Strategic Plan

Forward to the Future

Strategic Plan

2025-2029

Warwick, the Crossroads of Rhode Island

Warwick, Rhode Island's second largest city, is found in Kent County. Warwick is located approximately 12 miles south of downtown Providence, 63 miles southwest of Boston, and 171 miles northeast of New York City. According to Census population estimates for 2023, the population of the City is 82,999. (Bureau, 2024)

Geography

Warwick is located at 41֯43'N 71֯25'W. The city has a total area of 49.6 square miles, of which 35.5 square miles is land and 14.1 square miles is water. Warwick's entire eastern edge is waterfront, starting with the Providence River at its northern border with Cranston. Conimicut Point marks the end of the river and the beginning of Narragansett Bay, which extends beyond the city's southern limit on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. Two southern Warwick peninsulas, Warwick Neck and Potowomut, enclose the water to form Greenwich Bay.

Warwick is bordered by Cranston to the north, West Warwick to the west, and East Greenwich to the south. The city's southernmost neighborhood, Potowomut, is semi-exclave, or reachable by land only by passing through East Greenwich. Through Potowomut, Warwick also shares a border with North Kingstown. Because of the North Kingstown border, Warwick borders two Rhode Island Counties: Providence and Washington.

With 39 miles of scenic coastline and a central location that provides easy access to just about any Rhode Island destination, Warwick is a great place to visit and live. With that said, if you ask a Warwick resident where they are from, and you are bound to get an answer of one of the more than 30 villages, each with its own identity and rich history. The villages are as follows (NOTE: There is a Library location in the villages with an asterisk. Pontiac also has its own independent Library):

• Apponaug*
• Arnold's Neck
• Bush Neck Cove
• Buttonwoods
• Cedar Tree Point
• Chepiwanoxet
• Coles
• Conimicut*
• Cowesett
• Duby Grove
• East Natick
• Gaspee Point
• Greenwood
• Governor Francis Farms
• Hillsgrove
• Hoxie
• Kettle Corner*
• Lakewood
• Lincoln Park
• Nausauket
• Natick
• Norwood*
• Oakland Beach
• Old Buttonwoods
• Pawtuxet Village (also in Cranston)
• Pocasset
• PontiacPFL (also in Cranston)
• Potowomut
• Riverview
• Sawomet
• Warwick Neck
• Wildes Corner

History

Warwick was founded in 1642 by Samuel Gorton, a religious rebel who had been banished from Boston; Plymouth, Massachusetts; and Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Gorton purchased the land that became Warwick and the nearby towns of West Warwick and Coventry from Narragansett Indian Chief Sachem Miantonomi for 144 fathoms of "wampumpeague" (wampum). In1648. He was granted a charter by Robert Rich, the Earl of Warwick and Governor and Chief of the Colonies. In gratitude, Gorton changed the name of his settlement from Shawomett to Warwick.

In 1772, a year before the famous Boston Tea Party, Warwick was the scene of the first act of rebellion against the English. Local sailors and merchants were tired of having their ships unjustly harassed and detained by the British revenue cutter HMS Gaspee. The ship ran aground and, before the tide could refloat it, the colonists acted. Plotting revenge, they detained the ship's commander and then set fire to the Gaspee, burning her to the waterline and causing her powder magazine to explode. British efforts to learn the names of the culprits were unsuccessful, although a sizable reward had been offered. Proud of their part in launching a revolution, Warwick residents celebrate Gaspee Days each June with a parade, a re-enactment of the burning of the ship, and other activities.

Warwick militiamen fought proudly in the American Revolution, participating in the battles of Montreal, Quebec, Saratoga, Monmouth, Trenton, and Rhode Island. They were also present for the surrender at Yorktown.

During the Civil War, Warwick residents responded to all eight calls for volunteers. Many young men from the town's oldest families served. The History of Warwick, Rhode Island, from its Settlement in 1642 to the Present Time (1875) by Oliver P. Fuller lists at least 15 Arnolds, 6 Rhodeses, 15 Greenes, and 8 Gortons in the ranks. They were joined by the Braytons, Rays, Bennetts, and Browns. In addition, new names in the area were added from the ranks of the Irish, who had come to build the railroad in the 1840s and who worked in area mills. Now, names such as Carroll, Gallagher, Finnegan, Duffy, and O'Neill appeared with frequency in all regiments from Warwick. Among the most famous Warwick Civil War heroes were Elisha Hunt Rhodes, George Sears Greene, Governor William Sprague, Samuel Dana Greene, and Charles R. Brayton.

Rhode Island, the last state to join the Union, was the first to offer to defend it as Gov. Sprague led the First RI Regiment to Washington, DC. He was also present at the disastrous First Battle of Bull Run. During the fight, in which the First and Second Rhode Island Regiments took part, Sprague narrowly missed death a number of times. In the panic that followed the Union Army's attempt to make an orderly retreat, 167 R.I. troops died. After this battle, the First RI Regiment disbanded, and Sprague returned to Rhode Island.

The 2nd Regiment remained and went on to take part in nearly every significant action of the war in the east. One of the soldiers who captured the very essence of the war was Elisha Hunt Rhodes. He enlisted as a private at age 19 in 1861 and rose to the rank of colonel by the end of the war. Rhodes' story is eloquently retold in All for the Union, edited by his kinsman, Robert Hunt Rhodes.

Rhodes made it very clear from the very first he was doing it "all for the Union." His letters bring forth an insight into the struggle that is unequaled. From these letters Rhodes took readers through the war from the troops leaving Providence to the Potomac to the Rappahanock, which he says "resembles the Pawtuxet very much," and on to the final victory at Appomattox. Rhodes participated in the first battle of Bull Run, where the nation learned of the horrible reality of war. He and the RI 2nd, along with the 4th, 7th and 12th RI Regiments, were present at the tragic disaster at Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862. At this battle, the 12th was in the "hottest part of the fight" and lost 109 men, killed or wounded. Sixteen of these casualties were from Warwick. Rhodes was also a participant in the Wilderness Campaign and in the siege of Petersburg.

Abundant supplies of water power enabled Warwick to enter the Industrial Revolution and emerge as a major textile manufacturing center. The Fruit of the Loom Company was founded in Warwick at the B.B. & R. Knight Mill on the Pawtuxet River. By the close of the 19th century, Warwick was one of the wealthiest communities in Rhode Island.

Blessed with a magnificent coastline and many beautiful stretches of beachfront, Warwick became a summer playground for the wealthy during the Gilded Age. Before the Great Depression and the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, more millionaires called Warwick their summer home than any other location in the country.

In 1929, Rhode Island began construction of the HIllsgrove State Airport in the center of Warwick. When it was complete it was called "the most modern airport in the nation." Now known as Rhode Island Theodore Francis Green International Airport after a former Governor and US Senator, T.F. Green has recently undergone major renovations and offers more than 160 flights via major carriers.

Warwick was incorporated as a city in 1931 and elected its first mayor, Pierce Brereton in 1932. By the 1950's, the textile industry was waning in New England, but the post-war housing boom had begun. The rural farms of Warwick gave way to new homes as people left the hustle and bustle of the cities for the ease of life in the suburbs.

Transportation

There are a number of major transportation routes and hubs located within the City of Warwick. Interstate 95 is the major thoroughfare through Rhode Island, with the first southbound exit in Warwick found at Jefferson Boulevard and ending with the Route 117 interchange near the Apponaug rotaries. Interstate 295 connects to the main highway at exit 27, providing direct travel to Woonsocket and Massachusetts. Smaller routes include Route 37, or the Lincoln Avenue Freeway, connecting Route 295 with US Route 1, and the Airport Connector Road.

The Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport is the main airport serving the state and region and is located in Warwick. The airport also has a railroad station on the Providence/Stoughton Commuter Rail Line (MBTA Commuter Rail), providing weekday service to Providence Station and beyond to Boston's South Station.

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) currently offers 14 fixed-route bus schedules with stops in Warwick. They include the following (NOTE: Routes with stops near a branch have a notation identifying them):

• 1 – Eddy/Hope/Benefit
• 3 – Oakland Beach
• 4 – Warwick NeckWCO
• 12x Arctic/117 Express Park-n-Ride
• 13 – Coventry/Arctic CCRI
• 14 – West BayWAR
• 16 – Bald Hill/NEIT/Quonset
• 20 – Elmwood Avenue/T.F. Green Airport
• 21 – Reservoir Garden City/CCRI
• 22 – Pontiac AvenueWPO
• 23 – Arctic/Crompton/Centre of New England
• 29 – CCRI Warwick/Conimicut WAP/WAR/WCO
• 30 – Arlington/Oaklawn
• 66 – URI/Galilee

There are no bus routes with stops near the Norwood Branch.

The City of Warwick's Transwick service provides transportation services to otherwise homebound Warwick residents 55 and older who are living independently as well as adults with disabilities living independently. Transwick addresses the transportation needs of those without alternate means of transportation or other opportunities for socialization. This service is limited to certain destinations within the City of Warwick and is not intended to supplement, extend, or subsidize services provided by other vendors or for-profit institutions.

Education

The local public schools are operated by the Warwick School Department. Toll Gate High School and Pilgrim high school are the two public high schools in the city. The two public middles schools are Winman Junior High School and Warwick Veterans Junior High School. Aldrich Junior High School and Gorton Junior High School were closed in 2016 as part of a school consolidation project. There are 13 public elementary schools in the city:

• Cedar Hill
• Greenwood
• Holliman
• Hoxsie
• Lippitt
• Norwood
• Oakland Beach
• Park
• Robertson
• Scott
• Sherman
• Warwick Neck
• Wyman

The Warwick School Department also oversees the Warwick Early Learning Center at John Brown Francis and the Warwick Area Career & Technical Center. The school department is headed by Superintendent Lynn Dambruch and Assistant Superintendent William McCaffrey.

There are also a number of private and parochial schools within the City. Bishop Hendricken High School is an all-male, college preparatory Catholic high school. Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Hope is a second Catholic high school located within the City. There are also three Catholic schools that serve the PreK and elementary through middle school grades: St. Kevin, St. Peter, and St. Rose of Lima.

Rocky Hill Country Day School is a pre-K, co-ed, secular school located on the Potowomut peninsula. The school lists an East Greenwich address despite being geographical located within the borders of the City of Warwick.

The Community College of Rhode Island Knight Campus is also located in Warwick on the former Knight Estate.

The New England Institute of Technology has two campuses located in the City. The Post Road Campus provides access to its majors in Building Construction, Plumbing and Heating, and Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning, and the Access Road Campus hosts its majors in Automotive Technology, Criminal Justice, Electrical Technology, Marine Technology, and Welding Technology. Both campus are located within 10 minutes of each other and the main campus in neighboring East Greenwich.

Library History, Background, and Environment

In 1960, Warwick had seven small, independent libraries: Apponaug Free Library, Conimicut Public Library, Lakewood Free Library, Norwood Public Library, Oakland Beach Library, Old Warwick League Library, and the Pontiac Free Library. In total, libraries were open 80 hours a week. In 1961, Mayor Horace Hobbs, recognizing the need for a central library that would serve the City's growing population, approved establishing a Central Library Study Committee to look at the feasibility of building a free central library. The committee issued a 14-page report concluding that "Warwick's library facilities, when measured against the needs of the community that Warwick has become, are grossly inadequate."

In November 1962, the city approved a $500,000 bond issue for a central library. An additional $310,000 from a federal grant assured the library would be constructed. In 1963, a 6.6-acre lot on Sandy Lane was purchased and the land was cleared for construction by February 1964. The new library opened on May 3, 1965, and the Library opened the following morning at 9:00 am.

In September 1966, the Library became one of the first public libraries in Rhode Island to convert to the Library of Congress Classification System, rather than the Dewey Decimal System. It took five years to complete.

That same year, the Pontiac Free Library initially opted to join the Warwick Public Library system rather than replace their retiring librarian, and an agreement was created and approved by the Board of Trustees of both Libraries in February 1967. There was no movement forward on this agreement as the two Libraries remain independent today.

The Warwick Public Library was designated a government depository in January 1967.

In 1968, the Norwood Library became a member of the Warwick Public Library system

The Arthur D. Little Company of Cambridge, Massachusetts, completed a community survey in 1970 that provided a number of recommendations for the future of the Library system. As a result of the report, a federation of libraries was formed in 1971that was intended to include the Apponaug, Conimicut, Norwood, and Pontiac Libraries. The Norwood Library was the first to join the federation, followed by the libraries in Apponaug and then in Conimicut. The Pontiac Library refused to join and continued on independently. As the year continued, the Old Warwick League Library, the Lakewood Free Library, and the Oakland Beach Library phased out operations.

By 1976, it became clear the Central Library was in need of an expansion due to the rapid growth of the collection and the growth of the facility as an essential information center for the community. This expansion increased the Central Library's size by about a third of the original area. The remodeled building was dedicated on September 11, 1976.

Technology started to revolutionize library services in the 1980s. In July 1986, the Library converted to an automated circulation system, issuing new library cards that resembled credit cards with a barcode label. It is also at this time the Library became part of a joint automation project called the Cooperating Libraries Automated Network (CLAN), which allowed patrons to be a part of a statewide system of libraries. This consortium is now called Ocean State Libraries (OSL). In April 1993, the Library became the first in Rhode Island to offer its inventory and resources over a LAN in order for patrons to access content from sixteen CD-ROMs from a multiple of computer work stations at the same time.

The City once again began the planning process to explore the expansion and renovation of the Central Library in 1994. In October 1996, ground was broken on the Library's second renovation, which nearly doubled the size of the building. The building was once again rededicated on January 24, 1999. The Library also launched its first website in 1996.

The Library has continued to make improvements to the buildings in the system. In 2022, the City received a federal grant to provide significant ADA-upgrades at the Conimicut and Norwood branches. Improvements will make bathroom facilities, building entrances, and transitions between floors ADA-compliant by 2030.

Today, the City continues to have two Library systems serving the community: the Pontiac Free Library and the Warwick Public Library, which has four locations: Apponaug, Conimicut, and Norwood Branches and the Central Library.

Resources: Community Partners

Current Partners

• Bridgemark Addiction Recovery Services
• Child, Inc., Warwick
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Gaspee Days Committee
• Kent County Prevention Coalition
• Pilgrim Senior Center
• Rhode Island Community Food Bank
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
• Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project (RIMAP)
• Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN)
• RI PBS Educators
• Thrive Behavioral Health
• United States Department of Agriculture
• United Way of Rhode Island
• Warwick Arts Foundation
• Warwick HEZ
• Warwick Historical Society
• Warwick School Department
• Warwick V.O.W.S. (Volunteers of Warwick Schools)
• West Bay Community Action

Potential Partners

• Association of Rhode Island Authors (ARIA)
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick
• Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce
• Community College of Rhode Island
• Community Residents, Inc.
• The Gamm Theatre
• House of Hope
• The J. Arthur Trudeau Memorial Center
• Kent County YMCA
• Kent Hospital
• MENTOR Rhode Island
• New England Institute of Technology
• Rhode Island ASPCA
• Title I Program
• Village Common of Warwick
• Warwick Social Services Department

Mission Statement

The Library's mission is to improve the quality of life for those living and working in Warwick through learning, personal discovery, and the free flow of information and ideas.

Values Statement

At Warwick Public Library, we believe all members of our community deserve free and open access to information and educational resources. We strive to provide high-quality service to all members of the community, with a focus on services, collections, and programming for all populations in the community. We believe literacy is essential for the well-being of every community and that informed residents contribute to a thriving community.

SWOT Analysis

Goals & Objectives

Service Populations

The Unhoused

• Coordinate social services staff from the City to hold some office hours at the Library or to support increasing staffing in the office to do this. This would include helping to promote the need for a fully trained social worker and related staff in the City's Social Services Department.
  Completion Date: December 2028
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration
• Offer training opportunities for staff so they can better understand and serve these populations.
  Completion Date: Ongoing
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & Department Heads
• Coordinate with area food pantries/soup kitchens and shelters within the city.
  Completion Date: September 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & Branch Heads
• Coordinate with non-profits that could hold office hours within the Library to help connect this population with related services.
  Completion Date: January 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration

New Adults (Ages 18-25/30)

• Design and present programming on a quarterly basis that would be of interest to this age group.
  Completion Date: September 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Adult Services Staff & Teen Staff

Older Adults & Veterans

• Create a full-time dedicated librarian position adapted from an existing Adult Services Librarian position to increase a focus on these populations.
  Completion Date: January 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & Adult Services Coordinator
• Coordinate more programs and services with the Pilgrim Senior Center and area senior residential communities as well as veterans organizations and programs
  Completion Date: March 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Senior & Veterans Services Coordinator & Community Services Coordinator
• Install travel libraries at City nursing homes utilizing discarded books.
  Completion Date: December 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Senior & Veterans Services Coordinator & Community Services Coordinator
• Coordinate with the Village Common of Warwick to expand home delivery service to include some deliveries to be made in person, including safety checks and opportunities for social visits.
  Completion Date: January 2027
  Position(s) Responsible: Adult Services Coordinator & Senior & Veterans Services Coordinator & Community Services Coordinator

Developmentally Challenged and Neurodivergent Patrons

• Increase cooperation with the Trudeau Center and area group homes.
  Completion Date: January 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Adult Services Coordinator
• Current art and book group offerings are popular. Expand on programming opportunities to include Library tours.
  Completion Date: July 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Adult Services Department
• Offer training opportunities for staff so they can better understand and serve these populations.
  Completion Date: October 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration
• Evaluate current family programming with an eye to creating sensory play kits for families.
  Completion Date: September 2025 & Ongoing
  Position(s) Responsible: Youth Services Department

Facilities

Central Library Greenspaces

• Redesign the Central Library's greenspace so it can be better utilized as a space for relaxation and be available for programming opportunities.
  Completion Date: January 2028
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & Maintenance Department & Coordinator of Collection & Technical Services
• Redesign the landscape and décor on the Sandy Lane side of the building.
  Completion Date: January 2028
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & Maintenance Department & Coordinator of Collection & Technical Services
• Implement a maintenance plan for the space that incorporates the existing lawn maintenance contract with a vendor as well as adding trimming and shaping shrubs and trees.
  Completion Date: February 2026 & Ongoing
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & Maintenance Department
• Partner with an area gardening club or group of URI Master Gardeners to maintain flower beds in the Greenspace. This could also be done by forming a gardening club as a library program with a partnership with an area nursery or farm.
  Completion Date: July 2026 & Ongoing
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & Adult Services Department & Coordinator of Collection & Technical Services

Maintenance Staffing

• Increase staffing in the Maintenance Department to four positions so there is one staff member for each building in the Library system. This position would initially be seeded as a PT 19-hour Building Custodian position.
  Completion Date: July 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration
• Add scheduled Sunday hours in the Maintenance Department each week the Library is open on Sunday.
  Completion Date: September 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration

Branches

• Create a dedicated full-time Librarian II – Coordinator of Branch & Outreach Services position to coordinate services and programming at the branches in order to better meet the unique needs and interests in each branch's neighborhood.
  Completion Date: July 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration
• Increase funding for maintenance at the branches to $50,000 to better maintain the facilities and be proactive about repairs.
  Completion Date: July 2028
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration
• Coordinate Library staff in participation with the neighborhood association for each branch's neighborhood. This would include having a representative of the library attending regular association meetings.
  Completion Date: September 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & Branch Heads
• Create a social media campaign to support the Branches by showcasing their programs, services, and collections.
  Completion Date: July 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Social Media Committee

Technology

Cybersecurity and Data Protection

• Research, test, and assess Multifactor Authentication (MFA) solutions to enhance login security for staff accessing critical systems.
  Completion Date: September 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Technology Department
• Train staff on Data Security by providing ongoing opportunities for staff to be exposed to best practices, phishing threats, and secure password management.
  Completion Date: September 2025 & Ongoing
  Position(s) Responsible: Technology Department
• Review and develop a disaster recovery plan outlining response protocols for failures, cyber incidents and data loss in all critical systems.
  Completion Date: March 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Technology Department

Training and Instruction

• Conduct surveys and/or interviews to identify and assess existing technology skills, knowledge gaps and professional interests.
  Completion Date: December 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Technology Department
• Develop targeted staff training by providing ongoing instruction to address skill gaps, ensuring staff are equipped to support patrons and library technology.
  Completion Date: January 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Technology Department
• Create a Library Tech Team to focus on improving the organization and delivery of public technology assistance through the enhancement of staff coordination, communication, and planning strategies.
  Completion Date: September 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & Technology Department & Adult Services Department

Technology Audit and Improvements

• Conduct a comprehensive audit to identify failing technology, including WiFi, computers, security cameras, self-check stations, presentation equipment, and video monitors in order to assess and prioritize upgrades.
  Completion Date: July 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Technology Department
• Update the Library's Technology Plan and return to an annual review of the plan and a new update every three years.
  Completion Date: January 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Technology Department
• Implement system upgrades and replacements for outdated hardware and software, ensuring compatibility and security requirements.
  Completion Date: September 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Technology Department
• Enhance reliability and security through the establishment of a routine maintenance schedule, upgrade backup systems, and implement regular system checks to ensure long-term functionality and data protection.
  Completion Date: July 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Technology Department

Outreach

Enhance the Pop-Up Library Van Experience

• Streamline the process for restocking the van after site visits.
  Completion Date: September 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Deputy Director & Youth Services Coordinator & Adult Services Coordinator & Community Services Coordinator
• Improve the current process for compiling and sharing usage data collected during site visits.
  Completion Date: December 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Deputy Director & Youth Services Coordinator & Adult Services Coordinator & Community Services Coordinator
• Investigate ways to store materials and supplies in the van for better functionality.
  Completion Date: July 2026
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration

Promotion of Outreach Services

• Develop a list of "Pop-Up Library" options that will allow patrons to understand our outreach services better and be more specific with their requests. This list will be included in an enhanced request form and process that can be accessed through the Library's website.
  Completion Date: September 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Deputy Director & Youth Services Coordinator & Adult Services Coordinator & Community Services Coordinator
• Revise the Library website to incorporate additional information and photographs detailing our outreach services, thereby improving the Library's marketing efforts.
  Completion Date: December 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Deputy Director & Youth Services Coordinator & Adult Services Coordinator & Community Services Coordinator & Technology Coordinator
• Expand marketing efforts by creating targeted promotions to effectively communicate the library's services to community partners, stakeholders, and local businesses through the formation of a marketing committee, whose members will receive training in good writing, basic design, and the effective use of social media.
  Completion Date: September 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Deputy Director & Youth Services Coordinator & Adult Services Coordinator & Community Services Coordinator
• Provide every first grader in the schools in Warwick with a library card.
  Completion Date: September 2027 & Ongoing
  Position(s) Responsible: Youth Services Department

Assess Outreach Efforts

• Conduct yearly public surveys to gather feedback on outreach services to identify strengths, needs, and areas for improvement.
  Completion Date: December 2025 & Ongoing
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration
• Conduct yearly staff surveys on outreach efforts to assess effectiveness and identify opportunities for growth.
  Completion Date: December 2025 & Ongoing
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration
• Analyze survey results to uncover trends, gaps, and opportunities for growth.
  Completion Date: January 2026 & Ongoing
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration

EDI Initiative

Staffing

• Hire public services staff with Spanish Language and/or American Sign Language fluency.
  Completion Date: July 2028
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration
• Provide training for staff who would like to develop Spanish Language and/or American Sign Language skills.
  Completion Date: July 2027
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration
• Provide $2,000 a year for the EDI Committee to present programs in conjunction with some of its monthly displays.
  Completion Date: July 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & EDI Committee
• Provide $2,000 a year for Spanish Language materials to be added to the Adult Collection and $500 a year for Spanish Language materials to be added to the Teen Collection.
  Completion Date: July 2025
  Position(s) Responsible: Library Administration & EDI Committee & Coordinator of Collection & Technical Services & Teen Librarian

Review

Every six months, the Library Administration and department heads will review the Strategic Plan at one of their monthly staff meetings to determine whether the goals and objectives set forth in the time line are being met by the dates set forth in the plan. If any goal or objective has not been met according to schedule, a determination will be made whether that objective is still relevant. If the goal or objective is still deemed relevant, then an assessment will be made as to why the objective was not achieved according to plan, and the Administration—with the help of the departmental heads—will develop strategies and propose budgetary resources to achieve implementation within a timely and cost-effective manner. If the objective is no longer relevant or possible—whether due to changing needs, emerging technologies, or budgetary constraints—an assessment will be made as to whether it should be amended, assigned a new timeline, or simply deleted from the plan. The Strategic Plan will then be revised to reflect the changing needs of the community and/or the library's ability to achieve its goals.

At the same time, the Administrative team (consisting of all of the departmental heads as well as administrative staff) will determine whether the staff or the Board of Trustees have identified any new goals or objectives over the prior twelve months which should be added to the plan. If so, a timeline for these objectives shall be inserted into the revised plan.

Each year in December, the Administration will present a report to the Library Trustees providing an update on the status of the Strategic Plan. This will include progress that was made in meeting goals, discussion of goals that were not achieved that includes recommendations for proposed strategies to address objectives that were not met as planned. The report will also present proposed amendments to the plan that might include discarding, modifying, or adding any objectives.

Index (Community Inventory Data)

General Population Data

Total Population
82,823
P1|2020 Decennial Census

82,999
Population Estimates, July 1, 2023 (V2023), QuickFacts: Warwick city, Rhode Island, US Census

Age Demographics
S0101|2022 ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables

Median Age in Warwick – 42.9 Years
Median Age in Rhode Island – 40.8 Years
S0101|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Older Population
22.4% of the population is 65 Years and Older in Warwick
19.4% of the population is 65 Years and Older in Rhode Island
DP05|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Veterans

Veteran Population
5.6% of the population is a veteran in Warwick
4.5% of the population is a veteran in Rhode Island
2101|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Veteran Population by Gender - 95.6% Male / 4.4% Female
2101|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Residential Mobility
Move from a Different State in the Last Year in Warwick, Rhode Island – 2.9%
S0701|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Language
23.2% Speak a Language Other than English in the Home
S1601| 2023 American Survey 1-Year Estimates

Hispanic or Latino (of any race) – 5,019 (6.06%)
P9|2020 Decennial Census

Ethnic Ancestry
Irish – 25.1%
Italian – 19.7%
English – 13.6%
French (except Basque) - 8.9%
German – 5.5%
Polish – 3.5%
Scottish – 1.8%
Subsaharan African – 0.9%
Norwegian – 0.3%
DP02|2022 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Foreign Born Population
Foreign Born Population in Warwick – 5.6%
Foreign Born Population in Rhode Island – 14.7%
DP02|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Naturalized US Citizen – 68.2%
Not a US Citizen – 31.8%

Racial Ancestry

P8 & P9|2020 Decennial Census

Total Households is 36,989
DP02|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Poverty – All People in Warwick – 9.7%
Poverty – All People in Rhode Island – 10.8%
S1701|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Poverty by Age
Under 18 years Old – 13.2%
18-64 Years – 7.7%
65 Years and Over – 12.5%
S1701|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

While there is a strong level of cooperation between many of the youth-serving organizations, there currently is no council of organizations bringing them all together. Considering the size of the City and the number of organizations that would be involved, Library staff do not feel like they could take on spearheading this effort alone.

Schools

Grades included.

13 Public Elementary Schools Grades K-5
1 Public Early Learning School Pre-K
2 Public Middle Schools Grades 6-8
2 Public High Schools Grades 9-12
3 Parochial Schools Grades PreK- 8
1 Parochial All Boys School Grades 8-12
2 Child, Inc. Preschool Locations
1 Special Education State Funded School Eleanor Briggs Grades 1-12
Various Daycares/Preschools Privately Funded
Community College of RI Adults
New England Institute of Technology Adults

School Enrolled Population in Kindergarten to 12 Grade in Warwick – 67.9%
School Enrolled Population in Kindergarten to 12 Grade in Rhode Island – 59.2%

School Enrollment (Ages 3 Years & Over)
Nursery School/Preschool – 3.7%
Kindergarten to 12th Grade – 67.9%
College/Undergraduate – 17.5%
Graduate/Professional School – 10.9%
S1401|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimate

School Racial Demographics

Lipitt Elementary has a K-5 special education program for all disabilities. Park Elementary is an ESL specialized school, K-5. Oakland Beach Elementary has a summer breakfast/lunch program. We do not have complete information for most of the schools.

Number of homeschooled students in Warwick by School year.

Rhode Island Department of Education DataCenter|Home School Students 2014-2025

Distance from school to public library

Potential Transportation Problems
Walking: There are only a couple schools that are truly walking distance to either Central/Branches. Other schools may be a short distance, however, it would be too dangerous to walk because of the rotaries, crossing busy streets, and traffic: Norwood Elementary to Norwood Branch & Veterans Middle School to Central.

By Car: Children would need someone to drive them to the library, however, that is not always possible because people work, do not own a car, siblings, etc.

By Bus: RIPTA has limited service to the libraries. Most of the time, people would need to take more than one bus to get to a library, unless they live on the Warwick Loop #29 RIPTA route.

Yes, we are asked to attend various Open Houses, Literacy Night, and this past year, to bring the Pop-Up Library out for visits. Staff usually go out to public schools to talk about the summer reading challenges at the elementary schools and the middle schools. Child, Inc. has reached out for staff to come to the school for a storytime on a regular bases.

The Central Library hosts classes from the middles schools and the elementary schools each month. The Warwick Transition program also brings classes to the Central Library multiple times a year.

In October 2023, our Coordinator of Youth Services reached out via email to her librarian contacts at the schools. One librarian sent in a response.

"This is my first year as a librarian, and I've been excited to cover various topics, from Hispanic Heritage Month to coding. In my classroom, I've set up STEM stations where students enjoy hands-on activities with blocks, puzzles, and other engaging materials.

For the older grades, I've been introducing them to various resources like World Book Kids and Sora, which are invaluable for research and reading. Additionally, I've been teaching them library terminology, including different genres, to help expand their literary knowledge.

With the younger kids, my focus is on more seasonal and social-emotional learning (SEL) activities, creating a well-rounded educational experience for all my students."

By happenstance of multiple children asking for the same materials. For Summer Assignments, the public schools do share the assignments and book lists with the Library. Bishop Hendricken High School also communicates with the Teen Librarian.

No. The Library does have learning and student resources listed on the website, but there is nothing aimed at teachers.

WPS Vision Statement: Warwick Public Schools is committed to providing a supportive and enabling learning environment in which all members of the community are challenged to achieve their individual potential, encouraged to pursue their passions, and expected to fulfill their responsibilities.

No

No.

No. A few of the schools are listed as being able to receive deliveries of items through the statewide delivery service provided by the RI Office of Library & Information Services.

RILINK is a statewide consortium of public and private schools throughout the state. As mentioned in the previous section, a number of Warwick's schools are members. The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) can provide some support, but there is not a strong focus on school libraries or their collections at the agency.

Adults

Total Housing Units – 38,625
H1|2020 Decennial Census

Moved 2021 or Later into Occupied Housing Unit – 23.9% (23.4% in RI)
Owner-Occupied Housing Units – 15.8%
Renter-Occupied Housing Units – 43.6%
S2502|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Homeownership Rate – 71.1% (64.0% in RI)
Monthly Median Gross Rent - $1,322 ($1,365 in RI)
DP04| 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Housing Values
Less than $50,000 – 3.8%
$50,000 to $99,999 – 1.0%
$100,000 to 149,999 – 0.8%
$150,000 to 199,999 – 4.6%
$200,000 to 299,999 – 21.2%
$300,000 to 499,999 – 55.1%
$1,000,000 or more – 1.3%
DP04| 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Total Housing Units – 38,625 Units (483,474 Units in RI)
Occupied Housing Units – 36,555 Units
Vacant Housing Units – 2,070 Units
H1|2020 Decennial Census

Owner Occupied Housing Units by Types of Households
Married-Couple Family – 13,965
Male householder, no spouse present – 2,442
Female householder, no spouse present – 1,911
S2501|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Average Family Size – 2.78 individuals (2.99 in RI)
DP02| 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Marital Status by Sex
Married, Not Separated: Males 49.6% /45.7%
Widowed: 2.6%/11.2%
Divorced: 10.8%/16.3%
Separated: 1.0%/1.6%
Never Married: 36.0%/25.3%
S1201|2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables

Physical Characteristics
Bedrooms in Occupied Housing Units
No Bedroom – 2.3%
One Bedroom – 16.8%
2 or 3 Bedrooms – 66.4%
4 or More Bedrooms – 14.5% (17.2% in RI)
S2504|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Average Travel Time to Work in Warwick – 24.5 minutes
Average Travel Time to Work in Rhode Island – 25.6 minutes
S0801|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Number of Vehicles Available per Housing Unit (total Housing=36,989)
No vehicle available – 3,087 (8.35%)
1 vehicle available – 12,,863 (34.78%)
2 vehicles available – 13,879 (37.52%
3 or more vehicles – 7,160 (19.36%)
S2504|Physic Characteristics for Occupied Housing

Employment Rate in Warwick is 64.8%
Employment Rate in Rhode Island is 61.0%
DP03|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Class of Worker
Employee of Private Company Workers – 64.9%
Self-Employed in Own Incorporated Business Workers – 2.8%
Private, Not-for-Profit Wag & Salary Workers – 11.4%
Local, State, & Federal Government Workers in Warwick – 14.8% (12.7% in RI)
Self-Employed in Own Not Incorporated Business Workers & Unpaid Family Workers – 6.1%
S2406|2023 American Community Survey 1- Year Estimates

Industry for Civilian Employed Population 16 Years or Older
Educational Services, and Health Care and Social Assistance – 25.1%
Manufacturing – 11.6%
Professional, Scientific, and Management, and Administrative and Waste Management Services – 10.8%
Retail Trade – 10.5%
Finance and Insurance, and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing – 9.6%
Construction – 7.9%
Entertainment, and Recreation, and Accommodation and Food Services – 7.8%
Public Administration – 5.1%
Transportation and Warehousing, and Utilities – 4.6%
Other Services, except Public Administration – 4.0%
DP03|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, and Mining – 0.3% (0.9% in RI)
DP03|2022 American Community Survey

Median Household income in Warwick - $86,193
Median Household Income in Rhode Island - $84,975
S1909|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimate

Household Income by Household (of 81,959 individuals)
Under $25,000 – 6,722 (8.2%)
$25,000-$49,999 – 8,693 (10.6%)
$50,000-$74,999 – 11,172 (13.6%)
$75,000-$99,999 – 11,008 (13.4%)
$100,000 and Over – 44,365 (54.1%)
S1909|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimate

Proportion of Income to Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months (of 82,103 individuals)
Below 138% of the Poverty Threshold – 10,908 (13.3%)
138-399% of the Poverty Threshold – 28,543 (34.8%)
At or Above 400% of the Poverty Threshold – 42,652 (51.9%)
Below 100% of the Poverty Threshold – 8,001 (9.7%)
S1909|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimate

Median Household Income by Family Type
Families - $110,134
Married Couples Families - $129,897
Nonfamily Households - $48,644
S1909|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimate

Occupation for Civilian Employed Population 16 Years or Older
Management, Business, Science and Arts Occupations – 20,286
Sales and Office Occupations – 9,284
Service Occupations – 8,541
Production, Transportation, and Material Moving Occupations – 4,379
Natural Resources, Construction, and Maintenance Occupations – 3,203
S2401|2023 America Community survey 1-Year Estimates
Females in Computer, Engineering and Science Occupations – 24.1% (28.8% in RI)

Weekly Average (Mean) Hours Worked – 38.1 Hours (37.9 Hours in RI)
By Sex: Male – 40.1 Hours / Female – 36.1 Hours
A2303

Without Health Care Coverage – 3.8% (4.5% in RI)
S2701|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Disability
Residents Self-Reporting a Disability – 16.2% (14.3% in RI)
Types of Disability
Hearing Difficulty – 4.6%
Vision Difficulty – 2.8%
Cognitive Difficulty – 8.0%
Ambulatory Difficulty – 6.7%
Self-Care Difficulty – 3.5%
Independent Living Difficulty – 7.0
S1810|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Fertility
Women aged 15-50 years old – 1,745 (255,465 in RI)
Women with Births in the Past 12 Months
20-34 years – 1,372
35-50 years – 305
S1301|2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

There are a number of major transportation routes and hubs located within the City of Warwick. Interstate 95 is the major thoroughfare through Rhode Island, with the first southbound exit in Warwick found at Jefferson Boulevard and ending with the Route 117 interchange near the Apponaug rotaries. Interstate 295 connects to the main highway at exit 27, providing direct travel to Woonsocket and Massachusetts. Smaller routes include Route 37, or the Lincoln Avenue Freeway, connecting Route 295 with US Route 1, and the Airport Connector Road.

RIPTA currently offers 14 fixed-route bus schedules with stops in Warwick. They include the following (NOTE: Routes with stops near a branch have a notation identifying them):

• 1 – Eddy/Hope/Benefit
• 3 – Oakland Beach
• 4 – Warwick NeckWCO
• 12x Arctic/117 Express Park-n-Ride
• 13 – Coventry/Arctic CCRI
• 14 – West BayWAP
• 16 – Bald Hill/NEIT/Quonset
• 20 – Elmwood Avenue/T.F. Green Airport
• 21 – Reservoir Garden City/CCRI
• 22 – Pontiac AvenueWPO
• 23 – Arctic/Crompton/Centre of New England
• 29 – CCRI Warwick/ConimicutWAP/WAR/WCO
• 30 – Arlington/Oaklawn
• 66 – URI/Galilee

There are no bus routes with stops near the Norwood Branch.

The City of Warwick's Transwick service provides transportation services to otherwise homebound Warwick residents 55 and older who are living independently as well as adults with disabilities living independently. Transwick addresses the transportation needs of those without alternate means of transportation or other opportunities for socialization. This service is limited to certain destinations within the City of Warwick and is not intended to supplement, extend, or subsidize services provided by other vendors or for-profit institutions.

Bachelor's Degree or Higher in Warwick – 38.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher in Rhode Island – 39.0%

Educational Attainment (25 Years & Older)
High School or Equivalent Degree – 25.7%
Some College, No Degree – 16.4%
Associate's Degree – 11.8%
Bachelor's Degree – 25.9%
Graduate or Professional Degree – 12.4%
S1501|2023 Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Types of Computers & Internet Subscriptions by Household (Total Households=36,989)
Has one or more types of computing devices – 34,836
Desktop or laptop – 29,561 (84.86%)
Desktop or laptop with no other computing device – 770 (2.60%)
Smartphone – 33,123 (95.08%)
Smartphone with no other type of computing device – 2,730 (8.24%)
Tablet or portable wireless computer – 23,111 (66.34%)
Tablet or other portable wireless computer with no other computing device – 432 (1.87%)
Other computer – 726 (2.08%)
Other computer with no other type of computing device – 0 (0.00%)

Type of internet subscriptions
With an internet subscription – 33,845 (97.16%)
Dial-up with no other type of internet subscription – 0 (0.00%)
Broadband of any type – 33,845 (100.00%)
Cellular data plan – 31,932 (94.35%)
Cellular data plan with no other type of internet subscroptin – 3,684 (10.88%)
Broadband such as cable, fiber optic or DSL – 29,857 (88.22%)
Satellite internet services – 857 (2.53%)
Without an internet subscription – 3,144 (9.03%)
S2801|Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions

All citizens 18 years old and over – 67,226
Speak only English – 62,708 (93.28%)
Speak a language other than English – 4,518 (6.72%)
Spanish – 3,194 (70.69% and 4.75% of total population)
Other languages – 1,324 (29.31% and 1.97% of total population)
S1601|Languages Spoken at Home

538 Households out of 35,651 (1.51%)
B11017|Multigenerational Households

The Library has a strong relationship with City government and its officials. Library staff regularly partner with staff from the Parks & Recreation Department and the Senior Center. It is common for the Department of Public Works; including subdivisions such as Water, Sewer, Highway, and Maintenance; to assist the Library. The Library has open and helpful communications with the City's Finance and Personnel Departments as well as the Mayor's Office. The Director serves on the City's Technology Advisory committee for the MIS Department. The Library also provides meeting space through its meeting rooms for a number of the City's boards and commissions.

Your Open Door to Learning
http://www.warwicklibrary.org