2021 Oskaloosa Public Library
Strategic Plan Survey

The Oskaloosa Public Library is in the process of developing a five-year Strategic Plan, aiming at providing the very best services to our community. A critical component of the process is gathering information and ideas from the community to establish and create a focused direction for the Library.

The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The survey will be available on-line or by paper copy until March 31, 2021. Paper copies of the survey are available for pick up at the front doors of the Library, and can be returned (in the provided envelope) in the outside book drop.

The Oskaloosa Public Library Staff and Library Board of Trustees THANK YOU for taking the time to fill out this survey and provide valuable feedback for Your Library’s Strategic Plan.

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* 1. What is your age range?

Seventeen or younger

18 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80+

Prefer not to answer

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* 2. What is your zip code?

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* 3. In the last TWO YEARS, how often did you visit the Oskaloosa Public Library?

Weekly or more

Every other week

Monthly

Every few months

Five times or more

Less than five times

Never

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* 4. How do you use the Oskaloosa Public Library? (Choose all that apply)

Quiet space to work, read, or study

Place to meet and/or attend meetings

Borrow print materials (books, magazines, etc.)

Borrow non-print materials (DVDs, audiobooks, music CDs, etc.)

Browse the collection for something to read, view, or listen to (for myself, family members, or friends)

Attend a Library program for Children, Teens, or Adults

Help with finding books or Other materials (for myself, family members, or friends)

Help with research, school assignments, or finding information (for myself, family members, or friends)

Participate in the Summer Reading Program (for myself or family members)

Use computers

Use WiFi

Use local history or genealogy resources

Use on-line resources (Credo Reference, Gale Pages, Transparent Languages, Heritage Quest, Ancestry.com – Library Edition, or BrainFuse)

Use BRIDGES (eBooks, eMagazine, and digital audiobooks)

Use office services – printing, copying, scanning, or faxing

Other (please specify)

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* 5. If you DO NOT use the Oskaloosa Public Library, why not? (Choose all that apply)

The hours don’t work with my schedule

The Library doesn’t have the materials I want

The Library doesn’t have the services I need

The customer services in not up to my expectations

I use another Library

I purchase my books in print or digital format

I purchase or stream my movies and/or music

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Do you agree with the following statements about the Oskaloosa Public Library

	Yes	No
The Library is a place I feel safe	The Library is a place I feel safe Yes	The Library is a place I feel safe No
The Library DOES NOT discriminate against people based on their age, race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation	The Library DOES NOT discriminate against people based on their age, race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation Yes	The Library DOES NOT discriminate against people based on their age, race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation No
I trust the Library staff will help me find truthful, factual information to answer my questions	I trust the Library staff will help me find truthful, factual information to answer my questions Yes	I trust the Library staff will help me find truthful, factual information to answer my questions No
The Library staff are friendly	The Library staff are friendly Yes	The Library staff are friendly No
The Library staff are courteous	The Library staff are courteous Yes	The Library staff are courteous No
The Library staff are helpful	The Library staff are helpful Yes	The Library staff are helpful No

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* 7. How do you usually find out about the Library services and events? (Choose all the apply)

Oskaloosa Public Library website

Oskaloosa Public Library Facebook or Twitter

Library signs (inside or outside)

Word of mouth

Local newspaper

Local radio station

Other (please specify)

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* 8. Please choose the level of importance of current Library services:

	Very Important	Somewhat Important	Important	Sort of Important	Not Important
Children’s programs	Children’s programs Very Important	Children’s programs Somewhat Important	Children’s programs Important	Children’s programs Sort of Important	Children’s programs Not Important
Teen programs	Teen programs Very Important	Teen programs Somewhat Important	Teen programs Important	Teen programs Sort of Important	Teen programs Not Important
Adult programs	Adult programs Very Important	Adult programs Somewhat Important	Adult programs Important	Adult programs Sort of Important	Adult programs Not Important
Reference/Information help from Library staff	Reference/Information help from Library staff Very Important	Reference/Information help from Library staff Somewhat Important	Reference/Information help from Library staff Important	Reference/Information help from Library staff Sort of Important	Reference/Information help from Library staff Not Important
Books and Audiobooks	Books and Audiobooks Very Important	Books and Audiobooks Somewhat Important	Books and Audiobooks Important	Books and Audiobooks Sort of Important	Books and Audiobooks Not Important
DVDs/Blu-rays and CDs	DVDs/Blu-rays and CDs Very Important	DVDs/Blu-rays and CDs Somewhat Important	DVDs/Blu-rays and CDs Important	DVDs/Blu-rays and CDs Sort of Important	DVDs/Blu-rays and CDs Not Important
eBooks/eMagazines	eBooks/eMagazines Very Important	eBooks/eMagazines Somewhat Important	eBooks/eMagazines Important	eBooks/eMagazines Sort of Important	eBooks/eMagazines Not Important
Digital audiobooks	Digital audiobooks Very Important	Digital audiobooks Somewhat Important	Digital audiobooks Important	Digital audiobooks Sort of Important	Digital audiobooks Not Important
Computers or WiFi	Computers or WiFi Very Important	Computers or WiFi Somewhat Important	Computers or WiFi Important	Computers or WiFi Sort of Important	Computers or WiFi Not Important
Printers or copiers	Printers or copiers Very Important	Printers or copiers Somewhat Important	Printers or copiers Important	Printers or copiers Sort of Important	Printers or copiers Not Important
Meeting rooms	Meeting rooms Very Important	Meeting rooms Somewhat Important	Meeting rooms Important	Meeting rooms Sort of Important	Meeting rooms Not Important

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* 9. Please rank these Strategic Planning Categories in order of importance for the Oskaloosa Public Library to focus on for the five-year Strategic Plan. (with 1 being the MOST important and 6 being the LEAST important.)

Civic/Community Engagement: Services to inform, enrich, preserve, and promote community engagement, ranging from government issues to recreational activities.

Digital Learning: Services to access technology, build technology-related skills and confidence, and make beneficial use of digital resources and services to meet patron needs.

Early Childhood Literacy: Services to improve early literacy and learning skills to prepare children age 0-5 for school.

Education/Lifelong Learning: Services to gain and impart new knowledge and skills, improve academic performance, and engage in a variety of lifelong learning activities.

Health: Services to improve the health of patrons and their families

Job Skills: Services to improve the skills needed to find and apply for jobs and advance careers.

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* 10. For Civic/Community Engagement which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

Meeting spaces for study/discussion groups; and community organizations and clubs

Foreign language materials and classes

Forums for public discussions and civic involvement

Information access to city and government services

Preserving Oskaloosa and Mahaska County history resources and making them easily accessible to the public

Additional comfortable space for reading, working, socializing, and relaxing at the Library

None of these are important to me

Other (please specify)

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* 11. For Digital Learning which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

Public computer access including printing and scanning services

WiFi access including printing

Programs to teach people of all ages (children to seniors) how to use digital tools such as computers, tablets, smartphones and apps

Technology tools for loans, such as tablets, laptops, or mobile hotspots that allow for home use of broadband Internet services

Laptops or tablets for people to use in the Library

Digital tools and equipment such as 3D printers, microphones, and cameras for creating audio podcasts, music, videos, art, and computer programs at the Library

None of these are important to me

Other (please specify)

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* 12. For Early Childhood Literacy which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

More curriculum-related resources for parents

More curriculum-related resources for home school teachers

Story times that focus on the alphabet and phonetics

Story times that focus on listening comprehension

Story times that focus on learning how to print letters and numbers

Story times that focus on visual memory or visual perception abilities

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) based programs for children

None of these are important to me

Other (please specify)

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* 13. For Education/Lifelong Enrichment which of the items listed below would be of value to your or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

A wide range of programs that focus on adult learning experiences

A wide range of programs that focus on teen learning experiences

Online learning opportunities on a variety of computer topics

A Makerspace area with materials for community members to create, learn, and share

Books, magazines, movies, and music in traditional and digital formats to enrich a person’s leisure time

A wide range of arts and cultural experiences for all ages, such as book discussions, author events, Humanities Iowa speakers, etc.

Items for hands-on learning and fun in the library, or to borrow for home use, such as board games, specialty craft equipment, tools, etc.

None of these are important to me

Other (please specify)

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* 14. For Health which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

Programs about healthy life choices

Programs about specific health topics

Collaborative programs with local health stores

Collaborative programs with local health care providers

Access to health databases with quick links on the Library’s website

Displays of monthly health topics

None of these are important to me

Other (please specify)

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* 15. For Job Skills which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

Provide training, technology, and resources to help people develop job-related skills

Connect people to training and career development resources in the community

Work space for mobile workers

Information on how to start a business

Access to job skill databases with quick links on the Library’s website

Dedicated computer(s) for job applications and/or testing

None of these are important to me

Other (please specify)

2021 Oskaloosa Public Library Strategic Plan Survey

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* 1. What is your age range?

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* 2. What is your zip code?

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* 3. In the last TWO YEARS, how often did you visit the Oskaloosa Public Library?

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* 4. How do you use the Oskaloosa Public Library? (Choose all that apply)

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* 5. If you DO NOT use the Oskaloosa Public Library, why not? (Choose all that apply)

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* 6. Do you agree with the following statements about the Oskaloosa Public Library

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* 7. How do you usually find out about the Library services and events? (Choose all the apply)

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* 8. Please choose the level of importance of current Library services:

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* 9. Please rank these Strategic Planning Categories in order of importance for the Oskaloosa Public Library to focus on for the five-year Strategic Plan. (with 1 being the MOST important and 6 being the LEAST important.)

Question Title

* 10. For Civic/Community Engagement which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

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* 11. For Digital Learning which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

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* 12. For Early Childhood Literacy which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

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* 13. For Education/Lifelong Enrichment which of the items listed below would be of value to your or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

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* 14. For Health which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

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* 15. For Job Skills which of the items listed below would be of value to you or your family in the next five years? (Choose all the apply)

2021 Oskaloosa Public Library
Strategic Plan Survey