Library Board Talks Strategic Planning, School Partnerships

The East Lansing Public Library (ELPL) is in the process of change, with a new director on board and ongoing strategic planning.

At its Wednesday (March 20) meeting, the ELPL Board of Trustees chose a partner to help with strategic planning, as a request for proposal (RFP) from Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) was approved.

The board received and reviewed three different RFPs between this month’s meeting and February’s meeting, taking into consideration applicants “approach, experience, the time and effort they put into things and pricing,” Trustee Shawn Nicholson said.

The board previously discussed the RFPs with the budget committee and interim director at the time Angelo Moreno.

“I think there are some benefits in going with MCLS, as they have significant experience working with Michigan libraries,” President Amy Zaagman said. 

Library Director Kevin King discussed his experience with MCLS, as he has worked with the group previously. He said they hold a lot of conversations and group exercises with the community, the staff, the board and the Friends of the Library.

“One of the parts that I think was really good was you get both library users and people who don’t use the library involved,” King said. “Sometimes we forget that group and need to ask ‘Why aren’t you coming to the library?’”

The RFP from MCLS states that their goal is to “amplify strengths and strive to create intentional, accessible spaces that encourage the cross-pollination of diverse ideas, perspectives, and experiences.”

The RFP contains a proposed work schedule that is divided into nine tasks and will take four to five months. The final cost, according to the RFP, will not exceed $32,800.

MCLS has worked with 30 different midwest libraries on strategic planning, including Michigan State University Libraries and King’s previous employer, the Kalamazoo Public Library.

“Usually, the final product is, you get very easily digestible strategic priorities that we will use as a library to plan the services and the community wants developed,” King said. “So the outcome really seems simple, but all the work that will go into it will be really informative, talking about what is needed and what is happening in other places in our community.”

The board voted unanimously to approve the RFP from MCLS.

The board also discussed a new way to evaluate the library director.

Vice President Pamela Smith presented a director evaluation form, which the board would complete annually. The form states “The evaluation of a library director encompasses a multifaceted assessment of their performance, proficiency, and leadership within the institution.”

“This is just a tool for the board to rate the director,” Smith said. “It gives you definitions of how to rate the different performances as a guide.”

Trustee Ameenah Asante requested more staff input on the director evaluations.

“When this initially came up, and just noting how there had been significant things missed under the previous leadership, the conversation was around how to ensure that there’s staff input so we don’t face the issue that everything seems fine at board meetings while staff are having a different experience,” Asante said.

Zaagman echoed this need for staff input.

“This should also include some sort of engagement with staff to create some sort of continuity with the two,” Zaagman said.

Zaagman formed a motion to ask the subcommittee, led by Smith and Trustee Polly Synk, who was absent from the meeting, to build out an evaluation plan and outline. The board will come back in April with a plan to include staff input in the evaluation.  The board approved this motion unanimously.

The board also unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) budget for the library.

“I feel more informed about the budget than I have in a long time just because of the interim director’s [Moreno] great work,” Zaagman said.

With this approval, the budget will now move forward to the City Council for final approval.

The board, King and library staff discussed upcoming plans for the library and highlighted a smooth start to King’s tenure, which began March 4. 

King recognized how easy the transition has been with the help of Moreno in his director’s report. 

“I just want to take the time to hold up Angelo and the job he did as interim [director],” King said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better person to train me and help me within that first week.”

King spent his first week learning about the work the director does at ELPL and getting to know the staff. 

“I practiced one-on-one meetings with staff,” King said. “It’s their meeting, it’s their time. They come to me and they tell me what they need to succeed.”

King is also getting out into the East Lansing community to meet people, as he’s met with the majority of the library board members and the city IT director. He also has several meetings scheduled, including with the city manager, city HR director, East Lansing Public Schools (ELPS) superintendent, assistant superintendent and East Lansing High School (ELHS) principal.

The discussion with ELPS and ELHS will surround restorative justice and how to implement those practices at ELPL.

“My feeling, is if we all, we all being the school, library and city, are all practicing the same behavioral management with teens, it’s gonna be; we’re on the same page, we’re all doing the same thing, we all know this is how we’re managing teen behavior,” King said. 

King highlighted that 61 teens visited the library after school this month, and “that’s been something to be very happy and proud of.”

The board also received an update from the Friends of the East Lansing Public Library.

February shop sales have been high, so the Friends are looking for more book donations.

“We definitely need donations,” Toba Kaplowitz said. “Especially children’s books, because as soon as I put them out, they go. So, please do your spring cleaning and bring them in.”

The Friends are also looking for donations for the upcoming Books, Bites & Bids silent auction. They currently have 28 baskets completed and are hoping to have 50 prepared in time for the April 12 event.

The Friends are also celebrating Joan Fairey for her 34 years of working for the organization.