Paw Paw Library

Governance and Policies

Paw Paw Public Library District Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028

Introduction
Paw Paw Public Library District has been a vital part of the community since 1936. Local support has allowed the library to grow and evolve in order to meet the needs of the people of the district. The following plan will guide the library’s efforts to continue serving the needs of its patrons and the community.

Community Needs and Goals
Paw Paw Public Library District (PPPLD) started work on its 2024-2028 long-range plan in January 2024 by collecting data, information and input. At regularly scheduled monthly meetings, library staff and board members reviewed the previous long-range plan and discussed PPPLD’s successes and challenges with the goals laid out in that plan. Staff and board members also looked at library attendance, circulation and program statistics as well as community demographics and data from similar-sized libraries. Other rural and small libraries’ data offered insight into trends occurring across the country. Through this collection and study of information, staff has determined three main goals for this plan and developed a mission statement.

Goal 1
Library staff will continue be involved and visible in activities throughout PPPLD’s service area

A) Objective
Increase use of the library as a community gathering place

Activities
1. In collaboration with the Village and the Village Board members, update and renew the shared gathering place
2. Continue library sponsored and hosted interest groups, i.e. gardening, book club, history clubs, summer reading, etc.

B) Objective
Maintain the library’s existing partnerships and seek out additional ones with community entities

Activities
1. Continue story times for local daycares and young children of the community
2. Encourage staff and library board members to be library champions at community activities
3. Offer library card sign-up
4. Provide library activities in conjunction with Village events, Paw Paw Schools and TRIBE 61353

C) Objective
Employ a variety of tools/sources to provide information about PPPLD’s services and materials

Activities
1. Continue developing website and other marketing tools including newsletter and handouts while also evaluating the effectiveness of each tool
2. Increase online presence and promote new PPPLD website

Goal 2
Update and increase library’s services and materials for the entire service community

Objective
Increase interactions among different ages and demographics and the Equity Diverse and Inclusion population
1. Continue adding new books to the children’s section with the help of our yearly
Barnes & Nobles fundraiser and sell/donate outdated editions
2. Heavily weed the adult nonfiction to be able to make more room for the Young
Adult books into more assessable areas
3. Continue to add a variety of graphic novels for teens and continue to grow the
current selection for young adults and children

Goal 3
Remain a technology resource for the community

Objective
Provide access, share resources and offer help with current and future technologies

Activities
1. Add computers and update operational software on existing units
2. Continue offering technology assistance