Winnetka Public Library
768 Oak Street
Winnetka, IL 60093 (map)
(847) 446-7220

Northfield Branch
1785 Orchard Lane
Northfield, IL 60093 (map)
(847) 446-5990

Last Updated: October 26, 2006

Strategic Plan
FY2006-2011

Adopted by the Library Board of Trustees
September 2006

Introduction

The Board of Trustees of the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District has adopted this plan to guide the library for the years 2006-2011.  The purpose of the plan is to focus the energies and resources of the library in a strategic way that best meets the needs of the library district residents.

During the planning process the board gathered input from the residents of Winnetka and Northfield as well as library staff and management.  A key element in the process was a day long planning session with community members.  Participants engaged in a lively and engaged discussion, where community needs were identified and matched with the strengths of the library. 

It is not possible for one library to be all things to all people.  Like other organizations, the library has limited resources and must decide how best to allocate them to meet community needs.  This plan, with a service oriented, community focused strategy, will focus on services in the following areas:

  1. General Information
    The Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District offers general information services to meet the need for information and answer questions on a broad array of topics related to work, school, and personal life.

  2. Lifelong Learning
    The Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District provides lifelong learning services to address the desire for self directed personal growth and development opportunities

  3. Current Topics and Titles
    The Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District provides current topics and titles to fulfill community residents’ appetite for information about popular cultural and social trends and their desire for satisfying recreational experiences.

  4. Information Literacy
    The Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District provides information literacy services to address the need for skills related to finding, evaluating, and using information effectively.

The four goals and objectives that follow are specific to these four areas of focus.  They are the basis for formulating library activities and action plans over the next five years.

Goals and Objectives 2006-2011

 

Goal 1
Residents of the district receive the personal services and sophisticated resources they require to support and empower their daily lives.

    Objective 1
    Survey “one on one” library users to identify ways to increase the satisfaction rate of personal services received.

    Objective 2
    Review database usage to determine patron satisfaction, measuring hits and unique cardholders.

    Objective 3
    Evaluate patron satisfaction with computer instruction classes.

     

Goal 2
Residents of the district are stimulated to discover new interests, ideas, and pursuits that foster intellectual and personal fulfillment.

    Objective 1
    Conduct surveys of residents, monitoring services and programming needs.

    Objective 2
    Increase use, measured by increase circulation, in those areas of the collection supporting life long learning.

Goal 3
Residents of the district have cutting edge information and timely access to cultural activities and trends to satisfy their personal enjoyment.

    Objective 1
    Increase the number of hits on the library’s web pages.

    Objective 2
    Increase the number of access points from and to the library’s web pages.

    Objective 3
    Increase patron usage of new technologies supporting new avenues of learning.

Goal 4
Residents of the district have the knowledge and the skills to use library resources 24/7 to facilitate success in their business, personal and educational lives.

    Objective 1
    Increase the number of unique card holders accessing the library databases remotely.

    Objective 2
    Improve patron satisfaction with easily accessible, user friendly technology.