In summer 2023, Delaware County Council and Delaware County Libraries (DCL) contracted ReThinking Libraries (RTL) to perform a system-wide evaluation of library services throughout Delaware County.  DCL formed in 1981 and all the public libraries operating within the county at that time joined the federated system. In the intervening 40+ years, there have been many changes to the public library landscape both within the County and the Commonwealth. Population density has shifted, the needs of residents have evolved, and the Pennsylvania Public Library Code and Regulations have been updated necessitating a review of the operations, organization, and practices of DCL. 

ReThinking Libraries assessed the member public libraries and the library system serving residents of Delaware County. During this process, RTL evaluated the member libraries’ current facilities and services and reviewed overall community needs for library services. The report includes a high-level overview of what RTL found, recommendations related to these findings, and all the research, input, and analysis that led to those conclusions. Read the full report below to learn about the scope and findings.

Click here to view the report in PDF format. (PDF) 

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