Links reviewed and updated December, 2011.

Once you have completed your library technology plan, it's essential to regularly review it an make sure that it is current and still relevant to how technology is really being used in the library. A technology plan that is simply filed away in a drawer and never referred to is a document that has no value to the library. Therefore, it's important to create an evaluation strategy for your library technology plan. 

If your library applies for Priority 2 E-rate funding, there is also a required evaluation component. As stated in the E-rate technology planning requirements of the Universal Service Administrative Company:

"The plan must include an evaluation process that enables the school or library to monitor progress toward the specified goals and make mid-course corrections in response to new developments and opportunities as they arise."

To help you think through the creation of an evaluation process, take a look at Kendra Morgan's article on Technology Planning Evaluation.  This article will help you to determine a strategy and identify key players for evaluating your technology plan. 

Another great resource is the New Mexico State Library's Checklist for a Library Technology Plan, which you can use as a template to create your own evaluation process.  This can serve the dual purpose of making sure that no key components of the plan are missing, but also making sure that your evaluation process looks at the entire technology plan.  If you update one section of your technology plan, use this checklist or one of your own creation to review the entire document and verify that changes to one section are reflected in all other sections of the plan that are impacted by the update.

In addition, we have video excerpts from the Technology Planning for Public Libraries session presented at the Internet Librarian 2005 conference.  WebJunction organized this session featuring several technology planning experts and practitioners, including the following presenters who spoke specifically about evaluation:

• Brenda Hough on Evaluating Your Technology Plan.
• Christopher Jowaisas on Outcomes-Based Planning and Evaluation.