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The Nova Scotia Provincial Library will be hosting the Education
Institute audio conference *Creating the Future You've Imagined:
Developing a strategic plan that makes a difference* with Anne Marie
Madziak on March 28th. 

Developing a strategic plan that moves the library forward is an
important board responsibility. Crucial to that responsibility is a
shared obligation, on the part of trustees and senior staff, to enter
into conversation that allows for the sharing of diverse perspectives on
library issues. This session focuses on conversation as the primary work
of strategic planning and the best way to arrive at a collective
understanding of where the library is, where it should be, and what it
needs to do to get from here to there. Participants will be walked
through a strategic planning process, with emphasis on the collective
analysis of information and the practical work of developing strategies
that ensure that any new initiatives serve to narrow the gap between the
library's current reality and its vision of success. This new approach
to strategic planning places more emphasis on the need to engage in
conversation as a means of thinking together, leading to the creative
exchange of many possibilities before deciding on the right course of
action for the library at this particular time in its evolution. 

This session will provide: 
- A scaleable strategic planning process suitable for any public
library in any jurisdiction.
- An understanding of conversation as a means of thinking together and
collectively making sense of information gathered, collectively arriving
at an understanding of the library's mission and values, and developing
a shared vision of a successful future for the library. 
- An overview of a workshop process for identifying the strategic
directions that will form the framework of the plan, and then
identifying objectives and goals that correspond to each strategic
direction.
- Useful worksheets for various aspects of the planning process. 

Who Should Participate: 
Public library directors/ senior staff; public library trustees. 

Key Topics: 
A strategic planning framework 
The importance of conversation and strategic thinking 
The work of conducting a broad-based Situational Analysis 
6 directions of information 
The collective analysis of information 
Developing a vision of success 
Identifying strategic directions 
Writing the plan by establishing goals and tasks for each strategic
direction 
Using the plan to achieve the future you've imagined 

Presenter:
Anne Marie Madziak is a consultant with Southern Ontario Library
Service, a position she has held for the past 12 years. Her library
experience includes several positions, including children's librarian,
branch head, and library director (Chief Executive Officer). As a
consultant, Anne Marie has worked with a number of public libraries
undertaking a variety of service reviews, including collection
evaluations, needs assessments, organizational restructuring, and
amalgamation feasibility studies. She has experience working with both
staff and boards, and has been heavily involved in the strategic
planning efforts of several public libraries. 

Developed for the Education Institute by the Saskatchewan Library
Association. 

SESSION DETAILS:
Time: Wednesday, March 28th, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Place: Conference Room, Nova Scotia Provincial Library, 3770 Kempt
Road, Halifax
This session is free; parking is available in front of the building.

Please respond to Carol Morris at [log in to unmask] or by phone at
424-2477 if you would like to attend this session.  

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thank you for your cooperation.
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