Our Mission & Strategic Goals

Our Mission

Suffern Free Library, at the heart of our community, shall provide resources, services and programs to support learning and enhance discovery so that all succeed.

Our Goals

Reimagine Suffern Free Library to meet evolving community needs and improve its ability to identify and respond to changes in the world.

Develop and Promote new service models that reach and excite people about the library.

Create a secure financial future for the Suffern Free Library.

Implement a renewed program of convenient, responsive, customer-focused library service.

Click here to view a copy of the Library’s Long Range Plan 2016-2021.

New Projects for 2024-2025

There have been many updates and changes in the Library in the past couple of years, and much more is yet to come. Here is a letter from the Library Director, Darlene Alessi, updating you as to what to expect in the near future.

Summer Letter 2024

New carpets have been installed in the lower level

Suffern Room and Large Meeting Room have been painted

Overnight Pickup Lockers

New Library Catalog and New Internal Library Software for checkout

Self-Checkout system with RFID technology

Introduced new materials for lending such as mobile hotspots, hiking bags, crochet and knitting kits

New Projects for 2022-2023

When you visit the Library in the upcoming year, you’ll see some changes. The Library building is now over 20 years old and it’s time for some updating and freshening up. You’ll see fresh paint in certain areas, more color, new furniture, and a brighter environment. We will post updates here regularly to keep you abreast of these changes.

March 2022:

  • Our Children’s Room, YA Room, sections of the Adult Reference Room including the study rooms, and Café Area have been painted.
  • We have new furniture in the Café Area.

May 2022:

  • New carpets have been installed in the Children’s Room.

June 2022:

  • New carpets in the New Books and New Media area, circulation workroom, and administration offices.

September 2022:

  • Received a grant from PLA for the Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T. Have purchased Chromebooks and tablets for public classes and public use.

October 2022:

  • Grand opening of the Library’s new outdoor patio and storytime gazebo.

December 2022:

  • Opening of the new Bridges Library Cafe.