Library Strategic Planning - Fall 2008

 

Participants at the August 18, 2008 meeting: Raynna Bowlby (facilitator), Ginny Steel, Kate McGirr, Robin Dale, Elizabeth Cowell, Annette Marines, Nicole Lawson, Sarah Troy, Lucia Orlando, Sue Perry, Lai-Ying Hsiung, Christine Bunting, Eric Mitchell, Danielle Kane, Christy Hightower, Greg Careaga. Also on the team: Christy Caldwell, Kerry Scott, Lee Jaffe.

 

Email reflector: strategicplan@library.ucsc.edu

 

 

From Ginny Steel:

Why are we creating a new strategic plan and what will the process be?

 

The last strategic plan for the library was written in 2001. Since that time there have been many changes in the library, the campus, and the environment in which we exist. And, although we certainly wish otherwise, we still find ourselves lacking the resources we would need to do everything we would like to do. Because of all of these factors, we need to undertake a new strategic planning effort, one that will align our library goals with the new campus academic plan and the goals and aspirations of our new chancellor.

The new plan we write should be concise and consist of a short series of bulleted goals. As part of the planning process, we will need to make difficult choices between priorities. There are many important things we could do, but we will have to pick those that have the greatest value for the campus since we don’t have the resources to do everything.

I expect us to move through the planning process quickly so that we can have something in place by January 1, 2009. In order to do this, we have hired Raynna Bowlby as a consultant to lead us through the strategic planning process. She spent one day with us on August 18^th and helped us figure out what we would need to do to be prepared to start the real planning in September. We are now working on a number of “homework assignments” that will include posting a lot of information to this strategic planning wiki, and I encourage everyone to read it and stay in touch with the process.

The next big step in the process is a two-day retreat to be held on September 15 and 16. Some of our time will be spent listening to Bill Ladusaw, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education; Lisa Sloan, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies; and Felicia McGinty, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. They have been asked to describe changes they foresee in their areas of responsibility, and this information will enable us to get a clearer picture of ways in which the library can contribute to the overall campus priorities.

 

 

Step 1: Environmental Assessment

 

UCSC: Academic Planning and Directions Initiatives

 

Customer Analysis

Peer Analysis

S.T.E.P.(E.)

Other Campus Information Sources

Readings

 

Step 2: Strategic Planning Group  Sessions Activities

 

Meetings: September 15 & 16

Participants at the September 15 & 16th, 2008 meetings: Raynna Bowlby (facilitator), Ginny Steel, Kate McGirr, Robin Dale, Elizabeth Cowell, Tasha De La Luz, Amy Chirman, Molly, Jaffe, Annette Marines, Nicole Lawson, Sarah Troy, Lucia Orlando, Sue Perry, Lai-Ying Hsiung, Christine Bunting, Eric Mitchell, Danielle Kane, Christy Hightower, Greg Careaga. Christy Caldwell, and Kerry Scott.

 

Role of the Library

 

Great Ideas from other Universities or Vendors

 

Roadmap for Library Strategic Planning

 

SWOT -Looking at Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

 

Visioning - City on a Hill Press, January, 2013 Exercise

 

Possible Strategic Directions

 

SMART Goals

 

Developing Strategic Goals Exercise

 

Draft mission statements

 

Next Steps

 

Raynna's Corner

 

Step 3:  Draft of the New Plan

 

Using the input from the September strategic planning group meetings as well as the drafts of the mission statement prepared by Greg, the library's administrative team has developed a new draft mission statement and set of strategic directions, both included below.  Library staff members are invited to email any of the AULs or the UL with comments and suggestions on the draft.  The deadline for submission is Friday, December 12th, at 5 p.m.  We still expect to be able to have a final version of the plan in place by January 2009.

 

UCSC Library Mission Statement

 

 

The University Library strengthens the UCSC academic enterprise by providing, presenting, and preserving a wide range of information resources.  We utilize innovative approaches in working  with faculty and students to help them discover, use, manage, and share the array of information that supports their research, teaching, and learning.

 

 

 

 

UCSC Library Strategic Directions:

 

 

 

 

1.      The University Library pushes information services beyond our physical boundaries to serve our constituencies where they are and to educate them to become effectively self-sufficient.

 

·        Offer on-site services in departments, colleges, and elsewhere, experimenting with approaches and services depending on the clientele.

 

·        Enhance student preparedness to do research to write papers and handle other information-intensive responsibilities.

 

·        Reach more current and future undergraduates to transform them into proficient information users by partnering with Student Affairs and other campus units.

 

·        Deliver assistance and information anytime, anywhere by offering  digital public services.

 

·        Familiarize graduate students with the key resources in their disciplinary/interdisciplinary areas so that they have the skills they need to finish their programs.

 

2.      The University Library deploys innovative tools and services to provide, present,  preserve, and share a broad and deep array of information resources.

 

·        Explore disciplinary and interdisciplinary information needs and develop support structures offered by the library by partnering with faculty.

 

·        Bring a richer universe of scholarly information to the campus community by making intensive use of Tier One partnerships and UC collaborative arrangements, building and providing ready access to special collections, and determining the best strategies for local collection development.

 

·        Facilitate campus progress toward the capture, use, and preservation of scholarly output.

 

·        Develop innovative websites and web-based tools to enhance discovery and access and to embed academic resources in campus learning management systems.

 

3.      The University Library’s facilities offer a variety of spaces and tools that enhance teaching, learning, and research for members of the UCSC community, either individually or in groups.

 

·        Enhance and support the student educational experience by creating a “learning commons” and inviting other campus units to partner on this.

 

·        Offer different types of space conducive to different study and library use styles (e.g., areas for group study, quiet-only areas, areas for informal gatherings and socializing).

 

·        Enhance student and faculty opportunities to create new media objects for teaching, learning, and research by establishing “creativity commons” equipped with a wide range of tools and spaces.

 

·        Simplify the user experience by providing a unified help desk environment in collaboration with ITS and other campus units, as appropriate.

 

·        Increase user self-sufficiency by improving wayfinding.

 

4.      The University Library is a model for the campus on efficient use of our resources.

 

·        Create a flexible organizational structure.

 

·        Utilize strategies that are both scalable and sustainable.

 

·        Establish succession plans for key positions.

 

·        Budget effectively, with resources dedicated to the highest priorities and sufficient flexibility to reallocate as needed.

 

·        Decrease costs associated with providing basic services (e.g., reference desks, cataloging and processing of new books).

 

·        Fundraise aggressively.

 

·        Communicate effectively to both internal and external audiences.

 

·        Grow the assessment program.

 

 

December 3, 2008