Case Study: Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
About the Organization
The mission of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) is to foster literacy, enable exploration and create connections with all neighbors. As a public trust created “for the people,” Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh envisions a strong inclusive community with the Library at its heart that nurtures individual and collective achievement, access to knowledge and a sense of joy and belonging. CLP seeks to accomplish their vision with empathy, nimbleness, courage and determination.
The Situation
Having navigated an unprecedented time of widespread uncertainty with the global pandemic, CLP wanted to move forward with a distinct plan that amplified their excellent library services while prioritizing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Building on over 130 years of tradition, innovation and commitment to public library service, CLP wanted a process that would be highly collaborative, attentive to the needs of their constituents and well-rounded in its mechanisms for sharing feedback.
The Goal
Through this work, CLP sought to transform service to their community into a more dynamic, welcoming and accessible experience that positively impacts the lives of their neighbors.
In January 2023, members of CLP’s library administration leadership team launched a strategic planning process to refine CLP’s organizational purpose and gain greater clarity on if/how specific programs should be explored as part of CLP’s future. CLP selected Alford Group to design and lead the process, which included extensive input and engagement from the Board’s Executive Committee members, community partners, staff, library users and more.
The Approach
CLP prioritized an inclusive strategic planning process. As such, constituents and partners who would be involved with the implementation or who would be impacted by the Strategic Plan were invited to participate. To expand CLP’s awareness of its community’s needs, Alford Group conducted:
- 9 one-on-one interviews
- 2 roundtables with a total of 26 participants
- 4 focus groups with a total of 40 participants
- a survey with a total of 3,209 respondents
- a staff and Board survey with a total of 158 responses.
With Alford Group’s guidance, CLP leveraged these findings to create an actionable five-year Strategic Plan Framework defined by short- and long-term goals.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh identified the following focus points within this framework:
- reaffirming CLP’s mission, identity and purpose
- establishing measurable and achievable goals that centered key issues
- strategizing action steps to achieve results
- determining the structure for measuring outcomes
- assigning and distributing work across multiple responsible parties
- mapping out an implementation matrix and timeline.
The Results
CLP’s five-year Strategic Plan was structured across four key focus areas. By the end of the five years, the organization will have used the plan to achieve the following goals and outcomes:
- Community Connections: CLP will be an essential collaborator in Pittsburgh’s communities supporting education, culture, philanthropy, and social services, and our neighbors will feel more connected to the Library and to each other.
- Responsive Services: CLP will be their community’s leader in providing—physically and virtually—books, information, early literacy and lifelong learning.
- Regional Cooperation: CLP will lead a network of county-wide, equitable support services that is robust, effective, in demand and impactful.
- Organizational Excellence: CLP will have a solid and diversified infrastructure of staff, facilities, technology and funding.
View Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s strategic plan on their website.