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Taking a staff-led approach, this book helps libraries of all types create their own meaningful and authentic strategic plans while demystifying a process that can bring many benefits to the organization.With dwindling budgets to pay for consultants and a growing interest in collaboration across the organization, libraries are increasingly taking a do-it-yourself approach to strategic planning.
This book takes a step-by-step approach to grassroots strategic planning for libraries of all types. The authors, who led a successful strategic planning process at their own library, provide practical advice and detailed information to guide library personnel through their own process. Topics include aligning with institutional and community values, creating vision and mission statements, researching stakeholder needs, conducting environmental scans, collaborative drafting of the plan, communication strategies, and implementation and assessment of the plan. Each chapter helps librarians create a strategic plan for a broad spectrum of libraries, including K-12, post-secondary, public, and special libraries. A unique feature of the book is its emphasis on the ways in which different library types can collaborate to meet shared goals.
This book is a one-stop-shop, providing everything library staff will need to create a strategic plan without searching for additional sources.
List of contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part One: Pre-Project Planning1. Understanding Strategic Planning and Strategic Plans
2. Laying the Foundation for a Staff-Led Approach
Part Two: Creating the Plan3. Research and Data Analysis
4. Writing Your Strategic Plan
Part Three: Implementing the Plan5. Creating, Implementing, and Assessing Initiatives
6. Communication Throughout and Beyond the Planning Process
Conclusion
Appendices: Sample Library Strategic PlansA: Athens County Public Libraries Strategic Plan, 2016-2019: Building on Success
B: Calgary Public Library Strategic Plan, 2019-2022: Potentials Realized
C: Ohio University Libraries Strategic Plan, 2021-2023
D: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University Library Strategic Plan, 2018-2021
E: Busitema University Library Strategic Initiatives, January 2021-December 2022, Excerpt: GOAL 7, Build a Robust Assessment Programme
F: Forbes Library Strategic Plan, 2019-2023
Index
About the author
Katy B. Mathuews is the Executive Director and CEO of OhioNet, USA. She holds degrees in business administration, economics, library and information science, and higher education administration. Mathuews served on the Academic Library Association of Ohio's executive board and the Portsmouth Public Library board of trustees in Portsmouth, OH. She is a coauthor (with Daniel J. Harper) of Academic Library Makerspaces: A Practical Guide to Planning, Collaborating, and Supporting Campus Innovation (2020).Ryan A. Spellman is an Online Learning Librarian at Northern Kentucky University's Steely Library, USA. He has a master's of library and information science from Kent State University and a bachelor of science in communication from Ohio University. Prior to his academic library career, Ryan spent 14 years working in a public library setting.
