Strategic Vision for the Future

February 24, 2025

Strategic Plan 2025

Mission, Vision & Values 

OUR MISSION: 

The mission of the Dobbs Ferry Public Library is to be a responsive and accessible library that serves as a conduit for the pursuit of learning, growth, and human connection.  

OUR VISION: 

The Library aspires to be the heart of the Dobbs Ferry community, reflecting and fostering the vitality and diversity of our Village.  

We accomplish this in the following ways:  

  1. Our expert, trusted staff continues to help people access the information they need, the programs they enjoy, and the content they love.  
  2. We create a common and inclusive space that welcomes and cultivates diverse interests, strengths, and needs.
  3. We encourage our community to make frequent use of the Library’s resources,  participate in our programming, and help to shape it. 
  4. We stay current with advances in technology required to remain relevant in our constantly changing world. 

OUR VALUES: 

  1. Access: Information, programs, and services are open and accessible to all. 2. Connection: We build connections within the community. 
  2. Engagement: We seek input and participation from the community.
  3. Inclusion: Everyone is welcome and comfortable in our library.
  4. Enrichment: Library professionals curate varied content and programs to meet the diverse needs of our community. 
  5. Service: We strive to provide everyone with friendly and professional service. 7. Sustainability: We are good stewards of our financial, material, and human resources.

Building Blocks for Success 

OUR STAFF: 

The most critical resource for any library is its staff. Our goal is to maintain an experienced, well-trained, diverse, engaging, and highly motivated staff.  

  1. Build on all staff members’ expertise to enhance Library services.
  2. Develop staff through mentoring, training, and providing opportunities to learn skills outside assigned roles.
  3. Hold regular collaborative staff meetings and maintain an atmosphere that encourages staff to share ideas and be heard. Have Board members meet with staff at least annually.
  4. Ensure that staff have clear direction and guidelines for excellence.  

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION: 

Despite its small size, Dobbs Ferry is home to a large number of educational, religious,  and nonprofit organizations and involved volunteer groups. Our goal is to continue to seek ways to nurture the Library’s relationship with these organizations to enhance not only our services, but also our ties to the community. 

  1. The Friends of the Dobbs Ferry Library is a critical ally that not only provides  essential funds to enrich our work, but that also broadens the community’s  connection to the Library. We will continue to maintain a close partnership  through regular communication, support of the Friends’ events and activities,  and maintaining a formal Board liaison. 
  2. While the Library is a separate entity, with its own governing body, there is an  essential connection to the Village. The Library will maintain close contact with  administrators and department heads and explore ways to collaborate on  infrastructure projects, technology, outreach and joint programming. 
  3. The Library maintains a strong partnership with the schools and universities in the community. We will enhance that partnership through more frequent meetings with both administrators and staff, more joint program offerings, and outreach to support groups such as the PTSA.
  4. We will seek to build on our existing relationships with the educational, nonprofit, and volunteer organizations in the Village to increase joint programming, share expertise, and widen the Library’s reach to new populations.
  5. We will coordinate with other Rivertowns libraries to share programming, ideas,  and resources.  

  

THE LIBRARY BUILDING: 

The Library building, first opened in 2003, is a beautiful structure with stunning views of the Hudson River from both its patio and second-floor space. It features easy-to-maintain cinder block walls, clearly delineated spaces for the different collections of materials, and defined spaces for programming. However, the Library is now more than 20 years old. 

Our goal is to ensure that the building remains an attractive, accessible, welcoming and well-maintained structure that meets the changing needs of our community. To  achieve that goal, we will do the following: 

  1. Create a dedicated space for teens on the second floor, using input from teens and staff.
  2. Collaborate with the Village to upgrade the security system.
  3. Install banners at the entrance to make the Library more visible and improve wayfinding throughout the building.
  4. Set up a Board Task Force to identify additional needed repairs and upgrades and develop a plan and timetable for addressing them.
  5. Make the Library building and its operations and programming more environmentally sustainable. We will identify ways to reduce waste, increase recycling, decrease energy usage, and reduce the use of plastics. We will also  work with the Village to reduce energy consumption through more efficient  systems.
  6. Work with the Village to create a sustainable long-range plan for building upgrades, including a new HVAC system, and maintenance.

 

EXPANDING LIBRARY MATERIALS: 

The Library exists as a free resource for information, learning and leisure content in various forms. To ensure that the Library provides materials for a diverse audience and keeps up to date with interests and innovations, the Library has an ongoing program of weeding and curation of the collection. 

Our goal is to build on that work: 

  1. Develop a long-term collection development plan that is flexible and addresses the emerging needs of the community.
  2. Take advantage of multiple points of view and diverse expertise by encouraging all staff to provide input.
  3. Continue to explore the addition of non-traditional items to the collection. While books and reference materials remain the backbone of the Library, we now offer Wifi hotspots, and access to free museum and cultural passes. We plan to add devices that will give access to streaming services to our patrons.

 

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP: 

The Library is supported primarily by tax dollars from the Village of Dobbs Ferry. In conjunction with the Village, we maintain a transparent annual budgeting process in the Spring that involves meetings open to the public. The Library Board, which has sole responsibility for these funds once approved by the Village, has practices in place to ensure prudent management and stewardship to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of the LiIbrary. 

The Library is fortunate to have a number of bequests from generous donors that support such things as children’s books, the physical plant, and programming. Thanks to the Friends of the Library, we are fortunate to have additional resources to conduct special programming and projects not covered by the budget. Over the years, this has included Ferry Con, Author Talks, Summer Reading, wifi hotspots, benches for the Library entrance, and supplies for our small makerspace.

In addition, the Library looks for grant opportunities to supplement large construction projects, provides revenue-generating services such as Easy Pass and passport services, and invests funds to support the operating budget. Expanding revenue sources outside of our tax-supported revenue stream will insure the continued viability of one of the Village’s most valuable assets. 

 

Our Commitment

This strategic plan outlines our commitment to meet the challenges our library, like many modern libraries, face. We intend to remain not only relevant but an invaluable tool to our community. We will do this by empowering our staff, maintaining a diverse and innovative collection, and expanding our programming. Together, we will not only meet the needs of our patrons but also seek to inspire in all who use the Library a lifelong love of learning by prioritizing collaboration and fostering an inclusive,  dynamic, and resource-rich environment. Together, we will ensure that our Library remains the vital heart of our community, adapting to future challenges while celebrating the shared values that unite us.