SAVE OUR LIBRARY AGENDA 6/18/25¶
Launching Grant County's Independent Library Future
Date: Wednesday, June 18th Time: 6:00 PM Location: John Day Firehall
Objective: Foundation members, Grant County Library Advisory Board members, community stakeholders, and library staff will establish our roadmap for creating a sustainable, independent library serving Grant County.
I. Welcome & Purpose (3 minutes)
- Brief welcome and meeting objectives
- Ground Rule: This meeting will focus on building our library's future, not the impending court decision to defund the library
II. Current Assets & Transition Timeline (7 minutes)
- Our Starting Point: Building, collections, 2 staff, operational knowledge
- Timeline: 4-5 months to establish independent operations
- Today's Goal: Launch action teams and set immediate priorities
III. Vision for Grant County's Independent Library (15 minutes)
- Core Question: What services must our library provide to thrive?
- Beyond Books: Community hub, digital access, local history, meeting space
- Grant County Specific: Serving our vast, rural geography effectively
IV. Proven Independence Models (20 minutes)
- Oregon Library Districts: Voter-approved, sustainable funding
- Success Stories:
- Josephine County: Built independent system after county defunding
- Lake and Baker Counties: Established rural district models
- Alternative Approaches: Grants, partnerships, major donor strategies
- Building/Collections: Securing current assets vs. alternative locations
V. Foundation Strategy Pivot (10 minutes)
- New Role: Operational support during transition and beyond
- Immediate Capacity: What can our foundation do in the next 30-60 days?
- Fundraising Readiness: Donor outreach and grant applications
VI. Action Teams & Next Steps (25 minutes)
- Form Working Groups:
- Research & Legal (library district process)
- Building & Collections (asset transition)
- Community Engagement & Fundraising
- Operations & Staffing
- Team Leadership: Who takes point on each area?
- 30-Day Goals: Specific deliverables before first public meeting
- Communication Plan: How we coordinate between now and public launch
VII. Public Meeting Planning (8 minutes)
- Target Date & Venue: When and where for community-wide meeting
- Key Messages: What story do we tell the community?
- Recruitment: Who else needs to be at that table?
VIII. Commitments & Next Check-in (2 minutes)
- Next Foundation Meeting: [Insert specific date], focused on progress reports
- Thank you for stepping up when our library needs champions most
Total Duration: 90 minutes