The Santa Monica Public Library embarked on a strategic planning process in October 2014. With approval from the Library Board on September 10, 2015  and by City Counil on December 8, 2015, the library Strategic Plan was now ready to begin implementation. Read the City Council Report.

The information-gathering and planning process included a series of 11 community forums, a month-long city-wide survey, a retreat and meetings with the Library Board, and 14 updating sessions with Library staff. The formation of a Library Innovation Technology Task Force, provided insight advice and support to the Library through Strategic Planning Recommendations.

Currently, the Library is updating and realigning Strategic Plan focus areas to revitalize the existing plan to better serve the community of Santa Monica.

The Library is committed to building community and empowering residents by creating meaningful relationships with community partners. In addition to providing quality core services such as as access to information, research and literacy support, the Library inspires lifelong learning through diverse collections and programs.

The core concepts, which emerged through the public process, continue to inform and shape library policy and operations in the next three years and are congruent with the Council’s Engaged & Thriving Community Framework Priority of promoting lifelong learning and educational partnerships as well as supporting the City’s Cradle to Career Initiative and Wellbeing Project.  As part of implementation the library created a Strategic Planning Implementation Team whose charge it is to align projects and initiatives to the focus areas.