Public Survey - Help Shape The Seattle Public Library's Plans for the Future
release date: October 25, 2023
The Seattle Public Library is developing a new 10-year strategic plan, and patrons and Seattle residents are invited to participate in a survey about the Library’s future direction.
The survey, which is available in 17 languages, will be available to the public online at www.spl.org/FutureSurvey from Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023 through Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Public response to the survey will help shape the Library’s long-term strategic plan. The Library has also sought input from:
- Library patrons at branch Community Conversations with the Chief Librarian;
- Dozens of community partners serving Seattle’s many diverse communities;
- Library leadership and staff; and
- Library stakeholders, such as City of Seattle leaders, the Library’s Board of Trustees, The Seattle Public Library Foundation and The Friends of the Library.
The survey asks patrons and Seattle residents to weigh in on services the Library provides, as well as community impacts the Library hopes to make in coming years.
“It is a critical time for community institutions like the Library to look toward the future with intention, clarity of purpose and optimism,” said Tom Fay, The Seattle Public Library’s chief librarian. “Following the extraordinary impacts of the pandemic and significant technological evolutions, we must be clear about our community’s needs related to information services and public spaces, and we must be clear about how we will meet those needs. We are excited to chart our future in partnership with the community, and look forward to serving Seattle readers and learners for generations to come.”
The Library first began conducting community listening to guide development of the plan in 2022, when Chief Librarian Tom Fay held Community Conversations at four neighborhood branches. Conversations focused on how community needs have changed since the pandemic and how the Library can be responsive to those needs.
‘FUTURE OF THE LIBRARY’ STRATEGIC FORESIGHT REPORT
Following initial community listening, the Library contracted with Houston Foresight (the University of Houston) in early 2023 to conduct a “Future of the Library” study, which was a commitment made by the Library in the $219.1M 2019 Library Levy, a plan overwhelmingly approved by Seattle voters.
This study provided the Library and its stakeholders an opportunity to better understand possible future outcomes for public libraries, including what a “preferred” future might look like.
Houston Foresight researchers identified over a dozen issues that will impact public libraries in coming years, such as climate change, artificial intelligence, social services gaps, censorship and more. The Library was then presented with scenarios in which these issues present various challenges and opportunities the organization is likely to face in its short-term and long-term futures. A team of Library leadership, staff and stakeholders considered how the organization might best respond to these scenarios and envisioned a preferable future.
The resulting foresight report has created a foundation for the development of a well-informed, nimble and impact-focused plan.
Learn more about the Library’s strategic foresight report on our website.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
Following the foresight study, the Library contracted with Territory North America Inc. to develop the long-term plan. Territory conducted additional engagement to ensure the plan’s direction is resonating with Library patrons, staff, Seattle residents and other stakeholders. Territory has also worked with a third-party qualitative analyst to ensure community feedback the Library is accurately understood and reflected in the plan.
Library leadership is working with City of Seattle leaders to ensure the plan’s alignment with the City’s Comprehensive Plan update.
You can learn more about the Library’s planning process at www.spl.org/future.
MORE INFORMATION
The Library believes that the power of knowledge improves people's lives. We promote literacy and a love of reading as we bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and build community.
Contact the Library’s Ask Us service by phone at 206-386-4636 or by email or chat at www.spl.org/Ask. Staff are ready to answer questions and direct you to helpful resources and information.