The policies and plans of our library service describe the activities and workings of the service and compliment our corporate plan and the community strategy.
REVITALIZING OUR LIBRARY
The Gbulung Community Libraries’ Revitalization Plan for
2012 -2014
Executive
Summary
The Library recently assessed
our current situation, researched the environment in which we are operating,
reviewed our strengths and the challenges within that environment and developed
key priorities for the next three years. The following vision statement captures
the Libraries’ ambitions.
Vision
Statement
The Gbulung Community Library
will strengthen their role as an essential partner in information provision.
The Library will be known for providing access to world-class resources within
and beyond their collections, in all formats, and at the point and place of
need. The Library physical spaces will encourage reflection, intellectual
exploration and academic interaction. Working with others, the
Library will be an innovative
leader for the community as information systems are transformed. An expert,
flexible and responsive staff will interact with community members, staff and
students at multiple points in their teaching, learning and publishing. As the
district assesses progress toward its development goals, it will note that the
Library have played a major role in promoting excellence in information
provision, ICT education and knowledge in the service of the society.
Strategic Directions for 2012 – 2014
To fulfill our vision, the Library
will focus on the following strategic directions:
Strategic Direction 1: IMPROVE the USER EXPERIENCE – Understand
library users' research and library experiences and use that information to
shape collections, spaces, and services.
Strategic Direction 2: PROVIDE ICT
TOOLS and SERVICES - Provide services and ICT resources that best fit user needs.
In a digital world, we must shift our efforts increasingly toward the support
and utilization of ICT in accessing information, and services while maintaining
a role in collecting and providing access to print materials.
Strategic Direction 3: DEVELOP NEW
LEARNING AND TEACHING PARTNERSHIPS -Ensure that the Library provide the best
possible support for learning and teaching by developing new strategies for
working with users, collaborating with other groups and embedding staff and services
at the right places in users’ workflows. Use what we learn from these
partnerships to shape collections and services.
Strategic Direction 4: SUPPORT LIBRARY
PRIORITIES - Articulate how the Library’s' collections, services, and initiatives
align with the library’s priorities of excellence in information provision, ICT
education and knowledge in the service of society.
Strategic Direction 5: ENHANCE LIBRARY
SPACES - Ensure that the Library’s’ use of physical space develops in
coordination with the evolution of the teaching and learning needs of the community.
The Context for the Library’s Plan
Libraries are part of a rapidly
changing environment which includes not only libraries and communities, but
also businesses and other organizations that serve as information providers and
keepers of cultural heritage. We read widely and consulted with individuals within
and beyond the Library to understand the most important trends in the library
environment.
The very term “library” has been
redefined, as we have moved rapidly into the digital world.
In this environment, the potential
is much greater for community libraries to create new services and integrate
them more deeply with development programs. There are opportunities to partner more
closely with organizations and to innovate in working with communities. There
is no other place in which roles and responsibilities have changed more quickly
and dramatically than in the Libraries.
From a review of the current
environment, we identified several key factors to consider in developing the
new plan and summarized them below.
Importance
of Community alignment – Gbulung Community Library has
established clear priorities for the revitalization planning and will allocate
resources to support those priorities. The 3 – CLEAR PLAN emphasizes articulating
the way the Library’s services, collections and staffing can contribute to the
following community priorities:
· Innovative approaches to community development
· Developing a broader perspective in learning and ICT education,
and establishing GCL learning centers around the district.
· Creating and using knowledge in the service of society
Contributing to community planning and assessment activities
· Staying focused on excellence in information provision,
learning and ICT service.