HARWINTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

A TEN-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN

(FY 2008 – FY 2018)

Prepared By:

The Harwinton Public Library Board of Directors

April 2008

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

I.Introduction

II. Library Mission Statement

Harwinton Public Library Mission

III.Current Conditions, Commentrary, Recommendations

Town of Harwinton Profile

Population Profile

Community Goals and Objectives

Harwinton Fiscal Profile

Harwinton Public Library Resources

Library Building and Materials

Programming

Staffing

Technology Resources

Measures of Community Satisfaction………………………………………..……..14

Library Patronage......

Trends in Circulation...... 16

Library Needs Survey

IV. Harwinton Public Library Goals……………………………………………………18

V.Recap of Recommendations...……………………………………………20

VI.Conclusions

List of Tables

Table 1: Selected Harwinton Population Characteristics….....……………………….…..2

Table 2: Library Expenditures Comparison……………………………………………....4

Table 3: Library Income Comparison 2006-2007...…………………………………….....5

Table 4:2007 Library Square Footage Comparison...... 7

Table 5: Comparison – Library Staffing 2006-2007...... 10

Table 6: Library Salary Comparison 2006-2007

Table7: Computer Resources Comparison

Table 8: Hennen's Ratings of American Public Libraries………………………………..14

Table 9: Library Patronage Comparison……..……………………………………….....15

Table 10: Audio and Visual Use Comparison………………………………………...…15

Table 11: Trend in Circulation of Materials from the Harwinton Public Library……….16

1

Executive Summary

The Harwinton Public Library Board of Trustees (the Board) began developing this Ten-Year Strategic Plan following the fifteenth anniversary of the Library in an attempt to take stock of what has been accomplished in the past and to identify what role the Library should have in the future.

The purpose of this Plan is to guide the development of the Library over the next ten years in terms of physical space, the resources it houses, and the staff who manage it and directly assist its patrons. The question arose as to whether the Library can continue to meet Harwinton’s needs as it is currently housed and managed or will more, different, space and staff be needed. Should the services offered by the Library change, and if so, how? An assessment of the Library’s current conditions highlighted critical issues:

1. Space Needs

  • The population in Harwinton is projected to stay unchanged over the next ten years. The growth in the number of seniors (aged 65 or older) will be substantially greater than growth in the population overall. The overall number of school-age children will also increase modestly over time.
  • The Library has a lower than average amount of floor space for a community this size and is experiencing a shortage of space to shelve books, videos and Harwinton historical materials.
  • The Library does not fully meets the access needs of disabled patrons.

2. Library Use

  • The Library has no space devoted to teenagers.
  • The Library has inadequate space to house some Library-sponsored programs.

3. Programming

  • The Library relies on its Annual Appeal and the Library Friends to support programming and to purchase sufficient library materials.
  • There is increasing demand for children’s programming at the Library as expressed by patrons.

4. Staffing

  • As the Library offerings and operations have become more complex and technically oriented, the job responsibilities of individual staff members have become more specialized and demanding.
  • Harwinton has less full-time staff than any other area library serving a similar size population. The limited hours budgeted for two of the Library positions make scheduling for adequate staff coverage particularly challenging. The presence of adequate full-time staff is a necessity for the Library’s optimal operation.
  • The Library budget for wages and salaries is substantially less than comparable communities. When Library staff members leave, it is increasingly difficult to find interested applicants to replace them.
  • The Library Director has been with the Library more than 25 years and can be expected to retire in the foreseeable future. The Library does not currently offer sufficient hours to attract a qualified replacement with comparable skills and experience.

5. Computer Technology

  • The Harwinton Public Library needs to maintain a contemporary computer system to take advantage of other statewide resources and remain effectively connected to other libraries in the state.
  • The providers of reference materials have increasingly moved to computer-based products in recent years.
  • The Library staff needs to continuously take advantage of training opportunities on advanced library-related computer software programs.

6. Fiscal

  • The Library can be considered below average for staffing, expenditures, salaries, and space, but above average for circulation and patronage when compared to other Connecticut communities.

Twenty-six recommendations were endorsed by the Harwinton Public Library Board of Trustees in order to address these issues and to meet Library development goals. These are summarized in Section V of this plan. The top priorities among those recommendations set by the Harwinton Public Library Board include the following:

1. Space Needs

  • To initiate a Building Committee to plan how to meet the increasing space needs of the Library.

2. Library Use

  • To focus more on the purchase of contemporary adult books and materials, particularly of interest to seniors.
  • To develop a marketing program to increase the use of the Library.

3. Programming

  • To maintain and expand the current level of children’s services and program offerings in order to have sufficient resources to meet the needs of all children in Harwinton.
  • The coordination of the Library Board of Trustees with the Library Friends in order to conduct an annual review of the program offerings. The purpose would be to heighten the Board’s awareness of programming issues.

4. Staffing

  • To increase the hours of the Children’s Programmer to provide adequate staff time to support children’s programs offered.

5. Computer Technology

  • To continually monitor and address technological needs of the community in order to stay current.
  • To research and utilize technology that enable Library patrons to access resources statewide.

6. Fiscal

  • To pursue salaries for all Library employees that meet regional levels for Library staff of comparable experience and education.
  • To make the community, The Board of Selectmen and The Board of Finance more aware of the Library’s needs in order to receive improved funding from the Town and community.
  • To work continuously towards incremental implementation of this Plan’s recommendations, including those requiring financial commitment on the part of the Town of Harwinton.

Finally, this Ten Year Plan is not intended to be static. It is the intent of the Board that this Plan be updated every five years to keep current with the community needs and desires for the services its Library should provide.

1

  1. Introduction

The Harwinton Public Library plays an important role in our community by providing information, education, and recreation for all its patrons. In its early years, the small historic home of the Library in the Hungerford Museum provided a very limited space for books and programs. The Library couldn’t keep pace with the growth in the community and the desire of residents to have a contemporary facility with a diversity of resources. Consequently, the first substantial change for the Library involved moving to a new building built twenty years ago as part of the construction of a new municipal complex. Since that time, the Library has been able to provide for a growing collection of adult and children’s print materials as well as meeting space for both Library and community functions. The Library has continued to evolve over the past decade; just as other community services have, in response to changing community needs. Since the building on Bentley Road became the Library’s home, thousands of new books have been added, as well as a variety of magazines and other types of publications, videos and music CDs. Five computers are available for the public, including wireless Internet access for patrons.. Much has been accomplished.

The fifteen-year anniversary of the Library served as an appropriate time for the Harwinton Public Library Board to take stock not only of what has been accomplished, but also of what remains to be done. Can the Library continue to meet Harwinton’s needs as it is currently housed and managed or will more, different, space and staff be needed? As Harwinton has grown and evolved over the past 19 years and our collective lives have become more complex and more influenced by technology, it is also appropriate to question what the role of the Library should be in the future. Should the services offered by the Library change, and if so, how?

The Harwinton Public Library Board of Trustees (the Board) has developed the following Ten Year Strategic Plan in an attempt to respond to those questions. The purpose of the Plan is to guide the development of the Library over the next ten years in terms of physical space, the resources it houses, and the staff who manage the Library and directly assist patrons using it. This Ten Year Strategic Plan was crafted through a systematic process of examining what the Library has, assessing what its immediate and longer term needs are, and making recommendations on how to meet those needs. The Board conducted a survey of Harwinton residents as well as other Library users to see how the Library was doing and ask what things about the Library and its services should be changed. (The results of this survey are described in Section III, p. 17 of this Plan). In addition, the Board reviewed and updated the Library’s philosophical mission statement and goals to help further define what the future role of the Library should be. This Ten Year Plan is not intended to be static, however. It is the intent of the Board that this Plan be updated every five years to keep current with the community needs and desires for the services its Library should provide. We hope this will be the first in series of Ten Year Strategic Plans that will carry the Library and its operations through the decades to come.

  1. Library Mission Statement

Harwinton Public Library Mission

The mission of the Harwinton Public Library is to provide for the informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the citizens of Harwinton through the provision of an organized collection of print, multimedia, electronic resources, and cultural program offerings. This mission is met by the maintenance of a trained professional staff and support personnel.

Emphasis will be placed on encouraging children to develop an interest in reading and learning by offering appropriate materials and programs and collaborating with the Region 10 school district’s educational programs. In addition, the library will work to provide people of all ages with high-demand, high-interest resources in a variety of formats. In summary, the library will actively encourage the use of its materials, seek to keep residents informed of resources available, and foster the intellectual growth, character, and cohesiveness of the community.

III. CURRENT CONDITIONS, ISSUES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Town of Harwinton Profile

Population Profile

A library must serve a diverse range of individuals, including children, families, and seniors, in somewhat different ways. The following is an analysis of the trends in population growth in Harwinton and an evaluation of the potential relative need for services for these groups in the future. The following table demonstrates how the population of Harwinton has changed over time and is projected to change in the future.

Table 1

Selected Harwinton Population Characteristics

Factor / 2000 / 2005 / 2010
Projected / 2015 Projected / Change
2000-2015
Region 10 Total Population / 2495 / 2795 / 2903 / 2875 / +380
Pop. 25-29 / 183 / 128 / 212 / 249 / + 66
Pop. 30-64 / 2813 / 2804 / 2577 / 2383 / -430
Pop. 65 and older / 689 / 732 / 872 / 1010 / +321
Median Age / 42.3 / 43.2 / 42.3 / 43.2 / +.9
Total Population / 5298 / 5375 / 5353 / 5293 / -5

Source of Data: Region 10 Schools and Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis

Commentary:

Projected growth through 2015 is primarily in the school age and 65 and older populations. Although the projections show a slight decrease after 2010, this age group will need to be a significant consideration when determining expenditures for the Library.

The 65 and older sub-category projects our largest percentage of growth within the town of Harwinton. Considerations of services that address our growing elderly population will also be a relevant factor for the future.

Recommendations:

  • Focus of expenditures on books, materials, programs and technology on school-age students, as well as the creation of an area that encourages older students to utilize the library more fully.
  • Emphasize services that enable the library to reach out to the growing population of elderly patrons and provide for continued use of the library (ie. mobile library, large print books, books on tape, downloadable books, etc.), as well as programs.
  • Continue to explore and develop collaborations with other town organizations within our community
  • Keep current with the needs and interests of the community as a whole through suggestions, survey, etc.

Community Goals and Objectives

The Harwinton Plan of Conservation and Development (2008) is a document intended to guide the ten-year future development of the town overall. It addresses a variety of issues including land use, economic development, natural resources, population characteristics, and community services and management. The Plan of Conservation and Development reflects somewhat the vision the community has for the role of the Library in the future.

The 2008 Plan’s goals are to:

  • Protect our natural environment
  • Maintain the rural character of the Town
  • Make Harwinton an even better place to live
  • Improve municipal “housekeeping”
  • Regulate future land use

There are many unmet needs within the Library that could be addressed through remodeling and enlarging the existing building. Due to the 7-9 year time span it takes to meet the state’s requirements for library planning, financing, and construction, a Library Planning and Building Committee should be appointed in the immediate future with members selected from the existing Library Board, as well as several at large community members appointed by the Selectmen.

Commentary:

  • The Harwinton Public Library does not currently have a Building Committee focused on developing plans for an addition or remodeling. Such a committee should respond to the desire of the Town to maintain its rural character while providing a facility that meets community’s needs, and makes Harwinton an even better place to live.

Recommendation:

  • The Harwinton Public Library Board should establish a Building Committee comprised of Library Board members and invite the First Selectman’s office to appoint one or more community representatives to participate.

Harwinton Fiscal Profile

Future change to the operations at the Library will be largely guided by the availability of municipal funds dedicated to that purpose. The following table considers growth in the Town budget, expenditures for the Library over time, and compares that with the level of income and expenses in comparable towns in northwestern Connecticut.

Table 2

Library Expenditures Comparison

Town / Library
Total Cost
1993-1994 / Library Total Cost 1999-2000 / Library Total Cost 2003-2004 / Library
Total Cost
2006-2007 / Library Cost
Per Capita
2006-2007
Harwinton / $62,871 / $185,170 / $208,799 / $222,133 / $38.59
Burlington / $65,818 / $169,692 / $208,827 / $251.615 / $27.50
Litchfield / $257,986 / $402,878 / $430,714 / $562,442 / $60.39
New Hartford / $144,327 / $386,009 / $269,127 / $318,538 / $46.89
Thomaston / $231,527 / $295,532 / $334,004 / $383,213 / $47.22
Average / $152,506 / $287,856 / $290,294 / $347,588 / $44.11

Source: Connecticut Library Assoc. and Connecticut State Library Statistical Summary

(continued on page 5)

Library Expenditures Comparison (continued)

Town / Library Materials
Cost per
Capita / Plant Maintenance
Cost per Sq Foot / Town Appropriations
as % of Expenses
Harwinton / $4.29 / $5.09 / .8
Burlington / $2.06 / $3.11 / .9
Litchfield / $7.34 / $7.13 / .9
New Hartford / $6.01 / $6.16 / 1.2
Thomaston / $6.19 / $2.36 / .8
Average / $5.18 / $4.37 / .92

Table 3

Library Income Comparison 2006-2007

Town / Town
Revenue
Per Capita / Library Approp
Per Capita / Operating
Income
Per Capita / AENGLC
Rank / Fund
Raising
Income
Harwinton / $2538 / $26.17 / $29.83 / 70 / $14,801
Burlington / $2731 / $27.32 / $28.70 / 60 / $1,987
Litchfield / $2769 / $29.86 / $60.98 / 49 / $57,816
New Hartford / $3367 / $28.75 / $46.89 / 74 / $49,514
Thomaston / $3055 / $42.33 / $48.71 / 114 / $2,732
Average / $2982 / $30.89 / $43.02 / 73 / $25,370

Commentary:

  • Total library costs for Harwinton have quadrupled over the past 13 years (from 93-94 to 06-07), but its current cost per capita is second LOWEST of the 5 towns of Burlington, New Hartford, Litchfield, Thomaston, and Harwinton.
  • The Library’s maintenance/housekeeping costs are above average among the 5 towns.
  • Harwinton has the LOWEST library appropriation per capita compared to the other 4 towns.
  • Harwinton has the second LOWEST operating income per capita.
  • Harwinton town revenue per capita is the LOWEST among the 5 towns.
  • Library requests for additional funding from the town each year have only been partially funded.
  • The Harwinton Library relies primarily on Friends of the Library for programming expenses.
  • The AENGLC ranking shows Harwinton slightly better than average of the five towns. The lower the rank, the more affluent is the town.
  • Among public libraries in the area, Harwinton compares well, but raises only a fraction of what the two private libraries raise.

Recommendations:

  • The Library Board of Trustees needs to make the community, the Board of Selectmen, and the Finance Board more aware of the Library’s needs in order to receive improved funding from the Town and community.
  • The Board should continue its fund-raising activities, especially the successful Annual Fund Drive with additional emphasis on the need for endowment gifts.

Harwinton Public Library Resources

Each public library in Connecticut as well as in the country is unique in the mix of resources and services it offers to its community. In particular, the way in which each library is staffed varies tremendously from town to town. Job titles vary, job descriptions vary, salaries and hours worked vary as well. So it is like comparing different varieties of apples when one tries to compare libraries to see how the services Harwinton offers measure up. Nonetheless, this section of the plan attempts to look at the Library resources and evaluate whether that meets our community’s needs. It does so, in part, by comparison to standards of service offered in neighboring towns for a community the size of Harwinton. Resources examined include materials, physical space, and staffing.