Vision Statement

The River Valley District Library exceeds customer expectations.

Mission Statement

The mission of the River Valley District Library is to provide educational, informational, cultural, and recreational resources and services to its district, serving as a learning and educational center for all residents.

Goals

Service Excellence

  1. Staff will participate in development opportunities that allow them to stay abreast of current library trends and acquire skills for exceptional job performance and customer service.
  • Staff have attended ILA, webinars, institutes, consortium meetings, and staff meetings
  • Staff in-service was held with presentations from area librarians on collection development, search strategies, and organization and planning.
  1. Staff will evaluate current and proposed library services and tweak them as needed to provide the best initial and repeat contacts with customers.
  • Many library policies have been updated or created utilizing staff input.
  • Circulation and technical services procedures have been updated or defined to ensure the best use of staff time.
  • Library collections were reorganized for better patron and staff safety, ease of use, and to conform to ADA requirements.
  • Adult audiobooks, children’s videos, music CDs, and beginning reader collections were recataloged with consistent call numbers so that patrons and staff can more easily find the materials.
  1. All available media formats are utilized to communicate the Library’s message to customers from all demographic populations.
  • The library’s website was updated to include the library’s logo and to be more user-friendly.
  • The library’s Facebook page now includes photos and videos of programs. Page “likes” have increased dramatically this past year.
  • A Library Twitter account was established.
  • News releases for all library events are sent to the Moline Dispatch and The Review. TV and radio stations will be added to the distribution list in FY 13/14.
  1. Service to homebound residents will provide a library presence to that underserved population.
  • Staff have discussed homebound services and researched what other libraries do. This new service will be implemented in FY 13/14.

Partnerships and Leadership

  1. Collaboration between the library and the Riverdale School District will be enhanced to provide excellent resource sharing for students and teachers.
  • Meetings between librarians from Riverdale high school, elementary, and middle school and River Valley, Cordova, and Hillsdale libraries were held to find out school needs.
  • Visits promoting library services were made to each school.
  • Fliers of library events are given to each school.
  • Materials more appropriate to a school library were donated to the schools.
  • When the school’s library became a union list only one (not paying dues to any consortium), River Valley library cards for each school were created so that teachers and students could still interlibrary loan items as needed. These items are delivered directly to River Valley Library.
  1. Port Byron Historical Society events are an integral part of the community and given preferential treatment by allowing them the service and resources they need for success.
  • A sound system underwritten by Society members was purchased.
  • Staff remains after hours as needed during Society meetings.
  • A webpage will be created for the Society in FY 13/14.
  • The library will begin organizing the local history collection in FY 13/14 to improve access.
  1. The Friends of the River Valley Library are the Library’s largest supporters and will be given the provision they need for successful fund raising and volunteering.
  • Space is provided for Friends items within the library.
  • Friends projects and programs were given the time and space they needed.
  1. The Library will research other partnership opportunities within the communities and develop resources to cultivate them.
  • Ann’s Helping Hands was given unwanted but still usable library surplus items. The Library also provides space for the Angel tree at Christmas.
  • In lieu of video rental fees, food items are collected and donated to the food pantry.
  • A partnership with First Trust and Savings Bank is in the beginning stages and will be strengthened in FY 13/14.
  • Summer reading donations were received from Exelon, River Cities Rotary, and Port Byron State Bank.
  • Donations of surplus items were donated by Dollar General.
  1. The library brand will be promoted to facilitate the Library’s visibility and viability within the communities.
  • The Library’s logo was added to every webpage, to most outgoing mail, and to many fliers.
  • Electronic versions of the logo were emailed to staff for them to use.

Information Access

  1. Library collections will meet the needs of the customer by being kept current and relevant through continual evaluation by staff.
  • Collection development training for staff was completed at the staff in-service, with a specific emphasis on appropriate selection and weeding.
  • Booklist, a library review journal is circulated around all staff to aid in proper selection.
  • Materials selection was divided up among staff so that there are now six selectors. Staff interests and strengths were utilized in determining their selection area.
  1. The customer can easily find materials and information either on the shelves or on the computer.
  • The library webpage was revamped to be more user-friendly.
  • The adult audiobooks, children’s DVDs, music CDs, and beginning readers were recataloged with consistent call numbers, making item location much easier for staff and patrons. Adult DVDs, electronic games, juvenile and young adult audiobooks, and juvenile fiction are the next collections to be recataloged with completion by December 2014.
  1. In collaboration with the owners, the historical collection will be cataloged and/or digitized to provide easy access to the information found within.
  • Several meetings with Historical Society members took place to determine the ownership of the local history collection. Nothing definitive regarding ownership has been determined.
  • An Illinois Historic Preservation Grant was written for funds to frame a large map in the collection. The grant has not yet been rewarded as of this printing.
  • The Director is researching the digitization of the collection with the aid of the State Library.

Facilities Renewal

  1. The library facility meets or exceeds ADA requirements.
  • ADA assessment was completed May 2012 and sent to the Department of Justice for their records.
  • Shelving was moved to conform to ADA requirements August 2012.
  • Lighting added to areas where shelves were too dark.
  • Exterior and interior electronic door mechanisms were both replaced May 2012.
  • Elevator was serviced and repaired with TIF funds.
  • New task chairs for public computers were purchased.
  • Armless chairs were purchased for patrons who don’t use chairs with arms.
  1. Preventative maintenance on equipment and the building is performed as recommended.
  • Three of the library’s four furnaces were replaced when they were found to be faulty. The fourth furnace’s replacement will be evaluated in 2013.
  • Parking lot was resurfaced and restriped.
  • New wiring was run in areas where there was not sufficient power to prevent overload.
  • Lighting ballasts were replaced as needed. A new light was installed for the outdoor American flag.
  • Attic spaces were cleared out to improve circulation. This will be completed by December 2013.
  1. An attractive, easy to navigate facility is provided to give customers a comfortable gathering place within their community.
  • Temporary signage was installed on the shelving endcaps. Semi-permanent signage will be installed FY 13/14.
  • All aisles conform to ADA requirements for ease of movement.
  • Excess items stored in the meeting room were properly stored or disposed of. The meeting room clean-up will be completed by December 2013.
  • Kitchen and cupboard storage was evaluated in April 2013 and will be reorganized by July 2014.
  1. Fund raising events, grant writing, and donor solicitations and bequests will be employed to provide additional monies for capital improvements.
  • Nothing to report at this time.

Knowledge

  1. Creativity and inspiration will be nurtured through free educational and recreational programs for customers of all ages.
  • Children’s book clubs began in 2012.
  • All programs the library offered were free to the public.
  • Children’s science and Lego clubs began in FY 12/13.
  • Evaluation of ongoing programs will be completed by August 2013, and existing or new programs will be planned based on the results.
  1. Use of digital technologies will be expanded to provide the means for customers to acquire additional skill sets.
  • Basic computer classes began in spring 2013.
  • Three laptops were purchased for staff and class training in spring 2013. Three more will be added FY 13/14.
  • Laws.com website and Chilton’s Auto Repair database was added to the library’s webpage.

Board Approved October 2012

Board Reviewed June 2013