Strategic Planning: Final Report
2011 - 2016

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part 1 - Strategic Plan: A Brighter Future for Springfield Today

Mission

Vision

Values

Strategic Priorities

Assessment Priorities

SWOT Analysis - Internal

Potential Objectives - Internal

Part 2 - The Strategic Planning Process

Project Timeline

Project Narrative

Strategic Planning Retreat Agenda

Strategic Planning Retreat Participants

Part 3 - Community Research

Focus Groups and Interviews

Part 4 - Implementation

Next Steps

Introduction

In Fall 2009, Springfield City Library first approached LYRASIS (then NELINET) for assistance with strategic planning. Stephen Spohn, LYRASIS Senior Consultant for Planning and Assessment, was selected as the consultant for this project. During the first phase of the project completed in Fall 2009, the LYRASIS consultant provided (1) a staff development day on trends and strategic planning and (2) a high-level library review and recommendations to assist the library director in ongoing strategic and operational planning. During this the second phase of the project conducted during Spring 2010, the LYRASIS consultant was engaged to provide comprehensive strategic planning services including (1) extensive community research, (2) planning retreat facilitation and (3) this report and draft strategic plan.

Leadership and staff commitment to the strategic planning process and the resulting strategic plan was extensive and commendable. Under the direction of Library Director Molly Fogarty, library managers and staff identified community leaders for interviews, arranged user focus groups, arranged the strategic planning retreat and identified city and community leaders to participate on the planning team. It is not typical for a library to undertake such a comprehensive planning process with such an extraordinary level of community engagement. However, given current circumstances and the time elapsed since a significant community involvement in the planning process was achieved, it was both appropriate and necessary for the library to engage the process in this manner.

This report is outlined in four sections as follows:

Part One –Strategic Plan: A Brighter Future for Springfield Today
The strategic plan is the public version of the strategic plan. It should be noted that the format of this plan is nontraditional. Rather than listing specific objectives, the plans lists “focus areas.” This was done to allow staff to further refine and plan and was deemed an appropriate course of action by both the Library Director and the LYRASIS consultant. This will allow library management and staff the professional discretion and flexibility deserved and appropriate to their roles to carry out the plan.

Part Two – The Strategic Planning Process
Project timelines, participants and agenda are outlined here to capture the strategic planning and decision-making processes that resulted in the strategic plan.

Part Three – Community Research
This section lists the interviews and focus groups conducted along with a high-level summary of community research that was used to inform participants at the planning retreat. It should be noted that more detailed raw notes were sent to the Library Director as needed.

Part Four – Implementation
This section outlines critical implementation advice for the Library Director.

Part 1 - Strategic Plan:
A Brighter Future for Springfield Today

Assessment Priorities

This list is tentative and should be further refined as goal leaders and work teams further develop these goals into objectives and action plans. In addition, these priorities need to be aligned with operational library assessment priorities and citywide assessment priorities.

•  Impacts on literacy, education and the workforce

•  Programs and program attendance

•  Resources acquired and used

•  Participation on city, community and regional groups

•  Improvements in literacy

•  Reported employment status changes

•  Effectiveness of community engagement

•  New user registrations

•  Donations of time/expertise; volunteers

•  Increased involvement on library advisory committees

•  Effectiveness of library programming

•  Program attendance and capacity by program type, broad topic and location

•  Distribution of programs among branch locations

•  Program evaluations

•  Effectiveness of library collection development

•  Circulation/expenditures for new books – ROI

•  Circulation of display books

SWOT Analysis - Internal

Internal

External

Potential Objectives - Internal

The following potential objectives were developed during brainstorming at the strategic planning retreat. Further refinement is needed by goal area leaders and work teams to develop formal objectives and annual action plans.

1. The library will be a strong partner in the Reading Success by Fourth Grade project through leadership and programs that impact early childhood literacy.
2. The library will develop financial literacy programs for residents to learn about personal finance, retirement and school loans.
3. The library will host demonstrations of new technologies to improve knowledge and awareness of emerging tools.
4. The library will host a series of workshops to improve workplace readiness for local job seekers.
5. The library will develop programs to promote awareness of local career opportunities.
6. The Library will host a series of health and wellness seminars led by local professionals.
7. The library will hold a college fair to attract teens to local colleges.
8. The library will develop a Springfield Success Series to showcase local leaders and inspire community members to use City resources to start a business, change a career and advance their education.
9. The library will be a leader and active participant in local seasonal events and celebrations.
10. The library will develop Library in the Park walking tours to showcase the history and greenery of Springfield.
11. The library will develop a Springfield Firsts program series to showcase local history and achievements.
12. The library will create a series of fun, cultural and educational programs to celebrate regional diversity with reading, music, movies and more.
13. The library will actively recruit bilingual volunteers to assist with outreach, programs and community relations.
14. The library will catalog special collections that showcase local history and achievements.
15. The library will create an Internet café pilot.
16. The library will create a Librarians in Training program for area teens to explore careers in libraries.
17. The library will improve visibility through enhancements to external signage and creative marketing.
18. The library will develop a strong presence in social media networks.
19. The library will effectively use partnerships, exhibits and outreach to link the library to the community and the community to reading, fun and success.
20. The library will pair programs with print and electronic collections to improve overall use.
21. The library will review policies to ensure the best customer service possible.
22. The library will refine its assessment program to demonstrate its contributions to and impact on the Springfield community.

Part 2 - The Strategic Planning Process

Project Timeline

Project Narrative

Project Planning

The Library Director and LYRASIS consultant chose and planned a comprehensive strategic planning process with extensive community and staff engagement. Early project planning focused on the identification of community groups and leaders that would be approached to participate in the process. At this time, participants were selected for potential interviews, focus groups and/or involvement on the planning team. The Library Director and LYRASIS consultant also identified a representative body of library staff members who would be strong contributors on the planning team.

Community Research

The LYRASIS consultant prepared draft research goals and questions for interviews and focus groups that were revised as appropriate in consultation with the Library Director. The LYRASIS consultant conducted all focus groups and interviews and prepared a summary document for the planning team along with raw notes for the Library Director as needed.

Strategic Planning Retreat

The LYRASIS consultant facilitated a two-day strategic planning retreat during which time participants created a new mission, vision, values and goals for the library strategic plan. Participants also conducted a brainstorming activity to identify potential objectives for the plan. In preparation for the retreat, the LYRASIS consultant prepared a packet of information about strategic planning, trends, community research, and library statistics. Alison Newman of Springfield CitiStat is to be commended for her commitment and contributions to the library statistics component. She presented at the retreat on the library statistics.

Strategic Plan Refinements

The LYRASIS consultant prepared a draft strategic plan. Upon review, the Library Director and LYRASIS consultant agreed with the modified strategic plan format. The Library Director presented the draft to library management for discussion and that feedback was incorporated into the final document.

Strategic Planning Retreat Agenda

Date: Monday, June 14

Time: 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Location: Springfield City Library, Central Branch, Community Room
220 State Street, Springfield MA

Date: Tuesday, June 15

Time: 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Location: Springfield City Library, Central Branch, Community Room
220 State Street, Springfield MA

Strategic Planning Retreat Participants

Part 3 - Community Research

Focus Groups and Interviews

Springfield City Library conducted a series of focus groups with community members and interviews with community leaders to develop a greater understanding of current needs, perceptions and desires of the community and of the role of the library in Springfield. A follow-up survey is in progress to provide continued input into plan implementation.

Focus Groups

Interviews

Part 4 - Implementation

Next Steps

• Sponsor Review
  Discuss the current draft of the strategic plan with the retreat participants, Library Commission, Friends of the Library and City administration. Adjust plan as needed and publish final strategic plan.

• Accountability
  Each goal area should be assigned to one member of the library management team who will assume primary responsibility for furthering the goal and reporting on progress. Goal area leaders should meet monthly with the library director to review progress, identify needed resources and discuss challenges.

• Organizational Restructuring
  Establish work teams as appropriate to develop detailed objectives and action plans for each goal. Suggested teams include: (1) Program Team, (2) Community Engagement Team and (3) Way Finding Team. Each team should include appropriate library staff with each professional staff member having a primary assignment to one team. Library managers should serve on teams as appropriate.
  
  Teams will benefit from using collaborative tools, such as Google Groups. The library should investigate and implement appropriate tools to enable virtual team participation to reduce the burden of face-to-face team meetings and improve team productivity.
  
  Work team leaders should meet monthly with the library director to review progress, identify needed resources and discuss challenges.

• Objectives and Action Plans
  Each team and goal area leader should review the SWOT analysis, community research and staff feedback notes to ensure that goal implementation represents the intentions of the strategic planning team and best meets community needs.
  
  Assign a timeline for each objective and action item and revise annual action plan documents as appropriate for filing with MBLC.

• Human Resources and Accountability
  The library should review its performance appraisal processes and forms to incorporate the strategic plan and its associated action plans in individual staff appraisals. This could be done using a narrative self-assessment where staff members enumerate their contributions to each goal area.

• Resource Gap Analysis
  Identify the finances, equipment, technologies and facilities required in order to achieve each objective identified by the work teams and goal leaders. Assess internal resources that can be applied to the objectives and action plans. Determine the impact of reallocating resources on existing library programs and operations. Revise objectives and action plans as appropriate.

• Assessment and Success Metrics
  Refine assessment plan as appropriate as individual objectives and action plans are identified. (This could be a group activity or work for the staff members responsible for each objective.) Inventory available library data that exists to support success metrics. Determine what new data will be needed and how the library will embark on data collection. Work closely with Springfield CitiStat to ensure cohesion with city-wide assessment planning.

• Action Planning
  Assign a timeline for each objective. Determine a reporting structure and calendar for regularly sharing progress. (For example, you may break goals into fourths and have major reports and a focus on each goal and objective quarterly.)

• Ongoing Communications
  Determine effective mechanisms to support ongoing strategic planning communications across library staff, trustees and friends. These should include face-to-face meetings, telephone conferences and technologies to support information sharing, collaboration and decision-making.
  
  The application of social and collaborative technologies here may also be useful to improve staff training and awareness of 2.0 technologies and their applications for user outreach and services. (Given the number of priorities that are likely to tax the Technology Librarian, the library should consider using a free external tool, such as Google Groups. The recent issue of Library Technology Reports on Collaboration 2.0 may be useful as well.)

• Getting Help
  LYRASIS is interested in your success. Don't hesitate to contact anyone at LYRASIS if you have questions about the planning process or any other service we provide that can help you and your staff to succeed. LYRASIS can suggest vendors and products, review documents or suggest processes and activities that will help you achieve your goals.

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