA PUBLIC LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLAN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to adopt the strategic plan for the Corona Public Library. The Library’s Strategic Plan works in conjunction with the City’s Strategic Plan, building on common themes vital to the community. The plan identifies four areas of focus that are accompanied by actionable and measurable goals. This strategic plan encompasses goals for the Library’s operations, programs, and services to the City of Corona over the next three to five years.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council adopt the Corona Public Library’s Strategic Plan BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
In February 2024, the Corona Public Library began the process of creating a strategic plan. To assist with the development of the plan, the Library utilized LibraryIQ, a collection evaluation platform. LibraryIQ assisted the Library in using evidence-based data to make quicker acquisition decisions. The platform also creates data of the collection, patron attendance, library building usage, and more. As library environments, programs, and services change and evolve, the strategic plan becomes a key guiding document ensuring the Corona Public Library continues to be a valuable resource to the Corona community ANALYSIS:
The City engaged LibraryIQ and Debbie Joy, MLIS, to provide expert guidance and support in the development of the strategic plan. The strategic plan process is divided into five stages: data gathering’ in-person and survey data; analyzing; presenting findings to core strategic plan group; identifying and reviewing strategic goals and objectives and creating a draft; and presenting final strategic plan to invested groups. The data gathering stage included inquiring with staff about the history of the Library, using LibraryIQ to gather raw statistical data about the collections, participation, usage, and conducting onsite interviews.
In May 2024, Ms. Joy facilitated in-person focus groups and one-on-one interviews with elected officials, residents, and staff in order to better understand the goals of the City and hear directly from the Corona community. Data gathered from online surveys, emails, focus groups, the City’s Strategic Plan, and from the LibraryIQ platform determined commonalities, which were crafted into four main Strategic Goals:
1. Strong Collection and Services
2. Innovative Spaces
3. Community Gathering
4. Library Visibility
These four goals each have multiple objectives, spanning over the next three to five years.
Each goal lists a strategy, an objective, timeline, partnership opportunities, and funding.
The goal of Strong Collection and Services addresses strategies for the Library to create collections and services catered to the community. Throughout the strategic plan timeline, the goal is to increase and update the collection, using data driven collection development processes, and growing literacy for children and adults. The Corona Public Library will provide wide-ranging, high-quality collections and literacy resources to meet the needs of the community, ensuring equitable access to a wide range of materials and services.
Innovative Spaces primarily focuses on the physical building of the Library. This goal incorporates the creation of an Innovation Center, which is scheduled to open in June 2026. The innovation center will provide modern, welcoming spaces, equipment and services to spark creativity and innovation.
Community Gathering amplifies the Library’s community engagement both internally and externally. Objectives in this goal center around creating new opportunities and reasons for diverse people to gather and use the Library. Ideas such as walking clubs and pop-up services are some ways for the Library to have a better foothold in the community. The Library will foster civic engagement, support lifelong learning and well-being for residents, and strengthen community bonds.
Lastly, the Library’s Visibility goal is to create the Library’s programs, services, eResources, collections, and the building itself more noticeable to the community. During the focus groups, many community members expressed a desire for specific services or programs that the Library already provides. This highlights that while the community is aware of the books available, other resources are not as widely recognized. The Library will raise its visibility and public awareness by increasing newsletter, social media and outreach audience engagement by 25% during the planning period.
The Corona Library Board of Trustees recommended to City Council to approve the strategic plan as presented at its meeting on October 22, 2024. The Trustees also recommend additional City funding for books and not solely relying on the Friends of the Corona Public Library to supplement book funding.
The strategic plan was presented to the City Council on November 20, 2024 at a Study Session. Thereafter, City Council will receive annual updates to keep the Council and the community informed on implementation measures.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no additional fiscal impact associated with this recommended action.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: DANIELL WHITTINGTON, LIBRARY MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: DONNA FINCH, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Corona Public Library’s Strategic Plan