Harford County Public Library serves 250,025 residents of Harford County through its 11 branches, one administration headquarters, two mobile vehicles, and virtual presence. Just over 196,000 residents, or 78% of the population, have library cards. In FY18, borrowing of the one million items in the collection exceeded 3.7 million, 9.5% of which was downloadable material. The system saw 1.5 million visitors through their facilities’ doors and experienced 11 million virtual visits. Inquiries or requests for assistance totaled 465,000, of which 265,000 were reference questions. Over 400,000 public PC sessions were logged, and users with their own devices launched over 255,000 Wi-Fi sessions.

The Library’s first Strategic Plan was written 36 years ago in 1978. Each successive plan has incorporated input from a variety of sources, including customer assessments, surveys, and environmental scans to prioritize goals and objectives for the following three to five years. This strategic plan, Lead . . . Engage. . . Exceed! A Strategic Plan for the Harford County Public Library, identifies the uniqueness of the Library’s role in engaging partners in community conversations, providing enriching experiences for customers of all ages, and fostering the development and launch of innovative and critical products that meet the needs of the community. As a recognized innovator and leader among the nation’s public libraries, Harford County Public Library (HCPL) is enthusiastically looking forward to implementing this plan. The Library provides opportunities to all through education, training, technology, interactive play and more. This Strategic Plan is the catalyst for change while nurturing the love of reading in the community and narrowing the digital divide.