Winnefox Library System
Annual
Plan 2007
Executive
Summary
The Winnefox Library System
(WLS) is mandated to submit an annual plan of service and budget to the Department
of Public Instruction, Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community
Learning by October 15th of each year. The following plan provides compliance for
this mandate as well as a blueprint for system activities.
WLS provides a full range of
support services to member libraries including:
Ø
Reference
referral and interlibrary loan
Ø
In-service
training for member library staff
Ø
Delivery of
materials routed between libraries
Ø
Professional
consulting
Ø
A plan of service
to users with special needs
Ø
Coordinated
planning with other types of libraries
Ø
A library
technology and resource sharing plan
In addition, WLS is mandated
to keep membership agreements between individual libraries and counties up to
date and to monitor compliance with statutory requirements for system
membership. The annual plan must certify
compliance with these mandates.
The first section of the Annual
Plan consists of a form on which to supply information regarding the
mandates listed above as well as a general description of the needs of the
system, demographics, and the planning process.
The second section of the Plan
consists of a list of priorities the system will address in the coming year
along with the activities it will carry out in order to further system development. This section is organized along the same
lines as the program budget that is attached at the end of the Plan. The priorities were identified through
regular discussion between system staff and member library directors at each
county’s Library Advisory Committee (LAC) meetings, regular meetings of
directors concerning the shared automation system, workshops, and other
opportunities to discuss concerns.
The major priorities revolve
around six areas: technology, training, advocacy, planning, system
administration, and funding. Though
Winnefox supports library and information technology that is close to the
cutting edge, further development of these services is essential for member
libraries. Training is needed not only
to keep pace with technology, but in basic areas of library management such as
budgeting and financial record keeping.
In the tough economic climate we are experiencing in the state, both the
member libraries and the system itself need strong advocates for adequate
funding. In order to maintain current
services and continue to facilitate the development of our member libraries,
the system is being forced to look at funding in new ways in order to cope with
the continued deterioration of funding from the state.
The
Winnefox Library System
Annual Plan
2007
List of
Priorities and Activities
The Winnefox Library System drafts a plan of service each year to satisfy statutory requirements and to provide a blueprint for system activities for the coming year. The following is a summary of activities Winnefox will undertake in order to continuously improve services to our members. It is arranged according to broad programs as outlined by state mandates.
I. Technology, Reference and Interlibrary Loan Services
Priority: Continue to provide full ILL service despite
greatly reduced state support for ILL.
Activity 1: Maintain cooperative
agreements for
Priority: Continue to support the use of the OCLC WorldCat database and software for ILL.
.Activity 1: Continue to provide training to enable staff at member libraries to make the most productive use of ILL services.
Priority: Work with Winnefox member libraries and
counties and with neighboring library systems and their member libraries and
counties to formulate a cooperative approach to compensating for cross-county
use as provided for in Wis. Stat. 43.12(1).
Priority: Improve the availability of reference services at member libraries.
Reference service has
greatly improved at member libraries over the last several years because of
access to electronic information through the Internet and via databases and
other online resources subscribed to or created by member libraries and
Winnefox.
Activity 1: Continue to offer 24/7 interactive reference.
Activity 2: Survey member libraries and examine database usage statistics to determine if the range of databases currently offered best meets the needs of member libraries and their patrons.
Activity 3: Actively promote the use of online databases and other resources to teachers, parents, and students.
Activity 4: Continue to educate member library staff on the availability of backup reference assistance from the resource library.
Priority: Improve the availability of technology services and support at member libraries.
Activity 1: Bring all member libraries fully into the WALS system. By the end of 2006, 28 of our 30 libraries will be circulating materials on the SIRSI system. The final 2 libraries will complete the automation process in 2007.
II. Delivery and communications
Priority: Increase administrative information available to system and member library staff and trustees by continuing to expand and enhance the “extranet” for the system and member libraries.
Activity 1: Continue to post documents, policies, forms, and procedures manuals for easy access by system and member library staff.
Activity 2: Further develop trustee information resources for easier accessibility by system trustees.
III. Continuing Education and Consulting
Priority: Provide a variety of continuing education opportunities in sufficient quantity so that member library directors may complete all continuing education requirements for certification through Winnefox.
Activity 1: Offer or co-sponsor at least 10 workshops or training sessions in 2007 at a variety of locations throughout the system.
Activity 2: Continue to survey member library staff to determine which potential workshop topics would fill the greatest need.
Activity 3: Consider the needs of staffs at different-sized libraries as well as well as those of different levels of experience when considering workshop topics.
Activity 4: Continue to keep member librarians informed of continuing education activities offered by other providers.
Activity 5: Explore increased cooperation with FVLC, neighboring library systems, and other agencies to provide continuing education activities more economically.
Activity 6: Purchase copies of required and recommended textbooks for the courses required for certification to be loaned to directors taking those courses.
Priority: Make sure that staff at member libraries have the technical skills necessary to connect the public to online information sources and to make the most productive use of the Sirsi Unicorn system and the staff extranet.
Activity 1: Provide small group, hands-on sessions that demonstrate new information resources and computer programs as they become available.
Activity 2: WLS and WALS staff will provide small group or one-on-one training at member libraries for those who need it most.
Activity 3: WLS and WALS will continue to explore low cost alternatives for training and provide online follow-up tutorials for some of the training we offer.
Priority: Continue to develop a relationship between Winnefox staff and member library trustees so that Winnefox may better serve the particular needs of trustees.
Activity 1: Sponsor at least one workshop for library Trustees.
Activity 2: Develop an orientation program for new member library trustees.
Activity 3: Develop a series of information packets to be sent to member library boards as needed to assist them in dealing with issues such as budgeting, hiring a director, long range planning, etc.
Activity 4: Provide on site consulting and training to member library boards upon request.
Activity 5: Continue to partner with OWLS to produce the Trustee Tales newsletter.
Priority: Assist member library directors in developing the leadership skills necessary to guide the development of their local libraries.
Activity 1: Assist in the development of teamwork at the county level within the local Library Advisory Committees (LACs).
Activity 2: Encourage member library boards to provide adequate compensation and recruit directors with an aptitude for leadership as vacancies occur.
Activity 3: Design an orientation program for new library directors using the Administrative Essentials handbook, currently under development by DLTCL staff
Activity 4: Train directors in maintaining good relationships with trustees and develop a conflict resolution process to assist in cases where there is disagreement between a director, staff and/or library trustees.
IV. Library Services to Special Users
Priority: Assist local libraries in extending services to non-English speaking families moving into the Winnefox service area.
Activity 1: Assist local libraries in developing and presenting programs for non-English speaking children and families in order to promote family literacy.
Activity 2: Provide cultural sensitivity training to member library and system staff through workshops and improving partnerships with other groups serving emigrant groups.
Activity 3: Assist member libraries in developing materials to promote library services to immigrant populations lacking a cultural background of public libraries.
Priority: Assist member libraries in making online information more readily available to individuals with disabilities.
Activity 1: Provide training to member library staff in the use of assistive devices/software.
Activity 2: Use Winnefox Public Information staff to publicize the accessibility of online information at member libraries. Publicity will target users with special needs.
Activity 3: Stress ease of usability for those using assistive devices/software for the visually impaired when designing Winnefox and member library web pages.
V. Administration
Priority: Reevaluate shared staff duties and compensation between Winnefox and Oshkosh Public Library to ensure that each entity is fairly compensated for work done by the other.
Activity 1: Examine duties of Winnefox staff in response to changing staffing levels at OPL
Priority: Develop a strategic planning process for Winnefox and member libraries to identify short and long-range goals for Winnefox and members.
Activity 1: Hold focus group sessions with library directors, trustees, municipal officials, users, and other stakeholders to identify present and future needs on which to focus system support for member libraries.
Activity 2: Determine the appropriate role for marketing and development within the Winnefox service program.
Activity 3: Incorporate appropriate goals from the county plans into the Winnefox Library System Long Range Plan and a strategic action plan summary.
Activity 4: Begin implementation of changes identified in the planning process.
Priority: Develop an objectives based evaluation process for the Executive Director and a mechanism for annual collaborative performance conversation between appropriate Winnefox and Oshkosh Public Library personnel committees.
IV. Collection Development
Priority: Assist member libraries to maintain current collections and to develop new ones.
Activity 1: Continue to provide selection support through WCTS by making member libraries aware of new releases and purchasing opportunities.
Activity 2: Promote the Overdrive digital audiobook service.
V. Library Funding
Priority: Assist libraries to maintain adequate county reimbursement levels and to assist those receiving less than full reimbursement to increase county funding.
Activity 1: Assist member libraries in providing regular reports to county boards informing them of activities and services provided to rural residents.
Activity 2: Assist member libraries in building closer relations with county board members.
Activity 3: Educate county boards on the value of libraries to their counties.
Activity 4: Assist libraries and counties to comply with the provisions of Act 420 affecting county library funding.
Priority: Begin investigating ways for counties and municipalities to fund shared services that Winnefox can no longer provide due to lack of support from the State.
Activity 1: Expand services funded through WCTS where appropriate.
Priority: Provide member libraries with guidance for
meeting the continuingly more varied needs of an increasingly diversified population
with static or lowered budgets.
VI. Library Services to Youth
Priority: Develop better communications between system librarians working with youth.
Activity 1: Develop a youth services section on the staff extranet.
Activity 2: Hold at least one workshop on a youth service topic.
Priority: Provide support for programs targeting children and families at member libraries.
Activity 1: Encourage use of WLS marketing resources for children’s programs beyond summer reading.
Activity 2: Develop contacts, in cooperation with local libraries, of community groups working with children and youth to foster greater collaboration in service provision and marketing.
Priority: Continue to support Summer Library Reading Program (SLP) activities in member libraries.
Activity 1: Coordinate all activity relating to children’s summer reading programs including support material, performers, etc.
Activity 2: Subsidize member libraries’ purchases of SLP materials and programs.
Activity 3: Continue to provide SLP performer booking services for member libraries.
VII. Public Information
Priority: Evaluate the System’s marketing program and the Marketing/PR Coordinator position.
Priority: Continue to expand membership & use of the “Speak up for Libraries” network of persons willing to communicate with elected officials and other decision-makers regarding the benefits and needs of library and system services.
Activity 1: Gain assistance from member libraries in contacting those individuals who are interested in giving voice to their support for libraries and systems.
Activity 2: Develop informational material regarding the needs of libraries and systems to be distributed to library friends in print and/or electronically.
Priority: Assist member library directors in learning techniques necessary to communicate directly and frequently with county and municipal governments.
Activity1: Develop and/or update individual aids to be used in presentations to government officials.
Activity 2: Assist member library directors to become more comfortable when speaking before groups.
Activity 3: Include government officials in discussions of service priorities within each county.
Priority: Raise awareness of library issues and the importance of library services in the general public and county and municipal governing bodies.
Activity 1: Evaluate the effectiveness of Shhhout about Libraries newsletter within the context of the need to communicate about Winnefox and its member libraries.
Activity 2: Provide member libraries with statistics, surveys, reports, and other information to be used in informing members of the public and governing bodies.
Activity 3: Assist member libraries in developing educational materials for local and state government officials.
Priority: Study printing and graphics procedures to be able to continue to offer these services to libraries at no charge in spite of reduced funding.
Activity 1: Analyze printing requests to determine if some projects can be printed by less expensive processes.
Activity 2: Educate library directors and staffs on how to submit printing requests to maximize efficiency.
Activity 3: Explore the development of templates of commonly used promotional materials that may be directly accessed by member library staff for printing.