Community Assessment Project, Lead
Kitsap Regional Library, Jan-Dec 2016
I am leading our system through a community assessment project. Our Vision 2020 Strategic Plan identified a need to learn about our community in greater depth, which led to an annual goal to implement the project this year. I am leading the design and implementation for our system. I always enjoy taking on this exciting challenge, but I am particularly inspired by this project! I'm blown away that our system is willing to take an entire year to listen to our community in a variety of ways. With this strong foundation of community understanding, we will be able to make our community the center of future decision-making. While librarians always strive to make the library the heart of the community, this project will also let us make the community the heart of the library.
As with any project, I begin with the strategic plan and follow that down to annual and then project goals. I want any initiative that takes time and resources to play a clear role in helping our organization and our community achieve not just momentary success, but its long-term, big-picture aspirations. For this project, they are:
Vision 2020: Initiative - Our Community. Goal – Help identify community needs in areas served by Kitsap Regional Library and determine what existing or new library services might help address those needs.
Library Goal 2016: Develop and implement system-wide community analysis project.
Project Goal: To develop a rich understanding of the community we serve, which we can later use to:
At this point, I make sure to identify the key stakeholders in the process and decide how to involve them. Because this project will have significant impacts on our patron-facing services, I have a core team of advisors and advocates in leadership within public services and community relations, who were involved in reviewing the initial plan and give continuous feedback. Next, I pulled together a team of adult services librarians for the research phase, and a team of staff with strong people skills from all branches and in various positions for the conversation phase. These teams did not participate in crafting the initial plan, but do participate in both implementation and the following evaluation.
Project Overview:
We will accomplish this goal by analyzing our community in multiple ways, both quantitative and qualitative. During this process, we will learn about our community through data, identify and strategically dialogue with key communities and community leaders, and engage the public in conversation.
First, we will gather quantitative data about our community, both at the level of individual regions and Kitsap County as a whole.
Next, we will use that data to identify groups we want to talk with in more depth. We will host facilitated conversations around the county, some targeting specific populations and some entirely open, to understand the aspirations of our community. At the same time, we will reach out to community leaders for 1-on-1 structured discussions. Both the group and individual discussions will focus on people’s hopes and dreams for their community, not only their library.
These conversations will be based on the Libraries Transforming Communities initiative from ALA. In partnership with The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, ALA has developed a free workbook that includes all training and facilitation materials for community conversations like ours. This model focuses on “turning outward,” asking people to talk about their community aspirations rather than their library use. This will allow us to later create services that clearly tie into larger community needs. Many libraries around the country have already successfully utilized this model, including Spokane County Public Library.
With the results of both our research and conversations, we will assemble a report and a presentation about the makeup and most pressing needs of our community. Future projects, from the levy campaign to program planning and evaluation, will rely on this report to ensure that all our actions are creating meaningful impacts for our community.
Finally, we need to ensure that this understanding does not end with this project. After the report is completed, all participants will debrief on the experience to identify what worked well and should be replicated, and what we still need to do. We will use that reflection to build an action plan for maintaining and refreshing this crucial community knowledge for years to come.
Read the full project plan here.
Review the final data analysis report here.
As with any project, I begin with the strategic plan and follow that down to annual and then project goals. I want any initiative that takes time and resources to play a clear role in helping our organization and our community achieve not just momentary success, but its long-term, big-picture aspirations. For this project, they are:
Vision 2020: Initiative - Our Community. Goal – Help identify community needs in areas served by Kitsap Regional Library and determine what existing or new library services might help address those needs.
Library Goal 2016: Develop and implement system-wide community analysis project.
Project Goal: To develop a rich understanding of the community we serve, which we can later use to:
- Guide development and evaluation of programs and services that inspire our community.
- Position the library for levy success by gathering information and raising awareness of the library as an essential community leader and connector.
At this point, I make sure to identify the key stakeholders in the process and decide how to involve them. Because this project will have significant impacts on our patron-facing services, I have a core team of advisors and advocates in leadership within public services and community relations, who were involved in reviewing the initial plan and give continuous feedback. Next, I pulled together a team of adult services librarians for the research phase, and a team of staff with strong people skills from all branches and in various positions for the conversation phase. These teams did not participate in crafting the initial plan, but do participate in both implementation and the following evaluation.
Project Overview:
We will accomplish this goal by analyzing our community in multiple ways, both quantitative and qualitative. During this process, we will learn about our community through data, identify and strategically dialogue with key communities and community leaders, and engage the public in conversation.
First, we will gather quantitative data about our community, both at the level of individual regions and Kitsap County as a whole.
Next, we will use that data to identify groups we want to talk with in more depth. We will host facilitated conversations around the county, some targeting specific populations and some entirely open, to understand the aspirations of our community. At the same time, we will reach out to community leaders for 1-on-1 structured discussions. Both the group and individual discussions will focus on people’s hopes and dreams for their community, not only their library.
These conversations will be based on the Libraries Transforming Communities initiative from ALA. In partnership with The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, ALA has developed a free workbook that includes all training and facilitation materials for community conversations like ours. This model focuses on “turning outward,” asking people to talk about their community aspirations rather than their library use. This will allow us to later create services that clearly tie into larger community needs. Many libraries around the country have already successfully utilized this model, including Spokane County Public Library.
With the results of both our research and conversations, we will assemble a report and a presentation about the makeup and most pressing needs of our community. Future projects, from the levy campaign to program planning and evaluation, will rely on this report to ensure that all our actions are creating meaningful impacts for our community.
Finally, we need to ensure that this understanding does not end with this project. After the report is completed, all participants will debrief on the experience to identify what worked well and should be replicated, and what we still need to do. We will use that reflection to build an action plan for maintaining and refreshing this crucial community knowledge for years to come.
Read the full project plan here.
Review the final data analysis report here.
One Book, One Community
Kitsap Regional Library, 2016-7
Each year, Kitsap Regional Library holds this community reading program. It is aimed primarily at adults, but teen readers are welcome and encouraged to participate as well. I became the lead on this initiative in 2016. Previously, it had been led by a consultant.
Integrating One Book into our main adult services structure created more team ownership for this flagship program. It no longer felt like a separate initiative, but a core piece of our work. This perception shift made changes to the program much easier, as staff felt like part of the process.
In my first year, we did make some significant changes to the process of One Book. In the past, selection was done in a short period of time by a large committee that turned over every year. This allowed many voices to participate, but also created an unwieldy decision-making process with limited accountability and engagement from the participants. I shrank the size of the committee significantly, and tasked the participants with seeking out opinions and perceptions from their branches. The new committee works throughout the year, reading and sharing recommendations regularly instead of in short, heavy bursts that were unrealistic for some staff. Terms are two years, staggered to preserve a mix of expertise and fresh perspectives. The resulting selection clearly fit our One Book criteria, came out of a process all staff understood and could support, and was augmented by creative new ideas suggested by highly passionate and engaged committee members.
One of those ideas was to couple One Book with Summer Learning, so our two largest programs of the year connected to keep patrons engaged all year. We made a copy of the One Book title a prize for adults who completed Summer Learning. We hope to build anticipation among our heavy readers, encouraging them and their friends and family to participate in both programs. Winning the summer prize increases awareness of One Book, and during One Book programs we will be able to encourage people to participate in next year's Summer Learning. This efficient use of our grant and donation funds for giveaways has also won enthusiastic support from our Foundation and donors.
We had a wonderful time selecting the 2016/7 One Book, One Community, and I can't wait to see staff's sense of fun and excitement shared with our patrons.
Integrating One Book into our main adult services structure created more team ownership for this flagship program. It no longer felt like a separate initiative, but a core piece of our work. This perception shift made changes to the program much easier, as staff felt like part of the process.
In my first year, we did make some significant changes to the process of One Book. In the past, selection was done in a short period of time by a large committee that turned over every year. This allowed many voices to participate, but also created an unwieldy decision-making process with limited accountability and engagement from the participants. I shrank the size of the committee significantly, and tasked the participants with seeking out opinions and perceptions from their branches. The new committee works throughout the year, reading and sharing recommendations regularly instead of in short, heavy bursts that were unrealistic for some staff. Terms are two years, staggered to preserve a mix of expertise and fresh perspectives. The resulting selection clearly fit our One Book criteria, came out of a process all staff understood and could support, and was augmented by creative new ideas suggested by highly passionate and engaged committee members.
One of those ideas was to couple One Book with Summer Learning, so our two largest programs of the year connected to keep patrons engaged all year. We made a copy of the One Book title a prize for adults who completed Summer Learning. We hope to build anticipation among our heavy readers, encouraging them and their friends and family to participate in both programs. Winning the summer prize increases awareness of One Book, and during One Book programs we will be able to encourage people to participate in next year's Summer Learning. This efficient use of our grant and donation funds for giveaways has also won enthusiastic support from our Foundation and donors.
We had a wonderful time selecting the 2016/7 One Book, One Community, and I can't wait to see staff's sense of fun and excitement shared with our patrons.
MLIS Candidate Cohort Pilot
Kitsap Regional Library, 2015-6
I created this project because I observed an unmet need within our organization.
After being unable to hire a promising internal candidate, a current MLIS student, into an open librarian position, I realized our MLIS students on staff needed more opportunities for professional development and support.
Creating professional development opportunities for our MLIS students is the definition of win-win. It provides a benefit to our employees, making them happier at work and helping them balance work and school; and it provides a benefit to the organization by improving retention and strengthening our talent pipeline as an important piece of our succession planning. Students get to engage in creative and rewarding projects at work, and the Library improves our service with their fresh perspectives and up-to-date education.
The goals are:
Vision 2020 Strategic Plan: Initiative - Our People. Goal - Develop a clear career path for Kitsap Regional Library staff who wish to advance within the organization.
Project Goal: By creating an internal program to support these individuals while enrolled and recently graduated, the library can help prepare them for the librarian workforce, and build our own local pool of talent ready to advance within KRL.
The key stakeholders are the current MLIS students on staff. I contacted each of them to find out what kind of support would be most meaningful for them, and had them review drafts of the project plan to ensure its implementation would meet their needs effectively.
I led the pilot of this project for six months. When complete, evaluations showed that the project should become permanent. In what I often see as the ultimate mark of success for a project, it is now self-sustaining. The MLIS students themselves are responsible for their own cohort, with minimal oversight and support from HR. While I miss getting to learn from our vibrant group of students every month, I am thrilled to see what they are now accomplishing on their own.
Read the full plan here.
After being unable to hire a promising internal candidate, a current MLIS student, into an open librarian position, I realized our MLIS students on staff needed more opportunities for professional development and support.
Creating professional development opportunities for our MLIS students is the definition of win-win. It provides a benefit to our employees, making them happier at work and helping them balance work and school; and it provides a benefit to the organization by improving retention and strengthening our talent pipeline as an important piece of our succession planning. Students get to engage in creative and rewarding projects at work, and the Library improves our service with their fresh perspectives and up-to-date education.
The goals are:
Vision 2020 Strategic Plan: Initiative - Our People. Goal - Develop a clear career path for Kitsap Regional Library staff who wish to advance within the organization.
Project Goal: By creating an internal program to support these individuals while enrolled and recently graduated, the library can help prepare them for the librarian workforce, and build our own local pool of talent ready to advance within KRL.
The key stakeholders are the current MLIS students on staff. I contacted each of them to find out what kind of support would be most meaningful for them, and had them review drafts of the project plan to ensure its implementation would meet their needs effectively.
I led the pilot of this project for six months. When complete, evaluations showed that the project should become permanent. In what I often see as the ultimate mark of success for a project, it is now self-sustaining. The MLIS students themselves are responsible for their own cohort, with minimal oversight and support from HR. While I miss getting to learn from our vibrant group of students every month, I am thrilled to see what they are now accomplishing on their own.
Read the full plan here.
