CLIENT EXAMPLE
Fulton Country Library System
CHALLENGE
This metropolitan library system serves a diverse, geographically dispersed population of approximately 1.1 million people. The system was nearing completion of a $275 million infrastructure project funded through a public referendum, to rebuild or renovate all 34 library locations including 32 branches, the Central Library, and the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History. The library director, trustees, and foundation board were united in the need for a strategic plan to enhance programming in these renovated spaces that would best serve the county overall and each library community, and selected Greenway Strategy Group to design and facilitate the planning process.
OUR APPROACH
Engaged internal and external stakeholders, including:
County-wide citizen input through an interactive, virtual idea exchange using Thought Exchange, our community engagement resource
Virtual community conversations affiliated with each library location
Focus groups with K-12 media specialists, college and university librarians, early learning providers, social justice advocates, and Friends of the Library members
Interviews with leaders in county government, arts, housing, social services, philanthropy, and economic development
Input sessions with all library system staff integrating anonymous, online idea generation and prioritization through Thought Exchange
Reviewed past performance using library patron and financial data
Analyzed key population trends
Developed benchmark profiles of other leading metropolitan library systems including funding sources, performance indicators, and in-depth profiles of library practices
Supported cross-functional teams to conduct “learning journeys” to explore public, corporate, and nonprofit organizations with effective approaches to addressing the library’s strategic challenges
Facilitated a Steering Committee of library trustees, foundation board members, and library staff to design the strategic plan through interactive sessions held virtually and in-person
IMPACT
The strategic plan was unanimously endorsed by both the library Board of Trustees and the Foundation, and presented to the County Commissioners where it received universal support. Library staff are engaged in bringing the scope of the Strategic Plan to action with initial emphasis on early literacy; collaborations that empower entrepreneurship, job training skills and career planning assistance; and addressing digital literacy and inclusion.
As an example of this aligned effort, the Fulton County Library System announced the launch of Career Online High School. This program helps individuals earn their high school diplomas through a free 18-month virtual and individualized program, providing an onramp to further education and employment opportunities.
The library staff are also seeking better ways to take library service to non-users and to outreach partners. As an illustration of this success, the Fulton County Library System was one of five libraries nationally to be awarded a four-year, $2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation. This grant will support the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture in collection processing, digitization and community outreach engagement activities.
In 2023, the library’s patrons reached a new milestone: 1.2 million digital books borrowed. This achievement illustrates the library’s commitment to serving all members of the community in innovative ways. Fulton County Library System is #81 of all standalone public libraries and one of 152 total public library systems worldwide that surpassed one million digital checkouts in the past calendar year.