What could Yakima Valley Libraries look like if we moved away from “Gatekeeping” and toward “Empowerment”? This page outlines a roadmap for a library system that values its staff, embraces technology, and leads the community.

Currently, YVL uses a “Bottleneck Model.” Whether it is a website update, a blog post, or a 3D printing program, everything must pass through a single person or department. This creates delays, kills morale, and results in “sterile” public engagement.

Our staff are more than just “clerks”; they are experts in local history, children’s literature, technology, and community needs.

• The Vision: The Children's Department should manage their own blog/calendar. People who promote books should be able to promote books to their audience! The energy for staff engagement and buy in is there if it were ever utilized.
• The Result: Authentic, passionate content that resonates with patrons because it’s written by the people they see every day. Remember our newspaper articles? remember a real person with real experiences interacting with the community? remember partnerships with local groups? remember meeting spaces where people feel safe and valued?

Our website should be as alive as our physical branches.

• Group CMS Access: Instead of “IT-only” access, trained staff in each department should be able to update their own pages.
• Internal Collaboration: Using tools like Microsoft Teams or Lync allows staff to brainstorm “cross-departmental” programs instantly without waiting for a marketing meeting.

Patrons don't want “Corporate Marketing”; they want Library Connection.

• Direct News: Imagine a “Tech Corner” blog updated by staff who actually use the equipment, or a “Local History Highlight” from the archives team.
• Real-Time Response: When a community event happens (like the County Fair), staff can post updates and engage with the community *while it’s happening*, not weeks later.

The greatest cost of gatekeeping is the “Quiet Quitting” it causes. When staff ideas are constantly filtered or denied by a marketing gatekeeper:

• Innovation stops.
• Stats decline.
• Professional dignity is eroded.

The Union Model advocates for a workplace where staff are trusted to be the face and voice of their departments.

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Currently, technology like 3D printers are restricted. In a “Library of the Future” model:

• Open Innovation: Patrons don't just receive prints; they learn CAD design, troubleshooting, and engineering.
• Community Hubs: We rebuild partnerships with the Yakima MakerSpace and local schools to create a county-wide “Innovation Corridor.”
• Staff Experts: Instead of one gatekeeper, every branch has a “community Champion” trained and empowered to help patrons create art and and fun for the whole family. It does not always fit into neat little pieces but events happen and people show up, we count the attendance, real simple, right?

When we restore tools like Microsoft Teams and Group CMS access, the library becomes agile:

• The “Live” Library: Staff can update the website in real-time to reflect local branch events, rather than waiting for IT approval.
• Horizontal Knowledge: A librarian in Sunnyside can instantly share a successful program idea with a colleague in Selah, without a manager “siloing” the conversation.
• We are so afraid at staff “going rouge” and doing something unapproved, and why is that exactly? this is not the path to new ideas.

We shouldn't wait for patrons to come to us; we meet them where they are:

• The Fair & The Festivals: YVL booths should be the highlight of the County Fair—not just passing out bookmarks, but hosting “Mobile Maker Labs.”
• Business Incubation: Providing small business owners and farmers with the tech tools (3D printing for parts, advanced data research) they need to thrive. Computer training? YES people still need it but now they have these pocket ones too! we have a more complicated world than ever to navigate and our patrons do too! how many of the people are trying to fulfill an obligation to their government or family during their library visit? Are we not ambassadors for the information age?

A library system is only as strong as its staff. Our vision includes:

• Contract-Backed Training: Professional development is a standard, not a favor. Staff are given the time and resources to stay ahead of tech trends.
• The “Just Cause” Environment: A workplace where feedback is constructive, and performance plans are actually about improvement, not “papering” files for termination.

When we stop being gatekeepers and start being facilitators, the numbers follow:

• Circulation increases because our collection reflects community needs.
• Door Counts rise because the library is a place of active creation, not just quiet storage.
• Solidarity grows because we are all working toward a shared, inspiring goal.

The November 2025 Budget Hearing revealed a library system that is shrinking, not growing.

• Losing our Partners: The City of Tieton has ended its contract with YVL. This is what happens when “Gatekeeping” replaces “Community Engagement.”
• Surveillance over Innovation: The budget prioritizes “Security Camera Replacement” while Capital Projects for staff and patrons are stagnant.
• The “App” Distraction: Management is prioritizing a controlled “App” while cutting off staff access to collaborative tools like Teams and CMS.
• The Wellness Gap: YVL is taking grant money for “Staff Wellness” while maintaining a culture of PIPs and stifled professional development.

Our Vision: We want a budget that invests in People, not just Cameras. We want funds for the MakerSpaces and Community Outreach that bring cities like Tieton back to the table.

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