🎥 Hays Public Library will update strategic plan with public input

Brandon Hines, Hays Public Library director, tapes up a list of aspirations for the library generated during a recent stakeholders session.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

More than 50 plus-sized sheets of information and ideas were taped to the walls of the Hays Public Library (HPL) meeting room following two library stakeholders meetings earlier this month.

Now director Brandon Hines and his library staff of 33 are awaiting compilation and analysis of the two public sessions led by Gail Santy, Central Kansas Library System (CKLS) executive director. CKLS is based in Great Bend.

“The purpose of the sessions is to solicit feedback and ideas about the role of the library in our community and to guide future priorities of the organization,” Hines told the 40 or so attendees at the beginning of each session. “Specifically, we are looking to establish goals and actions that will optimally benefit the community and uphold the mission and values of the Hays Public Library.”

CKLS consultants were at each table as facilitators, consolidating and then writing the answers from their groups to the questions asked by Santy.

Patty Collins, CKLS Youth Services Consultant listens to a stakeholder at her table as Celeste Lasich, First Presbyterian Church pastor, looks on.

Two of the consultants have ties to Hays. Patty Collins, CKLS Youth Services Consultant, and Christie Snyder, CKLS School Library Consultant, are both graduates of Fort Hays State University.

Santy guided them through “SOAR – Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results – What can we build on? What are our possible future opportunities? What do we care deeply about? How will be know we are succeeding?” The SOAR design comes from the Aspen Institute, an international nonprofit think tank founded in 1949 as a nonpartisan forum for values-based leadership and the exchange of ideas.

The questions in each category were created by the HPL staff and library board members early in the day prior to the public sessions. HPL staff members were also at each stakeholders table giving their input.

“We’re here to kind of push us through the end of our strategic planning process,” said Hines who was hired as HPL director last summer. He worked previously at HPL in charge of the children’s department, then left to be director at two other Kansas libraries.

“When I came on there was a lot of work that had been done around here but just quite hasn’t been executed on. So we made a one year action plan to finish up some of this work,” explained Hines. “We’ve really progressed well with that.”

The library is looking to the public and its patrons to help guide its future.

“We’re at the point now where we need to sit back and get some ideas, feedback on some of the changes we’ve already made and also on some of the work we want to do,” Hines said.

Part of the action plan is to remodel some areas of the library within the next couple of years. The current building was constructed in 1968; Hays Public Library opened in 1911.

The last major renovation was in 2004. “We know our needs for the space has changed quite a bit since then,” Hines told the group gathered around eight tables. “All this information we gather here today will help guide that.” He said the library intends to soon form a design committee to address space changes in the building.

Earlier this year the library completed its Mission, Vision, Values statement.

The information was at each table which Hines hoped would help “establish the right mindset” during the discussions.

“This is why you’re here,” Hines explained. “We need help with specific goals and outcomes and then specific actions we want to take or some ideas to get us to that point.”

Once the report and compiled data is returned by CKLS, it should give HPL a directional map for the next three years.

Santy urged the attendees to be candid. “We can’t move forward unless we know how you really feel.”

Margie Sheppard, CKLS Library Technology Consultant, listens to input from her group.

The groups spent an hour discussing questions including the greatest value the library provides to the community, key areas of untapped potential, the look of library space in 10 years and what excellence looks like.

Those offering their input in the afternoon session included representatives of USD 489 and TMP-Marian schools, the Hays Arts Council, churches, Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging, Downtown Hays Development Corporation, Friends of the Hays Public Library, and local residents.

After 60 minutes, the meeting room walls were covered with sheets listing each table’s ideas of strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results.

Gail Santy, CKLS executive director, led the HPL stakeholders sessions.

Santy quickly read aloud each answer and suggestion.

Ideas included starting a bookmobile, more charging stations for personal electronic devices, more meeting space and areas redesigned for smaller groups, finding annex locations for programs already offered by the library, providing ESL (English as Second Language) interpreters, and getting more involved with the local governing bodies.

Then the stakeholders were invited to use sticky dots to vote anonymously for their top two priorities.

Pat Hill (left) wants to see smaller meeting places available at HPL.

Pat Hill feels the library should concentrate on books and literacy, and opportunities for children.

“We have a lot of good connections with Hays schools,” Hill noted.

She’s a member of Friends of the Library which operates the used book store in the library.

Hill is new to Hays, moving here from Michigan about 18 months ago.

“There’s a lot of things I didn’t realize the library does, and all the community participation,” she said, “but I can see we need to make a few improvements although we have a lot of strengths.

“We had a wonderful discussion at our table. I’m very proud of our library.”