As I reflect on fiscal year 2023 (July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023), I am immensely grateful for the diverse ways in which the community engages with our library. Whether you checked out one or more of the 1,252,860 items that circulated this year, were among the 475,444 visitors to the downtown library or one of the 17,089 visitors to the Bookmobile, received one of the 2,174 at-home packages sent out into the community, asked one of the 25,051 reference questions our expert staff assisted with, accessed one of the 300,259 media downloads made during the year, or attended one of the 944 programs offered for children, teens, and adults, your participation contributes significantly to ICPL's success. Thank you for being an essential part of our library community!
Fiscal year 2023 marked the closure of the 2021-2023 Strategic Plan, which was designed around three priorities: recovery and renewal following the COVID-19 closure, focus on community aspirations, and resource management. Progress throughout this plan demonstrated ICPL’s commitment to intellectual freedom and access, dedication to process improvement, and enthusiasm for trying new things. It was inspiring to witness the ways in which library staff brought the strategic plan to life, and I am immensely proud of the work that was accomplished across all departments.
We implemented a new strategic plan in July 2023. This plan is anchored by four goals that will guide our work for the next three years and was crafted by a staff committee with significant input from the community. The four goals are access, framed as providing equitable opportunities for all people to connect with the resources and services they want and need; communication, with a specific focus on effectively sharing information and seeking feedback from our community; education, with the purpose of championing lifelong learning; and staff wellbeing, which recognizes that staff are our greatest resource and celebrates that each employee has distinct skills, needs, and aspirations. I am genuinely excited to amplify these initiatives and engage with our users in new ways. Special thanks to all community members who participated in a strategic plan focus group, completed a survey, or provided other input into our process, and to library staff who served on the strategic planning committee or contributed to that group’s work.
Thank you for making fiscal year 2023 a remarkable one! I look forward to seeing you soon.
In appreciation,
Elsworth Carman (he/him/his)
Director, Iowa City Public Library
elsworth-carman@icpl.org
