By Mars Johnson, Reporter
Omaha, Neb. – A decade has gone by since The Omaha Public Library has created a strategic plan.
Five community forums are scheduled in October for Omaha residents to let Omaha’s public libraries know the changes they would like to see as well as concerns about the future of public libraries in Omaha.
The Omaha Public Library uses feedback from these community forums for new strategic plans.
According to The Journal of Community Health, public libraries advance public health but are rarely recognized as a resource to address place-based health disparities. High-quality libraries have a positive effect on the health of the people who utilize them.
One community forum attendee, Nicole Wheeler, who also owns the Dundee Book Company and coordinates the Omaha LitFest, says budget cuts have limited librarians’ contribution to the community.
“Some of the cuts over the past few years have meant that librarians and staffing is a lot thinner than it used to be,” Wheeler said. “There just aren’t as many people working, and that limits the amount of time that librarians can put into the community.”
Some attendees question how funding is maintained in the long-term and how Omaha public libraries can assist those who are unemployed, incarcerated or homeless.
“Getting our community’s feedback about what they want to see for the future of the library, what their vision is, what they want us to spend our time on and our resources on is pivotal to making that strategic plan successful,” said Emily Getzschman, marketing manager for Omaha Public Libraries.
Omaha residents can visit omahalibrary.org to fill out a survey or visit an Omaha Public Library branch for a survey to give feedback outside of the community forums.
