From the Director: Vision 2020

I remember many years ago, people started creating long-range plans for their organizations with catchy names like “Vision 2020.” While the idea was cute to play off the 20/20 measurement for eyesight, it just seemed impossible to look as far into the future as the year 2020. But we are now there! MCPL’s fiscal year is about to end, and it’s time for the 2020 budget. Soon the calendar year will reach this milestone as well. The future has arrived, and one-fifth of the 21st Century has passed!

As we enter this new decade, it’s important that our budget serve as a clear guide for the future. Not only should it be a helpful planning document, but it should also reflect what our organization values and how it will serve the public—and it should do so regardless of a whether the reader is familiar with the financial components or not. To that end, I would like to encourage you to look over our draft 2020 budget. You can see it by following the link to view it online or by visiting any of our branches and requesting to see a printed copy of the draft budget.

On Thursday, June 6, at 9:00 a.m. at MCPL’s North Independence Branch, there will be an opportunity for the public to share opinions and ask questions about the MCPL budget and to comment on the proposed levy rate. The official notice of the levy hearing will be posted in the Kansas City Star or you can view it at the meeting. Our rate cannot be any higher than the amount approved by the public (most recently in 2016), but if you have any questions or comments, I encourage you to come to the public meeting! If you can’t come to the meeting, feel free to talk with any MCPL staff member about the budget, and they will get your comments to me.

I am excited for the Library’s future, and I hope you’ll join us in exploring our “2020 Vision” by learning about our new budget.

Steven V. Potter
MCPL Director & CEO