Anna Ashcroft Ensor Learning Resource Center

Strategic Plan

Kivette N. Gural University of Kentucky School of Library & Information Science LIS 603 Management in Library and Information Science Dr. Shannon Oltmann Fall 2013

Table of Contents
Table of Contents ...........................................................................................................................2 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................4 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................7 History........................................................................................................................................7 Facilities and Collection ............................................................................................................7 Demographic Information ..........................................................................................................8 Table 1 Population by Gender ..........................................................................................8 Table 2 Population by Race ..............................................................................................8 Table 3 Population by Enrollment Status .........................................................................8 SWOT Analysis ..............................................................................................................................9 Strengths ....................................................................................................................................9 Weaknesses ..............................................................................................................................11 Opportunities............................................................................................................................13 Threats......................................................................................................................................14 SWOT Graphic Organizer .......................................................................................................16 Ideology .........................................................................................................................................17 Mission Statement....................................................................................................................17 Vision Statement ......................................................................................................................17 Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................................19 Goal 1 Increase Accessibility of Services .............................................................................19 Objective 1.A Special event hour extensions ..................................................................19 Objective 1.B Reinstate online reference service ...........................................................19 Objective 1.C Expand online reference services past regular hours..............................19 Goal 2 Increase Access to Information .................................................................................20 Objective 2.A Streamline interlibrary loan services .......................................................20 Objective 2.B Join the ILLiad system .............................................................................20 Objective 2.C Delivery service for faculty ......................................................................21 Objective 2.D Delivery service for limited-mobility students .........................................21 Objective 2.E Expand electronic holdings ......................................................................21 Goal 3 Improve Effectiveness of Students Research Skills ................................................21 Objective 3.A Freshman introduction course .................................................................21 Objective 3.B Create special interest classes .................................................................22

Objective 3.C Create on demand lessons and demonstrations ..................................22 Objective 3.D Training seminars for faculty ..................................................................22 Goal 4 Increase Awareness of Librarys Value ....................................................................23 Objective 4.A Social media campaign ............................................................................23 Objective 4.B Sales pitches to faculty .............................................................................23 Objective 4.C State of the Library report .......................................................................23 Organizational Chart...................................................................................................................25 Organizational Chart Graphic Organizer .................................................................................25 Organizational Chart Report ....................................................................................................25 Organizational Culture ...............................................................................................................27 Plan of Action ...............................................................................................................................29 Reinstate Online Reference Service.........................................................................................29 Delivery Service for Faculty ....................................................................................................31 Freshman Introduction Course .................................................................................................33 Social Media Campaign ...........................................................................................................33 Skills, Knowledge, and Abilites ..................................................................................................36 Library Director .......................................................................................................................36 Reference Librarian .................................................................................................................37 Evaluation .....................................................................................................................................39 Data Collection ........................................................................................................................39 Example PERT for Objective 1.B ............................................................................................40 PERT Flowchart.......................................................................................................................41 Future Resource Allocation ........................................................................................................42 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................43

Executive Summary
The Anna Ashcraft Ensor Learning Center has been the center of academic life at Georgetown College since opening fifteen years ago. In the same way that Mrs. Ensor sought to support the Georgetown College community, so the Ensor Learning Resource Center seeks to support the learning needs of its patrons. The library provides all Georgetown College students, staff, and alumni access to over 200,000 items. In the interest of creating a dynamic learning center that is responsive to the needs of the Georgetown College community, this three-year strategic plan is presented to the President of the College, Board Members, administration, faculty, staff, and students. To establish the current state of the Ensor Learning Resource Center a SWOT Analysis ascertained the librarys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The SWOT Analysis identified that the library is strong in its website and the extensiveness and variety of material formats in the collection. Weaknesses include a prolonged interlibrary loan process and hours of operation that do not accommodate students during important times during the semester. There are many opportunities available to the library that will support the endeavor to respond to the needs of the college community. Those opportunities identified by the SWOT Analysis include support of the College leadership, marketing opportunities, and the ability to increase social media presence at no cost to the library. Threats documented through the analysis are the lack of a current strategic plan and potential inadequacies in the budget as costs of resources increase. To capitalize on the strengths and opportunities identified in the SWOT Analysis, as well as address the weaknesses and threats, the Ensor Learning Resource Center will focus on goals and objectives that fulfill the academic needs of the Georgetown College community. The first

goal is to increase accessibility of services through extending hours and offering online reference assistance. The next goal is to increase access to information by streamlining the interlibrary loan process, joining the ILLiad system, offering delivery services to faculty and limitedmobility students, and expanding electronic holdings. The third goal is to improve the effectiveness of Georgetown College students research skills. Library faculty will establish a freshman library and research introduction course, create special interest and on-demand lessons, and offer training seminars for college faculty on teaching information literacy skills. The final goal is to increase awareness of the librarys value with a social media campaign, inperson sales pitches to the faculty, and an annual presentation of State of the Library reports to the Georgetown Community. The organizational hierarchy of the Ensor Learning Resource Center contains a small staff and is rather flat. Most positions in the library report directly to the library director. As the staff is small in number, all staff members have access to upper level management. Student workers report to their respective daytime or evening supervisors. The culture of the library is professional and welcoming. Several evaluation methods mentioned throughout this document include surveys, focus groups, and usability assessments; however, the evaluation method explained in detail is the Program Evaluation and Review Techniques, also known as PERT. This evaluation method applies to the fulfillment of the objective to establish an online reference desk service. As a result of the findings and conclusions of this strategic plan, staffing and monetary resources will need to shift in order to accommodate the new services and outreaches. For example, staff members appointed to program planning teams will have to have schedules modified to accommodate the new projects. Additionally, student workers who take on the

delivery role will necessarily be out of the library during certain hours of the day. As such, the library director may need to request additional work-study students assigned to the library to meet the needs of the expanding library services. Becoming a dynamic and responsive library will require a great deal of planning, preparation, and effort on the part of the staff of the Ensor Learning Resource Center. The benefits of this work for the Georgetown College community will be significant and worth all of the time and care put into fulfilling this strategic plan.

Introduction
History
The Anna Ashcraft Ensor Learning Resource Center is the current academic library of Georgetown College located in Georgetown, Kentucky. The history of the library at Georgetown College begins with the early history of the College itself. In the 1840s Reverend Howard Malcom, College President from 1840 to 1849, secured the purchase of a library. That library found a home at the end of the 19th Century in a building constructed to house it along with the literary society meeting rooms, museum, chapel, and gymnasium (Snyder, 1992). In 1930 a fire destroyed that building, leaving Georgetown College without a library until 1954 and the construction of the Cooke Memorial Library. Cooke Memorial Library served as the academic library for forty-four years; in 1998 Georgetown College converted Cooke Memorial Library into classrooms and offices, and the Ensor Learning Resource Center opened (LeMaster, 2005).

Facilities and Collection

The Ensor Learning Resource Center is the academic heart of Georgetown [College] (LeMaster, 2005). It boasts a large, varied collection consisting of 137,000 print books, over 59,000 e-books, 471 print journal subscriptions, 28,000 full-text online journals, 3,000 DVDs, and 2,700 CDs (Georgetown College, 2012). Microfilm, e-readers, archives/special collections, and reference collections are also available. The physical facility has fifty computers available for use as well as building-wide wireless Internet and electrical outlets throughout for students and faculty to plug in their own devices. There are dedicated study rooms, a writing center, two computer labs, and a coffee shop called the Mulberry Caf.

Demographic Information
Georgetown College is a small, Baptist, baccalaureate college that boasts a total student population of 1,818. The student to faculty ratio is 11:1 so there are approximately 160 full-time faculty members (Forbes, 2012). Additionally, there are numerous part-time, adjunct, and support staff employed at Georgetown College. The following tables break down the student population by gender, race, and enrollment status.
Table 1 Population by Gender

Gender Male Female

Enrollment 45% 55%

Graduation Rate 55% 63% (Forbes, 2012)

Table 2 Population by Race

Race American Indian/Alaska Native Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Black/African American Hispanic/Latino White/Caucasian Two or more races Race/Ethnicity Unknown Non-resident alien
Table 3 Population by Enrollment Status

Enrollment 0.24% 0.55% 8.64% 2.04% 85.78% 0.55% 0.63% 1.57%

Graduation Rate 0% 100% 60% 50% 59% 0% 50% 80% (Forbes, 2012)

Part-time Full-time

4% 96% (Forbes, 2012)

SWOT Analysis
A 2012 survey conducted by the library staff determined the strengths and weaknesses for this SWOT analysis. The survey was open to undergraduate students, graduate students, and college faculty and staff. The primary focus was to determine patron satisfaction with the librarys resources, staff, and facilities (Ensor Learning Resource Center, 2012).

Strengths
It is worth noting that the 2012 survey illustrated how great of a strength staff excellence is for the Ensor Learning Resource Center. 97% of those surveyed answered that the level of service provided by the library faculty and staff satisfied them. Further, there was an equal percentage of respondents that listed satisfaction with the student workers employed at the library (Ensor Learning Resource Center, 2012). That rate of satisfaction deserves acknowledgement. However, as the librarys customer service does not appear to be under any specific or major threat, it will not appear as part of the official SWOT (Morgenstern & Jones, 2012). 1.) Website As more library patrons access library services via the Internet, it is important for libraries to build and maintain websites that provide access to resources as well as information about the library and its functioning (Riley-Huff, 2012). The website of Ensor Learning Resource Center is extensive. It offers direct access to the librarys holdings of databases and electronic format materials. Additionally, patrons have online accounts that enable them to access the librarys catalog, place holds on items, renew books without having to go to the physical library building, and receive reference

assistance through an online chat service using the Meebo platform (Potter, Ruth, Bischoff, & Rawlins, 2013). The usefulness of the librarys website extended further in 2012 when Ensor launched mobile platforms and applications so patrons could fully utilize the online resources on mobile devices (Bischoff, Ruth, & Rawlins, 2013). 2.) Variety of media formats The benefits of a collection that includes various formats of information media are numerous. Besides the aforementioned benefits of allowing patrons to access resources from any location via electronic sources, there are the additional benefits of potential digital collections development, fostering an interdisciplinary setting, and opportunities for professional development as new media technologies become prevalent (Visual Resources Association, 2009). 3.) Extensiveness of collection The Ensor Learning Resource Center created a body of liaisons to work with the academic departments of Georgetown College. There are two liaisons for each department: one a library staff member as the library liaison and the other a member of the department to act as the department liaison. In total liaisons represent nineteen departments. One of the stated intents of this liaison body is to develop quality collections to support all academic program areas(Ensor Learning Resource Center, 2013). Additionally, as part of the collection development policy, once the library receives its yearly budget, the library director designates a portion of the annual library materials budget for the use of each academic department (Ensor Learning Resource Center, 2013). This attention to equitable use of library resources in support of all content areas creates a diverse and extensive collection to benefit all students and faculty of Georgetown College.

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4.) Support of Georgetown College In addition to having a staff of departmental liaisons to disseminate the importance and relevance of the library and its services to their respective departments, the Ensor Learning Resource Center has the backing of the top level management of Georgetown College. In early 2013 Georgetown College as an organization developed and adopted a strategic plan. As one strategy for achieving their pillar of synergistic learning, Georgetown College affirmed they will Increase library book budgets for departments, increase the overall library book budget, expand the availability of electronic resources, and replace public assess computers in the library as needed (Georgetown College, 2013). Support from the College creates an accepting atmosphere for the library to try new initiatives and services.

Weaknesses
The 2012 Library Survey identified the following weaknesses in the Ensor Learning Resource Center program. Following the identification of the weaknesses are explanations of why these services are important. 1.) Interlibrary loan process Even with large and extensive collections, one library cannot own every informational item that every patron will ever need. The benefit of interlibrary loan service is that it allows a patron to request access to a large variety of material that he or she would not have through ones own library (Cornell University Library, 2013). This cooperative loaning between library systems allows a single librarys offerings to expand considerably without concern to physical space and with a lower cost than purchasing the material. For patrons to gain the full benefit of interlibrary loan services, the process must be user-friendly enough that they will utilize

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it. If the process is too confusing or aggravating, patrons will not use it, thereby losing out on access to information that they may need. 2.) Hours of Operation The hours of operation for the Ensor Learning Resource Center are as follows: Sunday 1:00 pm to 12:00 am Monday-Thursday 7:45 am to 12:00 am Friday 7:45 am to 6:00 pm Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Hours of operation are particularly important for academic libraries where the majority of the patrons are students who may keep odd hours. Students have classes at various hours of the day, participate in extracurricular organizations, or hold jobs to help pay for school. The demands on students time may mean they cannot go to the library during regular operating hours. While access to resources via the Internet relieves some of the burden, closed hours restrict access to the full collection and services. Additionally, the library provides an environment of study and as semesters advance towards finals time the availability of areas that will allow for focused all night study sessions become increasingly important to students (Chant, 2013). 3.) Online Reference Desk The Ensor Learning Resource Center boasts a devoted area on the website homepage for online reference services. The interface is meant to foster oneto-one chat between patron and librarian. There is a small indicator on the chat interface to let visitors to the website know when a librarian is available. However, the indicator consistently shows the library staff is offline. The chat interface was originally added using the Meebo program (Potter, Ruth, Bischoff, & Rawlins, 2013). In July 2012

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Google acquired and shut down Meebo (Team, 2012). After the acquisition, the Meebo chat interface product was discontinued and Google has not, thus far, offered a comparable product. The chat interface widget has not been removed from the Ensor website; it appears as if the service is there, but no librarian is ever available to help.

Opportunities
1.) Marketing through expansion of social media presence The faculty of Ensor Learning Resource Center have demonstrated their willingness to embrace new technologies and be on the forefront of the Library 2.0 movement with the expansion of online services and creation of mobile apps. The library currently has a small social media presence with its Facebook page; however, the opportunity to expand into different social media markets such as Instagram, Twitter, Pintrest, and other future social media outlets is great. According to a casual conversation with current high school juniors, Facebook is not where young adults currently spend their online time (English, 2013). As patrons move into usage of different social media it is essential to move into those venues also in order to engage the highest number of patrons (Salomon, 2013). 2.) Technology can make the library a 24/7 resource With the ever-expanding availability of Internet accessible electronic resources, the college community should not be restricted by physical hours of operation. Investment in expanded holdings of materials that can be accessed via a computer would be a benefit to students that cannot make it to the library facility to borrow physical materials. 3.) Delivery service As Georgetown is a relatively small campus, it is a feasible option to offer on-campus delivery service for materials to faculty. This timesaving benefit would encourage faculty and staff to take advantage of borrowing Ensor owned and interlibrary

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loaned materials. This service would also be ideal to offer to on-campus students with disabilities.

Threats
1.) Budget Competition for monetary resources is great in academic institutions as the economy struggles to regain stability. As federal funding diminishes and private donations dwindle, various groups within the college have to share a smaller budget. This leads to these groups having to compete for the same money (Mokia, 2010). 2.) Increasing cost of electronic resources - The cost of materials, particularly e-books and databases, continues to increase meaning that even with a stable budget, the money will not go as far as in the past(Tillery, 2012). It will be a challenge to provide and maintain electronic resources in the future. 3.) Lack of strategic plan While the faculty of Ensor Learning Resource Center has been diligent to complete biennial surveys and respond to their patrons input, there is not a current strategic plan to focus the librarys future operations. With the adoption of a formal strategic plan the library can move into the future with a common set of values, goals, and plan of action (Moran, Stueart, & Morner, 2013). 4.) Lack of library and research skills among incoming students Seventy-eight percent of the student body of Georgetown College are classified as in-state (College Board, 2013). The Commonwealth of Kentucky has the Beyond Proficiency document that sets benchmarks on what school library media programs should look like. The document also advocates for information literacy skill to be taught, however it is considered to be only a recommendation instead of a curriculum mandate like the Common Core and Quality Core standards. As information literacy skills are not part of the state mandated

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curriculum, it cannot be assumed that the matriculating freshmen have a quality and consistent background in researching in libraries.

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SWOT Analysis Template Strengths Weaknesses

Website functionality Variety of media formats Extensiveness of collection Support of Georgetown College Interlibrary loan process Hours of operation Online reference desk

Opportunities
Marketing through expansion of social media presence Technology can make the library a 24/7 resource Delivery service

Threats
Budget Increasing cost of electronic resources Lack of strategic plan Lack of library and research skills among incoming students

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Ideology
Mission Statement
In 2009 the faculty and staff created the current mission statement of the Ensor Learning Resource Center. It states, The Library at Georgetown College provides an environment of information resources with personalized service to engage our community of learners in intellectual, spiritual, and social growth (Ensor Learning Resource Center, 2009). The mission statement is the cornerstone of a librarys current operations and future decision-making (Bangert, 2013). As the last part of the 2009 mission statement regarding intellectual, spiritual, and social growth - hearkens back to the overarching mission of Georgetown College, it is important to bring that forward into the updated mission statement (Georgetown College, 2013). The new mission statement for the Ensor Learning Resource Center states, The faculty and staff of the Ensor Learning Resource Center provide virtual and tangible resources, services, and spaces to fulfill the needs of the Georgetown College communitys academic, intellectual, spiritual, and social needs.

Vision Statement
The Ensor Learning Resource Center does not currently have a dedicated set of statements that they call vision statements. Within a 2009 mission statement, the library has

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supporting statements that, as the name implies, help the library fulfill its mission (Ensor Learning Resource Center, 2009). However, they do not fit the definition of a vision statement as they expound upon what the library currently does rather than what it will be in the future (Zuckerman, 2000). The new vision statement for the Ensor Learning Resource Library states, The Ensor Learning Resource Center is the academic center of the Georgetown College campus. Our collections and services inspire information seeking, knowledge synthesis, and intellectual production.

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Goals and Objectives

Goal 1 Increase Accessibility of Services
In an effort to accommodate as many members of the Georgetown College community as possible, the Ensor Learning Resource Center will increase accessibility of services past traditional business hours.
Objective 1.A Special event hour extensions

Beginning in the fall semester of 2015 Ensor Learning Resource Center will extend hours of operation during key times of the academic year. For finals week during fall and spring semesters the library will remain open 24 hours a day beginning the Friday before finals week through the last scheduled day of finals.
Objective 1.B Reinstate online reference service

Beginning in January 2016 the online reference service will be operational whenever the physical library facilities are open. A committee will be formed within one month of approval of this strategic plan. The committee will consist of the library director, the reference librarian, and the electronic resources librarian. Their task is to find or have built a new interface for patrons to use in order to receive online reference assistance. The new interface platform should be adopted by September 1, 2015. From September 1, 2015 through the rest of the fall 2015 semester, library staff will be trained on the new system so that on the first day of the spring 2016 semester, all employees will be able to use the system.
Objective 1.C Expand online reference services past regular operating hours

Beginning in September 2016 the online reference services will be extended by one hour before and after the operating hours of the physical library. On a rotating schedule the

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library staff will be on-call to operate the online reference interface. The new online reference service hours will be as follows: Sunday 12:00 pm to 1:00 am Monday-Thursday 6:45 am to 1:00 am Friday 6:45 am to 7:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Goal 2 Increase Access to Information

In order to increase students, facultys, and staffs access to information the Ensor Learning Resource Center will meet the following objectives:
Objective 2.A Streamline interlibrary loan services

In February 2014 a team consisting of the circulation supervisor, the evening supervisor, and the interlibrary loan & periodicals manager will begin meeting to outline a plan for improving interlibrary loan services. The plan will include how to shorten the turnaround time between a loan request and fulfillment. The committee will present their proposal to the library director by May 1, 2014 and the new plan, upon approval, will be implemented at the beginning of the fall 2014 semester.
Objective 2.B Join the ILLiad system

The same committee from Objective 2.A with the addition of the electronic resources librarian will be in charge of investigating the ILLiad interlibrary loan system. The committee will contact OCLC for a quote and will work with technical support to make sure the technology infrastructure of the library will support implementation of the ILLiad software. Once all technical issues have been resolved, the committee will make a proposal to the library director regarding the ILLiad system in November 2014. The director will make a proposal to the president and chief financial officer of the college in

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January 2015 to request funding for the ILLiad service. Upon approval from the college, installation and training on the system will take place during the spring of 2015. The service will go online at the beginning of the 2015-2016 academic year.
Objective 2.C Delivery service for faculty

Beginning in January 2014, Ensor Learning Resource Center will offer delivery service for faculty members. Students employed at the library through the work-study program will make deliveries to on-campus faculty offices. Delivery service will be available during daylight hours.
Objective 2.D Delivery service for limited-mobility students

In an effort to accommodate students with special needs, the delivery service described in Objective 2.C will be offered to those with limited mobility beginning in January 2014. Deliveries will be made to the lobby of the students dorm. Students employed at the library through the work-study program will make deliveries. Delivery service will be available during daylight hours.
Objective 2.E Expand electronic holdings

In the 2016 fiscal year, the Ensor Learning Resource Center will devote eight percent more of the yearly budget to electronic resources that can be accessed remotely via the Internet.

Goal 3 Improve Effectiveness of Students Research Skills

Objective 3.A Freshman introduction course

Work with college administration to create (or modify) freshman college introduction course to include a unit on effective use of the library. Instructional lessons will include: How to navigate online resources to find materials Effective search techniques

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 Determining reputability of sources Introduction of physical and virtual services Tour of facilities The new freshman unit will begin with the matriculating class in the fall of 2014.
Objective 3.B Create special interest classes

Beginning in the fall of 2016 Ensor Learning Resource Center will offer evening seminars on topics of special interest. Topics can include, but are not limited to, developing advanced research skills, using specific media for research, and conducting content area specific research. Departmental professors are welcome and encouraged to lead such seminars. The library will offer one seminar a month for the first year; if response is high enough, top level management will consider increasing availability to twice a month or more.
Objective 3.C Create on demand lessons and demonstrations

Library liaisons will work with their department liaisons to create content area specific lessons to help undergraduate students in upper level courses with advanced research needs. These sessions can be taught as requested by professors of courses such as research methods or senior capstones. Professors will need to request the lesson at least ten days in advance to allow for scheduling. This service will be available beginning in the fall of 2016.
Objective 3.D Training seminars for faculty

Beginning in the summer of 2015 the Ensor Learning Resource Center will offer training seminars for faculty members. Library faculty will conduct one seminar per college department during the summer on a topic of the departments choosing. All lessons will focus on how professors can incorporate information literacy skills into research projects.

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Specific topics can include use of certain resources, research methods, and research technology.

Goal 4 Increase Awareness of Librarys Value

Objective 4.A Social media campaign

Beginning in the spring of 2014 the Ensor Learning Resource Center will launch social media accounts on current popular outlets Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram to reach the student body. The evening and daytime supervisors will maintain the accounts. These supervisors will add at least two posts per week to each social media outlet. Special events should be posted to all media outlets in a timely manner.
Objective 4.B Sales pitches to faculty

In order to let the college faculty effectively know what services and resources are available to them, library liaisons will request short amounts of time during departmental meeting to advertise resources and services that are of specific interest to the departments curricular needs. These sessions will be no more than ten minutes in length, so that the library liaisons do not impose upon the departments time. These sessions are to pique interest in library offerings. If departments desire more detailed demonstrations, individual faculty members can set up appointments with the library liaison. These sessions will begin in the fall of 2015.
Objective 4.C State of the Library report

In order for the administration and stakeholders in Georgetown College to be fully aware of the value of the Ensor Learning Resource Center, the library director will complete and present an annual State of the Library report. The report shall include circulation statistics, interlibrary loan statistics, facilities usage information, number of classes taught, collaboration with departmental faculty, library faculty and staff accomplishments

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for the year, and any other information the library direct feels is important to share with the college leadership and stakeholders. In the interest of transparency, within two weeks of the presentation to college leaders, the report will be made available on the Ensor website in .pdf format along with a two-minute video slideshow with highlights from the report. The first State of the Library report and presentation will be held in April 2015.

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Organizational Chart
Ensor Learning Resource Center Organizational Chart
College President & Board of Directors

Library Director

Archives Coordinator

Reference Librarian

Collection Development Librarian

Catalog Librarian

Circulation Supervisor

Evening Supervisor

Electronic Resources Librarian

Interlibrary Loan & Periodicals Manager

Evening Student Workers

Daytime Student Workers

Organizational Chart Explanation

The organizational chart depicted above represents a small staff in a relatively flat organizational structure. The chart consists of five levels; the four lower levels contain library personnel. The uppermost level of the organizational chart is The College President & Board of Directors. While this level is not directly part of Ensor Learning Resource Centers management and daily operations it is important to remember and acknowledge this level because the library is a subordinate organization within the larger organization of Georgetown College. The Library Director reports to the people in the uppermost level and the decisions the President and Board make both for the College in general and the library specifically has

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direct effects on the Ensor Learning Resource Center. The Library Director makes annual reports to the College President and Board of Directors about the operations of the library and the accomplishments of the staff. In turn Georgetown Colleges governing bodies allocate funding, provide support, and establish overarching principles that the library must follow. The levels that follow the uppermost level are all directly involved in the daily functions of the library. Within these four levels, the top-most managerial position is that of Library Director. As previously explained, the Director answers to the governing body of Georgetown College. This position is responsible for administration, evaluation, budget, personnel, and public relations. The next levels consist of the Archives Coordinator, the Reference Librarian, the Collection Development Librarian, the Catalog Librarian, the Circulation Supervisor. All of these positions report directly to the Library Director. In the subsequent level is the Electronic Resources Librarian, who reports to the Collection Development Librarian, and the Interlibrary Loan and Periodicals Manager who reports to the Circulation Supervisor. Student workers also appear in this level of the organizational chart with daytime and evening student workers reporting to their respective supervisors.

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Organizational Culture
Employees collective understanding of the organizations culture is as important as their comprehension of the organizations strengths and weaknesses. An understanding of librarys organizational culture is crucial to adapting to the evolving needs of the community while still retaining the values that have been integral to the librarys development (Kaarst-Brown, Nicholson, von Dran, & Stanton, 2004). Prior to carrying out the plans for future development of the Ensor Learning Resource Center it is important to examine its culture. The culture of Ensor Learning Resource Center is a reflection of the larger Georgetown College organization of which it is a part. The librarys primary symbol, The Georgetown College Crest, indicates this deference. The Crest is particularly apropos to the library due to the inclusion of a book that represents the search for knowledge (Georgetown College, 2012). Assisting the Georgetown College community in the search and attainment of knowledge with personalized attention is a strongly held value for the Ensor staff. The current mission statement, as well as the Supporting Statements to the Mission Statement, stresses the importance of personalized service in the quest for knowledge (Ensor Learning Resource Center, 2009). Customer service is very important to the Ensor Learning Resource Center and upper levels of management train all employees, including the students employed in the library through the work-study program, in customer service practices (Ensor Learning Resource Center, 2013). Although the Ensor Learning Resource Center employees a small number of personnel, the atmosphere is professional and formal. Regular faculty and staff dress in business apparel. Management does not require student employees to wear business clothing, however they follow

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a prescribed dress code that calls for conscientious apparel. All employees wear nametags when on duty. There are periodic requisite meetings that employees attend. Management does not allow recurrent tardiness and absenteeism. The library has well-defined policies and procedures for most functions and possible scenarios; all employees follow these guidelines. While the organizational culture is formal, it is also welcoming and caring toward its patrons.

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Plan of Action
The following plan of action includes step-by-step lists for selected objectives from the Goals and Objectives section of this Strategic Plan document.

Reinstate Online Reference Service

Objective 1.B calls for replacement of the defunct Meebo platform online reference service with a new operational service. In order to meet this target, the staff will need to: Appoint a team to research the best replacement option for the online reference service. o The team will consist of the library director, the reference librarian, and the electronic resources librarian. o The team will need to establish a consultant from the Georgetown College Technical Support Office for technical specification questions. o The team may include other interested library staff, if desired. The purpose of this temporary team is to learn what other chat platforms are currently in existence. Related considerations include: o What is the cost of each platform? o Do the platforms fit the specific needs, outlined below, of the library online reference service? User-friendly for both the library staff and the patrons who utilize the service. Compatible with multiple operating systems. Allow for real-time, two-way chat sessions.

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Have an alert feature so the reference librarian on duty is notified of a reference need.

Allows for multi-functioning of the computer so the reference librarian can consult the online catalog and databases while chatting with the patron.

o Does the librarys computer hardware meet minimum technical requirements for the platforms being considered? (Consult with the Technical Support Office at this point.) o Do the platforms operate on multiple user devices? (e.g.: Will students be able to utilize the service regardless of whether they access it via a traditional computer or mobile device? Will it work on any computer operating system and with any of the major Internet browsers?) The team should request trial period usage from any pay-for-use platform vendors. During the trial, ascertain user friendliness for both the library staff and patrons and check for program reliability: o Ask various regular library faculty and staff members to test the platforms to determine if the platforms are easy to log into and use. o To determine user friendliness from the perspective of a patron, have library work-study student employees use the platform to determine ease of use and responsiveness of the system. o To determine program reliability, collaborate with the Technology Office consultant to check the platforms for system crashes or other malfunctions. Also, have several beta-testers use the online reference system simultaneously

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to determine if the platform is able to negotiate increased usage during peak times such as midterms and finals. The team will narrow the choices down to the top three platforms. In a staff meeting the team will present the three choices, answer questions from the staff, address concerns and questions, then administer a very brief survey to get feedback on what the staff members think would be the best option. Email final decision to the staff. Training on the new platform will be necessary for library staff: o One or two members receive training either through attending an in-person or online training. o Once trained those members will train the rest of the staff in a professional training session. o The originally trained members will create user guides and troubleshooting guides for the rest of the staff to have. Copies of these guides will remain at the reference desk for staff members to reference while on duty. Once the platform goes online, the online reference service will initially be available during regular business hours. The library faculty member who is on duty at the reference desk will operate the online reference service.

Delivery Service for Faculty

This new service, provided for in Objective 2.C, will require the following set-up and steps for operation:

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 Create an online request form for Georgetown College faculty to fill out to utilize this service. Required form elements should include: name of person requesting the item, department, office location, office phone number, school email address, title of item, and author/entity responsible for the creation of the work. Link the request form to the Ensor Learning Resource Center website. Deliveries will be made twice a day by student workers. o Morning 8:30 am; Afternoon 4:00 pm o Students enrolled in Georgetown College at least one year will make deliveries to ensure that they are familiar with the location of departmental office suites. Email the Georgetown College faculty to advertise the new service that is available to them along with a link to the request form. Have library liaisons advertise the service during departmental meetings. The liaisons will give a brief description of the service, describe the request and fulfillment procedure, and hand out copies of a user-guide that gives step-by-step instructions for accessing and submitting the online request form. When a request is made, check the item(s) out to the requesting professor in the circulation system prior to delivery. Deliver item(s) to the main departmental office. At the time of delivery, the person receiving the item will sign a delivery receipt form that the student worker will carry with him or her. The student worker will return the forms to his or her supervisor upon returning to the library.

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Freshman Introduction Course

This initiative appears in Objective 3.A. The following steps need to be followed to create and implement such a course: Meet with Georgetown College administration to pitch the idea of incorporating a unit on library orientation and information literacy into the Freshman Seminar classes. Stress the importance of information literacy for the development of study skills and later workplace skills. In a 2011 survey of recent college graduates ninety percent responded that they use information literacy in the workplace, however, only twenty-seven percent of respondents indicated that they gained any information literacy skills through formal library instruction (Travis, 2011). These important skills should be taught to Georgetown College students and should be taught by experts in the field -- degreed librarians. Work with Freshman Seminar professors to organize time schedules for the teaching of the library unit. Contact colleagues from other colleges who have implemented similar programs to inquire how their institutions integrated library units. Inquire as to what steps they took, what went well, and what they would have done differently. Teaching library units will be the responsibility of all full library faculty. To ensure the teaching load is equitable divide Freshman Seminar classes between faculty members. Create unit lesson plans. In order to assure that all freshmen receive the same exposure, use common lesson plans. During the aforementioned interviews of colleagues from other institutions, inquire what kinds of lessons they include in their library units. Look at any online curriculum they have posted and request permission

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to use any applicable resources they have created. Incorporate American Library Association, Association of College and Research Libraries, and American Association of School Librarians 21st Century Learner resources into teaching materials and lessons. Instruct all non-teaching library staff members in the created curriculum so all staff members can give consistent service to college students who come in to the library with questions pertaining to what the library unit lessons addressed. Create supplementary materials such as handouts, maps of the library, wikis, web pages, business cards, and frequently asked questions pages and send hard-copy materials to the print center so an appropriate number are duplicated.

Social Media Campaign

This new initiative is proposed in Objective 4.A. To start and maintain this enterprise, the following steps should be followed: The library director will create Ensor Learning Resource Center accounts on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Maintain the current Facebook page, as well. Once created, the director will give account login information to the evening and daytime supervisors. The evening and daytime supervisors will create general guidelines about what kinds of news, promotional information, photographs, and links to post on each media outlet. Maintain a minimum of two posts per account, per week. The evening and daytime supervisors may divide the responsibility how they see fit. For example, each could

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be solely responsible for two accounts or each could make one post to all four accounts per week. Announce special events on all social media outlets at the following intervals: one month prior, two weeks prior, one week prior, then start a daily countdown starting four days from the start of the event. Advertise long-term exhibits as outlined in the preceding point. Additionally, post periodic reminders of the exhibits availability for the duration of the exhibit. Ideas for information to post about include, but are not limited to: new acquisitions, promotion of services, announcements, hours of operation, advertisements for speakers or exhibits hosted by the library, surveys, and policy changes.

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Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

Accomplishing the step-by-step plans from the plan of action section of this strategic plan requires involvement from all employees of the Ensor Learning Resource Center; however, two positions are crucial to the success of the plans: The library director and the reference librarian.

Library Director
The position of library director in a small library setting carries many roles (Ensor Learning Resource Center, 2013). The person in the directors position, therefore, must possess a wide array of knowledge and skills. The director must have conceptual knowledge of all aspects of the librarys functioning and departments(Moran, Stueart, & Morner, 2013). The director must also know the skills, interests, and talents of his or her employees in order to delegate assignments effectively. He or she must also have good people skills and effective communication skills (Lynch & Smith, 2001). These skill sets are essential for the completion of the previously discussed plans. The director must clearly communicate to those who govern Georgetown College that library and information literacy instruction need to be included in the Freshman Seminar course. To be persuasive, this effort will require knowledge of the course as it currently exists and the ability to plan how the new instruction will fit into the class schedule. The library director needs knowledge of information literacy curricula and statistics related to the use of information literacy skills in college and after college. The director will have to explain what information literacy is and why its inclusion is vital. Strong communication is important in an upward direction, toward ones supervisors, but is equally important in a downward direction, with ones

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employees. The director needs to communicate the rationale and goals for creating a new information literacy curriculum, along with clear expectations and a definite timeline. The second major project that primarily involves the library director is the search for a new online reference platform. For this project, communication skills are again essential. During the search and testing phases, the director must keep all of the library staff updated on progress. This communication keeps the faculty interested and fosters adoption of the new system once implemented. This project will require good listening skills as the director gathers input from technology consultants, student and faculty beta testers, and vendors. The director will need to utilize the conceptual knowledge he or she possesses about the needs of the library and its patrons in order to choose the platform that will work best. Finally, public relations skills are necessary for the advertisement and advancement of all new services and products. Through writing and in person, the director will inform all pertinent parties regarding the new online reference service, delivery service, social media outlets, and freshman library and information literacy curricula.

Reference Librarian
The position of reference librarian is no longer solely the traditional role of answering questions from behind the reference desk. Like most other roles in the academic library this position has become more expansive and complex as the reference librarian takes on new roles (Lynch & Smith, 2001). For the projects outlined above, the reference librarian plays a key role in both the adoption of a new platform for the online reference service and the development of the freshman information literacy and library skills curriculum. When deciding between potential online reference platforms, the reference librarian will use critical thinking skills to weigh the good and poor aspects of each alternative. He or she

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needs clear communication skills to discuss reasonably which option is the best fit for Ensor Learning Resource Center. The reference librarian possesses valuable knowledge about the reference process and needs to communicate that knowledge so that the team will choose an online platform that delivers the same level of excellence online that traditional face-to-face reference interviews provide. The reference librarian, along with all of the library faculty who will be conducting freshman information literacy and library skills classes, needs to have skills traditionally associated with teachers (Skank & Dewald, 2012). The reference librarian needs to use or develop knowledge of education design in order to create the curriculum for the class. Working knowledge of how individuals learn is beneficial as well. Content knowledge of information literacy is crucial, but equally as important is the ability to communicate the lesson topics in a way that college freshman can easily understand. The reference librarian needs to have patience and good interpersonal skills when interacting with students. The incoming freshmen have varying levels of exposure to libraries and information literacy; flexibility is imperative in adapting to the diverse needs of the students.

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Evaluation
An abundance of evaluation methods and tools are available to libraries for the purpose of measuring the effectiveness of facilities, collections, programs, and other user services. This section will describe an evaluation plan for Objective 1.B, reinstatement of the online reference service. The method of evaluation for this objective is the Program Evaluation and Review Techniques, hereafter referred to as PERT. The Navy specifically designed PERT for major projects that are one-time events[such as] installing a complicated technology system (Moran, Stueart, & Morner, 2013). As the replacement and restoration of the online reference service is a major one-time event, the PERT method is particularly suitable for evaluating this objective. PERT is an approach that details all of the preparation and timelines involved for the completion of a project. Those involved identify and arrange key activities into a sequential order; they then assign time durations to each activity. Those conducting the PERT explore various options and time allotments for completing the project and its subparts. The implementers place activities and time information into a flowchart, so library leadership can determine which path (or choice of options) will allow for the most expedient completion of the project. Additionally, using PERT allows library leadership to have a hypothetical run-through of the project. Not only do those conducting the PERT identify time-lines, but they also identify and correct potential difficulties and flaws in the plan prior to implementation.

Data Collection
Data collection for the PERT evaluation of Objective 1.B will be gathered through meetings of the assigned team from the Ensor Learning Resource Center with substantial input

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from the consultant from the Georgetown College Technical Support Office. The team and consultant will determine which key activities are necessary for the selection and implementation of the online reference service. The team and consultant will also determine how many weeks they need to allot to each key activity for completion in a timely, yet thorough, manner. Other non-team staff members and student beta-testers will collect other data not part of the PERT but directly related to the project during later stages when they will evaluate and compare the various online platforms. To evaluate the online platforms, library leadership will utilize a variety of user feedback options such as usability studies, focus groups, and surveys along with staff observations and reflections. This data will help the team make their determination of which online platform to select for the Ensor Learning Resource Center during the final selection phase of the project. An example list of key activities and time allotments, along with the accompanying flow chart, follows in the subsequent section. This example can serve as a model, or the leadership and team of Ensor Learning Resource Center can use this PERT when completing Objective 1.B. The team can adapt it to the needs of the library as is necessary.

Example PERT for Objective 1.B

a.) Obtain approval from Georgetown College leaders, announce project to library staff and appoint team. (3 weeks) b.) Initial team planning and preparation to outline goals, activities and timelines. (4 weeks) c.) Exploration of preexisting software options and contact with potential vendors. (8 weeks) d.) Purchase of platform. (2 weeks)

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e.) Consultation with software designers about possibility of building a platform specifically for Ensor Learning Resource Center. (4 weeks) f.) Building of the platform. (8 weeks) g.) Installation of software on all necessary computers and devices. (2 weeks) h.) Training of staff members who will run the service. (3 weeks) i.) Advertise the new upcoming service to the Georgetown College Community. (4 weeks) h.) Launch January 2016

PERT Flowchart

c a
3 Weeks

8 Weeks

2 Weeks

4 Weeks

g e
4 Weeks

2 Weeks

3 Weeks

4 Weeks

Jan. 2016

8 Weeks

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Future Resource Allocation

Through the cyclical pattern of planning, analyzing, and evaluating library leaders and staff will structure Ensor Learning Resource Center to be a dynamic organization that is everchanging based on the needs of the Georgetown College community. Throughout the process of adapting to meet the changing needs of patrons, willingness to reallocate monetary, time, and staff expertise resources is necessary. During the compilation of the PERT and the subsequent planning and implementation of Objective 1.B, library leadership will redirect staff members time. The leadership will modify the work schedule of the appointed team to incorporate the project. If the library adopts a platform for the online reference service that requires a periodic subscription fee, the library director will allocate monetary resources for that cost. This necessarily means diversion of money from other library budgets. A positive result of the PERT would show there are no weaknesses in the teams plan to establish a new online reference service. A negative result would show there are major flaws in the plan that need to be addressed before moving forward with implementation plans. In this case, the team would need to allot more time to revise and strengthen the plan before moving forward. Depending on what the PERT results show, the online reference service establishment team will move forward with a finalized plan to complete Objective 1.B after any necessary revisions. The PERT allows library staff to analyze what parts of online reference are imperative and create a procedure for this service once the software is in place. The library staff can apply the skills and processes learned through this PERT process to any future major one-time projects at the Ensor Learning Resource Center.

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