WebJunction

While reading about long-range technology plans on WebJuncton, we found a related story about another librarian who needed to create a technology plan.  She used TechAtlas, a technology planning tool available through WebJunction, and it enabled her to create a long-range technology plan.  This story was of particular interest to us because our library had been revising our technology plan.  We had a couple of sample plans on hand that were fantastic, but intimidating in their scope.  The account we read inspired us to work on a new technology plan using Techatlas. 

We found that TechAtlas is divided into several discrete sections that can be used together to create a customized plan.  Our library staff and board had previously worked on a mission and a vision statement.  Filling those statements into the Envision section of TechAtlas allowed us to complete step one.  Just a few more steps to go and our library would have a professional long-range technology plan! 

Survey is the next section of TechAtlas, and has two separate sections:  Assessments and a Staff Skills Survey.  Completing these steps provided a snapshot of our library’s current technology usage.  The basic assessment questions covered a number of categories including hardware, software, networking and telecommunications, computer security, public access computing, the world wide web, and staff professional development. In the past, our library staff had taken notes and made long lists of what we should do to accomplish tasks in each one of these objectives. Sometimes we ended up with a folder of disorganized notes consisting of several intermingled categories.  We often jumped around from hardware, to networking, virus protection, etc.  The basic assessment within TechAtlas broke down each category, with most of the questions requiring a simple “yes”, “no”, or “not sure” answer.  This format helped organize the way we could view the plan as a whole. 

Information presented within TechAtlas on forming a technology team was invaluable.   Stakeholders, those whose needs and concerns to be addressed within the plan, make up the technology team and help with the decisions.  The team in our library meets once every three months and follows an agenda.  All stakeholders are involved and no one feels as though they are left out of the loop. The library board is kept abreast of decisions made at the technology team meetings and welcomes the suggestions made by that team.  Our library had previously identified and wrestled with the same issues as those penned in one of the TechAtlas recommendations:

Technology should inspire organizations to think creatively about how it can further their missions – not be a seemingly insurmountable barrier that appears impossible to cross.  However, many times it is hard to dream of mission driven technological innovations when an organization is struggling daily with fundamental technology questions and problems.

Based on the assessment questions we answered, TechAtlas automatically generated a series of objectives, each with a rationale and suggested implementation steps. The rationales were very helpful, since they use clear language to outline the importance of each objective. The implementation steps are great because they lay out a potential action plan for accomplishing each objective.

TechAtlas also includes a collection of inventory tools, including a computer inventory tool that can run on individual computers (or across a computer network) running versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system.  This inventory tool   automatically captures details about your machines and installed software.  Using this tool assisted our library in compiling an inventory of our assets including hardware, software, networks, and peripherals.  Once you have completed your inventory in TechAtlas, you can download that information in a spreadsheet file and use it to analyze the equipment.  Our city government recently asked each department to list technological assets with qualifiers for a capital development study.  The inventory created within TechAtlas gave our library a giant head start on gathering the information requested.  The same inventory details also helped when our technology committee needed to determine which computers needed to be replaced.  

Using the TechAtlas technology planning tool turned an overwhelming project into a workable plan. Inviting recommended stakeholders to be a part of the public library’s technology committee, and making educated decisions as a committee, is a much better solution than asking one library staff member to make all the planning decisions.  With a methodology to follow, our completed library technology plan was within reach.  We were also able to supplement our plan in TechAtlas with additional goals – for example, our library wanted to add wireless networking capability.  The opportunity to purchase wireless equipment arrived in the form of an award program called The On-Ramp To Better Health.  This program sought to connect senior citizens to reliable health care information.  We planned for library staff to train and educate residents visiting the county’s Senior Citizen Center.  With the Center directly across the street from the library, we planned to connect the library and the Senior Citizen Center using wireless networking technology.  With an organized technology plan to follow, this goal became a reality.