Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Strategic Plan

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library began its strategic planning process in late 2012. The primary objective going into the planning process was to gather high-quality, actionable feedback from a large, representative group of Library stakeholders. By the time the planning process was complete, the Library had gathered feedback from more than 5,500 residents, users, stakeholders and staff. The Library’s feedback gathering included many methods: community and staff focus groups (140 participants); community and staff forums (155 participants); a demographically representative telephone survey of users and non-users (602 participants); and online surveys of staff and users (4,500 participants). This feedback was carefully considered by two planning groups: a staff design team and a public steering committee. Using the feedback, plus additional research, the teams developed a strategic plan focused on three major goals: increase community engagement and awareness; innovate for 21st century access; and increase operational excellence, fiscal stability, and sustainability. The feedback further informed updates to the Library’s mission, vision, values and brand promise. The next phase was to roll out the new plan. Again, the objective was a high level of participation from Library stakeholders. Unlike plans that sit on a shelf, the Library wanted a living, breathing document that was “owned” by the Library staff and embraced by the community. A rollout plan was developed in phases: leadership, then staff, then stakeholders and finally the public and the library profession. Library CEO Lee Keesler and Director of Libraries David Singleton hit the road, visiting groups such as County leadership, Library staff, and donors – with plans to reach out even further as the rollout progresses. In summary, the strategic planning process transformed the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library into an outward-facing organization, empowering customers and the community to look at the Library as an extension of themselves, a “Library of possibilities.” www.cmlibrary.org/stratplan