Library Board Takes a New Approach to Educate, Engage and Empower Evanston Residents

The Evanston Public Library Board of Trustees approved a three-year Strategic Plan that will reflect residents’ interests, while expanding services to support the Library’s central mission. Over the next three years, the Library’s main goals are to better educate, engage, and empower Evanston residents through resources, services, and programs throughout Evanston.

During a recent survey commissioned by the Library, nearly 1,000 residents voiced their opinions on how to better serve the community. As a result of these findings, the library has developed 7 goals:

EQUAL ACCESS: All Evanston residents will have equal access to the intellectual capital needed to support their educational, recreational, and cultural interests.

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND OUTREACH: Expand library services and resources throughout the entire Evanston community.
CHILDREN: Children throughout Evanston will have the opportunity to succeed in learning.

TECHNOLOGY: The Library will track and adopt emerging current technologies to improve the experiences of library patrons and their access to information and services.

MARKETING: The Library will strive to make Evanston residents aware of the exceptional patron-centered services and collections the Library has to offer.

FUNDRAISING AND HUMAN CAPITAL: Acquire the human and financial resources to efficiently achieve and maintain the mission and goals of the Library.

LIBRARY BOARD AND GOVERNANCE: Develop the capacity of the Library Board to successfully fulfill its statutory role, commitments and fiduciary responsibilities.

Board Vice-President Susan Newman said, “We will educate the community about current services, engage those who do not currently utilize all that the Library has to offer, and empower residents to fulfill their personal aspirations.”

For nearly 140 years, the Library has provided educational, culturally-rich resources for all residents, helped children prepare for school through the joys of reading and learning, celebrated Evanston’s diversity, and helped residents research to find information they seek. The Library is more than a building of books, it is a place to meet, connect, learn and explore.