Georgia Public Library Service strategic plan : approved by the strategic planning team December 10, 2007

Georgia Public Library Service Strategic Plan
Approved by the Strategic Planning Team December 10, 2007
Vision
"Achieving excellence in library service for all Georgians"
Mission
The Georgia Public Library Service: Empowering libraries to improve the lives of Georgians
Georgia Public Library Service achieves its mission by: Providing and encouraging visionary leadership; Ensuring equal access to information and technology; Promoting the value and joy of life long reading and learning; and Facilitating collaboration and innovation in the broader library community.
Continuing Education
Goal: The library community will have relevant and convenient continuing education opportunities.
Objective # 1: At least 80% of continuing education program participants will indicate on evaluations that GPLS-sponsored workshops are relevant.
Activities: 1. By March 2008 GPLS will begin an assessment of the Georgia library community to determine CE needs. 2. GPLS will develop a program of CE events each year for public libraries based on the needs identified by the survey and available resources. 3. As part of the CE program GPLS will identify and pursue opportunities to provide CE for other target audiences and publish a comprehensive training calendar. 4. GPLS will plan and conduct an annual workshop for new public library directors beginning fall of 2008.
Objective # 2: At least 80% of continuing education program participants will indicate on evaluations that GPLS-sponsored workshops are convenient.
Activities: 1. In 2008 GPLS will offer CE events through a variety of delivery methods to allow maximum participation by target audiences, 2. In-person workshops will be held in geographically distributed locations for target audiences.

Technology
Goal: The library community will have access to resources that enhance understanding and use of current and future technology.
Objective #1 Public libraries have access to an information technology infrastructure which ensures growth capacity and reliability, as measured by 99% availability of the wide area network.
Activities: 1. GPLS will establish a committee of agency staff and public library directors to ensure the long-term viability of the established wide area network. 2. GPLS will offer training for local library staff of best practices for maintaining local area networks. 3. GPLS will explore technology support models to ensure reliability, effectiveness, and efficiency in delivery of technology resources to library users.
Objective # 2 As measured by a survey, at least 80% of library staff will indicate that GPLS provides access to user-focused services, processes and systems that will enhance the use of new technologies in libraries.
Activities: 1. By July 2008, GPLS will identify ways to enhance helpdesk services, including using results from a survey of helpdesk users to gauge customer satisfaction. 2. By January 2009, GPLS will design a communication process which will deliver software enhancement / inquiry requests to vendors, developers and the user community. 3. In collaboration with planning partners (SOLINET, et al.), GPLS will organize an annual conference that will introduce new technologies to the library community. 4. By July 2008, GPLS will provide accessible technologies on all agency-supported websites.
Marketing
Goal: Georgians will value, use and advocate for libraries.
Objective # 1: By 2010, understanding of the value of Georgia public libraries will increase by at least 10%, as measured on a statewide survey.
Activities: 1. By April GPLS will design and pre-test a survey to administer to a statistically valid sample of Georgians to determine a baseline for public awareness of the value of public libraries. 2. In May of 2008 GPLS will administer the survey and at the end of the evaluation period determine any change.
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3. Between July 1 and December 31, 2008 GPLS will conduct a return-on-investment study for Georgia public libraries.
4. As part of the statewide marketing campaign, GPLS will widely disseminate the findings of the return-on-investment study to reach virtually all Georgians in 2009.
5. GPLS will partner with other agencies to promote the value of libraries through their websites, literature and publicity.
Objective # 2: By 2011, public library use (defined as library circulation, library visits, in library computer use, and patron registrations) will increase by at least 10%. .
Activities: 1. GPLS will design and implement a statewide marketing campaign based on market research by December 2009. 2. As part of this campaign GPLS will develop statewide advertising and promotional materials for the library community, including customizable materials for public library systems to use locally, as well as materials that can be adapted for use by other types of libraries. 3. GPLS will investigate possible models for capturing accurate usage statistics for library websites.
Objective # 3: Georgians will participate in 10% more library advocacy activities at local, state, and national levels by 2010.
Activities: 1. GPLS will define advocacy activities for the purposes of this objective, and ask public library directors to keep statistics for individuals in their service areas. 2. GPLS will sponsor a series of 6 train-the-trainer advocacy workshops for public library directors, staff, Friends, and trustees, in various locations around the state during 2008 and 2009. 3. GPLS will promote virtual participation in ALA Library Day. 4. GPLS will work with the Georgia Council of Public Libraries to provide weekly legislative information to various state distribution lists during the Georgia legislative sessions in 2008 through 2010.
Funding
Goal: Georgia's public library community will have adequate, stable, and equitable funding.
Objective #1 By July 2010, at least 80% of the public library directors will report that a revised state aid formula is equitable, easy to understand, and easy to communicate to elected officials.
Activities: 1. By July 2008, GPLS and RPLAC will hold a series of at least 5 geographically distributed focus groups of library directors to discuss and recommend revisions to the state aid formula.
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2. By December 2008, RPLAC will recommend a revised and simplified funding formula for Georgia public libraries, based on feedback from the focus groups,
3. By April 2009, GPLS will obtain approval for the revised formula from the Board of Regents, with approval and support from the Office of Planning and Budget.
4. By September 2009, GPLS will submit the FY2011 state budget request to the Board of Regents and the Office of Planning and Budget, with support from the RPLAC and the Georgia Council of Public Libraries.
Objective #2 By July 2008, the library community will benefit from the formation of the LSTA Advisory Committee, which will advise GPLS on the use of LSTA funds in Georgia libraries.
Activities: 1. By January 2008, GPLS will design the structure for a new LSTA Advisory Committee. 2. By February 2008, GPLS will invite participation on the committee, including representation from all types of libraries, with confirmations of membership by March 31, 2008. 3. During April 2008, GPLS staff will conduct an LSTA orientation session for committee members and establish regularly scheduled meetings of the group. 4. By June 30, 2008, the LSTA Advisory Committee will establish a communication plan, including communication to the broader library community.
Objective #3 By July 2009, public libraries will benefit from the identification of potential state/local matching grant programs in addition to the successful Major Repair and Renovation matching grant program. These programs will be identified and recommended for state funding, with input from RPLAC and the Georgia Council of Public Libraries.
Activities: 1. By July 2008, GPLS and RPLAC will use focus groups or other means to invite comments/suggestions for possible state/local matching grant programs for public libraries (with local defined as funds from any sources other than state or federal government, including private sources). 2. By December 2008, RPLAC will work with Georgia Council of Public Libraries to recommend prioritized matching grant programs, with a statement of need for each. 3. By September 2009, as part of the FY2011 state budget process, GPLS will seek state funding for the matching grant programs identified by RPLAC.
Objective #4 By July 2010, libraries will benefit from the identification of strategies to increase funding of all kinds for Georgia public libraries.
Activities: 1. By July 2008, GPLS will establish a committee of public library directors (and possibly others) to address long-term state, local and private funding sources for Georgia public libraries, with input from RPLAC and the Office of Planning and Budget. 2. By May 2009, the committee will make recommendations to GPLS and the public library directors group. 3. By September 2009, the committee will recommend implementation strategies.
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