The Chattanooga Public Library has a new five-year strategic plan, focusing on five areas:
- Lowering barriers to access
- New and improved facilities
- Outreach
- Collaborations and partnerships
- New and unique offerings
The Library will set two goals a year for each area, but the plan is designed to be flexible. “The focus areas won’t change, but each year we will outline new goals that continuously align to what our community needs,” said CPL Executive Director Will O’Hearn.
2026 goals
Goals for next year include expanding digital access, adding a meeting room at the downtown branch, increasing outreach to seniors, establishing new partnerships, and more. You can read the full plan online, which breaks down each goal in more detail.
2025 accomplishments
As for this year, the library has completed several goals, including going fine free, launching a Toy Library, and bringing its Pop-Up Library van to 281 events — boosting outreach by more than 60%.
