Write the Library's Next Chapter!
For nearly 130 years, the Boise Public Library has been a valued community asset providing open access to knowledge, stories, and ideas for all Boiseans.
As the Library continues to evolve with our community, we recognize that a lot has changed in the past few years. Our city is growing rapidly, and we are experiencing transformative changes like technology advances and a global pandemic that have altered the way we provide services in so many ways. These changes present an opportunity to create a Library of the future to serve Boiseans for years to come.
To write the Library’s next chapter, we listened to the community first. We are currently analyzing all the feedback and data that was gathered throughout the summer to understand where to focus our efforts and how to strengthen the Library’s role in our community. Stay tuned for more updates coming this winter.
What We've Done
Throughout the months of July and August, we focused on listening to the community to address questions like:
- Do our programs and services reflect our community’s needs and wants?
- How can we create a welcoming environment for everyone?
- Where can we make the biggest impact and set bold goals for the years ahead?
We held seven listening sessions, attended various community events, interviewed individuals and organizations, offered visioning activities in our libraries, and conducted an online survey that had over 2300 responses. We are grateful for all the input the community shared with us during this first phase of the project!
Next Steps
The project team is analyzing and summarizing what we heard from the community. Stay tuned for more opportunities to get involved this winter. Sign up for the Library’s e-newsletter and follow us on social media for updates along the way.
How long will this take?
The planning effort will take about a year. First, we focused on community engagement, benchmarking with peer libraries, interviews with key stakeholders, and data collection and analysis. Next we’ll consider all the information collected and start to set responsive priorities for the Library.
Who’s leading this project?
This project is managed by Library and city staff with support from BERK Consulting who brings extensive experience helping libraries around the country plan for their futures.
What about new buildings or additional locations?
Right now we’re focusing on the programs and services our community relies on and how we might grow or reimagine them to keep up with our rapidly changing world using our current spaces. Facilities planning will be a future effort that will be informed, in part, by what we hear from you during this process.
Questions about this project? Email BPLStrategic@cityofboise.org.