After much consultation, communications and careful consideration, the people who make The Cochrane Public Library (CPL) what it is are excited to announce they are embarking on a new and improved 2024-2026 Plan of Service, with new funding from the federal government to help them along the way.
The plan is designed to meet the needs of the fastest-growing community in Alberta thanks to funding from the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund.
The CPL undertook significant steps to ensure a community-led approach in developing their 2024-2026 Plan of Service – a strategic planning document required by public libraries in Alberta to ensure the library is identifying and meeting community needs.
Informed by a patron satisfaction survey and numerous workshops with the community, library staff, and board, the new Plan of Service addresses the challenges of increased demand for library services, while working within an undersized facility.
“This Plan is a phenomenal tool to help us continue supporting our residents over the next three years. The feedback clearly indicated that patrons want the library to act as an inclusive and accessible space, as well as a trusted and collaborate community partner,” said Library Director Monique Fiedler-Sills.
“It was also apparent that we have outgrown our space and we need to start planning for a new facility that will meet the needs of our patrons.”
Built in 2000, the library has been in its current facility for 23 years and the space is bustling with activity.
“Compared to this time last year our numbers have skyrocketed,” says Fiedler-Sills. “Since going fee and fine free in January, visits are up by 23 per cent, circulation 13 per cent , and program participation by a whopping 54 per cent.”
Fiedler-Sills said the staff is excited.
“We can’t wait to get started on our new Plan of Service goals, including conducting a Facility Needs Assessment to determine our next steps towards an expanded space.”
Fiedler-Sills credits the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF) for the financial support required to create their Plan of Service.
“We were extremely fortunate and grateful to have received funding from the CSRF to hire the facilitator who led the needs assessment workshops to develop our Plan. The library exists to serve the community, so we made a concerted effort to ensure this Plan addressed the feedback we received.”
Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development added to the news release, “It is heartening to see the compassion and empathy of our citizens as they give back to those in need.
“I am confident that together we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of those in Cochrane.”
The Library would like to invite the community to look at the new Plan of Service on its website cochranepubliclibrary.ca.
“Come get a free library card and check out all the new programs we launched this fall,” said Fiedler-Sills.
The Plan of Service acts as a powerful tool in helping libraries meet the needs of the communities they serve. The Alberta Libraries Regulation requires Library Boards to have a current plan of service based on a community needs assessment, thus, creating goals and objectives based on resident feedback.
The 2024-2026 Plan of Service addresses the challenges of increased demand for library surrounded by businesses who value the resources that our Library offers patrons and staff.
The Cochrane Public Library (CPL) undertook significant steps to ensure a community-led approach in developing the Plan of Service. In late 2022, CPL conducted a month-long Patron Satisfaction Survey and received over 200 responses in print and online. These responses provided feedback about aspects such as usage, the facility, collections, programs, hours of opening, customer service, and overall satisfaction.
