HomeMy Public PortalAboutjan21strategicplanningII1
Watertown Free Public Llb ra ry
Library Director
Leone E. Cole
TO: Library Trustees
FROM: Caitlin Browne, Assistant Director
DATE: January 8, 2021
RE: Strategic Planning Approach
After reviewing the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioner's guidance and requirements
for strategic plans I have found that the requirements have become more flexible since our past
plans were drafted. In Tight of this please review my assessment of what we need to do and
recommendations for our process.
The strategic plan has five requirements:
1. Mission Statement or Vision Statement. Both can be included but only one is required.
propose that we include both.
2. User Needs Assessment. We have completed the first step of this with the survey but
and will continue to analyze the results as well as consider new feedback.
3. Goals. In the past we have included both goals and objectives, but objectives are no
longer required. I recommend we only create goals, leaving the objectives to be
determined by staff in the yearly action plan.
4. Brief Description of Planning Methodology.
5. Governing Body Approval
In discussions with MBLC staff I have learned that requirements have become broader so that
libraries can create plans that allow them to focus on service as opposed to spending too much
time on bureaucratic procedures. This flexibility is welcome. In previous planning processes
creating objectives that wouldn't quickly become obsolete was a challenge. Focusing on only
creating goals will give us the ability to be responsive to what we've discovered from the survey
without restricting creativity and future responsiveness.
If the above approach is acceptable I recommend the following outline to proceed.
January Meeting: Prior to the meeting the committee will receive updated material including
the planning website, the covid response report, performance measures, and anything else
appropriate to get them reacquainted with the process. The meeting will focus on
123 Main Street Watertown, MA 02472-4478
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reintroductions, review, how covid has impacted the library, and establishing our approach
moving forward.
February Meeting: Using the survey results and any other information we choose to consider,
establish what the library is doing well. The purpose of this is to understand our competencies
so we continue to do them well.
March Meeting: Using survey results and committee input, establish the library weaknesses.
April Meeting: Evaluate the most important weaknesses to work on and prioritize them. These
weaknesses will drive the creation of objectives in yearly action plans.
May Meeting: Pull out themes from the survey and our discussions. The themes can be
strengths or weaknesses and will be used to develop the goals.
June Meeting: Establish the important concepts that should be included in a vision statement.
July -August: Library administration writes the Strategic Plan Draft and submits it to the
committee no later than August 25.
September 1: Planning meeting to review draft and suggest edits.
September 15: Trustees approve plan at monthly Trustees Meeting. The strategic planning and
Trustees meeting will be swapped this month so that the draft can be reviewed first.
September 16: Library administration submits plan to MBLC.