Paper No : 06 Management of Libraries and Information

Principal Investigator
&
Dr. Jagdish Arora, Director
Centres and Knowledge
Subject Coordinator Centres INFLIBNET Centre, Gandhinagar
Module : 13 Strategic Planning

Development Team
Paper Coordinator

Principal Investigator
Dr. Jagdish Arora, Director
&
Content Writer INFLIBNET Centre, Gandhinagar
Subject Coordinator

Content Reviewer Prof Dinesh K Gupta

Paper Coordinator Professor, V M Open University

Dr Shantanu Ganguly
Content Writer Fellow and Area Convenor, TERI

Prof Dinesh K Gupta

Content Reviewer
Associate Professor, V M Open University, Kota

Content Reviewer
 MODULE13

STRATEGIC PLANNING

I. Objectives

The objectives of the unit/module are:

- To introduce the concept of strategic management

- To discuss the importance of strategic management with reference to libraries
- To explain the strategic planning process
- To describe various factors and techniques of strategic planning

II. Learning Outcome

After going through this unit/module, you would learn importance of planning and
strategic planning and management in libraries and information centers. You would
also learn meaning and need for strategic planning, planning techniques,
assessing the environment, developing strategies for: collection development,
allocation of rational budget allocation, strategic development in technology,
and strategic communication and marketing.

III. Structure

1. Introduction
2. What are Strategies?
2.1 When should a strategic plan be developed?
2.2 How are strategies developed?
2.3 What is strategic management in Libraries?
3. Planning Services and Systems in Libraries and Information Centres
3.1 Anticipating the Future
3.2 The Planning Concept
3.3 Factors in Planning
3.4 SWOT Analysis?
4. Planning Techniques
4.1 Developing Standards and Guidelines
4.2 Management by Objectives (MBO)
5. What is Strategic Planning in Libraries?
6. Environment Assessment
6.1 Strategic planning principles
 6.2 Focus and action plans
6.3 To facilitate intellectual life in the institution
6.4 To be a leader among academic institutions
7. Strategies for Collection Development
7.1 Acquisition Policy
7.2 Consistency
7.3 User Involvement
7.4 Competitive Vendor Profile
8. Rational Budget Allocation
9. Strategic Development in Technology
10. Strategic Communication and Marketing—A Necessary Tool
11. Strategic Plan of Actions - Case Studies
11.1 Case Study: 1
11.2 Case Study: 2
11.3 Case Study: 3
12. Example
13. Summary
14. References
1. Introduction

Strategic management as a term and concept is not new. The term was first used in
the 1970’s, and it meant that a staff of strategic planners tried to sell them to decision
makers. In the 1990’s, the view of strategic planning and strategic management is
much different. Goodstein, Nolan, and Pfeiffer’s definition of strategic planning takes
us away from the notion that strategic planning is a staff job and focuses more on a
process that requires the senior leaders of an organization to set its strategic
direction.

The concept of strategic management builds on this definition of strategic planning,

recognizing that although planning is the prelude of strategic management, but it is
insufficient if not followed by the deployment and implementation of the plan and the
evaluation of the plan in action. Strategic management is a systems approach to
identifying and making the necessary changes and measuring the organization’s
performance as it moves toward its vision. It has been defined as:

“….management….system…that links strategic planning and decision making with the day-
to-day business operational management”. (Gluck, Kaufman and Walleck, 1982)
The following model depicts the five processes of strategic management which are
pre-planning, strategic planning, deployment, implementation, and measurement and
evaluation.

Fig 1: The Strategic Management Model

(Source: Strategic Management Handbook for Senior Leaders: A Handbook for
Implementation, Denise Lindsay Wells)
Strategic management goes beyond the development of a strategic plan, which
included the pre-planning and strategic planning processes. Strategic management is
the deployment and implementation of the strategic plan and measurement and
evaluation of the results.

- Deployment involves completing the plan and communicating it to all

employees.
- Implementation involves resourcing the plan, putting it into action, and
managing those actions.
- Measurement and evaluation consists not only of tracking implementation
actions, but, more importantly, assessing how the organization is changing as
a result of those actions and using that information to update the plan.
 Strategic management is a continuous process rather than one-time event.
Therefore, the senior leaders must become strategic thinkers and leaders of the
organization and its culture, changing it as necessary.

When an organization is practicing strategic management, thinking becomes more

visionary, which is characterized by:

- Breakthrough thinking about the future; organizational boundaries are more

flexible
- A shift in focus from the inputs that are used to run the business to the
outputs and outcomes the organization desires to achieve
- A focus on optimizing organizational performance and process quality as keys
to delivering quality products and services
- A move toward an organizational culture that adapts easily to change
- With practice, patience, dedication, and hard work, the organizational learning
that takes place through the application of strategic management will bring
the organization closer to realizing its goals and vision.

With each update of the strategic plan, senior leaders will become better able to
deploy the plan, implement changes, and measure organizational performance.

2. What are Strategies?

Strategic management consists of the analysis, decisions, and actions an

organization undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantages. This
definition captures two main elements that go to the heart of the field of strategic
management.

- The strategic management of an organization entails three ongoing

processes: analysis, decisions, and actions. Such as analysis of strategic
goals (vision, mission, and strategic objectives) along with the analysis of the
internal and external environment of the organization. Decisions, address two
basic questions from management point of view: What industries should we
compete in? How should we compete in those industries? And last are the
actions that must be taken. This requires leaders to allocate the necessary
resources and to design the organization to bring the intended strategies to
reality. This is an ongoing, evolving process that requires a great deal of
interaction among these three processes.
- The essence of strategic management is the study of why some organisations
outperform others. Managers need to determine how a firm is to compete so
that it can obtain advantages that are sustainable over a long period of time.
 That means focusing on two fundamental questions: How should we compete
in order to create competitive advantages in the marketplace?
- Managers must also ask how to make such advantages sustainable, instead
of highly temporary, in the marketplace. That is: How can we create
competitive advantages in the marketplace that are not only unique and
valuable but also difficult for competitors to copy or substitute?

Fig 2:
Strategic Framework of the Organisation in relation to Internal and External Forces
Michael Porter argues that sustainable competitive advantage cannot be achieved
through operational effectiveness alone. Most of the popular management
innovations of the last two decades-total quality, just-in-time, benchmarking, business
process reengineering and outsourcing all are about operational effectiveness.
Operational effectiveness means performing similar activities better than rivals. Each
of these is important, but none lead to sustainable competitive advantage, for the
simple reason that everyone is doing them. Strategy is all about being different from
everyone else. Sustainable competitive advantage is possible only through
performing different activities from rivals or performing similar activities in different
ways. An organisation with a good strategy must make clear choices about what it
wants to accomplish.
2.1 When should a strategic plan be developed?
Strategy development follows the creation and affirmation of the organization’s
purpose statement, environmental and program data collection and analysis, and
identification of critical issues. It is critical that strategy development follows these
steps because the information gathered and decisions made in these phases are the
 foundation for strategy creation and selection. Each of these steps provides the
following: The purpose statement, the statement of the organization's ultimate goal,
provides the direction to which the strategies should ultimately lead. External market
data and program evaluation results provide critical data to support strategy
development. Without this information and insight, the organization's strategies will
not be in alignment with or effective in the market place. The critical issues list serves
as the specific focus and frame work for the activities of the organization and the
pattern of these activities (developing and selecting the strategies).

2.2 How are strategies developed?

Strategy formulation is a combination of rational and scientific examinations, intuitive

best guesses. Many individuals are overwhelmed by the idea of developing
strategies, but it can be a fun and invigorating process. The process entails:
examining the organization's critical issues determining how the organization's
strengths and skills can be employed to address the critical issues analyzing
opportunities and strengths and looking for ways to synthesize the two exploring and
choosing the best approaches for the organization. During this evaluation ask these
key questions: Does the strategy meet/address critical issues? Is this aligned with
our mission? Is this approach financially viable? One effective method of strategy
generation is to list critical issues and organizational strengths on to flipcharts and
then have staff or board members brainstorm possible uses of those strengths or
other skills to address the critical issues.

2.3 What is strategic management in Libraries?

This is the application of strategically thinking of the jobs leading the library. This has
the following three elements:

- Formulation of the library’s future mission in the light of changing external

factors such as regulation, competition, technology and the users.
- Development of a competitive strategy to achieve the mission, vision and
goals.
- Creation of the library structure which will deploy resources to successfully
carry out its competitive strategy.

3. Planning Services and Systems in Libraries and Information Centres

Planning is a major component of strategic development. Effective planning of

services and systems in libraries and information centres encompasses activities
directed toward developing a vision and a mission, and then setting goals,
 motivating individuals, appraising performance of both personnel and systems,
evaluating results, developing a financial base to accomplish all of that, and then
adjusting directions to account for the outcome of those activities. Planning is at
the heart of management activities because its effectiveness—or in some cases
ineffectiveness—is reflected in every segment of an organization’s developmental
process. As an analytical process, it involves assessing the future, determining a
desired direction for the organization in that future, creating objectives in the
context of that future, developing programs of action for such objectives, selecting
an appropriate agenda from among those alternatives that are priorities, and
pursuing a detailed course of action.

3.1 Anticipating the Future

Planning is an effort to anticipate future change; it can be accomplished by

choosing from among several possible alternatives. Planning in the past was most
often accomplished as a line function, performed only by managers in a direct
supervisory relationship. Now many large libraries and information centres have
developed cadres of people whose primary function is planning. Officers in staff
positions augment and support team-based planning efforts, sometimes acting as
information sources, sometimes as catalysts, sometimes as advisers, and
sometimes as devil’s advocates. Those individuals might, for example, provide
factual data and propose new services, but their primary role is to coordinate the
entire planning program. Information centres like for-profit organizations are more
likely to relate a portion of their activities to a planning division and with
knowledge management becoming such an important component of their
responsibilities, are likely to be represented at a high level in the organization
because knowledge management plays an important role in those initiatives.

3.2 The Planning Concept

A textbook definition of planning is that it is an “analytical process which involves

an assessment of the future, the determination of desired objectives in the context
of that future, the development of alternative courses of action to achieve such
objectives and the selection of a course, or courses, of action from among these
alternatives.”

Planning is both a behaviour and a process; it is the process of moving an organi-

zation from where it is to where it wants to be in a given period of time by setting it
on a predetermined course of action and committing its human and physical
resources to that goal. The analogy of a road map is an appropriate one—if one
 doesn’t know where he or she is, and doesn’t know how to get to where he or she
wants to be, many roads lead to a dead-end, or at least a retracing of steps. Basic
questions of “who, what, when, where, and how” are preceded by the most
important philosophical question of “why,” and all must be addressed in the
process. Perhaps the most important reasons for planning are: to offset
uncertainty and to prepare for change, to focus attention on a clear direction for
the future, to gain economic control of the operation, and to facilitate control and
to demonstrate accountability.

A successful planning approach must build an understanding of the library’s or

information centre’s reason for existence and capabilities as an essential first step
to identifying future directions. To create a planning attitude, the concept must
involve all levels of the organization, beginning at the top and filtering down
throughout the various levels to be accepted and implemented through policies,
procedures, projects, and programs that can be developed as a result. The
outcome, a planning document, becomes today’s design for tomorrow’s action, an
outline of the steps to be taken starting now and continuing into the future. The
process leading to the development of a written document involves all segments
concerned with and affected by the process, both inside the immediate library and
information centre and outside through customers with programmatic interests
and individuals and organizations with vested financial interests. This planning
process forces action on the part of the “whole” of the institution.

3.3 Factors in Planning

Factors in the planning process can be arbitrarily divided into at least five
elements: time, collecting and analyzing data, levels of planning, flexibility, and
accountability.

Time Frame There are two categories of plans with respect to time: long-range or
strategic plans and short-term, annual, or operational plans. These categories
refer to the span of time over which the plan is effective, starting with the time
when the plan is initiated and ending with the time when the objectives of the plan
are actually measured for achievement.

Short-term plans provide the guidelines for day-to-day operations and the
procedures by which they are accomplished. These plans are much more detail-
intensive and immediate than strategic plans, and their objectives are much more
short-term and specific. They encompass more known factors and, therefore, are
more quantitative. Short-term plans bring the general guidelines developed in
 long-range plans to the operational level. One might view the two approaches as
complementing each other—strategic plans providing the overview and
operational plans providing the specific budgetary factors for a specified period of
time. Because short-term plans are specific and immediate, they do not carry the
uncertainty that strategic plans do.

Collecting and Analyzing Data This step includes systematic collection of data
concerning the library or information centre, its activities, operations, staff, use,
and users over a given period of time, as well as the external environment, which
affects what the organization wants to do and the way it can do it. In other words, it
is an analytical study of the whole organization and its operation. One must fight
the urge to allow data collection to dominate or to bog down the planning process,
rather viewing this step as a means to an end—the collection of data relating to
past activities with the view of making decisions about future ones.

Levels of Planning Traditionally, long-range planning has been carried out

primarily by the upper echelons, whereas short-term planning usually is conducted
by supervisors or coordinators at the point-of-impact of services. In libraries and
information centres that have planning committees or officers, and in smaller
organizations, a hierarchical approach is abandoned in favour of input from all
levels and segments of the organization.

Flexibility, or adaptability in meeting changing needs, is the essence of good

planning. Flexibility applies to both short-term and strategic planning processes.
Any planning that is too rigid to accommodate change as it occurs is an exercise
in futility. This is why it is important to review plans on a scheduled basis with the
intent of revising priorities that might change over the short term, as well as
identifying objectives that have been accomplished.

Accountability is a key to future success. Accountability requires obligation and

initiative to carry out established plans. For managers, this means delegating
authority and making individuals or teams responsible for achieving the plan’s
objectives once they have been established. Ultimately, however, the manager is
accountable for the action or inaction toward the established goals.

3.4 SWOT Analysis?

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis is a

methodology of examining potential strategies derived from the synthesis of
organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). The
partnering of the different elements and the extensive data collected as a result of
 the analysis can serve as a spark for roundtable discussions and refinement of
current strategies or generation of new strategies.

4. Planning Techniques

Many techniques must be considered for use in the planning process. However,
they should not be mistaken for the process itself. Some of the most important
techniques are developing standards and guidelines and forecasting.

4.1 Developing Standards and Guidelines

Standards are measurable, enforceable, and can be directly related to goals. They
should provide guidance for actions in the present climate while being flexible
enough to allow for future development. General, industry-wide, or profession-
wide standards or guidelines established by various professional groups provide a
basis for planning. For example, standards have been developed by the American
Library Association, IFLA, and the Special Libraries Association. But these
standards are not plans, they are a means of defining acceptable service. Each
individual library must develop its own plans based on the demands of its
clientele, using those industry standards as guidelines. Both human and technical
factors must be considered in developing sound standards.

4.2 Management by Objectives (MBO)

MBO has been informally applied in some libraries (though perhaps not
consciously) to combine individual and institutional goal setting with the decision-
making process. Much has been written on the technique of MBO, a process that
has been in and out of favour with industry and commerce for some time. Some
now believe that its time has passed, whereas others feel it is now re-emerging.

Management by Objectives is perhaps one of the most evident examples of

participative management because it involves everyone, to an extent, in the
management process. It can clarify responsibilities, strengthen planning and
control, and establish better relationships between supervisors and other staff
members. The process rests upon several premises:

a. Clearly stated objectives. If objectives are not clear, they should be

clarified.

b. A succession of specific objectives. Benchmarks must be established to

measure progress.

c. Delegation of specific objectives. Certain people should be responsible for

 accomplishing specific objectives.

d. Freedom to act. Subordinates should be given objectives and authority and

then be charged with accomplishment of those objectives.

e. Verifiable objectives. To achieve objectives, it is best to quantify them. If

they are non-quantifiable objectives, they may relate to quantifiable ones.

f. Clear communication. This exists only when objectives are specific, are
agreed upon by all parties, are budgeted, and are known by all individuals
who have a reason for knowing.

g. Shared responsibility. Team effort is the key to management by objectives.

h. Personal accountability. Each person must be accountable for the

achievement of his or her assigned objectives.

i. Improving management ability. Management is able to plan more objec-

tively when these premises are accepted.

5. What is Strategic Planning in Libraries?

Strategic planning is a management tool to help the libraries to do better. It is used to

determine mission, vision, values, goals, objectives, roles and responsibilities,
timeliness, etc. This is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and
actions that shape and guide what the library is, what it does and why it does it, with
a focus on the future. Strategic planning is only useful if it supports strategic thinking
and leads to strategic management. Thesis is the basis for an effective organization.

6. Environment Assessment

Libraries are affected by many changes in education and research that had impact
on the institution as a whole. Some of these changes present opportunities and some
threaten higher education and libraries as they operate. In addition, there are other
factors in the environment that are of specific importance to libraries as they plan for
the future. Some of the important factors include:

a. Changes in Library Outlook

There is slow but steady change in the library's outlook is taking place. They are
starting to engage in collaboration and partnership with global organisations for
various reasons and also in consortia mode. Collaborations and partnerships require
new skills for staff, such as knowledge of licensing and negotiations and technical
infrastructure management. Libraries are also in the midst of expanding the building
space for traditional collections apart from new forms of media and non-traditional
 information resources. Traditional models of academic library services are insufficient
to meet current requirements and the librarians need to engage in devising new
models.

b. Changes in Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

The increasing online environment is resulting in users who are more technology
savvy and are demanding and expecting more from the libraries. The potential of
delivering information anytime anyplace challenges libraries to re-examine how
space is organized and used. It is necessary to create new modes to deliver services
to the user’s desktops even outside the campuses. As more resources are created
via the web, issues arise related to licensing, archiving, security and access.
Librarians are challenged to develop new technical skills and abilities to validate the
quality of information resources over the web.

c. Changes in Electronic Publishing

The transition from print to electronic distribution brought significant disruption to the
publishing industry and also marketing the resources. The challenges concern the
traditional scholarly communication that is converting the traditional publishing to the
digital environment, intellectual property rights issues, alternatives to journals and
dramatic increase in all forms of information content, etc. These challenges along
with enabling technologies have created major issues around copyright, ownership
and management of digital resources.

d. Changes in Higher Education

Innovations in the design and delivery of higher education to reach to the people are
on the increase. But effectiveness of such innovations and the impact on the faculty
productivity is still not clear. The new modes of learning need different approach and
new support system for both students and the faculty.

e. Changes in Research Environment

Research funding, which was with government support is now available from public
and private sources. While these new partnerships are important to the research,
they also raise issues about the priorities, type of resources and support and the
faculty interest, addressing the legal issues etc. Only established research libraries
remain unaffected by these challenges in research funding.

6.1 Strategic planning principles

 In developing a strategy it is important to ask right questions to formulate right
choices. The typical right questions for libraries to answer are:

1. What do libraries need to do to support excellence for different types of users?

2. How the library can support divergent research needs, on and off campus
including support in collaborative research?
3. How the library can continue to facilitate and preserve developments in
knowledge across the campus and in the wider scope of research and
scholarship?
4. How to participate actively in campus-wide solutions to information technology
applications to support teaching and research?
5. How the library can contribute and strengthen the life on campus in the
institution?

Libraries in the academic institutions are creative partners in the research and
learning process. They select, organize, present and preserve information resources
relevant to education and research in the institutions. They sustain these resources
and provide quality services on behalf of the present and future research and
scholarly community. They build intellectual connection among these resources and
educate the university community in the effective use of information. The libraries
want the community to think first when they need information. Today’s complex and
challenging environment requires the libraries to focus on core mission and
willingness to experiment. Small changes may meet the university’s short-term needs
but they will be inadequate to sustain excellence on the long term needs.

6.2 Focus and action plans

Providing rapid, easy and precise access to high quality information to support
teaching and research. Locating and accessing accurate information has become
increasingly difficult in today’s environment. The challenge to the libraries is to
provide user-friendly, integrated, responsive and precise access to all resources in
any medium in all relevant disciplines wherever and whenever it is needed. This
requires libraries to develop tools to merge an invaluable traditional asset with
emerging forms of research and instruction. Simply providing access is not sufficient.
Overwhelming volume of information is available and the users need to have
confidence in libraries that they would get the best resources to meet their specific
needs. This requires the librarian to play the increasingly important roles of evaluator
and organizer of information and educator of users. Librarian requires new skills and
approaches to be successful in meeting the user requirements.
 Another important aspect of access is availability of access over time. In addition to
providing access to current materials, the preservation and sustainability of
resources, whether owned, developed or accessed, whether in print or electronic is
an important goal that must be fulfilled. Emphasis should been relevance and
excellence to define the standard for best practices in the libraries.

Expanding network
This strategy focuses on the need to continue to build
based access to
collections that provide the best and most relevant
collection by providing
resources to the university community and ensuring ease
online digital resources
of access for users. As more digital resources become
whenever
available the library staffs need to develop tools and
needed.
processes to add an expanding variety of digital contents
to supplement the library resources to contribute to the
libraries’ goal of excellence.

Improve access to • Access to resources that are owned by the library

materials that are based could be enhanced through improved organization of
in the library and physical materials and better delivery system with
acquired externally by value-added services such as electronic table of
providing enhanced contents, reviews or html links etc. In the cases of
access and delivery of materials not owned by the library, the challenge is
resources. to develop a systematic approach that ensures
timely and accurate delivery. In both the cases the
focus is delivery of services to the expectations of
users.
• Library should be developed as a virtual gateway to
quality resources and services regardless of medium
(web, print or multimedia). The libraries need to be
able to provide enhanced data access and usability
to faculty and students. The emphasis should be on
the library as an enabling gateway rather than
gatekeeper providing access to all relevant high
quality information resources.
• Digitize selected university publications and
important archival material and also initiate
digitization of other materials of value to the
university. Space and storage problems can be
 expected to continue.
• The libraries should take a leadership role in
demonstrating the utility of managing resources into
and under digitization. This will require both direct
action in digitizing the university materials and
collaborating with colleagues on campus, other
libraries and within consortia.

Improve service to the For faculty and students needing access to the libraries’
students and faculty by print resources, the fragmentation of the physical
reducing fragmentation, collections and need for useful bibliographic records as the
expanding service teaching and research become more distributed and more
interdisciplinary. Services should be available 24/7,
hours and developing
whether through physical presence or electronic
training programs in the
connection. Libraries should play major role in educating
evaluation and use of
students in information seeking strategies. With new
information resources.
technologies and techniques there are opportunities for
librarians to reach out to students, faculty and researchers
and help them to fully utilize the resources that are
available.

Table 1.0 Action plan

6.3 To facilitate intellectual life in the institution

Libraries must be creative partners in the research and teaching process of the
institution. This requires the library to redefine its role and acquire a place of
recognition. In today’s learning environment students and faculty need not only
individual study and work space but also multimedia spaces that allow group of
people to work actively in close proximity to information. Libraries now must provide
easy access to all media and learning tools to facilitate variety of working modes to
the users. By providing both access to media and resources and opportunities for
conversation and collaborative work, the library truly becomes place for active
academic work. Today such space is lacking. The students are looking to the
libraries for space that contributes to quality of life and intellectual growth.

Create space that meets The needs that should be addressed are:
the needs of the
• Secure individual study space
 academic community. • Group study and project space, both quiet and noisy
• Space that is conveniently located
• Exhibition space for displays and to host events
• Space that is accessible and secure with 24/7 with
minimal staffing but with access to resources and
information
• Easy access to library café
• Multimedia space

Create space that meets It is necessary to reassess the present space and redesign
the needs of current and the space slowly with additional construction, if necessary.
future library operations Most independent library buildings on the campuses can be
remodelled to suit to the requirements with future
expansions.

Incorporate appropriate There are many high-end technological advances, such as

emerging information high bandwidth access wireless capability, that are
technologies in to library’s sufficiently expensive to warrant deployment as shared
space. resources. Library’s IT infrastructure should mould into the
university’s IT infrastructure.

Table 2.0 Action plan

6.4 To be a leader among academic institutions

Information Technology has dramatic impact on expectations regarding the definition

and scope of libraries. But unfortunately, the gap between expectations and reality is
vast in the libraries in India.

Advances in information technology focus almost exclusively on new applications

and short and long-term gains. The University libraries have a unique responsibility
for the development of sustainable information technology models for the future. IT
has now created the need for educators and librarians to understand the impact and
potential of the next generation of IT and to ensure that technological advances serve
education and society effectively into the next century.

Create a digital library with partners from industry This helps to address
important problems in applied library and information technologies. The digital library
would focus on the new roles and responsibilities of libraries in the changing
educational environment of higher education. It would address the need of libraries to
 sustain and serve digital publications from variety of sources and would also develop
strategies and tools for managing the digital materials including the e-prints.

A digital library would provide a venue to experiment with new ways of organizing
library services cutting across disciplines, supporting staff exploring new ideas,
addressing technical problems and designing new services. It could also serve as a
training ground for library staff to learn new skills.

Use the best applied technology to enhance user self-service Though present
day technologies may enable the library users to do more on their own, it is not
always simple. There are areas where a desire for self-service is at odds with system
functionality. Technology will be sought that enables the libraries to address self-
service check out and check in and user initiated interlibrary lending and hot links
from within the libraries gateways and online catalogue.

Extend the reach of library staff As technology enables the students, faculty and
researchers to access information from desk tops, they still need access to library
expertise and assistance in using these materials. Live connectivity to library services
could become a characteristic of the University, enhancing the university’s image and
reputation in the scholarly community.

7. Strategies for Collection Development

Collection development is considered as one of the primary tasks for any library and
information centre. It is a dynamic and continuous activity. In order to develop a
balanced, user-oriented and active collection, a well planned and thought out system
has to be evolved by the library and information managers in close association with
the representatives of various user constituencies. Such a system will not only help
develop need based collection but also save money, time and space that would,
otherwise, be wasted on developing irrelevant, outdated, and passive collections.
Some of the strategies followed in building the library collection of typical library are
briefly outlined and illustrated as follows:

7.1 Acquisition Policy

Collection development of all forms of documents like the books, periodicals, CD-
ROMs, audio-visual materials, corporate reports, rare materials, electronic
databases, etc. on a well thought out, instrument in the form of an “Acquisition
Policy”. The policy instrument, discussing various key collection development policy
issues, addresses the following concerns:

- Qualitative collection development

 - Not much of year-end like pressures
- No vendor patronages
- User requisitions/recommendations based collection development.

7.2 Consistency

The consistency of the library growth profile on books and periodicals indicates that
the library has been growing steadily in terms of its core collection, comprising books
and periodicals and also other resources, both print and electronic.

7.3 User Involvement

A library’s holdings are rated better (and user oriented) if most of the acquisitions are
on the basis of user requisitions/recommendations. Towards periodical
subscription/renewal also, the library follows a unique system ensuring user
involvement to the maximum possible extent.

7.4 Competitive Vendor Profile

Library should invite quotations and profile from the authorised suppliers and
vendors. The vendors and suppliers should have standing in the market in terms of
supply, authenticity, delivery on-time.

8. Rational Budget Allocation

Need for rational budgetary allocation assumes significance when financial resources
are limited and competing demands show an increasing trend. Both these aspects
were not a limitation during the initial growth phase of the library. However, things
change over the years. The institution and the library together has to do lot of due
diligence for a comprehensive budget allocation policy. Library committee, with its
membership representing all user constituencies, should pro-actively discuss and
deliberated on the issue and came up with a policy for the purpose. Especially, the
logic followed is that the allocation of budget for acquisition of new books, periodicals
and e-resources is related to the number of faculty members and the number of
courses (core as well selective) taught in particular area and other academic
activities in that area. The budgetary allocation is made in the beginning of each year
for each area, depending on the total budget available for acquisition of reading
materials. Later, a mid-year review is done where the funds likely to remain unused
(if any) in a particular area could be reallocated to other areas where requirements
are likely to exceed the allocation made in the beginning of the year.

9. Strategic Development in Technology

 As libraries and information centres plan strategies for the future, one of the most
important components is developing a strategy that anticipates technological
needs and integrates that into the planning process. Technology is the major force
in changing library and information services today, and it is recognized that it
continues to outpace humankind’s ability to envision how it can be most effectively
used. Additionally, the lifetime of a technological innovation is reduced by the
constant upgrade of both hardware and software. Technology planning, as an
important component in the strategic planning process, helps translate the library’s
vision and mission into options and actions. A reasoned approach to technology
planning would require establishing standards, norms, and methods for evaluating,
purchasing, implementing, and using technology, including hardware, other
equipment, software, and staff training. Assuming that such a plan is already in
place or is progressing simultaneously, a technology component should be
articulated and integrated into the strategic plan.

Experience has shown that such a team-based approach ensures greater success
in technology’s integration into the vision of information services. In the “looking-
around” aspect of the environmental scan and the SWOT analysis, clients,
customers, patrons, users, or other stakeholders and their needs will already have
been identified. Identifying how technology applies in satisfying their needs is
therefore paramount to successful mission accomplishment. Because technology
plays such an important role in information services, planning its integration is
embedded in almost every aspect of strategic planning processes.

10. Strategic Communication and Marketing—A Necessary Tool

Once the strategic plan has been developed, the plan itself can serve as an
important tool for communication and marketing within the community. This
thought will have been built into the plan at the very beginning by involving the
whole community in the planning process and, thereby, encouraging everyone to
buy into the outcome. The strategic planning process has not only identified goals
and objectives but also the means by which the library will accomplish them.
Perhaps the most important component is that of assuring or reassuring
customers that their needs, identified in the process, will be met. That fact is
translated into terms that everyone can understand in a marketing process. This
requires special focus on a communication plan to promote those priorities of
information services. A comprehensive marketing program, of course,
encompasses not just the strategic plan, but because the major components of
“what we are here for” have been identified in the plan, it makes sense to
 extensively market the goals and objectives of the plan, as the showpiece of the
wide range of activities that are involved in meeting the needs of customers and
giving value to those efforts.

Marketing the strategic plan presents the opportunity to move from the “push”
mentality of persuasion to a “pull” mentality of identifying what is needed, a
process that has been carried out in the strategic planning process. It involves all
of the elements already discussed under strategic thinking and planning. For
instance, when thinking about an environmental scan (SWOT, with its PEST
component), a marketing audit would have been included in the community
analysis component. Therefore the marketing audit and planning process must be
bundled together in a single process in order to reach a successful comprehensive
planning outcome.

11. Strategic Plan of Actions - Case Studies

11.1 Case Study: 1

IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions)

Background IFLA, the International Federation of Library Associations and

Institutions, is the leading international body representing the interests of library and
information services and their users. IFLA acts as the global voice of the library and
information profession, by:

- Promoting high standards of provision and delivery of library and information

services;

- Encouraging widespread understanding of the value of good library and

information services;

- Representing the interest of its members throughout the world.

To achieve its goals IFLA works in close cooperation with its strategic partners in the
cultural heritage sector, in the scientific world and beyond. IFLA is an independent,
international, non-governmental, not-for-profit member-based organisation,
registered in the Netherlands as a Federation with full legal capacity, as required by
Dutch law.

The role and position of libraries is rapidly changing to match the growing influence of
the Internet, the digitisation of knowledge, and the expanding impact of online social
networking tools. To continue its role as the trusted global voice of the library and
information community, the IFLA Strategic Plan sets out IFLA’s strategic directions
 and goals for 2016-2021. It is a Strategic Plan to guide the governance and the entire
activities of the IFLA organisation.

Vision IFLA is the trusted global voice of the library and information community, and
drives equitable access to information and knowledge for all.

Mission IFLA is the international organisation for library and information

associations, institutions and librarians in the user communities they serve
throughout the world.

To advance the interest of its members IFLA:

- furthers accessibility, protection, and preservation of documentary cultural

heritage;

- supports a library and information profession which anticipates and responds

to the needs of communities worldwide;

- drives high standards in library and information services and professional

practice;

- encourages widespread understanding of the value and importance of high

quality library and information services in the public, private and voluntary
sectors;

- promotes libraries as vital institutions that enhance people’s lives through

equitable access to knowledge and information;

IFLA does this by creating strategic alliances; enhancing professional education;

developing professional standards; disseminating best practices and advancing
relevant scientific and professional knowledge. IFLA will work with its members,
partners and other relevant strategic organisations and governments to fulfil its
Strategic Directions.

Strategic Direction

Libraries in Society We will developed the library and information services sector
to build literate, informed and participative societies. We will
develop strategies and tools to enable libraries to be key
providers of information, education , research, culture and
social participation

Information and We will build a framework that promotes equitable access to

information and knowledge in any format and in any place.
 Knowledge We will establish the capacity for library to cat as catalyst of
innovation, able to facilitate the creation and reuse of content
by their communities.

Cultural Heritage We will support the library and information services sector
and work closely with our network of culture heritage
partners to safeguard cultural heritage in its diverse forms,
including traditional, historical, indigenous and contemporary
expression, and to achieve optimal coordination of our
cultural heritage activities.

Capacity Building We will establish the capacity to raise the voice of the library
and information services sector at national, regional and
global levels. We will develop an advocacy agenda and
strengthen the ability of IFLA’s members to advocate
effectively for libraries as key players in political, economic
and social change.

Scope of the IFLA Strategic Plan This strategic plan sets out IFLA's strategic
directions and goals for 2016-2021. It aims to guide the governance and activities of
the IFLA organisation. For 2016-2021, the IFLA Governing Board has set out four
Strategic Directions:

- Libraries in Society
- Information and Knowledge
- Cultural Heritage
- Capacity Building

The four Strategic Directions of our Plan will be progressed through a set of Key
Initiatives and Activities, which will be updated every two years.

11.2 Case Study: 2

Goldsmiths, University of London (Strategic Plan 2010-2019)

Mission The Library exists to provide access to the information resources needed by
students and staff in the formats they can use at the times and places they want to
use them.

Strategic objectives

- To support learning and teaching and enhance the student experience

 - To support research, including the REF
- To engage with the local community
To ensure that appropriate services are delivered efficiently and cost effectively

1. Support for 1.a Continue to provide information resources (books, journals,

Learning and audiovisual items, databases, special collections) relevant to
Teaching taught courses.

1.b Where possible to provide resources in digital format

1.c Raise students’ awareness of other libraries that they could

use to support their learning

1.d Continue to provide library induction and information skills

training, by various means, integrating this where possible
with coursework

1.e Continue to support language learning and teaching

1.f Continue to improve the building to provide varied study spaces

and other facilities to support learning

2. Support for 2.a Provide better access to information resources, in conjunction

Research with other libraries

2.b Acquire and catalogue special collections relevant to research

2.c Build partnerships with academic departments and cultural

bodies in order to participate in research and resource
enhancement projects

2.d Continue to manage the institutional repository and support the

Research Excellence Framework

2.e Continue to manage intellectual property rights and digitisation

services

3. Community 3.a Continue to work with the academic departments to support

engagement students

3.b Continue to work with the team on workshops

3.c Continue to offer work placements for LIS students and school
students
 3.d Continue to offer bursaries and prizes linked to special
collections

3.e Offer opportunities for continuing professional development to

artists

3.f Set up a programme of exhibitions open to the public

4. Efficiency

4.a To provide suitable access to information resources and other

shared services for students and staff

4.b Update systems to improve services and take advantage of

new technologies

4.c Survey library users regularly to ensure that services are

relevant to their needs

4.d Market services to targeted groups of users to ensure take up

and enhance reputation of Goldsmiths

4.e Review processes systematically to eliminate waste

4.f Improve shelving of books (both speed and accuracy)

4.g Maintain a high standard of customer service.

11.3 Case Study: 3

Victoria University

Mission Victoria University Library is integral to the University’s mission to positively

transform lives through the power of education and research by enabling access to
quality information, providing excellent learning spaces and services, and supporting
the University’s research activities.

Vision Over the next five years Victoria University Library will remain integral to the
University’s mission by:

- Positioning the Library’s information resources and services in an expanding

digital world to meet the changing needs of students, teachers and
researchers
- Harnessing technologies that enable users to more simply and effectively
discover the information they require
 - Re-conceptualising virtual and physical learning spaces to support modern
pedagogies
- Developing more effective student centred services through the innovative
use of technologies
- Increasing its partnerships with faculties, departments and external bodies to
support learning and research
- Creating dynamic organisational structures and refreshing staff capabilities
Library

Strategies

Partnering to The Library will:

support student • Embed Library services and information resources in the
learning University’s Learning Management systems and in internet
based learning communities
• Extend the range of electronic information resources to
support contemporary student learning and move further
away from the focus on print collections
• Improve navigation of the Library web pages and simplify
searching of the Library’s online resources to maximise
easy access to relevant, high-use electronic resources
• Tailor initiatives to support the learning needs of the
University’s diverse student groups and course options and
engage with students by providing opportunities for student
employment
• Develop flexible learning spaces and grow Learning
Commons partnerships to foster a sense of community for
students
• Employ strategies to meet the planned growth in student
numbers and the consequences for space, computer
access, resource management, information resources and
services

Partnering to build The Library will:

research • Provide and regularly assess research information
resources so they align with VU’s changing research
strengths and priorities
• Support research students at all stages of the lifecycle of
 their research degree in collaboration with the Office of
Postgraduate Research
• Engage as a partner with the Office for Research in
developing and supporting initiatives related to the
management, preservation and retrieval of research
publications and data
• Position the Institutional Repository platforms to integrate
with the University’s scholarly publication cycle in order to
enable wider public access to University research output
• Partner with researchers in e-research programs and data
management initiatives and strategies.

Partnering with the The Library will:

University • Work with faculties to develop blended learning programs
that embed information seeking and management skills
with particular emphasis on the best practice use ofe-
learning .
• Collaborate with faculties to streamline the identification
and acquisition of up-to-date information resources and
review and promote awareness of its existing electronic
andprint resources

• Develop and foster policy initiatives that facilitate good

governance practices around copyright, the VU art
collection, publications and data management

• Facilitate partnerships with University corporate service

areas and contribute to the work of major University
committees to implement University strategies.

Partnering with The Library will:

industry and • Develop information service initiatives with partnered
communities organisations in alignment with the University’s
engagement framework with a special focus on the other
libraries inthe western region of Melbourne
• Continue to work with the University to explore
opportunities to expand services for VU Alumni
• Deepen and extend strategic relationships and
partnerships with other libraries, representative groups and
 professional and related associations, including consortia
to add value to VU Library services

Partnering with • The Library aims to work with its staff to be more agile and
Library staff dynamic and put in place the skills and organisational
structures required to meet future needs to attract, develop
and retain staff.
• Establish an organisational structure which aligns with the
Library’s strategic plan and achieves its objectives and
which has the flexibility to evolve and adapt to meet new
needs, processes and strategic priorities
• Identify areas of skills and knowledge required to meet the
needs of the future; then select, develop, and train staff
with the skills required to enable the Library to achieve its
strategic objectives
• Develop roles to foster a culture of collaboration, flexibility
and innovation within a supportive environment that
rewards the endeavours of staff.

12. Example

An example of a typical strategic library plan in the current scenario is given below:

Mission The Library exists to provide access to the information resources needed by
all stakeholders in the formats they can use at the times and places they want to use
them.

Strategic objectives

- To support learning and teaching and enhance the student experience

- To support every academic activated and also research and development of the
organisation
- To engage with the local community
- To ensure that appropriate services are delivered efficiently and cost effectively

Support for Learning and Teaching

- Continue to provide information resources (books, journals, audio visual items,

databases, special collections) relevant.
- Where possible to provide resources in digital format
- Raise awareness of libraries services, and products that they could use to
support their learning
 - Continue to provide library induction and information skills training using
information literacy programmes, by various means, integrating this where
possible with academic work
- Continue to support language learning and teaching
- Continue to improve the building to provide varied study spaces and other
facilities to support learning

Support for Research

- Provide better access to information resources, in conjunction with other

libraries
- Acquire and catalogue special collections relevant to research
- Build partnerships with academic departments and cultural bodies in order to
participate in research and resource enhancement projects
- Continue to manage the institutional repository and support the Research
Excellence Framework
- Continue to manage intellectual property rights and digitisation services

Efficiency

- To provide suitable access to information resources and other shared services

for students and staff
- Update systems to improve services and take advantage of new technologies
- Survey library users regularly to ensure that services are relevant to their needs
- Market services to targeted groups of users to ensure take up and enhance
reputation of the organisation vis-à-vis library
- Review processes systematically to eliminate waste
- Improve shelving of books (both speed and accuracy)
- Maintain a high standard of customer service

13. Summary

Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction,

and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. It may
also extend to control mechanisms for guiding the implementation of the strategy.
Strategic planning became prominent in organisations during the 1960s and
presents in libraries and information organisations too it remains an important
aspect of strategic management.

In this module/unit, you have learnt the need for strategic planning in libraries.
Every modern library requires the strategic planning process. The levels and steps
 of strategic planning have also been covered. Key factors in the prevailing
environment influence the library planning. Definite strategies are required for
collection development, budget allocation and develop marketing strategies.
Lastly, strategic plans of action in the form of case study and an example of library
planning in the current scenario have also been outlined.

14. References

1. Donald E. Riggs. Strategic Planning for Library Managers. Phoenix, AZ:

Oryx Press, 1984.
2. Charles B. Lowry. When’s This Paradigm Shift Ending?Portal: Libraries and
the Academ y, 2 (3), 2002, vii-xiii.
3. Alam, Aftab. (2004). E learning: emerging issues and prospective trends.
Prajana, 6 (2), 17-20.
4. Anandan, C &Gangatharan, M. (Eds). (2006) Digital libraries: from technology
to culture. Delhi: Kanishka.
5. Prasher, R.G. (1993). Developing libraries collection. New Delhi: Medallion.
6. Raina, R. (1999). TQM in library and information services. New Delhi: Infuse,
p.30-40.
7. Henry Mintzberg.The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning (Upper Saddle
River,NJ: Prentice - Hall, 1994), 333.
8. Stuart Wells, “To Plan, Perchance, to Think; Aye, There’s the Rub,”
Information Outlook 5 (September 2001): 10-11.
9. Edward R. Johnson, “Academic Library Planning, Self-Study, and
Management Review,” in Charles R. McClure, ed., Planning for Library
Services (New York: Haworth Press, 1982), 72.
10. Arthur Langley, “The Role ofFormal Strategic Planning,” Long Range
Planning2 (1988): 48.
11. Benjamin B. Tregue and John W. Zimmerman, “Strategic Thinking,”
Management Review 68 (February 1979): 10-11.
12. Richard Cyert, “Designing a Creative Organization,” in Handbook for Creative
Managers (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1988), 186.
13. Peter M. Senge, The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning
Organization (New York: Doubleday, 1990).
14. Miami University Library. Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future. 2000-
2004 Strategic Plan. www.lib.muohio.edu/libinfo/strategic/Intro.html.
15. California State University Northridge-Strategic Plan
www.library.csun.edu/susan.curzon /stratpln.html.
16. University of Iowa Libraries-Strategic Plan 2000-2004 (rev. A'larcH 2001
www.lib.uiowa .edu/admin/strategic-plan.html.
17. Peter F. Drucker, Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices (New
York: Harper & Row, 1974), 121-22.
18. George S. Odiorne, Management by Objectives{ New York: Fearon-Pitman,
1965), 55-56.
19. Oren Harari, “Ten Reasons TQM Doesn’t Work,” Management Review 38
(January 1997): 38-44.
20. Tom Peters, “Strategic Planning,” Total Quality 5 (October 10, 1994): 1.
21. Carla J. Stoffle, et al., “Choosing Our Futures,” College and Research
Libraries 57 (May 1996): 213-33.
22. Richard DeGennaro, “Library Administration and New Management
Systems,” Library Journal 103 (December 15, 1978): 2480.