How is planning important to a library

Models and Resources There are many models and resources for strategic planning, including:. Skip to main content.

SCLS services focus on : Staff development Board development Community conversations Applying current data and demographics Assistance with plan development Additionally, an outside facilitator may have specialized skills that your staff and board may not have, and their neutrality can lend credibility to your process. For more information, contact:. On top of that, our country is in-crisis faced with an increase in racism, income inequality, stress, gun violence, and political division.

What do these issues mean for the future of our libraries and our communities? How can libraries respond to not just remain relevant and essential, but to become positive change agents for social justice? What do we need to do to prepare our libraries for a successful future? Strategic planning! Strategic planning is a key process to prepare for a successful future.

Maybe your library is not interested in these two opportunities? Then, why should you still use strategic planning? For three important reasons:. A strategic plan serves as a map for your journey, not a rigid policy. By specifying goals, measurable objectives, and activities, you chart a course to guide your decisions, identify the most critical services and programs to support and implement, and improve staff performance. Strategic planning is essential for change management.

By getting to know the specific needs of your community during the strategic planning process, your library will be able to create tailored services and programs that best serve your local needs.

This professional development opportunity is truly unique in that it meets participants where they are and allows them to integrate dynamic planning into their daily work. Participants can choose to create a plan by the end of the year or just practice using some of these new tools, and they will be connected to a like-minded community striving for success. The power of dynamic planning can be explained through the example of using a lever.

A dynamic process is defined as energy and effective action, usually through continuous and productive activity or change. When a dynamic force is applied to a lever that force is multiplied many times and thus the performance is improved with less effort. The more dynamic efforts that are applied, the greater the potential of that force obtaining the desired results. It allows us to focus our efforts on lifting the heavy loads of our community needs. The plan is like a fulcrum, if it is placed closer to the needs of the community, greater results will be accomplished.

Without a plan fulcrum , library efforts can be wasted and less can be accomplished. Dynamic planning requires periodic refreshment of change in order to retain energy and progress.