The Johnson County Library is opening its doors to the public for a major update to its Comprehensive Library Master Plan. This long‑range roadmap will guide how the library evolves to meet the changing needs of Johnson County families, students, and lifelong learners.
How residents can help shape the future
Library staff are encouraging anyone who uses the library—whether you visit weekly, occasionally, or not at all—to submit ideas through an online survey at jocolibrary.org/next-chapter or by adding thoughts to the Ideas Wall in the Central Resource Library.
The call for input comes as the library looks beyond traditional book lending to expand creative, educational, and community‑building offerings. Suggested projects already on the table include:
- Virtual‑reality learning labs and interactive projection walls
- DIY creation corners and expanded makerspace equipment, such as specialty printers and book‑binding tools
- Teaching kitchens where neighbors can learn to cook together
- Jazz concerts paired with curated learning resources
- Game rooms and hangout spaces for teens and adults
- Quiet walking clubs that listen to audiobooks while strolling
- Gardening demonstrations, seed libraries, and community gardens
- Repurposing old periodicals into community art projects
- Programs on composting, solar energy, first‑aid training, and disaster preparedness
- Lending collections that include puzzles, board games, cooking tools, fishing poles, and sewing machines
- Memory Labs at branch locations to digitize photos and home movies
- Mother’s rooms and larger family restrooms
- Homeschool‑friendly events and an adult summer reading program
- More evening and weekend family programs
Current library services
Even before the master‑plan refresh, Johnson County Library already offers a robust suite of services. Patrons can use free computers, meeting and study spaces, printing, scanning, and technology assistance. The eLibrary provides eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming movies, digital magazines, newspapers, research databases, and language‑learning tools. Residents can explore family history, digitize treasured memories, and receive one‑on‑one help from librarians.
Through the Community Connections program, the library also links patrons with partners that provide job‑search support, mobile health care, and recovery resources, reinforcing the library’s role as a hub for both information and essential services.
Why the master plan matters
By gathering ideas directly from the community, the library aims to ensure that future investments reflect the values and priorities of Johnson County families. The process underscores a commitment to traditional families, individual liberty, and the faith‑based ethic of service that many residents hold dear.
“Our library is more than a building of books; it’s a place where neighbors gather, learn, and grow together,” said Library Director Sarah Martinez. “We want the next chapter of our library to be shaped by the very people who walk through our doors every day.”
Residents are encouraged to submit their thoughts as soon as possible. The library will review all feedback and incorporate the most popular and feasible ideas into the final master plan, which will be presented to the public later this year.
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
