Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Strategic Plan 2018 - 2022

Our Library is
Essential for a Vibrant Community
and a Thriving Region
2018 - 2022
Strategic Plan

Our Library is
Ready for the Future
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s story is very much interwoven with the story of our
City and region. Since 1895, the Library has been present for every challenge and
opportunity facing our community. As great things continue to happen in our region with
increased business investment, new residents and other growth opportunities, the
Library is ready to help all people thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Guided by our mission of literacy and learning and our community’s vision for the future,
our libraries have become destination spaces for information, technology, community
dialogue, social connection and fun. We are not limited by a vision of what the Library
has been in the past and have spent the last several years listening, improving and
introducing innovative new models.
This plan builds on the efforts begun in 2013 to evolve library experiences provided within
our spaces, in our communities and virtually. The previous plan sought to implement
the necessary infrastructure to become more responsive to community needs.
This new strategic plan is a vision for
explicitly patron- and community-focused
programs and services.

Our Library is
For All
Our Library is
Interconnected
Community participation in the development of the
2018-2022 Strategic Plan has affirmed that Carnegie
Library of Pittsburgh is a community anchor that plays
a critical role in the areas of early literacy, out of school
learning, workforce and economic development and
neighborhood vitality.
This strategic plan has been
organized into six interconnected
areas of focus that reflect
the priorities of our community
and enable all people to realize
their own power and potential.
RESPONSIVE &
ADAPTABLE
INCLUSIVE &
EQUITABLE
INFORMATIVE &
EMPOWERING
The Library empowers people of the Pittsburgh region
and helps transform their lives through life-long
learning, digital literacy and connections to others.
As we move through this strategic plan, Carnegie
Library of Pittsburgh will be a connector through
which ideas, people and organizations interact to
create positive change. Across neighborhoods, age
groups, demographics, platforms and time, the Library
will promote literacy and support a community that
values innovative, patron-centered services, welcome
gathering spaces, curiosity, tolerance, respect and the
acquisition of knowledge.
MISSION
To engage our community in literacy
and learning.
VISION
Through Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
the people of our region will develop
the literacies and connections that
support individual achievement and
strengthen the power of community.
VALUES
We build COMMUNITY
We prioritize PEOPLE
We provide ACCESS
We enable LEARNING
WELCOMING
& VIBRANT
2018-2022
STRATEGIC
PLAN
COLLABORATIVE
& INNOVATIVE
INSTRUCTIVE &
ENLIGHTENING

Our Library is
INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE
Our whole community benefits when no one is left behind.
INCLUSIVE &
EQUITABLE
We will embody inclusion and equity in our services,
staff, programs and collections.
Actions:
• Develop a vision for inclusion and equity in collaboration with our community.
• Establish and implement leadership practices that demonstrate our commitment to all cultures, races and
communities in our services, staff and Board.
• Establish benchmarks for inclusion and equity for library services, collections and programs.
• Develop and incorporate standards and practices for cultural competencies in our work.
• Promote digital inclusion by increasing availability of devices, tools and software to enable access and facilitate fluency.
People will experience:
Services designed, developed
and evaluated in consultation
with the communities most
impacted.
COLLABORATIVE
& INNOVATIVE
Community will experience:
A Library that connects with
our entire community and
collaboratively evolves to
accommodate all needs.
Indicators of success:
• All people perceive that the Library provides services
that are relevant to their needs.
• Library staff, Board, vendors and volunteers reflect
the communities we serve.
• Equity assessments and other tools are utilized to evaluate
and improve our programs, services and organizational culture.
• All people in Pittsburgh can access and competently use
the digital content and applications they require.
Relevant statistics, measures and stories:
• Success in engaging all communities, races and cultures in
our services and programs.
• Metrics that assess organizational culture for equity
and inclusivity.
• Measures and feedback that show use and value of
digital inclusion programs and services.
• Identification and use of media outlets and communication
channels that serve diverse communities.
Library staff, Board and
volunteers will contribute:
Practices that recognize,
respect and affirm all people
that the Library serves.

Our Library is
RESPONSIVE & ADAPTABLE
Everyone’s needs and life experiences are different and deserve respect.
COLLABORATIVE
& INNOVATIVE
WELCOMING
& VIBRANT
RESPONSIVE &
ADAPTABLE
We will address factors and circumstances that impact
and impede individual access to library service.
Actions:
• Cultivate the ability to see, understand and serve individuals within their life’s context.
• Eliminate barriers that impede library access; review policies, practices, fines and fees.
• Develop and adapt virtual services to suit all work styles and personal abilities.
• Reach outside the Library to understand and respond to our users’ broader experiences.
• Expand collections to include resources beyond the traditional.
People will experience:
Staff who are understanding,
compassionate and willing
to help.
Community will experience:
A Library that provides a
stable human interface in a
chaotic world.
Indicators of success:
• The Library is recognized within the community as essential
to the well-being of all people.
• Community partners seek our assistance on programs and
projects to improve quality of life.
• Virtual channels are used to build stronger relationships
with new and existing users.
• The Library is able to respond quickly and effectively to
immediate community needs.
Relevant statistics, measures and stories:
• Metrics that show increased user satisfaction with
the Library.
• Statistics from virtual services that show increases in
access and use.
• Data sharing with community partners that creates a fuller
picture of our community and its residents.
• Stories that place a person’s library experience within
their broader circumstances.
Library staff, Board and
volunteers will contribute:
Knowledge about
community needs that
reflect social factors and
life circumstances of the
whole person.

Our Library is
INFORMATIVE & EMPOWERING
Engaged and informed people are vital to an effective democracy.
INCLUSIVE &
EQUITABLE
INFORMATIVE &
EMPOWERING
We will promote factual information, open dialogue
and personal empowerment.
Actions:
• Devise processes to listen to, amplify and respond to voices, needs and ideas of our residents.
• Connect with a wider range of organizations and individuals to develop a full community perspective.
• Ensure access by community groups to needed resources and data and the skills to use them.
• Promote virtual tools for civic engagement and archive the information gathered for future use.
• Inform the community on privacy rights and the reliability of information.
COLLABORATIVE
& INNOVATIVE
People will experience:
Awareness of differing
points of view and the
skills to influence and
impact decisions affecting
our community.
WELCOMING
& VIBRANT
Community will experience:
Collaborative approaches
to understanding issues,
addressing shared
problems and achieving
common goals.
Indicators of success:
• People engage with others through the Library and these
connections support wider civic participation.
• The Library is a presence in all communities and supports
a path toward constructive action.
• Partnerships with regional stakeholders and civic groups
further amplify individual voices.
• Library users can discern accurate information and know how
to protect personal data.
Relevant statistics, measures and stories:
• Relevant library data shared to support wider community
perspectives while ensuring user privacy.
• Library data correlated with appropriate local and
regional measures.
• Evaluation of the Library’s presence in community-wide
conversations.
• Stories that demonstrate community action and discourse.
Library staff, Board and
volunteers will contribute:
Expanded participation in
community life, leveraging
existing connections,
identifying gaps and
broadening engagement.

Our Library is
WELCOMING & VIBRANT
Community is fostered when people have places to gather and connect.
COLLABORATIVE
& INNOVATIVE
WELCOMING
& VIBRANT
We will create destination spaces and experiences
that engage people and encourage library use.
Actions:
• Incorporate service excellence standards into daily work to encourage people to visit and stay.
• Collaborate with other regional assets and educational partners to animate library spaces.
• Create engaging virtual destinations to deliver and showcase library collections, programs and services.
• Complete renovations at neighborhood libraries; address facility needs for CLP-Downtown and CLP-Main.
• Provide leadership and support for a community of readers and a culture of reading.
Indicators of success:
• Staff are empowered to recognize and achieve positive
outcomes in every situation.
• People in all parts of our community have access to cultural
and educational offerings.
• CLP is known for outstanding customer service across the
City and Allegheny County.
• Community members contribute to virtual collections by
remixing existing library resources or creating new content.
Relevant statistics, measures and stories:
• Evaluation of traffic flow and use of space to determine
what attracts people within the Library.
• Metrics and stories that reflect customer satisfaction and
reinforce that the Library is where people want to be.
• Web statistics that demonstrate what makes for engaging
virtual spaces and how to enhance virtual offerings.
• All CLP locations meet design and accessibility goals set
forth in the original capital campaign.
People will experience:
Interesting, fun, interactive
virtual and physical
spaces and services that
inspire, educate and reward
return visits.
Community will experience:
A Library committed to
delivering an exceptional
experience within our
facilities, throughout the
community and across
virtual platforms.
Library staff, Board and
volunteers will contribute:
The ability and flexibility to
adapt and evolve physical
and virtual spaces for new
and better experiences
and services.

Our Library is
INSTRUCTIVE & ENLIGHTENING
Unprecedented social and technological changes fuel a need for new and advanced skills.
INCLUSIVE &
EQUITABLE
INFORMATIVE &
EMPOWERING
INSTRUCTIVE &
ENLIGHTENING
We will provide hands-on, interactive learning
opportunities for work, life and educational goals.
Actions:
• Engage all ages and abilities with hands-on, interest-based learning, integrated with technology and connected
with evolving skills for success.
• Model behaviors to encourage self-directed learning, incorporating a willingness to try without fear of failure.
• Enhance staff and volunteer expertise to include diverse skill sets to support active learning.
• Identify pathways to connect library-based learning with qualifications for work and school.
• Embrace our role in local history by actively collecting and sharing the community’s memories.
Indicators of success:
• Library staff and community learn together and from each
other in a supportive environment.
• Engagement with preschool and school-age youth in Pittsburgh
is impactful and effective.
• The Library is seen as a place to learn skills and acquire
knowledge for personal and work-related purposes.
• Credentials and certifications are established for
library-based learning.
Relevant statistics, measures and stories:
• Library learning initiatives that align with those of local
educational institutions to maximize collective impact.
• Measures of library usage that result from
educational partnerships.
• Employer and educator recognition of credentials for
library-based learning.
• Communication of success stories on use of library
resources for experiential learning.
COLLABORATIVE
& INNOVATIVE
WELCOMING
& VIBRANT
People will experience:
Enjoyable and approachable
ways to explore personal
interests and chart individual
learning paths.
RESPONSIVE &
Community will experience:
Innovative ADAPTABLE opportunities
for learning based on the
requests and needs of people
in each neighborhood.
Library staff, Board and
volunteers will contribute:
Curiosity and a willingness
to try new things as everyday
mentors and facilitators
of learning.

Photo: Ben Filio
Our Library is
COLLABORATIVE & INNOVATIVE
A strong and stable library system is essential to a vibrant community.
We will develop and sustain the necessary funding and
organizational culture to enhance the quality of
library service in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
Actions:
• Evaluate current funding sources for sustainability, advocate for increases, improve operational efficiencies and
explore new funding opportunities.
• Complete Realize: Our Power, Our Potential campaign and begin next major fundraising initiative.
• Support a framework for competency development for all library staff consistent with Strategic Plan goals.
• Identify, evaluate and implement tools to assess and enhance organizational culture.
• Provide commitment, leadership and expertise toward quality library service in Allegheny County.
COLLABORATIVE
& INNOVATIVE
People will experience:
• Opportunities to contribute to and support
quality library service.
• Library services that are flexible, timely and
interconnected across locations and platforms.
• Consistent quality service in libraries across
Allegheny County.
Community will experience:
• A healthy, financially stable Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
• Library initiatives cast explicitly in context with
community priorities and goals.
• A Library that acts as a role model for patron-centered
service countywide.
Indicators of success:
• The Library responsibly stewards current funding and
identifies opportunities for enhanced funding.
• Staff have access to learning opportunities that are easy
to use and aligned with their needs.
• Opportunities for improved organizational culture, staff
recognition and flexible staff policies are evaluated and enacted.
• CLP and County Libraries are engaged in multiple shared
initiatives in support of quality library service countywide.
Relevant statistics, measures and stories:
• Annual successes in fundraising and increases in
revenue from all sources.
• Increased number and type of staff learning
opportunities and levels of participation.
• Assessments of organizational culture that reflect
positive and sustained staff and Board engagement.
• Assessment component in all City and County
library collaborations.
Library staff, Board and volunteers will contribute:
• A culture of Asking, Giving and Thanking through
ongoing advocacy and fundraising efforts.
• Active participation in skill building and
competency fulfillment.
• Leadership in the delivery of quality service across
all libraries in Allegheny County.

Our Library Is
Something We All Do Together
As we look forward to our 125th anniversary
in 2020, it is impossible not to look back
at our accomplishments. Our region has
moved through invention and reinvention
and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has
been there, growing and changing every
step of the way.
RESPONSIVE &
ADAPTABLE
INCLUSIVE &
EQUITABLE
INFORMATIVE &
EMPOWERING
We have become more comfortable within
an environment of curiosity and risk-taking
and have embraced bold directions and
necessary change with enthusiasm and
excitement. As the community around us
changes, so do we.
We are excited about the challenges and
opportunities ahead and look forward to
engaging with the community in new and
innovative ways. We are always stronger
together.
WELCOMING
& VIBRANT
2018-2022
STRATEGIC
PLAN
COLLABORATIVE
& INNOVATIVE
INSTRUCTIVE &
ENLIGHTENING

INCLUSIVE &
EQUITABLE
INFORMATIVE &
EMPOWERING
INSTRUCTIVE &
ENLIGHTENING
COLLABORATIVE
& INNOVATIVE
WELCOMING
& VIBRANT
RESPONSIVE &
ADAPTABLE
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