STRATEGIC PLAN

Adopted by COLA Board January 8, 2008

MISSION:  COLA is a statewide nonprofit grassroots organization that supports libraries of all kinds to improve the quality of life of all Rhode Islanders.

[advocacy]  [education]  [public awareness]  [collaboration]  [governance]

[t i m e l i n e]

 GOAL: ADVOCACY

 COLA will be the primary statewide grassroots organization to advocate for libraries.

Objectives:

1) Develop an advocacy plan

    Strategies:

  1. By February 1 of each year, make sure representatives of each participating library organization are appointed to the COLA Board. At each Board meeting, these representatives will report on library issues.

  2. Each year, survey library users during a “COLA week” to get input about COLA and library issues.

  3. With the input from 1) and 2) above, and that of others, including library Friends' groups, devise an advocacy plan.

2) Create advocacy action response teams to implement plan

     Strategies:

  1. Convene action teams on specific issues among library organizations, including Friends’ groups, HELIN, Ocean State Libraries, as needed.

  2. Seek financial support, if and as needed, from RI library groups, others, to support work of action teams.

3) Encourage library advocacy on the local level.        

     Strategies:

  1. Create a model advocacy plan within 2 years (see Objective 1, above).

GOAL:  EDUCATION

 COLA will help to educate the lay library community about library issues, needs.

 Objectives:

1) Select 2-3 library issues or needs about which to educate the lay community, including Friends’ Groups.

    Strategies:

  1. Convene a meeting of  Friends’ and other library-related groups on one issue a year, beginning in 2008.

  2. Send COLA speakers on issues to library groups, including trustees, beginning in 2008.                

GOAL:  PUBLIC AWARENESS

 COLA will create a public relations plan to promote awareness, support of COLA.

 Objectives:

1) Develop a strong definition of COLA and its benefits, and promote to Rhode Islanders.

    Strategies:

  1. Hold a focus group, including members not on the Board, on what  they see as the benefits of membership in COLA (could be contribution to society, etc.) at a Board meeting in 2008.

  2. Write a statement of why COLA is important by the end of 2008.

2) Actively build membership in COLA.

     Strategies:

  1. Based on data from focus groups (above), develop a plan for marketing to include publications and brochures by the 25th Anniversary.                     

  2. Promote awareness of COLA to 10 nonprofit organizations by 2012.

  3. Seek funding for these strategies as needed.

3)  Plan, celebrate 25th anniversary of COLA in 2010

     Strategies:

  1. Chair will appoint Chair and Committee for celebration by March, 2008.

  2. Set date for celebration [by March, 2008] at Annual Meeting, 2010.

  3. Set criteria for event, including budget, by June, 2008.

4)  Upgrade website

    Strategy:

            COLA Chair will immediately appoint someone to work on the website.              

GOAL: COLLABORATION WITH/ ENCOURAGEMENT OF LOCAL LIBRARY SUPPORT GROUPS.

COLA will be a resource for library support groups.

Objectives:

1) Reach out to Friends’ Groups statewide

    Strategies:

  1. Appoint  COLA members to visit 2--3 Friends’ Groups beginning in March, 2008, to:

    a) inform them about COLA (fact sheet), and

                b) ask how we can support them and their objectives.

2) Help Friends’ Groups to become stronger library advocates

    Strategies:

  1. Hold a workshop on library advocacy in Fall, 2008.

  2. Collaborate on testimony on statewide issues with action teams (see above) as needed.

  3. To encourage local contact with State Senators and Representatives, add list of  Senators & Reps and contact information to website in 2008.

3) Encourage formation of Friends’ groups, especially non-public libraries (school, health, academic, special)  (Every year)

   Strategy:                                                                

  1. By 2009, guided by the results of focus groups (see above), develop a plan for working with libraries interested in forming Friends’groups.

4) Encourage partnerships with other library groups.

    Strategy:

  1. Make sure that a member of COLA attends the Annual Meeting of every library organization in the state and has a presence at these meetings.

GOAL: GOVERNANCE

COLA will improve its governance structure to accomplish its goals effectively.

Objectives:

 1) Insure that the governance of COLA  reflects the mission and goals of the organization.

    Strategies:

  1. Establish the following committees: Advocacy, Fund-Raising, Membership, Program, Friends’ Group Relations, and Public Relations.

  2. The COLA Chair will annually appoint (except for the Nominating Committee) Committee Chairs, who will appoint committee members.

  3. The COLA Chair will make sure that every Board member serves on a committee or a COLA project.

  4. The Board and Committee Chairs will seek non-Board members to be included on committees.

2) Build future leadership for COLA.

     Strategies:

  1. Write a job description of a person to work on administration for COLA.

  2. Based on the job description, seek a grant to hire such a person or outsource the work that needs to be done.

  3. Annually, provide orientation for new and continuing Board members.

3)  Make sure that COLA consistently follows policies the Board has established.

     Strategy:

  1. Develop a policy manual by appointing a person in 2008 to review COLA’s minutes from the beginning and record policy decisions made by the Board.  The Board should review these decisions and, if necessary, vote to eliminate or change conflicting policies. Future policy decisions will be added to the policy manual as they are made.

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