ifla market: what your section can achieve – planning and strategy chair: lynne rudasill,

IFLA Market:

What your Section can achieve

– planning and strategy

Chair: Lynne Rudasill,

Chair of the Professional Committee 2013 - 2015

This session is aimed mainly at active participants of IFLA Units (Section Standing Committee members, Special Interest Group participants, Strategic Programme committee members).

Especially those that are planning to submit a Professional Project proposal to the Professional Committee this year.

Aims of this session today

We hope you learn more about how to plan and carry out an effective IFLA project, and to understand more about how your project could support the Strategic Plan and Key Initiatives.

Examples taken from current professional projects will be presented, and you will have the opportunity to ask members of the Professional Committee about the selection process, and what makes a good application.

[..continued]Aims of this session today

5’ Introduction.15’ Overview of the IFLA Strategic Plan and the Key Initiatives.15’ Effectively planning projects and activities.10’ Aspects of an effective PC Project plan.

Examples of PC Projects:5’ Sister Libraries.5’ Workshop for E-book Campaign.15’ Questions and discussion.

Agenda

Russell LynchChair of Division 2

Overview of the IFLA Strategic Plan and the

Key Initiatives

and how professional units can contribute through their

activities.

The IFLA Strategic Plan sets out the framework for the direction that IFLA will take up to 2015.

Each new Governing Board will review the strategic directions and goals and adjust according to their findings.

The Key Initiatives form the basis for the IFLA strategic activities for all units across IFLA.

What are the they?

1. Digital Content Programme - Driving access to content, and digital resources, for informed library users and communities. There are several sub-themes, such as Open Access, digital lending, standards, etc.

2. IFLA International Librarianship Leadership Development Programme

3. Outreach for Advocacy and Advancement of the Library and Information sector: connecting, collaborating, representing strategically

4. Cultural Heritage Disaster Reconstruction Programme: Culture is a basic need, a community thrives through its cultural heritage, it dies without it

4 Key Initiatives for 2013-2014

http://www.ifla.org/strategic-plan/key-initiatives

These will be updated by the Governing Board for 2013 - 2014

Read the full details online

Sections and Special Interest Groups are asked to help contribute to the Key Initiatives so that all the many parts of IFLA can be seen to be moving in the same direction, and so that we can use our strength together to move forward and demonstrate results.

Relation to the work of the IFLA professional

units

Our aim through these Initiatives is to use our influence and apply our expertise to position libraries as a force for change and secure equitable access to knowledge, cultural heritage, and information for the library user community in the rapidly changing and competitive environment for information resources.

Why does IFLA need Key Initiatives: the bigger goal

Sections and Special Interest Groups take forward the interests of IFLA members in their identified area by developing an Action Plan which is shared with everyone.The Action Plan might include:•Gathering information, statistics, examples of best practice, or viewpoints, perhaps in order to develop documentation or policy, perhaps just to inform through a web page.•Developing and writing a new guideline or standard.•An event or workshop.•Information dissemination or facilitation of discussion.•Developing or delivering training materials.•Community development (for example, partnerships).

How do we all align?

• If IFLA needs input or examples, does your unit have a community ready to be contacted or activated?

• If IFLA needs a representative or advisor, do you have active and informed members across the different continents?

• If IFLA needs examples of good practice is your unit able to point to a web page?

How might these activities contribute to the Key

Initiatives?

By achieving success in our units, we all contribute

to IFLA’s bigger goal.

Effectively planning projects/activities for your Section:

what makes a good plan and how to inform people about

the result.

Carolynn RankinVisiting Fellow,

Leeds Metropolitan University, UK.

• Furthering professional excellence • Creating new knowledge, provoking

conversation and debate• Providing an evidence base for practice and

policy development• Bringing about positive change• Enhancing reputation• Developing an engaged and vibrant professional

community• ...

Why undertake projects - benefits to IFLA and the profession

A project may be expected to have the following features:

• Has a clearly defined set of objectives or outcomes • Has a specific start and end date • Involves the investment of resources for future benefit• Can be planned, financed and implemented as a unit• Has geographical or organisational boundaries

What is a project?

• Instruments of change• Non-routine• Unique• Composed of inter-dependent activities• Carried out by people who don't normally

work together• Temporary - with defined start and end

dates• Intended to achieve a specific outcome• May be risky and involving uncertainties

Characteristics that make projects different from other work

• Carrying out some research to identify a gap in provision.

• Developing a plan to decide what needs to be done and in what order

• Allocating and managing the resources e.g. people and finances

• Considering the risks involved• Communicating with the stakeholders –

disseminating the progress, the outcomes• Evaluating the project

Project management involves a range of management skills

Most of project management is plain, common sense and a lot of what we describe is simply a structured approach to what you would do instinctively!

Different methodologies and software available to help.

Project management skills provide a framework

Why is it important to spend time formulating & clarifying your project plan?•Without being clear it is difficult to plan what needs to be done•To ensure you have sufficient time and money and human resources to undertake the project•Helps to share your plan with others who

– may be working with you to deliver the project

– may be financially backing the project

Planning

Don’t be woolly!

The framework:I = Interest, Issue, IdeaD = Develop, Discuss, DefineE = Engage, Elaborate, EnactA = Advocate, Advertise, Apply

That’s a good IDEA framework – your project

• Identify a project or research opportunity that meets a need for your Section.

• What do we want to know?• How could this help professional

practice/benefit IFLA– make an impact...

I = interest, issue, idea

• Define the questions to ask…• What has been done on this before?

– where is the evidence base?– where are the gaps?

• Develop the project proposal – SMARTER objectives– appropriate methods

D = develop, discuss, define

• Specific• Measurable• Achievable• Realistic• Timed (or Time-bounded)• Evaluate• Review

SMARTER objectives

• Confirming or communicating the purpose and direction

• Helping to make plans and set priorities

• Guiding and informing decisions or actions

• Determining progress and success

(Corrall 2000)

Benefits of setting objectives for the professional project

• Partnerships and connections• Look for common goals• Win-win agenda for impact

• Who will you engage with and how? • This might be partners, colleagues,

library users, management, funders, policy makers…

E = engage, elaborate, enact

• Who needs to know about your Section project?– Other IFLA units– LIS practitioner community– Managers– Funders– Policy makers

• Where will your project outcomes make a difference?

• Effecting change within and beyond the library – making the impact

A = advocate, advertise, apply

The content should tell the reader - •What you want to do •Why you want to do it •What you are trying to achieve•How you plan to achieve it

Writing a professional project proposal helps you to organise

and focus your ideas

• Rational – has been reasoned out• Informative – enough detail • Persuasive – to gain support from the

PC• Demonstrative – to show the

appropriateness of the work proposed• Realistic – to show it is capable of

being achieved

The professional project proposal should be…

• Consider the people who will be involved in working on the project – what management system and structure is needed.

• What skills are needed - leadership role

• Think of Belbin Team Roles

People – the critical human resource

• Major tasks• Estimate time• Think about dependencies• Deliverables/key dates

• Can be presented as a Gantt chart - graphical tool that can help you visualise the project schedule

Project plan - timescales

Gantt chart showing the scheduling of a story sack project

Task Jan Feb Mar Apr May June

Planning meeting with partner organizations to agree story sack theme and to allocate budget and staffing

Book activity room for the workshop

Order resources – books, sewing materials etc.

Produce publicity material and advertise event.

Brief staff and plan workshop sessionPrepare resource materials

Order refreshments for the workshop

Issue press release, invite local paper/radio station to provide coverage on the day

Run the workshopGather evaluation evidence

Prepare evaluation report for partner organizations

• Have we done this?• Have we considered that?• Do we understand this fully?• What will we do should "x" happen?• How should we deal with this?

Questions…

• Funding available for projects often has to be allocated and used within a specific time scale.

• Manage the finances and keep records of project income and expenditure (copies of paperwork such as quotes and invoices.)

• Usually these records will be kept on the accounting system of the parent organisation and project costs can be managed using a spreadsheet.

• Sustainability and accountability - may need an auditor’s report to demonstrate appropriate accountability for the funding.

Budgeting in project work

• Poor project specification• Unrealistic timescales or timescales that

are too long• Inappropriate staff, lack of skill base• Insufficient involvement by senior

management• Failure to manage user expectations• Failure to manage the change required• Opportunity for review and ‘lessons

learned’

Reality check - some common reasons for project ‘failure’

• The content - the message itself• The form - how it is presented, e.g. report,

newsletter, tweet• The medium - how it is transmitted, e.g. face to

face, telephone, SMS, email, web, blogs, Twitter etc.

• The skills - how effective the communicator is, e.g. report-writing, presentation skills

• The organisation - communication policy and procedures, formal channels

Successful communication to disseminate information on the project

Genevieve Clavel-MerrinGB Member of the PC

Aspects of an effective PC Project plan

What does the Professional Committee (PC) look for?

• The PC has a small amount of money for supporting projects in the professional units.

• Call for proposals in October.• Projects approved for funding may claim for

invoices dated from January to December in the following year.

• Units have to report on progress in July and November.

• PC Projects can be funded for two years (maximum) then should be ongoing without the need for funding, completed, or self-sustaining.

The PC Project process

The proposal must contain a clear description stating:•the project's goals and objectives, •alignment with IFLA’s Key Initiatives, •methodology (the plan), •participants (those who will work on the project), •anticipated beneficiaries and stakeholders (who will benefit from the outcomes and who else will be interested),•expected outcomes and results and how these will be disseminated, •project deliverables, •and plan of follow-up action.

The application

Use Carolynn’s tips to plan your project and use the details in your application for funds.

Even if you don’t need funding, plan your project effectively and make details available online so that the rest of IFLA knows what you are doing.

This might bring other benefits back to you..

Discussing and planning your project might take a year or more – don’t rush things.

Planning your project effectively

• By…• Involving your Division Chair to get feedback on

how the plan might be aligned with the Key Initiatives or other activities going on elsewhere.

• Being honest about what might be achievable.• Having a realistic plan that doesn’t depend too

much on one individual.• Showing evidence of time-planning and

deadlines.• Clearly explaining why money is needed and

showing that other sources have been investigated.

Increase your chances of funding success

• You might start the project before funding is needed - ask your Division Chair to inform the PC of your project if you think funding might be needed later on.

• First investigate alternative funding, or voluntary effort from members of your section, or other sections.

• If you really need funds to complete or move forward with the project, obtain good estimates and clearly explain to the PC in your application what the money is needed for and when.

When to apply for PC Project funds

• What benefit is there for IFLA and the library community – why is this needed?

• Is the funded-part of the project embedded in a bigger goal?

• Self-sufficiency of the activity over the long term.• Involvement of the right people to make it a

success.• Effective budget planning before and over the

course of the project.• Plans for promoting the results or deliverables

and transferring experience to others.

What does the PC look for in a good project plan?

The Division Chairs are your contact with the PC – they can advise on what the PC is looking for when it chooses projects to fund.

Stay in touch and discuss the project and its progress with your Division Chair.

Remember the Section’s Standing Committee is not the only source of advice, ideas and helping hands – use others within and even outside IFLA.

Lastly

Example 1:Example 1:SISTER LIBRARIESSISTER LIBRARIES

Example 2:EBOOK WORKSHOP

PC Project funding

Sister Libraries for Children’s and Young Adult’s reading

A programme for children’s libraries of any country to build an international partnership, exchange views and experiences, collaborate and develop joint programs for children’s and YA’s reading

Launched end 2009 – evaluated in 2012 (Helsinki)

Because

• The exchange of knowledge, information, resources, experience & good ideas on library work for children and YA with colleagues abroad opens up new possibilities & can even help overcome difficulties faced (« professional solidarity »)

•It can help to circumvent professional isolation and stagnation, and provide a channel for professional stimulation, motivation and dialogue. 

•Work at an international level, within the frame of an important body (IFLA) can call authorities’ attention to the importance of the library; it can help increase their support and their awareness of the importance of children and YA reading

Any library or organisation working with children’s reading can participate – they need not be IFLA members

On IFLA site : - description in 5 IFLA languages - registration -list of participants

100 libraries registered today, from 43 countries53 are paired

Activites range from email exchanges to elaborate joint programmes including book donation

A blog to share sister libraries’ activities http://sisterlibraries.wordpress.com/

Presentations at IFLA conferences

Who is involved

SC members :

-A Project Coordinator (who initiated the project)

-The Information Coordinator

-5 « godmothers »

- Most SC members

Others :

-A « godmothers » coordinator (former SC member)

-A University lecturer, for the evaluation

- The registered libraries

Who contributed financially?

- IFLA PC financed the project 2010-2011, 2012 and 2013

- SC members’ institutions :

- Bibliothèque nationale de France : - project coordinator’s salary- shipping costs (books for project activity)

- Singapore National Library Board- Information Coordinator’s salary

What are the benefits?For the Section : -active involvement of members (promotion in their country)-Continuing cooperation among members for coordination work

For IFLA : -« the project embodies the spirit of IFLA and links to all key IFLA initiatives »-It has made IFLA known or better known to all kinds of children’s libraries all over the world - It has offered all libraries a frame for active involvement in international work

For the participants (cf C. Rankin, « communities of practice »): Short term value help with challenges, access to expertise

confidence, fun with colleaguesmeaningful work

Long term value personal development, reputationprofessional identity, network,marketability

Example 1:SISTER LIBRARIES

Example 2:Example 2:EBOOK WORKSHOPEBOOK WORKSHOP

PC Project funding

IFLA Management of Library Associations Section (MLAS)

E-Books in Libraries: A Global Question of Survival?An IFLA Management of Library Associations (MLAS) Seminar in Cooperation with CILIP on the Challenges in Front of Us

London, 21 February 2013

The transformation of the media market and the emergence of eBooks is causing great changes to library models worldwide. The

answers we find to the challenges emerging, and the positions and models we develop

will be crucial for our future. This is the reason why IFLA’s Management of Library Associations (MLAS) Committee and the

Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) organized

an important seminar in London in February.

Programme: IFLA HQ and MLAS

Organization: CILIP

Finances:

IFLA GrantMLASCILIP

Only possible with the great support of CILIP

100 participants32 countries

Experts from all continents reported on the situation around

the world

IFLA presented “IFLA Principles on eLending”

MLAS gave feed-back

We tried to develop new strategies

Outcome: E-Book Session in Singapore

Outcome: New “IFLA Principles on eLending”

The Management of Library Associations Section will be

working on campaign to draw attention to the problems libraries

are facing, and organising a strategy event to help national associations develop advocacy

activities in the first part of 2014

Thank you to our speakers.

Over to you…

Questions?Specific questions for speakers today?

Comments for the PC?