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Located in Chatham, Illinois

Strategic Plan 2022-2024

Strategic Plan for 2022-2024

Planning Process

Our Library is a community gathering place, an educational partner, and an opportunity center for all. We are passionate about moving our community forward and arming our patrons with the tools they need to discover, learn and connect.

Every three to five years, the Library undertakes a thorough strategic planning process designed to reexamine its vision, mission, and strategic priorities. It is critical that we regularly examine ourselves and adapt to our local community’s current aspirations and challenges, changing societal values and human experiences, advances in technology, and developments within the broader library field. Over the next three years, we will strive to Welcome, Connect, Communicate and Educate.  Each year, we will focus on certain areas that fit under each of these main priorities.  In Year One (2022), some of our focus will be to provide a safe space by addressing some building repair issues, as well as focusing on including more diverse voices to our programming opportunities and enhancing our homebound delivery services.

This process started back in 2018 and 2019 with a community-wide survey and several community focus groups.  Then, a committee consisting of library staff and our Library Board Vice-President, together with community members and trusted partners, contributed to the planning process through reflection, information gathering, discussion, and analysis. The pandemic slowed down this process considerably. However, on October 18th, 2021, the Library Board approved this plan, as well as new Mission, Vision and Values statements. The hope is that this new plan will build on the progress we’ve made, while also clearly addressing the current aspirations and challenges in our community.

Our belief is that the Library, through pursuit of our vision, mission and values, will continue to play a vital role in the continued growth and strengthening of our community. As we look to the future, this plan will guide us along the journey.