February 2026
February 2026 Standard News article
Gaylee Harris, Director
Montgomery City Public Library
Do you like filling out surveys? Probably not, but please hear me out because MCPL needs your input. The Montgomery City Public Library has a community survey available on our Facebook page and our website, www.mcplmo.com. It’s a short survey of eleven questions that will help the library staff and the Board of Trustees plan the future of MCPL. We kindly ask that you complete the survey as a community member, a non-library user, or an MCPL patron.
The survey’s questions include how often you use the library, the primary reasons for using MCPL, and whether the library offers what you need. The next set of questions asks you to rate the library’s digital offerings (e-books, e-audiobooks, databases on the website) and the helpfulness of the staff. All of these questions tell us how we are currently doing.
Next, the questions are about upcoming renovation possibilities. We need to see if the community is interested in these projects before pursuing them. First, we are considering updating the kitchenette in the Community Room with new appliances, a workstation, and more tools. This would enable MCPL to offer more programs on cooking, meal planning, or healthy eating.
The Creation Station Makerspace has equipment to help patrons start a new hobby, use instead of purchasing, and create crafts to use, gift, or sell. The makerspace includes Cricut cutting machines, heat presses, a sewing machine, a green screen, a Virtual Reality headset, and a design computer located in different areas or closets around the library. The green screen, the Virtual Reality headset, and the design computer are located in the Teen Area of the library and would not be moved. The Cricut cutting machines and heat presses are located in a closet and are wheeled out to use. The sewing machine is located in the Community Room. Because the equipment is scattered or not out at all, not many people know about or use the Creation Station. To increase awareness and usage, we are considering making a dedicated Creation Station area in the Community Room.
Would you use the Creation Station Makerspace if it had its own dedicated space with easy access to the equipment? What other equipment would you use in the Creation Station? These could be items for crafting, technology, or STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math).
It’s important for us to know whether the community would actually attend programs or use the updated kitchen and the Creation Station spaces before we commit to renovating the library space and purchasing new equipment.
The last set of questions asks what features you like from other libraries and what community needs MCPL could address. The answers can help us look toward future programs, projects, or partnerships.
As you can see, the survey is short, sweet, yet important. The survey can be found on the Montgomery City Public Library’s Facebook page and website. Please take a few minutes to complete the MCPL 2026 Community Survey to share your input about the current and future Montgomery City Public Library.