STRATEGIC PLAN OF OCEAN COUNTY LIBRARY 2004/2006


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Home | About Us: Strategic Plan of Ocean County Library 2004/2006

Strategic Plan of Ocean County Library 2004/2006

Vision | Goals | Values

OCEAN COUNTY LIBRARY'S VISION

"Connecting People…….Building Community"

OCEAN COUNTY LIBRARY GOALS

- The Library is the focal point of the community.
- The Library is a catalyst for growth and change.
- Every Ocean County resident uses and champions the Library.

The Library is the focal point of the community

	Objective: The Library is the Destination of Choice Conduct a fact finding study of the accessibility of public transportation to all branch libraries. By June 2004. Develop high-impact nontraditional ways to involve volunteers in the library’s service program. By September 2004 Research and complete best practices study concerning current and cutting edge library services to offer. By June 2004 Objective: Every Group Feels The Library Has Something To Offer Them Survey community groups who do not use the library, to discover barriers to use. By December 2004 Analyze and report on data and make recommendations for further actions. By February 2005 Review library operating hours to assess whether or not they meet community needs. By December 2004
Objective: Major Community Events Are Developed With the Library Schedule Branch Managers will work with officials who organize/publicize local events to secure partnership with the library. Ongoing Branch Managers will reach out to community groups to form partnerships to schedule and cosponsor events. Ongoing Meet with Ocean County’s Information Officer, who organizes/publicizes major county events, to secure buy-in and form partnership. By April 2004 Objective: Communities Actively Pursue Expanded Library Presence In their Towns Gather information on why a library is important to a community (i.e. Libraries increase literacy, higher SAT scores, etc.). By June 2004 Design marketing campaigns to promote the library as a community center to three target groups (residents, municipal government, community groups). By May 2005 Evaluate impact of marketing campaign. By June 2006 Objective: Business Can Profit Through Association With The Library And Vice Versa Toms River Information Services will research and complete a best practices study on business services and programs offered by public libraries throughout the USA. Of particular focus will be services and programs designed to meet the needs of small business, minority and women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. By April 2004 Toms River Information Services will research and identify the twenty (20) most influential small business leaders including minority and women throughout Ocean County including detailed related information. By April 2004 Toms River Information Services will research and prepare a document detailing relevant business community resources currently not being utilized by the Ocean County Library (such as the County Connection at the Mall). By March 2004. Branch Managers will identify small businesses and/or entrepreneurs with whom local branches have close relations, detailing services provided. By April 2004. Toms River Information Services, Branch Managers and a member of the Management Team will review the information gathered in the first four action steps and prepare recommendations concerning business service development and directional options for the Library Director. By May 2004 The Library Director will meet individually with the 20 business leaders identified in the second action step to discuss what they see as the needs of small business in Ocean County and library service possibilities. By July 2004 A series of focus groups representative of countywide small business owners, including minorities and women, and entrepreneurs will be held to ascertain their spectrum of needs and explore what services and programs the library could provide. By July 2004 The team identified above (Toms River Information Services, Branch Managers and member of Management Team) will prepare and submit an Ocean County Library Business Services and Program Plan to the Library Director for 2005 funding consideration. By August 2004

The Library is a catalyst for growth and change

	Objective: The Library Collaborates on Services with Public Officials and Schools *Public Officials:* Inventory current collaborative services between Ocean County Library branches and local governments. By April 2004 Plan presentation/speaker on collaborating with local government for all Branch Managers. By May 2005 Branch Managers and Supervisors will develop action plan to collaborate with local government agencies. By June 2005 Branch Librarians will schedule meeting with local official to discuss collaboration. By May 2005 Plan to participate in local town’s Open House or Information Expo. Ongoing Develop plan for providing access to public documents. By July 2005 Ensure Ocean County Library’s website is a link on town’s website. By June 2004
Implement Family Place concept in several branches to provide greater exposure to social service organizations and government services focused on families at Ocean County Library locations. By September 2004 Schools: Target schools on which collaboration efforts will be focused and develop a realistic timeframe for reaching all schools, including elementary, middle and high school, Vocational-Technical and adult schools. By July 2004 Identify nonacademic services available at schools. By May 2004 Contact public school administrators to discuss protocol and possible collaborations. Areas to explore: summer reading program (school) or reading lists; professional development classes for teachers, aides, other school personnel; Career Day, Reading or Language Arts Day; Meet the Principal event at branch library. Ongoing Ensure Ocean County Library is linked on every school webpage. By October 2004 Develop a comprehensive marketing plan for library services for schools, to include: online resources, Q&A New Jersey, Librarian by Appointment, school visits, professional development, speaker for staff in-service, program partner. By May 2005 Develop system plan to expand connections with homeschool families - Discussion with homeschool families about their specific needs - Develop resource package for homeschool families - Each location to market specifically to homeschool families. By September 2005 Present a summit on empowering teens as community partners in collaboration with schools and with the goal of strengthening teen advisory boards for every branch and systemwide. By October 2004 Contact school administrators at private schools to discuss collaborations similar to those with public schools. By September 2006 Objective: Everyone looks to the Library for the Next Big Thing Trend Spotter Task Force appointed by Library Director researches how corporate sector tracks trends, identifies futurist societies and publications, and determines viable strategies for Ocean County Library to be in the forefront of library programs and services available to the whole spectrum of the community. By March 2004 The Technology Department will investigate and identify software that tracks what customers search for, both in Horizon and on the Internet, and report to Trend Spotters Task Force. By May 2004 The Trend Spotter Task Force will prepare and submit document with findings and recommendations for an Ocean County Library ongoing trend-spotting process and pilot program funding request to Library Director. By July 2004 Objective: Ocean County Library acts as a change agent for community issues Research best library practices in the areas of: community partnerships, community issues, community activism and other related areas. By August 2004 Provide in-service presentation on how to enact change and community involvement. By February 2005 Develop an action plan for each community issue selected, both local and countywide issues, including partnerships/collaborations. By July 2005 Develop a marketing plan for staff and public around this community involvement initiative. By May 2005 Provide opportunities for the community to consider ideas that present options for change. By July 2005 and Ongoing Be an agent of change within the New Jersey library community. Ongoing Objective: Programs, Products, Services Introduce New Thoughts and Ideas Staff will scan the community to identify programs, products and services which introduce new thoughts and ideas. By December 2004 Each branch, as well as the Diversity Committee and the Special Events Coordinator, will submit a draft 12 month calendar of events, including programs and outreach events for the following year. By July 2004 Objective: The library is most up-to-date in technology The Ocean County Library Technology Plan provides detailed guidance for meeting this objective. Provide multiple Self-Checkout stations for customers. By December 2004. Offer on-line library card registration. By the last quarter of 2005 Conduct and evaluate pilot wireless access project. By the last quarter of 2004 Distribute library publications on CD-ROM. By the second quarter of 2004 Digitize local history collections. Start project by first quarter 2005 Objective: Staff Development and Continuing Education is a way of life for Staff Create up to date competency levels for staff, including but not limited to: - Customer service - Diversity - Reference - Virtual reference - Horizon - Outlook - Youth Services - Teen Services By December 2004 Make available just in time training with materials posted on OceanNet. Ongoing Review Performance Appraisal Process. By February 2005 Objective: We are the leaders in teaching acceptance and understanding Investigate best practices of current leaders on teaching cultural acceptance and understanding. By September 2004 - Adapt these best practices to suit the Ocean County Library environment. By February 2005 Compare and evaluate Ocean County Library cultural training programs with those of current leaders in the field. By September 2004 Include local diversity training participation and opportunities in branch standards. By December 2004 Develop local diversity plans for each Branch. By March 2004 - Include staff cultural awareness training as a component in local diversity plans. By March 2004 Devise a mechanism to track and evaluate local and System diversity training. By September 2004 Routinely share Ocean County Library training programs with other libraries through articles in professional journals. By January 2006 Objective: We bring diverse groups together in joint projects Identify agencies, groups, organizations and businesses in Ocean County made up of or serving diverse communities. By May 2004 Extend National Issues Forums on Racial and Ethnic Tensions to sites outside the library, working with other organizations to draw participants. By March 2005 Further develop cooperative relationship with Ocean County Human Rights Commission. Ongoing Devise a Systemwide mechanism to share information on and about diverse groups, organizations, agencies and businesses serving diverse communities. By February 2005 - The Outreach Librarian will create map/graphic representation of diverse community partners already working with us; share with groups; use as tool for future coalition building or collaboration. By February 2005 Encourage Branches to develop ongoing and lasting relationships with diverse community groups. - Establish and maintain a local mailing list of community groups. By June 2004 - Invite diverse groups to participate in all major library programs. By June 2004 - Develop staff training on where to find and how to approach diverse groups and organizations. By February 2005 - Develop diversity advisory councils for branches. During 2005 and 2006 Objective: The Ocean County Library System is the model for a cohesive, harmonious multicultural staff. Conduct an environmental scan around the issue of cultural inclusion and develop a plan to address the results. By January 2005 Develop a recruitment plan. By July 2005 - Begin to track the number of diverse applicants vs. the number of diverse applicants interviewed vs. the number of diverse applicants hired. By the 1st Quarter 2005 - Include in-house promotional opportunities. By the 1st Quarter 2005 Develop a mentoring program. By October 2005 Develop a retention plan. By the 1st Quarter 2005 - Provide opportunities for minority staff to develop affinity groups. By June 2004 - Provide interest affinity groups that cut across racial/ethnic lines (e.g. Ocean County Library Paddlers). By June 2004 Routinely conduct exit interviews. By January 2004 - Include questions regarding the cultural climate surrounding diversity issues. By January 2004 Objective: Ocean County Library breaks ground nationally for new criteria for developing/assessing library effectiveness. Define library effectiveness from the Ocean County resident non-user’s viewpoint – what could we do differently to make them want to use our services? - Research how corporations (a non-library setting) measure customer service effectiveness. By October 2005 - Research the most effective method of surveying non-users (interviews, surveys?). By October 2005 - Develop the survey tool based on above research. By January 2006 - Gather information from non-users. By March 2006 - Evaluate; create new standards for library service based on non-user feedback. By June 2006 Measure marketing effectiveness. - Develop a “Did you know about ... ?” survey that identifies services and features that we offer. By March 2005 - Administer the survey to new cardholders who have had their card less than a year. By April 2005 - Evaluate; adjust marketing strategy and PR budget accordingly. By May 2005 Define library effectiveness from the point of view of library customers age 18–29. - Develop a survey to identify ways that the library can become essential in their life. By January 2006 - Administer the survey to our registered borrowers age 18–30. By March 2006 - Evaluate the survey results and develop new standards for library service based on customer feedback. By June 2006

Every Ocean County resident uses and champions the Library

	Objective: Increase users of the library to reflect the population Develop presentation highlighting system services. By December 2004 Utilize Branch Managers’ diversity plans to target specific populations, organizations and agencies to increase library use. Ongoing Increase outreach to the business community and largest employers (1,000+ as identified by the Ocean County Planning Board). By December 2005 Objective: Every resident has and uses a library card Re-examine registration requirements to determine if there are barriers for residents to receive library cards. If so, make recommendations to remove these barriers. By December 2004 Utilize technology to offer access to online resources on a trial basis, via a temporary library card. By June 2005 Develop a plan to more widely distribute library cards through community outlets. By March 2006
Objective: Establish a meaningful connection with every school age child With high-level public school administrators, assess forms of home/school communications in place and seek collaboration. By May 2004 Establish a branch procedure to submit library news for school to home publications, to reach 100% of public school age students/families. By July 2004 Establish a branch procedure to submit library news for school websites and/or television stations. By March 2005 Repeat above steps for private and home school communities. By June 2006 Establish a diverse countywide Teen Advisory Board promoting community involvement and the creation of future leaders. By May 2005 Objective: Every child in Ocean County participates in the Summer Reading Program Identify Summer Reading Programs in local public schools and develop a model cooperative program. By January 2005 Introduce the model program at 50% of schools holding summer reading programs, to connect with school age children. Maintain statistics for youth participation in-house and outside the library. By June 2005 Solidify the school/library summer partnership with program support to 100% of those schools with summer reading programs. Continue statistical reporting. By June 2006 A small workgroup comprised of youth service providers plus a webmaster will conduct a study of online summer reading programs. By December 2004 Plan a Summer Reading Program presentation to be held in the library for parents and Home School Associations. By June 2004 Launch Online Summer Reading Club w/interactive component with goal of an additional 10% registration. By June 2005 Objective: Everyone speaks positively at meetings about Ocean County Library and demonstrates library support within the community Develop “Community Ambassadors” program in collaboration with the Friends Steering Committee. By January 2005 Develop standards for branch outreach and participation in local communities. By March 2005 Objective: Every staff member proclaims the library Every staff member has the information and skill set needed to speak about the library. All Full Time staff by June 2005; All Part Time staff by December 2005 All staff participate in learning proactive behaviors to communicate effectively and market the library to the community. By December 2005 All staff are actively encouraged to give back to the community through volunteer and paid time to designated community service organizations, using this opportunity to proclaim the library. By April 2007

OCEAN COUNTY LIBRARY VALUES

COMMUNITY:

- I ask my community for input
- I take the library’s message and value to the community
- I commit to being a partner with the community
- I make sure all segments of the community know and use the library

RESPECT:

- I am fair, courteous, and helpful to all
- I listen to and care about what others have to say
- I do what it takes to meet their needs

INTEGRITY:

- I keep my word
- My behavior reflects the library’s standards
- I can be trusted to do my job well

EXCELLENCE:

- I seek ways to do an outstanding job
- I find creative solutions
- I am a positive and productive team member
- I applaud the good work of others

CUSTOMER SERVICE:

- I am welcoming to everyone
- I make the customer’s day