The document provides guidance for developing a long range strategic plan for a school library. It recommends establishing a committee to guide the planning process and setting a timeline with clear goals and expectations. The plan should include an assessment of user needs, a mission statement, multi-year goals and objectives, and an action plan. It also notes the requirements for submitting plans to funding agencies to qualify for grants. Developing a 3-5 year plan will help prepare for changes and keep the library connected and relevant to its community.
2. A bit of history
Planning is a process, which determines:
Where do you want to go?
Where have you been?
How will you get “there” from “here”?
Planning allows you to see the forest for
the trees!
3. Explains your program
Opens up communication
Identifies priorities
Documents your progress and process
Provides a blueprint for the future
Meets the requirement for LSTA Direct Grant
Funds from the MBLC (if you are a member of
the Massachusetts Library System)
4. Committee
How many?
Stakeholders – how to select
Advisory? or Worker bees?
Who leads?
Agendas
Clear and defined
Timeline
How many meetings?
How long?
5. How are you going to invite?
How are you going to communicate?
What are your expectations?
What are their expectations?
6. What material needs to be sent to the committee in
advance of the meeting?
Match the task to the timeframe and committee
Set clear defined goals for each meeting
Include follow up steps
7. October 1 Plans are due
December 1 Action Plans are due
December Letters of intent are due
January Plans are approved
January, February Grant writing workshops
March Grants due
April, May Grants reviewed
July Grant rounds announced
October Implementation of grants
8. Mission statement
Assessment of user needs
Multi-year goals and objectives
Action plan
Methodology
Approval of governing board
Annual updates of Action Plans by Dec. 1
9. Consider the mission statement to be your
purpose
The mission statement should be concise and
state what the learners will become
The statement is your handful of priorities
The mission is your business!
It is a way of anchoring the work of the school
library to the whole mission of schooling
11. Goals are long-range, broad, general statements
describing a desired condition or future toward which
the library will work
Objectives are short range and describe the results to
be achieved
An activity is a set of tasks that accomplish an
objective
12. What has been accomplished
What has changed
What new direction
New budgets
New measures
13. Use a wiki to:
Set your agendas
Draft your vision and mission statements
Draft the long range plan
Use a blog to:
Update your community on the plan’s progress
Invite comments from the community
Keep the plan alive
14. By planning 3-5 years out you are looking ahead
You won’t be surprised by new trends and
technology because that will be built into your
plan
You will be prepared for change
You will be connected and relevant to your
community!
You will in fact lead your community in change!
