STTAMMANYLIBRARY.ORG
ST. TAMMANY PARISH LIBRARY
STRATEGIC PLAN 2023-2028
St. Tammany Parish Library Strategic Plan
2023-2028
INTRODUCTION
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
KEY CHALLENGES
VISION AND MISSION
10
STRATEGIC GOALS
12
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 St. Tammany Parish Library Strategic Plan
2023-2028
St. Tammany Parish is one of the fastest growing parishes in the state of Louisiana with a population of
264,570 (2020 census) and it is projected to grow even more in the years ahead.
The St. Tammany Parish Library has been serving the residents of the Parish for more than seventy
years through twelve branch libraries, an administrative office and a technical services center. Funded,
primarily, by an ad valorem property tax, the current millage will expire in 2024.
The St. Tammany Parish Library is well-loved and well-used by the residents of the Parish, many of whom
indicated their appreciation not only for the resources provided by the library but also for the excellence
and helpfulness of the library staff. The St. Tammany Parish Library is known for its innovative services for
children and teens and its strong programming for adults in the arts, history, genealogy and literature
designed to meet the interests of each of the communities it serves.
Over the course of the two-year long extensive consultation with STPL Library Board of Control
members, key stakeholders and opinion leaders in the community, the Community Advisory Committee
for the Strategic Plan, library staff and the community at-large, STPL developed a series of goals for the
next five years. As these goals are implemented, they will help guide the STPL towards its future.
This strategic plan is designed to be flexible over time, with the goals defining the destination for the
library. To achieve these goals, this plan uses a GPS model instead of a roadmap. While roadmaps are
mostly static representations of possible routes to goals, a GPS is an agile and active method to adapt
to changes, allowing the library the flexibility to adjust its actions as needed over time to meet strategic
goals.
INTRODUCTION
I am proud to present St. Tammany Parish Library’s
first strategic plan. Thank you to everyone who
worked on this process. Countless hours went
into reaching out and engaging the community,
interviewing key stakeholders, surveying the broad
Parish community for their needs and hopes for the
future, gathering ideas and input from the Library
Board of Control and our staff, and planning and
facilitating community focus groups.
When we began this process, we aimed to draft
the plan in six to nine months. Between COVID-19,
Hurricane Ida, and the rise of concerns surrounding
library resources, this process stretched over two
years. The result is a plan that recognizes the need
for flexibility with a focus on what library services and
aspirations for the future are most important for the
residents of St. Tammany Parish.
Please take a moment to examine the goals,
mission, and vision that came out of our stakeholder
engagement. Keep in mind that these goals are
purposefully broad. We are working in and adapting
to tumultuous times. Think of this plan as a GPS
rather than a road map. Library staff will be working
on yearly action plans that will help us achieve the
goals and allow us to adapt to the environment
as necessary. We will use all the information we
gathered during the process to create these action
plans.
Join us as we work to cultivate discovery, creativity,
and lifelong learning by offering access to resources,
programs, and services for everyone in a welcoming
environment. I look forward to working with our
entire community as we aspire to reach these goals
over the next five years.
ST. TAMMANY PARISH LIBRARY
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
KELLY LAROCCA
St. Tammany Parish Library Strategic Plan
2023-2028
Strategic Planning Process
St. Tammany Parish Library Strategic Plan
2023-2028
The strategic planning process was
designed to reflect the library’s
experiences and the needs and desires
of the St. Tammany community through
a balance of existing data, new data,
and stakeholder engagement, including
the community and library staff. Due
to complications of the pandemic
and weather conditions, the process
harnessed the power of in-person,
remote, and hybrid communications
methods.
In the Information Gathering phase,
an internal assessment was conducted
by the consultants, which included
collecting and reviewing library data.
In this phase, a survey of library staff
was conducted; individual interviews
with civic and community leaders were
performed; and library staff were trained
to conduct numerous focus groups that
included both library users and non-users.
The consultants also conducted a survey
of the St. Tammany Community. The
information gathering phase concluded
with a findings and initial directions report
written by the consultants.
In the Library Engagement phase, the
consultants performed visioning activities
with the Library Board of Control (LBOC)
and Library Staff; and provided ongoing
status, findings and feedback meetings
with the LBOC and the Community
Advisory Committee.
In the Plan Creation phase, the
consultants created key plan elements
and refined them based on feedback from
the LBOC, the CAC and library staff. These
key plan elements included the framework
for the strategic plan; the vision and
mission statements for the library; and the
plan goals.
Strategic Planning Process
Internal Assessment
External Assessment
Key Challenges
Strategic Goals
St. Tammany Parish Library Strategic Plan
2023-2028
Position the library as a critical portal to each community for education, social
services, arts & culture and social interaction.
Explore additional models of financial support for physical facilities and
ongoing operational needs, including private fundraising and partnering with
other community resources.
Strengthen the library’s built infrastructure by improving facilities where
needed and/or co-locating with other communities public and
private entities.
Address the economic issues in St. Tammany’s communities by
providing health, legal, social services and education resources in library
facilities and connecting residents to them.
Actively reach out to St. Tammany residents by “embedding” the library in the
community.
Key Challenges Facing St. Tammany Parish Library
St. Tammany Parish Library Strategic Plan
2023-2028
Based on the data, community
engagement and discussions
with community members, the
advisory committee, library staff
and library leadership, key issues
that the library will address in this
strategic plan are:
• Digital inequity
• Improved marketing and communications
• Customer service
• External engagement
• Facilities review and improvements
• Technology for the future
• User Centered Services and Collections
• Strengthen connections to the community
• Invest in staff training and development
Key Strategic Plan Themes
St. Tammany Parish Library Strategic Plan
2023-2028
10
VISION
To empower, enhance and enrich the quality of life
for every resident of St. Tammany Parish through
services, programs, facilities, technology and
physical and digital collections.
St. Tammany Parish Library Strategic Plan
2023-2028