Charting New Territory The Library Board’s Role in Planning and Budgeting for a Successful Future Presented by: Anne Marie Madziak, Consultant, Southern Ontario Library Service & Debra Jackson, CEO, Haldimand County Public Library OLA Super Conference 2006
Presentation objectives: 4 4 Provide an overview of a strategic planning process Highlight the Board’s roles & responsibilities in strategic planning Offer practical experience and solutions to some of the challenges of strategic planning Identify success factors in strategic plans OLA Super Conference 2006
AN OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNING PROCESS: OLA Super Conference 2006
THE PROCESS IN MORE DETAIL … 1. Prepare to plan – Board and staff buy-in & commitment to process & outcome – Articulate what you want out of the investment in planning; understand planning is not a license to expect to achieve the impossible – Ensure resources are in place for planning process – time & money – Agree on process (seek assistance as necessary); set limits – Establish small board/staff committee to oversee planning OLA Super Conference 2006
PROCESS CONT’D … 2. Gather information about your current situation/where you are (the situational half of Situational Analysis); 3. Collectively make sense of the information gathered (the analysis part of Situational Analysis). OLA Super Conference 2006
Situational Analysis defined: The collective analysis of a body of information that describes the library’s current programs and services, the library’s mission and values, the community served by the library, feedback from current library users, and external environmental forces that influence or have the potential to influence the library. OLA Super Conference 2006
2 important components of the definition: 4 4 The collective analysis (“making sense” together) A body of information coming from different directions OLA Super Conference 2006
The work of conducting a Situational Analysis: OLA Super Conference 2006
Articulate mission & values: The mission is a declaration of purpose, a concise statement that tells the community what the public library does exceptionally well that is unique or different from what other organizations do. Example: London Public Library provides equitable access to the world of information and creative expression. The power of the statement comes from its simplicity, the fact that these few words make it absolutely clear why the library exists and what difference it makes to the community. OLA Super Conference 2006
Profile the Library: Library Profile Worksheet: 4 4 4 Accessibility of library service Library roles and mission Library services Materials/ resources Staffing Library activity OLA Super Conference 2006
Gather user feedback: 4 4 4 4 Suggestion box/ feedback form Appeals for feedback on library website Roaming CEO/ manager “Talk to us” corner or table Observation Topical questionnaires Exit interviews Staff questionnaire Staff focus group Focus groups Key informant interviews Open houses/ public meetings Surveys OLA Super Conference 2006
Scan the environment: 4 4 4 Trends and issues in the broader library world Trends and issues in the public/ not-forprofit sector Social and demographic factors Economic/ political issues Technological advances OLA Super Conference 2006
Profile the community: 6 Ways to Describe Your Community: 6 ways to describe your community: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Social and economic factors Lifestyles and interests Groups and affiliations Agencies and services Changes occurring Community assets OLA Super Conference 2006
Common sources of community information: Existing information: 4 Census data 4 Municipal and/or school planning information 4 Planning documents of local organizations 4 Telephone book yellow pages 4 Bulletin board notices, pamphlets, etc. 4 Local directories 4 Local & regional newspapers, radio & cable stations New information: 4 Conversations, interviews and/or meetings with municipal staff, community leaders, media personnel, representatives of service clubs, organizations, and agencies 4 Public consultation, if needed. OLA Super Conference 2006
The Board’s work in conducting a SA: 4 4 4 Assess type/depth of information needed for planning purposes Ensure information is gathered from different directions Participate in the information gathering process, especially regarding community information & environmental scan Spend time agreeing on core purpose of the library and articulating it as a succinct mission statement Commit to reading and pondering the implications of the information that has been gathered Engage in a group conversation (Board & senior staff) aimed at summarizing and making sense of the information OLA Super Conference 2006
The analysis part of Situational Analysis: Make sense together: 4 4 Discuss, exchange perspectives & impressions Identify Key Points Record questions Summarize and synthesize. OLA Super Conference 2006
Synthesize with SWOT: A quick, effective way of synthesizing information about the library and the community is to identify the library’s: 4 4 STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Strengths & weaknesses are internal, things the library has some control over; Opportunities & threats are external, the library controls how it responds. The Strategic Plan will endeavour to build on strengths and opportunities, and eliminate or minimize weaknesses and threats. OLA Super Conference 2006
PROCESS RECAP … Now that you have conducted a thorough Situational Analysis and, as a result, have a good understanding of where you are right now, it is time to turn your attention to the future. 4 4 What will the community look like 10 years from now? What will the library look like 10 years from now? OLA Super Conference 2006
PROCESS CONT’D … 4. Endorse a vision of what success will look like in the future – Take the time to imagine various future scenarios and develop a shared one that everyone can buy into (board & staff); the preferred future, describing a compelling picture of success … “Attractive visions of the future have great power. We call the organization that is organized around a deep sense of values, mission and vision the essence-driven organization. This kind of organization has tapped the energy that results from its own clarity of direction and focus. The essence-driven organization has a greater capacity to weather changes in marketplace and customer demand because of the clarity of its core purpose. ” Cynthia. Super Conference 2006 OLA D. Scott
PROCESS CONT’D … 5. Identify 3 -5 strategic directions – What is the work that will close the gap between where the library is right now (Situational Analysis) and where it wants to be (Vision)? < < < What are the major themes or thrusts that emerge when you review the important points from the Situational Analysis? What about your vision is not yet true? Put it all together and identify no more than 5, preferably 3 or 4 areas of work which will serve as the building blocks for the strategic plan (this stage is crucial Board work) OLA Super Conference 2006
PROCESS CONT’D … 6. Write the plan – Writing best done by small group of staff & board (need ownership by both) – Develop no more than 5 objectives for each strategic direction < < An objective is a milestone that gives you information about your progress in achieving the strategic direction An objective: – Makes something about the library different – Represents a worthy expenditure of library resources (cost benefit analysis) – Addresses the gap between where the library is and where it wants to be – Serves to either improve service or build the library’s capacity to improve service – Is conveyed in descriptive terms that make the achievement of it recognizable. OLA Super Conference 2006
6. Write the plan (cont’d) – For each objective, identify the concrete actions necessary to successfully achieve the desired outcome < < Assign responsibility and time line Include measures/ indicators of progress/success OLA Super Conference 2006
PROCESS CONT’D … 7. Allocate the resources needed to achieve the plan 4 Advocate and budget for new funding as necessary 4 Reallocate existing resources as appropriate 4 Consider staff time necessary to carry out the activities outlined in the plan 4 Plan and budget for capacity building as needed, eg. staff expertise, training, technology, etc. 4 Be prepared with contingencies should new resources not become available 4 Use the strategic plan to support the budget, and raise the library’s profile, credibility and accountability OLA Super Conference 2006
PROCESS CONT’D … 8. Use the plan to create the future you’ve imagined – Communicate internally as soon as the plan is endorsed by the Board – Make the document short – a ready reference tool! – Develop key messages for the community and funders based on the strategic plan – Create annual operational plans and annual board objectives related to the plan – Tie strategic directions and objectives to individual performance; give people the resources they need and hold them accountable – Monitor progress; report regularly at Board meetings – Reference the plan in every major decision; keep it on staff radar; refer to it in reports & at meetings – Celebrate successes – Revise/ update to reflect changing circumstances, new opportunities OLA Super Conference 2006
Principles of an effective (‘ablebodied’) strategic plan: 4 4 4 4 4 Futuristic – responsive to emerging trends Desirable – appealing and worth aspiring to Imaginable – conveying a picture of the desired future Practical – full of concrete tasks with timelines & responsibility assigned Achievable – realistic; do-able and affordable Defensible – responsive to service demands and external influences, (ie) the plan makes sense, given the circumstances Measurable – objective language defines success through the use of descriptive milestones/outcomes and quantitative indicators Memorable – concise and relevant; easy to remember and apply Flexible – adaptable to new ideas and/or changing circumstances OLA Super Conference 2006
Check out … www. library. on. ca the OLS Clearinghouse OLA Super Conference 2006
& the Index to Public Libraries … OLA Super Conference 2006
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