The 2021-2024 Strategic Plan for Pasco County’s library system calls for more outreach, more programs and cultural events, to enhance the system’s services and to attract new users.
The Pasco County Commission approved the system’s 2021-2024 Strategic Plan during the county board’s Sept. 15 meeting.
The Pasco County Library Cooperative, also known as Pasco County Libraries, must create a new strategic plan every three years, and that plan must be approved by the county board, in order for the system to qualify for state aid for public libraries.
Nancy Fredericks, a library administrator, told commissioners that the new plan was developed by the county’s library team, along with the help of Leon Donovan, a consultant, to obtain community feedback through planning sessions, focus groups and stakeholder meetings. The effort included two surveys, too.
Besides telling the board about efforts to develop the plan, Fredericks shared a video that outlined the key points.
The board’s agenda materials also spelled out the primary elements of the strategic plan.
In essence, it identifies three major focus areas: Community, Culture and Education. It also contains goals, and strategies to achieve those goals.
Priority area: Community
In this focus area, the library system plans to increase outreach opportunities for community members and for organizations to become involved with the library.
It has identified activities to help achieve those goals.
For instance, it plans to establish Pop-Up library services to expand access to resources and services. It also is planning to provide 20 hours of service per month beginning in the first quarter of 2022.
It will promote library resources at a minimum of 20 meetings per year for community groups, civic organizations, nonprofits, and government agencies.
And, it plans to coordinate with the Friends of the Library on an annual campaign to help increase membership and raise funds.
Priority area: Education
In this area, the library system has identified the goal of providing access to a collection of print, non-print, and electronic resources that support the diverse needs and interests of Pasco County residents.
It also aims to provide resources and programming to support lifelong learning, and skill and knowledge development across multiple literacies.
To help achieve those goals, it plans to partner with the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties to provide four programs per year.
It also plans to develop an Adult Literacy/ESL training program, and to train 15 volunteers per year to teach basic literacy and ESL to Pasco County citizens.
Also, it will offer two digital literacy activities per quarter to increase skill development in finding, evaluating, creating and communicating information on digital platforms.
Plus, it intends to create a Library of Things to circulate nontraditional materials, with a focus on items that support makerspace activities. It aims to add three new items per year to the Library of Things.
Other activities include:
- 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, which relates to content creation
- Offering two programs per quarter that educate the public on how to produce professional content for various media platforms
Priority area: Culture
The library system intends to foster culture within Pasco County by offering a wide range of programs at its branch libraries and outreach locations. The programming and activities will support self-expression, innovation, and community-based well-being.
Activities will include:
- 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 addition to programming efforts, the library system also is in the midst of updating and upgrading its facilities.
The massive makeovers are being supported by a bond issue approved by voters.
The cooperative library system includes these branch libraries: Hugh Embry, New River, Land O’ Lakes, Starkey Ranch TLC, Centennial Park, South Holiday, Regency Park and Hudson. It also includes the Zephyrhills Public Library.
Published October 06, 2021
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