New Opportunities

Planning for Results: October 2005-June 2008

OUR VISION:

T he library will be at the center of a vibrant community, offering opportunities to people of all ages for personal development and participation in civic and cultural life.   The library will be an essential source of community information, a point of coordination between community groups and a facilitator of community development.

OUR MISSION :

The library provides a safe, inviting and accessible environment to meet the needs of residents for a community commons.   The library provides collections and services to meet residents’ needs related to information literacy, access to current, popular cultural materials and community information.

CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Big Timber, Montana

Statement from the Library Board Chairman

The Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees is pleased to present

“New Opportunities” Planning for Results:   October 2005-June 2008.   This strategic plan, approved by the Library Board at its August 9, 2005 meeting, provides a roadmap for managing change and encouraging innovation during a very exciting time for the library.

            In March 2006 the library is set to break ground on a promising and long-anticipated building project to expand, renovate and make the library accessible.   The goals, objectives and activities outlined in this plan will enable the Library Board and staff to build a strong library organization to occupy the wonderful new library building. The Carnegie Public Library will continue to improve its library services to the people of Big Timber and Sweet Grass County.

            The Library Board thanks all the volunteers who are working on behalf of the library on a multitude of committees and boards:   the Friends of the Library, the Building Committee of the Library Board, the Carnegie Capital Campaign and its committees.   Special thanks go to the Community Planning Committee members who helped us identify community needs and library service goals in order to chart the direction for the library’s future.

Pat Arant, Chairman

Carnegie Public Library

Board of Trustees

Library board members:

Tom Biglen

Delores Hanson

Betty O’Dell

Debbie Frazier


CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY

 STRATEGIC PLAN

PLANNING FOR RESULTS:   OCTOBER 2005-JUNE 2008

SUMMARY:  

The Carnegie Public Library Strategic Plan intends to provide direction for the Library for the next five years, beginning in July 2005.   The plan was developed by the Board of Trustees, the Library Director and a 15 member community planning committee during a 4-month period using the process outlined in The New Planning for Results: a Streamlined Approach.

A variety of community needs were identified, which included the following:

The following service priorities were selected from a series of 13 different services that libraries provide:

1.   Commons

2. Information Literacy

3.   Current Topics and Titles

4.   Community Referral

      The Carnegie Public Library will spend its resources on collections, technology, staff and facilities in support of the selected service responses. Our 2004-2005 budget of $80,628 reflects the following:

48,320 for staff

14,117 for collections and information resources

8,490 for facilities

(remainder goes to general operating costs)

BACKGROUND:

            The Carnegie Public Library has provided continuous library service to the community of Big Timber and Sweet Grass County since the Carnegie Library building was built in 1913.   Changing community demographics, changes in library roles and functions, and an anticipated expansion/renovation of the library building prompted the Library Board of Trustees to initiate the strategic planning process in November 2004.

            Fifteen individuals were invited to join a community planning committee, based on their connection with other community agencies and stakeholder groups.   They included:

The planning committee met on January 21, 2005 to create a vision of the community’s future, identify what is needed to achieve that future and what services the library can provide to make it happen.   Using a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of the community, eight preliminary service responses were selected from a list of 13 services that libraries offer.   See Appendix A for summary notes of the January 21 meeting.

            The committee met again on March 4, 2005 to review a staff SWOT analysis of the library and responses from the Library Board (Appendix B).   Community needs were reconsidered and revised, and the following service priorities were selected for the library:

1. COMMONS:   A library that provides a COMMONS environment helps address the need of people to meet and interact with others in their community and to participate in public discourse about community issues.

2. INFORMATION LITERACY:   A library that provides INFORMATION LITERACY service helps address the need for skills related to finding, evaluating, and using information effectively.

3. CURRENT TOPICS AND TITLES:  A library that provides CURRENT TOPICS & TITLES helps to fulfill community residents’ appetite for information about popular cultural and social trends and their desire for satisfying recreational experiences.

4.   COMMUNITY REFERRAL:   A library that offers COMMUNITY REFERRAL addresses the need for information related to services provided by community agencies and organizations.

For complete notes of the March 4 meeting, see Appendix C.

The committee reviewed a draft plan, made recommendations and identified activities at its final meeting on April 15.   Notes of the April 15 meeting are included in Appendix D.   A revised draft plan was circulated to committee members for comment and approval, before presentation of a completed plan to the Library Board.

LIBRARY VISION:

The library will be at the center of a vibrant community, offering opportunities to people of all ages for personal development and participation in civic and cultural life.   The library will be the essential source of community information, a point of coordination between community groups and a facilitator of community development.

ACHIEVING THE VISION:

Several underlying assumptions shaped the dialogue during the planning committee’s work:

A strategic plan will guide the library in using and building upon its current resource base to fully realize the library’s value to the community.

LIBRARY MISSION STATEMENT:

The library provides a safe, inviting and accessible environment to meet the needs of residents for a community commons.   The library provides collections and services to meet residents’ needs related to information literacy, access to current, popular cultural materials and community information.

LIBRARY GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES:

GOAL #1.   People of all ages will have a safe, inviting and accessible place to meet, share ideas, be entertained and informed, and participate in community life.

Objective 1.1.   The library will develop opportunities for people to interact with others in the community.

Activities:

Objective 1.2.   Community groups will have an accessible, comfortable and well-equipped meeting room facility to use.

Activities:

GOAL #2.   People will have access to current and accurate community information.

Objective 2.1.   All residents will have 24/7 access to reliable community information.

Objective 2.2.   The library will be an essential resource for new residents to learn about the community

Activities:

GOAL #3.   People will receive timely information about library resources and services.

Objective 3.1.   The library will have a plan for marketing its services related to commons, community referral, information literacy and current topics and titles.

Objective 3.2.    The library will provide information about electronic resources provided by the library, including the OPAC, access to World Cat, and EBSCO and Gale databases.

Activities:

GOAL #4.  Everyone will have access to up-to-date technology and basic instruction in its use.

Objective 4.1.   People who do not have access to technology at home can access technology at the library.

Objective 4.2.   People who do not know how to use technology will have an opportunity to learn at the library.

Activities:

GOAL #5.   Library users will have a safe and comfortable environment where resources are easily accessible.

Activities:

GOAL #6.   People of all ages will be assisted by friendly, knowledgeable staff focused on customer service.

Activities:

GOAL #7.   Everyone will have access to current library materials in popular formats on popular topics to fulfill their cultural, recreational and educational needs.

Activities:

GOAL #8.   Everyone will benefit from a well managed library that provides efficient and cost-effective services and accountability.

Objective 8.1.   The library will set standards for analysis and improvement in areas of library performance such as materials circulation, registered borrowers and user satisfaction with services and facilities.

Objective 8.2.   The library will improve resource sharing and cooperative collection development with area school libraries.

Objective 8.3.   Library resources will be managed according to a strategic plan that is based on community need.  

Activities:

APPENDIX A

CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY

COMMUNITY PLANNING MEETING NOTES   January 21, 2005

Community members present:   Crystal Coffey-Avey, Richard Dews, Pam Chulyak, Cody Langbehn, Renea Dorvall, Vicki Uehling, Jeanne Conner, Alvin Buerkle, Byron Manley, Camille Perry.

Library Board members:   Board Chair Pat Arant, Debbie Frazier, Library Director Lauren McMullen.

Facilitator:   Suzanne Reymer, Montana State Library

Committee members were asked to describe elements of a successful, thriving Big Timber/Sweet Grass County community ten years from now.  The responses are listed below:

The responses were sorted into categories of Business, Social Services, Planning, Education and Culture/Recreation as follows:

Business:

Social Services:

Planning:

Education:

Culture/Recreation:

The committee did a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the community with the following results:

Strengths

  • location – interstate, airport
  • good schools
  • attractive lifestyle, small town feel
  • access to outdoor activity
  • natural beauty
  • good economy
  • tight-knit community
  • diverse experiences/perspectives of population
  • safety
  • private financial resources available
  • monitoring children
  • conservative, fiscally frugal
  • work ethic

Opportunities

  • cultivating new leaders
  • economic development – attracting new businesses
  • community makeup changing
  • one on one education – mentoring
  • recreation opportunities indoor/outdoor
  • planning for growth
  • harnessing the work ethic
  • support for individual projects
  • expansion of the library
  • internet technology
  • wind energy

Weaknesses

  • introverted nature (“not invented here”)
  • need improved mental health services
  • location – too close to other options, drug problem
  • double standards – depends on who you are and where you’re from
  • lack of communication/coordination
  • not a great variety of goods available
  • lack of professional employment opportunities
  • budget constraints
  • lack of affordable housing
  • lack of prospects for young people
  • unstable
  • change resistant
  • planning resistant
  • entrenched power structure

Threats

  • economic problems – like mine closing
  • loss of community members
  • overdependence on government funding
  • rapid growth
  • continuing drought
  • fear of loss of community identity
  • changing social norms (portrayed by media)
  • lack of resources for substance abuse
  • slow to change – stagnant
  • problems with specific local businesses
  • internet
  • effects of terrorism

It was noted that some strengths can also be seen as weaknesses and some opportunities carry threatening elements.

Members were asked to consider how strengths and opportunities can be used to make the transition from the present to the envisioned future, and to identify what is needed to get there:

Lauren provided a brief outline of current library services as identified in a 2004 Library Board review. Ranked in order importance:

Members were asked to review the needs decision tree and a list of thirteen library service responses.   Each member was asked to recommend 6 preliminary service priorities for the library.   The eight top ranked priorities:

This activity concluded the 1 st planning meeting.   Meeting notes will be sent to committee members as soon as possible.   The Library Board will consider the committee’s work at its February 8 th meeting and a report on the Library Board’s response will be sent to committee members immediately afterward.

The second meeting of the planning committee will be held on March 4 from 10am to 3pm.  


APPENDIX B

CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY – Community Planning – staff analysis

Library staff did a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the Library in areas selected as preliminary service priorities.   Staff meetings were conducted on February 2 and February 4.   Participants included Malinda Hilyard, Lauren McMullen and library volunteers Alice Bassett and Kathy Jones.

Strengths

  • central location
  • high level of information literacy and resources, knowledgeable access
  • customer service oriented staff
  • competent staff
  • growing base of community support
  • resource sharing system in place
  • variety of popular and stimulating materials in collection
  • willingness to provide for special needs and outreach services
  • connection with schools and community groups
  • technology infrastructure

Opportunities

  • expanded, renovated building with accessibility and meeting room
  • library can offer new kinds of programming
  • library can be a player in community development and planning
  • will bring in new users
  • new community connections
  • greater civic participation

Weaknesses

  • static budget
  • need for more staff
  • need for marketing, programming
  • resistance to change
  • lack of understanding among public about effect of changing social trends on libraries
  • deficiencies of building – size and accessibility
  • staff education   is lacking in some areas
  • too few open hours
  • lack of community awareness about library services

Threats

  • duplication of facilities for community meeting areas
  • without budget increase, division of available resources will mean fewer resources for some areas (effect on user groups)
  • tradition and status quo
  • declining budgets

CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY – Community Planning – staff analysis

Using the SWOT analysis and the gap between the present condition and the envisioned future, the staff team identified the following needs:

Notes from the January 21 community meeting and the staff SWOT analysis were made available to Library Board members who discussed them at their regular meeting on February 8.   The Board’s response is excerpted from meeting minutes:

“Pat reported on the meeting of the Community Planning Committee.   Lauren described the next steps in the process (March 4 meeting, April 15 meeting).   Board members were asked for their response to the notes from the meeting and the SWOT analysis by staff which they had an opportunity to review prior to this meeting:

The Library Board appreciates the Community Planning Committee effort and looks forward to working with them to develop a long range plan for the library.”


APPENDIX C

CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Community Planning Committee Meeting Notes     March 4, 2005

The community committee had its second meeting in the library basement from 10am to 1:30pm.

Present:   Byron Manley, Marc King, Crystal Coffey-Avey, Sally Orr, Jeanne Conner, Camille Parry, Vicki Uehling, Cody Langbehn, Mindy Obert, Richard Dews.

Library Board members present:   Pat Arant, chair, Debbie Frazier, Library Director Lauren McMullen.

Facilitator:   Suzanne Reymer, Montana State Library

After introductions, members were asked to re-examine the community needs that were identified at the first planning meeting.   Members were also asked to consider groups to be targeted, kinds of committed people needed, what kind of community development is needed, what other groups or agencies may already be meeting the needs, and what groups or agencies   can be identified as possible partners.

The revised set of needs:

The committee identified groups for possible community partnerships with the library:

Committee members reviewed detailed descriptions of nine preliminary service responses and were asked to select four service priorities for the library.   Results were tallied as follows:

The library will select the top four service priorities for its strategic plan:   Commons, Information Literacy, Current Topics and Titles, and Community Referral.   Discussion of the selected priorities included the following points:

A draft plan will be presented to the committee at its next meeting, April 15 at 11am at the library.

APPENDIX D

Carnegie Public Library

COMMUNITY PLANNING COMMITTEE   April 15, 2005

Present were:   Crystal Coffey-Avey, Byron Manley, Pam Chulyak, Richard Dews, Sally Orr, Camille Perry, Al Buerkle,   Library Board Chairperson Pat Arant, Library Board member Debbie Frazier and Library Director Lauren McMullen, facilitator Suzanne Reymer of the Montana State Library.

A draft strategic plan was reviewed:

Nine library goals outlined in the draft plan were related to four selected service responses of commons, information literacy, current topics and titles and community referral:

LIBRARY GOALS:

1.   People of all ages will have a safe, inviting and accessible place to meet and participate in community life.   COMMONS

2.   Community groups will have an accessible, comfortable and well-equipped meeting room facility to use.   COMMONS/COMMUNITY REFERRAL

3.   People will have access to current and accurate community information.   COMMUNITY REFERRAL

4.   People will receive timely information about library resources and services.   COMMONS/CURRENT TOPICS AND TITLES/COMMUNITY REFERRAL/INFORMATION LITERACY

5.   Everyone will have access to up-to-date technology and basic instruction in its use.   INFORMATION LITERACY

6.   Library users will have a safe and comfortable environment where resources are easily accessible.   COMMONS/CURRENT TOPICS AND TITLES/COMMUNITY REFERRAL

7.   People of all ages will be assisted by friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable staff.   CURRENT TOPICS AND TITLES/INFORMATION LITERACY/COMMUNITY REFERRAL

8.   Everyone will have access to current library materials in popular formats on popular topics to fulfill their cultural, recreational and educational needs.   CURRENT TOPICS AND TITLES

9.   Everyone will benefit from a well managed library that provides efficient, cost-effective services and accountability.   ALL

The following objectives were considered, as they relate to goals stated above:

A.

A meeting room and other areas for informal meeting will be incorporated into the design of the expanded library building.

1,2

B.

Accessibility for all people will be incorporated into the building project design.

1,2,5,6

C.

Interior design and furnishings for the expanded building will have an emphasis on retail principles of materials display.

8

D.

A community information area will be included in the design of the expanded, renovated library building.

3

E.

The library will have a clear, comprehensive meeting room policy in place before October 1, 2006.

1,2

F.

The library will have a clear, comprehensive bulletin board and display policy in place before October 1, 2006.

3

G.

The library will have a clear, comprehensive Internet use and technology policy in place on October 1, 2006.

5

H.

On October 1, 2006 The library will have a collection development policy in place that includes new, popular formats.

8

I.

Beginning July 1, 2007, the library will have measurable objectives for improvement in areas of library performance such as materials circulation, registered borrowers and user satisfaction with services and facilities.

5,6,7,8

J.

Beginning July 1, 2007, the library will have a marketing plan.

4

K.

All library staff will have training and be certified by the Montana State Library within 6 months of hire.

5,7

L.

The library will have a budget for technology hardware and software.

5

Everyone agreed that they would like to see this presentation in a hierarchical form with objectives listed beneath individual goals.   Moreover, these objectives were found to be insufficient.

Members were asked to consider the following; responses are recorded below:

  1. Meeting room: who uses it and what is it used for?
  2. Community referral: what else can be done and when?
  3. Activities to promote the library.
  4. Activities to improve access and knowledge about technology.
  5. What does accessibility entail?
  6. What can be done now to make current titles more available?

COMMONS MEETING ROOM

COMMUNITY REFERRAL

COMMONS

INFORMATION LITERACY

CURRENT TOPICS AND TITLES

Camille Perry expressed the desire to see action on this plan sooner rather than later, because she will be away at college before too long.   Pam Chulyak encouraged the library to include children’s programming in its objectives.

Committee members will receive a revised draft plan making the desired changes in format and incorporating today’s information.    This group is not expected to meet again, but will be asked for comments on the revised draft.


APPENDIX E - PLANNING TIMELINE

(FY2006) July 2005 – December 2005

Establish community partnerships and gathering baseline data.

January 2006 – June 2006

Focus on development of web presence and library policies.

(FY 2007)   July 2006 – December 2006  

Focus on training, web based services, program planning.

January 2007 – June 2007

The new, improved library building!

(FY2008)   July 2007 – December 2007

Focus on programming.

January 2008 – June 2008

Lots happening at the library!