Thriving Libraries - A Strategic Plan

by Leanna Lehman --  What changes lie ahead for our local library? As with many small-town libraries across the nation, Fallon’s iconic library has faced a multitude of challenges; budget cuts, reduced revenues, limited staff, and the digital media explosion, just to name few. As such, a strategic plan has been developed to help identify and address areas of concern. Members of the Churchill County Library Board of Trustees along with director Carol Lloyd met on Tuesday to discuss expanding and enhancing library services. The Board examined positive ways forward with newly appointed Nevada State Librarian Tod Colegrove, Consultant Ruth Metz, and Nevada Library Cooperative director, Cindy O. Topping the list of concerns for Nevada libraries was funding. Ruth Metz, who has spent the last year helping rural libraries discover problems within their local and connected library system said maintaining sufficient revenue is critical and ongoing. Last year alone, 1.1 million items were checked out over 20 million times across the rural libraries in Nevada. The need for libraries isn’t diminishing or obsolete, it is simply changing. One catch 22 for Fallon’s library is staffing. An additional staff member could apply for and administer grants on an ongoing basis, which would help fund library programs and operations. However, an additional staff person is not affordable at present. “We need to eliminate a poverty mentality,” stated Metz, “it’s time to expand and look at additional revenue streams and examine a more robust funding model.” Even though support has been garnered on a congressional level, rural libraries are always having to piece-meal funds together, according to Lloyd. With the concerted efforts made over the last few years and the prospect of implementing a detailed strategic plan, “We finally have some traction,” she stated. A secondary concern according to the data Metz collected was that there has been a lot of ambiguity within the Nevada Library Co-op, which connects the rural library systems together. Each library has its own barriers and challenges and a cookie cutter approach to solving problems has not been working. “Human intervention is the path to problem-solving,” Metz stated. This thought was echoed among the Board, “Now it’s time to parcel out needs and start working on them,” stated Lloyd. The new Strategic Plan provides a detailed outline for improved efficiency within the co-op. Money that is saved on a local level and through a streamlined library system will create the opportunity to generate more funds. Through the Plan, Churchill County Library along with other rural libraries can meet its public-oriented, outward-facing goals. The mission of rural libraries in Nevada is clear: Build Community, support literacy, and empower residents through technology. The new Strategic Plan will help our local library fulfill its powerful vision –to create “thriving libraries that Nevadan’s use, love, and support.” Library board bembers are:  Marilyn Hedges-Hiller, Bill Williams, Teri Mackedon, Denice Pinder, Jo Petteruti, and Kelli Kelly.