Boston Public Library Trustees Strategic Planning Committee Meeting

• Convening of Strategic Planning Committee (“SPC”)
• Christian Westra, Committee Chair
• Reading of EDI statement
• Roll Call
• Brief review of Open Meeting Law requirements/Press requests
• David Leonard, President
• Committee Introductions
• Priscilla Douglas, Chair of the BPL Board,  David Leonard, and Christian Westra

1. • What does the BPL mean to you?
   • What do you think a strategic plan should be?
   • Who else should be in the room? (Are there other stakeholders you would like to see represented?)

• Setting the Scope of the SPC’s Work
• Christian Westra, Jose C. Masso III
• Overview of Public Library Philosophy, BPL Compass Strategic Plan and BPL Strategic Roadmap
• David Leonard, President
• Four pillars of Public Library Philosophy: 
• Reading & Literacy
• Space and Community Gathering
• Programs & Services
• Cultural Heritage
• BPL Compass Strategic Plan (2011)
• BPL Strategic Roadmap (2020)
• Perspectives on the BPL as “one library”, but a library that respects the individuality and nuance of neighborhood branches.
• What does it mean to be an urban library in the 21st century?
• Jose C. Masso, Committee Vice Chair
• How do we help answer this question?
• Input from the SPC and BPL staff representatives
• Input from community members and outside advisors
• What do we want from our outside advisors?
• Christian Westra
• Survey of community member perspectives, including perspectives on what BPL services are most impactful and which BPL services are least impactful.
• Analysis of best practices from other urban libraries
• Strategic plan with granular milestones and timeline of required actions.
• Updated mission statement.                                               
• Marketing plan and communications playbook (consider whether this should be developed by a separate outside advisor)
• As we think about identifying outside advisors, what criteria should we prioritize in selecting them?
• Jose Masso
• Full-service firm capabilities
• Track record of success in other transformational public sector initiatives
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Boston experience 
• What is the proposed timeline?
• Christian Westra
• Spring 2023:  Selection of outside advisors
• Fall-Winter 2023:  Initial draft of strategic plan to be presented to the SPC
• Winter-Spring 2024:  Finalization of strategic plan and approval by the BPL Board of Trustees
• Proposed cadence and approach for upcoming meetings.
• New Business
• Public Comment                                                                                                                                                              
• *“Please sign up for public comment the first 30 minutes of the meeting to support effective time management.  On occasion, additional public comments on matters formally on the agenda may be allowed at the discretion of the Chair, and time allowing.  Members of the public are also reminded that comments may alternatively be submitted in writing to the Clerk of the Board for distribution to the Trustees.”
• Adjournment
• Christian Westra, Committee Chair
• Strategic Planning Committee
• Christian Westra, Committee Chair, José C. Masso III, Vice Chair

Joe Berman, Heidi Brooks, Cheryl Cronin, Karilyn Crockett,

Turahn Dorsey, David Leonard, Paula Sakey, Jonathan Soroff

Priscilla Douglas, ex officio

This meeting is open to the public and will be recorded. Public may join meeting in-person or watch virtually

Watch via Zoom

• Webinar ID: 850 8513 9962
• Call in: 1-646-558-8656, 1-646-931-3860, or 1-301-715-8592