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NEWS RELEASES
Board reviews summaries of community interviews
April 30, 2013
The Johnson County Public Library has a remarkable amount of public input for their next strategic plan.
Teams of library staff members interviewed nearly 200 people from the community in March and April -- as part of their research on how the library can best serve patrons the next five years.
The teams identified people in local business and industry, government, education, cultural, neighborhood groups and social service sectors of Johnson County. They talked to people in Greenwood, Center Grove area, Franklin, Bargersville, Whiteland, New Whiteland, Trafalgar and Edinburgh and those who deal with a county-wide perspective.
The teams asked about needs and trends in their communities, organizations and institutions.
A strategic plan task force compiled reports on common themes discussed during the interview. The library reviewed summaries of the comments during a special board meeting on April 30.This research will be added to previous public comments from four public input sessions and feedback provided on this website.
The interview teams created public reports on individual local communities and one on the entire county perspective. They also presented a composite public report on the common themes across all communities.
Indiana law requires library systems to have their next strategic plans completed in 2013. The plan establishes goals and objectives for the county-wide library system's services, programs, staffing and facilities. The current plan was adopted by the board in 2008 and runs through this year.
The Johnson County Public Library Board also held a special meeting on February 26 to review and react to research gathered about national library trends, and Johnson County demographic and market behavior trends. During that public meeting, the board identified key opportunities that need further exploration and discussion for the library's state-mandated strategic plan.
VIEW THE COMMUNITY INTERVIEW SUMMARIES (preliminary)
VIEW THE HIGH ENERGY PLAN SUMMARY GOALS
Initial research shows library, market behavior trends
Posted on February 27, 2013
A leadership team from the Johnson County Public Library has released initial research for the next High Energy Plan.
The group spent two months researching national and state library trends, and reviewed key market behavior data in Johnson County, and compiled series of public mandates for review.
During a special public meeting on February 26, the Johnson County Public Library board discussed and provided feedback on the intial research.
Teams of library staff members next will be interviewing nearly 200 people from the community during the next month.
The teams have identified people in local business and industry, government, education, cultural, neighborhood groups and social service sectors of Johnson County. They will talk to people in Greenwood, Center Grove area, Franklin, Bargersville, Whiteland, New Whiteland, Trafalgar and Edinburgh and those who deal with a county-wide perspective.
The teams will be asking them about needs and trends in their communities, organizations and institutions.
The teams will compile reports on common themes discussed during the interview. This research will be added to previous public comments from four public input sessions and feedback provided on a special website -- www.jcplnextchapter.com.
"This information will be compared to our initial research and will help us develop our next key strategic initiatives for the library," said Beverly Martin, Johnson County Public Library director.
The interview teams will create public reports on individual local communities and one on the entire county perspective. They also will present a composite public report on the common themes across all communities.
Indiana law requires library systems to have their next strategic plans completed in 2013. The plan establishes goals and objectives for the county-wide library system's services, programs, staffing and facilities. The current plan was adopted by the board in 2008 and runs through this year.
VIEW THE INITIAL CORE TEAM RESEARCH
VIEW THE PROJECT STATUS UPDATE
Public input sought for library master plan
Posted on January 7, 2013
The Johnson County Public Library board will hold two more public information input sessions in January to discuss ideas about the future of the library system.
The library board is working on its state-mandated long-range master plan, and seeks public input into programs and building needs.
The public is invited two sessions:
- Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 6 p.m. at the Trafalgar Branch, 424 Tower Street, Trafalgar.
- Monday, January 21, 2013 at 7 p.m. at the Clark Pleasant Branch, 530 Tracy Road, Suite 250, New Whiteland.
The board previously conducted public input sessions at the Franklin and White River branches. Videos of those sessions are available on the library's website, www.jcplin.org.
Public comments also can be sent to the library board by email: nextchapter@jcplin.org.
Special board meeting starts strategic plan
Posted on October 24, 2012
The Johnson County Public Library Board began its next strategic plan process during a special board meeting on October 23 at the Trafalgar Branch, 424 Tower Street, Trafalgar.
Jeanne Farah, president
of the consulting firm Excelleration Inc., outlined the process for the library's next High Energy Plan. Indiana law requires library systems to have their next strategic plans completed in 2013.
The plan establishes goals and objectives for the county-wide library system's services, programs, staffing and facilities. The current plan was adopted by the board in 2008 and runs through 2013.
Farah will lead a process that includes input from the public, the library staff and board members over the next several months. A leadership team also will research national library usage trends and develop the plan for adoption the first of next year.
The library board already has hosted two public input sessions regarding the future of the library system. Videos from those sessions can be viewed on the library's website, www.jcplin.org. Two more public input sessions are planned.
The board also will solicit public input through a special section on its website and will have comment cards available at its four branches.
Farah has 25 years experience consulting with colleges and universities, libraries, professional design firms and design departments, builders and environmental organizations. She specializes in helping libraries with strategic growth; and designing and managing customized leadership.
VIEW THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
Community input meeting on July 12
Posted on July 6, 2012
The Johnson County Public Library Board will hold a special public meeting in the Community Room of the Franklin Branch Library on at 6p.m. Thursday, July 12 to hear ideas and concerns regarding the next steps for the future of the White River Branch of the Johnson County Public Library.For more information, please contact Library Director, Beverly Martin, at 738-9835.
Community input meeting on June 4
Posted on June 3, 2012
The Johnson County Public Library Board will hold a special public meeting in the Community Room of the Franklin Branch Library on at 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 4 to hear ideas and concerns regarding the next steps for the future of the Franklin Branch of the Johnson County Public Library.
Another special meeting will be held this summer at our White River Branch Library to discuss the future of the White River Branch of the Johnson County Public Library.
For more information, please contact Library Director, Beverly Martin, at 738-9835.
Why public libraries are here to stay
Posted on April 4, 2012
Diane Black, President, Johnson County Public Library Board
Amanda Waddle, President, Friends of the Library
Beverly Martin, Director, Johnson County Public Library
This week, National Library Week (April 8 - 14) is a good time to celebrate the role and relevance of public libraries as they continue to innovate, evolve and thrive.
Libraries have been around for thousands of years and date to ancient Alexandria, Rome, Greece, China and India. Public libraries are an American invention and have become an All-American tradition.
The first public library was established in New Hampshire in 1833. Today, there are more public libraries (16,600 including branches) than McDonald’s (14,100) in the U.S.
More than a century ago, Andrew Carnegie, one of the most successful American industrialists ever, invested millions of dollars in 1,689 public libraries, including a Carnegie Library in Franklin. He believed the public library was one of the best ways that people could learn to help themselves.
Today Bill Gates, one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, is investing millions of dollars in public libraries through his foundation. (Warren Buffett is also involved.) Gates believes public libraries play an essential role in providing access to computers and the Internet and helping people learn new technologies so they can “make meaningful contributions to society.”
Public libraries have changed over the years as they’ve added new ways to read and learn.Libraries started with books and a small selection of magazines and newspapers. Today, public libraries offer:
- Books to help children learn to read
- Special collections to keep tweens and teens reading
- Bestsellers and popular books in many genres
- Large print books
- Audio books
- Ebooks and eaudiobooks
- Thousands of magazines and newspapers available to read online
- Music CDs
- Films, TV series, cable shows, and documentaries on DVDs
- Resources and help for job seekers
- Resources for small business owners and entrepreneurs
- Computers and Internet access
- Workshops about computers and the Internet
- Classes to learn new skills
- Programs for parents
- Interactive learning environments to help young children learn pre-reading skills
- Programs for children and teens
- Homework help
- Resources to study for the ACT, SAT and AP tests
- Summer reading activities to maintain skills over summer vacation
- Community meeting space
Nationally, library visits per person increased by 24 percent between 2000 and 2009 (the most recent federal data available.) The number of materials checked out per person increased by 26 percent during the same time period.
In Johnson County, library visits have increased by 36 percent since 2000 and the number of materials checked out have increased by 53 percent.
The Internet has increased use of public libraries. A national study published in 2010 found that U.S. citizens of all ages, incomes and educational levels use library computers whether or not they have a computer at home.
Libraries offer digital resources for homework, college preparation, job searching, finance and investing, business management, health and wellness, and more.
People use library computers to read newspapers and magazines, for live homework help and tutoring, and to download books and audiobooks.
Ebooks have increased the use of libraries. Ebooks are just another way to read. People use libraries to check out ebooks just like they come to libraries for books and audiobooks.
Children and families are big library users. According to a January 2010 national study, 86 percent of households with school-age children reported that checking out books, movies and music was the most important reason they took their children to the library, while 61 percent reported that going to the library gave them something to do together, and 45 percent said they went to the library for its “great programs and services.”
But, public libraries aren’t just for kids. The study found that in 2009:
- 80 percent of respondents 18 to 24 years old reported using their library.
- 73 percent of those 35 to 44 years old used their library, along with 70 percent of those 25 to 34 years old.
- 68 percent of working adults and 53 percent of retired adults reported using their library.
Learning and self-improvement are traditional American values. Public libraries will continue to support these values in traditional and nontraditional ways. We invite you to come to a Johnson County Public Library branch during National Library Week and celebrate one of our country’s most amazing achievements — the public library.
