Writing goals and objectives is one of the most challenging parts of the technology planning process. Goals and objectives are key to demonstrating the path that the library will take to maintain, improve and expand services to patrons and staff. While this article will focus on the content of the goals and objectives, be aware that a fair amount of work needs to be done before the writing can even begin. Gathering details about current usage of library resources, future needs, staffing levels, etc will all be necessary to help write clear goals and objectives and should be considered equally important.
One of the biggest questions surrounding the writing of goals and objectives is, “What’s the difference between a goal and an objective?” Here are some defining characteristics of each component:
Goals are defined by the following characteristics:
· they emerge because of what you know about your particular community.
· are intentions that are directed toward particular clientele or particular topics.
· are more specific than the vision statement.
· are different from objectives in that they are not connected to a timeline.
Objectives are defined by the following characteristics:
· are measurable, precise timetables for action.
· can be crossed off when finished.
· state who will do what and when.
· can be assigned to specific staff members or departments.
· stem directly from the goals; there may be multiple objectives for each goal.
Additionally, when you write a goal, it is an intention, something you would like to work toward. This is not a description of what you are doing. The content of the goal may relate to:
· Services, including programming
· Collections
· Staffing
· Fund raising
· Space
· Technology
Goals and Objectives should be SMART
A great way to see if you are on the right track when composing the goals and objectives is to use the SMART acronym. This can help you write a plan that is clearly understood by the library’s various stakeholders (staff, board members, funders, etc) and that can be implemented smoothly. The acronym stands for:
· Specific – Be clear about what needs to be done. Someone other than the person who wrote the plan should be able to clearly see the intended technology path and what will need to be done to successful.
· Measureable – Refer to specific measurements to gauge success. Use details like how many, an expected percentage increase in usage or rate of participation to establish a measurable success rate.
· Attainable – Are there sufficient resources, staff time, budget to achieve goal/objective? When referencing staff resources, state the position in the library that will be responsible for completing the task so that a clear picture can develop about the amount of work that will be delegated.
· Relevant – Does the objective support the goal and does the goal support the library’s mission? The projects and activities that the library undertakes should be in direct support of the mission.
· Time bound – When should the objective be completed or measured?
Writing in the SMART style helps to insure that expectations are clear from the beginning and to keep the plan on track. However, it is important to remember that things can change! If you can no longer achieve the goals set out in your plan, document those challenges or barriers and explain why things were changed.
For printable worksheets and additional information on the planning process, visit the New Pathways to Planning resource: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/pathway/goals.html
Example Goals and Objectives
Goal 1: Expand and enhance public and staff access to library and electronic information resources through our website.
Objectives:
a. Replace the library’s web server and software by August of 2010.
b. Form a web committee comprised of representatives from each department by January 2009 to evaluate resources that should be included in the site and to make a schedule to routinely update these resources.
c. The outreach coordinator will develop marketing materials to promote the site and aim to increase traffic to the site by 20% after 6 months.
d. The head of reference will establish a list of website competencies for staff and will offer 2 training sessions to familiarize staff with the resources on the library’s site by March 2009.
Goal 2:Free access to information, materials and services to all members of Blank Community will be improved as a result of the Blank Public Library's participation in regional and statewide networks.
Objectives:
Objectives:
a. 90% of library staff will receive training from the continuing education specialist by March 2010 for using online databases available from the statewide network.
b. The staff of Blank Public Library will promote a different database each month both in the library and on our website. A series of flyers will be created by June 2010 and will begin a rotation in the reference display area. The web administrator will update the website monthly with the chosen database feature.
c. The Blank Public Library will collect monthly statistics on the usage of statewide database so that we can inform our decisions regarding promotion and the importance of having these databases available to our staff and patrons. These statistics will be reviewed quarterly by our reference department.
This article was based on content that was originally developed by Patti Butcher, Martha Hale and Cindi Hickey as a Northeast Kansas Library System project called New Pathways to Planning. It was updated and modified by Kendra Morgan.
Resources
Alliance for Nonprofit Management. Frequently Asked Questions-Strategic Planning http://www.allianceonline.org/FAQ/strategic_planning (accessed March 16, 2009)
Butcher, Patti; Martha Hale and Cindi Hickey. “New Pathways to Planning”, http://skyways.lib.ks.us/pathway/sitemap.html (accessed March 16, 2009)
Kouzes, James M. and Posner, Barry Z. (1996, May-June). The Futurist. pp. 14-19.
RapidBI. How to write SMART objectives and SMARTer objectives. http://www.rapidbi.com/created/WriteSMARTobjectives.html (accessed March 16, 2009)
