Celebrate the season while helping the Guernsey Memorial Library plan for the future at the annual Guernsey Open House, set take place from 7-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6.
The Library’s Annual Holiday Open House has been a greatly-anticipated tradition in Norwich for many years. This year’s event will be similar to those of the past in that it will feature holiday music provided by the Norwich Theater Company, delicious treats, and prize drawings. But this year, revelers will also get the chance to give input into the Library’s 2014 Strategic Plan.
"Guernsey is already an integral part of the quality of life in Norwich. It serves the information needs of the community, including recreational reading, research, online computer access, genealogical assistance, story times for young children, and more," said Guernsey Director Connie Dalrymple. "But the Library’s Board also realizes that times are changing and our community is changing, too."
The due date on the library’s long range plan is past due, and it's time for the library's board to check out an updated one. That is the basic idea behind the activity planned for the Open House and slated to continue throughout the month of December. Dispersed between the tables of refreshments will be stations addressing various aspects of the library’s services and collections where attendees will have the opportunity to give their input. The input from the Open House will be used to design a more comprehensive community survey which will gather further data on the needs and desires of the community as a whole.
“A strategic plan to map out the library's path for the next several years is what the board will be working toward,” said Dalrymple. "They will be analyzing the data and prioritizing the library’s efforts to reflect and meet the needs of the community."
The Open House is open to all community members, library users and non-users alike. For more information, please contact the Guernsey Memorial Library by phone at 607-334-4034 or email at guernsey@4cls.org.