Here’s the plan at MHPL
What kind of library does Medicine Hat need? In 2016 the board of the public library set out to answer that question for the next couple of years — only for a couple of years because the answer to the question changes over time.
The first thing the board did was to ask community members for advice and input. It so happens there is a team of librarians in Edmonton that work for the provincial government helping Alberta libraries do this. And it so happens that I was on that team, and I came to Medicine Hat to lead a public meeting about the library’s future. I had no idea at the time I would be living here and working at the library a year and a half later!
It is really good that the board started by talking with the community because library services need to be rooted in community needs. In fact, when I did such meetings I would avoid talking about the library as long as possible. What is most important is what’s going on outside the library walls. The library needs to respond to that, not the other way round.
After this consultation and a bunch of planning, soul searching and wordsmithing the board came up with a Plan of Service. Here are some highlights from the plan.
Medicine Hat Public Library is a facilitator of information. This means we will work to get you what you need, when you need it. Specifically, we provide people the resources they need to make decisions that affects their lives, in areas like home repair, physical activity and technology. We are also a central hub where you can get information about community agencies and activities. We also help students succeed in school. Our library fosters a sense of community and belonging. We help people discover and celebrate the diversity of our community through programs and partnerships, and we have a Human Library collection where you can “check out” (meet with) an interesting community member for a conversation. We support new immigrants and refugees and we provide a physical space where you can mingle with your neighbours.
Another thing in the Plan of Service is to establish a satellite services location. The board is currently emphasizing the “services” part of this, considering how the library could support neighbourhoods without the expense of a new library. There are some intriguing ways of doing this but we once again need to know community needs. I would love to hear your input: What services would you like to access outside the library? Holds pickup and return? Mini-collections? Adult or children’s programs? And what area would you like them in? Let me know!
Ken Feser is chief librarian at the Medicine Hat Public Library.