The Somerset County Library System of New Jersey is working on a new strategic plan!
We’re using the Dynamic Planning Model from the Public Library Association. This process starts from the idea that our services should be based on the community’s needs. We’ll gather demographic and survey data about our communities, but we’ll also conduct a series of community conversations to help us understand people’s concerns and aspirations about the place in which they live. By focusing on community needs, rather than on the Library, we will be able to identify our core services — the materials, services and programs we will continue to provide to our patrons, no matter what — as well as the areas of strategic priority where the Library can help create the kind of community people want to be a part of.
The model has four phases:
- Assess (through July 2018) – gather community data, conduct community conversations, perform community needs assessment
- Strategize (July-August 2018) – analyze data, identify core services and strategic priorities
- Engage (September 2018) – develop goals and actions that meet service needs
- Impact (October 2018-June 2020) – execute plan actions, establish outcomes and methods for assessment, evaluate success
This model is cyclical, so we will evaluate the progress of plan activities in June 2019 and again in December 2019 so that we can make any necessary adjustments.