Serving Our Public 5.0: Standards for Illinois Public Libraries is designed to serve as a guide for directors, staff, and trustees to understand the process and practices of Illinois public libraries. Twelve sections were developed with an introductory summary and a progress table, which starts with the basic core level and moves through the intermediate to the advanced level.
The action plans were provided to serve as a tool to use when doing any type of long-range planning, whether it is budget, building, strategic or other. It is important to note that while it is permissible to surpass or ignore using the action plans, it is nevertheless recommended that each library keep documentation on progress toward the standards in some way.
Below are suggested ways to use Serving Our Public:
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During board meetings, in-depth discussions of individual chapters provide a review, reflection, and refinement of the library’s service philosophy and help strategically guide planning.
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Each month, as part of the director’s report, the director reviews a section’s action plan, sharing the library’s progress, as well as recommendations for changes, with discussion and input from the board.
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A board committee is appointed to compare the library’s advancement toward achieving the standards, and a report is shared with the full board on a regular basis. As needed, the committee, with input and insight from the director, proposes changes to the library’s goals.
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Library staff meetings focus on the standards, allowing incorporation of Serving Our Public into the staff’s understanding of the library’s service philosophy.
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