Programming Policy
Programming includes recreational, educational or cultural group events or activities sponsored by the library.
Programs are conducted by the library for one or more of the following reasons:
- to provide information
- to promote and increase awareness of the library’s resources and services
- to stimulate public interest in reading
In planning and executing any program, the following factors will be considered:
- Responsibility – Responsibility for planning, organizing and executing a given event will be assigned by the Director.
- Theme – Every program or special event should have a theme (e.g. Halloween, National Library Week).
- Intended audience – Programs will be designed for a specific target audience, such as a certain age group (e.g. pre-school children, seniors) or other grouping within the community.
- Day and time – Programs will be held when it is most suitable and timely for the intended audience and will allow for sufficient time to plan and promote the program.
- Expenses – All charges and expenses must be considered and approved by the Director ahead of time.
- Promotion – Event planners will ensure that the community is informed of an upcoming event through such means as newspaper and radio advertising, posters, flyers and announcements on community bulletin boards, whichever are applicable. Local media will be informed of events and invited to attend.
- Location – To promote the library to best advantage, programs and events should be held in the library where possible. Where the library is not equipped to handle a certain event, other locations may be considered.
- Evaluation – Upon completion, programs will be evaluated as to level of participant satisfaction, attendance and cost effectiveness. To help gauge participant satisfaction and to collect new ideas, program participants will be provided with program evaluation forms to be collected by staff as they leave.
- Records – Program evaluation summaries will be kept on file as a resource for planning future programs.