The St. Albert Public Library should expand its services, collections and operating hours, according to a recent community survey.
CEO Peter Bailey told the Gazette the St. Albert Public Library (SAPL) leadership team is halfway through developing a new long-term strategic plan to carry the library through 2028. It follows a two-year, short-term plan to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
SAPL surveyed the public last month, and according to a What We Heard report released on March 24, the overwhelming majority (92.9 per cent) of respondents see the public library as "very valuable."
“There were a variety of comments regarding limitations in the collections, including not enough representations of different cultures and language and not enough physical collections in general,” the report states.
“Other comments included concerns about limited program options, concerns about not enough funding, and suggestions to eliminate late fees.”
The report says the 23-question survey received almost 450 responses in just three weeks, and gathered feedback on what residents like the most and the least about the library, how often residents access the library, why residents use the library, and more.
According to the report, 242 respondents said they and their families visited the library at least twice a month, while 53 respondents said they made multiple visits each week.
Just 14 respondents said they had not visited the library at all over the past year, although about 10 of those respondents said they access SAPL's digital resources.
The downtown location is the main library destination for 387 respondents, while 48 said the Jensen Lakes branch is their go-to location. Another 23 respondents said they visit the two locations equally.
The survey also asked residents to rank which library services were most important, and according to the report, physical collections were the most-appreciated resource, while technology was considered the least important.
In response to a question about what respondents liked least about the library, the report says limited operating hours and limited space were the second and third most common answer, while "no concerns" was the most common response. For one respondent, the least favourable aspect of the library is that the building is too warm.
Another survey question asked residents to describe what they felt were the library's main challenges moving forward.
“The most frequent challenges mentioned included not enough funding, the funding cuts faced by the library with many specifically (mentioning) city council's lack of appreciation or support for the library,” the report reads.
“Another frequent topic of concern was the lack of public awareness, lack of understanding of the library's relevance, and the pushback or complaints from residents regarding library funding.”
Bailey said he wasn't too surprised by any of the survey results; however, the general theme of the library needing to be a community hub seemed to be less substantial compared to a similar survey in 2016.
“That aspect didn't come out quite as strong in this survey,” Bailey said. “That's maybe a COVID thing. Perhaps people are still a little hesitant to be in contact with other people.”
Although a long-term strategic plan provides the library with a framework for the next five years, Bailey said SAPL leadership and staff will need to respond to societal changes as well.
“Some things remain the same — people's hunger for the latest books — but we're responding to changes in broader society,” he said. “I came to the library in 2001, so I've seen the community grow population-wise and geographically, but also the community changes.”
The What We Heard report, as well as a needs assessment report currently being finalized, will inform much of the upcoming strategic plan, Bailey said, adding he expects the plan to be finished by June.
