Strategic Plan

The Medina County District Library Strategic Plan 2023–2025 provided a roadmap for advancing library services, strengthening community engagement, fostering innovation, enhancing communication, and cultivating an exceptional workplace. Over the course of the three-year plan, staff across all departments worked collaboratively to implement initiatives that aligned with the Library’s mission and strategic priorities.

This report summarizes key accomplishments and outcomes achieved under each strategic goal.

Strategic Goal 1: Engage the Community

Intended Outcome: Community organizations welcome the Library’s presence, and the Library is recognized as an involved community partner. Innovative collections, programs, and services meet current and changing needs and actively involve the community.

Key Accomplishments

Expanded Community Partnerships and Outreach

  • Developed a formal process for evaluating community partnerships and identifying opportunities for improvement.
  • Increased participation in local chambers of commerce and community organizations, strengthening the Library’s visibility and role as a community partner.
  • Established and expanded relationships with organizations including the Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD), Ohio Early Intervention, Akron Children’s/Summa Health, Feeding Medina County, NextStepUp Emergency Housing Shelter, the Free Clinic of Medina County, and other community service agencies.

Successful Launch of the Book Bike

  • Researched, developed, and launched the Library’s Book Bike initiative.
  • Participated in numerous community events beginning in 2024.
  • Expanded the Library’s presence beyond its buildings and provided new opportunities to connect residents with library services and materials.

Growth of Early Literacy and Caregiver Resources

  • Distributed more than 2,000 Kindergarten Kits during the life of the plan.
  • Expanded Caregiver Kit distribution through community partners, increasing access to literacy resources beyond library walls.
  • Secured ongoing support through partnerships and donations, including more than 1,000 books donated through Ohio Early Intervention.

Improved Services for Underserved Populations

  • Implemented Citizenship Corner resources and ASL Storytime programming.
  • Achieved Dementia Inclusive Library designation through the Ohio Council for Cognitive Health.
  • Expanded outreach services through partnerships with housing, health care, and social service organizations.
  • Continued Project READ services at the Medina County Jail and established a deposit collection at NextStepUp Shelter.

Accessibility and Inclusion Enhancements

  • Completed a comprehensive accessibility assessment in partnership with MCBDD.
  • Implemented numerous improvements, including:
    • Noise-canceling headphones at all branches.
    • Large-print keyboards and adaptive computer mice.
    • Improved wheelchair accessibility in public spaces.
    • Staff training focused on serving neurodiverse populations.
  • Installed hearing loop technology at Medina Library through a $20,000 American Library Association Libraries Transforming Communities grant.

Outcome

The Library expanded its visibility and impact throughout Medina County while strengthening partnerships and improving access to services for underserved and diverse populations.

Strategic Goal 2: Nurture Innovation and Adaptability

Intended Outcome: Library programs and services are assessed regularly for effectiveness, relevance, and viability. Staff are encouraged and supported in pursuing innovative ideas. Financial processes support creative projects and long-term goals.

Key Accomplishments

Encouraging Staff Innovation

  • Created a SharePoint-based staff suggestion system to gather ideas from employees throughout the organization.
  • Maintained the Great Ideas from the Staff (G.I.F.T.S.) initiative.
  • During 2024 alone, staff submitted 11 ideas, with more than half implemented or adapted for future implementation.

Continuous Evaluation and Improvement

  • Assessed accessibility, sustainability practices, public spaces, and program inclusiveness.
  • Regularly reviewed collections, services, and operational processes to ensure continued relevance and effectiveness.

Financial Stewardship

  • Implemented regular reviews of Building Fund expenditures and project priorities.
  • Continued evaluating capital and operational investments to ensure alignment with strategic goals.

Outcome

The Library strengthened a culture of innovation by creating formal avenues for employee input, encouraging creative problem-solving, and integrating evaluation into ongoing decision-making processes.

Strategic Goal 3: Communication Strategies

Intended Outcome: Community members receive high-quality and engaging library information through multiple platforms. Marketing efforts effectively reach targeted audiences, and employees are equipped to communicate library services.

Key Accomplishments

Modernized Marketing Practices

  • Conducted a comprehensive review of communication channels and marketing effectiveness.
  • Eliminated low-performing promotional outlets and redirected resources toward more effective platforms.
  • Implemented ongoing analysis of social media, email engagement, and website traffic.

Strengthened Library Live Communications

  • Redesigned the Library Live publication.
  • Increased email open rates by approximately 6%.
  • Added digital access through QR codes while maintaining the popular print format.
  • Continued strong patron engagement with newsletter content.

Expanded Digital Engagement

  • Increased social media reach, including:
    • More than 1,000 new Facebook followers.
    • Growth in average post reach from approximately 15,000 to 55,000 users.
  • Enhanced website navigation through social media links directing users to library cards, collections, and digital resources.

New Customer Acquisition and Retention Efforts

  • Implemented campaigns targeting new homeowners and inactive library cardholders.
  • Re-designed successful National Library Card Month promotions.
  • Increased new library card registrations by 43% in 2023 and maintained overall card growth throughout the plan period.

Internal Communication Improvements

  • Clarified communication expectations through Office 365, Outlook, and SharePoint.
  • Established regular intranet content reviews and updates.
  • Completed upgrades to public digital signage hardware and software.
  • Developed and adopted a comprehensive Social Media Policy and Communications Guide.

Outcome

The Library’s communications became more data-driven, effective, and responsive to community preferences, resulting in stronger engagement and increased awareness of library services.

Strategic Goal 4: Foster an Exceptional Work Environment

Intended Outcome: Employees work in an environment of collaboration and respect, are highly engaged and satisfied, and possess the knowledge and skills needed to provide excellent service. Leadership development and workforce sustainability are actively supported.

Key Accomplishments

Strengthened Internal Communication

  • Established clear expectations for internal communications.
  • Enhanced SharePoint as the central communication platform.
  • Instituted routine intranet audits to ensure timely and accurate information.

Improved Employee Development and Engagement

  • Expanded supervisor training opportunities with a focus on leadership, conflict resolution, labor relations, and team effectiveness.
  • Reintroduced Leadership U, providing employees opportunities for leadership development, cross-departmental learning, and project work.
  • Implemented quarterly employee check-in practices and enhanced performance planning procedures.

Workforce and Compensation Analysis

  • Partnered with Organizational Architecture, Inc. to conduct a comprehensive workforce analysis and compensation study.
  • Evaluated staffing structures, organizational capacity, and service demands.
  • Implemented updated pay grades effective June 2025 to better align compensation with market conditions.
  • Adopted several staffing level recommendations to reduce where indicated and build capacity in the Family History and Learning Center in accordance with patron usage data.

Modernized Performance Management

  • Purchased and implemented the ADP Performance Management module.
  • Transitioned to a fully paperless performance management process.
  • Established a foundation for goal setting, probationary reviews, and annual evaluations.

Enhanced Operational Data Collection

  • Implemented Gimlet reference statistics software to better understand public service interactions and support future staffing and service decisions.

Outcome

The Library made significant investments in employee development, compensation, leadership training, and organizational effectiveness, strengthening its ability to recruit, retain, and support a high-performing workforce.

Conclusion

The Strategic Plan 2023–2025 successfully guided Medina County District Library through a period of meaningful growth, innovation, and organizational improvement. The Library expanded community partnerships, increased access to services, enhanced accessibility and inclusion efforts, modernized communications, encouraged innovation, and invested substantially in its workforce.

While not every initiative resulted in immediate measurable gains, the overall outcomes demonstrate a stronger, more responsive organization that is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of Medina County residents. Community satisfaction surveys conducted immediately before and after this strategic plan showed an eight-percentage point increase in “overall satisfaction” drivers and “meeting community needs” drivers. The surveys demonstrated positive growth in perceived responsiveness, representation of community needs, and awareness of specialized services.

In the interim between completing this plan and preparing for the next strategic period, potentially 2028-2030, the accomplishments achieved during 2023–2025 provide a solid foundation for continued growth, service excellence, and community impact.

Respectfully submitted,

Julianne Bedel
Executive Director
June 19, 2026