Brooklyn Public Library Plan of Service - January 1, 2012-December 31, 2016
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Brooklyn Public Library
Plan of Service
January 1, 2012-December 31, 2016SECTION 1 - GENERAL INFORMATION
Name of System: Brooklyn Public Library
Street Address: Grand Army Plaza
City: Brooklyn
Zip Code: 11238
Four Digit Zip Code Extension: 5698
Telephone Number: (718) 230-2100
Fax Number: (718) 398-3947
Name of System Director: Richard Reyes-Gavilan
E-Mail Address of the System Director: Richard@brooklynpubliclibrary.org
System Home Page URL: www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org
Date of Establishment: 1896
Date of Absolute Charter: 1896
Name(s) of Central Library/Co-Central Libraries: Brooklyn Public Library
Square Mileage of System Service Area 71
Population of System Service Area: 2,504,700
Type of System: PLS
SECTION 2 - SYSTEM GOVERNANCE BYLAWS
2.1 URL of Current Governing Bylaws
APPOINTMENT/ELECTION OF BOARD/COUNCIL
Members of the Brooklyn Public Library Board of Trustees are appointed by either the
Mayor of New York City or the Brooklyn Borough President. Twelve additional members are
elected to serve on the board.
ADVISORY GROUPS
2.4 Advisory Groups - Indicate the groups that advise the Board/Council.
Committees comprised of staff and board members serve as advisory groups to the
full Board of Trustees. These committees include the Library Operations Committee
which oversees public policy and library performance, the Finance Committee which
oversees the Library’s budget and long-range financial planning, and the Capital
Planning and Facilities Oversight Committee which oversees the Library’s physical
assets.
SECTION 3 - MEMBER SERVICES
LIST OF MEMBERS
3.1 URL of Current List of Members
LEVELS OF SERVICE
3.2 Does the public library system provide different levels of service to its member libraries?
N/ASECTION 4 - PLANNING
4.1 Describe the process used to assess member needs in the development of the
system’s Plan of Service.
The Plan was developed based on current service feedback from staff and
users. BPL also analyzed demographic data and usage statistics to
determine appropriate services.
4.2 Identify the groups involved in development of the Plan of Service and each
group’s role.
Several groups are involved in development of the Plan of Service:
1. Board of Trustees - the Board is responsible for plan development and
approval. Through the Library Operations Committee (a subcommittee of the
Board of Trustees) the plan is discussed and approved. Once approved by
this subcommittee, the Plan is presented to the full Board for final approval.
2. Executive Management Team/Senior Management Team -both of these
groups, comprised of executive and middle management staff, work to
identify and determine appropriate areas of focus. In order to ensure our
viability as an organization in the future, we focus on library trends as well as
demographic information in development of the Plan of Service.
3. Public - through surveys and customer service forms, the public is able to
inform the Plan of Service by identifying services they expect us to
provide.
4.3 Describe the planning process for the 2012-2016 Central Library Plan.
In 2009 the Library conducted a master plan for its central library that
provides a roadmap for future service delivery.
4.4 Identify the groups involved in development of the Central Library Plan and each
group’s role.
Groups involved in the development of the plan include Central Library staff,
senior management, and the Board of Trustees.
4.5 Describe the integration of the 2012-2016 Central Library Plan with the system’s
Plan of Service.
Service priorities for the Central Library are the same institutional priorities
outlined in the overall Plan of Service.
4.7 Briefly describe the process for approval of the Plan of Service.
The Plan of Service was developed through a planning process that involved
management, staff, trustees, and other stakeholders including the public and
elected officials. Internally, these efforts included a public service staff retreat,
system-wide staff survey (which had a 34% response rate), two strategic
retreats with our Board of Trustees and over 30 focus groups and interviews
with more than 60 employees. Externally, we commissioned the creation of a
rigorous Community Needs Assessment in 2009, which gathered information
from 11 patron focus groups and 1,500 households as well as through amultilingual telephone survey and online surveys. We also analyzed
demographic and census tract data, including data from the NYC Department
of City Planning Population Division, the Center for the Study of Brooklyn and
analyses developed by BPL resources. Finally, the Library conducted a
thorough review of secondary data and industry trends, including “Creating
the Future: a 2020 Vision Plan for Library Service in New York State” by the
New York State Regents Advisory Council.
The Plan of Service is presented to the Executive Management Team for first
approval. It is then presented to the Board of Trustees Library Operations
Committee. The Plan of Service is then brought to the full Board of Trustees
for approval by the Chair of the Library Operations Committee.
4.8 Briefly describe the information that will be collected to evaluate whether or not
the system achieved the intended results of the plan.
We will collect statistics and track trends based on the areas we have
included in the Plan of Service. Brooklyn Public Library has a statistical
analyst who will focus on tracking this information for the organization. We will
collect:
Library Card registrations
Programming statistics (number and attendance)
Circulation - first circulations, holds, renewals, turnover rate
Expenditures - per capita expenditures for collections
Security Incidents
Customer satisfaction through Customer Service forms submitted
Website visits
Public Computer usage
Wireless Usage
Electronic database usage
Summer reading statistics
Reference statistics (virtual and in-person)
Attendance
Number of work orders for building issues
4.9 Briefly describe the methods that will be used to determine whether the system’s
customers were satisfied with the system’s services.
Customer satisfaction will be determined by examination of statistical data as
well as through customer feedback reports.
4.10 Briefly describe how the information on customer satisfaction will be used to
shape the system’s plan in the next year or in the following planning cycle.
In partnership with the Office of Neighborhood Services, the Office of
Strategic Planning will examine customer satisfaction for areas of
improvement. Once areas have been identified, suggestions will be presented
to the Executive Management Team for awareness and input of lack of
success in target areas. Feasibility for service improvement for following
years will be examined relative to funding availability and Library's
overarching goals.4.11 Briefly describe the process for revising the system’s Plan of Service for
submission to the New York Education Department/New York State Library.
Each department will perform an annual review of the Plan of Service relative
to their areas of responsibility. The Executive Management Team will provide
recommended revisions to the Plan based on departmental revisions. The
revised Plan of Service will be examined by the Board of Trustees for
approval.
SECTION 5 - GOALS/RESULTS
The Library System’s Mission Statement
It is the mission of Brooklyn Public Library to ensure the preservation and
transmission of society's knowledge, history and culture, and to provide the people of
Brooklyn with free and open access to information for education, recreation and
reference.
Element 1—RESOURCE SHARING: Cooperative Collection Development
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will develop a targeted collection that
reflects Brooklyn’s diverse cultures, interests and format preferences. Our
collections will be accessible to all Brooklynites through Bibliocommons, BPL’s
new Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC).
Intended Result(s):
- Our collections will reflect the diversity of the Brooklyn communities served in
languages, formats, age level and interests
- Brooklyn Public Library content will be accessible for discovery
- BPL will have the ability to make targeted budget allocation decisions
- We will increase use of and access to ebook content from publishers
- We will increase the number of BPL holdings discovered in OCLC WorldCat
- Emerging world language materials will be discovered and added to the
collection
- We will increase library circulation to reflect communities served
- The collections will be right sized to reflect changing demographics in the
borough
Evaluation Method(s):
- Use Census tabulations to identify emerging populations.
- Analyze circulation and collection usage data
- Track areas of growth and decreased usage through CollectionHQ
- Produce reports detailing which areas of the collection we over bought or
under bought
Element 1 - RESOURCE SHARING: Integrated Library System
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will continue to upgrade its Integrated
Library System in order to provide added service enhancements to Brooklyn's
communities.
Intended Result(s):
- The ILS will provide an improved interface for public and staff- Staff will have improved data access and reports
- Our users will have an improved fine payment experience
Evaluation Method(s):
- System accuracy and adherence to performance indicators included in the
vendor contract
- Staff feedback on data and reporting
Element 1 - RESOURCE SHARING: Delivery
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will streamline the delivery process
through a partnership with New York Public Library.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will maintain high performance results around the delivery of materials
- We will maintain our 24 hour turnaround time for patron holds
- The delivery process will reduce item by item manual check-in at the
branches
- The delivery process will reduce staff packing totes at the branches
- Annual savings of over $2 million in operating funds
Evaluation Method(s)
- Track the number of items sorted and delivered on a daily basis
Element 1 - RESOURCE SHARING: Interlibrary Loan
Goal Statement: Continue to provide Brooklyn residents with greater access to
materials through participation in an international resource sharing consortia.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL customers will have increased access to more content.
- ILL will maintain their efficiency and reliability as a partner in good standing
within the ILL consortia
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track the number and percentage of items successfully borrowed quarterly and
annually
- Analyze the ratio of borrowing to lending
Element 2 - SPECIAL CLIENT GROUPS: Adult Literacy
Goal Statement: BPL will assist adult users in achieving their personal,
educational, and employment goals through innovative programs, small group
instruction, and one-on-one consultation sessions.
Intended Result(s):
- Adult users will improve their basic literacy skills at BPL’s learning centers
including the new Learning Center at New Lots Branch
- Adult users will learn about the importance of government issued
identification as part of New York City’s “ID=” program
- Adult users will participate in computer literacy training in the new Shelby
White and Leon Levy Information Commons at the Central LibraryEvaluation Method(s):
- Track student progress in Learning Centers
- Track number of adults who have received information about ID program
- Track number of students who have participated in training in the Information
Commons
Goal Statement: Continue to provide Pre-GED classes throughout the borough
and ensure that students are prepared for the January 2014 entirely computer-
based GED examination
Intended Result(s):
- Students will move on to GED classes
- Students will move on to post secondary education
- Students will improve employment situation
- Students will be prepared to take the GED electronically
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track progress of students enrolled in pre-GED, Literacy and ESL classes
- Interview students about success in positioning themselves for jobs or GED
enrollment
- Track number of students prepared for the electronic version of the GED
Element 2 - SPECIAL CLIENT GROUPS: Coordinated Outreach
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library’s Service to the Aging Department will
provide seniors, homebound users, and users with disabilities with equal access
to BPL services and materials through programming and our Books by Mail /
Books to Go services as well as through partnerships with community
organizations.
Intended Result(s):
- Brooklyn’s older adult population will develop a sense of trust and assurance
through quality outreach services for older adults who cannot visit the Library
- Senior users will have socialize through programs that foster the imagination
- Active seniors will be encouraged to utilizes library services to access
materials, ebooks and computers, and to attend workshops and events
- Staff will continue to provide informational materials on various issues of
importance that may affect this client group
- BPL will continue to provide access to materials to our homebound users and
users with disabilities through lending libraries at nursing homes and our
Books by Mail service
- Staff will strengthen partnerships with community organizations that provide
services to this client group
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track attendance at programs and outreach events
- Evaluate customer service forms and surveys
- Track circulation of Book by Mail/Books to Go materialsElement 2 - SPECIAL CLIENT GROUPS: Incarcerated and Formerly incarcerated
individuals
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library’s new Department of Outreach Services
will partner with other libraries, city agencies, and community-based organizations
to meet the information needs of Brooklyn’s incarcerated and formerly
incarcerated individuals and their families
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will increase its programming for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated
individuals
- BPL will offer more of its spaces to institutions that provide support services
to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals
- BPL staff will be better prepared to serve incarcerated and formerly
incarcerated individuals
Evaluation Method(s):
- BPL will track programs and program attendance
- BPL will track the number of partnerships established to serve the target
population
Element 2 - SPECIAL CLIENT GROUPS: Youth Services
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will dedicate children’s librarians at every
location to increase and develop new family programming as well as act as a
mentor for Brooklyn’s young people.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will increase its programming for children and families
- BPL will increase class and group visits and a deeper collaboration with
Brooklyn schools, afterschool programs, and childcare agencies
- BPL will increase family participation in various library-wide initiatives, such
as Summer Reading
- BPL will pilot and expand new program models, such as MyLibraryNYC, a
collaboration with the Department of Education, school-readiness
programming, and the use of technology in programs for youth.
- There will be greater collaboration with key organizations that support
children and families
Evaluation Method(s):
- Review programming, class visit, and group visit statistics
- Track number of community partnerships
- Evaluate program success through various quantitative and qualitative
methodsGoal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will refresh children’s spaces and create
dedicated teen spaces at all 60 locations as well as create a new, cutting-edge
teen space at the Central Library.
Intended Result(s):
- All locations will upgrade technology in children’s spaces and refresh
furnishings and programming materials for birth to age 12
- BPL Teen will offer increased access to a range of technology, material
resources and innovation
- Staff will provide programming to meet the personal and educational needs of
youth as 21st Century Learners
- The new Central Library Teen Space will serve as a model for innovative
programming using digital media for the entire library system
- BPL will continue to foster relevant partnerships with other youth organizations
that provide digital media programming
Evaluation Method(s):
- Review technology usage statistics, program attendance, and anecdotal
patron feedback
- Review program attendance and related statistics in the new Central Teen
space, adapt program and collection models accordingly.
- Seek formal and informal feedback from youth on the space, collections and
programs via surveys, focus groups, advisory groups and other means.
- Meet regularly with partner organizations to ensure quality outcomes.
Element 2 - SPECIAL CLIENT GROUPS: Children with Special Needs
Goal Statement: Through The Child's Place for Children with Special
Needs/Kidsmobile (TCPCSN), Brooklyn Public Library will continue to provide and
expand library service to Brooklyn’s approximately 80,000 children with disabilities
in neighborhood libraries and off site.
Intended Result(s)
- BPL will increase service to children with special needs throughout Brooklyn
- TCPCSN staff will increase outreach to more locations
- TCPCSN staff will expand partnerships with District 75 and individual schools
and programs; with Brooklyn’s hospitals, clinics, and psychiatric facilities; with
various agencies that work in the disability community; with other literacy
agencies and cultural institutions
- We will continue our partnership with the Department of Education
- We will continue to develop our outreach to children who are homeless and
their families
- We will develop new venues for Kidsmobile and explore more partnerships
- We will continue to integrate services for children with special needs into BPL
services overall through staff trainings and collections
- We will expand our resources for children with autism and their families
through new resources such as social stories.- We will expand the Hospital Storytelling programs held in residential and
psychiatric settings
- TCPCSN staff will develop programs and services such as a book discussion
groups and adaptive gaming for specifically for teens with disabilities and
those in detention facilities
- TCPCSN staff will develop a partnership with the Spanish speaking disability
community—we will offer targeted programs, interpreters at all of our
workshops, and more Spanish language resources
Evaluation Method(s):
- Assess the number of children and their families that we are reaching and
track new people as we reach them.
- Evaluate participant interviews and focus group feedback (funding permitting)
- Evaluate outreach methods by surveying program attendees
Element 2-SPECIAL CLIENT GROUP: Populations in need
Goal Statement: Improve service to populations in need—including, but not
limited to, veterans, persons experiencing homelessness, and people with
disabilities—through the creation of a Department of Outreach. This department
will be tasked with building relationships with outside organizations and providing
effective referral services as well as offer additional programming at the library.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will develop a Department of Outreach
- BPL will form partnerships with community organizations that already have a
relationship with populations in need
- BPL will increase programming and information sessions to this client group
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track the number of community partnerships
- Evaluate feedback surveys from staff, community partners and patrons
- Track program statistics
Goal Statement: Improve library accessibility for immigrants and new learners of
English and develop a centralized plan of service for immigrant communities.
Intended Result(s):
- We will see an increase in the number of immigrant users who participate in
English Conversation Classes
- We will continue to provide immigrants users an opportunity to participate in
the Diversity Visa Lottery
- We will provide cultural/educational programs conducted in the native
languages of our immigrant users
- There will be an increase in the circulation of foreign language materials and
number of World Language materials in our collection
Evaluation Method(s):
- Statistical tracking of participation and circulationElement 2 - SPECIAL CLIENT GROUPS: Job Seekers
Goal Statement: Assist job seekers and entrepreneurs with developing solid
foundations of skills through the delivery of career-readiness workshops and
services in addition to referrals to job placement providers.
Intended Result(s):
- Job seekers and entrepreneurs will find the latest print, electronic, and multi-
media resources to assist with all stages of their job search, career, and/or
business goals
- Job seekers and entrepreneurs will benefit from personalized sessions to
discuss/review topics related to their job search, career, and/or business goals
with professionals and volunteers
- Job seekers and entrepreneurs will participate in informative and interactive
workshops
- Job seekers and entrepreneurs will take advantage of strategic partnerships,
networking opportunities and referrals to agencies for assistance with their job
search, career, and/or business needs and goals
Evaluation Method(s):
- Collect statistics on number of programs for jobseekers and entrepreneurs
including one-on-one sessions with professionals and volunteers
- Collect circulation as well as database use statistics on materials/resources
for jobseekers and entrepreneurs
- Track referrals and outcomes of jobseekers and aspiring entrepreneurs
systematically
Element 3 – PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT and CONTINUING EDUCATION
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library staff will be trained to provide effective
referrals to organizations that meet the social service needs of BPL its users.
Intended Result(s):
- Staff will develop a living document with current referrals to social services
agencies public and private
- In-house training on the use of referral information will be offered to all staff
Evaluation Method(s):
- Create a document that allows staff to quantify their experience
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will provide opportunities for continued
education and training to all staff. BPL will provide technology, leadership, and
customer service based training. Staff will also be encouraged to seek and
participate in external training.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will provide more education and training courses that staff feel is relevant
to their needs
- Staff will have be introduced to more web based classesEvaluation Method(s):
- Staff satisfaction surveys
- Collection of usage data
- Evaluate current training course usage for relevance and cost-effectiveness
Element 4 – CONSULTING and DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Goal Statement: BPL will actively engage branch staff in helping to develop and
strengthen relationships with existing and new library funders.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will generate increased support for existing services and new initiatives
that meet the needs and interests of its diverse constituency by collaborating
with branch staff to develop competitive programs and funding requests
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track contributions and grants received
- Track new programs and resources provided
- Evaluate user participation and satisfaction
Element 5 – COORDINATED SERVICES
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will continue to streamline operational
processes through a fully consolidated shared library technical services
organization that would oversee selection, acquisitions, cataloging, processing,
sorting and delivery of books and other materials for both BPL and NYPL.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will increase cost savings by in-sourcing the processing of value-added
services currently provided by our vendors
- BPL will negotiate deeper discounts as a consolidated unit
- BPL will discontinue its use of UPS to deliver materials to our branches
- There will be a reduction in redundancy in cataloging and selection
- BPL will expand the Department of Education direct to school delivery
Evaluation Method(s)
- Comparative cost analysis of savings
Element 6 – AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will develop and enhance relationships
with elected officials on all levels as well as partner with community organizations.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will improve relationships with all elected officials in the borough,
including the City Council, the State Legislative representatives and the
Borough President’s office
- BPL will work with elected officials to build stronger partnerships with
community based service providers
- BPL will better communicate the breadth and depth of its service delivery to a
wide constituency of neighborhood stakeholdersEvaluation Method(s):
- Increased capital budget allocations from elected officials
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will develop in-depth partnerships with
innovative organizations and leading technologists to deliver meaningful digital
literacy programs and training throughout Brooklyn.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will have higher visibility within Brooklyn’s technology and creative
communities
- Patrons will achieve digital literacy skills
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track the number of partnerships created
- Track the number of programs offered
- Track the number of volunteer hours (in related positions)
- Track program attendance
- Track the amount of digital content (and views) generated through library
programming
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will enhance relationships and expand
the BPL Friends Groups.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will increase membership numbers in currently active friends groups and
build new groups at branches that do not have one
- BPL will build a standardized model that can be used system-wide and form
an environment where friends groups can have healthy communication with
administration
- BPL will revitalize the current and defunct Friends’ groups
- BPL will provide advocacy and fundraising training sessions to friends groups
- BPL will create a webpage on the public website that will inform users of
friends groups responsibilities and encourage new membership
- BPL will work with friends groups to develop a plan on how to make better
use of funds raised
Evaluation Method(s)
- Track active membership, fundraising dollars and systemwide advocacy
participation
Element 7 - COMMUNICATIONS AMONG MEMBER LIBRARIES AND/OR
BRANCH LIBRARIES
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will increase transparency, accountability
and efficiency across the institution. This will be done by establishing a systematic
process for gathering, analyzing and leveraging user and employee insights, as
well as demographic and industry trends in Brooklyn, to drive improved
organizational decision-making.Intended Result(s):
- Staff will feel move invested in the institution as a whole, tapping into the
great deal of pride staff has in being a part of the Library.
- BPL will provide a clarified methodology and direction for the institution—
more finely tuned and thoughtful decision-making process, based on the
needs of our customers
- BPL will have more visibility—actively seeking out community groups
Evaluation Method(s):
- Evaluate surveys and focus group feedback
Element 8 - COOPERATIVE EFFORTS WITH OTHER LIBRARY SYSTEMS
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will launch MyLibraryNYC, a program
that integrates the resources of Brooklyn, New York (NYPL) and Queens Public
Library systems with the NYC Department of Education.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will encourage student reading by expanding student and teacher
access to public library books and removing common barriers to borrowing
them
Evaluation Method(s):
- Statistical data on circulation for teachers and students in MyLibraryNYC
- Track the number of people reached/in attendance at outreach events
- Evaluate feedback from schools, and partner organizations.
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will create a fully consolidated shared
library technical services organization that would oversee selection, acquisitions,
cataloging, processing, sorting and delivery of books and other materials to both
BPL and NYPL.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will increase efficiency and reduce processing cost
- BPL will eliminate UPS delivery cost
- BPL will negotiate better discounts from our vendors and publishers
- BPL will expand its partnership with the DOE and the direct to school delivery
of library materials
- The three library New York City library systems will be in a better position to
move toward universal borrowing and returns
Evaluation Method(s)
- Benchmarking for productivity
- Comparative cost analysis for vendor discounts and in-source processing
Element 9 – CONSTRUCTION
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will invest in infrastructure improvements
that will enhance broadband access at all BPL locations, ensuring that all
Brooklyn communities have equitable access to BPL’s wealth of digital resources.Intended Result(s):
- BPL will broaden access for all patrons.
- Patrons can either use their personal devices or access information using
BPL devices eg. desktop computers, loaner laptops
- Patrons can use their devices on all levels where the public is given access
eg. basement community meeting spaces
-
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track access availability
- Track wi-fi usage
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will work with the City’s new SpaceWorks
initiative to develop new creative spaces at our Red Hook and Williamsburgh
locations.
Intended Result(s):
- Underutilized space in Red Hook will be activated with affordable rehearsal
space for community-based dance and theatrical companies and arts
organizations.
- BPL will increase programming through a partnership with Spaceworks
- BPL will increase attendance and usage at Red Hook and Williamsburgh
- The second floor of Williamsburg will be used to provide rentable mid-sized
artist studios.
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track attendance and usage statistics gathered through ShopperTrak and
program reports
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will work to implement an aggressive
schedule of small capital projects that will significantly enhance the patron
experience at all locations.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will provide more welcoming, energized and cheerful environments with
brighter and better lit spaces and adequately conditioned surroundings
- BPL will Increase access to technology
- Patrons will have more self-service options
- BPL will provide more public seating areas
- BPL will update restrooms with hands free plumbing devices.
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track unscheduled closings
- Track the number of work orders for restroom related repair issues
- Evaluate staff and public feedback
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will work with branch staff to identify
opportunities, which would include painting program rooms and fences, creating
murals, and other creative enhancements to building exteriors.Intended Result(s):
- Staff will create branch exteriors that establish pride of place, clear library
identity, community involvement and participation
Evaluation Method(s):
- Monitor the condition of the existing exterior elements and the overall look of
the library will be documented prior to and after any improvements
- Collect data regarding cost, schedule and participation by both library staff
and external partners
- Compare usage of exterior plazas or gardens before and after improvements
Element 10 - CENTRAL LIBRARY SERVICES
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will launch the Shelby White and Leon
Levy Information Commons. This will become the cornerstone of BPL’s efforts to
advance digital literacy and engagement across the borough.
Intended Result(s):
- The Information Commons will establish the library as a destination for digital
literacy training
- BPL will create a vibrant workspace for Brooklyn’s creative and freelancer
communities
- The Information Commons will act as a hub for nonprofit organizations and
city agencies to interface with Brooklyn residents and offer innovative services
Evaluation Method(s):
- Track the number of program session and attendance
- Track the number of public meeting room reservations
- Track the number of public wireless sessions
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library will significantly improve access to the
Brooklyn Collection and expand its contemporary holdings so that more people
can research their genealogy, track Brooklyn’s current cultural renaissance and
learn about the borough’s history.
Intended Result(s):
- BPL will launch the Brooklyn Visual Heritage website which will provide
access to images from BPL’s local history collection
- BPL will complete the digitization of Brooklyn Daily Eagle
- BPL will expand public service hours in the Brooklyn Collection
- BPL will devise a new collection strategy for Brooklyn Collection
Evaluation Method(s)
- Track number of visits to Brooklyn Visual Heritage site
- Track visits to completed Eagle
- Track attendance in Brooklyn Collection
Goal Statement: Brooklyn Public Library’s Business and Career Library will move
to Central and expand the work done there by developing a set of core programsand resources available throughout the borough, increasing the accessibility of
these successful programs. BPL will expand the reach of the Business and
Career Library and make it a 24/7 resource through the use of online training,
guides and other web based initiatives.
Intended Result(s):
- The Central Library and more branch locations and patrons will benefit from
the variety and quality of programs and resources mostly available at the
Business & Career Library presently
- More staff will be trained to deliver various high quality programs for
jobseekers and entrepreneurs throughout the library system
- Business and Career Library partners will be engaged to deliver quality
programs in Central and Branch locations
- Patrons will take advantage of specialized database and multi media web-
based resources available online onsite and remotely
Evaluation Method(s)
- Collect statistics on the increase in the number of locations offering programs
for jobseekers and entrepreneurs
- Track database and web statistics on use of specialized business and career
related databases and resources
- Track referrals and outcomes of jobseekers and aspiring entrepreneurs
systematically
ASSURANCE
The Library System’s Plan of Service was developed in accordance with provisions of
Education Law and the Regulations of the Commissioner and the requirements of the New
York State Library, and was reviewed and approved by the Library System Board on
12/11/2012.You can also read
