Our new Strategic Plan is now in full swing, thanks to the input from community members, the Library Board and staff. I was delightfully overwhelmed by the hundreds of survey responses we received from you! This information was pivotal in designing tangible and measurable goals to ensure we tailor our offerings to provide relevant support to our surrounding community. I am happy to report that we are on the right track, with majority of responses containing encouraging praise for the efforts we have made thus far. In that survey, we asked if you agreed with the statement “I believe the New Lenox Public Library District is essential to the community.” The result? 99.5% of you said yes, the library is indeed essential to the community. Many survey responses focused on increasing our operating hours. We would love to extend weekday hours and be open on Sundays, but we are challenged to operate on a much smaller budget than other similar-sized libraries in our area. We pride ourselves with remaining fiscally responsible with taxpayers’ money, which means we always stay within our limited annual operating budget. That being said, these survey responses have illustrated how important expanded hours are for our community; we are taking this input seriously to research and possibly create options for additional hours of operation.
In closing, I will leave you with some comments provided through the survey. We are so fortunate to have such a supportive community.
Without a doubt, having the ability to access information of any kind is vital to our community and to our democracy, and being able to do it is such a friendly and inviting atmosphere is a priceless bonus!
The New Lenox Public Library provides a welcoming environment for all ages and provides many diverse opportunities to learn and be enriched. In this digital and on-line media age, it is very comforting to be in a relaxed, friendly environment that supports actual personal interaction.
The library provides many opportunities and fosters intellectual growth for all ages, a necessity for a community as prosperous as ours.
The New Lenox Public Library and its patrons IS a very special community in and of itself. It provides a place for children and adults to grow as individuals, learn and be a part of the excellent community of New Lenox. I can't imagine not having the library, my family and I love it.
Thank you for your support of our library!
Regards,
Michelle Krooswyk
director@newlenoxlibrary.org