Strategic Plan

In October 2018, the Board of Trustees of the West Point Public Library initiated the Strategic Planning Processes for the City of West Point, IA.  The library board wanted the plan to reflect the needs of the community as a whole so they formed a Community Planning Committee of 18 individuals. This committee worked to envision the future of the city and provide direction for the library’s operations for the next five years.

Throughout the planning process, Becky Heil of Iowa Library Services, facilitated committee and Board meetings and provided expertise.  She utilized the Public Association’s Planning for Results model, specifically by using the 2008 edition of Strategic Planning for Results.

During the first Community Planning Committee meeting, the members discussed the current strengths and weaknesses of West Point and envisioned what they would like the city to be like in the future. This in turn created a list of needs that would need to be addressed in order to fulfill these aspirations.

At the second Community Planning Committee meeting, the members reviewed the list of needs they previously created and discussed ways in which the West Point Public Library could provide services to satisfy those needs.  At this meeting, the Committee formed a consensus on four services areas where they thought the library should focus:

•    Know Your Community:  Community Resources and Services
•    Create Young Readers:  Early Literacy
•    Stimulate Imagination:  Reading, Viewing, and Listening for Pleasure
•    Satisfy Curiosity:  Lifelong learning

The Trustees used these service responses as the foundation for the strategic plan.  This plan outlines goals, objective, and activities that will help library staff meet the needs identified during the committee meeting.  The West Point Public Library Strategic Plan is submitted as a written endeavor to accomplish the goals set forth by the community committee members.

Read the FY2019-2024 Strategic Plan