On Your Mark.
Get Set.
Start Planning!
New Jersey State Library
LibraryLinkNJ, the New Jersey Library Cooperative
Spring, 2011
LibraryLinkNJ
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What do you want to learn today?
LibraryLinkNJ
Agenda
LibraryLinkNJ
You will learn…
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Imagine a library that…
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Puts customers front and center
Values ideas as much as process
Cultivates an entrepreneurial spirit
Attracts customers with diverse needs
Has forward-thinking leadership
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Imagine a library that…
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Library landscape is changing…
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Demographic shifts
Customer expectations and preferences
Funding
Pressure to merge/consolidate
Facilities
Technology
Publishing
Diversity/age/ethnic/economic/educational
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Can’t hold a pat hand
Libraries can’t keep doing what they have always done
and expect to survive
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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Why plan?
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Required
Quality of well-managed organization
Volatile ever-changing environment
Proactive rather than reactive
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
-Benjamin Franklin
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Why plan?
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Conversations about library
Clarify priorities
Customer focus
Benchmarks for success
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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Extra Dimension in NJ
• Protects against unexpected political mandates and
budget reductions
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Most importantly…
Library is forced to ask tough questions
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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?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Planning is an opportunity to…
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Assess economic impact
Participate in community building
Align with local planning objectives
Solve community problems
Showcase leadership
Strut your stuff
Be creative
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Many Planning Models
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Planning for Results
Balanced Scorecard
“What If?” Scenarios
Blue Ocean Strategy
Best features of multiple 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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Six Basic Phases
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Organization and delegation
Information gathering
Information analysis
Strategizing and prioritizing
Plan drafting, editing, approval
Plan distribution and promotion
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Organization and Delegation:
What is the role of Directors?
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Organization and Delegation:
What is the role of Trustees?
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Organization and Delegation:
Core Responsibility of Every Trustee
Many Boards spend time doing the wrong things
The ABCs
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Organization and Delegation:
ABC Management
C level responsibilities
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Clean up yesterday’s problems
Micromanage
B level responsibilities
– Manage today / make short term decisions
A level responsibilities
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Secure necessary funds
Hire/fire director
Construction decisions
Set strategic direction
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Organization and Delegation:
Planning works when…
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Organization and Delegation:
Before you start, decide…
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?
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New Jersey Library Cooperative
Information Gathering
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
SWOT: NJ Public Libraries
New Jersey Library Cooperative
SWOT: Your Library
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Information Gathering:
Benchmarking
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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
To Benchmark…
Determine list of peer libraries/state or national based on
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Size of population
Budget
Circulation
Number of outlets
Other demographics/unemployment, poverty etc.
New Jersey Library Cooperative
To Benchmark
Obtain data from one or more rating services
PLDS 2009 data
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Staffing/productivity
Funding
Circulation
Size of collection
Amount spent per capita
Number of computers
Program attendance/number of programs
Gate count
Hours of operation
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Case Study: San Antonio Public Library
• 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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
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Benchmarking
Remember: Both favorable and unfavorable results may be useful
to you
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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Information Gathering:
Secondary Resources
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National reports and studies
Trends
Local planning documents
Economic development studies
Library reports/statistics
School district reports/data
New Jersey Library Cooperative
2010 Census
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Population/current and projected
Age
Gender
Ethnicity
Income
Educational attainment
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Information Gathering:
Listen to Your Community
The library’s “insiders”
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Staff
Trustees
Friends
Volunteers
Donors
Loyal users
The library’s “outer circles”
– Political officials
– Community leaders
– Nonusers
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New Jersey Library Cooperative
Information Gathering:
Primary Research
Qualitative
• Focus groups
• Town meetings
• One-on-one executive interviews
Quantitative
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Online surveys
Telephone surveys
Benchmarking with peer libraries
Lifestyle geomapping
New Jersey Library Cooperative
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Information Gathering:
Community Lifestyles
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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?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Information Gathering:
What does your community need?
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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?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Geomapping lifestyles
Imagine “Anytown, NJ”
• Suburban community
• Population 9900
• Dominant groups
– Gray power
– Pools and patios
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Who are they?
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Large retired older population
Aging baby boomers
Well-educated
Homeowners without children
Affluent
Stable community
Downsizers
New Jersey Library Cooperative
What might Anytown need?
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Basic Literacy?
Business and career?
Community commons?
Community referral network?
Consumer information?
Cultural awareness?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
What might Anytown need?
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Current topics and titles?
Formal learning support?
General information?
Government information?
Information literacy?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
What might Anytown need?
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Lifelong learning?
Local history/genealogy?
Family place?
Information literacy?
Technology?
Healthcare information?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Plans may include goals/strategies for…
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Board and staff development
Advocacy
Financial management
Funding diversification
Facilities planning
Technology planning
Collection development
Program development
New Jersey Library Cooperative
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
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Translate what you learn from primary research…
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?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
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Translate what you learn from the SWOT
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?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
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Sample goal
with strategies and work plans
The Library will be a valued contributor to economic
development in our community.
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New Jersey Library Cooperative
Sample goal
with strategies and work plans
The Library will diversify its funding base.
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New Jersey Library Cooperative
Sample goal
with strategies and work plans
The Library will be recognized as a leading contributor to
academic achievement.
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New Jersey Library Cooperative
Sample goal
with strategies and work plans
The Library will advocate effectively for sustained
funding.
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New Jersey Library Cooperative
Sample goal
with strategies and work plans
Board membership will become highly valued.
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New Jersey Library Cooperative
Sample goal
with strategies and work plans
The Library will effectively brand and market its services.
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New Jersey Library Cooperative
If there are many directions to go…
Prioritize with a version of the Boston Matrix…
New Jersey Library Cooperative
If there are many directions to go…
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?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
The Library Litmus Test cont.
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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?
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Assemble the Plan
State-of-the library overview
Environmental scan of
– National and local trends
– Demographics
– Social, economic, political, and other issues
Review of research
New Jersey Library Cooperative
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Assemble the Plan
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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
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Build the plan around a theme
• 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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Promote the plan!
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
A Good Plan Is
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Realistic
To the point
Every action is either strong or weak, and when
every action is strong we are successful.
Jargon-free
-Wallace D. Wattles
Easy to read
Compelling
Responds to the community
needs and preferences
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Why plans are unsuccessful
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
A successful plan…
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Addresses both customers and non-customers,
Has staff support,
Gets funded,
Is promoted,
Is implemented!
It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.
-Eleanor Roosevelt
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Core Values, Mission and Vision
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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Effective Mission Statements
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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
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Sample Mission and Vision Statements
From the business sector
The 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.
Strategic planning is worthless—unless there
is first a strategic vision. -John Naisbitt
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Library Mission Statement
“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.
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Library Mission Statement Revised
“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.”
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Library Vision Statement
“ 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.”
New Jersey Library Cooperative
Library Vision Revised
“Enhance. Enrich. Educate. Entertain. Enlighten.”
New Jersey Library Cooperative
What are your next steps?
New Jersey Library Cooperative