LibraryLinkNJ 1 On Your Mark. Get Set. Start Planning! New Jersey State Library LibraryLinkNJ, the New Jersey Library Cooperative Spring, 2011

LibraryLinkNJ1

On Your Mark.Get Set.

Start Planning!

New Jersey State LibraryLibraryLinkNJ, the New Jersey Library Cooperative

Spring, 2011

LibraryLinkNJ

What do you want to learn today?

LibraryLinkNJ

Agenda

New Jersey Library Cooperative

• Why plan?• Understanding your community• How to implement the planning process• Roles and responsibilities• Planning tools• Qualities of a sound plan• Implementation and follow-up• Measuring success

You will learn…


Reality Check

Going is good.

Getting where you want to go is even better.

If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else. -Yogi Berra


• Puts customers front and center• Values ideas as much as process• Cultivates an entrepreneurial spirit• Attracts customers with diverse needs• Has forward-thinking leadership

Imagine a library that…


• Is a destination of choice• Understands what people cannot do for themselves• Drives economic development• Has a “place at the table”• Leads in technology• “Owns” 21st Century Literacies

Imagine a library that…


• Demographic shifts• Customer expectations and preferences• Funding• Pressure to merge/consolidate• Facilities• Technology• Publishing• Diversity/age/ethnic/economic/educational

Library landscape is changing…


Libraries can’t keep doing what they have always done and expect to survive

Can’t hold a pat hand

If it ain't broke, break it, then fix it. Otherwise you may be destined to address tomorrow's problems with yesterday's solutions.

-Clark Crouch


• Required• Quality of well-managed organization• Volatile ever-changing environment• Proactive rather than reactive

Why plan?

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. -Benjamin Franklin


• Conversations about library• Clarify priorities• Customer focus• Benchmarks for success

Why plan?

It amazes me that most people spend more time planning next summer's vacation than they do planning the rest of their lives.

-Patricia Fripp


• Protects against unexpected political mandates and budget reductions

Extra Dimension in NJ


Library is forced to ask tough questions– What are we doing?– Why?– For whom?– Is it what they want/need?– How well?– Is it sustainable?– What should we do in the future?

Most importantly…


• Assess economic impact• Participate in community building• Align with local planning objectives• Solve community problems• Showcase leadership• Strut your stuff• Be creative

Planning is an opportunity to…


• Planning for Results• Balanced Scorecard• “What If?” Scenarios• Blue Ocean Strategy• Best features of multiple models

Many Planning Models

Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan. -Tom Landry


1. Organization and delegation2. Information gathering3. Information analysis4. Strategizing and prioritizing5. Plan drafting, editing, approval6. Plan distribution and promotion

Six Basic Phases


• Educate trustees• Help formulate process• Work with planning team/committee• Help conduct the research• Provide examples of successful plans• Help set objectives, goals and priorities• Collaborate to draft plan• Suggest action items to achieve goals• Manage library to support plan

Organization and Delegation:What is the role of Directors?


• Establish process/how will work get done• Select vendor if appropriate• Fund planning initiative• Serve on committee/team• Support community assessment/assess results• Determine objectives and priorities• Collaborate with director to draft plan• Solicit support for new plan• Regularly evaluate progress

Organization and Delegation:What is the role of Trustees?


Many Boards spend time doing the wrong things

The ABCs

Organization and Delegation:Core Responsibility of Every Trustee


C level responsibilities– Clean up yesterday’s problems– Micromanage

B level responsibilities– Manage today / make short term decisions

A level responsibilities– Secure necessary funds– Hire/fire director– Construction decisions– Set strategic direction

Organization and Delegation:ABC Management


• Trustees understand process• Roles clearly defined• No hidden agendas• Research-based• Board receptive to change• Resources to accomplish work• Expeditious• There’s the will to implement

Organization and Delegation:Planning works when…


What time period should a plan cover?Who should be on the planning team?Who are the plan’s “audiences”?What research will you need?How many goals should you have? Will your library’s plan include

– technology plan?– facilities plan?– marketing plan?

Do you need outside help?

Organization and Delegation:Before you start, decide…

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• PEST analysis (Political, Environmental, Societal, Technical)• Environmental scan / trends analysis• SWOT analysis • Benchmarking• Boston Matrix (Prioritizing tool)• Visioning• Lifestyle analysis / psychographics / geo-mapping

Information Gathering


_______ __ _____ ________ ____ ________

SWOT: NJ Public Libraries


SWOT: Your Library


How does library measure up against peers?• LJ Index of Public Library Service• Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings (HAPLR)• Public Library Data Service (PLDS)• Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) • Statistics for NJ public libraries

Information Gathering:Benchmarking


Determine list of peer libraries/state or national based on– Size of population– Budget– Circulation– Number of outlets– Other demographics/unemployment, poverty etc.

To Benchmark…


Obtain data from one or more rating servicesPLDS 2009 data

– Staffing/productivity– Funding– Circulation– Size of collection– Amount spent per capita– Number of computers– Program attendance/number of programs– Gate count– Hours of operation

To Benchmark


• Favorable hours, staffing, staff productivity, program attendance, gate count statistics

• Near bottom in size of collection, circulation, amount spent per capita, number of computers, funding

Case Study: San Antonio Public Library










Remember: Both favorable and unfavorable results may be useful to you

Benchmarking

There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.

-Douglas Everett


• National reports and studies• Trends • Local planning documents• Economic development studies• Library reports/statistics• School district reports/data

Information Gathering:Secondary Resources


• Population/current and projected• Age• Gender• Ethnicity• Income• Educational attainment

2010 Census


The library’s “insiders”– Staff– Trustees– Friends– Volunteers– Donors– Loyal users

The library’s “outer circles”– Political officials– Community leaders– Nonusers

Information Gathering:Listen to Your Community

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Qualitative• Focus groups• Town meetings• One-on-one executive interviews

Information Gathering:Primary Research

Quantitative

• Online surveys• Telephone surveys• Benchmarking with peer libraries• Lifestyle geomapping

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• Whom does the library serve?• What are they like?• What kind of work do they do?• What kind of family life do they have?• How do they behave as consumers?• What organizations do they belong to?• How do they spend their free time?• What do they value?• What are their priorities?

Information Gathering:Community Lifestyles


• Community focal point?• Education improvement?• Family destination?• Senior services?• A cultural center?• More access to employment opportunities?• Access to technology?• Access to popular culture (dvds, novels, etc.)?• More civic engagement?• Information resources?• Services for teens?

Information Gathering:What does your community need?


Imagine “Anytown, NJ”

• Suburban community• Population 9900• Dominant groups

– Gray power– Pools and patios

Geomapping lifestyles


• Large retired older population• Aging baby boomers• Well-educated• Homeowners without children• Affluent• Stable community• Downsizers

Who are they?


• Basic Literacy?• Business and career?• Community commons?• Community referral network?• Consumer information?• Cultural awareness?

What might Anytown need?


• Current topics and titles?• Formal learning support?• General information?• Government information?• Information literacy?



• Lifelong learning?• Local history/genealogy?• Family place?• Information literacy?• Technology?• Healthcare information?



• Board and staff development• Advocacy• Financial management• Funding diversification• Facilities planning• Technology planning• Collection development• Program development

Plans may include goals/strategies for…

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• Customer service• Adult and children’s services• Cultural diversity• Outreach to underserved populations• Partnerships and collaboration• Branding, marketing and public relations• Administration and management• Organizational health

Plans may include goals/strategies for…

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The library lacks visibility/lacks clout.– What’s the strategic response?

A surprising number of people in the community own their own businesses.– What’s the strategic response?

Community leaders indicate revitalization is top priority.– What’s the strategic response?

Translate what you learn from primary research…

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A majority of the library’s staff is within two years of retirement.– What’s the strategic response?

Only one trustee has prior experience serving on a board?– What’s the strategic response?

The library has a great local history and genealogy collection.– What’s the strategic response?

Translate what you learn from the SWOT

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The Library will be a valued contributor to economic development in our community.------

Sample goal with strategies and work plans


The Library will diversify its funding base.------



The Library will be recognized as a leading contributor to academic achievement.------



The Library will advocate effectively for sustained funding.------



Board membership will become highly valued.------



The Library will effectively brand and market its services.------



If there are many directions to go…

Prioritize with a version of the Boston Matrix…


Apply the “library litmus test”:• Satisfy identified community needs?• Work smart” concept?• Is library best organization to provide the service?• Market and brand the library?• Practical and actionable?• “Best use” of resources?

If there are many directions to go…


• Address multiple goals?• Provide favorable return on investment?• Create opportunities for partnerships?• Align the library with education/lifelong learning?• Position the library as central to community life?

The Library Litmus Test cont.


State-of-the library overview

Environmental scan of– National and local trends– Demographics– Social, economic, political, and other issues

Review of research

Assemble the Plan

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SWOT analysis of library’s performance

Goals with prioritized strategies to achieve goals

Timeline

Measure of success

Associated budget, staffing, and facilities issues and costs

Assemble the Plan

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• Building for the Future: Ten Strategies for Enhanced Library Services

• From Good to Great!• A great Community Deserves a Great Library• Building Bridges. Sowing Seeds.• The Community Speaks: The Library Answers• Building on Success• The Every Town Library…the Next Chapter

Build the plan around a theme


Promote the plan!• Internal review comes first• Drumbeat for unveiling to elected officicals• A Leadership Breakfast?• Hold a press conference; issue press releases• Powerpoint for civic group presentations• Post on website• Summarize initiatives on a business card to

give out wherever, whenever


• Realistic• To the point• Jargon-free• Easy to read• Compelling• Responds to the community

needs and preferences

A Good Plan Is

Every action is either strong or weak, and when every action is strong we are successful.

-Wallace D. Wattles


• Take too long• Not a team effort• No external input• No allowance for time it requires• Not vetted• No plan for doing anything with it• Unrealistic

Why plans are unsuccessful


• Addresses both customers and non-customers,• Has staff support,• Gets funded,• Is promoted,• Is implemented!

A successful plan…

It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan. -Eleanor Roosevelt


Core Values are what the library stands for and believes in.

Vision is what the library would look like in the future at its best.

Mission is the promise the library makes to the community regarding what it will do now and how in general terms it keeps the promise

Core Values, Mission and Vision


• Pique interest/convey uniqueness• Pithy/current/active voice/• Generate conversation• Short/to the point/2-3 points• Inspire, not dampen, enthusiasm• Easy to read/say• Memorable• Focused on “Who is served what”• Wins hearts and minds

Effective Mission Statements


From the business sectorThe mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warm, friendliness, individual pride and company spirit.

Sample Mission and Vision Statements

Strategic planning is worthless—unless there is first a strategic vision. -John Naisbitt


“A basic municipal service, Anytown Public Library provides current information, formal educational support, independent learning opportunities and life enrichment materials to a highly diverse public in a warm and welcoming atmosphere through a highly trained team of individuals committed to quality service.

Library Mission Statement


“Anytown Public Library enriches lives with resources and opportunities for life long learning and enjoyment. Our expert staff is here to help you with your information needs.”

Library Mission Statement Revised


“ The constant vision of Anytown Public Library is to provide the community with superior library services, to serve as the cultural and intellectual crossroads of our community, and to be a leader among public libraries in a changing world.”

Library Vision Statement


“Enhance. Enrich. Educate. Entertain. Enlighten.”

Library Vision Revised


What are your next steps?

Documents

LibraryLinkNJ 1 On Your Mark. Get Set. Start Planning! New Jersey State Library LibraryLinkNJ, the New Jersey Library Cooperative Spring, 2011