Our Vision
Stillwater Public Library strengthens our community by advancing literacy, enriching lifelong learning, and empowering civic engagement.
Our Mission
Stillwater Public Library connects members of our community with the power of knowledge, the possibility of new ideas, and the opportunity to engage with one another.
Our Goals and Strategies
Embrace the Library's Role as a Cultural Center of Stillwater
- Increase the accessibility and awareness of local history collection and genealogy resources
- Build upon existing issue-oriented programming and enhance art and social issues exhibits offered in the library
- Evaluate the feasibility of developing a collection to circulate non-traditional materials
- Continue communication and collaboration with local municipal, nonprofit, and business organizations
- Provide a community space to highlight and connect local organizations
Inspire More Engagement with the Library
- Fund, develop, and implement a dynamic marketing plan
- Develop strategies to reach new audiences
- Enhance the library’s virtual presence
- Expand communications regarding basic library services
Enhance the Experience of Using the Physical Library Space
- Increase the effectiveness of interior signage and library entrances
- Determine the library’s role in providing space for special events and its implications
- Consider options for increasing use of the 4th Street lawn
- Identify opportunities for increasing the convenience of library usage
- Investigate sound attenuation options
Build Internal Organizational Capacity to Ensure Success in a Changing World
- Identify and pursue revenue sources to support long-term sustainability
- Develop a more comprehensive model for technical services
- Evaluate and meet staff training needs
- Restructure knowledge management tools and procedures
- Continue evaluation of staffing model to meet evolving needs
Our Planning Process
In 2018, the Stillwater Public Library launched a collaborative and data-driven strategic planning process with the aim to engage its community and set a strategic direction for the next four years. These goals and strategies are informed by feedback provided through a community survey and series of focus groups with community members, leaders of local business, government, and nonprofit organizations, the Friends of the Stillwater Public Library, and the Stillwater Public Library Foundation, as well as discussions with library staff, the library management team, and the Board of Trustees.