Library reviews strategic plan successes

Though only approved six months ago, the Gibson Memorial Library board is already checking items off their 2025-27 strategic plan.

Most successful has been the library’s aim of creating young readers. A major part of this goal is getting the Dolly Parton Imagination Library up and running by the end of the summer.

“We’ve worked on creating young readers and getting sponsors for Dolly Parton Imagination Library, including some grants,” Director Danielle Dickinson Thaden said. “We are still on track to launch registration and mailing by the end of the summer.”

Later this summer, the library will help area families sign up for the Imagination Library. Through this program, children ages newborn to five will receive one free book a month. The earliest Union County kids could receive their first book via this program is September.

Continuing with child literacy, Dickinson Thaden said toddler and preschool story times have gone will over the summer, with attendance continuing to stay high. An area daycare even reached out to partner with the library.

“Greater Connections did ask if I would come out to their daycare to do some story times throughout the month of July, which I was hoping to do, so that worked out perfectly,” Dickinson Thaden said. “I did my first one on Thursday with my own little guy’s room up through some two year olds, so kind of catching the little ones.”

Another aspect of the strategic plan is connecting with the community on resources and services. While the staff is still working to get a directory of community resources together, the goal to increase the use of study spaces has been met.

“Our tutoring spaces especially are getting used a ton this summer,” Dickinson Thaden said. “We’ve learned in passing that St. Malachy teachers used to tutor at the school during the summer but due to liability and not always having access, they’ve chosen to tutor here and we’re glad that we can have a space for them.”

In regards to tutoring, the library used to have access to online tutoring website Brainfuse through the state library. However, with national cuts, the state system can no longer afford to use Brainfuse. Library users will soon have access to a new tutoring system called Mometrix, which Gibson Memorial staff will be training on soon.

The final section in the strategic plan focuses on making the library a comfortable place for community members to visit. With this, the board hopes to add more cozy reading nooks and study spaces on both floors of the library.

Another part of the plan has moved forward a year. Originally planned for fall 2026, Dickinson Thaden said the goal is to have a new nursing space for fall 2025 instead. She is also in talks with a local electric company to get new lighting installed in the stacks on the second floor.

Though it’s only been a few months since these goals were put in place, the library is proud of all they’ve accomplished so far. Board member Connie Maxson congratulated Dickinson Thaden.

“I think you’ve done an amazing job in getting these things accomplished. This place was packed today,” Maxson said.