Those findings directly shaped Cranston's strategic plan. The library concentrated its school visits and community outreach in those two census tracts and partnered with a local health equity organization to staff a weekly farmers market in the area, connecting with a largely Southeast Asian population on their own terms through culturally relevant programming.
Now, as Cranston prepares its next strategic plan ahead of a 2027 deadline, the library plans to build on that work. In addition to repeating the library card mapping exercise, the team intends to layer in broadband access and public Wi-Fi usage data to build a more comprehensive, branch-by-branch picture of how each location serves its surrounding community. With the city facing budget pressures and questions about branch consolidation, PolicyMap will help Cranston present data-backed recommendations to trustees, city leaders, and planners—and make the case for where its libraries are needed most.
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