Mission

The mission of the Lake Bluff Library is to act as a vibrant community center that provides materials and services to enhance individual knowledge, offer personal enjoyment, expand technological resources, and facilitate civic interaction. (Mission Statement, Approved by the Board of Trustees in May 2013).

Values Statement

Lake Bluff Public Library Values Statement The Lake Bluff Public Library is a community service organization that provides materials, services, physical space, and programming to meet the educational and enrichment needs of the community. The Library holds the following values to be at the heart of what we do:

  • Accountability – Responsible use of taxpayer funds and transparent communication about financial and operational activities is of critical importance to the Library.
  • Accessibility – Information in a wide range of formats is made available to all patrons.
  • Conversation – Discussion with individuals and organizations in the community is essential to perfecting and expanding what we currently offer.
  • Customer Service – The Library strives to provide high quality, friendly, and courteous customer service to all patrons.
  • Democracy – The Library provides equal access to materials and an equal voice for all.
  • Diversity – The Library strives to include diverse perspectives on major issues, a range of voices and views from many different countries and ethnicities, and a carefully curated core of materials in each subject and collection.
  • Intellectual Freedom – Materials are not censored or restricted based on content, and all efforts to censor, remove, or restrict materials are resisted.
  • Privacy – The Library collects the minimum amount of personal identifying information that it needs to operate and certain information—such as individual checkout history—is never collected. Any patron data that the Library retains is confidential.
  • Service – Guidance with collection usage, research, and technology are among the many services available. The Lake Bluff Public Library rejects views of exclusivity as antithetical to its mission and values, including censorship, racism, and prejudice. We strive to make the Library a safe and welcoming place for all patrons; we hope that this affirmation of our values further supports that effort. Approved by the Lake Bluff Public Library Board of Trustees on August 18, 2020.