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NMRLS Strategic Plan: 2005-2010
Implementation Planning Priorities
By Greg Pronevitz

The NMRLS Executive Board approved priorities for implementation of NMRLS Strategic Plan at its February 16th meeting. The goals, objectives, and activities listed below have been identified as the highest priority and implementation steps will be determined within the next month or two. Most of the activities listed came from member suggestions at the Annual Meeting last November.

A number of members have already submitted interest forms to join NMRLS Committees and staff in carrying out the steps to reach these objectives. We welcome additional volunteers in all areas. We only have one volunteer for Goal 5: Infrastructure at this time. Please download the form and email or fax it to NMRLS: www.nmrls.org/strategicplan2005/memberinterest.doc.

The goals and objectives listed here do not comprise the entire plan. Included here are only the items to be acted upon in the upcoming year. For a complete version of the Strategic Plan: 2005 - 2010, please visit: www.nmrls.org/strategicplan/

Inter-Library Collaboration: Offer and facilitate a wide array of opportunities for collaboration and resource sharing among libraries, particularly across library types.

Objective 1.b. Increase interlibrary loan opportunities between all libraries and levels of participation in the state-wide virtual catalog. NMRLS will develop and facilitate collaborative collection development activity among member libraries.

Activities

  • Identify the tools available for facilitation of ILL and how they can be used, and who to contact for the various services.
  • Identify and reach out to special and school libraries which may not have access or knowledge of ILL. Provide education for new NMRLS library members.
  • With input from consortia, identify types of resources which might be shared among libraries. Libraries might specialize in specific subject areas, "expert libraries."
  • Develop a policy that addresses agreements between libraries to purchase and save funds and agreements to loan such materials and identify funding to support these activities.

Delivery: Refine and improve the delivery system to ensure reliability, cost-effectiveness, and benefit to library patrons.

Objective 2. a. Establish a Delivery Committee as a vehicle for member and network involvement in the design, implementation, and improvement of delivery services.

Activities

  • Disseminate information to train and educate staff in delivery process.
  • Provide communications on packaging, presorting, accuracy, and labeling.
  • Investigate limitations on types of items and trends of items in circulation and look at policy issues for the region - restrictions and general agreed upon policy.
  • Interview and hire an efficiency expert - who will look at issues in libraries.
  • Libraries look at their own efficiency of processing, etc. and gather data on cost for library
  • Communicate with statewide Delivery Committee
  • Coordinate discussions with networks on useful system software modifications.

Continuing Education: Develop and update a comprehensive, accessible continuing education program that reflects current standards of excellence in the field and enhances the quality of library services.

Objective 3.a. Develop a set of staff competencies and training standards to serve as a framework of NMRLS' continuing education program. Evaluate member participation in distance and e-learning as part of the continuing education program and expand options and offerings to meet member training needs.

Activities

  • Assess needs and create task forces to handle information gathering, e.g., look at existing standards for competencies in state (MBLC, Regions); out-of-state, and professional organizations.
  • Gather information from membership on expectations and needs for competency-based training, e.g., survey and focus groups.
  • Gather information on use and reaction to existing WebJunction e-learning offerings.
  • Gather information on need and expectation for e-learning workshops.

Objective 3.b. Provide continuing education related to relevant public policy and advocacy strategies. Provide continuing education related to technology, business partnerships, regional development, marketing for member libraries and successful models of multi-type library collaboration.

Activities

  • Ongoing CE needs assessment and planning efforts.

Reference: Provide reference services and resources, e.g., online databases and supplementary reference center services, enabling member libraries to be the premier sources of research and reference services in the region.

Objective 4. a. Review and evaluate reference services to ensure quality, efficiency, and cost effectiveness in meeting member needs.

Activities

  • Continue database evaluation involving all library types.
  • Identify libraries that do not use databases in order to develop a promotion strategy.
  • Identify demographics of users of electronic resources to promote use.

Infrastructure: Enhance operational infrastructure, including expanded staff and Board capacity, and its management and governance structures to reflect the highest standards of excellence.

Objective 5. a. Provide the Executive Board and its Committees with a high level of administrative and technical support to sustain efficiency. Provide staff with competitive salary, benefits, and needed support and resources to encourage excellence in customer service and performance, staff retention, and job satisfaction and to permit the highest levels of customer service to members.

Activities

  • Staff evaluations will include opportunities for staff and supervisors to identify desirable training and resources necessary for optimal job performance.
  • Consider the possibility of authorizing the Personnel Committee to conduct exit interviews.
  • Review existing NMRLS policies to insure that this objective's intent is met.
  • Compare staff compensation with similar organizations.

Marketing and Public Awareness: Develop a marketing plan that NMRLS and its member libraries can use to foster awareness and understanding of library services among diverse constituencies.

Objective 8. a. Expand marketing efforts to promote the value of library services. Through implementation of a comprehensive marketing campaign, NMRLS will be a visible and well-understood entity in communities in the region.

Activities

  • Create a Marketing Task Force to provide member input in this area.
  • Provide a PR kit / packet of sample PR releases which could be personalized by members. The templates should not only address programs and services but current issues, i.e., delivery changes. Products should be memorable.
  • Develop a clear message to the public regarding programs and services. Without so much as concentrating on the infrastructure as to who provides what, concentrating more on the message of state funding of the programs and services, the tax dollar at work. Some catch phrases: "What would life be without NMRLS?" "Libraries - more relevant than ever" "Delivery is funded with state dollars."
  • Provide support for services to diverse communities. For example: Translation of marketing to diverse languages and populations, booths, outreach to schools, and newspapers.
  • Provide and update the value of services and related materials (as found on the MLA Web site under the Survivor program).
  • Market databases as a specific focus.

Objective 8. d. All NMRLS members will have developed and implemented marketing plans for their libraries with NMRLS assistance.

Activities

  • Bring in marketing professional (with LSTA grant, if funded).
  • Kick off Annual Meeting with marketing presentation.
  • Assist libraries in holding focus groups in towns: what services are important? What messages are Important? What is common among the membership?
  • Clarification of roles and marketing of libraries as a collaborative group.
  • Modify the long range planning process into marketing process to be taken on site at member libraries.
  • Partner with college and academic programs, e.g., internships.

Advocacy: Build an advocate network with wide participation that promotes a strong message about the value of all libraries.

Objective 9. b. Expand member libraries' capacity for advocacy, with continuing education and other support, including dissemination of a 12-month calendar of advocacy activities and events.

Activities

  • Increase "subscriptions" to NMRLS electronic discussion list especially targeting front line staff, special, school, and academic libraries.
  • Host advocacy event. Consider having an advocacy workshop at the Annual Meeting.
  • Develop reciprocal partnerships of allied organizations (literacy, youth services, cultural).