AGENDA #5d

INFORMATION REPORT

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:       Report on Library Master Plan

DATE:             October 23, 2000

This is a status report regarding the Chapel Hill Public Library master plan authorized by the Town Council in September 1999. 

BACKGROUND

In October 1997,  the Town Council appointed a Library Needs Assessment Task Force to “study what the community wants from its public library and the library’s short and long-term service needs.”

The 13-member Task Force presented its final report to the Town Council in June 1999.  The Task Force indicated that additional resources would be needed to either maintain or expand the current level of library service.  The Task Force recommended that the Town hire a consultant to advise on space implications of the report.  

In May 2000, the Town Council adopted the Town’s Comprehensive plan, which also recommended that the Town prepare a Master Library Plan.

In September 1999, the Town Council reviewed the Task Force report and authorized the Manager to hire a consultant to work with the Library Board to:

• review the Library Needs Assessment Task Force’s proposed services,
  
  
• project costs to maintain and to expand library services,
  
  
• update the current library building program,
  
  
• prepare a timetable of activities to maintain library services, and
    
• prepare a timetable of activities to expand library services.

SUMMARY OF COMPLETED WORK

Consultant Sandra Nelson was selected in August 2000 to complete the first phase of the library master plan by January 2001.  (Please see the attached biographical sketch in Attachment A.)  The planning process followed since August has included: 

Data gathering:  The Board and staff first completed planning exercises that identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the community and the library.  The Board’s and staff’s results were very similar to those identified by the Library Needs Assessment Task Force.

Service priorities:  Based on the data gathered, the Board selected 4 of 13 possible library service priorities identified by the Public Library Association.   (Please see Attachment B).  The four service responses recommended by the Board as being the highest priorities for library service in Chapel Hill include:   

• CURRENT TOPICS & TITLES:  “A library that provides Current Topics & Titles helps to fulfill community residents’ appetite for information about popular cultural and social trends and their desire for satisfying recreational experiences.”
  
  
• GENERAL INFORMATION:  “A library that offers General Information helps meet the need for information and answers to questions on a broad array of topics related to work, school, and personal life.”
  
  
• LIFELONG LEARNING:  “A library that provides Lifelong Learning service helps address the desire for self-directed personal growth and development opportunities.”
  
  
• INFORMATION LITERACY:  “A library that provides Information Literacy service helps address the need for skills related to finding, evaluating, and using information effectively.”

Goals and objectives:  Over two weeks, the consultant and staff developed broad goals and quantifiable objectives for each of the four library service responses identified above.   At its October 18 meeting, the Library Board reviewed the goals and objectives and accepted the revised Goals and Objectives included in Attachment C.

NEXT STEPS

Steps to complete the first phase of the library master plan by mid-January include: 

• Develop a list of possible activities to meet the proposed goals and objectives.
    
• Review the list at the Library Board’s regular November 15 meeting.
  
  
• Present Library Board activities recommendations at the Town Council’s December 11 meeting. 
  
  
• Identify what resources will be required to accomplish the proposed goals and objectives.
  
  
• Review the consultant’s draft report at the Library Board’s regular January meeting.
  
  
• Present consultant’s final report regarding goals and objectives, recommended activities and resource allocations to the Town Council by early February.

The second phase of the master plan development process adopted by the Council includes revision of the existing library building program.  A consultant specializing in library building program development will be hired at the end of this year to complete this phase.  We anticipate that the revised building program will be available for Town Council review by early April. 

ATTACHMENTS

1.   Sandra Nelson biography (p. 4).

2.   Library Service Responses (p. 8).

3.   Chapel Hill Public Library Proposed Goals and Objectives (p. 9).