A Strategic Planning session was held at the Charlestown Branch of the Boston Public Library on Thursday, Nov. 4. The session was led by Michael R. Colford, the BPL’s Director of Resource Services/Information Technology. Also in attendance was James Carroll, a member of the BPL’s Board of Trustees. At the meeting, the draft principles of the library’s “Compass” initiative, conceived to provide a framework of core principles that build on the library’s existing
strengths which will then enable the BPL to achieve excellence in the future, were shared with those in attendance. Mr. Colford explained that the draft principles are based on more than 1,000 comments received during an earlier phase of strategic planning in 2009. In addition to accepting the many suggestions made at the meeting by the Charlestown community, the BPL will collect additional input via its online blog, an online survey, focus groups, additional strategic planning sessions, and a postcard campaign. The draft principles will be refined based on this additional input and presented to the BPL’s Board of Trustees for discussion and adoption at the end of calendar year. More information is available at www.bpl.org/compass/ , including specifics on how your input into the process can be made. All are encouraged to get, and stay, involved.