Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library
2026 – 2030 Strategic Plan
OUR MISSION
The Library fosters community by providing open and equal access to collections, programs and technology, which in turn advances learning, literacy, and engagement.
OUR VISION
We endeavor to be the thriving informational and cultural center of the town. Serving as a connecting point for the community, we create environments and experiences that foster lifelong learning and bring people together.
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR AND TRUSTEES
The library is a meaningful part of community life here in Manchester-by-the-Sea. As your stewards of this important institution, we take the responsibility seriously and are honored for the opportunity. Our role is to ensure the library continues to meet the evolving needs of all our patrons. We advocate for resources today and work to prepare the library to thrive in the years ahead.
This Strategic Plan was developed using feedback and ideas gathered from community members. Your valuable insight showed us how you envision the library’s future and its role as a cornerstone of the town. This plan will guide our actions through the year 2030. Based on what we heard, we identified four key strategic initiatives: expanding literacy, enhancing community and engagement, embracing technology, and ensuring equity and inclusion.
One additional theme stood out —residents expressed a clear desire for more space. Space that is accessible, available for various types of work, and for expanded programming. Each of the initiatives in this plan addresses that need in some way. And while it may take time to realize a physical expansion, we are committed to making this goal a priority.
We look forward to seeing you soon in our beautiful historic building, and we invite you to join us in shaping the library’s bright future.
Thank you for supporting your library!
—
Cynthia Gemmell, Library Director
Library Board of Trustees:
Sarah Dunn Davis
David Lumsden
Ric Rogers
STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
ADVANCING LIFELONG LEARNING: Inspire curiosity, literacy, and learning for all ages, every day.
Central to the mission of the Manchester-by-the Sea Public Library is fostering knowledge and discovery, teaching literacy skills, and communicating key information on a diverse range of subjects. We prioritize collating a robust collection, inviting new and diverse speakers, and finding dedicated time and space to serve all members of the community.
ENHANCING COMMUNITY & ENGAGEMENT: Bring people together through shared experiences, enriching programs, and welcoming spaces.
Building connections and facilitating collaboration among individuals and local groups to foster shared interests is an important part of our vision. We aim to create time and space for personal enrichment through engagement with educational opportunities, diverse programs and cultural experiences in spaces that foster connection and inclusion.
EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY: Empower patrons with tools and training to thrive in a digital world.
Our Library is committed to investing in innovative technology and virtual services to meet the evolving needs of our community. By combining best-in-class technologies with accessible education and support, we provide hands-on opportunities for our patrons—whether experienced or just beginning to engage–so that they can navigate and benefit from the impact of today’s modern digital environments.
ENSURING EQUITY & INCLUSION: Foster a library where everyone belongs, is represented, and feels respected.
We seek to maintain a welcoming environment that fosters a culture where every library user feels respected and supported. We will advance diverse and inclusive programming and materials and aim to identify spaces where each group of our extended stakeholders can feel a sense of belonging.
HISTORY
Founded in 1645 and nestled along the rugged, wind-swept shores of the Atlantic,
Manchester-by-the-Sea is a small seaside New England town with a timeless allure.
Steeped in local history and yet tied to the formation of our nation and to the great
seafaring tradition of New England, Manchester-by-the Sea is a place that feels both timeless and deeply personal.
Our public library is centrally located in the heart of the iconic downtown, and central in the hearts and minds of our vibrant community. Dedicated in 1887, the library building was a gift from summer resident Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, and was designed by Charles F. McKim who would go on to design the Boston Public Library. Save for the addition of a Children’s Room in 1965, much of the original structure remains unchanged including important works of art and memorials to the Grand Army of the Republic.
More on the history of the library can be found in the “About” section on the library website.
PLANNING METHODOLOGY
In the fall of 2023, as part of a grant-seeking process, the library embarked on a set of community feedback initiatives with the help of an independent library consultant. We ran eight focus groups, two community forums and a comprehensive survey that garnered 212 responses, giving us significant data upon which to build this Strategic Plan. In January of 2025, the Board of Trustees worked with the Library Director to begin the process of drafting the Strategic Plan. Based on community engagement principles outlined in Ask, Listen, Empower: Grounding your Library Work in Community Engagement, by Mary Davis Fournier and Sarah Ostman and Strategic Planning for Public Libraries, by Joy L. Fuller, the staff undertook a community listening tour, and the library posted question boards to gain additional feedback. The Board met in the spring of 2025 to draft a set of strategic initiatives, and again in the summer to further craft goals, with the Strategic Plan formally adopted in August 2025. The Board wishes to thank everyone involved in the strategic planning process, particularly community members who gave their time to participate in feedback sessions and staff who provided valuable input, and who work tirelessly each day to best serve Manchester-by-the-Sea residents and visitors.
COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT
The results of the Planning Methodology outlined above are summarized below. A detailed set of findings are on the library website here.
PARTICIPATION
Roughly two-thirds of participants who provided feedback were residents of Manchester-by-the-Sea, with half being long-term (more than twenty years) residents. The vast majority had a town-issued library card and were computer literate. Three-quarters of participants visited the library at least once a month with many being more frequent patrons. A significant portion (60%) of the library users and survey respondents were older than 45 at the time feedback was collected (which is consistent with the demographics of the town as a whole).
STRENGTHS
Residents who provided feedback felt that having a community that is active and engaged is a strength for the library to rely upon. They noted that this is further supported by the library staff who recognize the value the library brings to the community and act as key connectors to knowledge, cultural experiences and community vitality.
NEEDS
The two primary overriding needs identified at the Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library are for more space and increased accessibility. These topics recurred more than any other response in focus group discussions and the feedback collected. The high-priority themes gleaned from the responses include:
- Patrons who use wheelchairs or face accessibility challenges cannot access restrooms or, in some cases, the entire building
- Programming events are either underserved, or require interrupting other library services to be successful
- The collection is cramped
- The “Library of Things” is underserved
- There are no dedicated meeting spaces to be used by community members
- There are no private work or study areas
- The Children’s room is highly exposed given it includes a door to the outside of the building. Patrons using the space are interrupted repeatedly by those entering and exiting the building
- There is no appropriate area for a kitchen or other hands-on activities
Solving for community service and space challenges should remain the top priority moving forward until meaningful and lasting progress is achieved.
Approved August 20, 2025