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Needs Assessment Results. Sedley Public Library Branch 7 April 2014. What is a needs assessment?. A community Needs Assessment gathers information about a community’s opinions, needs, challenges and assets. Why are we doing a Needs Assessment?.
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Needs Assessment Results Sedley Public Library Branch 7 April 2014
What is a needs assessment? A community Needs Assessment gathers information about a community’s opinions, needs, challenges and assets.
Why are we doing a Needs Assessment? The library will use information from the needs assessment to help position itself to meet the needs of the community.
How did we do the Needs Assessment? • Compile known information about the community (see booklet) • Board input: • Community assets • Community challenges • List of community leaders • Community leaders interviews
What did we find out? • Increasing population • 2 daycares • Playschool • 4 sports organizations • Gym/Hall • Rink • Quarterly newsletter • Post office • Decreasing median age (34.1) • K-8 school • Public Library • 3 recreation groups • 2 playgrounds • 2 churches • 4 emergency service providers
Interview stats • 10 interviews • Respondents with 5-65 years experience in the community (mean average of 27 years) • Sectors covered: • Municipal government • Emergency services • Business community • Education • Arts and culture • Sports community • Faith community • Local volunteers
What attracts people to Sedley? • Close proximity to Regina (5) • Low cost of living, affordability (4) • Good school (4) • Safe, small town living (4) • Friendly, neighbourly, community minded (4) • Amenities, facilities, businesses (3) • Several community groups (1)
What are Sedley’s challenges? • Commuting to Regina: distance, “burn out” of residents (6) • There are no challenges (3) • Limited day care services (2) • Lack of volunteers (2) • Dislike of change (1) • No special needs education (1)
If you could change one thing about Sedley what would it be? • Increased community involvement (4) • Build a movie theatre (1) • Hours of operation for businesses (1) • Paved streets (1) • More positive attitudes among residents (1) • Wouldn’t change anything (1) • Increased daycare (1) • More for kids to do (1)
Activities of most interest: • Activities at the rink, especially hockey, skating, curling (9) • Senior centre events ex. Coffee, cribbage (3) • Small group community events ex. Women’s snowmobiling (3) • School events (2) • Baseball (2) • Dance classes in Francis (1) • Library events (1) • Church events (1) • Children’s activities despite difficulty finding volunteers (1) • Park use (1) • Being outdoors in summer (1) • Tennis (1) • Unsure (1)
“Hot button” issues: • Street paving, use and maintenance (4) • Rising cost infrastructure ex. water, sewer (3) • Garbage pick up (2) • Desire for more economic growth (2) • Local government (2) • Rising cost in gym hall use (1) • Pride that village has all that it needs (1) • Loss of community groups due to volunteer burn out (1) • Lack of grants (1) • Dogs – now resolved? (1)
Perception of the public library: • Key to the community, loved, fully supported, valuable asset (8) • Under utilized, overlooked, not well used (5) • Busy when open, well used (3) • No complaints, nothing negative (3) • Needs additional and flexible open hours (2) • Programming ex. Coffee, Christmas shopping (2) • A good meeting place (1) • Had problems ex. Limited budget (1)
What should Sedley be for the next generation? • Growth, continual growth, thriving, more businesses, vibrant (8) • Safe, helping, small town atmosphere, fun (5) • Place for young families (2) • Get the high school back (1) • Community supportive of family, education, faith (1) • Feeling of home (1) • Keep it the same (1) • Get a daycare (1) • See more people involved in the community (1) • Desire for library and literacy (1)
What are the next steps? • The Needs Assessment Team is “passing the lead” to you at this time. • Please use the needs assessment information for something meaningful and practical at the library. • Develop an action plan (see sample).
Action Plan Considerations • Consider: what the community has, what it is missing, what it wants to be. Is the library working towards the same goals? • Consider: Collections? Services? Programs? Facilities? Future Goals? • Whatever you decide please send a copy of your action plan to HQ . • The action plan is then shared with your municipality. • A review of the action plan occurs in 3 years.
Follow Up • James and Kate-Lee remain available for questions and follow up if desired! • If you are having troubles developing an Action Plan, please contact us and we will be happy to facilitate a discussion, make suggestions, bounce ideas, meet with you again, etc.