Library Strategic
Plan and Facilities
Master Plan
February 10, 2026
Library Strategic Plan and
Facilities Master Plan
2 Strategic
Plan
3 Library Strategic Plan
• 3-year Strategic Plan: 2025-2028
Mission
Enhance lives and strengthen our diverse communities by providing the best in information, cultural and technical enrichment, a wide range of programs and services, and opportunities to achieve dreams.
Vision
Discover what’s possible 4
Based on data and community
engagement
• Organizational priorities and objectives were
developed from
– Community survey with 1,543 responses in 5 languages (1.2% of Santa Clara population) – Demographic data
– Focus groups (13) and interviews (19) representing organizations, stakeholders and individuals from diverse local communities
– Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results (SOAR) analysis and meetings with Board and staff – All Staff surveys
– National and local library best practices and trends analysis 5 Key points from data analysis and
community engagement
• High satisfaction with staff and services
• Desire for greater access to library spaces
• Need for greater awareness of services
• Desire for library to represent diverse cultures and languages in the community
• Interest in innovative technology and digital literacy • Library as a community resource, a place to connect to community, social and civic services, life needs related to career, immigration, housing, health and parenting 6
Organizational Priorities
• Priority Group #1: Increasing Community Connection
– External partnerships
– Fundraising
– Marketing and public relations
• Priority Group #2: Improving Capacity
– Organizational structure
– Policies
– Volunteer and staff development
• Priority Group #3: Building a stronger today for a better tomorrow – Operational efficiencies
– Measurement and evaluation
– Library Facilities
– Technology
7 Priority #1: Increasing Community Connection
• External partnerships
– Actively seek and strengthen partnerships with schools, organizations and institutions to expand service to library users.
• Fundraising
– Partner with the Santa Clara Board of Library Trustees and the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends to support and enhance library services. • Marketing and public relations
– Promote library services through a variety of print, electronic, and media opportunities. 8 Priority #2: Improving Capacity
• Organizational structure
– Establish and maintain an organizational structure that supports the Library’s service priorities.
• Policies
– Operate within a policy framework that reflects the Library’s values and promotes effective and efficient service delivery.
• Volunteer and staff development
– Expand recruitment, training, and deployment of volunteers and staff that provide and support quality customer service for all library users. 9
Priority #3: Building a stronger today for a
better tomorrow
• Operational efficiencies
– Utilize technologies and processes that improve access to information, enhance customer service, and maximize efficient service delivery.
• Measurement and evaluation
– Incorporate measurement and evaluation into operational practices. • Library Facilities
– Provide and maintain safe and attractive facilities and plans for the future. • Technology
– Deploy technology that enables library users to easily access information, collections and services, and enables staff to effectively and efficiently perform their assigned tasks. 10 Next Steps for Strategic Plan
• Library has developed specific, actionable initiatives, included in the Strategic Plan
• Next steps are reviewing plan with staff and developing processes to monitor and report on progress
• Future goals to establish regular community surveys,
annual report, and refresh plan regularly 11
Facilities
Master
Plan
12 Library Facilities Master Plan
• 20-year Facilities Master Plan: 2025-2045
• Includes:
– Property condition assessments and recommendations for all existing Library facilities, as well as long-term needs to accommodate growth – Estimated pricing and funding strategies
– Recommended nexus language to update Library section in General Plan 13 Based on data and community
engagement
• Recommendations developed from
– Community engagement at the Library, Art & Wine Festival 2024, and Comic Con 2024, with over 620 participants in 4 languages
– Demographic data
– Staff and stakeholder engagement and surveys
– National and local library best practices and trends analysis, peer library data – Facility and service reviews and observations
14 Key points from data analysis and
community engagement
• Community feedback shows a desire for
– More meeting rooms, gathering and study spaces
– More access to technology
– Materials and services in all languages
• Demographic data shows
– 68% non-white population
– 56% speak language other than English at home
– Over 95% of the community have computers at home
15 Service and Population
16 Recommendations:
Central Park Library 1
17 Minimum additional staffing 6 FTE
Annual cost: $745,348
Additional recommendations to be included in design planning:
8. Expand Library Café service out to the Park
9. Renovate public restrooms
Recommendations:
Central Park Library 2
18 Recommendations:
Mission Branch Library
19 Tool Library additional staffing:
2 PT Library Assistant
Annual cost: $123,989
Recommendations:
Northside Branch Library
20 Recommendations:
Northwest Branch
21 – A new branch of 18,000-20,000 sf should be added to the Northwest area of the city to accommodate planned development.
• Currently Northside Branch Library serving a population of 24,404 • The projected population in North Santa Clara is expected to increase to 48,460 by 2045 based on permit applications, doubling service population – New branch should provide hands-on learning and 21st century programming akin to that provided at Central Park Library, albeit at a smaller scale. Provide patrons places to meet and study, collection, community gathering spaces with after hours access, connection to shaded green space and learning gardens, maker space, and children’s and teen spaces.
– Joint use space (ex: with Parks and Recreation, or gym), expansion of existing space or incorporating into development project would be more efficient use of city funds.
Minimum staffing 11 FTE
Annual cost: $1,495,809
Recommendations:
Station Area Plan
22 – Shared or leased tenant space ~6,000 sf
– Recommended for estimated 6,750 service population and activate high-transit, high-use corridor.
– Provide curated collection, patron holds, hands-on learning area, and small meeting room and study spaces.
– Other alternative small implementation models being explored in partnership with Parks & Recreation include kiosk and self-service models.
Minimum staffing 6 FTE
Annual cost: $817,546
Funding Strategies
23 – Measure I
• Facilities Master Plan recommendations for Mission and Northside Branches • At Central, Measure I funding to be utilized for public restrooms renovation and access control to facilitate after-hours use of Community Rooms
• Design planning for all three current locations
• Not enough to do all Central recommendations
– Northwest Potential funding strategies:
• Explore public-private partnerships and launch a capital campaign with philanthropic funding; Mixed-use development and generate ongoing revenue; Joint use with Parks & Recreation and other departments; Evaluate Bond options, incorporating philanthropic approach. – Station Area Plan
• Leased space or kiosk; Explore opportunities for partnership with developer to fund construction; Explore philanthropic support for innovative service models.
– Philanthropic support
• Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends
– City support through General Plan
General Plan Updates
• The current General Plan includes only very brief language referencing the Library Current Library Language in General Plan
5.9.2 Schools and Community Facilities Goals and Policies 24 The Library Facilities Master Plan includes a section with language related to the Library, recommended
for inclusion in the next revision of the City of Santa Clara General Plan. This language has been
reviewed and coordinated by the Community
Development Department, and is provided for
Council consideration for the next appropriate
opportunity to update the General Plan.
Next Steps for Facilities Master Plan
• The Library Facilities Master Plan is well-timed to inform use of Measure I funds.
• Recommendations are not prescriptive. Library is working in coordination with CMO and Finance to prioritize recommendations, funding and timing strategies. This may include fundraising through the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends.
• Language to update Library sections in City General Plan is included and ready for CMO and Council to review at the appropriate time. • Detailed Property Condition Assessments are available to inform maintenance recommendations, to be coordinated with Public Works and Finance for ongoing maintenance. 25