Grounded in Community, Ready for What’s Next: Indian Prairie Public Library's Strategic Refresh

When you walk through the doors of Indian Prairie Public Library, just across the street from a busy high school in Darien, Illinois, you’ll find a space that’s buzzing with energy. Hundreds of teens come through each afternoon. Families with deep roots in the area—many who’ve lived here for generations—share the space with newcomers from all over the world. The district serves 44,000 residents across Darien, Willowbrook, and a portion of Burr Ridge, a community marked by both cultural and economic diversity. 

“We have billionaires, and we have Section 8 housing,” said Laura Birmingham, Executive Director of Indian Prairie. “That makes our service approach interesting and challenging in all the right ways.” 

It’s a community that’s constantly evolving, and Indian Prairie is committed to evolving with it. But after a major building renovation and the disruptive detour of a global pandemic, Birmingham and her team realized it was time to re-evaluate. Was the library still offering what their community needed most? 

That’s where ReThinking Libraries came in. 

From Renovation to Reimagination 

Prior to the pandemic, the library had already gathered extensive community input and partnered with Product Architecture to refresh the physical space. But when the world changed, Birmingham knew they needed to go further. 

“Once the world fully reopened, libraries were not in people’s regular habits anymore,” she said. “Circulation and program attendance were low. It was a challenge to remind people that we’re still here, and we still have something for them.” 

So from January to June 2024, the library worked with ReThinking Libraries (RTL) on a six-month strategic planning process. The goal: reassess services, realign priorities, and re-engage the public. 

Birmingham and her team shared survey data and background materials, and RTL led a series of focus groups, including one that brought together staff and trustees for a rare—and valuable—cross-functional conversation. “That was new for us,” Birmingham noted. “We learned from each other.” 

From Mission to Action 

One of the biggest surprises of the process? A deep dive into the library’s mission statement and logo. 

“RTL looked at our mission and said, ‘Does this still represent who you are?’” said Birmingham. “That led to some really meaningful work. Once we nailed the mission, we worked with a graphic designer to refresh our logo, too.” 

The new mission statement and strategic plan are already having ripple effects throughout the organization. Staff feel empowered and energized—and they’re not shy about using the plan to advocate for their ideas. 

“The staff are actually quoting the plan when they try to sell ideas to me!” Birmingham said, laughing. “That’s when you know it’s working.” 

The plan isn’t just aspirational—it’s practical. Everything has been mapped out on a five-year calendar. “It’s manageable. It’s not in library lingo, so it’s understandable to the community,” she explained. “That’s really important to us.” 

Centering Equity, Access, and Staff Growth 

As a result of the planning process, Indian Prairie is tackling several key initiatives: 

• Accessibility and Inclusion: The library is working to expand programming for patrons on the autism spectrum and investing in staff training to improve multilingual communication. “We want patrons to feel more welcome, no matter what language they speak,” Birmingham said. 

• Staff Development: From updating performance evaluation metrics to adding positions strategically within budget constraints, the library is strengthening its internal structure. “A lot of the items on our list are foundational—behind-the-scenes things that will support everything else.” 

• Community Engagement: With the new logo launch scheduled for fall, the library is preparing a major visibility push to reconnect with the community. They’re also studying options for a future bookmobile or even a new branch on the western edge of their district—an area that currently has a longer drive to reach the main building. 

A New Model for a New Era 

Even before the strategic plan, Indian Prairie was already shifting how they delivered services. They’ve adopted a new departmental structure that reflects a broader vision of what libraries can be. The Maker Studio, though small, is a vital part of that vision. 

“During the remodel, the public told us they wanted to be creative. So we carved out space for a makerspace,” said Birmingham. “It’s not huge, and people want more equipment, but we’re doing what we can with the space we have.” 

In fact, space limitations are part of what’s driving future thinking. There’s talk of relocating the Maker Studio or opening a separate facility entirely. That kind of forward-looking conversation wouldn’t be happening without the plan. 

Community First 

What hasn’t changed—what anchors the whole operation—is the staff’s commitment to service. 

“We always get great feedback from surveys. People love the library because the staff is kind,” Birmingham shared. “That’s such a great reputation to have in the community. We’re really proud of that.” 

In a time when libraries are being asked to do more with less—and to meet an ever-widening range of needs—Indian Prairie Public Library shows what it looks like to stay grounded in community while planning for the future. Their journey reminds us that strategic planning isn’t just about goals and metrics. It’s about listening, learning, and leading with intention. 

As Birmingham put it, “The plan has helped guide our decision-making, and that’s exciting—for staff, for leadership, and for the people we serve.”