Community Needs Response Planning for Public Library Accreditation
For a general overview:
NCompass Live: The 2025 Public Library Accreditation Process - Webinar
recording. Originally recorded May 14, 2025. Updated July 1, 2025. 66 minutes.
For full training: 'Public Library Accreditation 2025' -
Workshop recording. Originally recorded June 11, 2025. Updated July 1,
2025. 2 hours, 35 minutes.
Nebraska Public Library Accreditation Guidelines are based on the principle that a good library is a library that is
serving the unique needs of its own community. Therefore, the Accreditation Guidelines require that each library applying
for accreditation have an up-to-date Community Needs Response Plan (previously called the
Strategic Plan) that addresses how the library will serve those needs.
Plans should be emailed to
Christa Porter.
The Community Needs Response Plan must have been written or revised within
the past five years, and include the following 7 elements:
- The library's mission statement.
- A community profile.
- An assessment of community needs. A library's first responsibility is to
address the needs of its community.
- An analysis of the library's strengths and resources; and an analysis of
barriers and opportunities for improvement.
- An analysis of what all this means and where the library can contribute to community progress, based on the previous 3 steps.
- Specific goals with measurable objectives or action plans that provide details
including timelines, assignment of
responsibility, etc.
- A plan for evaluation of accomplishment, and a summary of evaluation of previous accomplishments.
Webinars and Resources:
Accessing Census Data - Recorded online session and presentation slides
- July 21, 2021 - 1 hour 25 mintues
Community Engagement: Straight Talk - Recorded online session and
presentation slides - 1 hour
Small Adjustments for Big Changes - Recorded online session - 1 hour
WebJunction
'Assesment, evaluation, and planning' Topic Area - Documents, articles, handouts, webinar recordings, links to other online services and information
Easier Than It Looks: A Simple Approach to Strategic Planning - Recorded
online session and presentation slides - 1 hour
Rising to the Challenge: Using the Aspen Institute Report and Action Guide
for Strategic Planning - Recorded online session and presentation slides
- 1 hour
Examples: Note: The
following examples are pre-2022. The format of section 4 of the Plan
(Worksheet 4: Take Stock of Your Library) was updated in 2022, but these
Plans are still good examples to follow.
Templates and Guides:
The following guide can help your library create a Community Needs Response Plan or update a current Plan.
Community Needs Response Planning Process in
12 Steps
If you have questions about the Accreditation process or Community Needs
Response Planning, please contact
Christa Porter.
Related pages:
- Nebraska Public Library Accreditation
Status - list of all Nebraska Public Libraries, with their accreditation standing & next accreditation year
- Accreditation Program History
- Public Library Survey