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Adopted by the Monroe County Board of Trustees February 20, 2003 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Mission List of Supporting Documents:
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 2003 - 2005 Strategic Plan revises the mission, goals, and objectives of the library's previous Long-Range Plan (1992). The plan is a milestone for Monroe County Public Library, the result of over 12 months of work by trustees, library staff, and the citizens of Monroe County. The approach used in the plan incorporates aspects of community-based planning and a national standards-based planning model. Additions in this plan are statements of vision and values. The plan focuses on key areas highlighted in the community's vision for the library. It speaks action and accountability, and meets head on the challenge of continued growth and excellence in the face of steadily increasing patron demand and projected statewide contraction in revenue over the next two years. Key Areas and Emphases in the Plan Access:
Responsive Service:
Community Gathering Place:
Productivity and Effective Library Processes:
INTRODUCTION The Standards for Public Libraries as produced by the Indiana State Library state:
Beyond these state standards, a long-range or strategic plan enables Monroe Country Public Library (MCPL) to operate proactively and more efficiently. The plan helps to define the library's future, establishing a common vision and a core set of library goals that position MCPL to evaluate appropriate levels of service and to meet the community's highest priority service needs.
PLANNING PROCESS An introduction to the planning process was presented by the Director and discussed at the Staff Training Day in October 2001. A Strategic Planning Team consisting of the Director, Associate Director, Strategic Planning Coordinator, and the heads of the Ellettsville Branch Library, Adult Services, Children's Services, and Technical Services was formed, and during 2002 data were gathered from a community scan, market survey, community and staff focus groups, and peer libraries. The Planning Team did a SWOT analysis to assess existing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Based on these data and analysis, the Planning Team drafted statements of mission, vision, values, and goals. Department managers and staff brainstormed objectives. Throughout the year, planning documents were made available to staff online and in the break room. Additionally, staff input was sought through the library's Intranet, library-wide staff meetings, and departmental meetings. Reference copies of the Community Survey and Focus Group Reports were made available to the public at the main library and the Ellettsville branch. The Library Board held 14 work sessions on aspects of the plan. On February 20, 2003, the Board crafted the final revised mission statement and approved the 2003 - 2005 Strategic Plan for library implementation. Our thanks to all those in the community and on the library staff who contributed to this plan.
Community Scan
Community Survey
Focus Groups
Benchmarking Against Peer Libraries: PLDS and HAPLR Utilizing another national rating report, The Hennen American Public Library Rating (HAPLR) Index 2000 (the most recent available), the library compared itself with four Indiana libraries, six regional libraries, and two libraries from other areas of the country across 15 input/output measures. Almost all the libraries chosen had extremely high HAPLR ratings. Five of the libraries are located in university communities. The 16-member PLDS peer library list and the 12-member HAPLR peer list were combined to establish a 27 library peer group list. (There was one library listed in both PLDS and HAPLR.) The combined list is used as a comparison group throughout the plan.
Telephone Interviews with HAPLR Comparison Libraries
COMMUNITY NEEDS AND OTHER KEY FINDINGS
Community Scan: Census Period 1990-2000
Library Roles Survey Information
Focus Groups
Library's Collection Survey Information
Focus Groups
Comparative/Peer Group Data
Library Facilities Survey Information
Focus Groups
Comparative/Peer Group Data
Human Resources and Training Survey Information
Focus Groups
Comparative/Peer Group Data
Technology Survey Information
Focus Groups
Administration Survey Information
Focus Groups
Comparative/Peer Group Data
Library Spending Priorities Survey Information
Focus Groups
Comparative/Peer Group Data
Findings Summary The Monroe County Public Library is in the enviable position of having very widespread, heartfelt community support. Both survey and focus groups offer convincing evidence that community members are proud of their library and feel valued and comfortable there. The challenge to the library is to sustain that feeling and to extend it to those who do not use the library. The benchmarking data's quantitative measures of resources and service show the library's many strengths, but also point to areas where the library needs to improve in order to be recognized as a leading public library.
Mission The Monroe County Public Library offers equitable access to information, a place to gather, and opportunities for lifelong learning, enrichment and enjoyment.
Vision The library's vision is community-driven and action-oriented. It imparts a shared sense of the ideal future of MCPL, and indicates what the main points of effort will be in the library's strategic plan. The residents of Monroe County envision a future for their public library emphasizing these key areas: access, service, community, and productivity. Access:
Service:
Community:
Productivity:
Values The library's values are the important principles and beliefs that guide staff as they seek to accomplish the library's vision. Monroe County Public Library values:
Strategic Initiatives and Goals, 2003 - 2005 Strategic Initiative #1: To Expand Access to the Library
Strategic Initiative #2: To Provide Responsive Service that Meets the Community's Needs and Interests
Strategic Initiative #3: To Provide a Welcoming, Central Place for All to Meet and Exchange Ideas
Strategic Initiative #4: To Establish and Maintain Effective, Efficient Library Processes.
Work Plan 2003 - 2005
Strategic Initiatives, Goals, and Objectives Strategic Initiative #1: TO EXPAND ACCESS TO THE LIBRARYGoal 1. As library usage continues to expand, Monroe County residents will have excellent access to library facilities and services. Objectives:
Goal 2. Users of the library will have more parking options and experience improved traffic flow in and around the library facility parking lots. Objectives:
Goal 3. Monroe County residents will have additional hours of library service. Objectives:
Strategic Initiative #2: TO PROVIDE RESPONSIVE SERVICE THAT MEETS THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND INTERESTSGoal 1. The library will concentrate resources on the services and programs that the community has said are most valued. Objectives:
Goal 2. The library will make use of technology to increase individualized service to users. Objectives:
Goal 3. The library will provide high quality and relevant collections with active collection management. Objectives:
Goal 4. The library will be proactive in gathering and responding to all input from library users. Objectives:
Goal 5. The library will have effective marketing/public relations efforts. Objectives:
Goal 6. The library will provide services and collections to address emerging demographic trends. Objectives:
Strategic Initiative #3: TO PROVIDE A WELCOMING CENTRAL PLACE FOR ALL TO MEET AND EXCHANGE IDEASGoal 1. The library will be a primary community destination and gathering place. Objectives:
Goal 2. Library users and library staff will have a safe and comfortable environment. Objectives:
Strategic Initiative #4: TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT LIBRARY PROCESSESGoal 1. The library will have an efficient organizational structure that allows for proactive management and creative leadership. Objectives:
Goal 2. Library staff will be adequately trained and will maintain a sound knowledge base in their area of the organization. Objectives:
Goal 3. The library work environment will be progressive and incorporate best management practices. Objectives:
Goal 4. The library will operate with a high level of financial accountability. Objectives:
Plan Review and Evaluation The objectives and success measures outlined here will be expanded into action plans. The administrative staff will regularly assess progress and actively review measures of success. Also, this plan will serve as the basis of an annual report to the public on the activities of MCPL. The Library Director and Library Board of Trustees will annually review the plan and make adjustments as needed to reflect community trends. Before the next planning cycle, the planning process will be evaluated to ensure that the library has the best information for meeting community service needs and allocating resources. |