Eau Claire Public Library Strategic Plan
In August 2010, the Board of Trustees for the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library
(LEPMPL) adopted a strategic plan to guide the Library for the critical years of 2011-2015. Our community and our nation are in the midst of an historic transition that is redefining our civic roles as community members and how we make decisions and govern ourselves. There is growing concern from some quarters about our capacity as a nation to sustain democratic governance for future generations.
Democracy begins with the conversations we as community members choose to have about the kind of community we want. These conversations are essential for active and productive citizenship and require community leadership to create the opportunities and public spaces where our civic conversations can take place. The LEPMPL strategic plan Focus on the Future reaffirms the unique role of the library as our #1 public space – over 370,000 visitors in 2009 – where people, information, and ideas converge in the fundamental conversations that enrich our community life and sustain our democracy.
The Library’s vision:
Work with the people of the Eau Claire area to build a strong, vibrant, inclusive community
The Library’s mission:
Promote the joy of reading, the love of learning and the sharing of ideas by providing open access to ideas and knowledge and professional guidance in finding, evaluating and using information.
The Library strategies:
- Build community and contribute to the development of an informed and engaged citizenry.
- Grow a new generation of young readers.
- Attract and nurture new library users.
- Enhance services valued by traditional library users.
- Maximize the impact of the public’s investment in library services.
- Enhance the library’s position as a “center of community life.”
The first library in Eau Claire opened in 1860, twelve years before the city was incorporated. We have building, improving, and preserving this critical public structure for over 150 years. Congratulations and well done to the LEPMPL Trustees and staff for their leadership and dedication.
For more on the history of the public library in Eau Claire, see The Public Library in Eau Claire, 1860-2009, written by Katherine Sullivan and Larry Nickel, funded through the Friends of LEPMPL and available at the Library.