In striving to make Ilsley and Sarah Partridge libraries the absolute best libraries possible, it is essential that the library trustees and staff work with Middlebury residents to have a shared understanding of what the library is — and can be — to all of us. In order to align library services to support local community goals we are kicking off our “Tell Me! Tour,” and we want to hear from you.
Starting in June the trustees and I will be holding a series of focus groups to solicit input about the community’s values, needs, and hopes for the future. Ilsley’s mission is, and will always be, to reflect our community’s goals and to meet their needs. What are the unique factors that define Middlebury? What kind of community do we want? How is that different from what we have now?
What we learn from these focus groups will help determine the services and resources the library provides, inform our long term planning, and guide us as we pursue a renovation. At the end of these focus groups the trustees will hold a public meeting to share what we have learned.
We are committed to engaging and hearing from the entire community and making these focus groups as diverse as possible. If you want your voice to be heard in this process, please consider participating in a focus group. Being a library user is not a prerequisite for participating; if you’re a member of the community, we want to listen to what you have to say. The groups will be about eight people large and will last an hour. We will host as many groups and take as much time as is needed to make sure we’re heard from everyone. If you are interested in participating, please email me at [email protected].
Dana Hart
Ilsley Public Library Director
Middlebury