Introducing Our Strategic Plan

St. John the Baptist Parish Library Unveils Strategic Plan

A note from Library Director Andrea Tullos:

To Our Community, as we unveil the first St. John the Baptist Parish Library Strategic Plan, I envision that it will become a part of our culture. This first Strategic Plan for our Library provides a guiding vision for achieving our community goals for the years 2025 – 2027. This collaborative effort complements our current offerings and challenges us. Thanks to all those who participated and helped craft this plan by offering their time and insight. In the fall of 2023, the Library Board of Control supported my vision to create a three-year Strategic Plan. In this inclusive process, we reached out to many and asked for all to share ideas; the community, the board, and staff. We asked everyone to dream big! We asked everyone to think outside of the box! We challenged everyone to envision what our community needs! And what we have created with that input is a bold but achievable vision for the future of St. John Libraries. A solid Strategic Plan is a road map for the future. It is a living document that will be reviewed and refined as we begin the work. Board approval is not the end of the process, it’s just the beginning! 

Sincerely, 

Andrea F. Tullos
Executive Director

Our Strategic Priorities

1. Programs and Resources – Develop and maintain new and current high impact, responsive programs and resources that represent diverse community voices and needs.
   
   1. Health and Wellness 
   2. Learning and Development 
   3. Creative and Cultural Expression 
   4. A Library for All Community Members

Programs and Resources initiatives include updating the program creation and implementation process, designing and implementing a formal system to tract community interest, revitalizing adult education programming, expanding arts and crafts/ entertainment offerings, and increasing health and wellness programs/resources.

2. Marketing & Outreach – We are committed to centering community voice and reaching groups that are currently underrepresented as library patrons. To do so, we must increase our marketing and community outreach efforts, focusing on:
   
   1. The General Public 
   2. Teenagers 
   3. Families with Young Children 
   4. Senior Citizens 
   5. Spanish Speakers 

Marketing and Outreach initiatives include increasing social media and traditional media marketing efforts; leveraging partners, board members, and community members to increase awareness of the library’s offerings; developing a teen advisory board; partnering with local nursing homes and elderly care centers, expanding presence in schools/ local parenting groups/ pediatricians’ offices, and creating an inclusive space for Spanish speakers.

3. Facilities – As we build and renovate facilities for the community, we want to ensure they meet the needs and interests of our audiences. By engaging in thoughtful, inclusive planning processes, we aim to create intentional spaces that will be enjoyed by generations to come. Primarily, we are focusing on:
   
   1. Accessibility
   2. Functionality
   3. Revitalization
   4. Warmth

Facilities initiatives include actively involving community members in the planning and design process of new and renovated spaces, ensuring all new and renovated branches are equipped to cater to individuals of all abilities, undertake comprehensive renovations to the LaPlace and Edgard branches, incorporating user feedback through surveys, and enhancing systems for utilizing library spaces. 

4. Internal Operations – Our staff, volunteers, and partners are essential to the excellent delivery of our services and resources. By focusing on internal operations, we seek to ensure that we have a supportive team with opportunities for development, our processes are clear and efficient, and our impact is thoroughly tracked. We commit to focusing on:
   1. Organizational Effectiveness
   2. Professional Development
   3. Data and Metrics

Internal Operations initiatives include revamping onboarding and training processes, implementing systems and tools to enhance workflow efficiency and enhance effective communication, strengthen the organizational structure through key hires and leverage partners/volunteers for support, cultivate a supportive work environment with regular shoutouts and team-building, and establish systems to track the library’s progress with programming and marketing goals.

View our full strategic plan here.