Public Library Association (PLA) Releases Strategic Plan 2022—2026

From a PLA/ALA Announcement:

The Public Library Association (PLA) Strategic Plan 2022—2026 is now available on the PLA website, following its unanimous approval by the PLA Board of Directors in June 2022. Informed by member surveys, member and partner interviews, and PLA leadership and staff engagements, the PLA strategic plan centers Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (EDISJ) and expands PLA’s role as a platform for innovation and amplifier for sharing public library community impacts.

The PLA Board of Directors began the process of updating the strategic plan in 2021. In reviewing the five high level goals of PLA’s 2018 plan (Transformation; Leadership; Advocacy and Awareness; Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice; and Organizational Excellence), they found that PLA and libraries had made progress towards reaching these goals, and that the goal areas were still largely relevant.

The pandemic and national outcry for racial and social justice, and the impact of both on public libraries were key considerations in the strategic plan refresh. A lot has changed since 2018, and PLA’s 2022-2026 strategic plan aims to keep pace with these changes. The plan embeds Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice throughout the four other refreshed strategic goals: Transformation; Professional Growth; Advocacy; and Organizational Excellence. In addition to centering EDISJ, these goals aim to focus on all library workers as critical to the success of libraries. The plan further describes PLA’s role as a trusted partner to public libraries as they work to meet community needs and serve the public good.

Direct to Strategic Plan Document (6 pages; PDF.)

Direct to Complete Statement

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Interviews, Libraries, Management and Leadership, News, Public Libraries