preschool literacy initiative

public librarian recruitment

certification

PLA/LAMA/ASCLA Certified Public Library Administrator (CPLA) Program Core Course

Course Name

“Getting to the Future Doing the Right Things for the Right People” (strategic planning and marketing)

General Description

Strategic long range and market planning are merged in this two and one-half day course. Marketing concepts and strategies are put in the context of long range planning and implementation, placing the focus on customer needs and desires. Evaluation covers monitoring the process and assessing and revising direction or strategies.

Components

1. Looking at the different kinds of plans
2. Conducting the planning process; planning to plan
3. Creating an Organizational Vision, redefining the Mission, and developing Organizational Values
4. Identifying Public Library Roles/Service Responses
5. Conducting the Community Analysis/Marketing Audit; looking at external and internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, treats and trends (includes competition)
6. Defining Stakeholders, Customers, Target Markets, and Partners
7. Identifying Strategic Issues
8. Establishing Goal Areas and Strategic Directions (with results-oriented measures of success) or Measurable Objectives
9. Implementing: deciding on Products, Pricing (budget impacts and alternative funding), Place and Distribution (linking customers with desired information and materials), Promotion and Communication
10. Determining key Measures of Success (outcomes, outputs, inputs) and Methods of Evaluation (review of different methods)
11. Reviewing the Process and preparing for Reassessment and Revision as ongoing Updating of the plan

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. Describe methods of community study, marketing and measurement
2. Write Strategic Directions with measures of success or Measurable Objectives based on customer needs
3. Describe the planning/marketing process OR write a marketing plan for their library or specific function area OR engage in a planning process for their library (requires follow-up)

Course Methods

PRE-ASSIGNMENT: Read one general text (see Sources for Bryson or Kotler) and one library-specific text (Walters or Weingand)

• Using a workbook with a case study or studies, lead participants through a simulated/truncated planning process
• Use Adult Learning techniques for high level of participation
• Have participants bring own library’s Vision, Mission, Values
• Refer to budget and technology courses

Evaluation

1. Presenter(s) determine participants’ grasp of the methods of community study, marketing and measurement through group discussion during class
2. Presenter(s) conduct(s) critique of participants’ written work
3. Conduct a follow-up to determine participants’ confidence in or actual conducting of a planning and marketing process as learned

Sources

Bryson, John M. Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining Organizational Achievement rev. ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1995.

Estabrook, Leigh S. "Polarized Perceptions," Library Journal (February 1, 1997), pp. 46–48

Kotler, Philip. Strategic Marketing for Non-profit Organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1987.

Public Library Association. Planning for Results: A Library Transformation Process. Chicago: ALA, 1998.

Sutton, Brett. Public Library Planning: Case Studies for Management. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1995.

Walters, Suzanne. Marketing: A How-to-do-it Manual for Librarians. New York: Neal- Schuman Publishers, Inc., 1992.

Weingand, Darlene E. Future-Driven Library Marketing. Chicago: ALA, 1998.

Weingand, Darlene E. Customer Service Excellence: A Concise Guide for Librarians Chicago: ALA, 1997.

Weingand, Darlene E. Marketing/Planning Library and Information Services. 2nd ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1999.