Alcock 1 Emilie Alcock Professor Christopher Stewart LIS 770 25 June 2012 Strategic Plan Analysis Winnetka-Northfield Library

District ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW The Winnetka-Northfield Library District (WNLD) began in 1884 as the Winnetka Public Library. In 1974, it was changed from a village department to a separate governmental division so that Northfield could be included in the area supported by taxes. In 1984, the residents of the village of Kenilworth entered into a contractual agreement with WNLD in exchange for library services (Library History). Today, WNLD serves approximately 18,000 residents within [their] service area . . . [they] also serve the 2,500 residents of the Village of Kenilworth . . . (WNLD 4). This area is home to many families with children under 18, with 26% of residents between the ages of 5 and 18 (WNLD 4).

SPAN OF STRATEGIC PLAN/SUMMARY WNLDs strategic plan spans 2011 to 2015. The library director, David J. Seleb, begins his narrative in December 2009 with the inception of the twelve-member Strategic Planning Committee. The committee was given the charge to study the needs of its communities residents regarding library district services, to recommend a process and timetable to develop a strategic plan based on its findings, and to create and recommend a strategic plan for final adoption by the board (WNLD 2). In spring 2010, the Chicago-based firm of L.C. Williams &

Alcock 2 Associates (LCWA) was hired to create a library survey, the first the district had sponsored in over thirteen years (WNLD 2). It was distributed in October of that year to the residents of Northfield, Winnetka, and Kenilworth, with the inclusion of a teen survey and the option to complete both online. After collection, analysis, and presentation of the data by LCWA, the committee developed its 2011-2015 Strategic Plan.

MISSION /VISION AND VALUES Upon first reading the mission and vision statements of the WNPL, I felt that they were very, perhaps too, crude and unsophisticated. Their mission simply states: We provide exceptional service, reliable information, enriching programs, and welcoming spaces for everyone in our communities (WNPL 10). I consulted Stueart and Moran, who write, The mission statement is a short, succinct statement focusing on the purpose of the organization, its reason for existence, and what it hopes to accomplish[it] should answer three primary questions: Who (customers)? What (services)? and How (activities)? (109). Using this as a working definition, the WNPL does meet these requirements: Who? is answered by everyone in our communities, What? by exceptional service, reliable informationand welcoming spaces, and How? by enriching programs. The librarys vision asserts, We will be a trusted gateway to a world of information, culture, and ideas (WNPL 10). Basically, a vision statement is formulated to be the foresight of what the organization strives to be, and it also constitutes a Why? element related to the mission. (Stueart and Moran 107, 109). Perhaps the mission and vision statements of the WNPL initially struck me as lacking finesse because of the many convoluted statements of the same category one is used to seeing repeatedly in businesses. After

Alcock 3 careful evaluation, I feel that these statement suit WNPL well, both in their straightforwardness and explicit commitment to providing the best service for their patrons. WNPL lists a number of organizational values: Customer Focus; Enthusiasm for Learning; Innovative Services; Inviting Spaces; Freedom to Read, to Learn, to Know; Finance; and Choices (WNPL 9). Most of these values are self-explanatory, but a few of them merit further examination. Under the heading Enthusiasm for Learning, the library includes support for a learning environment for our staff along with one for patrons, which is important for better customer service, development of staff flexibility, creativity, and self-realization, all important factors in empowering employees (Stueart and Moran 388). The Inviting Spaces of which WNPLs values speak denote both real and virtual spaces, which is vital in todays world of digitization. Lastly, the library is concerned with Choices, in programs and collections for all ages that are informative, enriching, and fun (WNPL 10). These values espouse an enriching and welcoming organization with commitment to innovation, collaboration, and excellence in services (Stueart and Moran 107).

GOALS/OBJECTIVES For most effective assessment, I have organized the goals and objectives in a bulleted list with the main bullet highlighting the goal and the sub-bullets accenting their corresponding key objective and evaluation. Collections maintain and improve patron satisfaction o Use internal resources and funding to address the opportunities of popular titles, teens, and digital access and materials. o Since WNPL is pressed for physical space with no immediate expectation of expansion, using internal resources and creativity to drive better collection management is in full support of the goal. It is attainable and realistic with staff cooperation and current funding, and is measurable by the manner in which it would facilitate the objective. This objective should include the elimination of

Alcock 4 less-used print materials and perhaps reorganization of furnishings and shelves to better accommodate materials. Staff maintain and retain a staff that is knowledgeable and innovative and ensure that staff size is adequate to meet all service demands o Ensure that patron-focused service remains our number one priority. o To support this goal, WNPL plans to equip their staff with the skills necessary to weather the changing world of providing information. Although this objective is surely attainable and realistic, the abstract wording of this objective makes it difficult to measure this goal. However, with patron feedback the objective could easily be quantified. Spaces & Facilities better accommodate materials and programming while delivering safe and well-maintained facilities. o Address space limitations for collections, programs, and group meetings. o A huge obstacle for WNPL to face is the restrictions their current facilities pose to the service ideal they have envisioned. Improvements in shelving, signage, and the amount of space for and placement of materials will be driving factors in making this objective align with its goal. I believe that implementing the recommended improvements will make this objective realistic, attainable, and measurable. Programs continue to develop and conduct programs o Use existing staff and spaces more effectively and efficiently. o Once again, space comes into play as WNPLs current facility limits the quality of their community programs. By learning what the patrons want, the objective will completely support its goal, making it attainable with creative thinking and measurable by patron satisfaction. It will be difficult, but not impossible, to make this objective realistic; space, time, and staff constraints cannot be denied, but can also be used at the most efficient level possible to make all involved parties happy. Technology provide greater and enhanced access to relevant technology o Optimize access to all library services for mobile devices. o Libraries are constantly striving to provide the most on-site access to technological equipment as possible, and do, as much as budget constraints allow. Now is the time for off-site and mobile access to come to the foreground, and this objective certainly supports its corresponding goal. Plans and financial support to redevelop and create services make this objective realistic, attainable, and measureable. Teens better address teen population o Develop collections and services that are relevant to teen goals and interests. o This objective, while in support of its goal, will be hard to achieve because of WNPLs space constrictions. I do not believe that this goal is realistic, attainable, or measurable in the librarys current facilities. Communications, Public Relations, & Marketing improve communication to increase awareness of services and to provide greater organizational transparency. o Improve and increase dissemination of information and organizational transparency.

Alcock 5 o This objective wholly supports its goal since the WNPL writes that they already have high user satisfaction with communication. They acknowledge an everpresent room for improvement and with this objective plan realistically, attainably, and measurably to continue down the path they have already blazed. PEST

POLITICAL
PTELL (Property Tax Extension Limitation Law) o High/rising residential tax burden o Referendum necessary to increase tax rate/levy Contract with Kenilworth Pressure to collaborate with park districts and schools districts Consciously protect and defend intellectual freedom, personal privacy, and unrestricted access to information (WNPL 9) Northfield Branch is leased from the Village of Northfield Increases in: o Number of visitors o Circulation (print and electronic) o Website traffic o Audiobook collection o DVDs o Program attendance Underserved teen population Demand for more books, programs, and technology

ECONOMIC
Expansion of facilities necessary o No room for expansion o Must establish reserve fund for capital investments Patrons feel the library is a good value for the tax dollars

SOCIAL

TECHNOLOGICAL
Demand for more non-print materials Access to equipment Technology training necessary for patrons Demand for mobile access

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SWOT STRENGTHS
High user satisfaction: o Library services o Staff o Programming Overall satisfaction driven by books Support for educational endeavors drives teen satisfaction Patrons feel the library is a good value for the tax dollars Technology training Mobile Good communication continue by surveying communities more frequently

WEAKNESSES
Little/nonexistent services and materials for teens Childrens spaces are inadequate and inappropriate Aging facilities/furnishings Spaces/times for programs are less than adequate and convenient o Not enough places, times, or staff

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

No room for expansion o Especially teen services

STANDARDS WNPL used Perceptions of Libraries, 2010: Context and Community, an OCLC membership report, as a basis for standards for their strategic plan. The report includes data analysis of other libraries that is in alignment with the findings of WNPLs Strategic Planning Committee (WNPL 4). One major piece of information that WNPL found to be true and used again and again was that across America, books remain the librarys brand. Nothing else, not even technology, is as important. WNPL, of course, continues to focus on technology as well as print resources throughout its strategic plan, but have not eschewed or neglected print materials in favor of the flavor of the week; they were able to gather perspectives on services, resources, access, personnel, evaluation, and ethics (Stueart and Moran 76) to fit their strategic plan.

METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

Alcock 7 The 2011-2015 Strategic Plan of the WNPL does not explicitly put in place recommendations for methods of assessment to measure the success of their plan. They do, however, communicate, The voices of the community members on the committee were consistent and strong throughout our process (WNPL 4) and also that an objective of their goal of Programming is to ask [their] patrons what they want and need and respond appropriately and promptly. Listening to and asking the opinions of the community that the library serves is a powerful technique for gathering qualitative measurements of the strategic plan. (Stueart and Moran 411).

MARKETING/OUTREACH Although there is no marketing or outreach plan attached with the WNPL strategic plan, they do bring up the topic a few times when discussing their goals and objectives. One of the goals itself is Communications, Public Relations, and Marketing, and obviously addresses the need for regular user surveys, continued use of traditional communication methods, such as WNPLs quarterly publication, The Source, and the growing need for communication via email and the web (WNPL 17). The second mention of marketing and outreach was discussed in the previous paragraphthe intention to ask patrons what they want and need as a technique for assessment. The next occasion marketing and outreach is mentioned is in the goal of Technology, when expanding and enhancing technology instruction for patrons is discussed (WNPL 15). The use of target marketing for patrons requiring this training will assure the librarys focuson a group that is likely to be receptive to the service (Dubicki 10). Also regarding the technology goal, the attention WNPL is paying to the need for mobile servicesthe evolving needs ofusers (Dubicki 6). A final, prominent instance of marketing and outreach concerns teens. Objectives that include Create welcoming spaces for teens in library facilities and Increase teen

Alcock 8 awareness of library services (WNPL 16) will require a large amount of the publicity, advertising, and ambiance of which Stueart and Moran speak; ambiance, especially, pertains to the objective of creating welcoming spaces for teens, as an attractive and inviting design and layout provide a vision through inspirational spaces (Stueart and Moran 127).

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES Overall, I believe that WNPL has a strong strategic plan. It has well-defined goals and objectives, which Drucker considers the action commitments through which the mission of a business is to be carried out, and the standards against which performance is to be measured (Drucker 28). Fortunately, this library seems to have a supportive patron base and strong enthusiasm for the library and its resources, programs, and staff. The inclusion of organizational values was a wise choice to illustrate their respect for other people, their honesty and integrity, a commitment to the social responsibilities and diversity in the organizations work force; engagement in activities with commitment to innovation, collaboration and excellence in services, and social responsibility (Stueart and Moran 107). One of the weaknesses in this strategic plan is the exclusion of a marketing and outreach plan. Luckily, there is mention of tactics for marketing and outreach, and a goal set to enable their execution, but a detailed plan would probably be best to ensure their success. I was also disappointed that there was no discussion of a new library building in the next 15-20 years. It is obvious that this is the only viable method to meet the objectives of expansion and enhancement of services, and although the funding and planning is not in place now, it would have been appealing to continue to be forward thinking with a permanent rather than temporary solution to spatial limitations.

Alcock 9 Works Cited Drucker, Peter F. The Essential Drucker: Selections from the Management Works of Peter F. Drucker. New York: HarperBusiness, 2001. Print. Dubicki, Eleonora. Basic Marketing and Promotion Concepts. The Serials Librarian 53.3 (2007): 515. Web. 24 June 2012. Library History. Winnetka-Northfield Library District. Web. 19 June 2012. <http://www.winnetkalibrary.org/about-us/LibraryHistory>. Stueart, Robert D, and Barbara B Moran. Library and Information Center Management. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, 2007. Print. Winnetka-Northfield Library District. Strategic Plan 2011-2015. 2011. Web. 19 June 2012. <http://www.winnetkalibrary.org/about-us/strategicplan>.