Long-Range Strategic Planning: Some Ideas About Libraries

A Talk Given by Tom PetersFeb. 4, 2014, online

The Plan for the Next 45 Mins.

1. Why engage in long-range strategic planning?

2. How to engage in worthwhile strategic planning

3. Implementing your strategic plan

4. Assessing your plan and the planning process

5. Discussion (possible at any time, really)

How Long is Long-Range?

• 1 year

• 3 years

• 5 years

• 10 years

• 20 years

• 25 years

Case Study: 25-year Space Plan for Meyer Library at MO State Univ.

1. Why Do This?

• To define a desired future state

• To define a path or direction to achieve that desired future state

• To deliberately allocate precious resources

• The process itself can be salubrious for a library organization

Why? (stated negatively)

• To avoid mission creep

• To avoid avoiding program assessment

• To avoid losing focus as a library

• To avoid becoming marginalized or irrelevant during a time of change

• To avoid employee ennui or confusion

1. Really, Why? Space Zombies

1. Why? Because the Pres. Asked

1. Why? Library as Third Place

2. How: Tools for Strategic Planning

• Mission Statement

• Vision Statement

• A Core Values Statement

• A Sense of Possible Strategies

• A Thorough, Current Environmental Scan

• Collective Will to Plan and Implement

• Every Initiative Needs a Professional Leader

2. How: Gather and Analyze Data

• 700,000 gate count in FY13

• Gate count doubled in a decade

• Use of the main circulating collection has

been in a 20 year decline

• Circ stats are now approx. one-third of their

peak year.

2. Gather Input; Involve Stakeholders

• Google Doc for sharing ideas and comments

• Outside space consultant from CNI

• Meetings with various stakeholder groups

• Public Forums

• Marketing campaign? o Snappy Slogan?

o Logo or some sort of graphic design?

2. Develop Working Principles

• Physical library as important third place on

the campus

• Blended building should be driven by true

collaboration among the cost centers

• Tenants in the library building should offer a

bona fide walk-up service to users

3. Implementing the Strategic Plan

• Manage the fears

• Manage the hopes

• Manage the delays and frustrations

• Assess the everchanging conditions

• Harken back to the plan almost ad nauseum

3. Phase 2: Furnish the Spaces

• It ain’t the space and the location; it’s the furnishings, the ambiance, and the overall, complete information experience

• The library of the future will blend the best of library, museum, and theme park experiences

3. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Beware the 3 P’s:

•Personalities

•Politics

•Pecunia (money)

Planning exhaustion

NIMBY attitudes

Fiefdom: Guarding the borders

4. Summative Assessment of the Plan and Its Implementation

Are most strategic plans destined to miss the mark or languish unfulfilled?

How quickly do strategic plans become outdated?

1. Why, Again?

• Avoid the lure of the here and now

• Lulled libraries rarely thrive

• Rapidly changing environmental conditions:o Information and communication technologies

o User expectations and preferences

o User behavior

Strategic Plan is Not Etched in Stone

5. Discussion

Thank Your for Your Time and Attention

Tom Peters

Dean of Library Services

Duane G. Meyer Library, Room 302

Missouri State University

901 S. National Ave.

Springfield MO 65897

Email: tpeters@missouristate.edu

Office: 417-836-4525

Mobile: 309-660-3648

FB: Thomas A. Peters

Twitter: TAPintoIT