2. Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System Planning Process Overview
Key Focus Group
Stakeholder with Library
Interviews (in- Directors
person and by
Requirements of
phone)
the New York State
Library Online Survey for
System and
Library Board Constituent Boards,
Input Session Directors, System
Consultants
Data Review:
Systemwide
Census,
Visioning
Economic Best
Session
Analysis, Recent Practices
Library planning Research
data
Steering Committee Our wiki is a place to share and learn:
Meeting #1: http://chaucattsystemplan.pbworks.com
Process overview, Steering System
SWOT analysis and Committee Board
trends Meeting #3: Adopts
identification, Confidential project hotline: Review draft
review survey and chau_catt.plan@comcast.net documents, react,
Plan
interview tools refine for Board
Planning to Steering Committee
plan: initial Meeting #2:
process Share data;
discussions gap analysis and
strategic directions
February May June September October 2012
2012
Gail Griffith and Elaine Meyers for Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System
3. Data: Who Contributed
Library Directors (Focus Group, 20)
System Board (Meeting and Interviews, 9)
System Consultants (Meeting and Interviews, 5)
Steering Committee (Meeting, 10)
Best Practices Group (Interviews, Research)
We’ll look at these separately:
Survey (78 as of June 26)
Visioning Group (Meeting, 11)
4. SWOT Analysis Themes
(Board and Steering)
Strengths Weaknesses
Training for staff and Lack of understanding
boards of system goals and
Economies of scale functions
Assistance with grants Lack of communication
Administrative services (all directions)
Shared catalog
5. SWOT Analysis Themes
(Board and Steering)
Trends: Opportunities and Threats
High school graduation rates decreasing
Population decline
Counties are poorer
College grads indebted/leaving in search of employment
High rate of welfare recipients/9% unemployment
Aging population, brain drain as boomers retire
Increasing broadband except in rural areas
6. Data: Themes
Leadership Styles and Leadership Transition
History of stability; new realities of change
Focus on external funding and internal operation
Degree of Board and staff engagement and involvement
Training
Staff and Board
High need areas:
Awareness of system operations and goals
Technology, digital literacy
Collection development, cataloging
Supports ability to envision the future
7. Data: Themes
Technology
Basic IT—not just bringing libraries online
Keep up with trends
Train the trainer for members
Time to in-source?
Empowering Members—Rights and Responsibilities
System is responsible for clear communication and
transparency
Members are responsible to take advantage and speak up for
what they need
Customer Service
Not historically data-driven? How to prioritize?
Reactive and responsive
Consultants going into the field more often
Systems and processes for maintaining quality
8. Data: Themes
High-Value Services
Consultant staff response to questions
Delivery, intralibrary loan
Cooperative purchasing (more than books)
Administrative support
Grant-seeking assistance
Not all members agree on what’s needed
How to resolve?
Where are levers of influence? Pressure Points?
10. What stood out for us?
Technology
Need to catch up
Can’t be efficient without it
Until we catch up, we can’t envision what else is possible
Communication
Roles and Goals—does everyone know what’s expected and
how they contribute?
Vision, Ownership, and Leadership
So busy keeping the doors open that it’s difficult to step back
Doing the work right vs. doing the right work
People rise to level of expectations: how high to set the bar?
Stability and change—what can you count on?
11. Survey Overview
Available on website June 4—June 26
Small sample, so no cross-tabs in this report. Can
run as needed.
All figures in charts are percentages unless noted
otherwise. Note: rounding factor causes some lines
to add up to slightly more or less than 100%.
Remember comments represent one voice
unless noted
12. Number and Distribution of Responses
Number = 78
2 4
Library Director
29 Library Staff
24
Library or System Board
Member
System Consultant
Library Volunteer
19
13. Should CCLS Provide These Model Services?
Yes No DK/No
Opinion
Professional Development and Training 95 1 4
Shared Automation Services 95 3 3
Technological Innovation 94 3 4
Cooperative Purchasing 91 3 6
Outreach 90 4 6
Shared Virtual Reference 85 6 9
System and Member Library Board Training 84 6 10
Administrative Support 83 7 11
Collaborative Digitization Initiatives 80 5 15
Fundraising and Advocacy 76 12 13
Legal Advice 62 15 23
Marketing and Branding 57 19 23
14. What do we see?
Larger percentage of ‘don’t know/no opinion’
answers than ‘no’ answers
15. What services are missing?
Communication, cooperation and collaboration
among members, between members and system (3)
ILL (2)
Rotating collections—LT, audiobooks, preschool (2)
Collection development
Cooperative purchasing includes more than just
books
Shared programming
New Administrator training
Educational support for students of all ages
Literacy training with local partners
System does a great job!!!
16. Rate CCLS on Characteristics of Model
Library Systems
Excellent Good Fair Poor System DK/No
Doesn’t Opinion
Do
Facilitates sharing and consolidation 26 48 5 3 3 16
of services across library types and
geographic boundaries
Excels in its own area of expertise 24 46 11 0 0 20
Highly responsive to changes in the 15 44 19 4 0 18
marketplace and the profession
Demonstrates a statewide model of 14 35 17 6 3 26
collaboration, efficiency, and
cooperation
Prepared to take entrepreneurial risks 13 40 6 6 1 32
to bring new initiatives to member
libraries
Discontinuing out-of-date services 5 38 11 2 0 22
17. If ‘fair’ or ‘poor’, how can CCLS improve?
More and better communication around changes—
leadership transition makes this even more important (5)
Move with the times—do new things, be willing to let go
of the old (fax, VHS) (3)
Need more info on system services that are available and
on NYSL practices, and support for planning (2)
Improved training (2)
Want ILL
System staff not always pleasant or cooperative
Discontinuing services is not always good
18. What do we see here?
Number of Don’t Know/No Opinion responses
suggests lack of awareness
19. Modern Expectations, Customer Service:
Ranking
Ranked 1- Ranked Ranked Ranked
3 4-6 7-9 10-12
Provide prompt service to member libraries 59 22 12 8
Provide training and mentoring for new library directors 49 33 11 9
on system operations
Provide training for Directors and staff so we can provide 43 35 18 4
needed services
Anticipate member libraries’ needs 31 22 23 24
Provide incentive grants for pilot projects to member 28 35 18 19
libraries
Provide formal and informal ways for library directors to 27 29 19 23
communicate with each other and with the system
Organize the system’s website so information is easier to 21 25 31 21
find, and update regularly
Provide training for Boards so we can provide needed 17 36 24 22
services
Provide an online repository for policies and other 17 23 35 23
documents
Encourage applications for building/renovation projects 14 20 48 18
Use online meeting methods more often for training and 12 20 31 38
meetings
20. How else can CCLS provide better customer
service?
Communicate more, visit/meet with/survey member libraries
regularly, ask and listen—promote understanding of each others’
roles and challenges to reduce frustration (8)
Organize teams of directors to work on common goals (SIRSI
changes, cataloging and circulation rules) (2)
Keep existing staff that works so well with us, reorganize their duties
as needed (2)
Create programs for member libraries
More opportunities to learn about new technologies
Make new materials more readily available
Let us know what they do now so we could tell them
21. What do we see here?
Contrast professional training with board training
22. Promote Efficiency: Ranking
Ranked 1-3 Ranked 4-6 Ranked 7-9
Provide intralibrary loan (inside the system) 49 31 21
Work with members to develop more centralized ways 47 34 18
of doing things (Ex: provide training in weeding, make
catalog easier for end-users, encourage working toward
consistency in catalog records and circulation policies)
Use resources wisely for the maximum benefit of 42 34 24
member libraries (Ex.—keep processing costs low;
outsource appropriate functions)
Simplify the annual report process for member 40 17 43
libraries
Provide training in technology we can use in order to 35 44 21
be more efficient and effective
Use technology to promote greater efficiency 33 42 24
Promote more collaboration among members 29 30 40
Provide interlibrary loan (outside the system) 26 40 34
Provide training in collection development 18 30 54
23. How else can CCLS promote efficiency?
Concerns about outsourcing (4)
Communication, understanding what members want
and need (2)
Need two deliveries a week to members?
Menu—allow members to choose where they need
help
Use members’ strengths, could reduce territoriality
Hire more system staff
With savings, offer direct aid to member libraries
25. Economic Stability: Ranking
1 2 3 4 5
Provide information about community 38 17 17 14 14
resources and services
Develop or strengthen county- or state- 21 26 23 16 13
level partnerships to help us connect job
seekers with the services they need
Help member libraries provide access to 19 19 10 21 31
e-government online, so that patrons can
access tax info, SS an unemployment
benefits, and other government services
Provide training to help us identify and 16 22 27 25 10
meet the needs of job-seekers
Provide a training framework members 9 20 26 18 26
can use to train job-seeking patrons
26. How else can CCLS help promote
economic stability of our communities?
All are important—not sure of libraries’ impact (3)
Publicize and promote library resources
Help members find and apply for grants
Better linkage with agencies to promote shared services—
consistently communicate with key partners
Survey members for specific needs
“Pretty poor choices to rank. Health, fitness, community
involvement, volunteerism, beautification programs,
collaboration with schools, other educational programs,
teen activities and options, etc. etc. are just as needed
in supporting economic stability as job hunting. Yet three
options were about jobs.”
27. What do we see here?
Only one item has 50% in combined 1 and 2
rankings
Disconnect with this response and weakness and
trends
Lack of clarity on what to do in this area
28. Educational Success: Ranking
1-3 4-6 7-9
Support our work with preschool children and their families/caregivers so 61 23 17
that children enter school ready to learn
Provide core list of web resources to support educators and students 44 36 20
Provide training to help us identify and meet educational needs of people in 42 37 22
our communities
Provide services that help us promote digital and print literacy (ex: use 38 39 23
computer labs to train patrons, scheduling classes by area)
Provide recommended list of core collections on topics related to lifelong 34 39 28
learning (job searching, GED, tax info)
Have literacy volunteer come to member libraries. Train and support 32 27 42
volunteers and promote services centrally
Identify professional development opportunities to help us keep abreast of 30 33 36
library trends, and provide scholarships to make it easier for members to take
advantage of them
Provide a bank of program topics and activities, including online resources 23 47 32
Identify and pursue opportunities for system-level partnerships to meet the 21 19 61
needs of learners
29. How else can CCLS support educational
success?
Concerns about taking on an educational role (2)
After-school programming and other non-academic
library programs for students
Not in favor of catering to non-English speakers who
refuse to learn English
30. What do we see here?
Much higher response to this role
31. Community Memory and Culture: Ranking
1 2 3 4 5
Provide system funding for databases like 37 19 19 10 15
Ancestry.com or HeritageQuest and other online
tools
Seek grant funding for digitization projects (ex; 23 23 26 18 11
local newspapers, cemetery records, local birth and
death records)
Identify and pursue opportunities for system-level 19 14 22 21 24
partnerships with local, county, and state
organizations
Help members identify and work with others 17 17 14 27 24
already involved in local history projects
Offer training for existing databases and free online 12 35 17 18 18
resources
32. How else can CCLS support the
preservation of local memory and culture?
Encourage members to publicize their libraries as
the ‘go-to’ place for these things
Help member libraries catalog their local history
collections as well as materials housed in local
museums
33. What do we see here?
Less clarity on how to approach this
34. Five Categories: Ranked in Order of
Importance to Your Library
1 2 3 4 5
Meeting modern expectations of our customers 53 20 14 12 2
Supporting educational access for students of 22 26 31 14 8
all ages
Promoting efficient operation 14 31 22 22 11
Supporting the economic stability of our 8 14 17 28 33
communities
Helping communities preserve their memory 6 12 17 23 42
and culture
35. What else would you like CCLS to know?
These are not mutually exclusive
Accept our differences
Help us recruit and maintain volunteers so that the
librarian can leave the desk responsibilities to others
and spend more time planning projects, etc.
Appreciation for CCLS staff and for particular
services like cooperative purchasing, intralibrary
loan, cooperative purchasing, rotating large print
collections, processing and cataloging to meet
specific needs, website(2)
36. What do we see here?
Modern expectations is the only one that really
resonates.
37.
38. CCLS Mission Statement
The mission of the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus
Library System is to foster, strengthen, and
improve public library services within its
two-county service area.
39. Vision Elements
Action and vibrancy
Community focus
Patron focus
Working together
Moving past the bumps
Notas del editor
Remember we are looking ONLY at themes
Can’t be proactive without clear goals and job descriptions
Keep it available as long as people want
What strikes you?
I would like to see a system of gathering input from all member libraries when a change is being contemplated that would directly impact each of those libraries. This data would be helpful to both the Director and the System Board as a way of evaluating the merit of proposed changes or at least giving insight into how to best implement a controversial change.
Talk about the spread, the how and what, and howITEMS TO RANK CAME FROM DATA COLLECTION (DIRECTORS FOCUS GROUP)
I agree with using resources wisely, however I am against outsourcing and for using local resources.Do not want to see outsourcing of jobs!Limit outsourcing in order to retain employees and continue to be able to solve issues with our own staff rather than an outsourced agency.I would like the System to not automatically assume that outsourcing saves in the long run. There must be ways of cutting costs and consolidating services that do not always involve outsourcing.With savings from efficiencies, offer direct aid to member libraries.Better communicationHire more System staff so departments don't get overwhelmed.Understand what member libraries want and needLet various libraries choose where they need help - not make everything mandatory for everyone.Collaborate with other member libraries for shared resources, teleconferencing and training. Better use of staff their areas of expertise (and resources) to promote positive collaboration and not the need to focus on "territorial issues" across the system.I question the need for two deliveries per week to the libraries.
1Publicize and promote library resources continuously2Notify members of grant opportunities and provide assistance in writing/filling out grant applications3These are two counties with very high levels of poverty, I'm not sure there is much else the System can do4Anything at all that will help the economic stability of WNY is going to be a plus!5Better linkage with agencies to promote shared services, not duplication. Maintain more consistent communication with key partners.6All of these items are very important.7Pretty poor choices to rank. Health, fitness, community involvement, volunteerism, beautification programs, collaboration with schools, other educational programs, teen activities and options, etc. etc. are just as needed in supporting economic stability as job hunting. Yet three options were about jobs.8Survey your member libraries to find out what they think their needs are and then try to support them by facilitating or helping them brainstorm solutions.
1I think we need to be careful about how much we get involved with the goal of making sure pre-K children are "ready to learn." Public schools and teachers are being stripped of funding for supposedly not teaching children. We need to stay clear of this, or it could well end up being used as a pretext to start going after public library funding, and/or handing over public library funding to private companies who will claim that they can provide these services better. I can't stress this enough.2The above part of the survey quit working so I couldn't finish it.3After school programming with local schools and other non-academic programs for students.4I think state and federal funding is better directed to schools vs. libraries. We can serve as a repository of resources, but we shouldn't be in the education business.
1Encourage them to publicize to their communities that the library is the center of local memory and culture and should be the first place people turn when looking for those things.2The above wouldn't allow me to finish the survey of 15. It only allowed me to use the two of them . I couldn't finish it.3Help member libraries catalog their local history collections as well as materials housed in local museums.
These are not mutually exclusiveAccept our differencesHelp us recruit and maintain volunteers so that the librarian can leave the desk/checking out responsibities to others and spend more time planning projects,etc.In emails forwarded by Megan:From: Sue Seamans [mailto:ernie@netsync.net] Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 4:04 PMTo: Megan DisbroSubject: Re: Plase forward....my computer rejected teh emails for some reason..thank youHi, Elaine/Gail, I wanted to express a few things re: System Survey Post notes. I am at the Falconer Public Library, prior as a High School Librarian (Grades 7-12). Our library has been ranked by Library Journal as a Library in the Top 100 for the population served etc.I am noting this, only to let you know we are a library that has some serious needs from the System inorder to meet the needs of our patrons. The Chaut/Catt Library System has been great to Member Libraries. Staff has been superior in reaching us with our “needs”, questions. I would like to ask that we continue “Rotating Large Print” Collections. ( This is something we have not discussed in the Five-Year Plan.) This CollectionSupplements existing library collections and seems to meet patron needs for us. I would like for the System to continue purchasing items for us..or a list we can order form re: supplies, Books/nonbook, Media, computers. Then we can reimburse from our own budgets via a monthly bill(online or not) I like Book Plan very much!! I like mnthly billing, as does our Village Treasurer. I like Processing/Cataloging to meet our needs. System Staff has been our Guiding Light for these issues. I would like that to continue. I really like Interloan and would like that to continue. I think it is important we look at existing services and realize that some need to continue. I like our website and Central System website to continue with shared ideas. Webinars posted. I like that I can email Chris or Megan or Martin or Pat J(my Field Consultant), or any of the System Staff and they do get back to me quickly. Thank you for listening.. Sue SeamansFrom: Memorial Library Of Little Valley [mailto:memliblv@atlanticbb.net] Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 3:56 PMTo: Megan DisbroSubject: SurveyHi, Megan,I submitted my survey yesterday but have a couple of comments:I think all of us benefit from the ability to order our books and audiovisual items and have them processed through the system. I'd like to return to having gift books cataloged and processed, also.Being able to buy supplies, including computers and computer processing equipment through the system is good, also.There was a question about Outreach. This is a super service. Large print books and Books on CD go out regularly here. The rotating collection saves us money, too. I buy LP's but not as many as I'd like because of the price.Thanks,Gretchen