Work flow and strategic planning for the library by a librarian

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Assignment #7: Workflow and Strategic Plan This assignment is part 1 of your final assignment to be submitted in the final week of class. This week will focus on creating a workflow and reflection. Its a two part assignment. I will screen shot the pages if needed. Please let me know the pages of the Dickinson and Repman book. Instructions: Word/page length: minimum of 2-3 pages including reference list, double-spaced, no cover page required. Approximately 250-300 word minimum reflection and one introductory paragraph for workflow chart. Reference list/bibliography must be at the end of your paper. Resource Requirements: This paper must include at least one resource from your article readings and one additional scholarly, peer-reviewed resource. Additional resources are not required, but are encouraged, especially on the topic of library management and one aspect of library management you wish to address such as equitable access, serving multicultural populations, and showing care to students. Additional resources, if used, are required to be scholarly, peer-reviewed for this assignment. If additional resources are used, they must be included in the reference list/bibliography in APA format with in-text citations used throughout paragraphs. Tip: If you wish to jump ahead to week 8, gather resources on strategic planning, library planning, and the topics you chose to address in your reflection. These same topics will be used in the development of a strategic plan. Assignment: You will create an introductory reflection on two new items you wish to address in your strategic plan (due next week) and a workflow chart that details your various roles, which will also play into the strategic plan. Reflection: Choose one resource from your article readings and research to find one additional scholarly, peer-reviewed resource on at least two items you wish to address in a strategic plan, be it a need in your school (student relations, multiculturalism), a leadership aspect or characteristic you hope to develop, or part of your role that you are least familiar with (e.g. teaching in the class, managing multiple libraries, budgets and budget cuts, library planning, library marketing). These aspects or topics will be used in week 8 for part 2 of the final assignment in developing a strategic plan. You are not limited to the suggestions noted, but one resource from your article readings is required to be used. Also read Dickinson and Repman, p. 201-203, 210-211, and 219-231. After reading, you will write a 250-300 word reflection, introducing how, as a leader, you hope to introduce a minimum of two new topics in your strategic plan. Reflect on what your plan is, why these topics you have chosen are important, and what you hope they will achieve. Introduce topics learned from the Dickinson and Repman readings on leadership. Include reference list on second page. Tip: Jumping ahead to your final week, you will develop a strategic plan. Strategic plans typically have major goals listed for the upcoming school year. Usually, this may include only 1 or up to 3 main goals. In choosing the amount of topics you want to address, choose at least two, but no more than three. Having more than this is less realistic for implementation within one school year due to the amount of work that would go into it making major changes. Format: APA For help on APA guidelines, please visit our Citation Guide: http://apu.libguides.com/apacitations (Links to an external site.) Quick guidelines: Double-spacing, 12 pt. Standard font Include page numbers, Reference list in APA format (should have at least two resources, one from the article readings and one additional). In-text citations required where appropriate and reference list must be provided. Title page not required. Workflow chart: You will create a workflow chart detailing all aspects of your role as a teacher librarian. This will include a brief descriptive paragraph (50-100 words) which will explain or define what you are presenting and note any areas that need more details or definitions. The paragraph should be placed at the top of the page, with the flowchart placed below. The purpose of the flowchart is to detail your diverse roles as a teacher librarian in order for your colleagues and administrators to understand what you truly do vs. their impression. The flowchart will use basic shapes, titles and lines that detail your primary and secondary roles broken up by categories. For example, create a main category of Administrative/Clerical, Teaching, Library role, etc. Underneath these main categories, you will place your primary and secondary roles or tasks. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, rather the titles will reflect major tasks such as lesson planning, class visits, etc. instead of listing every daily task. Flowcharts are typically one page. Formatting: Using Word, place your title at the top of the page and your descriptive paragraph. This is a description of what you are presenting. Length of paragraph should be brief at 50-100 words. Below this, place shapes such as the square with text boxes and titles of your main categories (at least three are expected). Below the main categories, develop subcategories of your roles that fall under your main categories (at least two for each main category). Use shapes such as squares and text boxes to place titles. For example, under Administrative, place Budget, under Teaching, put Classroom Visits or Lesson Plans. Make titles simple and easy to understand for a non-library person. If a description is necessary, be brief. For example, under ‘Collection Development’ place: Assessing and selecting materials and resources. Connect these shapes with lines to make a completed flowchart. Tips: Do a general internet search for flowcharts to get an idea of what they look like. Notice the shapes and titles are all connected using lines. Research examples of strategic plans in preparation for week 8. Although Word is recommended, you are welcome to use other software to create the flowchart. Just ensure the file saved is universal such as a PDF. Assignment #8 continued from #7 This assignment is part 2 of your final assignment to be submitted this final week of class. This week will focus on completing your strategic plan. Note, the assignment is due on Friday, the last day of class, in lieu of the traditional Sunday due date. Instructions: Word/page length: minimum of 5-7 pages for strategic plan, including reference list, double-spaced, cover page required. Word count will vary and is dependent on areas of explanation and design, but generally should be between 650-1,000 words. The focus is not so much on length of words, but choice and presentation. Total length, minimum, including your reflection and workflow should be 7 pages including cover page (1), reflection (1), workflow (1), strategic plan (3), and reference list (1). Format: Include a cover page with a title, your reflection from week 7 on page 2, and the workflow chart following. The final section will be your strategic plan. Reference list/bibliography must be at the end of your paper and will include your references used from week 7 and this week. Resource Requirements: In addition to the resources from week 7, this strategic plan must include at least four additional scholarly, peer-reviewed resources. One resource may be used from either your text or article readings, but at least three resources must be new and should be on the topic of strategic planning and the topics you selected from your reflection exercise. For example, equitable access, serving multicultural populations, showing care to students, or other aspects such as library marketing, leadership, faith/religion in the workplace, etc. Additional resources are not required, but are encouraged, especially on out of the box thinking or strategic planning implementation. Additional resources, if used, are required to be scholarly, peer-reviewed. If additional resources are used, they must be included in the reference list/bibliography in APA format with in-text citations used throughout paragraphs. Assignment: Continuing with your final assignment, you will develop a strategic plan. Strategic plans identify and align common goals to strengthen the organization, or in this case, your school library through priority setting and focused energy. They connect identified needs that should be addressed with the mission of the school (or library), aiming to address how the needs will be fulfilled in the next school year or have it be on a projected plan (3 years, 5 years, etc.). These goals are typically major and include several mini goals or steps of action. As such, it is typical that only two-three main goals are listed. Strategic plans typically identify the top issues and develop a plan of action. This is accomplished through methodical steps. Using the topics from week 7 that you chose in your reflection, you will expand on this and create a strategic plan which should include, in this order: Abstract/Summary: One precise paragraph condensing the strategic plan. This would summarize your vision, goals, plans of action, etc. in a manner that allows the reader an understanding of the full fledged version of the strategic plan. Mission statement (rewritten version from Week 2 Assignment). Vision and value statement: This is where you will plug in your topics from your reflection.This will provide clarification on your priorities, your goals, what you envision the library to be in terms of your new topics (2-3). This gives a basis for the why (why these are priorities). It should contain three key items: Definition of objectives (goals, topics), giving clarity to why it is a priority. Accomplishment: How the objectives will be met (the actual process). Identification: Who will be involved in the process (by department, job title, etc.). Strategic analysis: The objective is to understand the needs of the library, thus the school. This will identify issues that you want to tackle with an overview of any existing data, statistics, or facts that support the strategic plan. The best way to identify this is through a S.W.O.T. analysis. Usually these identify the areas in your library or school as a whole. But create a shortened version, specific to your 2-3 topics or goals you want to implement: Strengths: What the library and school does best in, both internal and external (student vs. outside relations, internal services vs. external). Weaknesses: Areas in need of most improvement (these can be your topics). Back up with statistics, or any data as to why this is a weak area. Opportunities: What internal and external opportunities exist to offer improvements such as new technology, trends, or other items that could benefit the library. Threats: What internal or external threats exist that could prohibit your strategic plan from happening? Limits in budget, morale, external threats such as enrollment, etc. Strategy: Using knowledge gained from the analysis, define key areas where the library or school resources can be used to help implement your vision/goals. Identify external resources that will also assist, be it from the district, another school, or outside organization. Action plan: How you plan to implement the strategic plan outlining responsibilities and timelines, designated responsibilities to people or positions, etc. If any funding is needed, state where it will come from, how it will be allocated, spent, etc. Timelines: Outline when responsibilities will be done. Project time from start to finish (even if the finish line is beyond one school year). If your goals involve detailed funding needs, create a subcategory for budget and operating plans. Outline costs that match with goals. Monitor and evaluate: Detail how you plan to monitor the progress of the plan, evaluate throughout the action plan process, how you will assess and identify changes/alterations, if necessary (corrective action), and evaluate success. Identify how you will measure or use measuring tools that exist or you will create. Communicate: Define how you will provide updates to stakeholders (those vested in the plan, funding it, major parties affected by the strategic plan) throughout the process and as a final update. Tips: In finding new resources, find at least one on faith leadership that will help you determine best traits and aspects you can use that will help implement the action plan. Search for examples of strategic plans. Format: APA For help on APA guidelines, please visit our Citation Guide: http://apu.libguides.com/apacitations (Links to an external site.) Quick guidelines: Double-spacing, 12 pt. Standard font Include page numbers, excluding the title page. Reference list in APA format. In-text citations used throughout,