Strategic Statements

Impact Statement
In Derry Township, we are the place of discoveries. Your possibilities can become realities here.

Mission Statement
The Hershey Public Library is the hub of our community, creating possibilities for everyone to enrich their lives.

Vision Statement
Community Engagement Vision

As the trusted hub of our community, we make it possible for everyone to access us. Our work and impact are not limited to our main location. While it serves as the center of our operations, we proactively reach into the community, identify users’ needs, and bring programs and services to the people who can’t come to us. In doing so, we bring the library and all of its services to all in our community.

Services Vision

We deliver programs and services that are not available elsewhere in our community. As part of this commitment, we identify low-user populations such as teens, seniors, minorities, and transient residents and develop programming focused on them. We collaborate with the school system and township recreation programs to leverage their efforts and deliver synergistic services.

We think like retail merchandisers, actively promoting seasonal books and resources and making new resources easily accessible to users. We know the technology needs of our users and deliver solutions that completely bridge the digital divide in our service area. Through hands-on experiences, users interested in making items or working on collective projects find the help and convening opportunities they need to pursue their common interests. We loan non-traditional items such as tech accessories, tools and instruments and provide opportunities for users to learn how to use and maintain them.

Organizational Culture and Staffing Vision

Our culture of customer service is characterized by the word “yes.” Flexible and willing to change to accommodate the needs of our users, we are committed to being first-class in all that we do.

The work of our staff is less structured and more flexible than in the past. Everyone is cross-trained to effectively serve our users, enabling us to reallocate staff to serve when and where needed. Mindful of the evolving service and technology needs of our users, our staff continually modifies our services to master new technologies and support multiple populations.

Facilities Vision

Highly aware of the emerging trends impacting our community and users, we actively practice space optimization. Through this practice, low-circulation resources are routinely moved to less-than-prime space, and prime space is used to deliver primary resources, services, and programs. This enables us to maximize our existing space and create space to meet specific program and user needs.

Outcomes Vision

As a result of our strategic focus and hard work, the Hershey Public Library is a high-caliber, first-class library through which everyone in our community has equal access to the programs, services, and resources they need to live in an ever-changing world. Most important, in Derry Township, we are the place of discoveries through which possibilities become real.