The November/December Issue of Public Libraries Is Now Available: A Deep Dive into Strategic Planning
The final Public Libraries issue of 2025 is here, and it’s devoted to one of the most essential, and often most complex, areas of public library work: strategic planning. Whether your library is preparing to launch a new planning cycle, refreshing an existing plan, or navigating rapid organizational or community changes, this issue offers guidance and examples you can use right away. This edition brings together library leaders, consultants, researchers, and practitioners who have built strategic plans grounded in equity, community priorities, clear metrics, and realistic implementation pathways. Across the issue, you’ll find practical advice, repeatable frameworks, and candid reflections about what works, and what doesn’t.
What’s Inside
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Community-Centered Planning: Approaches that go beyond traditional surveys, helping libraries listen more intentionally, build trust, and engage community members whose voices are often missing from planning conversations.
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Equity Through Every Stage: Strategies for embedding EDISJ principles throughout the planning process so the resulting plan reflects—and supports—the full diversity of the communities libraries serve.
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Using Data with Purpose: How libraries are applying qualitative and quantitative data to shape priorities, allocate resources, and demonstrate impact.
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Staff Engagement and Organizational Alignment: Insights on preparing teams for change, building buy-in, and connecting individual staff work to broader organizational goals.
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From Plan to Practice: Real-world examples from libraries that have turned planning documents into meaningful action, including challenges, lessons learned, and what they’d do differently next time.
A Practical Resource for Every Library
Strategic planning touches every corner of library work—from services to staffing to facilities to technology—and the articles in this issue offer thoughtful perspectives and actionable tools to support that process. Whether you are leading a full planning effort or contributing to one, this issue provides ideas, examples, and approaches to help guide your next steps.
Get Your Copy!
To access the November/December issue:
