Strategic Planning: Plan Development

Learning Goals:

• Purpose of Strategic Planning
• Preparing to develop a strategic plan
• Developing the plan

Primary Purpose and Value of Strategic Planning:
Identify a set of goals for the library that will help library leaders make great decisions

Effective Strategic Planning Processes Begin with the End in Mind

Successful library strategic plan goals ALIGN with
Community Goals

A useful roadmap

Useful?

What's in the plan?

• Goals!
• Action Steps?
• Timeline?
• Person Responsible?
• What else?

Short- One Page?

Things to think about

• Does your library have a strategic plan now?
• If yes - How is it used?
• What works well?
• Either way - what is leading your library to develop a strategic plan now?

Things to think about

• Does your library have a strategic plan now?
• If yes - How is it used?
• What works well?
• Either way - what is leading your library to develop a strategic plan now?

More things to think about

• What would success look like?
• What resources do you have to devote i.e. staff time, experience with strategic planning, community relationships, data, knowledge, etc?
• What timeframe do you have for the plan development?

More things to think about

• What would success look like?
• What resources do you have to devote i.e. staff time, experience with strategic planning, community relationships, data, knowledge, etc?
• What timeframe do you have for the plan development?

More things to think about

• What period of time do you want the plan to cover?
• How can the plan development and implementation of the strategic plan align with library operations?
• Who should be involved to assure success (staff, community members, community leaders? library users?) in which phase(s) of the process and plan development

Once you know

• the timeframe for developing the strategic plan the timeframe of the plan
• the timeframe of the plan
• the end result, components of the plan, how it will be used
• who will be involved in developing and implementing the plan, when, and in what ways....
• you are ready for Step 1

Step 1 Identify Community Goals

What are your community goals?
How can you find out?

Examples of Community Goals/Priorities

• Increase early childhood literacy
• Reduce alcohol and drug abuse in teens
• Reduce homelessness among veterans
• Increase literacy among english language learners
• Are specific populations identified as a priority?

How can you find out?

• Are there larger community initiatives the library is a partner in?
• What community groups are there that are actively identifying priorities?
• Are there any community reports or documents that could help you?
• Other ideas?

Step 2: Select Community Goals that Most Align with your Library's mission, value, and resources

Step 3: Craft Your Strategic Plan Goals from the selected Community Goals (Step 2)

For Each Goal develop:

• Resources and partners
• Strategies and action steps
• Measures of success
• Timeframe and person resonsible
• Assumptions made and reasons for goal and strategy selection
• Other things you've identified as necessary components to your plan

A great process to use Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results SOAR

Potential Barriers and Solutions

Potential Barrier -
lack of clarity about purpose and value of strategic planning
Solution - clarity in planning and communication

Potential Barrier -
not including key stakeholders both internal and external
Solution - assess benefits of including key stakeholders

Potential Barrier -
no follow up with stakeholders
Solution - build follow up into plan for process

Potential Barrier -
lack of preparation
Solution - match level of facilitation and planning expertise with your process

Poll

Questions

Resources

Aspen Institute Report and Action Guide

Missouri State Library
Community Engagement Toolkit and Webinars

Webinar 2 -- Strategic Plan Implementation June 23, 2016