Since 1999, the Libraries has made incremental changes to the strategic plan and been relatively modest in its approach to strategic planning. After five years it’s time to undertake a more ambitious process and reassess our strategic directions, goals, mission, vision, and values.
The Strategic Planning Team has been meeting during the months since the Strategic Planning Retreat in summer 2004 to synthesize the outcomes of that retreat. The Team has also begun planning for the process to create a future strategic plan. We have set a goal of December 2005 to have a draft plan in place.
Based on the outcomes of the 2004 retreat, background reading, looking at other university library strategic plans, and discussion, the Team proposes a general framework within which the next plan can develop.
General Concepts
- Create a plan that is visionary enough to inspire and practical enough to achieve.
- Reexamine the mission, values and vision to ensure that each is appropriate.
- Develop a plan that will be an effective internal communication tool. Be more deliberate about using the strategic plan as a framework for communicating with staff about directions and progress.
- Produce a plan that will be an effective external communication tool to educate about the role of the Libraries and to garner wide support.
- Devise a plan that will complement University of Washington planning and strategy. Thought must be given to what specific positive impacts there will be on the UW and its mission.
Reshaping the Process
- Include input from stakeholders, using data obtained from the Libraries’ surveys and from discussion with existing stakeholder groups, such as Faculty Council on University Libraries, OUGL student advisory group and others.
- Increase staff input at all levels.
- Re-evaluate the ideas of champions and key action areas.
- Examine activities we do well and capitalize on them rather than creating a plan composed only of new proposals, services and projects
Implementation Considerations
- Leverage money and resources to achieve priorities to move forward. For example, use the 21 st Century Fund, Allen Endowment and/or Helen Johns Endowment to fund priorities.
- Generate smaller/shorter successes as part of the plan to enable a variety of staff members and departments to participate.
- Include metrics, indicators, and measures of success. How will we know if we have improved or are successful?
- Communicate progress regularly to staff, the University and stakeholders.
- Use the plan as the basis for short and long term planning throughout the Libraries. Eliminate those activities that do not add value in the context of the plan.