The Pasco County Library Cooperative has identified priority areas in its 2021 through 2024 Strategic Plan, and has developed a list of activities it plans to take to address them.
The library system outlined those goals in an agenda item that came before the Pasco County Commission during its Sept. 20 meeting.
The board approved the item, without discussion, as part of its consent agenda. Items on that agenda are generally considered to be non-controversial and are voted on in a single action.
The three priority areas identified in the library system’s strategic plan are community, education and culture.
Goals identified by Pasco County Libraries include:
- Expanding service offerings and increasing awareness to attract new users
- Expanding outreach opportunities for community members and organizations to encourage more involvement
- Providing access to a collection of print, non-print, and electronic resources that support the diverse needs and interests of the Pasco County citizens
- Providing resources and programming to support lifelong learning and skill and knowledge development across multiple literacies
- Providing programming and activities that support self-expression, innovation, and community-based well-being
- Fostering culture within Pasco County by offering a wide range of cultural programs at the branch libraries and outreach locations
The 2021 through 2024 plan identifies these strategies to achieve priority goals:
- Establishing pop-up library services to expand access to resources and services
- Providing 20 hours of service per month
- Promoting the library’s resources at a minimum of 20 meetings per year for community groups, civic organizations, nonprofits, and government agencies
- Coordinating with the Friends of the Library on an annual campaign to help increase membership and raise funds
- Partnering with the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties to provide four programs per year
- Developing an Adult Literacy/ESL training program and training 15 volunteers per year to teach basic literacy and ESL to Pasco County citizens
- Offer two digital literacy activities per quarter to increase skill development in finding, evaluating, creating, and communicating information on digital platforms
- Creating a Library of Things to circulate nontraditional materials with a focus on items that support makerspace activities. Adding three new items per year to the Library of Things.
- Selecting 15 new items per year to be added to the Adaptive Toy Collection
- Providing at least one staff training session per quarter focused on skill development related to content creation
- Offering two programs per quarter that educate the public on how to produce professional content for various media platforms
- Deploying the Mobile Makerspace three times per quarter to provide hands-on learning experiences
- Collaborating with local performers, artists and experts to expand cultural experiences and learning opportunities
- Offering 20 cultural programs or events per year at any location in the county
- Offering two programs per quarter that showcase cultural content created in association with the Pasco County Library Cooperative
- Supporting the development of a cultural affairs advisory council in Pasco County by hosting at least four meetings per year and serving as a liaison/coordinator for the council
In other action, the county board:
- Approved a task order with EnviroBuild LLC, for ongoing construction services required for the renovations of the civil department of the Clerk’s Office at the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City, for the amount of $189,050, in fiscal year 2022
- Approved a change order with Fleischman and Garcia Architects and Planners, AIA, PA (FGA) to perform gopher tortoise relocation and related services for the design and construction of Fire Station No. 18, on Chancey Road in Zephyrhills. The change order is in the amount not-to-exceed $18,590, for a new cumulative not-to-exceed amount of $279,820.00. There are potentially 20 active burrows on the site.
- Approved an agreement between the county and the Sixth District Medical Examiner relating to reimbursement of service fees. The agreement takes effect on Oct. 1 and continues until terminated or at the option of providing a 90-day notice from either party. The compensation to the Medical Examiner for services will be based upon the fees outlined in the agreement. Since the Medical Examiner’s compensation depends on the demand for services, the county’s Office of Management and Budget estimates that $1.8 million in funding will be needed for fiscal year 2023.
Published September 28, 2022
