Winnefox Library System

Strategic Planning Committee

Tuesday, March 27th at 3:00 pm

Berlin Public Library

Minutes

 

 

The meeting was called to order at 3:04 PM.  Present were Mark Arend, Marie Boleman, Christine Carroll, Ken Hall, Stephen Proces, Paul Wade, & Sandy Zuehlke.  Absent was Tasha Saecker & Sara Wilson.  Jeff Gilderson-Duwe & Mary Olson arrived at 3:07.

 

Mark began chairing the meeting.

 

Paul moved and Sandy seconded to approve the minutes of the February 27th meeting.  The motion passed unanimously. 

 

Christine reported the progress of the committee comparing system automation programs.  Jeff has not yet received the budget from OWLS and they will meet after they get it. 

 

Jeff arrived and took over chairing the meeting.

 

The committee discussed the proposed consultant RFP.  Stephen asked if we would be doing a SWOT analysis (A SWOT Analysis can be used in identifying an organization's strengths (S) and weaknesses (W), and  examining the opportunities (O) and threats (T) it is facing).  The consensus was that this would be best done in each county’s LAC meeting and that it would be an abbreviated SWOT analysis covering only strengths and weaknesses.  Stephen moved we submit the draft RFP to the chosen consultants.  It was asked if we should select dates for each stage of the consultant’s work.  The consensus was to not set specific dates because of not knowing consultants’ schedules but to set a target completion date which would be flexible.    Christine seconded the motion.  Marie asked if rating system services would be part of the consultant’s task.  Jeff said we wanted to limit consultants mandate to strengths, weaknesses, & problems with organization & communication, rather than service needs.    The motion passed unanimously. 

 

 

Jeff proposed a process for identifying future services.  We would send directors a list of proposed services compiled from the January brainstorming sessions and current services.   Each director would choose what they considered the most important & least important services.  Each LAC would then meet and develop a county list which the committee would use to develop service priorities for the system. 

 

Ken said it narrows perspective to focus on services rather than asking directors what they see as problems.  If we ask about problems we can focus creative thinking on developing new services.  Sandy said this might take too much time for small directors.  Ken said we should determine what the commonality of needs are and which of them the system can address?  Steve said we don’t want a pie in sky laundry list; we need short list of concrete things that can be done. Ken asked if this was something the consultant could do—get directors to identify problems? 

 

There was a short discussion of mandated services.  The brainstorming session at the January meeting grouped services and made people think about what Winnefox is mandated to do. 

 

Ken moved and Sandy seconded to amend the RFP to include eliciting info on significant needs regarding providing library services.   The motion passed unanimously. 

 

Steve referred to the environmental scan which Oshkosh Public Library had done as part of its strategic planning process and asked if Winnefox would be doing something similar.  If so, when would we do this and should we do it before we ask about service needs.  An environmental scan consists of comparing the organization involved in a planning process with similar organizations.  The consensus was that system staff would prepare an environmental scan.  We would look at staffing levels, support for automation, how often library directors & automation groups get together, and organizational structure.  We would compare Winnefox with OWLS, Eastern Shores, and South Central.  We will have a progress report at the next meeting.  

 

 

There was discussion on adjusting the timeline.  The consensus was to just keep meeting and providing status reports  

 

Steve requested that we send out information packets before each meeting.  Mark will work with Tasha to get them out about a week before meetings. 

 

The Multiple Boss Syndrome article was discussed.  Stephen felt that there should be clear lines of authority and that people should not work for more than one boss.  He stated that some of the issues we’ve dealt with recently are because of the interconnections between WLS & OPL.  Jeff said he didn’t believe that this type of organization was inherently flawed.  He has begun to simplify the Winnefox organization and is working towards more accountability.  Mary commented that large organizations often have people with multiple bosses.  It can work well if expectations, job descriptions, & evaluation processes are clearly stated.  Ken said he had disagreed with John Nichols on this issue.  He felt that the payments between Winnefox & OPL did not accurately reflect the amount of work that was done for each organization.  Chris said she doesn’t care who’s OPL & who’s Winnefox.  She just wants to know who to call when she has a problem and to get an answer.  Paul commented that when there are two organizations working together there will always be disagreements of this sort. 

 

 

At the WALS Executive Council meeting on 14th March there was discussion of concerns about services & organization.  Persons attending were able to get all complaints on the table & written down.  Jeff said we would like to use this list to survey directors to judge how widespread these concerns are held.  The surveys would go to the consultant without staff seeing them.  This was agreed to by consensus. 

 

Discussion how tech support is organized and governed.  Jeff repeated Stephen’s observation that WALS has grown over the years but its organizational structure hasn’t.  There is a need to look at WALS governance.  The WALS Executive Council asked planning committee to charge them with looking at changes in WALS organization & governance. 

 

Ken moved and Stephen seconded that the existing WALS Executive Council, along with any interested directors, be charged with proposing a recommendation for a new governing structure for Winnefox technology support.    The motion passed unanimously. 

 

The meeting adjourned at 4:27.  The next meeting will be 3:00 on Tuesday, April 24th at the Berlin Public Library.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Mark Arend

Winnefox Library System

Strategic Planning Committee

Tuesday, April 24 at 3:00 pm

Berlin Public Library

Minutes

 

 

Tasha Saecker called the meeting to order at 3:05.  Present were:  Mark Arend, Karen Boehning, Marie Boleman, Christine Carroll, Jeff Gilderson-Duwe, Mary Olson, Stephen Proces, Tasha Saecker, Paul Wade, & Sandy Zuehlke.   Ken Hall and Sara Wilson were absent. 

 

Karen said that the March meeting minutes did not reflect that she was present.  Sandy moved and Paul seconded to approve the minutes as amended. The motion passed unanimously.

 

 

Mark reported on the consultant hiring process.  RFPs were sent out several weeks ago to the 5 consultants identified by the committee.  One had responded with a question on the date proposals were due.  They are due on 11 May and we plan to present the replies at the May meeting.  Karen asked what we would do if none of the 5 were interested.  Mark said we would have to discuss that at the next meeting. 

 

 

Chris reported that the subcommittee comparing library systems services and costs had not met yet.  She said they were still waiting for budget information.  Mark said that line item budget information from Eastern Shores, OWLS, South Central & Winnefox had been posted on the strategic planning page at:  http://extranet.winnefox.org/strategic.html.  He asked the committee to look at them and let him know what additional information was needed. 

 

 

Jeff is working on the report on Winnefox staffing and expects to finish it fairly soon.   He explained he was organizing the report around the organizational chart and commented that most of the staffing information people have requested over the past few months has been distributed at one time or another and that this report should draw much of it together in one place. 

 

Steve asked if the report would address staff with mixed responsibility.  Jeff said that we were not studying this at this time but we would be looking at that.  Steve mentioned the form that Neenah PL staff use to record staff tasks & time spent.

 

 

Mark has been pulling together material for the environmental scan and we should have something at the next meeting.   

 

 

Sandy commented that at the last LAC she had the feeling that the other Waushara directors didn’t see the need for meeting with the consultant.  Marie said that it was useful at the Greener Pastures workshop in FDL to hear from IT coordinators what services different systems provide.  Sandy said it’s useful to hear what other libraries are doing because it helps everyone get ideas for different services or programs.  Jeff commented that sharing best practices was a common comment at the annual meeting.

 

There was some discussion on the future of the marketing position.  One result of this planning process should be direction on what to do with the funds allocated for this position.  We may want to use them to fund a marketing person or we may want to allocate them towards something else.

 

There was further discussion of what the consultant will be discussing.   This is laid out in the RFP: 

  • Strengths and weaknesses in Winnefox organization, staffing, & communication.
  • General satisfaction with current Winnefox service programs.
  • What do library directors see as the most significant needs in providing library services to their communities?

The consultant will also look at the results of the WALS services survey that will be sent out. 

 

 

Marie pointed out that we need discussion on service priorities.  Chris said that she didn’t think there would be great dispute on the value of some items (delivery, shared system).  Jeff said this discussion needs to happen and it should be part of this process. 

 

Mary asked how this process would end up as operational goals.  Jeff said once the strategic plan laid out broad goals we could develop operational goals.

 

 

Jeff moved and Sandy seconded to adjourn.  The motion passed unanimously.  The meeting adjourned at 3:50.

 

The next meeting will be Tuesday, May 22nd.

 

Respectfully submitted, Mark Arend