From Strategic Plans to Taking Action
NELINET
http://moodle.nelinet.net/moodle/
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Pow! Wham! Splat!
Welcome and Introductions
●
Presentation
●
Overview of Strategic
●
Planning
and Process
Action Planning
●
Break
●
Workshop
●
Explanation
●
Poster Creation
●
Poster Presentations
●
Conclusion
●
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Why Strategic Planning?
• Important trends in society, technology and education
• New initiatives (four seasons scheduling, academic
renewal, foundational skills)
• Efficient and effective use of limited resources
• Community outreach
• Basis for assessment and accreditation
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Why Strategic
Planning?
“ • Unclear priorities
• No long-range plan
• Not enough $ resources
• Need focused mission statement
and academic identity
• Lack of time for planning
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Sin Solution
Sloth Diligence
Fail to plan Implement a planning
process
Envy Kindness
Fail to understand the Listen and explore
environment
Lust Chastity
Fail to demonstrate vision Develop scenarios and
encourage innovation
Greed Temperance
Fail to focus Develop effective
implementation strategies,
structures, and reallocations
Pride Humility
Fail to demonstrate agility Foster a learning
organization
Wrath Patience
Fail to establish Designate individuals or
accountability positions within the plan
Gluttony Abstinence
Fail to assess level of Embed accountability and
success metrics in plan, & assess
performance
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Strategic Plan?
It's the Journey!
Shared sense of purpose and
✔
strategic vision of the future
Shared criteria for setting
✔
priorities
Shared sense of ownership and
✔
commitment
Lengthy, cumbersome documents
✗
Static ten-year plans
✗
Unrealistic goals
✗
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

The Process
Environmental Scan Mission Goals
Trends Analysis Vision Objectives
SWOT Analysis Values Success Metrics
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Get SMART!
S
specific, significant, stretching
M
measurable, meaningful
A
agreed upon, attainable, actionable
R
realistic, results-oriented
T
time-based, trackable
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

A Stab at Assessment
• Doing the work right
• Doing the right work
• NEASC Accreditation
• Accountability
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Success Metrics
Batman had it easy!
• Selection to shelf time reduction from 2
months to 2 weeks
• Event attendance at 75% capacity
• Average age of browsing fiction less than 5
years (down from 10 years)
• Circulation of science books increases 20%
• 75% reduction in person-mediated document
delivery requests
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Potential Barriers
• Need for advocacy
• Lack of internal
knowledge/expertise
• Lack of buy-in,
transition management
• Lack of resources (e.g.
funding)
• Conflicting priorities
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Change
• Cultural readiness
• \"See\" the new work and
benefits first
• Understand the impact on the
customer
• Identify work that needs to
change/stop second
• Support experimentation and
false steps
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Identify Resources
• Funding
• Staff
• Facilities
• Collections
• Marketing
• External dependencies
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Achievable Deadlines
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

A Leader
• Is committed.
• Has access to needed resources.
• Will communicate effectively
(progress, barriers, etc.).
• Inspires action and buy-in.
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island

Questions
More on Assessment
Stay tuned for more courses on library planning
and assessment throughout the year.
Stay in touch
Stephen Spohn spohn@nelinet.net
Thank you
Thanks for your time! Let us know about
your successes and challenges with planning
and assessment.
Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Vermont • Rhode Island