Milton Public Library Master Plan

MILTON PUBLIC LIBRARY / TOWN OF MILTON LIBRARY MASTER PLAN

Final Report May 2008

Libraries In Transition

mbpc

in association with

Monteith Brown

planningconsultants

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section One: Introduction

1. Destiny Milton 2 2. The Library Master Plan

1

11

Section Two: Description of the Library & the Community

1. Mission Statement & Library Roles 2. Library Organization

3

37

3. Library Facilities

8

4. Library Collections & Usage 5. Local Context
10 11

Section Three: Strategic Plan Goals & Directions

16

Section Four: Library Facility Action Plans

1. Current Situation 2. Space Needs & Distribution 3. Recommended Library Space Provision Strategy 4. Action Plans

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19 20 22 25

Section Five: Library Service Delivery Action Plans

1. Overview 2. Service Delivery Areas 3. Action Plans

26

26 27 31

Section Six: Implementation & Phasing

1. Overview 2. Action Plans not Covered by Sections 4 and 5 3. Implementation Strategy

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35 37 38

Appendix

A: Demographic Profile B: Library Trends & Best Practices C: Public & Internal Input D: Mission Statement & Roles of the Milton Public Library E: Facility Needs Assessment F: Service Delivery Assessment

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Library Master Plan – Destiny Milton 2
Town of Milton / Milton Public Library – May 2008
Section One: Introduction

SECTION ONE:

INTRODUCTION

1. DESTINY MILTON 2

Destiny Milton 2¹(DM2) is the broad vision for Milton for the next ten years, setting priorities for Milton's quality of life and service delivery. It will guide and provide context for all short and long-term planning for the Town through the implementation of Service Area Plans to ensure that the right services are being delivered to Milton's growing population.

This Library Master Plan is one of the seven Service Area Master Plans that will identify how services are to be delivered based on the context established by DM2. All the initiatives conducted as part of Destiny Milton 2 will culminate in the development of the Town’s overall Strategic Plan, which is intended to guide municipal decision making at a corporate level, a departmental level, and a personal staff level.

2. THE LIBRARY MASTER PLAN

The purpose of the Library Master Plan is to identify future directions that reflect the key roles and values of today’s users (while forecasting the anticipated requirements of the residents who are not yet here), suitable for a community of the proposed size and location such as Milton. In short, the Plan establishes a collective community vision for library services, programs, and facilities in the Town of Milton.

¹Adopted by Town Council on June 26, 2006.

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Section One: Introduction

Specifically, the Master Plan builds upon the goals, directions, and initiatives identified by Destiny Milton 2 by developing action plans to ensure that the right services are being provided to a growing population. An emphasis is placed on developing a pragmatic 3- Year Action Plan that identifies high priority initiatives (including costs, timing, funding sources, and staffing/resourcing); however, a longer view to the year 2016 is taken where necessary.

The Library Master Plan is organized into the following sections: Section 1:

Section 2:
Introduction Describes the purpose and organization of the Master Plan.

Description of the Library & the Community Provides a ‘snapshot’ of the Library, a description of recent initiatives, and a discussion of the factors affecting current and future needs.

Section 3:

Strategic Plan Goals & Directions

Contains a description of the relevant goals and directions from Destiny Milton 2.

Section 4:

Section 5
Library Facility Action Plans Identifies the action plans related to library facility development.

Library Service Delivery Action Plans Identifies the action plans related to library programming, services, collections, organization, etc.

Section 6:

Implementation & Phasing

Identifies the priority and timing of each action plan.

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Section Two: Description of the Library

SECTION TWO:

DESCRIPTION OF THE LIBRARY & THE COMMUNITY

1. MISSION STATEMENT & LIBRARY ROLES

The importance of public libraries is spelled out in recognized publications such as Long

Overdue (Public Agenda, 2006), Realizing Our Full Potential (Association Resource Centre Inc., 2003), and Ontario Public Libraries Market Survey (Market Probe Canada,

2006). These studies and a variety of other sources suggest the following:

•••

Libraries are at the heart of a strong, well-informed community; Libraries are accessible and welcoming to all; Libraries provide free, unlimited, and universal access to knowledge, culture, and information; and

•

Libraries are even more important now than ever before as the power of knowledge translates into greater socio-economic benefits.

Despite the proliferation of electronic media and the Internet over recent years, it is essential to continue to stress the importance of physical library systems. Public libraries are leaders in the adoption of advanced technological applications; however, the “virtual library” is still many years away, and they may never totally replace the actual functions or “human” qualities of a physical library. Public libraries are more than just a source of information – they are integral institutions with far-reaching implications. The Milton Public Library should strive to maintain a healthy and responsive library system for these very reasons.

In recognizing the numerous benefits of public libraries, it is strongly recommended that the Milton Public Library be provided with adequate financial support to implement the action plans of this Library Master Plan during the next ten year (2006-2016) planning period.

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The Milton Public Library’s (MPL) current “Mission Statement” was developed in the 1980s and reaffirmed in the 1990s through separate strategic planning processes. Four predominant “Roles” were also defined for the Milton Public Library in the 1980s. These roles were taken from a selection of roles suggested by the American Library Association.

The development of a new Master Plan for Library Services presents an opportunity to make adjustments to the Mission Statement and Library Roles in order to ensure that they are properly aligned with the present and future directions of the Library. The need to revise the MPL Mission Statement and Roles has been brought about as a result of changes in society, technology, information needs, the economy, and community characteristics. Some of these factors include:

•••••

the Library’s transition to a multi-branch system; services provided by others and the benefits of partnerships; the growing perception of the Library as a community gathering space; demand for – and increasing options with regard to – technology and automation; demographic changes, including rapid population growth (particularly younger families, commuters, and ethnic populations);

••

heightened expectations of patrons; and shifts in employment and growth in demand for business resources.

This matter is discussed in brief below and more fully in Appendix D.

Suggested Revisions to the MPL Mission Statement

A mission statement is a clear, concise, and realistic observation of the Library’s reason for being. It should be referenced when making important decisions about what activities and services to provide, what markets to serve, what new initiatives to focus on, what partners to co-operate with, what to emphasize in developing a collection policy, and so on. It can create clarity, inspire and motivate volunteers and staff, and create unity, particularly if it has been put together with the assistance of staff and board members.

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The following is the new Mission Statement recommended for the Milton Public Library:

Recommended Mission Statement

The Milton Public Library is committed to nourishing growing minds, promoting the love of reading, and providing a gateway that connects people, ideas, and information.

Suggested Revisions to the MPL Roles

Library “roles” are essentially aims that represent an elaboration of the mission statement, providing extra detail where the mission is broader. They are intended to address the following questions: What is the library trying to do? Whom is the library trying to serve? What resources does the library need to achieve these ends? By establishing more detailed roles, this allows the mission statement to remain broad and to succinctly define the library’s purpose.

The following are the Library Roles recommended for the Milton Public Library. Not all roles may be applicable to all branches of the MPL, nor will the emphasis on each role be equal between the branches. That is, as branch libraries are developed, the MPL may wish to establish a different set of roles for each library facility within the system.

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Recommended PRIMARY Library Roles 1a. Popular Materials Library – The Library features current, high demand, high

interest materials in a variety of formats for persons of all ages, abilities, and cultural heritages.

1b. Life-long Learning Centre – The Library supports a sustained program of formal

and informal learning for individuals of all ages, abilities, and cultural heritages. A special emphasis is placed on encouraging young children to develop an interest in reading and learning. The Library also serves as a major resource of local history collections and services.

1c. Virtual Portal – The Library provides a means by which patrons can access

information from a wide variety of electronic sources, including databases and the Internet.

1d Service-Oriented Library – The Library actively provides timely, accurate, and

useful information and on-site resources for community residents in their pursuit of personal and job-related interests.

Recommended SECONDARY Library Roles 2a Broker / Link to other Resources – Through partnerships with other agencies

and organizations, the Library is a clearinghouse for current information on community services, issues, and events.

2b Community Gathering Place – The Library is a central focus for community

activities, meetings, and programs. ***Note: While the Library indirectly serves this role at present, it cannot be fully realized until a new Main Library is developed***

Action Plans related to the implementation of the revised Mission Statement and Library Roles are contained in Section 6.

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2. LIBRARY ORGANIZATION

The Milton Public Library is organized into a number of areas, as described and illustrated below:

Library Board and Administration – Responsible for strategic planning, short and

long-term planning, policy development, budget, and personnel management. Circulation – Responsible for public service delivery (inter-library loan, patron registration, circulation of materials, telephone renewals and notices, and fines/fees).

Information Services – Responsible for public service delivery (information requests, reader’s advisory, research assistance, Internet training, equipment use, collection management, training, programming, early literacy promotion, and outreach).

Technical Services & Systems – Technical Services is responsible for acquisitions, processing, cataloguing, periodical management, and database management. Systems is also responsible for maintaining the Library’s automated system, including hardware, software, workstations, printers, computer security, PC’s, LAN, WAN, and telecommunications system.

Figure 2: Functional Areas of the Milton Public Library
Milton Public Library Board

Administration
Technical Services & Systems
Information Services
Circulation

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The Milton Public Library currently has approximately 25 staff (full-time equivalents), including:

••••

a Chief Librarian; a Deputy Chief Librarian; a Manager of Circulation Services; and a Coordinator of Information Services (Adult & Children).

MPL also offers a wide variety of programs – ranging from children’s storytime to book clubs – and sponsors a number of special events, such as Family Literacy Day and E-wareness Month. In 2006, MPL attracted 11,555 attendees to 437 programs.

A comprehensive review of the MPL’s organization structure is outside the scope of this project. For more direction on refinements to the Library’s organizational structure, reference should be made to the Milton Public Library Human Resources Review Update (2006).

3. LIBRARY FACILITIES

Until recently, the Milton Public Library was comprised of one library facility located at 45 Bruce Street. The Library building was constructed in 1974 with the purpose of serving a much smaller population. With the recent growth surge in Milton, this building reached capacity prior to 2001, causing the Town of Milton (on behalf of the Milton Library Board) to purchase an adjacent building on Pine Street to house both the Library Administration and Technical Services and Systems; this move freed up some space at the Bruce Street location for additional collections and resources. With the recent configuration, the Main Library provides 19,200 square feet of space.

As identified through previous reports, even with the modest expansion through the Pine Street Annex, the Main Library lacks sufficient space for current collections, programming, patron reading and study space, higher demand services such as Internet workstations, and parking.

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The development of a new Main Library is presently proposed for 2010/11. This new library is expected to be located as part of a “civic campus” in an identified “community gateway” (Thompson and Main), in conjunction with an Arts and Entertainment Centre.

The MPL is transforming into a multi-branch system, with the first branch proposed for construction in 2008. At this time, it is anticipated that the new branch (Beaty Branch) will be approximately 11,300 square feet and will be located on 4^thLine at Hearst Boulevard. At present, the Library’s long-term plans call for the development of a second branch (for a total of 3 library service points) sometime after the development of a new Main Library, and possibly more branches beyond that time. This Master Plan provides additional clarity to the timing, size, and location of new library facilities through the establishment of sound strategies that support community demand over the longterm.

Moving from a single facility to a branch system will require a main library that is able to facilitate branch operations such as: materials processing and shipping; increased technical services related to ordering and preparing materials; more technology resources to support multi-building communications; and control operation and related considerations.

Action Plans related to Library facilities are contained in Sections 4 and 6.

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4. LIBRARY COLLECTIONS & USAGE

The following table provides a snapshot of library collections and usage in recent years. The data illustrates a gradual increase in the MPL’s print and media materials as well as total circulation, with the latter experiencing a 36% increase in this five-year period.

Table 1: Milton Public Library Collections and Usage Data, 2003-2006

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

COLLECTIONS

Books

251,549

18,370 23,612 59,006
273,246
20,003 26,215 87,029
275,930
20,202 30,350 89,073
298,709
21,208 29,006 89,782
311,031
21,736 35,562
100,643
Magazines (in-house & on-line) Audio Cassettes & Compact Discs Video Cassettes & DVDs

USAGE

Total Circulation

347,563

34,417 12,618
3,092
408,240
31,142 14,432
3,233
415,555
35,828 15,870
3,074
440,888
45,042 21,033*
3,458
470,969
50,567 15,275*
3,481
Questions asked and answered Public Internet Uses New patrons registered

* as of 2006, children and teens were no longer required to register for Internet use, requiring the MPL staff to extrapolate usage figures related to additional Internet stations Sources: MPL Annual Reports (2004-2006); Ontario Ministry of Culture, Ontario Public Library Statistics (2003-2005).

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5. LOCAL CONTEXT

The following information on Milton’s demographic profile, library trends, and the consultation program is addressed in greater detail in Appendix A, B, and C.

Demographic Profile

The Town of Milton has grown rapidly and this pace is generally expected to continue until its build-out capacity is reached. The Town’s population nearly doubled to 60,000 people between 2001 and 2006; this estimate is higher than the Region’s “Best Planning Estimates”, but reflects the estimate of Town planning staff and represents an increase of approximately 6,000 people per year.

Such marked growth will lead to a greater demand for new and/or enhanced library infrastructure in order to meet the needs of an increasing population. In combination with evolving trends, additional pressures will be placed on the Milton Public Library to adapt its programs, services, and facilities to respond to demand and expectations.

Figure 3: Town of Milton Population Forecast Estimates, 2001-2016

140,000
120,000
(Projection)
120,000 100,000
90,000
(Projection)
80,000

60,000
(Projection)*
60,000 40,000
31,471 (Actual)
20,000

0

2001

2006

2011

2016

Year

*2006 Census reported mid-year population of 53,939

Source: Town of Milton Planning and Development Department, July 2006

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Aside from the former urban area of Milton, the extent of future residential growth includes the following three communities, each of which is comprised of several neighbourhoods:

•••

Phase 1 (Bristol Survey) is located in the southeast part of the Town. These lands are expected to accommodate 40,000 people, mostly within single detached houses (most of which are already built).

Phase 2 (Sherwood Survey) is mostly located in the southwest part of the Town, with a small portion located in the northwest. Building activity is predicted to occur between 2008 and 2016 will accommodate an additional 40,000 residents.

Phase 3 (residential lands) is located at the south end of the Town and will primarily consist of low and medium density residential units, as well as commercial nodes. Building activity is expected to occur between 2010 and 2016, with a potential population of approximately 40,000 people.

While provincial trends indicate that the population will continue to age (especially those ‘baby boomers’ in the upper end of the cohort), population growth in Milton is expected to result in increased numbers of people in all age categories, especially families with young children. As such, library services will continue to be in high demand and the Library will need to continue to reach a strong core of people of all ages, including preschoolers, children, and seniors – each of which have unique needs.