Strategic Planning

Introduction


The importance of strategic planning has been apparent to me for a long time because my boyfriend is an emergency manager and likes to stress its importance in every paper he's had me review for him. Still I was not sure how strategic planning applied to libraries. Through my reading, I was able to learn more about how to develop and implement a strategic plan in a library and why it is important. I also learned that it helps with accountability, not to mention that it helps cover your butt when stakeholders are interested in what your plan for the library is. I was sure to include two sources for each section because this topic is so important.




Textbook Chapter:


1. Gordon, Rachel Singer. 2005. The Accidental Library Manager. Medford, New Jersey: Information Today, Inc. 183-201. Strategic planning is all about managing change. Chapter 8 gives some useful pointers on managing changes in your library, but it also contains a great section on strategic planning pages 194-200.

2. Stueart, Robert D. and Barbara D. Moran. 2007. Library and Information Center Management, 7th ed. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited. 93-117. Chapter 5 is devoted entirely to strategic planning. This chapter goes in-depth to describe why and how one should plan strategically. It also goes into detail on SWOT.


Article from Prof Library Literature:


1. Spadafora, David. "Short-term Costs for Long-term Benefits." Journal of Library Administration 52, no. 1 (2012): 108-123. This article outlines how the Newberry Library used its strategic planning skills to carry itself through recent tough economic times. The administration at the Newberry were attempting to reinvent their library for the twenty-first century patron. They effectively outlined their short term and long term goals while keeping realistic funding in mind. Their actions can be used as a model for the future.

2. McNicol, Sarah. "The challenges of strategic planning in academic libraries." New Library World 106, no. 11 (2005): 496-509. Outlines the benefits of strategic planning in academic libraries.


Article from Prof Management Literature:


1. Johnson, Heather. "Strategic Planning for Modern Libraries." Library Management 15, no. 1 (1994): 7-18. While this article is older, the information it presents is still relevant. It outlines the process of strategic planning and why we do it.


2. Brockmann, Erich N. and Kenneth J. Lacho. "Strategic Planning: A Practical Primer for the Entrepreneur." The Entrepreneurial Executive 15, (2010): 25-32. This article gives pointers for strategic planning from a business perspective, which can be advantageous in the library world.


Examples of library policies and procedures:


1. Iowa City Public Library Strategic Plan 2013 The library gives itself long and short term goals to be completed by 2013. It provides an excellent example of what a plan should look and sound like in a public library system. Their plan is simple and easy to follow.

2. Brampton Public Library's plan is feasible and gives one an excellent example of what a strategic plan should look like.


Other resources:


1.All About Strategic Planning: This webpage defines strategic planning and gives the reader guidelines for developing and implementing one of their own in their library.