Library Development Guides
Library Development Guides are a series of guides produced by SOLS on
key issues in public library management.
Topics selected are in response
to requests from library staff.
A Guide to Developing a Collection Plan. December 2009,
102 pages.
(Library Development Guide # 6)
Collection development is the building or improving of a collection of
library materials that follows a logical process that is written down as a
plan. The process of developing the collection plan begins with an
examination of the local community, the study of present library users and
their interests, and an assessment of the present library collection. The
process includes writing a collection development policy which defines the
objectives of the library’s collection, writing collection statements which
describe what materials should be in the library and writing weeding
guidelines for the collection. And finally, the process of developing a
collection plan includes creating long-term strategies and annual plans for
the collection, and developing a collection budget which is based on the
allocation of material to be purchased. This guide will take you through
the steps involved in the development of a collection plan, with examples
and background information.
The complete Guide is available for download in
.pdf format
Making the Case for Your Building Project
Coming soon !
(Library Development Guide # 5)
The 5th title in SOLS’ Library Development Guide series, entitled
Making the Case for Your Building Project, is expected to be printed by
spring 2010 with one copy being distributed to every public library in
Ontario. Authors Robert Hubsher and Karen Watson brought to the task a
wealth of experience working with librarians and library boards, in the U.S.
as well as in Ontario, coaching them in the crucial work of translating
community needs into functional and inviting library facilities. The guide
includes new space standards that incorporate the larger space requirements
of the AODA Built Environment standards; instead of a single per capita
ratio the new standards are based on population tiers and a choice of three
levels of service.
While those libraries that have already embarked upon Infrastructure related
building projects may not need to make the case for a new or expanded
building, there will still be plenty of useful information in the guide,
including an extensive list of functional components in a library facility,
and the space implications of those components. In the new SOLS publication,
Making the Case for Your Building Project, the
authors make reference to the following two publications that will be of
particular interest to those already engaged in the design and/or
construction process:
McCarthy, Richard. Managing Your Library Construction Project. Chicago: American
Library Association, 2007. Available from the
ALA store.
Sannwald, William W. Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations,
5th Ed. Chicago: American Library
Association, 2008. Available from the
ALA store.
Trillium Public Library: Sample
Policies.
(Library Development Guide #4)
March 2009, 65 pages.
This guide assists boards with writing policies that suit the unique needs of each library.
Trillium Public
Library: Sample Policies includes samples of foundation policies, board bylaws, governance policies and operational policies. The samples help to
identify what issues to consider when developing a policy, rather than what position to take on an issue. (This guide updates and expands on the 1996 publication
Trillium Public Library Policy Manual).
The complete Guide is available to download in
pdf format.
See the Table of Contents
or Sample Policies (by topics) page to access individual policies available to download as word files.
This document is also available in
French as
Bibliothèque publique de Trillium : modèles de politiques
(Guide no. 4 du
développement des bibliothèques)
Part 2. March 2010, 29 pages.
This publication provides additional sample policies including
volunteer policies.
These samples are a starting place for policy development and should
facilitate informed discussion on policy issues.
Part 2 of the Guide is available to download in
pdf format.
See the Table of Contents
or
Sample Policies (by topics) page to access individual policies available to download as word files.
Creating the Future You’ve Imagined: a Guide to
Essential Planning, March 2007.
(Library Development Guide #3)
This publication outlines SOLS’ approach to the planning process, an approach that highlights the need for board and staff to enter
into strategic conversation as the best way to arrive at a collective understanding of the library’s essence, where it is right
now, where it should be, and what it needs to do to get from here to there. Essential Planning is a scale-able planning approach that can
be made appropriate for the small town library, the county library with geographically dispersed rural branches, and the thriving urban
library system. It recognizes that planning is an essential board and staff responsibility, but also recognizes that it represents
work that is in addition to the ongoing governance and operational work required for the provision of library service. The Essential
Planning approach was designed to be a manageable, plausible undertaking so that all boards and staff will choose to engage in
the essential work of planning for library service.
One copy of this Guide is being distributed to every public library in Ontario at no cost.
To purchase copies use the
order form.
This document is soon to be available in French
Créez l'avenir dont vous rêvez pour votre
bibliothèque : Planifier fait toute la différence!
(Guide no. 3 du développement des bibliothèques)
Coaching for Service and Success: A Guide to Performance Feedback.
August 2003, 77
pages.
(Library Development Guide #2)
Prepared by Beth Cada for SOLS. This guide is intended to coach CEOs and library supervisors through the
performance appraisal process. It is not meant to be a template, but describes and outlines an approach to performance appraisal. It
introduces best practices and manageable strategies for improving employee performance, and fostering a strong service commitment.
This document is available in pdf format
or, to order a print copy use the order form
.
This document is also available in
French (.pdf)
as
Garantir votre prestation de service :
encadrement, évaluation du rendement et rétroaction
(Guide pour le développement des bibliothèques no 2)
Prepared by Barbara Baker for SOLS. While the Guide is written primarily for the CEO's of small and medium sized libraries, it is intended to be used
by staff in all sizes and types of libraries as they deal with the staff recruitment process. The intent of the guide is to coach staff through
the process, not to provide a template. The guide links recruitment for any library position to the library's overall strategic plan, and
encourages strategic thinking about staff recruitment and how it relates to overall library service.
This document is available to download in pdf format.
Ontario Public Library Purchasing Guide. Autumn, 2004,153 pages, appendices.
Prepared by Daryl Novak and Randee Loucks of SOLS and Michael Monaghan of the
Library Services Centre (LSC). This guide is written to
assist library staff members responsible for the purchasing function. Recent changes to the Municipal Act require all public libraries to
adopt purchasing policies for their libraries even if their purchasing is done by the municipal purchasing department. Library staff often ask
about what factors to consider in analyzing vendor proposals, what they should outsource, and what they should continue to do as in-house staff
functions.
We increasingly hear of the benefits of ‘economies of scale’ and there are numerous players offering various consortia approaches to
goods and services, especially electronic products. This guide will also assist libraries to create an RFP for materials that will elicit the
lowest cost solution for the library. This guide does not provide and should not be relied upon for legal
advice or interpretation.
This document is also available in pdf format or, to order a print copy use the
order form
