DELAWARE LSTA FIVE YEAR PLAN

Overview of Needs Assessments, Goals, Evaluation Plans, and Programs

The Delaware Division of Libraries has identified the needs of Delaware libraries that are consistent with the purposes of the Federal LSTA for inclusion in the Delaware LSTA Five Year Plan:

• Encouraging different types of libraries and libraries in different geographic areas to establish consortia and share resources

• Establishing and enhancing electronic linkages among or between libraries

• Targeting library and information services to persons having difficulty using a library and to underserved urban and rural communities, including children (from birth through age 17) from families with incomes below the poverty line.

The needs of Delaware libraries were identified and aligned with the purposes of the Federal LSTA using four current sources:

• Delaware's LSTA Five Year Evaluation

• Statewide Library Technology Plan Preliminary Findings

• Sussex County Common Objectives identified through community based Strategic Planning

• A Delaware LSTA Planning Event held on May 30, 2002, and results from a follow up survey, inviting input from Library Directors, Friends, & Trustees

The needs and the goals, output and outcome targets, and programs with approximate time frames are described in this document.

Mission

The mission of the Delaware Division of Libraries is to provide leadership and support for the timely development of Delaware's libraries, to ensure convenient access to, and encourage use of current information resources and reading material by all Delawareans.

The members of the Delaware library community are unified in the values of service, access, and excellence, and are committed to the vision of progressive libraries and the transformational impact they have on the people who use them. Now more than ever -

• Libraries are essential in a democracy to ensure that citizens have equal access to information they need to form sound opinions and make informed decisions about their government

• Libraries provide materials and programs to improve literacy, educational achievement, and lifelong learning

• Libraries provide materials and programs to support individuals and communities in achieving their full potential

Delaware Need # 1 & LSTA Purpose:
Encouraging different types of libraries and libraries in different geographic areas to establish consortia and share resources

Summary Needs Assessment:

• Recommendations from Delaware LSTA Evaluation:
  
  • "The Summer Library Reading Program, DelAWARE, and the Delaware Library Technology Education Center are successful examples of overcoming local and county boundaries to assist libraries in providing needed information services to residents. The Delaware Division of Libraries should continue to look at efficient statewide models of service rather than duplicating services in each county and community. Particularly enticing in Delaware are the suggestions from focus group participants and survey respondents to discuss the potential for one statewide union catalog including libraries and schools, a Delaware library card and a statewide delivery system including libraries and schools."

  • "Automated acquisitions will be a next step in the automation project."

  • "Delaware needs a unified single statewide delivery system."

   

• Statewide Library Technology Plan Preliminary Findings:
  
  • "Consensus decisions are difficult and take too long. There is no formal organization or services provider. There is little or no clarity of roles and responsibilities or definition of services and service levels. There are no mechanisms for collecting requirements and pooling resources."

  • "Many schools would like to partner to a larger degree with public libraries - collection development, educational technology, pooling resources (including on-line reference materials), training in the use of on-line searches, validating information sources."

  • New roles for DDL should include: "Leadership in Collection Development, leadership in Digitization and Cataloging, provide librarians training and set standards for services."

   

• Sussex County Strategic Planning Common Objectives
  
  • Identify opportunities for collaborative collection development to leverage resources

  • Coordinate development of collaborative process for Dynix and other statistical reporting

  • Coordinate comprehensive collection management program for Delawareana and Delaware historical collections

  • Develop standardized definitions, position descriptions, and professional development for library staff

   

• Delaware LSTA Planning Event & Survey
  
  • Statewide library card, one search, cataloging, electronic resources

  • Measurability - what to measure, consistency, taking library size into account, service area population

  • Better staff communication, local and statewide

  • Training & Continuing Education for Staff

  • Statewide purchase of materials, popular titles

  • Coordinate with school libraries

  • OCLC cataloging

Goal: Establish a library consortium for multitype libraries in Delaware to maximize resources and increase availability for Delawareans to library collections and services.

Key Output Targets:

1. A single statewide library consortium, initially centered on technology and with focus on public libraries, will be established by June 2007.

2. Library definitions and State Standards will be established and approved by the Delaware Council On Libraries by June 2005.

3. A process incorporating LSTA Outcome Based Evaluation and the First State Quality Initiative elements will be developed for Delaware library collaborative collection development and usage by June 2004.

4. Frequency of delivery services will increase to at least 6 day per week delivery and will expand to K-12 public schools by June 2007.

5. Libraries in all three Delaware counties will have completed the Delaware Division of Libraries approved strategic planning process at least once between July 2003 and May 2007.

6. Library cards issued will increase by 10 % from 355,000 across four systems by June 2007.

7. Establish a baseline for Answerline Reference usage.

Key Outcome Targets:

1. By June 2007, a Delaware library consortium letter of agreement will have been legally adopted by 100% of public libraries, and one additional type of library in each county, so that user satisfaction is increased due to wider selection of materials available across the State.

2. By June 2007, newly established library standards for staffing will have resulted in an increase of the national ranking of state public library staffing per capita from 51st to move out of the bottom 10% to improve availability of staff to meet customer needs.

3. By June 2006, following an establishment of a baseline, an improvement of 20% of respondents to an annual survey of Delawareans will respond that they have used the library collections and found what they needed at least twice in the past year.

4. Average patron wait time for items delivered between counties will be measured and wait time will decrease by June 2005, so that Delawareans choose libraries more often and don't need to purchase high demand items.

5. The individual strategic planning efforts result in identifying at least 5 new common objectives for library development beyond June 2007 in order to encourage libraries to work collaboratively toward common goals.

6. A benchmark will be established and by June 2007 there will be a 25% increase of K-12 students who have a library card.

7. By June 2006, an average of 50% of respondents to an annual survey of Delawareans, who have used the Answerline Reference service, will respond that they received satisfactory assistance.

Programs:

1. Establish a Task Force to develop a Delaware library consortium, initially centered around technology. Time frame: FY2003-2007

2. Develop and set standards for Delaware libraries, with approval by the Delaware Council On Libraries, and revise the public library Strategic Planning Process, and make any legislative recommendations. Time frame: FY2003-2005

3. Analyze current collection development practices, measure collections in all formats against customer satisfaction and community, educational, and statewide goals, and explore ways to enhance the collections and obtain economy of scale through collaborative management. Time frame: FY2003-2005

4. Explore establishing a statewide delivery system, expanding delivery services to daily stops, 7 days per week, and extending delivery to the schools. Time frame: FY2004-2006

5. Participate in the development of the national library education plan, ensure the Delaware Library Associates Training Institute and the Delaware Library Technology Education Center curriculum retains alignment with the plan, and explore additional avenues in Delaware for Associates and Bachelor's degrees to develop the on ramp to the MLS degree. Time frame: FY2003-2007

6. Implement and promote a statewide library card template once the Statewide Library Technology Plan implementation is completed. Time frame: FY2005-2007

7. Explore expanding the Answerline Reference service to Virtual Reference in partnership with other state(s), and develop a benchmark to evaluate reference services. Time frame: FY2003-2004

8. Establish a partnership with the Delaware Public Archives, the Delaware Heritage Commission, Delaware Historical & Cultural Affairs, and others to coordinate a comprehensive collection management and digitization program for Delawareana. Time frame: FY2005-2007

9. Continue support of interlibrary loan and investigate statewide access for OCLC services to enhance database consistency. Time frame: FY2004-2005

Delaware Need # 2 & LSTA Purpose:
Establishing or enhancing electronic linkages among or between libraries

Summary Needs Assessment:

• Statewide Library Technology Plan Preliminary Deficiency Findings:
  
  • "No integration of Library Holdings, Patron Database, Collection Development, or ILL. Each library handles acquisitions and processing, no consistency of cataloging, a few use OCLC. Technical Support (Desktop, LAN, WAN, Internet Access, Email, Web Sit Support) is disjointed. Little Application (ILS) Support. No Help Desk Support."

   

• Sussex County Strategic Planning Common Objectives
  
  • Coordinate development of collaborative process for Dynix and other statistical reporting

  • Evaluate current cataloging practices and processes for electronic media

  • Ensure technology is fully deployed to support library services to customers

   

• Delaware LSTA Planning Event & Survey
  
  • Technology - anticipate and provide state-of-art, emerging formats, staff training

  • Computer labs, dedicated funding

  • Webmaster - Delaware Division of Libraries hosted, and someone to do them

  • Virtual Reference

Goal: When finalized, implement the recommendations contained in the Statewide Library Technology Plan to bring Delaware library technology up-to-date and plan for implementation of continual improvements to integrate emerging technologies and maintain convenient and contemporary access for Delawareans to library collections and services. (Anticipated completion of the planning document is August 2002)

Key Output Targets:

1. Request additional State funding to complete implementation of the Statewide Library Technology Plan by June 2005.

Key Outcome Targets:

1. By June 2007, 75% of public library staff surveyed will indicate that the Statewide Library Technology Plan implementation has increased their ability to better serve library customers.

Programs:

1. Review the Statewide Library Technology Plan and finalize the implementation plan based on the recommendations. Time Frame: FY2003

Delaware Need # 3 & LSTA Purpose:
Targeting library and information services to persons having difficulty using a library and to underserved urban and rural communities, including children (from birth through age 17) from families with incomes below the poverty line.

Summary Needs Assessment:

• Statewide Library Technology Plan Preliminary Deficiency Findings
  
  • Patron Technology Services - Few software packages for Patrons (children and adults). Little librarian support for On-Line Reference Service.

  • Little technical training for Patrons.

  • Little marketing of Library Facilities and Services.

   

• Sussex County Strategic Planning Common Objectives
  
  • Develop standardized definitions, position descriptions, and professional development for library staff

  • Develop the Public Library Construction Process and Construction Projects Manual

   

• Delaware LSTA Planning Event & Survey
  
  • Marketing, non-users, survey and apply results, tell people what we have

  • Techniques to increase customer comfort

  • Emphasize children & Hispanic - everything & programming

  • Better promoting of LBPH

  • Buildings - renovating, expansion, rural, regional as feeder, storefronts

  • Increasing staff at all levels

  • More MLS staff

  • Statewide Book Festival

Goal: Establish standards and develop collaborative mechanisms for training and to promote and facilitate access and use of library collections by the public.

Key Output Targets:

1. The Delaware Center for the Book application will be submitted to the Library of Congress by September 2002.

2. A Train-The-Trainer program to support librarians in providing orientations to the public on the access and use of the integrated library systems and licensed resources will be developed by June 2005.

3. A systematic, statewide, random sampling method of surveying the public will be developed by June 2006.

4. Establish a baseline, then ensure that at least 50% of users of the Delaware Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped will have a public library card by June 2005.

5. Standards and definitions for types of libraries will be developed by June 2005.

Key Outcome Targets:

1. 75% of Delaware organizations contacted will become an affiliate of the Delaware Center for the Book and will have developed a unified strategic plan to promote and facilitate use of library collections, to promote literacy, and to strengthen and organize partnerships to more effectively reach the public by July 2004.

2. Following establishment of a baseline, at least 60% of Delaware public libraries will offer library orientation sessions for the public at a minimum of once per month by June 2006, so that 30% of the public is aware of Delaware library services and resources.

3. At least 3 key areas for improvement identified through the survey of the public will be addressed by June 2007.

4. Following establishment of a baseline, 15% of users of the Delaware Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped will feel confident enough and informed to also visit and/or use the public library to have access to a wider range of library services by June 2006.

5. By June 2007, surveys of librarians and the public will indicate an average of a 75% satisfaction rate with convenient access to local libraries.

Programs:

1. Establish the Delaware Center for the Book as an umbrella organization for all entities promoting libraries and reading in Delaware (e.g. the Summer Library Reading Program, Delaware Reads, etc.) Time Frame: FY2003

2. Establish a curriculum and a process to provide orientations to the public on the access and use of the integrated library systems and licensed resources. Time Frame: FY2004-2007

3. Develop a collaborative library marketing, measurement, continual improvement, and promotional process. Time Frame: FY2003-2007

4. Facilitate use of libraries by people with disabilities via assistance from the Delaware Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Time Frame: FY2003-2007

5. Develop the public library construction and technology standards in alignment with Livable Delaware designated growth areas. Time Frame: FY2003-2007

6. Develop collaborative relationship within DOS (the Delaware Division of Libraries, Delaware Public Archives, and the Delaware Government Information Center) to ensure government information is disseminated to libraries in all appropriate formats. Time Frame: FY2004-2007

Summary of Planning and Implementation Procedures

The following summarizes the stakeholder involvement and communication and monitoring procedures used by the Delaware Division of Libraries for the development, finalization, and implementation of the Delaware LSTA Five Year Plan.

Stakeholder Involvement Procedures

A statewide planning event was held by the Delaware Division of Libraries on May 30, 2002 to obtain input for the development of the draft Delaware LSTA Five Year Plan. Invited to the event were public library directors, county library directors, Trustee Presidents, Friends Presidents, and the members of the Delaware Council On Libraries. Participants were asked to bring their local planning documents. Delaware Division of Libraries staff facilitated the discussions of Values, Vision, and suggested projects for the next five years. The results of the event were compiled and sent to the public libraries, the Delaware Council On Libraries, and the Friends of Delaware Libraries to obtain additional input from persons not present. The consultant firm, Alternative Work Environments, (AWE), was hired to conduct interviews and focus groups for input into a Statewide Library Technology Plan. Their preliminary findings have been incorporated into this document, and implementation of their recommendations is one of the primary needs for Delaware libraries. Also incorporated in this document are the Common Objectives identified during the Sussex County libraries Strategic Planning, the most recent community based planning in Delaware. The recommendations from the Delaware LSTA Evaluation have also been included. The Delaware Council On Libraries reviewed and edited the draft, and approved the final LSTA Five Year Plan on July 23, 2002.

Communication Procedures

Once the Delaware LSTA Five Year Plan has been approved by IMLS, it will be published in print form and distributed, and it will be posted on the Delaware Division of Libraries web site. The Delaware Council On Libraries will review the plan annually and make recommendations for updates and revisions to the Delaware Division of Libraries. Any substantive revisions to the Delaware LSTA Five Year Plan will be submitted to IMLS according to the provisions of LSTA, and to appropriate stakeholders such as the Delaware Library Association and the Friends of Delaware Libraries. The Delaware Division of Libraries will publicly announce achievements of important milestones and results of the Delaware LSTA Five Year Plan as required for reporting purposes, as well as to inform stakeholders. The channels for communicating achievements will include a combination of presentations and meetings, print and electronic media, and an annual summary.

Monitoring Procedures

The implementation of this plan is predicated on adequate LSTA and State funding for staff, technology, and other resources. The Delaware Division of Libraries will assign staff to continuously track implementation of the Delaware LSTA Five Year Plan and prepare reports as required. Any necessary corrective action will be determined in collaboration with the Delaware Council On Libraries and other stakeholders.