Our Mission and Vision

Our Mission: To inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen our community.

To deliver on this promise, the Portage Public Library relies on its three greatest resources—its staff, its collections, and its physical and virtual spaces.

We inspire lifelong learning by creating more able learners and researchers. We:

  • Teach learning and information-navigation skills
  • Provide tools, resources, and a productive work environment
  • Ask and answer questions that encourage critical thinking
  • Support creativity, research, and problem-solving
  • Bring people together to expand horizons and learn from each other

We advance knowledge by providing free and open access to materials and information that reflect a global perspective. We:

  • Identify, acquire, and preserve items that meet the unique needs of the community and enrich the lives of its individuals
  • Connect with other organizations whose materials complement our own
  • Inspire interest and enrich perspectives
  • Build tools that allow us to connect with and learn about the world

We strengthen our community by promoting full citizenship and participation in society. We:

  • Promote the development of key skills and capabilities
  • Provide dynamic resources to help patrons understand and engage in society
  • Create a safe and reliable place where our citizens can enjoy, honor, celebrate, and engage with our community
  • Offer unique and authoritative materials of historical significance
  • Bring our diverse cultures together