Strategic Plan of Service 2022-2027

Board of Trustees:                                                                      Staff:

  • Franklin Bennek, pres.                                                               Rebecca Fasulo, director
  • Felicia Hopkins                                                                             Michael Hadfield
  • Cathy Lozier
  • Jane Pingelski
  • Lloyd Murdoch
  • Sheri Welch
  • Catherine Bailey

Mission Statement:

The Corinth Free Library was chartered by the New York State Board of Regents as a Free Association Library on December 31, 1926 to provide library service to the people living in the Town of Corinth, NY. Our mission is to provide library and information services to the people in our chartered service area and to cooperate in the interlibrary resource-sharing programs of the Southern Adirondack Library System and New York State.

Our Primary role is to provide popular reading for all ages.

Our secondary role is to provide a doorway to learning for children.

Adopted December 6, 1994

Summary:

This plan is meant to provide direction over the next several years to the library’s board and staff as they work toward fulfilling the library’s mission.  A committee consisting of members of the library board, staff, and the community was formed for the purpose of exploring the community to better understand how the library may then provide the best services possible to fulfill our mission and meet the community’s library needs.

Committee members:

  • Sheri Welch
  • Rebecca Fasulo
  • Michael Hadfield
  • Maureen Granger Kelly

Overview:

The Corinth Free Library was established as a Free Association Library to serve the Town of Corinth in November 1926. The library opened for business on January 4, 1927 in one room of the Levitt Building.  Thanks to contributions from local citizens and merchants, the present building was completed in 1951.  At the opening ceremony, a plaque was dedicated that read: “To honor all from Corinth who served their country in the World Wars and as a lasting memorial to those who made the supreme sacrifice.”   The Mabel P. Shorey Children’s Room was added in 1974.  In 1989 the Corinth Rotary Club built an addition that now serves as a reading / reference area and is equipped with our public access computers.  This room was dedicated as a memorial to those who served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars and was furnished by the Friends of the Library, Odd Fellows Lodge #174, and the Corinth Grange.  The library is supported by funds from the Town and Village of Corinth and the Corinth Central School and your generous donations.

The Town of Corinth has a population of 6,531 according to the 2020 Census.  Corinth has a strong history of manufacturing and industry and was the headquarters of International Paper for over 100 years.  The twenty-first century has not been kind to Corinth with International Paper leaving the community and a devastating fire leveling a block of the downtown.  Corinth has thus become more of a bedroom community with many people working elsewhere.  As showcased by the library in an award-winning series of programs in 2008, Corinth has long been a community on the edge.  We are in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains.  We are on the banks of the Hudson River.  We are off the beaten path as the Northway is situated to the east and runs through the nearby towns of Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls, and Lake George.  This “edgy-ness” can be an asset for Corinth as it enjoys both a rural character with ample outdoor recreation opportunities and convenient access to nearby towns and villages that offer top notch entertainment, dining, and shopping.

Goals:

  1. WIFI seating – This goal is to provide a comfortable spot that is protected from the elements and visible from the main street for people to access the library’s WIFI when the building is closed to the public.          
    1. Select a board member(s) to chair a community-based ad-hoc committee to explore this idea and make it a reality.
      1. Reach out to the Town of Corinth and Village of Corinth governments to seek buy-in from them and request a member from each to serve on the committee
      1. Reach out to the Corinth Merchant’s Association and the Corinth Central School District
    1. The committee should explore funding possibilities.  These should include the library funding the project, asking for the Town and Village to partially fund the project, and exploring grants that might be available.
    1. Explore the best location for the structure
    1. Explore the form that the structure should take
      1. Size of structure
      1. Could it be purchased ready made
      1. Feasibility of building it locally
        1. Explore possibility of this being an Eagle Scout project
      1. Cost analysis
        1. Would a WIFI booster be needed
        1. Could a solar charging station be added
      1. Maintenance
        1. Should this be the library’s sole responsibility?
        1. Would the Town and Village take turns with the library to maintain the structure?
        1. Snow
    1. Publicity once the structure is in place
  • Promote the library and its services – This goal is ultimately to encourage use of the library and reacquaint citizens with what the library offers them.
    • The board and staff should create a small ad-hoc committee
    • Set a budget
    • The committee should explore ways to make the library a more welcoming environment without losing its current charm.
      • Replace outdated / hard to clean furniture in the magazine area
      • Modify and beautify COVID measures so that staff remain safe yet the space does not look alarming
    • Research and purchase an air purifier for the Children’s Room to atone for poor circulation in that area
    • Rekindle the relationship with the Corinth Central School District
    • Reach out to community groups encouraging them to come in to see our new look and explore what we have to offer
    • Publicize the changes
  • Gateway Explorers – This goal is to encourage the youth of Corinth to explore the history and geography of the community that they live in.  A secondary goal would be to acquaint youth with local services and activities that are available.
    • Reach out to the Corinth Museum and the Corinth Central School for buy-in to the idea and volunteers to create a framework for this to happen
      • Perhaps this could be in the form of a club/after-school activity
      • Decide if funding is needed
    • Use this framework to entice youth to become local explorers
    • Support the rehabilitation of Corinth’s Historical Signs