Use of our on-line information resources will grow by 5% annually.

The library will provide up-to-date, accurate print and electronic reference resources, access to on-line information resources, and expert assistance in using all those resources that enable users to succeed at home, at work, at school, and in the community.  

Annually at least 80% of surveyed customers will feel assistance met or exceeded their expectations.

The library will continue to provide in-house and telephone reference services, and will offer the NCKnows real-time reference service program through the web page.

The libraries will develop, maintain and promote a website that offers general information on resources, services and programs.

The library's website will be converted to appear seamless with the county's web page by the end of 2006/2007.

Webpages contained on the library's website will be updated on a weekly basis to provide most current information.

The library website will become more interactive, with customers able to renew materials, place holds on materials, register for workshops, and sign up for newsletters via interactive web forms rather than email by 2010/2011.

Annually at least 80% of surveyed customers will feel the web page met or exceeded their expectations.

Library collections will be weeded annually to ensure current, accurate information.

By FY 2007--08, the library will have developed a workshop for patrons that will focus on how to use the library and its resources to fulfill the users' informational needs or wants. This workshop will be given three times and then will need to be evaluated for patron interest and demand, and usefulness.

Library users seeking general information at the library will achieve one or more of the items on the following skill set list , with a 10% increase observed by staff conducting an annual sample survey at the end of FY 2006/2007 and each subsequent year :

Read for pleasure
Obtained a specific fact/document
Learned about a skill/hobby/personal interest
Identified or contacted an organization
Found information for school/work/community group
Shared cultural experience/exchanged info with others
Learned more about a legal/social/political issue
Met new people with whom I share common interestsUse of our on-line information resources will grow by 5% annually.

The library will provide up-to-date, accurate print and electronic reference resources, access to on-line information resources, and expert assistance in using all those resources that enable users to succeed at home, at work, at school, and in the community.  

Annually at least 80% of surveyed customers will feel assistance met or exceeded their expectations.

The library will continue to provide in-house and telephone reference services, and will offer the NCKnows real-time reference service program through the web page.

The libraries will develop, maintain and promote a website that offers general information on resources, services and programs.

The library's website will be converted to appear seamless with the county's web page by the end of 2006/2007.

Webpages contained on the library's website will be updated on a weekly basis to provide most current information.

The library website will become more interactive, with customers able to renew materials, place holds on materials, register for workshops, and sign up for newsletters via interactive web forms rather than email by 2010/2011.

Annually at least 80% of surveyed customers will feel the web page met or exceeded their expectations.

Library collections will be weeded annually to ensure current, accurate information.

By FY 2007--08, the library will have developed a workshop for patrons that will focus on how to use the library and its resources to fulfill the users' informational needs or wants. This workshop will be given three times and then will need to be evaluated for patron interest and demand, and usefulness.

Library users seeking general information at the library will achieve one or more of the items on the following skill set list , with a 10% increase observed by staff conducting an annual sample survey at the end of FY 05-06 and each subsequent year :

Read for pleasure
Obtained a specific fact/document
Learned about a skill/hobby/personal interest
Identified or contacted an organization
Found information for school/work/community group
Shared cultural experience/exchanged info with others
Learned more about a legal/social/political issue
Met new people with whom I share common interests

The circulation of books for children and young adults will increase 10 percent by the end of FY 2006/2007.

Each year through FY 2010/2011, at least 100 children and teens will attend a library-sponsored book discussion or author/illustrator program.

The library will strive for annual materials budget increases to keep up with escalating costs and to provide essential growth in materials such as books and audiovisual.

One section of the non-fiction collection will be targeted each year for complete inventory and updating of materials as budget allows.

The library will continue to present book discussion series each year and secure humanities grants for the book discussion programs.

New programming will be offered each year in a specific area of learning.

The number of Spanish or bilingual programs for children and their families will increase 5 percent per year.

Attendance at programs for children and teens will increase 15 percent by the end of FY 2006/2007.

Year-round, family-centered programming will increase by 20 percent annually beginning in FY 2006/2007.

Programming for adults will increase 20 percent by the end of FY 2006/2007.

The library will continue library coordinating the archiving and use of the Olde Tyme radio program collection and other special collections, as well as digital archives, in FY 2006/2007 and each subsequent year.

Reference and support staff will receive training on customer service to families by FY 2006/2007.

Objective 3:   Business and Economic Sustainability:  
Small businesses (fewer than five employees) will know about and effectively use the resources and services of the library.

The total number of small business-related questions received by the reference desk or online will increase by 10 percent per year, beginning in FY 2006/2007.

One hundred percent of users of Mountain Micronterprise business counseling services in Polk County will receive information on library resources and their usefulness, beginning in FY 2006/2007.

Two programs and presentations on business-related subjects will be offered each year to library users and staff.

Eighty-five percent of small business users and attendees at library programs targeted to small business people will report that these services met their needs for quick, reliable information.

During FY 2006/2007, a business reference webpage will be added to the library's website , and will be used 30 times per month, and this usage level will grow by five percent during the next two years.

Library users who speak Spanish as their first language will find 25 percent more materials on jobs and careers by the end of FY 2008/2009.

Small businesses (fewer than five employees) will know about and effectively use the resources of the library to accomplish one or more of the items on the following skill set , with a 10% increase observed by staff conducting an annual sample survey at the end of FY 2006/2007 and each subsequent year :

Explored/started/developed a business
Dealt with a personnel issue
Closed a business
Explored job/career or determined education/training
Developed job-related skills
Learned how to advance in job/career
Made career changes or relocated
Made better investment/retirement decisions.

The library will provide current resources for customers seeking career and business opportunities.

At least 10 new items will be added to the college and career collection annually.

Use of online resources for business and career opportunities will increase 5% annually.

The library will partner with e-Polk, Polk County EDC, ICC, Polk County Chamber of Commerce, Isothermal Regional Planning Commission, Foothills Connect (regional business technology center), Advantage West, ERC, e-NC Authority and other groups to focus attention on the library's many resources for the business community.

The library will market its business reference and career resources through signage and press releases, when new materials or services are added and by offering related programs -computer and topical - two times a year.

Continue to coordinate business reference resource and partnership press releases   to inform public of the library's support of the business community.  

The library will develop a mechanism (focus group, etc.) to obtain input from the business community on needed resources by FY 2010-2011.