Jefferson County Public Library
About > About the Library > Strategic Plan
Jefferson County Public Library Strategic Plan 2025-2030
Strategic Plan Facilitators:
Midwest Collaborative for Library Services,
Pamela Seabolt
Adopted by the Jefferson County
Public Library Board of Trustees
June 12, 2025
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The development of the strategic plan took many hours and the dedicated effort of many people. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all those who helped make this plan a reality.
The Library Staff for their contributions to the process, and who will ultimately make this plan succeed.
The members of the Library Board of Trustees for their participation and support of the process.
The members of the Strategic Planning Committee for their time and expertise in interviewing community leaders and participating in a time- consuming planning meeting.
The community leaders who agreed to be interviewed for this process and shared their aspirations for the community with us.
The Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County and the Friends of the Madison-Jefferson County Public Library for their financial support and their belief in the mission and importance of the Library in the community.
Judi Terpening
Library Director
Library Board of Trustees
Terry Phillips
Kelly Joyce
Mary Kay Butler
Sally Wurtz
Kathy Rosenberg
Kathy Crafton
Robyn Ryle
Strategic Planning Committee
Jillian Hendricks
Rikki Stenger
Joel Knoll
Ann Inman
Kara Motsinger
Jess McAlister
Rebecca Taflinger
Judi Terpening
Bill Varble
Hope Westmoreland
Megan Randall
Taryn Thomas
Robyn Ryle
Mary Kay Butler
Operational Planning Team
Hannah Bowman
Corissa Butters
Joy Culp
Robin Danner
Camille Fife
Jillian Hendricks
Ann Inman
Shirley Jackson
Melissa Joslin
Joel Knoll
Ron Marshall
Jess McAlister
Kara Motsinger
Holly Poling
Megan Randal
Chris Rector
Cherie Rike
Illa Robison
Rikki Stenger
Rebecca Taflinger
Judi Terpening
Bill Varble
Hope Westmoreland
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
To guide this effort, the Board elected to work with consultants at the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) to facilitate a strategic planning process that would help to align library services with the aspirations and needs of the community. Community members gave input in a community survey and through interviews and conversations and based on tools developed by The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation. Community members were asked, “What kind of community do you want?” and “How can the library help?”
The Strategic Planning Committee recommended that the Library Board adopt four strategic service priorities for the period 2025-2030. The priorities are:
Expand Reach for the Benefit of the Community
With creativity, ingenuity, and flexibility we provide services that meet people where they are.
Opportunities for Growth
We seek to enhance our services to benefit those we serve.
Strategy for Communication and Marketing
We strive to focus on effective messaging so the Library is recognizable by all.
Intentional Collaboration
We cultivate and strengthen our community partnerships and relationships.
OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNING PROCESS
The Library Board approved working with consultants from the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) to facilitate the creation of a new strategic plan that would be based on community needs. MCLS, based in Lansing, MI, is a non-profit, member-driven organization whose mission is to facilitate sharing resources and to collaborate with other organizations to benefit Indiana and Michigan libraries. Through MCLS’s consulting services, we seek to amplify strengths and strive to create intentional, accessible spaces that encourage the cross-pollination of diverse ideas, perspectives, and experiences. MCLS uses a strategic planning model that combines the community's aspirations with the library's strengths to create outcomes that are achievable and impactful. MCLS’s methodology uses principles and practices of Appreciative Inquiry and The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation’s “Turning Outward” approach. Appreciative Inquiry is a strengths-based approach to planning and “Turning Outward” is a process that entails taking steps to better understand communities; changing processes and thinking to make conversations more community-focused; being proactive to community issues; and putting community aspirations first.
A thirteen-person Strategic Planning Committee was assembled, which included representatives from the Library Board, the Library Staff, and the Friends of the Library.
At an initial meeting with the consultants on February 17, 2025, the Strategic Planning Committee brainstormed a list of community leaders to interview. The potential interviewees needed to represent as many and broad ranging groups and stakeholders in the Jefferson County Public Library’s service area as possible.
In February and March, MCLS consultants and JCPL staff co-created a public community survey that was offered through the JCPL library website and in person. There were 518 responses to the general library survey.
MCLS Consultants compiled the information from the community survey to summarize the input on library services.
Strategic Planning Committee members were each assigned community members and leaders to interview. The interview was based on The Harwood Institute’s “Ask” exercise, which entailed asking five questions to get a sense of people’s aspirations for the community, and how the library might help the community to achieve those aspirations. Thirty-four community members and leaders were interviewed.
MCLS consultants conducted 5 community conversations with 44 residents. These conversations were held all over the library service area and were 90-120 minutes long. The conversations were based on The Harwood Institute’s “Community Conversations” tool, to learn about what residents wanted their community to be, what challenges they face in realizing these aspirations, and ways the library might help.
MCLS consultants compiled the information from the community member and leader interviews and the community conversations. This information was used to create a “Community Narrative” to summarize the public knowledge gathered.
In addition to the “public knowledge,” MCLS created a benchmarking report. The benchmarked data points from the Jefferson County Public Library against peer libraries in Indiana and national peers.
The Strategic Planning Committee, on April 7, 2025, participated in a SOAR analysis of the library, identifying strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results. The strengths became the basis for the library’s core values. The aspirations became the basis of the library’s vision statement, and opportunities resulted in the identification of key service priorities.
On April 14, 2025, MCLS consultants met to work with the library staff on the creation of a tactical plan to address the key four key priorities that were identified by the Strategic Planning Committee. The group answered the following questions for each priority: “How will the patron benefit?”; “How will the community benefit?”; “What activities might occur?” “What will success look like?”; “What organizational issues will need to be addressed, including facilities, technology, policies, staffing, etc.?” This work created the basis for the development of goals, objectives, and activities that make up the five-year strategic plan.
Work continued through June 2025 with the creation of the draft strategic plan, including the refinement of goals, objectives, and activities. The Library’s leadership team created an initial implementation plan that addressed each potential activity and assigned a target date for startup and/or completion, and which department would be assigned responsibility. Assignments and work related to each new initiative will reveal a plan that is flexible and evolving, in order to adapt to changes that may be needed along the way. A measurement plan was created to track the progress of the goals identified in the Strategic Plan.
Jefferson County Public Library
Strategic Plan
CORE VALUES
Support
We go beyond the transaction and treat everyone with dignity and respect
Access
We seek to bridge divides and remove barriers so people can freely access information, resources, and opportunities to enhance their lives
Community First
We cultivate partnerships, preserve and honor local history, and participate in our community
Representative
We aim to connect people with materials and services that affirm their experiences and broaden their view of the world
VISION
To be a vibrant and enriching resource where people are welcomed, included, and inspired.
KEY STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Expand Reach for the Benefit of the Community
With creativity, ingenuity, and flexibility we provide services that meet people where they are
Opportunities for Growth
We seek to enhance our services to benefit those we serve
Strategy for Communication and Marketing
We strive to focus on effective messaging so the Library is recognizable by all
Intentional Collaboration
We cultivate and strengthen our community partnerships and relationships
Expand Reach for the Benefit of the Community
With creativity, ingenuity, and flexibility, we provide services that meet people where they are
GOAL: Design welcoming, engaging spaces that accommodate a variety of people’s needs.
Objectives:
Increase the number of library visits each year.
Increase the number of library space uses.
GOAL: Create opportunities for people to engage with the Library throughout the community.
Objectives:
The number of programs or events provided out in the community will increase.
People will say they see the Library represented throughout the community.
GOAL: Provide spaces for a wide-range of programs and events.
Objectives:
Evaluate the variety of programs offered each year to recommend any adjustments or changes.
Teen participation in programs will increase.
Opportunities for Growth
We seek to enhance our services to benefit those we serve
GOAL: Provide experiences that enrich and empower people.
Objectives:
People will say they had opportunities to participate in new experiences at the Library.
50% of the collection will be evaluated annually.
People will say they had access to the services and resources they want.
GOAL: Seek more community input and feedback for services.
Objectives:
People will say they had opportunities to be involved and to volunteer with the Library.
The number of people participating in after-program surveys will increase.
The Library will offer at least one opportunity per year for the community to provide input on services.
GOAL: Create intentional opportunities for people to engage with others.
Objectives:
People will report that they feel connected to their community.
The number of people participating in engagement events will increase.
Strategy for Communication & Marketing
We strive to focus on effective messaging so the Library is recognizable by all
GOAL: Provide a consistent and clear brand image for the Library.
Objectives:
People will see a consistent branding for all services and events.
People will report a greater awareness of library events and resources.
Use of library resources will increase.
GOAL: Deliver messaging across a wide variety of venues and platforms.
Objectives:
Evaluate and determine the most effective methods of communication each year.
Increase social media engagement rates each year.
Increase library website visits each year.
Usage of the event calendar for registrations will increase each year.
Intentional Collaboration
We cultivate and strengthen our community partnerships and relationships
GOAL: Cultivate community partnerships that bring awareness and access to community resources and reduces duplicative efforts.
Objectives:
Increase the number of partnerships.
Evaluate partnerships each year to confirm purpose and ensure they are mutually beneficial and in line with the Library’s vision.
GOAL: Participate in community events to increase awareness of the Library.
Objectives:
The number of offsite library card registrations initiated will increase.
People will say they see the Library out in the community.
GOAL: Seek out partnerships that enrich individuals’ personal and professional growth.
Objectives:
Increase offsite program participation.
Increase engagement with the community
Approved this 12th day of June 2025 by the Jefferson County Public Library Board of Trustees