Colfax Public Library
Long Range Plan 2010-2013
Mission Statement
The Colfax Public Library promotes and encourages a love for reading and offers the opportunity to learn and grow.
 
Library Vision
The community of Colfax will:
 
 Have the information they need to succeed at school, at work, and in their personal lives.
 Have reading, viewing and listening materials and programs that stimulate their thinking, enhance their knowledge of the world, and improve the quality of their leisure time.
 Discover the joy of reading and develop a love of learning.
 Enjoy an adequate level of access to electronic resources and develop computer skills for searching information through the web and electronic databases.
 Think of the Colfax Public Library as a focal point of the community that connects and unites the people of this local area.
 Use library resources and services & encourage others to use our public library.
 
Goals and Objectives
 
Goal 1 –Foster in children a lifelong love of books, reading and learning
 
Objectives:
 
1.       Conduct story time for toddlers and preschoolers.
2.       Offer a family story time on Monday evenings in September, October, February and March.
3.      Enhance Summer Reading programs for children ages five to ten years old. 
4.      Select materials that benefit children’s reading skills and encourage further learning.
5.      Develop special programs for children and families to encourage reading, and learning.
6.      Implement a Reader’s Advisory service for preschoolers, parents and child-care providers on a walk-in basis throughout the year.
7.      Update and add new links and useful information to the library webpage every three to six months for children.
8.      Continue to partner with the school district for the Accelerated Reading (AR) program by labeling reading materials with the proper AR information.
9.      Provide children the opportunity to take Accelerated Reading quizzes on the Public Internet computers.
10. Encourageclass visits to the library to familiarize students with resources in the library.
 
Goal 2 – Enhance library service to young adults
 
Objectives:
 
1.      Organize and facilitate a Teen Advisory Board (TAB) for high school-age teens during the school year.
2.      Solicit input from the Teen Advisory Board on developing the young adult collection and teen activities; promoting the use of the public library; organizing fundraisers for special teen purchases; and volunteering their time helping library staff.
3.      Select materials that young adults find interesting, challenging and are highly recommended through book reviews and awards.
4.      Develop programs for young adults to encourage reading, learning, and use of the library.
5.      Update and add new links and useful information to the Young Adult section of the library webpage. Include information concerning the monthly activities of the Teen Advisory Board.
6.      Encourageclass visits the library to familiarize students with resources in the library.
 
Goal 3 – Provide current popular materials and programs for adults
Objectives:
 
1.      Select current materials of local interest.
2.      Continue to create a balance in our collection with materials of interest in the community.
3.      Evaluate and weed existing collections continually.
4.      Provide displays of useful resources related to topics of current interest.
5.      Partner with other local organizations or groups to provide programs and topics of interest.
6.      Seek opportunities for a variety of programs involving educational and cultural learning.
7.      Provide a well organized shelving structure of materials for the public.
8.      Monitor the flow of materials via the courier system in response to fulfilling customer requests.
9.      Develop a procedure for maintaining and preserving our local Colfax historical resources.
 
Goal 4 – Provide outreach service to the community and local organizations
 
Objectives: 
 
1.      Develop and provide outreach services (Homebound Program), for local nursing homes, special populations, and for individuals with special physical limitations or needs. 
2.      Develop a Homebound policy which will cover library patrons and nursing home residents.
3.      Develop a Homebound brochure.
4.      Meet annually with the local school district administration/staff to institute the sharing of programs and resources.
 
Goal 5 – Provide current technology and excellent technology customer service to the public
 
Objectives:
 
1.      Continue to partner with the Indianhead Federated Library System (IFLS) to offer access to the M.O.R.E. (My Online Resource) consortium, a web-based integrated system and other electronic resources.
2.      Offer basic computer classes to the public to help them with their word processing skills, email accounts, job searching and Internet searches.
3.      Develop a technology plan and budget to replace, upgrade and add additional computer workstations as necessary.
4.      Provide reliable, high speed internet service to library patrons using the public access computers and WiFi.
5.      Provide staff training to help patrons use technology effectively.
6.      Provide individuals with personalized assistance when using electronic databases and online card catalog.
7.      Attend appropriate consortium workshops and seminars to remain current on all consortium software upgrades to deliver an efficient circulation/checkout system.
           
Goal 6 – Review service needs and standards of the library as it relates to patron usage and resources
 
Objectives:
 
1.      Review annually library operations and basic service needs by using the current Wisconsin Public Library Service Standards guideline. Standards that will be reviewed include facilities and access, staffing, collections and resources.
2.      Strive for moderate levels of library standards concerning operations and services. 
3.      Evaluate, manage, and enhance library collections to meet or exceed Wisconsin Public Library Standards.
4.      Review annually operating budget and training allocations to meet the goals, objectives and selection material needs.
5.      Implement an annual survey to solicit comments of library users regarding library services, customer service and hours of operation.
6.      Actively promote library services to the community to stress literary importance for all.
7.      Work with the Dunn County Library Plan Committee to promote and develop guidelines for library services within the county.
8.      Look at the feasibility of adding more hours of operation or opening on Saturdays during the winter months (10 am – 2 pm).
 
 
 
 
Goal 7 – Work to provide an accessible and attractive library facility that meets the current and future needs of the community
 
Objectives:
 
1.      Implement ways to keep library space attractive, safe, accessible and efficient for users. 
2.      Review annually library space needs to provide space in order to meet the moderate level of State Standards.
3.      Seek funding to provide additional library space, relocate the library or build a new facility.
4.      Inform decision makers of changing service and facility needs.
5.      Keep current on facility improvements for efficiency of library operations and improved workflow.
6.      Advocate for sufficient financial resources to provide a well maintained facility.
 
Goal 8 - Develop public relations to promote library services and awareness
 
Objectives:
 
1.      Continue to write library articles for the Colfax Messenger and the Dunn County News.
2.      Review the effectiveness of the library brochure and update when needed.
3.      Promote library functions and programs with signage around the village of Colfax, and other Dunn County libraries.
4.      Promote the library by planning an annual “after-hours” hors-d’ oeuvres event for local and county decision-makers.
5.      Develop strategies for attracting people who do not use our local library and determine why these people choose not to use the public library, and use those findings to implement a plan for attracting non-users.
6.      Update library webpage and blog by consulting with a web designer and training from Indianhead Federated Library System (IFLS) technology staff.
7.      Work with local groups to advertise scheduled program and information as it relates to the subject matter.
Goal 9 – Maintain a high quality staff by providing on-going training and continuing education to insure professional skills and excellent customer service
 
Objectives:
 
1.      Encourage library staff to attend and complete continuing education classes or workshops on an annual basis.
2.      Provide funds in the budget for reimbursements for travel costs, wages and other costs for staff to attend continuing education events, conferences and workshops.
3.      Ensure the Director maintains proper certification requirements on an annual basis by submitting an Annual Summation of Continuing Education clock hours to IFLS.
4.      Develop a pool of trained adult volunteers to provide assistance to staff when needed.
5.      Review service demands and related training needs locally and within the MORE consortium.
6.      Evaluate staff work-flow for circulation and courier delivery system as it pertains to the MORE consortium. Re-train frequently when workflow changes.
 
 
 Acknowledgement
 
Adopted by the Colfax Public Library Board of Trustees:
 
Library Board
Beverly Keltner
Charlie Owen
Jean Olson
Mary Larson
Lisa Ross
Julie Conway
Suzanne Blomberg
 
Library Administration
Lisa L. Ludwig, Director