Clearinghouse of Professional Information

Planning Resources

This section includes links to a variety of resources to assist libraries with planning. Other resources of interest may be found in the Clearinghouse, on our Accreditation Resources, HR Resources and Library Administration Resources pages.

SOLS services in this area are described on Information, Advice and Specialized Assistance page. SOLS consultant Anne Marie Madziak is available for advice by telephone or in person and can also be reached by e-mail at

OLS - North provides assistance with strategic and business planning through its library development program. John Slater, our Library Development Advisor, Policy and Planning will assist libraries in working through this process. John can be reached by phone or by e-mail at

Topics include

General Resources | Planning Process | Situational Analysis | Surveys | Mission, Vision and Values | Policies | Sample Plans |  Socio-economic Benefits of Public Libraries |

	indicates an item written by SOLS staff		indicates an item written by OLS-North staff
Clicking on certain topics will open a new window, if the link is to a topic included in an other Clearinghouse page

General Resources

• Charting New Territory: the Library Board’s Role in Planning and Budgeting for a Successful Future, presented at OLA Superconference 2006
  Presentation by Anne Marie Madziak, SOLS Consultant.(ppt)
  Presentation by Debra Jackson, CEO Haldimand County Public Ibrary .(ppt)

• FAQ's on Strategic Planning (Nonprofit Management)
• Framework for the Future: Libraries, Learning and Information in the Next Decade (U.K. Dept. of Culture, Media and Sports).The policy document outlines the Government's long-term strategic vision for the role of public libraries. Its purpose is to help local and library authorities agree on the key objectives for the public library service with central government and local communities.
• Introduction to Strategic Planning. (.ppt) OLBA/SOLS/OLS-N training by dmA Planning & Management Services, April 23 and 30, 2005.

Planning Process

• Creating the Future You Have Imagined    SOLS, 2007  
• Facilitator's Guide to Nonprofit Strategic Planning by Carter McNamarra PHD, 1997- This guidebook is a straightforward primer and reference manual for nonprofit strategic planning.
• New pathways to planning. U.S. Northeast Kansas Library System Based on a series of workshops sponsored by Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS) in 1998. Their goal was to provide a process that could be used by small public libraries to meet a system requirement for a written library plan, including a vision statement, goals and objectives. It is intended for use by staff in small and medium sized Kansas libraries.
• An Overview of the Essential Planning Process Section 3 of  Creating the Future You Have Imagined
• Strategic Planning in Smaller Nonprofit organizations: A Practical Guide for the Process by Jan W. Lyddon, Ph.D.
  Nonprofit Leadership and Administration Faculty, Western Michigan University (Management Guide # 7) This short guide is designed to help board members and the staff of smaller nonprofit organizations develop strategic plans that can help them strengthen and sustain their organization's achievements.
• Strategic Planning Manual - A description of the planning model by Learning Institute for Non-Profit organizations faculty member Frank Martinelli, 1999
• Strategic Planning/Program Planning (Non Profit Manager Education Center)

Situational Analysis (Needs Assessment)

• 6 Ways to Describe Your Community Appendix 10 of  Creating the Future You Have Imagined
• Community Assessment: an essential part of the reference librarian's toolkit. IFLA paper by Hillier, Shillie and Self. IFLA paper presented in Buenos Aires, August 2004. This paper describes the reasons for doing community assessment, the various methods and techniques librarians can employ to assess and analyse their communities and the importance of incorporating community assessment data into the development of library and reference services
• Community Engagement Needs Assessment Factsheets (Minnesota Department of Health)
• How is your community changing? From Teacher's guide to World Resources: Exploring sustainable communities, 1997.(World Resources Institute)
• Know Where You Are: by means of a Situational Analysis (.ppt) Overview presented at Trustee Councils, Fall 2005
• New Pathways to Planning. (U.S. Northeast Kansas Library System) Based on a series of workshops sponsored by Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS) in 1998. Their goal was to provide a process that could be used by small public libraries to meet a system requirement for a written library plan, including a vision statement, goals and objectives. It is intended for use by staff in small and medium sized Kansas libraries.
• Ontario Public Library Statistics (Ontario Ministry of Culture) 
• 2006 Community Profiles (Statistics Canada) / Profil des communautés 2006 (Statistiques Canada)

Surveys

•  LibSat™... "A Real-Time Customer Satisfaction Management System Designed Specifically For Public Libraries." - "The OLA is proud to be able to present the LibSat service to the Canadian public libraries sector " Demo
• Library User Surveys on the Web  (Library Research Service)  
• Polling 101: the basics of public opinion research (The Roper Institute) "This tutorial is intended to offer a simplified glimpse into some of the fundamentals of public opinion polling. Designed for the novice, POLLING 101 provides definitions, examples, and explanations that serve to introduce interested students to the field of public opinion research."
• Public Library User Survey (U.K., Institute of Public Finance)
• Sample Size Calculator (Creative Research Systems)
• Survey Gold. (Golden Hills Software) "Survey software that is easy to use and affordable"

Mission, Vision and Values

• Brampton Public Library. Mission Statement
• Brant County Public Library. Core Values (In Mission Statement)
• Four Ways to Creating a Compelling Vision (Fieldstone Alliance)
• St Catharines Public Library. Values (In Strategic Agenda: serving our community 2002-2003, page 3)
• Sample Mission Statements: Ontario Public Libraries
• What is a vision statement? (Alliance for Non-Profit Organization)

Sample strategic plans

In Ontario

• Aurora Public Library Strategic Directions 2004-2007(.pdf)
• Brantford Public Library. Strategic Plan 2005-2007
• Burlington Public Library. Building for Tomorrow Update. Strategic Directions 2005-2007(.pdf)
• Haldimand County Public Library. Strategic Plan 2008-2010 (.pdf)
• London Public Library. 2006-2008 Strategic Plan, Imagine!
• Newmarket Public Library. 2005-2010 Strategic Plan (.pdf)
• Pelham Public Library. Strategic Plan 2006-2010. Forward to the Future (.pdf)
• Toronto Public Library Strategic Plan 2004-07
• Waterloo Public Library. 2005-2007 Strategic Plan (.pdf)
• Woodstock Public Library. Strategic Plan 2008-2010 (.pdf)

Outside Ontario

• Enriching People' Lives: Edmonton Public Library Strategic Directions 2006-2010

Social Value / Socio-economic Benefits of Public Libraries

• Best Value Strategy (Glasgow City Council, Scotland)
• Beyond Building Value Together: to Creating the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (.ppt) by Steve Salmon. Update given OLA Superconference 2003
• Building Value Together. A Vision for Change.(.pdf) Discussion Paper. Ontario Strategic Directions Council. 2002. "This is a visionary document which challenges the public library community in Ontario to build the cooperative structure which will be pivotal in achieving the best possible public library services in this Province."
• DIVIDENDS: The value of public libraries in Canada Researched by Jody Warner Written by Leslie Fitch and Jody Warner for The Library Action Committee of the BOOK AND PERIODICAL COUNCIL
• How They Stack Up - Canadian Edition. 2004 (OCLC) This report contains some interesting comparisons of library economics and activities to other sectors, professions and destinations in the worldwide economy.
• Libraries for All: Social Inclusion in Public Libraries: policy guidance for local authorities in England. UK Dept. of Culture, Media and Sports. Heritage, Libraries and Museums Section. October 1999. Excellent document on the role of public libraries in their communities.
• Library's Contribution to your Community Prepared by dmA Planning and Management Services and Southern Ontario Library Service, 2d edition, 2007
• The Seattle Public Library Central Library: Economic Benefit Assessment. " The transformative power of a library to redefine learning, community and economic development." (Berk & Associates)
• Taxpayer Return on Investment in Florida Public Libraries: Summary Report, September 2004(.pdf)