“Libraries need to respond to the changing ways that people learn and what they want to learn.”
LIBRARIES need to respond to the changing ways that people learn and what they want to learn. Public libraries are the only cultural institution in which every visitor brings a unique, self-defined reason for reaching out to us. We want to make their explorations as successful as possible.
In the summer of 2016, public consultations and surveys were conducted. We heard from hundreds of staff members and from many hundreds of Fraser Valley residents. The result is a plan that will be implemented in phases over five years beginning in 2018. The supporting strategies to achieve our goals will be developed as part of our ongoing annual planning process. This strategic plan is intended to make us an even better library system; the themes support our commitment to our communities, our funding municipalities and our staff.
We also want to address a commonly expressed fear that new directions mean taking the public library farther away from its most heavily used service – the collection and lending of books. We have no intention of diminishing the importance of this key service. In fact, we will continue to improve our selection of books over the next few years. While printed books remain critical to our future, eBooks, audiobooks and other digital technologies are essential in this new economy. If we expect to be a key source of information and creative content for Fraser Valley residents, we must understand and anticipate trends within our industry critical to our delivery of personalized customer experiences.
Fraser Valley Regional Library prides itself in its quest to provide exceptional service at a reasonable cost. Thank you to our communities, our member local governments and all our staff who contributed to this plan. Your participation in this process was critical, and we are excited to start our new journey with all of you.
SCOTT HARGROVE
Chief Executive Officer