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Vermont Strategic Planning
- 1. Planning to Plan VermontDepartment of Libraries
- 2.
- 3. Public Library andthe New World Order
- 4. Divine Intervention vs.Planned Intervention “You can either take action or wait for a miracle to happen. Miracles are great but they are unpredictable.” P. Drucker
- 5. Why Plan? “The bestway to predict the future is to plan for it.” A. Lincoln • Rational justification of your library’s budget • Creates a sense of ownership, the library is part of the community • Defines what the library is and is not • Builds partnerships, awareness, mutual benefits the library may share with other organizations • Everyone is on the same train, eliminates personality cults, improves delegation of duties • Ensures the continuity of services • Motivates staff
- 6. Excellence can bedefined Excellence must be defined locally Results based Logical process Community based planning Community Values Increase effectiveness “Excellence is possible for both small and large libraries-it rests more on commitment than on unlimited resources”
- 7. Service Responses • BasicLiteracy • Current Topics and Titles • Business and Career • Formal Learning Support Information • General Information • Commons • Government Information • Community Referral • Information Literacy • Consumer Information • Lifelong Learning • Cultural Awareness • Local History/Genealogy
- 8. Confronting the Future Strategic Visions for the 21st-Century Public Library Four Dimensions • Physical to Virtual library • Individual to Community library • Collection to Creation library • Portal to Archive
- 10. “We don’t seethings as they are; we see things as we are.” Anais Nin
- 11. Making the RightChoices—Making a Difference Fundamental questions we need to ask • How can the library make a difference to the “quality of life” of the community it serves? • How successful are the current library services and how can they be improved? • Who uses the library? Who doesn’t and why? • What actions will we need to take in order to make a difference in the community quality of life? • Who do we think we are….who does the community think we are and what we do?
- 12. Planning Isn’t Magic A plan which succeeds is bold, one which fails is reckless. General Karl von Clauswitz
- 13. Getting Started Responsibilities, Duties & Actions • Who’s responsible-library director & board, staff, volunteers and stakeholders • Establish a library planning team • Establishing a working plan that includes: – information gathering and analysis – evaluation and prioritizing, – approval and implementation – timeline
- 14. Collecting the Data CommunityBased Library Based
- 15. Library Insiders • Library staff (internal statistics) • Trustees • Friends • Volunteers • Donors (individuals, clubs, community groups) • Town officials (Municipal) • Secondary Resources
- 16. What’s in itfor Them -staff, trustees, volunteers, Friends- • Board and staff relationship (administration and management of the library, personnel) • Financial issues • Facilities planning • Collection development • Technology planning • Program development (adult, children’s services) • Community outreach, advocacy, marketing & PR
- 17. Conduct a servicesof focus groups, interview and surveys with key community stakeholders
- 18. Planning Committee • Whoto appoint and number of people to serve on the committee. Will it include both staff and community members? • Committee timeline • Committee members responsibilities • Managing the various tasks in the planning process-data, communication, scheduling • Data collection- type and venue • Responsibility for clerical support for the committee
- 19. Needs Assessment-Looking Around •Define purpose, determine available resources and information you will need to collect • What groups/individuals will you want to include in the needs assessment? • Who will be involved in collecting the data? Who will collate and analyze the data? • What is the best assessment method to use for individuals, groups, town officials, community organizations, business people, etc.
- 20. Data Collection Tools Whowill you ask? What will you ask? How will you ask? • Interview-personal, high quality & subjective • Focus Group-key community stakeholders high quality information, community rapport, easy to clarify questions • Surveys-online, interview by phone, in-house, mailing, town meeting • Demographic/Census-age- population, economic, educational • Observations-what do people think about the library, it’s image in the community.
- 21. Evaluating Data-What haveyour learned?
- 22. Connecting the Dots •Identify specific societal, technological, educational, and community trends likely to impact on the delivery of library services. • Asses the library’s weaknesses, strengths to deliver quality service. Can we do it, should we do it. • Consider strategic issues that are shaping the way that the library service will be delivered to the community • Determine priorities, goals and objectives based on all of the above. • The plan should be flexible enough to change with the times
- 23. Strategies for Success Articulating Value • Evaluate each service • Identify feasible enhancements • Listen and understand agendas • Keep an eye on trends and realignment • Administratively and operationally feasible (P.E.S.T.) • Focus on what you value and what you have to offer-find the connections, connect the dots
- 24.
- 25. Community Needs Library Service Responses The Goals Planning Process Objectives Activities Staff Collections Facilities Technology needed needed needed needed
- 26. Service Responses-Community Needs •Be am informed citizen-local, national and world affairs • Build successful enterprises-business and non- profit • Satisfy curiosity: lifelong learning • Connect to the online world-public Internet access • Create young readers-early childhood literacy • Express creativity-create & share content • Know your community-community resources & services • Make career choices-job center • Visit a comfortable place-physical & virtual spaces
- 27. Chosen Service Responses Fromyour chosen service responses, write a new planning document, that includes- • Mission statement • Goals • Objectives
- 28. Library Response-Mission Statement •Possible Mission Statement: The Vermont Public Library is a comfortable and welcoming place where people of all ages learn to be informed citizens, enjoy recreational interests, and pursue a lifelong love of reading and learning What service response do you see in this mission statement?
- 29. Library Goal All goalscontain these 3 elements: • Each goal flows from a service response • Each goal names the target audience being served • Each goal describes the benefit the audience receives Write a goal based on this service response: “Stimulate Imagination…Reading, Viewing, Listening for Pleasure”
- 30. Goal: Residents ofall ages will see the library as a premier source for downloading audio books Using the sample goal write 1-3 objectives for your library
- 31. Writing Your Library’sObjectives Objectives define “the way the library will measure its progress toward reaching a goal” Every objective contains these 3 elements: • A target audience • A measure • A date or timeframe
- 32. What it mightlook like Service Response: “Stimulate Imagination – Reading, Viewing, Listening for Pleasure” Goal: Residents of all ages will see the library as a premier source for downloading audio books Objective 1: During Teen Tech Week, library staff will sponsor 2 demonstrations for teens in using Listen UP! Vermont (downloadable audio books) Objective 2: During National Library Week, library staff will sponsor 3 demonstrations for adults in using Listen Up! Vermont Objective 3: By July 2012, the number of audio books downloaded through Listen Up! Vermont will increase _______% over previous year
- 33. Service Response: Life-longLearning Stowe Free Library • Goal 1. Library users will have an array of program offerings that nurture and encourage lifelong reading and learning. • Objectives: Annual program attendance will increase by 25% each year. • Activities: • Add story hours for parents and children only (no school groups). • Investigate offering enrichment “courses” for adults. • Experiment with different types of book discussions: one- shot, parent/child, young adult, elderly, town-wide read, etc.
- 34. Measuring Your Success Can be difficult • Number of people attending Can be total # of people and/or unique people • How well was the program or service received? Audience reaction / satisfaction • Total number programs presented Use as a benchmark from past years • Outcomes What difference or impact did this program for those who attended?
- 35. Make it Official-Spreadthe Word • Get your plan officially approved by the town selectboard (municipal libraries) and the library board of trustees • Distribute your plan to stakeholders, the media, local and planning committee • Put your plan on your library’s web page, blog, Facebook page, etc.
Editor's Notes
- #4 LIBRARYPublic value of the library is not that recognizable anymore. As the value of having or owning diminishes, people will move towards organizations that provide valueWe will need to be more conscious of demand driven, rather than anticipatory or what will be in demand. So we will need to be flexible, ready to adapt to new services, technologies. Lack of national coherence, who will show us the way?Library must be visible, our resources and services must be located in the places where our users are doing their work. Private sector creep-Amazon, Google, Internet All newly published media and substantial portion of previously published media will be available in digital formStorage will be faster, more compact and less expensiveCommunication speed will dramatically increaseCloud services and access will increaseSoftware will be replaced by widgets, applications and servicesSearch engines and other online reference services will continue to grow in capability, reach and ease of use. PUBLICCustomers want immediacy, personalization (added value), quality, easily located. Focus is shifting from collection to user and from staff to technology, from learning space to social space, characterized by flexibility and adaptability. Library is more of a gathering place, technology center, educational center, arts center, imagination center.
- #6 Planning ensures that the community and the library understand what it is trying to achieve for the community.Customer expectations, technology, publishing issuesAlong range plan is based on community knowledge, community expectations, available resources, and a realistic projection of the future needs of the community. Clarifies priorities especially in a volatile environment where we are confronted with constant change. Asses the library impact in the community, are you doing the right thing. How well? Is it sustainable?Allows you to focus resources and services most important to your users, increases awareness of issues both internal and external. What are you doing, why are you doing what your doing and for whom? Journey can be shared—Defines the roles and responsibilities of trustless., staff, (reduces micromanagement) volunteers stakeholders have in developing a strong Library presence in the community.
- #7 PLANNING MODELSStrategic Planning for Results-2008-This book attempts to offer understandings and management strategies about the change process itself but does not offer suggestions about the implementation process, feeling that this is too complex and requires definition within a... Sandra Nelson-2001- Excellence must be defined locally Excellence is possible for both small and large libraries Community based planning Results based Community Values Logical process Increase effectiveness
- #8 Be an Informed Citizen:-Local, National, World AffairsBuild Successful Enterprises: Businesses and Non-Profit SupportCelebrate Diversity:-Cultural AwarenessConnect to the Online World: Public Internet AccessCreate Young Readers:-Early Childhood LiteracyExpress Creativity:Create & Share ContentKnow Your Community: Community Resources & ServicesLearn to Read & Write: Adult, Teen, and Family LiteracyMake Career Choices: Job & Career AdvancementMake Informed Decisions:Health, Wealth, & Life ChoicesSatisfy Curiosity: Lifelong LearningVisit a Comfortable Place: Physical & Virtual Spaces
- #9 ALA POLICY BRIEF, JUNE 2011Roger LevienPolicy Brief No. 4, June 2011Virtual Library-This virtual library’s patrons meet their needs—finding and acquiring media, obtaining answers to questions, participating in meetings—by accessing the library’s Web presence from anywhere via the Internet.Individual to Community-Creation library is a place where media conveying information knowledge, art, and entertainment are created. Such a library houses a range of specialized equipment and facilitates to help authors, editors performers in the creation of new work)Portal to Archive is about ownership of materials or lack of ownership by the library. (Portal library, a window through which the library’s patrons can access a vast range of media resources all owned and hosted by other organizations.)
- #10 Community Activity CenterCommunity Information CenterPopular Materials CenterFormal Education Support CenterIndependent Learning CenterPreschoolers door to LeaningReference/Research Center
- #11 Planning is about deciding who we are, recognizing our options and making the right decisions.
- #12 Library Mission Statement-Each one of the previous models we discussed all comes back to the same basic questions that we need to start with when we deicide to plan. Why do we exist? What makes us unique, a valuable community asset-purpose and values of the organization-Community Needs What are our guiding principles? What’s important to us Whom de we serve and how do we serve them (programs and services) How will we know if we’ve made the right decisions
- #13 We will learn- How to organize and delegate responsibility-who responsible for what and to whom. What information we will need to collect; what are the tools and resources we will need Strategies and priorities ((planning committee) Plan drafting, edition and approval Distribution and approval1780 – November 16, 1831[2]) was a Prussian soldier and German military theorist who stressed the moral and political aspects of war. His most notable work, VomKriege (On War), was unfinished at his death.
- #14 Everyone is responsible and while there is no absolute in who’s responsible and for what, establishing clear duties and responsibilities at the start will be keep to producing a quality plan. Though the trustees are ultimately responsible for planning, the library director often plays a key role, especially at the start of the plan. Director duties- Educate trustees-how should the planning process work. What resources, library statistics are available. Help in conducting the research Involved in the formulation of the planning process Work with the planning team/committee especially data collection and research Helps with establishing objectives goals, evaluation of data Suggest actions needed in support of planTrustees-Make sure that everyone has the time commitment, energy to managing the planning process. Roles are clearly defined, establishes a timeline, keeps planning process on target and delegates responsibilities. Serves on the community assessment team, provides the necessary resources and time to accomplish work.Determine objectives and prioritiesCollaborate with director to draft planEvaluates progress
- #15 Community Based—Current conditions, Vision, NeedsLibrary Board-Goals, Activities, Resources
- #16 Internal focus group; One-on-One meetings; Town plan, long range projections.SWOT analysis-Circulation, size of the collection (type of collection), amount spend per capita, program attendance, number of programs, gate count, hours of operation, ILL sent for and received. Make comparison with previous year(s).Secondary Resources- State reports (DOL); School District reports; Economic Development data; Local planning documents;
- #17 Buy-in; How will the long range plan impact the library internal operations, funding, resources, staffing, hours of operation, workload, new skills to learn, equipment, etc. Long range planning cannot fix serious internal problems unless everyone agrees that things need to be fixed.
- #18 Business/Chamber of CommerceCommunity Services OrganizationsCultural GroupsEducational organizationsFamily ServicesHealth OrganizationsMedia RepresentativesProfessional GroupsReligious GroupsSenior CitizensSports Organizaitons
- #19 Responsible-Vision. Current Conditions and NeedsNumber-good diverse community representation Community members bring fewer preconceived ideas, allows the community members to think more creatively about how the library might help them. Who decides whom to appoint to the committee? Who in the community can influence elected officials? Who are leaders of various groups in the community, organizations. People with special skills. People in particular demographic and socioeconomic groups. Committee should include on staff or trustee on the committee to serve as a link between the two groups. Staff member can also serve as a resource as to current services and current library priorities.
- #20 Define Purpose-determine available resources and information you will need to collect. Want a snapshot of current conditions and community needs. Define Gaps-in library services to target groups in the community, includes current users, potential users, hardcore nonusers, governing bodies, staff, volunteers, organizational partners. Community within the community
- #21 High cost in time , what’s most effective for your library Conduct a services of focus groups, interview and surveys with key community stakeholdersQualitative (focus groups, town meetings, One-on-One) Quantitative (Online surveys, Telephone surveys, Benchmarking)What you want to find out-Questions to askWhom does the library serveWhat’s our community like, how has it changedWhat kind of work do they doWhat organizations do they belong toHow do they spend their free timeWhat do they value, what's their priorities
- #23 Do we have sufficient, funding, staff to continue to offer the service, or add the service to our plan.How will the service be delivered and supported?What difference will our plan make to the people in our community, who is the target audience How will our plan create opportunities for partnershipsPosition the library as central to community life? We are living in an age of unintended consequences.
- #24 Evaluate each service (who uses it, what difference do we want it to make, how do we know if changes people’s lives, what does it cost, ex: summer reading – we know they participate, but do we know what they really get from it?) Make a critical assessment of what strengths or advantages, Identify feasible enhancements (value-added enhancements to existing services: require attendance and registration for after school program, and have parents report school attendance and grades. Use the info to prove impact)Listen and understand agendas (understand concerns of leaders and residents, economic commissions, chamber of commerce, social agency groups – how can the library help with these concerns)Keep an eye on trends and realignment (search fearlessly for things that will affect our perceived value and take steps towards it – ex: reference resources –do they still need to be such a huge allocation, or are there more efficient ways to get info, also keep an eye on legislation: Ex, think about how different things would be if we had listened earlier to concerns of legislators about what kids are exposed to on the internet – we could have been advisors, partners, helped make the decisions instead of having them forced on us)it possess relative to its likely “competitors” Library’s vision for the future should be based on strategies that derive from an assessment of the view of the world and the view of the library taken together.
- #25 Got to admit, as far as mission statements go, it’s pretty damn bold.Planning by its very nature is about organizational change. How wellcan your library respond to change. Do you have buy-in? Remember that organizational change does not happen from the top down, butwhen staff and trustees at all levels understand why change is necessary and how the change process will operate.
- #27 Learn to Read & Write: Adult, Teen, and Family LiteracyMake Informed Decisions:Health, Wealth, & Life ChoicesVisit a Comfortable Place: Physical & Virtual Spaces
- #29 Mission statement-the mission statement, tailored to your particular clientele, establishes your library’s purpose, values, and beliefs. Should be a direct reflection of the library’s chosen service responses Generally defined as an organization’s core purpose Should be an easily understood expression of what the library does for the communityStart with the top vote-getters amongst the SERVICE RESPONSES. Especially look to bring in the phrases before the colon.
- #30 Library Goals-the outcome your community (target population) will receive because the library provides programs and services related to a specific service response. Residents of all ages will see the library as a place for fun, recreational books, movies, music, and media. Write your goals based on the service responses to a target audience identified by the Planning CommitteeMake sure each goal has a specific list of activities attached to itAll the necessary resources will be required in order to complete the goal have or will be acquired. (equipment, funding and training)The plan is both practical and actionable; the best use of library resources?
- #32 Target audience could be any age group – children, teens, senior citizens – or the entire communityA measure is something to count –quantity – but a measure could also gauge people’s reaction / satisfaction with a service or the difference that a service or program made in someone’s life. The next slide explains… And finally an objective needs to predict a date – a month or a season or a year – when the objective will be accomplished