Missouri River Regional Library Director Claudia Schoonover wants patrons of both branches to know their voice matters.
Last year, both library users, non-users and staff participated in a survey and attended monthly community meetings to voice their opinions on what they would like to see in their local library. In turn, that feedback was used as a guide in Saturday's MRRL strategic planning session.
Board members from the Cole and Osage county MRRL branches tossed around ideas about what structural, operational and internal changes are needed to continue to meet the diverse needs of the communities both branches serve.
Based on the feedback, patrons want the library leadership to address issues surrounding safety, fines, restroom cleanliness, more parking and overall space at the Osage branch. Feedback from the staff mirrored some of these same concerns in addition to better pay and facility updates.
Betty Hagenoff, assistant director, and Schoonover shared financial data and survey results with the board to illustrate the need for an action plan to be put in place sooner rather than later.
The data was a snapshot that detailed the circulation within both libraries has decreased by 24 percent since 2012 and library visitors have decreased by a little more than 14 percent, but the use of electronic materials has increased by more than 100 percent since 2012.
The board agreed it was important to know library patrons are accessing materials electronically, but members said the overall goal is to increase the number of active card holders and overall foot traffic to the library.
Using a SWOT analysis, a record of self-perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, the board was able to narrow its focus on what issues needed to be addressed.
Strengths: Dedicated funding source (tax revenue, library foundation, state); people want a library.
Weaknesses: Do not own MRRL Osage County Branch and administrative buildings; bookmobile outreach efforts in rural areas.
Opportunities: Cole County wants to purchase downtown location facility; can reconfigure an approach to levy.
Threats: Library usage is down; the non-library user mentality ("You can find it on the internet").
Kit Freudenberg, facilitator of the MRRL strategic planning session, characterized the library's dilemma as one that involves leveraging finances over facilities.
Community members and board members alike may remember an effort in 2012 to increase the tax levy from the 1966 funding level of 20 cents per $100 assessed value to 30 cents per $100 assessed value. Ultimately, the effort did not pass, but the board members agreed it may need to be approached again the future.
The board attributed the failure of the 2012 ballot measure to the vague language that left some voters unsure exactly where their tax dollars would be going, as well as the presence of an anti-tax attitude.
To conclude the meeting, the board members presented their aspirations for the future of MRRL. As a board, the majority voted they wanted to be a model library in the Capital City.
"We want to be a strong community partner," Hagenoff said. "We want a big, beautiful building with more patrons complimented by a great collection that provides exemplary service to everyone in the service area."