SCLS Strategic Plan
We are proud of this, our sixth strategic plan. The product of many hours of discussion and work by countless colleagues and customers, it was built using the principles of appreciative inquiry.
Why plan for libraries at all? Is there a future for them?
While some wonder about the relevance of the public library in an increasingly connected world, we do not. We know that even as formats change, the essential role of the public library does not. Public libraries – critical components of successful communities – exist to connect people with ideas, with information and with each other. Our role is to make those connections happen as fluidly as possible: we array our libraries as community centers with compelling collections and engaging programs that challenge, enchant, and inform. We go beyond helping customers find what they were looking for, we surprise them with the unexpected. And the Internet – as a metaphor for our connected world – is simply another service format we provide. In short, the library is a place in the heart of the community where the exchange of information and ideas can flourish, a cornerstone of a livable community.
Somerset County Library System has a rich history over its 90+ years of serving its member communities and we are rightly proud of what we have accomplished. In this plan, we outline our vision, which is to create unparalleled opportunities to enrich lives, to expand knowledge and to strengthen communities. These are core activities of any public library worthy of the name. But ever-hastening technology cycles and tectonic disruptions in the publishing world compel us to carefully consider how we can carry on with our mission to partner with our customers to connect, to explore, to share and to discover.
So here is our plan for the next five years. Please read it. Tell us what you think. If you would like a printed copy of the plan, please let us know via email. But most of all, please consider how you can work with us to bring our vision and our mission to life.
Brian K. Auger, Director
Somerset County Library System
January 2013
Click to view the strategic plan.
Transforming Lives, Strengthening Communities
Why plan for libraries at all? Is there a future for them?
While some wonder about the relevance of the public library in an increasingly connected world, we do not. We know that even as formats change, the essential role of the public library does not. Public libraries – critical components of successful communities – exist to connect people with ideas, with information and with each other. Our role is to make those connections happen as fluidly as possible: we array our libraries as community centers with compelling collections and engaging programs that challenge, enchant, and inform. We go beyond helping customers find what they were looking for, we surprise them with the unexpected. And the Internet – as a metaphor for our connected world – is simply another service format we provide. In short, the library is a place in the heart of the community where the exchange of information and ideas can flourish, a cornerstone of a livable community.
Somerset County Library System has a rich history over its 90+ years of serving its member communities and we are rightly proud of what we have accomplished. In this plan, we outline our vision, which is to create unparalleled opportunities to enrich lives, to expand knowledge and to strengthen communities. These are core activities of any public library worthy of the name. But ever-hastening technology cycles and tectonic disruptions in the publishing world compel us to carefully consider how we can carry on with our mission to partner with our customers to connect, to explore, to share and to discover.
So here is our plan for the next five years. Please read it. Tell us what you think. If you would like a printed copy of the plan, please let us know via email. But most of all, please consider how you can work with us to bring our vision and our mission to life.
Brian K. Auger, Director
Somerset County Library System
January 2013
Transforming Lives, Strengthening Communities