Contact: Tess Mayer
Director of Library Services
Berkeley Public Library
510.981.6195
tmayer@cityofberkeley.info
Introducing the Library’s New Strategic Plan
Berkeley, California (April 3, 2024) – After a year-long community-centered strategic planning process, today the Berkeley Public Library releases a new Strategic Action Plan.
Read the plan on the Library’s website. The report includes new Mission, Vision and Values statements as well as new Strategic Priorities.
"The power of community voices drove this process forward," shared Tess Mayer, Berkeley's Director of Library Services. “While building upon our past, we are looking to the future. We now have a plan for moving forward, together.”
After a nine-month staff and public engagement process that included multiple community surveys, public focus groups, numerous staff and committee meetings, as well as stakeholder interviews, the Library identified three strategic focus areas:
- Patron Experience & Equitable Access
- Community-centered Collaboration
- A Dynamic & Responsive Service Organization
The Library developed corresponding strategies and goals in these focus areas. Currently, staff teams are working on an overarching plan to operationalize these goals and create benchmarks to track outcomes.
As one of California's most heavily used libraries, Berkeley Public Library recognizes its role as a hub for reading, learning, and community engagement and will continue deepening, broadening, and growing its services in alignment with the City of Berkeley's diverse and growing needs.
Mayer reflects on the importance of having developed and adopted this plan: “As we evolve our library system to meet the current challenges Berkeley faces in 2024, our new strategic plan provides the foundation from which we will build to become a more responsive and sustainable organization.”
For questions regarding the strategic planning process, please email Communications Analyst, Aimee Reeder, at areeder@berkeleyca.gov or call (510) 495-4175.
For questions about Library events, services, hours and locations, please call (510) 981-6100 or visit www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.
###