Five-year Plan of Service

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How the Five-year Plan was developed

This plan outlines the vision, mission, and goals that the Roeliff Jansen Community Library will pursue in the five-year period from 2020 through 2024.

In 2019, the Roeliff Jansen Community Library facilitated a series of Community Conversations as part of an effort to learn more about the communities we serve. What sort of community do we want to live in? Are there things that could be improved or changed that would make the Roe Jan community a better place to live? How can we begin to make that change happen? Community members from throughout our service area participated, including full-time and part-time residents, long-timer and newcomers, town officials, educators, farmers, small business owners, and retirees. Those conversations have shaped our thinking about the role of the library in our community and provide the basis for our planning for the future. More can be learned about the findings of those Conversations HERE.

In addition, in 2018, the library’s Outreach Committee conducted a community survey to elicit feedback on library programs and services. Respondents offered many suggestions about the role they thought the library ought to play in the community and the materials and programs we should offer.

The committee comprised of those involved in both outreach efforts then analyzed the findings and established goals that we believe are achievable in the context of the library’s resources and capabilities. We thank the community for their constructive engagement and for the many excellent ideas they contributed. We encourage everyone in the communities we serve to help achieve the goals of this plan.

Five-Year Plan of Service

The world we envision

Roeliff Jansen Community Library envisions a world in which every individual is inspired and empowered to achieve their full potential as informed citizens and caring individuals. In so doing, we will strive to help the people of our service area to enhance their knowledge, skills, and talents to the benefit of themselves, their families, their communities, and the world at large. We are committed to equal accessibility for diverse populations and intellectual freedom for all.

The mission we undertake

The mission of the Roeliff Jansen Community Library is to serve every sector of the community by inspiring lifelong learning and curiosity, advancing knowledge and understanding, strengthening the vitality of the Roe Jan area, and securing the Library’s stability for generations to come.

The goals to which we commit

To advance our vision and mission, the Board of Trustees of Roeliff Jansen Community Library commits to pursuing the following goals in the period 2020 through 2024:

I. Enhance programming and collections to reflect the interests and needs of the community

A. Provide adult programs that foster lifelong learning and community connection

• Design programs to provide opportunities for making community connections

o Offer programs that are interactive, with multiple sessions and/or that allow discussion and socializing

• Offer at least 2 interactive workshops and/or adult education courses per year

o Partner with CGCC and OLLI, Humanities NY, and other organizations and individuals

• Offer at least 6 technology workshops each year

• Offer programs in music, literature, and the arts, with a focus on local performers and artists

o Hold at least 8 concerts and 8 author talks each year, and 2 art exhibits each year

• Provide programs that will inform and empower seniors

o Continue to offer exercise programs for seniors; by the end of 2021, secure funding necessary to continue weekly programs

o Offer at least 2 programs each year on topics of particular interest to seniors, such as on medical or legal issues; work with the Hillsdale Safe at Home Committee, Young at Hearters, and the CC Office of Aging to identify issues of concern

• Host at least 2 programs each year on a topic of concern to the community and that encourage civic engagement

o Partner with local organizations and towns to identify topics and develop programs

• Offer programs and materials for Spanish-speaking community members

o Expand Spanish language collections, e.g., books, films, etc.

o By the end of 2024, offer ENL/ESL classes

• Provide programs of interest to businesses and local farmers.

o Partner with local business alliances, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Copake Agricultural Center, Columbia Land Conservancy, etc.

B. Develop strong, ongoing programs for children, teens, and families

• Foster a love of reading in children though ongoing and special programs throughout the year

o Maintain weekly story times and regular monthly programs; hold special children’s programs at least 6 times/year

o Encourage summer reading through work with town summer camps, Battle of the Books, Farm Market Kids, and weekly programs at the library

o Partner with local school and neighboring libraries on an annual community read program

• Support early literacy by offering programs and support for parents and young children

o Work with the Columbia County Early Learning and Literacy Network on its Talking is Teaching Campaign

o Send out weekly literacy tips and story time news texts to parents

o Visit Head Start monthly to promote reading and awareness of the library through story time and distribution of free books

o In 2020, start and maintain a blog for parents

o Provide parents with opportunities for connection and training on assisting early learning in their children

• Develop programs to meet the needs of young adults

o In 2020, explore creation of a teen advisory board, to help plan programs and provide opportunities for young people to become involved in the library and develop new skills

o Offer programs that both entertain and provide opportunities for learning, including, by the end of 2021, SAT prep courses

o Partner with local schools and organizations to develop programs to meet the needs of young adults, such as tutoring

• Work with local organizations such as 4H, Scouts, Land Conservancy to provide programs for children and young adults on our local physical environment

C. Provide access to a wide range of collection materials to meet community needs

• Assess collection usage monthly and use information to inform purchasing decisions

• Build capacity to provide more digital and virtual services

o Improve internet access by upgrading to 100mbps fiber service in 2020

o Investigate new digital resources, including streaming services

o Explore lending of e-readers and Wi-Fi hotspots

• Provide off-site access to collection materials

o Explore pop-up libraries

o Provide and promote services to the homebound

o Increase the number of “little free libraries” in places such as laundromats, doctors’ offices, etc. by the end of 2024

II. Maximize the usability of the building and surrounding property and provide a safe and welcoming space for all

A. Serve as a gathering place for the Roe Jan Community

B. Ensure the longevity of the building through proper maintenance and repair, incorporating “green” products and processes where possible

• Annually evaluate how existing space is used, both inside and out, and make changes to better reflect how patrons use the library and to provide adequate space for staff.

o By the end of 2021, reconfigure furniture to create both quiet spaces and more space for group activities and investigate installing sound deadening

• By the end of 2024, develop long-term plans for expansion of the library building

• Develop outdoor spaces for patron enjoyment, programming, and accessibility of the library

o Finish the walk to the Roe Jan Kill, and provide appropriate seating in 2021

o Plan improvements to the front patio and the lawn behind the library so they are more functional

o Work with the Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation, and the town of Hillsdale to develop plans and funding for a spur of the rail trail that would cross Roeliff Jansen Park land and provide access to the library and the Roe Jan Park

III. Establish partnerships within the Roe Jan community that strengthen connections and offer the RJCL as a welcoming space for convening, organizing, and hosting discussions related to community
interests

A. Partner with area educational, civic, and social service organizations to understand their needs and facilitate their use of library resources

• Convene discussions at least one time per year with Roe Jan Community organizations such as local schools, the WIC program, fire departments, the Copake Grange, local historical societies, etc.

o The Library Director will respond to input from the community conversations and suggest applicable programming

• Serve as a resource for community and business groups by identifying and publicizing relevant services, programs, and collections

B. Help organizations connect with “how-to” ideas, practices, and resources to aid them in accomplishing their goals for the Roe Jan community

IV. Serve as an information center for the Roe Jan area, providing information on the library and the wider community

A. Build greater awareness of library resources, programs, and services by communicating in a regular manner with the community and other interest groups

• Use multiple social media platforms to reach larger audiences with strategic messages

• Distribute an e-newsletter twice a month that showcases the library’s programming and happenings

• By the end of 2020, develop and distribute at least every other month a print and e-newsletter that publicizes library news, accomplishments, new books, club information, library resources, etc.

• Publicize the availability of the library’s facilities, meeting rooms, and public spaces for use by local organizations

• Issue regular reports to the community and local governments, including financial reports, an annual report, and annual presentation to the town boards

o Continue posting board meeting minutes, financial information, and annual reports on the library website and add policies by the end of 2021

o Report annually to town boards

o Report regularly to the community with an annual report sent to all households

B. Provide easy access to information about the Roe Jan area

• Build and maintain a local resources page on the library website that provides access to and information on area service organizations, social service agencies, local governments, churches, and interest groups by the end of 2021

• Provide access to community calendar(s)/bulletin board that includes all activities related to Ancram, Copake, and Hillsdale by the end of 2021

V. Seek regular input from the community in assessing the relevance and effectiveness of the Library’s Five-year Plan of Service, its policies, practices, and operations

A. Conduct community surveys every two years to determine residents’ opinions about community needs, interests, the library, and the library’s services

• Include questions that ask for input on past programs and suggestions for future
programs

• Use Project Outcome surveys for select programs each year to gauge impact of programs on an ongoing basis

B. Conduct at least two Community Conversations by the end of 2021, reaching out to groups not well represented in the 2019 conversations, particularly families and young people, to better understand the aspirations and needs of area residents and how the library may be of more service

VI. Secure the library’s stability and sustainability

A. Maintain stable, consistent revenue streams that include diverse public and private funding

• Reduce the library’s reliance on donations and fundraising events, with the 10-year goal of taxes covering 60% of the library’s operating budget

o Pass an Ancram 414 in 2021, pass new 414s in Copake and Hillsdale, and put the library on a regular schedule of 414 votes every three years

• Maintain robust volunteer-driven private fundraising efforts, consisting of both appeals for individual donations and fundraising events

o Regularly evaluate results and costs of fundraising efforts to ensure effectiveness

• Solicit grants from both foundations and government sources to provide funds for
programming, technology, building improvements, and additional initiatives that may not be covered by operating funds

• Continue conservative fiscal management, reflecting the board’s fiduciary responsibility for public and donated funds

o Pay off the mortgage by the end of 2024

o Maintain a $80,000 reserve account for operating expenses and, by the end of 2023, build a fund of $50,000 for building repairs and improvements

B. Adopt policies and procedures that strengthen library operations

• Set annual staff and volunteer training goals

• Provide ongoing training of staff to develop new skills, improve existing ones, and take better advantage of technology

• Hire additional staff to assume expanding responsibilities by the end of 2024

• Consider new methods of recruiting and retaining volunteers to support library staff and serve on committees. Ensure proper training of volunteers and recognition of their contributions to the library

• Make customer service a focus for all staff and volunteers

C. Maintain a board that is actively involved in oversight and governance

• Strive to make the Board of Trustees representative of the communities we serve

• Require board members to attend training provided by the Mid-Hudson Library System to ensure effective operation and oversight

• Advocate for the library in the local community and at the county and state level

• In 2020, develop a succession plan and reassess it annually

• Maintain an ongoing evaluation process for the Library Director and develop a
compensation plan based on achieving agreed upon metrics