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Receive a presentation from the Library Department on the Solano County Library's Strategic Directions' Plan
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No __X_
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No __X_
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Library Department recommends that the Board of Supervisors receive a presentation on the Solano County Library's Strategic Directions Plan.
SUMMARY:
In 2006, the Library developed a strategic plan that provided direction in library services provided to the communities of Solano County through 2009. Between January and July 2011, the Library undertook the development of an updated strategic plan to ensure that Library services remain relevant to the community. Building on discussions with the community and Library staff, Library administration, working with an ad-hoc staff Strategic Planning Committee, developed a series of strategic directions that set service priorities for the coming years.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The Library is a separate fund from the County General Fund and operates on dedicated revenues primarily received from property and sales tax; thus, there is no cost to the General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
Between January and July 2011, Library administration formed an all-staff, ad-hoc committee to develop a new, updated strategic plan for the Library.
In developing this plan, the Library followed a four-step process developed by Joan Frye-Williams and George Needham, library consultants and strategists, who presented a recommended methodology for evaluating library services to Library supervisors and managers in January 2011. The process included assessing current services throughout the County, meeting with community members and stakeholders, discussing the results of these meetings with staff, and determining the process in realigning Library services on a regular basis to remain relevant to the community.
The ad-hoc Strategic Planning Committee analyzed the responses received at the community meetings and presented those results to staff members to determine the best way to incorporate and fulfill the community requests. The Solano County Library Strategic Directions: Conversation, Connection, Community (Attachment A) is the result of this effort. The discussions with staff focused on professional techniques, resources and principles. Following the discussions, four general strategic directions were determined, which are included in the Strategic Directions document, and address the community's expressed needs as follows:
· Solano County Library builds partnerships to make a difference in people's lives
· Solano County Library inspires and educates by sharing our passions
· Solano County Library leads through change and learning
· Solano County Library celebrates our diverse and distinctive environment
Using these strategic directions, staff will recommend library activities and services, activity implementation plans, and outcome reporting in a variety of ways: through annual work plans with quarterly progress reports, through staff discussions within the various units, in a staff advisory committee that meets bi-monthly and through the exchange of ideas and information through a staff intranet site.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could elect not to receive the presentation and report on the Solano County Library Strategic Directions Plan; however, this is not recommended as this report and presentation provides informative and useful information to the community, partner organizations and policymakers.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
No other agencies were involved. The County Administrator's Office has been consulted on the presentation.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION