Task Number Three: Creating a Vision

One of the first tasks of the exploratory group will be to create a vision statement for the proposed library district. When you begin talking about a library district, you begin with a desire for better library services, but as you move further into the assessment process — particularly before you begin making formal presentations to groups — this is the time when you develop a more specific vision of what good public library services will look like for your community. Your vision statement does not have to look like any other community’s vision statement. The important thing is for your vision statement to reflect the needs and values of your community.

The vision statement tells the reader of the organization’s desired end-state. This one-sentence statement describes the clear and inspirational long-term desired change resulting from the work of the proposed library district. Be concise.

Some examples of public library vision statements:

• Austin Public Library [Texas]: “The Austin Public Library is key to making Austin a dynamic creative center and the most livable city in the county.” [21 words]
• Berkely Public Library [Illinois]: “The Berkley Public Library will foster the spirit of exploration, lifelong learning, the joy of reading, and the pursuit of information and knowledge for all ages and cultures.” [28 words]
• Madison Public Library [Wisconsin]: “Madison Public Library: Your place to learn, share, and create.” [10 words]
• Pima County Public Library [Arizona]: “Our Vision is an educated, connected community of readers, learners, doers, and dreamers.” [13 words]
• Providence Public Library [Rhode Island]: “PPL is a library re-imagined. Our library is a place where tradition and innovation intersect — an open and collaborative center of teaching and learning where people can connect, experience, create and achieve. Approachable and inclusive, PPL is committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of Rhode Islanders and everyone we serve.” [53 words]

In some communities, the library will emphasize services to children; in others, services to retired adults. Some communities may plan for services for businesses or farmers. One community may simply choose to highlight access to a good public library with more access to recreational reading. Another may stress improved services in an existing library, which, once the district has formed, will become a branch of a larger system. In still others, emphasis may be on a makerspace or books-by-mail service. The community
may express a desire for access to information in various formats, such as streaming video and music, subscription databases, more eBooks, or faster broadband Internet access.

How can you begin to develop a vision of what a district library might mean for your community? One excellent way is to visit libraries in similar communities and to talk to librarians and library board members. These field trips will make you aware of what is possible in similar situations.

At this point, you should also be in contact with your Idaho Commission for Libraries area field consultant for your part of the state. The Idaho Commission for Libraries works across the state to support development, so your consultant can provide examples of libraries across the state or even the nation. This wider vision will be central to your effort.

You may also want to hold public meetings, where you can ask people to identify what kinds of services they would like to have from a new library district. One valuable exercise is to ask people to brainstorm what library services they would like to have within the next 10 years. Services can then be prioritized, and the vision statement written on the priorities of the community.

Once this information about the possibilities for library service has been collected, the exploratory group should write a vision statement. This statement should be focused on the general and should not promise specific services. For example, a vision statement could include statements such as:

• Children in our community will have easy access to information they need for their educational and recreational activities.
• The library will promote lifelong learning opportunities for the entire community.
• Adults will have access to information that will help them in their homes and business enterprises.
• Delivery systems for library resources will make these resources accessible to all people in the community.
• Through the library district, our community members will access data from around the world.

Statements that include desired services, stated as possibilities, should be saved for later, when the new district is planning its budget and plan of service, but not included in the vision statement. For example:

• To reach people throughout the service area, the district library may use non-traditional delivery systems, such as Ask-A-Librarian or books-by-mail.
• The district library collection will contain materials in a variety of formats, including print, eBooks, streaming media, and online subscription databases.
• The library will serve as a gateway to the world, not only through the Internet, but through interlibrary loan and resource sharing with other libraries and library networks.
• The library will provide maker training and tools.
• We will have an agreement with the _____ Public Library so that our patrons can use its services without purchasing a non-resident card.

The distribution of the vision statement will probably be the first truly “public” act of the group that is leading the districting effort. If the effort is coming from a new group, the vision statement should be sent to media outlets along with a story about the group and its interest in assessing the need for a library district. If a library board is leading the districting effort, the statement can be officially adopted by the board and then sent to the local paper along with a story about the assessment process that the group is conducting. In either case, the story should include a means of contacting the group for comments.

Some information to share with your community about the importance of libraries:

• Lee Rainie, director of internet and technology research at the Pew Research Center, discussed the Center’s latest research at the Public Library Association’s 2018 meeting. He noted that libraries are trusted and expected to help people get the information and services they want. He also argued there are new hopes (and demands) for libraries to help people navigate an information environment filled with “fake news” and “weaponized narratives.” He presented the Center’s latest findings about how librarians can distinguish between the “information engaged” and the “information wary” patrons.
• Most Americans — Especially Millennials — say libraries can help them find reliable, trustworthy information.
• Social Role of the Library.
• A Look at Some Facts and Figures.

Writing Your Own Vision Statement:

• 30 Example Vision Statements.
• Guide to Creating Mission & Vision Statements.