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Receive a presentation and accept a new five-year Strategic Plan for the Department of Library Services (2017- 2022)
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Library Services (Library) recommends that the Board of Supervisors receive a presentation and accept a new five-year Strategic Plan for the Library from 2017 - 2022.
SUMMARY:
This new five-year Strategic Plan will help the Library address current and future library service needs for the community and enable the Library to make thoughtful service and budget decisions. The Library’s consultant on this project, CIVIC Technologies, worked with the Library’s administrative and management team, library staff, elected and appointed officials, library supporters and community stakeholders to facilitate the creation of this plan which addresses the proposed goals for an overall library service model, including collections, programming, technology, staffing and facilities.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no impact to the County General Fund. The Library is funded primarily through property and sales tax revenues. The Library’s FY2016/17 budget includes costs associated with the acceptance of this new Strategic Plan.
DISCUSSION:
The new five-year Strategic Plan positions the Library to proactively provide resources and services that meet the changing needs of county residents in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The plan was driven by input from approximately 2,000 residents, including leaders from government, non-profits, business and education. This plan establishes specific local and County Library service priorities and enables the Library to make thoughtful service and budget decisions.
The Library issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to help the Department develop a new Strategic Plan. CIVIC Technologies was the most responsive bidder for the project and has assisted the Library in the development of the Strategic Plan. CIVIC Technologies examined the community’s growth patterns and demographics, and identified the need for services with respect to future trends and technologies. Data gathered through this process presented a comprehensive overview of the Library’s service needs of the community, focusing both on library users and non-users.
The Strategic Plan also addresses the implications of the proposed goals for the Library’s service model, including collections, programming, technology, staffing and facilities.
The plan includes:
• New mission, vision, and values statements.
• Clear, concise, and attainable library service goals, objectives and activities.
• A five-year plan (2017 - 2022) that focuses on the key issues in order to ensure the achievement of multi-year strategic goals.
• Prioritization of current services and new services that will address the service priorities for the next five years.
• Impact of implementation of the service priorities on delivery approaches including design, planning, programming, promoting/marketing of library services, facilities, fiscal policies and staffing.
• Projections of future demand as affected by community needs and the opportunities they offer.
• Projections of future trends in technology, trends affecting the future of public libraries in general, and community organizations that either supplement or complement library services.
• Identification of strategies to build organizational capacity for addressing community Library service needs.
• Self-assessment methodology for the administrative and management team and library staff, including appropriate tools and quantitative measures, for annual strategic planning goal achievement evaluation.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose not to accept this Strategic Plan; however, this alternative is not recommended by the Department. This new five-year Strategic Plan supports the Board’s ongoing efforts to ensure the Library remains relevant, provides services tailored to community needs, and offers free programs and resources for county residents.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Solano County Library Advisory Council was involved in discussions on the new five-year Strategic Plan and will receive a formal presentation at its May 2017 meeting. In addition, the following stakeholders were invited to participate in the online stakeholder survey: Vacaville Library Commission, Fairfield City Council, Rio Vista City Council, Suisun City Council, Vallejo City Council, Vacaville City Council, Vallejo City Council, Solano County Library Foundation, President of the Friends of the Fairfield, Cordelia and Suisun City Libraries, President of the Friends of the Rio Vista Library, President of the Friends of the Vacaville Library, and President of the Friends of the Vallejo Libraries.
The County Administrator’s Office has been consulted on the presentation.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION