Planning for the Future
Chief Librarian Tom Fay is leading the development of a new strategic plan for The Seattle Public Library that will reflect the current and anticipated needs and interests of the community. The plan is expected to identify near-term goals and objectives for the next 1-3 years and longer-term goals and objectives for the next 4-10 years.
2024-2033 Strategic Plan: Final Draft for Library Board Consideration
The Library's Board of Trustees will be considering a final draft of the Library's 2024-2033 Strategic Plan on Thursday, November 21, 2024. The plan, which has been in development since 2022, is impact-focused and people-centered, both cultivating a stronger sense of community belonging and organizational resiliency well into the future. The plan has been informed by a futures study conducted by University of Houston researchers, as well as feedback from thousands of Library patrons, hundreds of Library staff, and dozens of community partners and stakeholders.
The plan emphasizes the Library's commitments to equity and intellectual freedom, and outlines six areas of impact the Library intends to make progress in over the next ten years. These include:
Working to help individuals and families in our community make measurable progress in the areas of:
- Literacy
- Empowerment
- Enrichment
Working to make measurable progress within the Library in the areas of:
- Funding
- Increased capacity
- Buildings, technology and sustainability
The plan outlines some of the specific actions the Library intends to take over the next ten years to achieve progress in these areas.
The plan also sharpens the Library’s own understanding about its role within the community. As we look toward our future, we believe the Library must:
- Prioritize equity in our actions, services and outcomes.
- Continue and expand free access to books and information.
- Increase access, including for those with limited English proficiency.
- Develop more community programming that improves people’s lives.
- Serve as a community hub and connector.
- Create and facilitate positive change.
- Listen to and reflect diverse voices and viewpoints.
- Commit to putting people first.
Read more about the Library’s mission, values and vision in the Library’s 2024-2033 Draft Strategic Plan.
Version 1.0: The Seattle Public Library's Strategic Plan Framework
In the 2019 Library Levy, funds were included to study the future of library work. As a result, the Library contracted with strategic foresight consultant Houston Foresight (University of Houston) in 2022 to lay the foundation for development of a long-term strategic plan.
The Library has hired the strategic planning firm Territory North America, Inc to help engage the community and provide project management expertise to assist in the development of our new strategic plan.
This strategic plan framework document provides members of the public a preview of key elements expected in the Library's new 10-year strategic plan. A final strategic plan document is expected to be published for public review and consideration by the Library Board of Trustees in Q1 2024. The Library’s in-development strategic plan is informed through engagement with Library patrons, dozens of community-based organizations serving Library patrons, hundreds of Library staff, and over 1,700 survey respondents in 13 languages.
This framework document highlights the Library’s core mission, its vision for the City of Seattle, and the values that will guide our work into the future. It also outlines the areas of impact the Library will prioritize over the next ten years. This document does not contain specific actions the Library will take or resources we will need to achieve our stated impact goals, as these elements are currently under consideration and will be presented in the final plan document expected in early 2024.
Current strategic direction: 2017-2022 guiding document
The Library’s current Strategic Direction is a guiding document designed to help benefit individual lives; achieve positive, lasting outcomes in our community; and ensure we have the right tools, resources and organizational structure to realize these goals. The document was originally developed in 2017 and renewed in 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed our community and the work of the Library. To ensure Library programs and services continue to meet the needs of our community, the Library is taking a deeper look at current conditions and what the future may hold in order to develop a longer-term strategic plan.
Community Conversations: What we heard
In 2022, Chief Librarian Tom Fay visited the Greenwood, High Point, Lake City and Rainier Beach branches to hear from patrons on what is working well for them and what could use improvement. Fay wanted to hear, in particular, how the COVID-19 pandemic may have changed their needs or experiences as Library patrons.
The Library also made a public survey available for people who were unable to attend these events in person.
Fay will host more conversations in 2023 as the Library’s strategic plan is being developed to hear more from patrons about what they would like to see included in the Library’s plan.