A report for the Board of Trustees, Walnut Public Library District, Illinois State Library, and the Walnut Chamber of Commerce.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Mission Statement
- Community Profile and Needs
- Five Objectives
- Service Responses
- Selected Activities
Mission Statement
“Expanding beyond books.”
The mission statement of the Walnut Public Library District is to provide popular, high-interest materials in various formats that will meet the recreational, educational, and personal needs of the patrons in the community. Special emphasis will continue to be placed on supporting patrons at various stages of life. All patrons’ interest and enjoyment in reading and writing will be a priority as well as more attention will be paid to continued development of the entire population served. Materials and programs shall be selected with regards to the varying age differences of the public to provide opportunities to stimulate everyone’s interests.
Community Profile and Needs
The Walnut Public Library District serves a population of approximately 1750 people in the township per, and a grand total of 2,230 in the greater agricultural area and neighboring communities.
The Village of Walnut recognizes the importance of agricultural and industrial sustainability as qualifiers for its continued prosperity. In order to ensure this, the village realizes it must remain proactive in its efforts to maintain current business, promote excellence in education, maintain and possibly create new jobs for economic stability, as well as support the pride of the community volunteerism – all recognized as strengths of the community.
It is essential that in meeting the needs of the community, that the needs of the entire population are met. To address multi cultural needs and the needs of differently abled individuals.
Furthermore, it is essential to address the weaknesses the community faces in an effort to improve the standard of living. The main recognized concerns in Walnut are: lack of opportunities for youth activities, decreasing population, an aging population, aging utilities, low income population, loss of the family farm population, a shortage of opportunities for employment and careers and the potential for loss of industry, resulting additional loss of jobs, as well as a need for entertainment. Other areas the village is always increasing its efforts in support for business, the elimination of crime, and addressing the needs of the school system and its various related issues.
Goals
The Walnut Public Library Shall seek to meet the community’s needs through:
Formal Learning Support: To complement the community schools and homeschooling families by providing the necessary materials along with access to resources and information.
General Information: To further develop and improve subject areas that are constantly evolving, and provide services and access for those with special needs.
Basic Literacy: Meet the needs of a population that is aging and becoming increasingly diverse, and direct to programs that aid individuals and families that require assistance with simple language skills.
Lifelong Learning: To serve as a valuable resource for individuals in all stages of life – from birth through retirement, with particular attention to technological and health awareness.
Current Topic and Titles: Continue to offer the latest releases of fiction and non-fiction as well as award winners.
Library Objectives
- Build community connections
- Provide services to meet the needs of our patrons.
- Provide programming to meet the interest of our community.
- Seek ways to collaborate with other resources in our area as well as through online research.
- Update the library to meet the current community needs
- Sort out unused materials and update with new material.
- Restructure the main level for all patrons. Create an area in the lower level for programing and community use.
- Expand our services beyond books.
- Strengthen teen and children services.
- Provide engaging programs for all age groups.
- Move the children’s library to the upper level, thus freeing space in the lower level for programs.
- Work with area resources to expand and promote the teen and children’s programs.
Walnut Public Library’s Dedicated Service Response
Formal Learning Support: Recognizing our importance in providing the materials and access to resources, which shall include working with the community schools and home-schooling families in planning for research topics and subject matter, local health organizations to provide workshops and serve as a repository for health related information on such prominent topics as smoking cessation, fibromyalgia, and macular degeneration.
General Information: Continuing our dedication to further developing and improving its health and medical collection and also its access to materials and resources needed for those with any special needs that may arise.
Lifelong Learning: Understanding the learning process is never-ending, and that the provision of information for all stages of life, we are committed to providing materials and information for the entire community through special programs such as “bookmobile” exchange with Walnut Manor Nursing Home, offering computer classes geared towards seniors and others with limited technological exposure, the invitation of guest speakers and community leaders, and making lightly circulated non-fiction titles more visible.
Basic Literacy: Realizing the need of an ever-changing population in our community, we shall provide the assistance and resources for the development of knowledge for minorities through being familiar with TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) processes, and also to improve the education of our population as a whole by making available information pertaining to literacy programs offered through Bureau County, Sauk Valley Community College, and Illinois Valley Community College.
Current Topic and Titles: In order to meet the needs of our patrons and community, we shall continue to offer the latest releases of fiction and non-fiction, as well as magazines and other educational resources. We shall also actively follow trends and book release news through resources such as Baker & Taylor, Junior Library Guild, Illinois Library Association, American Library Association, major best-sellers list, award winners and magazine reviews.
Selected Activities
The following is a list of programs and/or other activities that the Walnut Public Library District is currently offering or pursuing:
Health Seminars/Workshops: The Walnut Public Library has begun to offer a series of health classes in conjunction with a local hospital, Sterling’s Community General Hospital. Topics that may be covered include smoking cessation, fibromyalgia, and macular degeneration among others.
Computer Classes: The Walnut Public Library understands the importance of developing computer literacy in today’s modern society as and ever-increasing means of obtaining critical information. That is why we look forward to offering educational programs for the public on the various aspects of computer usage.
Guest Speakers: The Walnut Public Library recognizes the need and importance of understanding for a wide array of topics. Bringing in guest speakers that may include subject experts, authors, and performing artists will prove to increase the community’s global and cultural awareness, and revitalize the learning process.
Public Displays: The Walnut Public Library displays the creative work of local artisans as well as artifacts of historical value and importance to the community.
After-School Activities: The Walnut Public Library currently hosts an after-school program for At Risk Bureau Valley North Students grades 3-5.