Libraries without walls – Strategic plan for public libraries.

– Premier Campbell asked for a strategic plan for libraries back in 2001. Ministry consulted with stakeholders.
– Plan was then taken to cabinet and to treasury board. Got all the money they asked for. 12M over 3 years.
– will be reviewed after 3 years.

– strategic direction 1 – equitable access to info.
– Free access. Equitable access. Other funding perused. No forced amalgamations. Participation voluntary.
– funding 3m this year, 4k next, 5k after that.
– all libraries to h?e high speed internet. 400k to that.
– province wide suite of database products. Approx 2m. Will be licensed for every person in the province. *** should free up cash on the db’s we already purchase.
– virtual reference, approx 175k. Will probably partner with academic libraries on this.
– one card throughout the province. Will take some work, but for database access this is a must.
– Gateway is a portal to present what we have available as a province as a whole.
– strategy 2 – encourage collaboration.
– establish library federations.
– multi type library partnerships. Virtual ref is an example of this.
– partnerships with province, federal, and private sector. Books for babies is a good example of this.
– strategic direction 3 – governance reform
– will review the library act.
– develop performance measures.
– strategy direction 4 – targeted grant program.
– standards based hardware software problems.
– collaborative systems solutions.
– not building, but actual program funding.
– wireless in the libraries.

– what the branch can do is through persuasion and influence. Want to influence especially in the technology area.
– need library systems with z39.50 capability to take part in the gateway.

Leave a Reply