Rebooting the Chicago Public Library strategic plan

Across its 80 locations, the Chicago Public Library (CPL) serves 9.9 million visitors per year--- equivalent to more than 3.5 visits by every Chicago resident. The system is a true asset to Chicago's education system, engaging residents from early childhood through senior learning. In 2013, Civic Consulting helped create a three-year strategic plan for this vital, complex institution.

In 2015, Mayor Emanuel's Second Term Priorities Committee encouraged CPL leadership to reflect on the system's progress and look for a way to align the direction of the Library with City strategy. In response, CPL engaged Civic Consulting Alliance to revisit and revise their plan.

"We are excited about the strategy re-boot and the updates that resulted from our collaboration with Civic Consulting Alliance," said CPL Commissioner Brian Bannon. "I am very pleased with the progress of the library and thankful to Civic Consulting for managing the strategic plan process from the very beginning. Chicago is so very fortunate to have Civic Consulting Alliance as a partner."

"The updated plan is firmly based in the current context of libraries as centers of not only education but also connectivity and community building. Designed as a living document, the plan is heavily used internally by CPL's 1,000 staff members to prioritize activities and influence policy decisions. It is also used to guide hundreds of strategic partnerships that enable CPL to pursue their mission and increase community level impact.