By Saara Itkonen, Director of the Creston Valley Public Library
In January, our board adopted a new “Strategic Framework” to guide the next few years of work at the Creston Valley Public Library. It’s a strange time to change course, with the ongoing pandemic, but our previous strategic plan was ending so we worked with our volunteers, staff, and board members to forge a new path during this difficult time.
Usually, strategic planning incorporates a lot of community consultation but, given how difficult it has been to gather as a community over the past two years, we’ve dug deep into our own knowledge and experiences working in this community and hope that you appreciate our new direction.
Our library’s mission is to be a “a welcoming space for the creation and sharing of information, ideas, and culture”. To accomplish this, we’re holding on to some very specific values that we will work to make real and tangible in our library space and community.
Our values are:
• Access & Learning: The library is a welcoming space for all, supporting life-long learning in our community.
• Patron-Centred Services: The library works in relationship with our community and its members to further the public good.
• Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion: The library values the humanity of each of our patrons and the community as a whole.
• A Strong Organization: The library empowers management, staff, and volunteers to support the community.
Our staff and board are working to develop some very specific and achievable work goals for the year and encourage feedback from our patrons and community. If you have suggestions about what you’d like to see at our library, based on the values expressed above, then please do share them with us! You can get in touch with staff by phoning 250-428-4141, emailing info@crestonlibrary.com, or dropping by in-person.
You can also read the detailed breakdown of our new Strategic Framework on our website at crestonlibrary.com, or ask for a print copy at our front desk.
The library is also in the process of looking for new board members to join our team in the spring. If you feel passionate about public libraries and the values we’ve outlined in our new Strategic Framework, perhaps you’d be interested in joining. Send us an email at info@crestonlibrary.com for a board nomination form.
The days of winter, especially with the pandemic, can feel dark and gray. I tell myself and our staff every day to just continue to put one foot in front of the other, accomplish one task at a time, and to be kind to yourself.
Upcoming events:
Storytime at the Creston and District Community Complex - Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
Babytimes at the Creston and District Community Complex - Wednesdays at 11:15 a.m.
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