Planning for Programming
Know Your Service Area
Community
Library
Department
MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Mission, Vision and Values
Our Mission
Monroe County Public Library enriches individual lives and strengthens our community by offering
equitable access to information and opportunities for literacy, learning, and enjoyment.
Our Vision
We aspire to be a dynamic library, essential to thoughtful, productive community life, and always
meeting our community’s evolving needs.
Our Values
Accessibility
Freedom of expression
Inclusiveness
Integrity
Lifelong learning
Respect
Service
Adopted by the Board of Trustees - November 19, 2008
Committee Workflow
Why do we program?
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Free access
Programs encourage people to think and talk about ethics and
ideas
Open and safe forum
Supports formal learning: Harmony, Project School, Prep School,
Daycares, Hear Start, IU, IVY Tech, Home Schoolers
Develop literacy
Cultural Opportunities
Print Motivation/ interest in reading
Connection to library materials
Connection to library services
Connection to the institution and the librarians
Nourishment for the spirit
Recreation
Recognizing interests of kids, trends
Make/demonstrate relevance of library
Support Community – identify needs- respond to needs
“To provide information, illuminate experiences, beliefs, and
values”
To stimulate connections
Recreation
Diversity
Support lifelong learning,
Library as a gathering place
Community building forum
Foster interest and enjoyment of reading
Train, establish, educate,
Develop professional resources and activities
Who is our audience?
 Children 0-12 - state library stats will not
allow us to count YA volunteers as
 Attendees: Infants through 6th graders
 Patrons and potential patrons
 Families/Parents/ extended family
 Educators/future educators-IU students
 Caregivers
 School communities-school tours
 IU students
 Broader medical community
 Volunteers and service learners
 Staff/internal patrons
What makes a program?
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Storytimes
Infant/toddler and parent circle times
Cultural events
School tours Research tours and Bibliographic
instruction
Instructional: How to – intro to humanities
Multimedia film and video programs
DIY – crafts/cookery
Parenting
Festivals - Lunar New Year
Events: multicultural, social consciousness,
MLK, Seuspicious Behavior
Literary, music, and performing arts
Science: tricks, animals, preschool
Web instruction
Every Child Ready to Read workshops,
tutoring and homework help,
Performers, animals, authors, music/arts
programs
Where do we program?
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During times of limited resources programs
have been mainly in building for statistics,
promoting knowledge of and positive
associations with the library. When resources
are plentiful, more robust outreach; even
programming at other venues like BCT and
local parks
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In House: Children’s Dept . program room
and Learn and Play Space
Auditorium and other meeting rooms
Atrium
Around exterior of building: sidewalks and
fountain area
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Off site: Schools, Head Start, parent groups,
Banneker Center; parks, daycares, YMCA,
SRSC, churches, IU
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Where don’t we program?
When do we program?
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Time identified as best for audience
Mainly, but not limited to library’s open hours
Programs that occur outside stated hours include:
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SRSC Friday – evenings
Parks and Rec – Festival of Ghost stories in the Park
Family Day with Healthy Families
County Fair
BABS baby fair
Author performances/receptions
Lock-ins
Teen after hours programming
BKM service
Wintertelling
Afterschool
Weekends
5 and under – daytime
Weeknights
Workshops and meetings offsite like SRSC on
Friday nights
24/7
Programming Mission and Guidelines - Draft
Mission:
The Monroe County Public Library offers programs that
create connections among the community and the
library’s resources to enrich lives and provide
opportunities for literacy, learning, and enjoyment.
Programming Mission and Guidelines - Draft
Definition:
A program is a library sponsored event in which library staff
is involved in the planning and implementation,
regardless of locale or time commitment.
Guidelines:
 Library programs shall be
free of charge and noncommercial in nature.
(exceptions may be made
for visiting authors)
Programming Mission and Guidelines - Draft
 The Monroe County Public Library focuses its programming
efforts in areas uniquely suited to libraries.
Programming Mission and Guidelines - Draft
 The Library avoids
duplicating services
offered elsewhere in the
community.
Programming Mission and Guidelines - Draft
 Programs may be
educational,
informational, or for
entertainment with intent
to create an engaging
library experience.
Programming Mission and Guidelines - Draft
 Library program audiences
include library patrons,
potential library patrons,
teachers, students, families,
caregivers, non-profit
organizations, and the
Bloomington/Monroe County
community at large. Library
programs are considered a
core service and designed to
support the overall mission of
the library.
Programming Mission and Guidelines - Draft
 Program partnerships with community
organizations or corporate sponsorship of
programs will be considered if the program
serves to enhance the library’s image in the
community and benefits both parties.
Programming Mission and Guidelines - Draft
 The library has limited
time, resources, and
personnel to support
programs. Program
coordinators reserve the
right to refuse offers and
requests for programs that
do not fit with the library’s
needs and schedule.
Flowchart