The Strategic Reality Check

An Infopeople Webinar with Joan Frye Williams and George Needham

October 28, 2010

Most libraries already have a strategic plan

Countless meetings

Civilian input

I’VE GOT A GREAT NEW IDEA--LIBRARIES SHOULD HAVE COMPUTERS!

Service responses

Vision statement

LIBRARY

Values statement

• Integrity• Communication• Respect• Excellence

Goals, objectives, and metrics

Changing facilities

Changing library leadership

Changing political leadership

Changing service model

Changing role of the central library

Changing finances

Are you stillon course?

No way you want to start over

A new approach to planning

• Pragmatic• Cost-effective• Timely• Flexible• Motivational• Developmental

Service assessment

Start with the service-related data

What are you telling your community?

• Website• Newsletter• Social media• Press releases• Annual reports• Signage• Instructional materials• Mission, vision, values

What are you telling yourself?

• Staff newsletters and memos

• Intranet• Director’s messages• Internal

communications• Job descriptions• Staff evaluations

Observation

Take a look at service outside

the library

How well does your service

match your promises?

Community check in

Review plans that are already in place

• City or county strategic plans• Business initiatives• Not-for-profit organizational

goals• School district

planning• Infrastructure projects

Review existing survey data

Who else is planningyour community’s future?

How does your

community see itself?

What are your community’s hopes for the future?

How can the library help realize

those hopes?

Guiding principles

This I believe…

What are your decision-making criteria?

Realignment

Compare your strategies to

• Your library’s strengths• Your community’s vision

of itself • Your principles

Check for sustainability

Modify to match

Repeat as needed

Let’s continue the conversationE-mail hello@georgeandjoan.comVisit http://georgeandjoan.com