April 2009Where are we Going? Where are we going? Strategic Planning for Public Libraries

April 2009Where are we Going? Cheryl Becker Public Library Administration Consultant South Central Library System

April 2009Where are we Going? Today’s Agenda  What is strategic planning?  Why plan  “Planning to Plan”  Getting started  The process: Developing the plan  Approval and implementation  Living the plan  Why plans fail

April 2009Where are we Going? Strategic planning  Continuing and systematic process  Organization envisions its future  Develop procedures and operations  Achieve future  How to measure progress/success

April 2009Where are we Going? Overview of Planning  Where are we now?  How did we get here?  Where do we want to go?  How do we get there?  How do we know we’re there?

April 2009Where are we Going? Why plan? If you don’t:  What are decisions based on?  No clear priorities  Investment in status quo  Measure success?

April 2009Where are we Going? Why plan? If you do:  Set priorities  Make wise decisions  Track performance  Demonstrate what taxpayers get for their money

April 2009Where are we Going? Before you start  Planning is about CHANGE  Choose planning process  Board and staff  Schedule / Timeline  Committee / Community  Facilitator

April 2009Where are we Going? Change  Higher expectations/Fewer resources  Technology  Partnerships  Library as leader/Community developer  Changing demographics  Changing formats  Other?

April 2009Where are we Going? Change  Libraries will evolve into new models of service —OR—  Libraries will fade away as people use other, more convenient ways to obtain services currently offered by libraries (Nelson, Strategic Planning for Results, 2008)

April 2009Where are we Going? Change “The phonograph... is not of any commercial value.” —Thomas Edison, 1880 “Sensible and responsible women do not want to vote.” —Grover Cleveland, 1905 “Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” —Harry Warner, 1927 “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home.” —Ken Olson, president of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

April 2009Where are we Going? Facilitator  Consider: Neutral Training and skills Cost  Sources: LibraryConsultants.org Library System School District University / College Extension Other?

April 2009Where are we Going? Get started!  Committee / Community  Timeline / Schedule  Orient board, staff, committee

April 2009Where are we Going? The planning process  Keep brief  Meetings  Staff, board, community involvement  Background info for committee

April 2009Where are we Going? Planning is for doing Get the Planning done Get on with the Doing

April 2009Where are we Going? Planning for Results Process COMMUNITY VISION Community Needs Library Service Priorities Service Goals Objectives Evaluation

April 2009Where are we Going? Planning for Results Process Key Points:  Community Committee  Library Service Priorities  Measures of Progress  Managing Change

April 2009Where are we Going? Community Based Committee  Community Vision  Current Conditions  Community Needs  Which needs can the library address?  Preliminary Service Responses

April 2009Where are we Going? Needs library can address  Which needs can the library address? Potholes? Low income housing? Literacy?  Select preliminary service responses

April 2009Where are we Going? Hands on practice

April 2009Where are we Going? Staff and Board  Consider preliminary service responses  Staff: SWOT analysis  Board: React to staff SWOT Approve / Recommend changes

April 2009Where are we Going? Service Priorities  Select final service responses  Prioritize service responses  Managing CHANGE  Library Values

April 2009Where are we Going?

April 2009Where are we Going? Balanced Scorecard  Developed at Harvard  Planning tool for businesses  Balanced approach (not focused on one area)

April 2009Where are we Going? Balanced Scorecard Process  Success at your library  Difference it makes in customer’s lives  Perspectives: Financial Customer Internal Process Organizational readiness

April 2009Where are we Going? Mission & Vision Performance Measures Targets & Initiatives Integrated Scorecard Communicate Scorecard Strategy Map Balanced Scorecard Process

April 2009Where are we Going? Starting Point  Mission Statement (the present)  The Vision (the future)  Service responses  The gap between now and the future leads to a plan of action to achieve the vision.  How we get to the future involves strategies

April 2009Where are we Going? Strategy  Results that matter  How to achieve them  3 Broad options: Customer Intimacy Operational Excellence Innovative Services Focus on ONE!

April 2009Where are we Going? Strategy Map  Cause-and-effect links among perspectives  Describes what library will do to succeed  Visual framework for library’s strategy  Strategic themes Describe what library must achieve to be successful in the future

April 2009Where are we Going? Performance Measures  For each strategic objective in each perspective  Types: Input Process Output Outcome Internally focused Balance with measures that reflect impact of library on community and individuals

April 2009Where are we Going? Performance Measures  Input, process, output and outcome measures  Internal & external measures  Reflect on strategies chosen by the library  3-4 measures per perspective

April 2009Where are we Going? Performance Measures  Simple rather than complex measures  Automated or existing measures  New measures  Rely on staff counts as a last resort

April 2009Where are we Going? Important to any process  Communication  Inform and involve board and staff  Board approval points  Buy in, support  Flexibility

April 2009Where are we Going? Writing the plan  Mission, goals, objectives  (Or objectives, measures, targets...)  Keep it short  Format

April 2009Where are we Going? Describe the Future  Goals Benefit community will receive because of a library service response  Objectives How library will measure progress toward goal

April 2009Where are we Going? Goals  Service Response: Express Creativity  Target audience: Teens  Benefit: Programs and services to create innovative and interactive media GOAL: Teens will have services and support to create innovative and interactive media.

April 2009Where are we Going? Objectives  Measure How well the service meets their needs  Target 90% of teens surveyed  Date / Time frame Each year

April 2009Where are we Going? Objective Each year, at least 90% of teens surveyed will rate the assistance they received in creating or sharing content as very good or excellent.

April 2009Where are we Going? Outcome Statements  By the end of the year, 90% of the family literacy program participants will double the amount of time they spend reading to their children each week.  At the end of the hour, 75% of the attendees in the Internet workshop will access and bookmark 2 web pages relevant to their selected topic.

April 2009Where are we Going? Approval  Easiest step in the process (if you’ve kept Board informed!)  Inform municipality  Inform & involve staff  Communicate, communicate, communicate

April 2009Where are we Going? Implementation  CHANGE  Reallocation of resources  Staff involvement  Like collection development!

April 2009Where are we Going? CHANGE Enthusiastically support change Relatively positive about change Reservations about change Actively oppose change

April 2009Where are we Going? Living the plan  “Integrating the Scorecard”  Decision making  Plan and support budget requests  Continual evaluation of progress toward goals  Measurement  Publicize success

April 2009Where are we Going? Why plans fail  Ineffective vision  Poor implementation / lack of follow through  Poor leadership  Poor communication

April 2009Where are we Going? Effective vision  Embraces change as opportunity  Reasonable and rewarding  Relevant to community and specific challenges to be addressed  Vision is directly tied to goals and strategic directions.

April 2009Where are we Going? Effective Leadership  Clear vision  Willingness to embrace change  Desire to reposition library in community  Effective communicator

April 2009Where are we Going? Effective Implementation  Integration of plan into operations  Recognition for achievements  Flexibility; make adjustments  Minimize resistance  Staff involvement

April 2009Where are we Going? Effective Communication  Statement of purpose  Ongoing communication with community leaders, users, board and staff  Use plan to position library as key player in community development

April 2009Where are we Going? Recap  What is strategic planning?  Why plan  “Planning to Plan”  Getting started  The process: Developing the plan  Approval and implementation  Living the plan  Why plans fail

April 2009Where are we Going? Change is inevitable.

April 2009Where are we Going?  Libraries will evolve into new models of service —OR—  Libraries will fade away as people use other, more convenient ways to obtain services currently offered by libraries (Nelson, Strategic Planning for Results, 2008)

April 2009Where are we Going? Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.

April 2009Where are we Going? Future Opportunity? Threat?

April 2009Where are we Going? Go forth and PLAN!

April 2009Where are we Going? Questions? Thank you!

April 2009Where are we Going? Cheryl Becker South Central Library System IM: sclscheryl