Mission, Administration and Staff
Mission
Providing opportunities to explore, learn, create and connect.
Vision
Empowered and engaged individuals for a more inclusive and connected Baltimore County community.
We Value
- Our customers and communities
- Equal access and intellectual freedom
- Flexibility and collaboration
- Diversity and inclusion
- Continuous improvement
Our top priority is meeting the evolving needs of all our customers, current and future, in-person and online, internal and external. Every day, we focus on what our library can do to provide innovative, responsive, and relevant services.
Individually, we strive to Be All In:
- Be welcoming
- Be respectful
- Be helpful
- Be knowledgeable
- Be inclusive
- Be engaged
- Be flexible
- Be thoughtful
- Be kind
- Be understanding
Collectively, we are committed to Be All In—we work within our communities to serve the residents of Baltimore County, and we do this together: one library, one team.
We value your opinions. If you have any comments or suggestions, take a moment to complete our customer feedback form.
Anti-Racism and Social Equity Statements
Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) stands against racism, hatred and injustice. We begin by saying that Black lives matter. Always, and in all ways. We continue by recognizing the countless instances of injustice and violence against Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) throughout our history. BCPL unequivocally supports an end to systemic racism and the inequity that exists in our society.
At its core, BCPL’s mission is to transform lives, enabling everyone to reach their fullest potential. However, we cannot begin the work of transformation within our community without committing to diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do. Yet diversity, equity and inclusion are impossible without naming and tackling the obstacle in the path of many to leading full lives of dignity—racism. Systemic racism towards BIPOC undergirds and upholds inequity towards all people. We must acknowledge that centuries of systemic racism have created barriers that limit futures and prevent many from thriving. These systems have persisted in creating two Americas where certain lives are not valued and many are not afforded the essential human right to live a life without fear and with equally-applied justice.
Libraries, including BCPL, have historically claimed to be neutral, choosing not to take sides on what others deemed controversial. But BCPL cannot continue to do so—the cost of neutrality is too high. Neutrality comes from a place of privilege that allows us to ignore the systemic inequities that prevail in our community and society, while remaining comfortable and preserving existing power structures. We can no longer and will no longer stay silent. We must recognize the pain, anger and frustration in our community, and convert that outrage into meaningful and lasting change. BCPL has not consistently led or served with an equity lens, however we pledge to do more to transform ourselves and our communities into ones where all can live their best lives.
We understand that we are merely at the start of an ongoing journey to address racial and social inequity in our community and within our organization. BCPL commits to do better and to be better. We will work and communicate with all segments of our community to improve our own understanding of systemic racism while providing opportunities for the community to do the same. We will develop concrete steps to work toward a better future for each and every one of us.
We will:
- Work to dismantle any systemic racism within our organization and collaborate with partners to dismantle systemic racism throughout the community.
- Hold difficult conversations. For too long the voices of many people in our communities and in our libraries have gone unheard. We pledge to listen, learn and hold ourselves accountable to real, lasting and positive change.
- Utilize the expertise of BCPL's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer to provide staff and customers with the tools needed to achieve greater equity.
- Conduct equity audits to establish and guide a plan of action that covers all aspects of BCPL’s operations and service model, and sets clear goals and objectives for creating a fairer and more equitable anti-racist library.
- Change library policies and practices that are punitive, create barriers to access and harm our community.
- Develop and maintain programs, services and collections that amplify the lives of people of color.
Baltimore County Public Library has partnered with other library systems across the country to sign the following documents:
Publications
Strategic Plan
Reports
- Towson Branch Economic Impact Analysis (PDF)
- FY 2023 Annual Report (PDF)
- FY 2022 Annual Summary (PDF)
- FY 2021 Annual Report (PDF)
Administration
Administrative Offices
320 York Road
Towson, Maryland 21204
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone: 410-887-6100
TTY through Maryland Relay
Board of Library Trustees
Phone: 410-887-6100
The Board’s responsibilities include:
- Appointment of the library director to manage day-to-day operations of the library system.
- Policy formulation. Working with the director and staff, the Board develops policies to ensure that the library system is sound and responds to the needs of the public. Major policy areas include personnel, collection development, public service planning, budgeting and use of technology.
Learn more about the Board of Library Trustees.
Library Leadership Team
The Leadership Team responsibilities include:
- Overseeing all areas of administration and management.
- Communicating administrative plans and policies and sharing feedback from staff.
Learn more about the Library Leadership Team.