Purpose and Ambition

Purpose


As the heart of the community, we strive to nurture lifelong learning, cultivate knowledge, and champion intellectual freedom.


Ambition


We aim to broaden perspectives, challenge norms, and empower people to reach their fullest potential.

A child sits in the stacks reading a book.

Strategic Roadmap

This Strategic Roadmap is the result of extensive consultations with a wide range of local stakeholders, our patrons, members of the Worcester Public Library’s Board of Directors, and library staff.

Feedback was collected through surveys, community listening sessions, meetings, and one-on-one conversations.

The Worcester Public Library would like to acknowledge the guidance, support, and contributions from the City of Worcester, the Board of Directors of the Worcester Public Library, the Worcester Public Library Foundation, the Friends of the Worcester Public Library, our staff, and our patrons.

A young child sits on someone's shoulders and happily points.
A librarian helps a child at the service desk.
Staff members work inside the Innovation Center.
A woman works on a laptop inside the library.

Connect Our Community

Promote Learning & Literacy

Nurture Inclusion and Ideas

Invest in Staff

Prepare Our Community for the Future

  • Grow and strengthen our partnerships throughout the community
  • Respond and act on community needs
  • Commit to diverse community engagement
  • Engage community in learning
  • Promote digital literacy with a commitment to eliminate the digital divide
  • Encourage curiosity and exploration
  • Make improvement in accessibility to all library resources
  • Create culturally responsive programs and events that reflect our community
  • Shape inclusive and diverse library collections
  • Foster professional development
  • Enhance leadership development and produce career pathways
  • Shape mentorship and feedback initiatives
  • Enhance digital resources and invest in technical infrastructure
  • Update space for creativity and innovation
  • Build sustainable practices
A librarian helps a patron at a service desk.
A family reads inside the children's room.

A Message From the Executive Director

Jason Homer

Executive Director
2020 - present

As I reflect on the process of creating this Strategic Roadmap, I would be remiss to not thank the staff of the Worcester Public Library for their willingness to rethink our future. At its core, this Strategic Roadmap is designed to be both responsive to community needs, while nimble enough to adjust to unforeseen circumstances. We are also taking this opportunity to break away from our traditional Mission and Vision Statements to focus on transformative experiences with a new Purpose and Ambition as our guides. By setting more ambitious approaches to serve our community, we are confident that we will change the world, together.

The five Strategic Imperatives will become our anchors for the next few years, ensuring that we are always thinking about connections first, and letting those connections help improve your experiences at the library. We are steadfast in our role to promote literacy in this community, not just through lending books, but through our ability to ignite curiosity, regardless of age, identity, race, or status. This will only be possible through intentional inclusion, as well as listening to our community. The needs of all people are only growing, and we look forward to not only meeting those needs but exceeding expectations. We can get there by ensuring we are investing in staff, whether that is through professional development, or allowing our staff to shine with their natural talents. Accomplishing this will help us prepare this entire community for the future. There are many questions for the years ahead, but as we position ourselves as experts in digital literacy and champions of intellectual freedom, we can lift up all voices and celebrate the amazing work being done in this community. Worcester is better when we work together, and we hope that you can see the Worcester Public Library is committed to be the place where anyone and everyone has the opportunity to become the best version of themselves.