Westfield Athenaeum Library
Mission Statement
To enrich the diverse community of Westfield by providing open access to educational, cultural, recreational and informational resources and programs.
Vision Statement
The Westfield Athenaeum will provide additional public space that is inviting, convenient, safe, and easily accessible to its patrons. Here the community of Westfield will find a friendly, welcoming environment in a convenient location where public meetings and forums are regularly held. As a community and information center, the Athenaeum will continually enhance its library materials and resources in all formats, and improve its technology, so that residents and visitors will be able to pursue a wide array of educational, recreational, cultural, and informational interests. As a cultural center, the Athenaeum will enable the greater Westfield community to participate in an expanded offering of educational, artistic, and cultural programming for all ages.
Long Range Plan (FY2008 - FY2012)
GOAL I. COMMONS: The Athenaeum will address the need of people to meet and interact with others in their community and to participate in public discourse about community issues.
A. The Athenaeum will provide a warm, welcoming, convenient and accessible building with a variety of spaces for large and small community gatherings.
B. The Athenaeum will sponsor a variety of lectures and cultural programs for the community and act as a forum for discussion about a broad range of topics.
C. The planning for a building renovation will result in a much more comfortable environment that will reflect our users' desire for spaces that are functional, accessible, cozy, warm and flexible.
GOAL II. CURRENT TOPICS AND TITLES: The Athenaeum will help to fulfill community residents’ appetite for information about popular culture and social trends and their desire for satisfying recreational experiences.
A. The residents of Westfield will have library materials and resources they want and need to fulfill their desire for recreational reading, viewing and listening experiences.
B. The Athenaeum will continually acquire current bestsellers and other popular books and materials, in specific formats, and will solicit suggestions from users for books and materials not already in the collection.
C. The Athenaeum will continue to use circulation statistics available through C/W MARS in determining the popularity and demand for specific genres, for specific subject categories and for specific formats. Interlibrary loan statistics will also be used to determine materials in demand.
GOAL III. GENERAL INFORMATION: The Athenaeum will help meet the need for information and provide answers to questions on a broad array of topics related to work, school, and personal life.
A. The Athenaeum will maintain up-to-date general information resources in a variety of formats that will provide residents with the information they need to succeed in their personal, educational and professional lives.
B. The Athenaeum will provide professional reference and information librarians to assist users in finding the most current and accurate information available on a broad array of topics.
C. The Athenaeum will continue to invest in up-to-date information technology to support the general information needs of the public.
Full text of Long Range Plan (pdf format)
Approved by the Board of Trustees - 2007
