Tillamook County’s libraries are in the process of developing a new strategic plan that will guide their operations and programming over the next five years.
Library Director Don Allgeier has been hosting a series of listening sessions to solicit public feedback, including one at the Garibaldi library on March 15.
At the meeting, Allgeier started by giving a brief presentation on the library’s operations across the county before listening to suggestions from a group of library patrons.
Allgeier, who started as Tillamook’s Library Director last July, said that the library has been using a strategic vision plan developed in 2015. He said that following the passage of a new five-year levy by voters last July, it was an appropriate time to replace the outdated document.
There are six libraries spread across Tillamook County that work in concert and rely on the services of a bookmobile to transfer books between them. The taxpayer funded levy accounts for 98% of the library’s budget.
Allgeier said that surveys revealed that county residents were even more satisfied with the library system than they had been in 2015, finding it more convenient, easier to use and a better contributor to the community.
Last year, the library continued to expand its services, adding WIFI hotspots, expanding or adding Saturday hours across the system and offering printing and faxing at all branches. It has also started a “library of things” that allows residents to check out various objects, like microscopes or water and air quality testing equipment, an offering that will continue to grow.
Residents who attended the meeting shared their enthusiasm for the library’s operations and offered suggestions on how it could continue to improve its services over the next five years.
The foremost recommendation was that the library focus on expanding its usage amongst the Hispanic community in the county, with hiring a Spanish speaking staffer mentioned as a priority. The group also were curious about the library expanding its offerings to seniors and increasing the number of free activities.
The listening sessions will wrap up in Bay City on March 22, before library staff begin work on writing the strategic plan.
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