September 6th Strategic Planning Meeting

Report on Strategic Planning Meeting, September 6th, 2008.

The meeting was called to order at 10:19am by Barbara Pearson.

• Jan Sanders, Strategic Planning Consultant, recapped the process, including staff meetings; she then introduced the new mission statement.
• Barbara announced that the date for the first design camp will be Saturday, October 4th.
• The Committee reviewed a draft of the strategic plan.

Di Discussion of the Library in the Year 2012

• The Committee provided a wealth of specific suggestions for improvement of the draft vision of the library in the year 2012. They particularly requested that staff make reference to the “general reader” in the list of library user groups. It was also suggested that the document provide a clear and concrete picture of what library services will look like in 2012 and that it coalesce with the goals and objectives set forth.

Discussion of Goals and Objectives 2008-2009

• The Committee recommended that staff rephrase goals and tasks in a way that captures measurable success and accountability. Each department was asked to be more specific in expressing their respective task statements.

Linda Demmers Presentation

• Linda Demmers presented the community survey results and gave a general overview of the ALD building plan. A brief discussion of library service trends followed.
• The committee questioned the possibility of starting a Friends Foundation or endowment to provide additional funding sources for the District.

• Barbara Pearson thanked committee members for their comments, which will be incorporated into a revised draft of the Strategic Pan and presented to the Board at the Sept. 22, 2008 meeting for additional comment and review. Committee members will be sent a revised draft via e-mail.

June 14th Strategic Planning Meeting

Report on Strategic Planning Advisory Committee Meeting, June 14, 2008.

• The meeting was called to order at 10:15 am. 13 members of the Strategic Planning Committee were present.

• Jan Sanders, Strategic Planning Consultant and Meeting Facilitator, opened the meeting. Roundtable introductions followed.

• Ms. Sanders led a review of the last meeting and the service responses chosen: Promoting Books for Children; Flexible Space; Connect to the Online World; and Literacy. She then presented the services responses from the staff: Online Navigation & Technological Literacy; Children Succeed in School; Flexible Space; and Lifelong Learning. She commented on the similarities between the two lists.

• Ms. Sanders then presented preliminary findings from the Community Survey currently being compiled and asked if there were any additional suggestions for services responses since the last meeting. Additions include: Community Gathering Place; Cooperation with Other Community Groups and Agencies; Keep Concept of Books; Educated Citizenry; the Information Center of Altadena.

• Barbara Pearson summarized the effects of the preliminary services responses on the library. She commented that many activities are part of current library service; however, there are limits to staff, resources, and space. More staff, funds, and a reconfigured building would be needed to implement the selections. Some solutions include shifting current staff or hiring additional staff, using volunteers to supplement some programs, increasing funds for the children’s collection, applying for joint grants with outside community groups, and using current space in new ways.

• Ms. Sanders then asked the members of the committee to vote for their top two service responses. The results were: 1. Promoting Books for Children; 2. Connect to the Online World. It was noted that Flexible Space affects all of the service responses. Resources will need to be reallocated to emphasize the top two choices. Promoting Books for Children will mean shifting personnel and increasing funds for both programs and the collection. Connecting to the Online World will require more workstations; online tutorials; pathfinders; automatic checkout; more express computers; a search box on the library’s homepage; and possibly the use of teen volunteers to assist in computer literacy training for the public.

Ms. Sanders then held a discussion on What’s Next? Barbara Pearson noted that although the two meetings handled essentially what was needed for this process it is the hoped that the committee will act as spokespeople to the board and be part of the design camps planned for September and October of this year. Staff will establish a change readiness environment. This means that the staff will set goals and objectives to match the priorities, establish checks and balances for the community, and take time to evaluate and reflect upon the results. The committee members asked to meet again, possibly mid-August, after the staff sets up goals to see that these fit what the community wants. It was suggested that staff members might attend to present these goals.

• Ms. Sanders thanked the committee for their participation. The meeting was adjourned at 2:20 p.m.

Report on the Strategic Planning Meeting, May 17, 2008

• The meeting was called to order at 10:11am. 13 members of the Strategic Planning Committee were present.

• Director Pearson introduced Jan Sanders, Strategic Planning Consultant and Meeting Facilitator. Roundtable introductions followed.

• Jan Sanders briefly explained the meeting objectives and the role of the planning committee in the strategic planning process.

1^ST Activity: Defining the Ideal Future: Vision Statements

• Ms. Sanders discussed the concept of Community Vision Statements—statements that define what the planning committee would like Altadena to look like in 10 years. Vision statements reflect the value of the community and are reflective of all populations. The planning committee broke into 4 small groups to determine the specific constituencies that make up Altadena as well as what the community needs to provide for each of these constituent groups to be successful. Each identified need was then expressed in the form of a “vision statement.”

• The planning committee identified the following constituent groups: Community Based Organizations; At Risk Youth; Displaced Families; Children Under 12; Teens; New Immigrants; Seniors; Special Needs Persons; Multi-Generation Groups/Families; Arts Community; Westside Residents; Small Business Owners; Faith Based Organizations; Educational Community; County Agencies; Environmental Beautification Interest; Neighborhood Organizations; Group Home Residents.

2^nd Activity: Reviewing Where the Community is Now: SWOT Analysis

• After identifying various community constituent groups and their needs, each group was asked to name the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that will affect the community’s ability to achieve the specific needs (vision statements) of each group. The current conditions both in and outside of the community were considered for this exercise.

Reviewing Where the Library is Now: Director’s Presentation

• Director Pearson made a brief presentation about library history, current use statistics, services and programs, budget, funding sources, staffing, etc… .

3rd Activity: The Library Can Make a Difference: Service Responses

• For this activity the committee stepped back and looked at each of the identified constituent groups and their respective vision statements, as well as community strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats to determine which community needs the library can address (i.e. service responses). Some of these needs include, but are not limited to: providing access to information; more useful space in the library; ADA compliant bathrooms; dedicated teen space/ programs for teens; tutorial rooms for literacy; library as a neutral zone where people can meet; meeting space/ separate rooms, exhibited performance space; preservation of aesthetic experience, etc….

• When all of the library service responses were recorded, each member of the planning committee was given an opportunity to vote for their top 3 priority service responses. The planning committee’s top library responses were: 1.) promoting books for children; 2.) flexible facility space; 3.) connect to the online world; 4.) literacy services.

• Ms. Sanders thanked the committee for their participation and provided information for the next meeting on June 14^th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Altadena Library Community Room. The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.