NOLS 2012 business plan
In April 2010, the North Olympic Library System Board of Trustees approved NOLS 2012 : a business plan for the Library. NOLS 2012 responds to public demand for service improvements for each of the NOLS libraries: Clallam Bay, Forks, Port Angeles and Sequim, and it establishes a plan for fiscal stability for the Library system for at least the next ten years.
The plan was developed with citizen input from the four Friends of the Library groups. It discusses how Washington’s public libraries, unlike cities, counties and school districts, depend mostly on the property tax to support basic operations. It outlines the need to restore the District’s tax levy to 50 cents. The voters of Clallam County did indeed approve a levy rate increase in August 2010. The NOLS 2012 plan responds to community demand by extending and adjusting the hours of operation at all four libraries to be more convenient and accessible to the public, and by adding more books, CDs and other materials to the libraries’ collections. The plan also addresses the necessary maintenance of the Library’s buildings, equipment, parking lots, computers and other technology. The plan sets forth terms for the Library to maintain the service and maintenance levels described in the plan for at least ten years without a need to place another levy request before the voters of Clallam County. The plan is called NOLS 2012 because the additional tax revenues resulting from the levy rate increase begin flowing into the District in mid-2011, and all of the elements of the plan will be in place by the end of 2012.
In late 2009 and early 2010 the Library Board and staff sought community feedback on the draft plan in a series of town hall meetings at each of the NOLS libraries in Clallam Bay, Forks, Port Angeles and Sequim, and to civic groups, service clubs and other community organizations from Forks to Sequim. Comments and suggestions from members of the public were incorporated into the plan. Many people urged the establishment of a non-profit Foundation to help address system-wide library needs and to complement the Library’s public funding. Some attendees suggested minor adjustments to the proposed hours of service at their libraries. There were several recommendations to incorporate ways that the Library would be able to be more “green” under the plan. And there were calls for an increase to the Library’s fines for overdue materials. The Library Board voted to increase fines and fees in May 2010.
Copies of the full NOLS 2012 plan are available at each NOLS Library.
Share your comments and questions with the Library Board of Trustees at .