BURNABY PUBLIC LIBRARYSTRATEGIC PLAN 20082010

Message from the Library Board Burnaby Public Library Board is pleased to present the 2008-2010 Strategic Plan. Our plan reflects this library’s continuing commitment to collections and people, as we believe that it is through the sharing of stories, ideas and information that the Library contributes to a vibrant community where everyone is informed, literate and entertained. The Board took the first steps in developing this plan in late 2006 when we initiated a community needs assessment. It included a review of library trends, community information, telephone surveys of Burnaby residents, focus groups, and interviews with the Mayor and City Council. Information from over 3,000 people was collected to help identify the community’s needs with regard to library services. The Board met several times throughout 2007 and winter 2008 to bring together the information received from the community through the needs assessment process, information on current trends in library services, and the views of BPL staff and management into a coherent set of strategies for Burnaby Public. This has been a very rewarding process for both Board members and staff, and the Board thanks everyone who contributed to the making of this plan. We look forward to implementing the strategies in the plan, and continuing to ensure that the library is meeting the needs of the people of Burnaby.

Ruth Hardy, Chair Burnaby Public Library Board

2008 Library Board left to right: Andy Chiang, Ruth Hardy (Chair), Gary Wong (Vice-chair), Ernest Maitland, Karen Purdy, Iqbal Dhanani, Linda Eaves, Mondee Redman and Councillor Nick Volkow

Contents

Background 3

Looking forward 5

Purpose 7

Values 7

Library trends and changing expectations 8

What the community said 9

Building on strengths:

Strategic directions 2008–2010 11

1 : Collections 11

2 : Community awareness and use 12

3 : Inclusive and responsive services 13

4 : Facilities, space and equipment development 14

5 : Organizational development 15

Conclusion 16

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BURNABY PUBLIC LIBRARYSTRATEGIC PLAN 20082010

In 2006, Burnaby Public Library celebrated 50 years of service to the community. Since 1955, this library’s main priorities

have been collections and people.

Patrons consistently give the Library high marks for its rich and diverse collections. The Library’s growing suite of electronic services and collections also demonstrates its ability to respond to the rapid changes in technology and this community’s growing demand for electronic resources. Children’s Librarians offer high quality programs that reflect this library’s commitment to promoting the love of reading and the joy of lifelong learning to children and their families. Library patrons have also been clear about how much they value the caring, expert help they receive from Library staff, whether it’s help in finding information, using computer workstations, or offering suggestions for the next “good read”.

”

“BURNABY PUBLIC LIBRARYis fundamental to the continued

growth of our community. Literacy

in all forms is key to the health

and happiness of all peoples of

all ages, and is the core purpose

of the Library’s existence. We

help the people of Burnaby to

educate and entertain themselves,

enriching their own lives as well as

the lives of those with whom they

share their experiences.

STAFF MEMBER

Background

4 • BPL Strategic PLan

Since 1955, Burnaby Public Library has grown into an integrated network of four library facilities, one in each quadrant of the City. Despite predictions that the advent of the electronic age would mean the death of books and the public library, over 7,000 people visit Burnaby Public Library every day, either in person or electronically.

Over the past twenty years, the City of Burnaby has committed significant resources to expanding and rejuvenating the Library’s facilities. The Cameron Branch, housed in the Cameron Recreation Centre, opened in 1980. The Bob Prittie Metrotown Branch, Burnaby’s 61,000 sq. ft. central library, opened in 1991 and replaced the older Central Park Branch. The new McGill Branch, at 27,340 sq. ft. and including a 4,000 sq. ft. City Archive, replaced a building opened in 1961. The tender for the new Kingsway Branch was let in January 2008. It is anticipated that this new branch will open to the public in mid-2009.

In October 2004, the Library Board identified five key areas for planning in 2005-2007 to ensure that the Library remained a valuable and relevant resource to the community:

1 Children and families2 Teens and young adults3 Diverse communities of interest4 Technology5 Burnaby First

Some key achievements that came out of that plan included:

n The “Every Child Ready to Read” and “My Kindergarten Year” programs were developed.

n The Library became more involved in the community and took a leadership role in community partnerships such as the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Table, Burnaby Literacy Now and the School-Aged Initiative.

n The Library’s home page was redesigned, and the number of electronic resources available to the public was increased.

n Working in partnership with community groups and agencies in order to expand the Library’s adult programming offerings became more the norm for Library staff.

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THE CHANGING CITY

n In 2006, the population of

Burnaby was 202,799, an

increase of 5% over 2001. The

population is expected to grow

by an additional 38% by 2031.

n Burnaby’s population is aging,

with a median age of 39.1 (up

from 37.5 in 2001).

n Burnaby’s population is

increasingly diverse ethnically,

culturally and linguistically:

fl 51% are immigrants, compared

to 27% in BC as a whole

fl 49% are members of a visible

minority, compared to 22%

in BC as a whole

fl 54% speak a language other

than English or French as

their mother tongue and

36% do not speak English or

French at home

n Almost half of the population

(48%) is new to Burnaby in the

last five years.

n Between 2003 and 2006,

33% of all government-assisted

refugees coming to Metro

Vancouver settled in Burnaby.

Since January 2007, that

percentage has declined to 12%.

n Despite generally higher

levels of education than for

Metro Vancouver and the

Province, Burnaby has a higher

than average proportion of

individuals and families with

low incomes: 42% among

individuals and 23% among

families, compared to 38% and

14% for the Province (2001).

n The Library introduced ESL conversation circles and increased the number of programs offered for adults (i.e. author readings, library tours, introduction to electronic resources, etc.)

n Computer course offerings at the Kingsway Computer Lab were expanded.

n Planning got underway for the new Kingsway Branch, a replacement for the facility that first opened its doors to the public in 1962.

n Staff began work on the Burlington Project, an initiative designed to preserve the depth and breadth of Burnaby Public Library’s collections by providing off-site storage until the current space issues at the Bob Prittie Metrotown Branch can be addressed.

Looking forward

Now Burnaby Public Library is looking ahead to 2010 and beyond, planning for the future while remaining fully

committed to providing high quality services and resources to all members of Burnaby’s diverse and evolving community. Appropriately, the first step in developing a new strategic plan was to consult the community.

An extensive Community Needs Assessment was conducted to solicit a broad cross-section of perspectives about how people

NN

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viewed and experienced the Library. Research took place between September 2006 and March 2007 and included:

n Literature review of library trendsn Analysis of library and community datan Library user surveyn Telephone survey of Burnaby residents (both patrons and

non-users of the Library)n Focus groups with patrons and non-users of BPLn Interviews with the Mayor and City Councillors

The research involved more than 3,000 members of the community, including 2,657 survey respondents, 210 telephone survey respondents, and 137 focus group participants.

The next step was to engage Library staff in a dialogue about future directions for the Library. The Board prepared a strategic directions workbook and invited staff to share their views about key strategic areas for the Burnaby Public Library. The workbook also incorporated a profile of the Library, data on library trends and their implications, socio/demographic trends in Burnaby and their implications, and case study information from libraries across the country.

BPL Strategic PLan • 7

The Board met on several occasions during the fall, 2007 to reflect on all the input from the staff and the Burnaby community. Out of all these consultations a new set of strategic directions were developed that will guide the Burnaby Public Library through the next three years of its growth.

Purpose

Burnaby Public Library provides access to a rich array of the world’s stories, ideas and information. Our vision is

a vibrant community where all people are informed, literate and entertained.

Values

All of Burnaby Public Library’s actions and decisions are grounded in a set of shared values:

n inTEllEcTual frEEdom: The Library encourages the free exchange of information and ideas in a democratic society.

n communiTy: The Library is a valuable community resource and a public place where everyone is welcome. The Library is committed to working in partnership with community groups and organizations.

”“originally, liBrariEs

were structures built primarily

to provide and store paper-

based collections. As this need

declines, the role of libraries is

shifting towards being more of a

community hub. There is growing

attention among libraries about

what it takes to be a vital public

space and successful gathering

place in the community.

survey respondent

8 • BPL Strategic PLan

n Visionary: The Library is future focused, looking beyond where it is today and anticipating the future.

n sTEwardsHiP and accounTaBiliTy: The Library is accountable to its patrons and funders, and practices effective stewardship of Library resources. The Library’s decision-making processes are open and transparent to the community.

Library trends and changing expectations

The evolving role and definition of information in society is causing shifts in the way people learn. Technology and

automation have fundamentally altered the ‘environment’ within which the library operates.

Increasingly, the Library is finding itself faced with different types of library patrons, all with distinct needs and expectations. Individuals accessing library resources and services on-site, for example, have different needs than those using the Library remotely.

Patron preferences and expectations are changing, with continuing demand for the following:n access to services on “Internet time” – i.e. 24/7/365;n the option to be able to serve oneself; andn customized services.

There is also a growing interest in the Library providing opportunities for the public to participate in virtual social networking.

”“TEcHnology and

automation have…created

exciting new possibilities for

broadening the traditional scope

of libraries, extending access

to resources and collaborating

with other institutions.

survey respondent

9

What the community said

Of the 2,657 individuals who completed the library user survey, most expressed a high level of satisfaction with the

services, programs and resources they received. In particular:

n Burnaby residents value their library. The majority of respondents said that BPL is very important to the community, and most felt it was doing very well in meeting community needs.

n The great majority of respondents were satisfied with BPL’s print collections, both fiction and non-fiction.

n There was high praise for the children’s programs and resources.

n Most patrons were satisfied with the staff at information desks. n The great majority of patrons found BPL’s website easy to

use and navigate, felt its content was relevant and easy to understand, and thought it provided good access to the Library catalogue.

It should also be noted that the October 2007 User Survey confirmed that collections remain central to patrons’ expectations of the Library, with over 90% of patrons selecting at least one of the materials categories as a priority for expenditure.

”“TODAY’S “DIGITAL KIDS”

think of information and

communications technology (ICT)

as something akin to oxygen: they

expect it, it’s what they breathe

and it’s how they live…ICT to some

degree has been supporting their

learning activities since their first

Web search and surf years ago.

SURVEY RESPONDENT

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There was less satisfaction expressed in the 2006 Community Needs Assessment about some other aspects of the library:

n Many people expressed concerns connected to sound levels: some respondents found the Library too noisy, while others were frustrated by the need to be quiet all the time.

n Many people felt that there was room for improvement in the video and DVD collection.

n There was some dissatisfaction with respect to materials and services in languages other than English, as well as with ESL programs.

n People expressed a wish for better access to computers with internet connectivity and word processing capabilities.

n Teens and young adults did not feel that they were being particularly well served by the Library. They commented that the Library’s teen collections are small and there are very few programs currently being offered by the Library for teens.

n While respondents to the library user survey were generally satisfied with the Library’s hours open, some focus group participants expressed an interest in the Library being open more hours on Sundays.

It is interesting to note that in the 2006 survey, 42% of respondents were not familiar enough with BPL’s electronic resources to rate their level of satisfaction.

”“THE LIBRARY IS ALWAYS

doing great work and buying great

materials that people barely know

about. We need to get way better

at promoting what we are doing

well. We have made a start at this,

but there needs to be much more

and it needs to be a coordinated

effort.

STAFF MEMBER

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Building on strengths: Strategic directions 2008–2010

As expressed above, Burnaby residents value the library as an essential community resource. Burnaby Public

Library will continue to provide the best possible services and resources, while using community feedback to guide the Library’s future direction.

Based on the responses of the public and staff, the Board has agreed on five strategic directions for 2008–2010:

1 Collections2 Community Awareness and Use 3 Inclusive and Responsive Services4 Facility, Space and Equipment Development5 Organizational Development

1 : COLLECTIONS

Burnaby citizens want their library to maintain a rich,

well-organized and accessible collection that reflects the

diversity of interests, cultures and languages represented

within Burnaby.

GOALS

n To ensure that the Library continues to provide collections that are excellent in both depth and breadth by:− addressing the need to preserve existing resources;– developing “content-rich” electronic collections; and– developing quantitative guidelines for all branch

collection sizes.

n To increase the ESL collections and provide a broad range of electronic resources in a variety of languages.

n To look for new ways of providing opportunities for patrons to engage with the Library’s collections.

n To examine how the library provides additional books, magazines and feature films in a variety of languages.

”“THE LIBRARY IS A COLLECTIONof knowledge and resources. Books

are just one form. Electronic

resources are also important.

LIBRARY USER

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2 : COMMUNITY AWARENESSAND USE

Both library patrons and non-users lack awareness of

what the Library offers. They want BPL to offer more

information about what it provides and how its resources,

services and programs can be accessed. In particular,

people wanted more information about the Library’s

electronic resources and how to access and use them.

GOALS

n To increase the community’s awareness of the Library’s resources, services and programs so that more individuals and families know how to access and use them.

n To increase the number of individuals and families using the Library, especially those who have recently moved to the city and those who have never before used a library.

n To promote the Library’s electronic resources and enhance the website with new features.

n To continue to actively solicit opinions about the library from both patrons and non-users.

“ ”MANY PEOPLE ARE SURPRISEDthat library is (a) FREE, (b) has

tons of cool stuff, and (c) is open

long hours.

STAFF MEMBER

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3 : INCLUSIVE AND RESPONSIVESERVICES

The Library needs processes for reaching out and

listening to the diverse needs of the Burnaby community.

Burnaby citizens want their library to be comfortable, safe

and welcoming to people of all ages and backgrounds.

An immediate priority is to reach out to teenagers, young

adults, people on low income, and newcomers to Canada.

GOALS

n To develop a strategy, in partnership with other groups and agencies, to help immigrants and refugees successfully integrate within their new community.

n To encourage more youth and young adults to become regular patrons of the Library, by enhancing resources and services for this age group.

n To increase the accessibility of the Library’s services and facilities to individuals and families who are on low income and/or homebound.

”“THE LIBRARY NEEDS TOreflect the demographics of the

community in which it operates.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

REPRESENTATIVE

”“WE NEED TO EXPLOREalternative means of delivering

service.

STAFF MEMBER

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4 : FACILITIES, SPACE AND EQUIPMENT DEVELOPMENT

Burnaby citizens want their library to be a community

destination and gathering space. This means, among other

things, creating a physical space that is attractive and

enjoyable and that meets the needs of its diverse patrons.

A priority is to create a better balance between quiet

reading/study spaces and spaces for group interaction.

Improving remote access to library services is also a

priority.

GOALS

n To develop a long-term facility plan in cooperation with the city that:− identifies current and projected needs;− identifies the building requirements for upgrading and

replacing library facilities, including proposed new branches;

− explores alternative ways of delivering services; and− addresses the need for quiet reading and study spaces as

well as spaces for group study, computer use, children’s activities and group interaction.

”“Create buildings that people will

want to preserve in 100 years.

LIBRARY USER

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n To develop a long-term plan for upgrading and replacing library equipment, technology and furnishings that is responsive to the rapid changes affecting the Library and the community.

n To enhance electronic access and services with such strategies as implementing wireless network systems at all branches.

5 : ORGANIZATIONALDEVELOPMENT

Library staff have noted the need to examine how job

functions have changed and anticipate what might be

needed for the future. By listening to and anticipating

staff needs, the Library can support them to continue to

work effectively and efficiently and create an enhanced

sense of ownership at all levels of the Library.

GOALS

n To establish a staff development program at all levels of the organization, so that all staff have the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively and efficiently anticipate the changing needs of the Library.

n To ensure that the Library’s staffing structure supports the goals and objectives of the strategic plan and that library staff have opportunities, through project work and/or task groups, to develop their skills, experience job satisfaction and build confidence.

n To have a workforce that represents various cultural perspectives and languages and reflects the diversity within Burnaby.

There was a strong desire among Board members to

strengthen the governance role of the Board and to

increase the visibility and understanding of the Board’s

role with Library staff and the community.

16 • BPL Strategic PLan

goals

n To ensure Board effectiveness through the ongoing development of trustees through training, networking and involvement.

n To have Board members be more visible to, and stay in better touch with, Library staff and the community.

n To explore options for increasing community support for the Library.

n To review the policies governing the establishment and use of the Library’s endowment funds.

ConclusionBPL’s plan for the next three years builds on the Library’s existing strengths. It is based upon the feedback from a diverse and growing community as to how the library can best serve its needs. As well, it takes into consideration developing trends in library services. Five broad strategies were identified:

n Collections: maintain a rich, well organized and accessible collection,

n Awareness: increase community awareness about what the library provides and access to its resources, services and programs,

n Inclusive services: provide services that are inclusive and responsive to the Burnaby community, reaching out to teenagers, young adults, people on low income and newcomers to Canada,

n Facilities: create library spaces that are community destinations by being attractive, enjoyable, and flexible enough to meet a variety of needs for studies and activities, and

n Organization: ensure that the library supports staff development and organization to meet changing job descriptions and future needs.

The Library Board and staff look forward to continuing to provide the best possible services and resources, while using community feedback to ensure that the goals outlined in the plan are being delivered upon.