Commenced on October 28, 2025

STAGE 1: Preparation (November-December)

November

• Review purpose and responsibilities based on Trustees objectives
• Approve project timeline and communication plan 

December – Internal Review 

• Review library performance data (usage, programs, budget, staffing)–reference annual reports in resources folder.
• Discuss internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats 
• Identify key trends in library services and technology 

STAGE 2: Community Engagement & Data Gathering (January-April)

January-February – Internal & External Data Gathering (Staff, Community & Partners)

• Conduct staff interviews
• Conduct stakeholder interviews (Adams School, Historical Society, Wilson Museum, MMA, Castine Arts Association and other partners for programming)
• Plan community survey & engagement
  • Develop survey materials, get feedback from staff and finalize
  • Develop participation campaign

March-April – Conduct Survey & Analyze Input

• Conduct survey
• Review results from surveys, interviews, and feedback sessions
• Identify common themes and gaps in services
• Begin drafting “Needs Assessment” summary

STAGE 3: Visioning, Priority Setting, Succession Planning (May-June)

May –Visioning Workshop

• Revisit mission and vision statements
• Discuss aspirational goals for the library
• Align roles & responsibilities to plan for future state and succession planning
• Brainstorm strategic priorities

June – Strategic Priorities & Goals

• Finalize strategic priority areas
• Define high-level goals under each priority
• Outline potential objectives or initiatives

STAGE 4: Strategy Development (July-August)

July – Action Planning 

• Review draft goals
• Identify strategies and potential projects for each goal
• Discuss success metrics and any key performance indicators
• Align strategies with available resources and budget
• Identify partnerships and funding needs
• Set preliminary timelines for implementation

August—Fine Tune Plan

• Review full draft of strategic plan
• Identify gaps and needed revisions
• Share draft with Library Board

STAGE 5: Finalization & Approval (September-October)

September – Public Feedback

• Present draft plan to community/stakeholders for feedback
• Gather suggestions and concerns
• Plan revisions and approval process

October – Final Edits & Endorsement

• Review public input
• Approve final revisions
• Prepare executive summary and presentation materials
• Present final plan to Library Board with community participation