Library Innovators Initiative

Recent Community Conversations held at the library resulted in support for initiatives that improve our schools through youth literacy partnerships, serve the elderly, help the under-served and make library service more prominent in the city.

 

The Library Innovators initiative will take library service to the next level in and out of our physical building.  Staff will be encouraged to participate in the development of new programs.  Additional effort will be applied to publicizing library services too.  The possibility for being a boundary spanning organization will be explored.

We will lay the groundwork and provide a detailed plan for future outreach services.  The library has strong service areas for youth and the elderly, however both of those service populations have difficulty getting to the library. Ultimately, a bookmobile would allow library staff to have regular stops at local schools, mobile home parks and assisted living facilities. In addition to this, there would be opportunities to partner with local businesses as convenient access points and in doing so, promote the location of the business and their products. 

Library staff will continue the process of turning outward by making contacts and forming partnerships in the community. The working relationship can be as simple as sharing library service information to as complex as shared projects. There will be training on recognizing beneficial partnerships before this starts.  Areas to look for partnerships are:

 

Youth Literacy -- Schools, Daycare Facilities, Preschools

Service to Seniors -- Assisted Living Facilities, Mobile Home Parks

Local Businesses -- Work with the Foundation and Chamber of Commerce

Community and Recreation Centers -- City Facilities, YMCA, Community Centers

Clubs, Groups, Organizations -- Rotary, Largo Historical Society, Kiwanis, Lions Club