Lewiston Public Library

Strategic Plan

2024 - 2028

Christopher Pannozzo, President
MaryJo Farrell, Vice President
Nancy Smith, Treasurer
John Daigneau, Secretary
Matthew Feldman, Director
Justin Tedesco, Director
Frederick Caso, Director

Jill Palermo, Executive Director

Approved By Board of Trustees: November 6, 2023

Mission – Our Purpose

The Mission of the Lewiston Public Library is to enrich lives by meeting the informational, educational and recreational needs of the community through a variety of resources and outreach programs.

Vision – Our Future

We strive to promote a lifelong love of reading, learning, and literacy. Our Library seeks to provide quality resources, programs, assistance, and space to seek, discover, relax, discuss, plan, and interact. In addressing the needs of our community, we will provide services that enhance the quest for knowledge and intellectual activity.

Values – Our Guiding Principles

-         Access

-         Diversity

-         Education

-         Lifelong Learning

-         Service

-         Sustainability

History

The Lewiston Public Library began in 1901 when the Men’s Club of Lewiston held a New Year’s Party and asked each person in attendance to bring two books. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt, invited but unable to attend, sent an autographed copy of his book on Oliver Cromwell. This book is still on display in the Local History Room. When the new Library was dedicated in 1991, former U.S. Presidents Ford, Carter, Nixon and Reagan sent autographed copies of their books to add to this collection.

Chartered as a Free Library in 1902, support was maintained by public subscription with members of the Lewiston Service Guild collecting door-to-door for operating funds. As Library use increased, the Trustees recognized that a dedicated source of funding was needed to maintain standards and allow for continued growth. In 1976 this funding was secured with the approval of a Public Library Charter and the Library is now supported by tax dollars.

The Library has been housed in several buildings in the historic village, eventually finding a permanent home when the present structure was built in 1990 at 305 South 8^th Street. The children’s wing was added in 1999.
 

Funding

The Library, which has an annual budget of approximately $400,000, is funded primarily by the Town of Lewiston. Other financial support is provided by Niagara County, New York State, grants and donations.

The “Friends of the Library,” a volunteer organization, provides support through a variety of fundraisers and a book-sale room.

In 2023, the library received:

                                                                                                  2022             2023

Town of Lewiston Budget Appropriation:                $392,170        $392,170
Town of Lewiston Supplemental (Heat/Electricity):                        Up to $27,000 
Niagara County Budget Appropriation:                   $ 15,176        $ 16,486
New York State Appropriation:                                $   3,960        $   3,978

The Library has also recently established a Foundation that will raise and provide additional support to the Library. The goal is to provide flexible and immediate funding so the Library can address current needs not met through the budget process. Foundation funds will allow the Library to begin to enrich collections, upgrade technology, expand public programming and assist in capital improvement projects.

Strategic Plan
2024 – 2028

The Town of Lewiston Public Library’s Strategic Plan is our organizational management activity that is used to set priorities, focus energy and resources, strengthen operations, ensure that employees and other stakeholders are working toward common goals, establish agreement around intended outcomes/results, and assess and adjust the organization’s direction in response to a changing environment.

This plan directs fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide who we are, who we  serves, what we do and why we do it, with a focus on the future.

Goal #1: Serving the Community - Daily Operations

-         Utilize services and skills of staff and community partners to benefit users and residents

-         Provide Access to Information both in-person and online/Expand “hot spots” service

-         Utilize technology to offer free services, collections and programs.

-         Research options to provide services to those unable to access the library/remote services

TARGETS

·        Review Attendance/Hours of Operation

·        Year-Round presence in mind of patrons

·        Increase circulation/ Increase attendance at activities (establish baselines)

Goal #2: Serving the Community - Connect With the Community

-         Reestablish the Board’s Public Relations Committee for consistent information and messaging to the community utilizing traditional media, social media and other communication vehicles. 

-         Potential dedicated staff member for social media postings

-         Support activities and growth of the Friends of the Library in their service to the library and community. Staff should be provided opportunities to attend Friends’ activities.

-         Presenting programs that help community members connect, explore and share

-         Enhance Genealogy and Local History so staff and users will have the resources they need to connect the past with the present through their family histories and to understand the history and traditions of the community. Highlight local history.

-         Central source for information about the wide variety of programs, services, and activities provided by community agencies and organizations. Provide information on the website for patrons with visual or hearing impairments to have access to available resources.

TARGETS

·        Regular Meetings/Actions for Public Relations Committee

·        Track presence and traffic on social media platforms

·        Track attendance at community events

·        Monthly press release and/or community messages

 Goal #3: Building a Foundation for Long-Term Growth

-         Support growth of the Library Foundation

-         Initiate an annual review of current building needs including space for storage, programs and additional services

-         Identify financial resources for operational and programming needs

-         Identify public and private grant opportunities

TARGETS

·        Increase amount of available Capital Funds

·        Identify/Access necessary AV Equipment for Community Room

·        Identify a possible building expansion plan by year-end ‘24

·        Conduct an annual walk-through review of facility

Goal #4: Financial Stability

-         Maintain strong partnerships with current funding sources

-         Aggressive outreach to additional public and private funding sources

TARGETS

·        Presentation to Lewiston Town Board and Village Board on activities and needs

·        Identify additional local, state and private financial support

Baseline Measurements

To establish the effectiveness of a long-term Strategic Plan, basic metrics need to be monitored. The following are baseline measurements as of November 2023. The Board will review these metrics each November and evaluate the effectiveness of ongoing strategies.

Measuring Our Success:                FY2023       FY2024     FY2025     FY2026     FY2027

Library use and membership:                        6240

Items Borrowed:                                45,384

Attendance at programs:                    2002

Public Funding:                                 $439,634

Private Funding/Donations                $1500

Foundation Support                           $0

Partnerships and Collaboration

·        Lewiston Porter School District

Staff and Board Training

·        NIOGA Board of Trustee Training

·        NIOGA Board Sexual Harassment Training

·        NIOGA Workshops

·        Webinars