Five-year master plan needs your input

By Gina Woelfel

Scan the QR codes to access the Milford Town Library Strategic Planning Survey. Source: www.milfordtownlibrary.org

The Milford Town Library is reaching out to residents in an effort to tailor its future programs and services to better serve the community. Seeking valuable insights, opinions, and suggestions, the library has developed a survey to collect feedback and better understand its patrons' needs and expectations. This initiative aims to ensure that the library remains a relevant and valuable resource for all residents of Milford.

Public libraries across the United States are continuously evolving to address the changing dynamics within their communities. The Milford Library is updating its five-year master plan. This strategic roadmap acts as a living document to guide the library's development of essential services based on community needs. By the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners' requirements, all libraries in the Commonwealth seeking funding for special projects or grants must update their master plans every five years. 

Milford Library Director Susan Edmonds emphasizes the importance of the survey and the need to stay current. 

"It helps bring people in. They can get what they need from the library, whether it's binoculars, a game, or even a sewing machine. It all depends on what they need," she explains. She further points out that, since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a shift in the library's community purpose away from just books, with a greater need for services, household items, computers, iPads, etc. "Communities are changing. What was relevant five years ago is totally different from what we need now in our strategic plan. There are a lot more multilingual families, seniors, and a wider age and income range to consider. Libraries are a link to resources that are out of reach for many patrons. We have to provide services for them as well as others."

The Milford Public Library aims to expand digital services by enhancing its offerings to meet the increasing demand for online and virtual resources, providing access to online courses and educational materials.

With more and more people working from home and taking advantage of online schooling, the library aims to raise awareness of its available space, adaptable meeting spaces, collaborative zones, and quiet study areas.

To ensure that the library serves as an inclusive space where all community members feel welcome and represented, the Milford Library plans to expand its collection to include a broader range of voices and perspectives, including materials for English as a Second Language (ESL) programs to help non-native English speakers learn English. This process will involve incorporating materials in multiple languages and implementing targeted outreach programs to engage underrepresented groups and their specific community needs. The library also intends to continue its forward-thinking initiatives that create a vibrant neighborhood hub, providing various programs and services for people of all ages and interests. Strengthening alliances with regional organizations, schools, and businesses can assist in developing community-driven, intergenerational, and diverse programs to better serve the current library patrons.

Milford Library's ESL Director Ann Berard explains why the library is crucial for families utilizing English as a Second Language services. "The library guides immigrants in their journey to develop their language skills, comfort with American culture and customs, and ability to engage with their new home. People learn best when they feel supported and welcome. It's a process and takes time. Being able to find answers to their questions and develop a relationship with the library and its staff helps individuals and families now and later, too. The survey lets people tell us what they need most."

The library has recently hosted several public forums with members of the community, the senior center, and the Milford Library staff to discuss future services and, most importantly, to listen to the public's suggestions. A focus group has also been scheduled for September at the youth center.

Keen to hear from its patrons about the importance of these subjects and whether they would like to see them integrated into their future plans, the library emphasizes that community feedback will play a pivotal role in shaping the direction of its services in the coming years.

By focusing on survey results, the Milford Town Library can position itself as an innovative, community-centered institution that meets the diverse needs of its patrons while embracing the latest trends in library services and technology. These initiatives will help ensure that the library remains a vital and dynamic resource for the Milford community well into the future.

Residents can submit feedback and help with strategic planning by taking the brief survey online or in person. Paper copies of the survey are also available at the Milford Town Library or online where it can be filled out in English, Spanish, and Portuguese by scanning the QR codes. 

Submissions can be made anonymously or with contact information. Surveys with contact information will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 Amazon and a $50 Big Y gift card. Call 508-473-2145 if you need help completing the survey. The library staff is ready to assist you.