The Southern California Library Cooperative (SCLC) is an organization with a long and meaningful history providing services to the public libraries of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Throughout our existence, despite changes to our name, membership, and funding, SCLC has consistently focused on expanding access to resources and information. By bringing together the 40 member libraries, SCLC has shown the strength of the collective, supporting coordination and interconnectedness through a vast and diverse region of more than 10 million residents.
Like our member libraries, SCLC has found the pace of change to be increasing each year, requiring a more focused effort to identify our vision and strategies to implement that vision. This plan reflects a year-long effort by the SCLC Administrative Council to engage in discussion about present strengths and challenges as well as future opportunities and needs. Administrative Council members representing each of the 40 member libraries considered the constituencies they serve locally as well as their part in the larger regional context. Planning efforts considered state trends, limited resources, diverse populations, and creative ideas.
The resulting plan will guide SCLC’s work for the next three years. By prioritizing and focusing efforts, SCLC will emerge a stronger organization able to build on its history by providing even greater returns to the communities it serves.