Our mission is to be the best library we can be through our exceptional service, relevant resources and unwavering commitment to the enjoyment of reading, lifelong learning, intellectual freedom and community…and to have fun doing it!
The Wiggin Memorial Library’s technology plan will support the library’s mission and goals by supporting efficient access to ideas and information. It is our intention to make technology a seamless part of the services we offer to all library users and to take advantage of the unique benefits of today’s technology such as access for those with disabilities, nontraditional schedules, and others for whom library and information access has been difficult in the past.
This technology plan will assist the Library Director and the board of trustees in making informed decisions regarding technology and related issues such as staff training. This plan should be viewed within the larger context of the library’s strategic plan.
Goals
I. Goals for Public Services
Develop, implement and maintain an electronic resources program to provide timely information and resources to library users of all ages to enhance their formal education, lifelong learning, recreational and cultural pursuits. Act as a gateway to this information and these resources to assist and guide users of electronic media.
Objective 1: Maintain access to electronic services and resources in the library.
- Maintain and evaluate current subscription electronic resources and select new subscription electronic resources
- Offer and publicize all databases
- Track database usage for cost-benefit analysis and collection development
- Maintain leasing program
- Provide training for staff in using, managing and teaching the use of electronic resources (ongoing)
- Investigate hardware, software and programming options to make in-library computer use more accessible to those with disabilities
- Investigate software and programming options to make the Library Web site more accessible to those with disabilities
Objective 2: Improve the public service aspects of the in-house and online catalog and circulation system
- Upgrade to new versions as they become available and implement enhancements (ongoing)
- Maintain Web access to the library catalog and links to the World Wide Web from catalog searches and records (ongoing)
- Use statistical reports generated from automation system to evaluate use of the collection and to improve offerings (ongoing)
- Utilize Visual Search (or similar) feature more broadly to provide better access for users, and publicize this feature
- Create display and handout materials to help users navigate the online catalog
- Investigate automation systems available for future use
Objective 3: Maintain a library Web site in conjunction with making the catalog and subscription electronic resources accessible through the Web
- Develop standards and procedures for library Web publication including design standards and maintenance schedules
- Evaluate current in-house home page and revise (ongoing)
- Assign areas of content to appropriate staff members and communicate maintenance schedule to them
- Add additional capabilities to the site: I.L.L requests, newsletter subscription, standing reserve lists, etc. Incorporate interactive forms when possible
- Train staff in the navigation, use and teaching the use of the Web site (ongoing)
- Work with town administration to continue the maintenance of the town government site on the library Web site to advance the library’s role as a community information center (ongoing)
- Publicize the features of the Web site to the community and all library users (ongoing)
- Investigate ways to enable Town departments to have and/or maintain their own Web pages with distinct URLs
- Advocate for all public town information to be made available electronically
Objective 4: Maximize opportunities for communication between the library and its users
- Investigate additional phone line
- Investigate additional phone in staff work area
- Investigate use of library users’ e-mail addresses for notification of available reserves and/or overdue notification in any new automation system
- Continue to create and send “Dewey Dispatch Online Edition” via e-mail (ongoing)
- Publicize library “e-mail list” (ongoing)
- Create “feedback” form or area on the Library Web site
Objective 5: Provide instruction for the public about electronic resources in order to assist library users as they use the World Wide Web and other electronic resources both in navigation of those resources and in the evaluation of the information that they encounter.
- Assign trained staff members to teach basic Internet/WWW and other electronic resources classes to interested library users (ongoing)
- Investigate possibility of creating a mobile computer classroom whenever library space is renovated or increased
- Create a series of display and handout materials as well as electronic tutorials to explain how to use the library’s electronic resources
- Create a series of library programs about use of specific databases
- Develop ways to evaluate the public’s understanding of how to use the library’s electronic resources, including class evaluations, staff observation, etc.
II. Goals for Collection Development
Select, organize and maintain a quality collection of electronic materials and materials in all formats regarding the use of electronic resources for library and home use
Objective 1: Link from the library Web site to librarian-reviewed resources for a wide variety of ages, interests and needs
- Create a maintenance schedule to monitor links to ascertain that a link is still accessible and still useful and appropriate
- Create system for staff submission of Web site links
- Continue to provide access to at least one full text database in the library and via the library’s Web site (ongoing)
Objective 2: Convert selected local history and genealogy resources to electronic format to increase accessibility and help to preserve the collection
- Work with Stratham Historical Society and the Historic Commission to avoid duplication and coordinate efforts
- Investigate grant funding for digitization projects
Objective 3: Continue to purchase quality electronic resources and information regarding electronic resources for circulation
- Purchase and subscribe to resources which library users can utilize in order to make informed decisions about purchasing and using electronic resources (ongoing)
III. Goals for Staff Services
Use technology to maximize productivity by obtaining and maintaining the most effective and the most efficient utilization of technology resources and by training staff completely in the use of technology
Objective 1: Continue to increase staff productivity through the use of technology
- Maintain leasing program
- Maintain security on public computers to protect against changes in configuration and access to the network. (ongoing)
- Continue to evaluate procedures concerning the use of technology especially regarding use of circulation systems, looking for ways to increase usability and efficiency (ongoing)
Objective 2: Increase staff skills in using the electronic tools available
- Offer staff training on Windows, Microsoft Office, Athena, etc., either in the library or through outside educational institutions or agencies (ongoing, active goal-setting in this area)
- Identify and provide the training needed to be proficient in the use of electronic services such as World Wide Web searching, Web site evaluation, automated circulation and searching, etc. (ongoing)
- Develop techniques, training and a staff computer manual so that staff can troubleshoot simple problems and identify and communicate larger ones. (ongoing)
IV. Goals for Facilities and Equipment
Provide technology resources and environment to support the objectives of the library
Objective 1: Improve library infrastructure to support the expansion of electronic services to the public and staff
- Invest in the necessary electrical wiring and network cabling to add computers to the network and to allow easy wireless/laptop use in the library
Objective 2: Plan for the continual upgrading of operating system software and applications software and for the purchasing of new applications software that will increase staff efficiency, productivity and provide needed electronic services
- Work with staff to identify and acquire software applications that will assist in the performance of duties (ongoing)
- Purchase image software to more easily work with digital photos and make them Web-ready
- Purchase Web design software to enable library staff to maintain parts of the library Web site
Objective 3: Plan for disaster recovery to protect the library’s investment in data and staff time and to minimize downtime
- Update disaster plans and power outage plans for automated circulation systems and the LAN
- Maintain UPS protection for all computers
- Maintain current procedure of backups of circulation and catalog files and other important staff files
- Rotate backup media and store at least one recent backup off-site (ongoing)
- Implement a schedule for virus software updates on all Internet-connected computers
- Install virus protection on all new computers
V. Goals for Community Relations
Design and maintain an effective and exciting community relations program which will communicate the availability of electronic resources and promote the library
Objective 1: Market to the public the electronic resources available at and through the library
- Promote resources in online Dewey Dispatch, print Dewey Dispatch and in local news media (ongoing)
- Visit local groups in order to promote resources (ongoing)
- Invite local groups to the library to receive information about electronic resources
- Maintain the library Web site as a tool to publicize the library
Objective 2: Compile and review usage and satisfaction statistics
- Generate usage statistics:
- from electronic databases and from the library’s online catalog and use the statistics to evaluate the electronic resources offered
- Use statistics generated by the Web server software regarding use of the library Web site
- Develop ways to evaluate the public’s understanding of how to use the library’s electronic resources, including class evaluations, staff observation, etc.
- Provide the capability and opportunity for library users to transmit library suggestions and feedback electronically or in the library
VI. Goals for Interagency Cooperation
Cooperate and coordinate with other town departments, the schools, community organizations, service agencies and other libraries to improve the quality and efficiency of electronic services
Objective 1: Work with community cultural, educational, and social agencies and organizations to link Web sites and expand access to community information
- Work with town administration to continue the maintenance of the town government site on the library Web site to advance the library’s role as a community information center (ongoing)
- Assist town organizations and committees to develop and maintain informative Web pages and/or sites
- Link to local schools from the Library Web site
- Develop a target list of community organizations that may have resources useful to library users and alert them to the resources at the library Web site
- Convert selected local history and genealogy resources to electronic format in conjunction with the Stratham Historical Society and Historic Commission to increase accessibility and help to preserve the collection
- Investigate grant funding for digitization projects
Time Frames
I. Projects for Fiscal Year 2008
- Develop standards/procedures for library Web publication, including design standards, content assignments and maintenance schedules
- Publicize databases
- Utilize automated system features more broadly to provide better access to users
- Create display and handout materials to help users navigate the online catalog in the library and remotely
- Create a series of display and handout materials as well as electronic tutorials to explain how to use the library’s electronic resources
- Plan program series about using electronic resources
- Create a maintenance schedule to monitor links on the library Web site, to ascertain that a link is still accessible and still useful and appropriate
- Create system for staff submission of Web site links
- Develop techniques, training and a staff computer manual so that staff can troubleshoot simple problems and identify and communicate larger ones.
- Purchase image software to more easily work with digital photos and make them Web-ready
- Generate usage statistics from electronic databases and from the library’s online catalog and use the statistics to evaluate the electronic resources offered
- Generate usage statistics from the Web server regarding use of the library Web site
- Investigate automation systems available for future use
- Advocate for all public town information to be made available electronically
II. Projects for Fiscal Year 2009
- Add additional capabilities to the Web site: I.L.L. requests, newsletter subscription, standing reserve lists, etc. Incorporate interactive forms when possible
- Investigate ways to enable Town departments to have and/or maintain their own Web pages with distinct URLs
- Implement new automated circulation system
- Create “feedback” form or area on the Library Web site
- Invest in any necessary electrical wiring, network cabling and hardware to add computers to the network and make wireless/laptop use more accessible in the library (in conjunction with any space expansion/renovation)
- Upgrade electricity infrastructure to better support technology in conjunction with space renovation or expansion
- Implement program series about using electronic resources
- Generate usage statistics from electronic databases and from the library’s online catalog and use the statistics to evaluate the electronic resources offered
- Generate usage statistics from the Web server regarding use of the library Web site
- Purchase Web design software to enable library staff to maintain parts of the library Web site
- Assign areas of Web site content to appropriate staff members and communicate maintenance schedule to them
- Investigate possibility of creating a mobile computer classroom whenever library space is renovated or increased
- Create disaster plans and power outage plans for automated circulation system and LAN
- Investigate additional library phone line
- Investigate additional phone in staff work area
III. Projects for Fiscal Year 2010
- Work with Stratham Historical Society and the Historic Commission to convert selected local history and genealogy resources to electronic format to increase accessibility and help to preserve the collection
- Investigate grant funding for digitization projects
- Develop ways to evaluate the public’s understanding of how to use the library’s electronic resources, including class evaluations, staff observation, etc.
- Develop a target list of community organizations that may have resources useful to library users and add these resources to the library Web site
- Investigate use of library users’ e-mail addresses for notification of available reserves and/or overdue notification in any new automation system
- Investigate hardware, software and programming options to make both in-library computer use and the Library Web site more accessible to those with disabilities
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