Switzerland County Public Library

Strategic Plan

January 2021-December 2025

 

 

Adopted by the Switzerland County Public Library Board of Trustees December 8, 2020.

 

Introduction

 

In order to support the mission of the Switzerland County Public Library, it is necessary to keep up with the increased demand to deliver the most accurate and up-to-date resources in a variety of formats which meet the needs and expectations of the community. Services should be available in the best possible environment, and staff should be well trained and knowledgeable in order to provide the best possible service to patrons. From July-August of 2020, community members were asked to complete a survey about library services. The survey was available online and in the library. Links to the survey were posted on the library’s website and social media. Some respondents were interviewed for more details about their responses. The Board of Trustees and staff reviewed and discussed survey results.

 

Our Mission

 

The Switzerland County Public Library will foster a culture of reading and thought by serving Switzerland County’s information, life-long learning and leisure pursuits.

 

Our Values

 

Progressive

We inspire our community by offering the most up-to-date materials, fresh and unique programming and state of the art technology; continually encouraging patrons to make new discoveries throughout their lives by bringing excitement to learning to help them excel.

 

Service Oriented

We delight in meeting or exceeding patron expectations by providing friendly, courteous, knowledgeable and prompt service, showing respect and valuing all individuals for their diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas.

 

Welcoming Atmosphere

We enrich our community by providing a well-maintained, comfortable and safe multi-use facility, where residents can meet, share ideas and be educated, entertained and informed.

 

Staff

We value our staff members and strive to provide a workplace where enthusiasm, teamwork, innovation, accountability and a sense of purpose combine to provide a rewarding experience for both employees and patrons.

 

Resourceful

We are committed to being a fiscally responsible public institution, consistently seeking the most cost-effective uses of both public and private funds.

 

Statement of Community Needs and Goals

 

A survey of community members was conducted July-August 2020 to determine what the residents of Switzerland County thought about the services the library provides and what they would like to see the library provide. Respondents were also interviewed to obtain more detailed information.

 

The following items were consistently listed as strengths:

• A friendly and helpful staff
• A variety of programs offered for all ages
• An up to date and diverse collection
• Access to WiFi

 

The following items were identified as needs and goals:

• An updated outdoor space
• More outreach services
• Diversity in circulated materials, with an emphasis on technology (like laptops, hotspots, etc.)
• Updated children’s area and dedicated teen space
• Modern furniture and more comfortable seating

 

 

Goals

 

Goal 1: Update our outdoor space for utility as well as beautification.

 

Goal 2: Implement a formalized outreach service for books, materials, and craft/activity bags and expand outreach programming.

 

Goal 3: Add WiFi hotspots to circulating materials.

 

Goal 4: Remodel the children’s room and replace toys and furniture.

 

Goal 5: Add more modern seating and a charging area.

 

 

Assessment of facilities, services, technology, and operations

 

SCPL is located in the town of Vevay, and its service area is Switzerland County. There are no branches, nor is there a bookmobile. For some residents, the library is 25 miles from their homes. There are few retail establishments in Vevay, and the majority of people drive to the neighboring towns of Madison or Aurora to shop at a Wal-Mart or Kroger. Approximately 25% of eligible residents hold a library card. There are over 20,000 items in the physical collection and patrons have access to over 63,000 downloadable books, audios and videos through the eIndiana Overdrive Consortium. Hoopla Digital provides patrons with access to a catalog of thousands of ever-changing electronic materials, including books, audios, videos, and musical sound recordings. Circulation for 2019 was approximately 54,000. The physical collection includes books, DVDs, audio books, newspapers, and magazines. Patrons can access INSPIRE which offers a variety of free databases to all Indiana residents.

 

SCPL has a staff of nine, three of whom are full-time. The director has an MSLS and a Librarian 2 certificate. She is the only degreed librarian employed by SCPL. The other full-time employees are an Adult Services Coordinator and a Youth Services Coordinator. A Local Historian is employed part-time to manage genealogy resources and inquiries. The remaining employees are circulation clerks, pages, and a janitor. Cataloging duties are shared between the Director, Adult Services Coordinator, and Youth Services Coordinator and as the library is relatively small there are many shared responsibilities among staff. SCPL is funded through property taxes and receives $5000 annually from Switzerland County’s riverboat casino revenue. The library’s annual operating budget is approximately $350,000.

 

Regular services offered by SCPL include a weekly Story Hour for toddlers and preschoolers, a Summer Reading Program for youth and adults, and outreach services to the Town of Patriot, Switzerland County Schools, Switzerland County YMCA, Head Start, and local day cares. There are six computers in the library for public use. These provide Internet access as well as Microsoft Office software. Internet access is through the ENA consortium with fiber at 100 MBps. Printer, copier, scanner, and fax services are provided to the public and there is a charge for these. Wireless Internet connection is available during library hours. SCPL is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

 

Originally housed in a Carnegie building, in 1992 SCPL moved into a newly built 7500 square foot facility. The building has one floor and includes one large room with adult and teen resources, the circulation desk, and all public access computers. There are separate rooms for local history/genealogy and children’s resources as well as a meeting room which holds approximately forty and is available for public use during library hours. The majority of library programs take place in the meeting room. SCPL is a Learning Center for the Ivy Tech College Cooperative and there are five computers in the meeting room for use by postsecondary distance education students. These computers are used by staff to conduct in-service training and computer workshops for the public.

Each year, SCPL offers adult programs such as craft classes, computer workshops, and informational and cultural programs. In April 2009, SCPL migrated from the ILS Polaris to the open source ILS Evergreen Indiana (EI). This move has increased resources and borrowing opportunities for patrons. A statewide delivery system transports items twice a week for a fee to SCPL which is subsidized in part by the Indiana State Library.

 

 

Measurable Objectives and Service Responses

 

Goal 1: Update our outdoor space for utility as well as beautification.

 

Objectives

• A space will be dedicated for outdoor programming and a strategy will be developed for implementing these programs.
• The front of the building will be appear welcoming to the public, as well as clean and well-maintained.

Strategies

• A construction management firm will be contacted to perform an assessment of the outdoor space to see what options are available.
• Options will be brought to the board and voted upon. Current possibilities include a small outbuilding, benches or picnic tables, or a portable tent, but more may be available. Depending on the decision, more security cameras may need to be added to the library grounds.
• The flower beds will be landscaped and the SCPL sign will be power washed.

 

Goal 2: Implement a formalized outreach service for books, materials, and craft/activity bags and expand outreach programming.

 

Objectives

• SCPL staff will have a list of patrons to visit bi-weekly or monthly to deliver materials and/or activity bags to.
• Craft and activity bags will become a regular part of the programming routine and will be available for pickup at the library.

Strategies

• Patrons will be surveyed and advertisements will be made to promote the outreach delivery program.
• Patrons who register for outreach services will fill out a form indicating how often they would like delivery and what their interests and material requests are.
• Staff members will gather materials and coordinate a drop-off time with the patrons.
• Staff members will use their personal cars for deliveries and programs until a library van or bookmobile can be obtained.
• Staff will collaborate with Purdue Extension, the YMCA, the Historical Society and Purdue Extension to provide off-site in-person programming for patrons of all ages.
• Programmers will reach out to other organizations or entities to secure more off-site programming locations. The focus will be locations outside of Vevay.

 

Goal 3: Add WiFi hotspots to circulating materials.

 

Objectives

• The library will purchase WiFi hotspots to circulate to patrons.

Strategies

• Contact a number of service providers to see which company has the best rate.
• Train staff on how to operate and troubleshoot hotspots, as well as what circulation rules will apply.
• The library will start with a small number of hotspots and increase based on budget and demand.

 

Goal 4: Remodel the children’s room and replace toys and furniture.

 

Objective

• Replace toys and furniture in the children’s area with updated toys and furniture.
• Paint the children’s area.
• Replace the rug in the children’s area.

Strategies

• A new kitchen was donated to the library. Once the COVID-19 pandemic is under control, it will be presented to the public. More toys and games will be purchased in addition to the kitchen. Current ideas are a puppet theater, a grocery store and cash register, and a train table.
• Toys will be on display in the children’s area on a rotating schedule in order to reduce wear and keep children more interested. Toys and games will be regularly cleaned, inspected, and maintained.
• The border in the children’s area will be painted or replaced.
• The area will be redesigned with a new rug and furniture to tie the look together.

 

Goal 5: Add more modern seating and a charging area.

 

Objective

• Replace current furniture with more modern seating. Non-cloth chairs are a must.
• Add more charging ports in convenient locations throughout the library.

Strategies

• Consult with a designer or architect to determine what styles would work best in the current space.
• Consider furniture that would be easy to move and rearrange.
• As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, add pieces that are conducive to a more private experience and promote social distancing.
• Add more outlets and charging ports for patrons to use.
• Purchase a variety of device chargers for patrons to use.

 

Evaluation of the strategic plan

 

The Board of Trustees and staff members will meet annually to assess progress towards the goals and to refine goals and strategies as needed. Changes to the plan will be documented in Board minutes and sent to the Indiana State Library.

 

Financial Resources and Sustainability

 

The library will continue to annually increase the proposed budget by the state growth quotient to support the growing community and increase in services. Money from the Operating Fund will be transferred to LIRF and Rainy Day each year for future library improvements.

 

The library will apply for funding from other local, state, and federal sources as grant opportunities fit the goals of the library. The Community Foundation of Switzerland County and the Vevay Switzerland County Foundation have supported program and technology needs in the past, and the library will continue to apply for grants through these avenues. Local businesses will be asked to support the Summer Reading Program as they have in the past. When there are LSTA grants which can meet the needs of the library’s service population, the library will pursue those opportunities. The library may partner with other groups such as the Switzerland County Historical Society, the schools, the YMCA, Purdue Extension, Economic Development and others to seek funding for special collaborative activities.

 

Equipment Replacement Schedule

 

 

Item	Replacement Date/Est. Cost	Funding Source	Evaluation-check when completed
Digital Telephone system-base and 4 handsets	2022   $250	Operating
Copystar CS-2553ci copier	2027-will probably need to replace coin-op machine as it may not be compatible with a new copier   $6000 for copy machine and coin-op	Rainy Day/Operating
Lexmark C2535dw (for printing from public computers)	2024 $600	Operating
Internet connectivity through CenturyLink	If bandwidth rises above 75% increase fiber capacity to 150 Mbps. Estimated increase of $3000 per year after erate discount.	Operating
Two Meraki radio units for wireless access	2021 $600	Operating
Epson T20 receipt printer for circulation	2026 $600	Operating/ Rainy Day
6 Windows 10 computers for public use	2022 $7200	Operating/Grants
MS 6000 MKII Reader/Printer for microfiche in genealogy	2021 $8000	Combination of grants, Operating, Rainy Day, Casino funds
HP 2025 Color Printer for staff use	2022 $750	Operating and Rainy Day funds
Dell laptop for training	2021 $800	Operating
1 OPAC computer for public use	2022 $200 (cost to repurpose one of staff computers)	Casino Riverboat and/or Rainy Day funds
7 Windows 10 computers for staff use	2022-replace 3  $3000 2023-replace 4 $4000	Operating/Rainy Day/Casino Riverboat funds in combination
INSIGNIA flat screen TV used for training	2024 $800	Grants, operating
Canon digital camera	2024 $200	Operating
Windows server	2025 $5000.00 (includes equipment and installation)	Rainy Day/Operating/Casino Riverboat
2 iPad Airs and mounts (children’s area)	2023 $2000	Operating
HP LaserJet 1006 (Director’s Office)	2022 $300	Operating

 

Professional Development Strategy

 

SCPL has developed a list of competencies that staff are expected to be able to master. This list will be updated annually as technology and service needs change. The list of competencies will be reviewed with staff at their annual evaluation and any other training needs will be discussed. This information will be used to create an individualized plan for professional development throughout the year. The library budget supports staff training and staff is encouraged to attend conferences, trainings and participate in webinars that enhance their skills.

 

Collaboration with Other Public Libraries and Community Partners

 

 

SCPL is part of the Evergreen Indiana Consortium and participates in the Statewide Reciprocal Borrowing system. We are a member of the Midwest Collaborative Library Services. SCPL will seek opportunities to collaborate with neighboring libraries to provide staff training and public programming.

 

SCPL has partnered with the Switzerland County School Corporation, County Government, the Purdue Extension Service, the YMCA, the Historic Hoosier Theater, business owners, and the Switzerland County Historical Society to share resources and to provide programming and will continue to do so. We will take advantage of opportunities to work with other agencies as they arise.

 

 

This plan will be available on the Switzerland County Public Library’s website and print copies will be made available upon request at no cost to persons living in the library’s service area.