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Service Goals
FY 2006 - FY 2010

Mission

Our mission is to foster, encourage, enable and coordinate services and resource sharing among the public libraries of Jefferson County.

Value Statements

  • We work together to provide the best public library services, information technology and telecommunications in the world to the citizens of our county.
  • We believe that our strength comes from our diversity, our unity of purpose and our dedication to excellent service.
  • By working together and with other institutions we further strengthen public library service and lifelong learning for all citizens of Jefferson County.
  • We believe that providing virtual services enhances our citizens’ lives by providing faster, more convenient access.
A. Information Literacy – General Information

GOAL A-I: Public service providers in JCLC will have the skills they need to provide a consistent, high level of service countywide.

Objective 1: All JCLC staff members will be trained in computer literacy, database search techniques and maneuvering through the databases including the federated search engine and all features of the Innovative Millennium system.

Timeframe: Ongoing

Responsibility: Training Committee

Activities:

  • Assess skill levels of current staff.
  • Determine skill levels needed by job classification.
  • Develop specific levels and areas of training (basic, intermediate, and advanced) to support this objective.

Objective 2: Member library staff will have access to system procedures, changes, training resources, policies, problems, and solutions related to the integrated online system.

Timeframe: 2006

Responsibility: Countywide committee

Activities:

  • Develop method for instant communication (ex. Listserv, electronic bulletin board).
  • Develop program to provide staff assistance for all aspects of ILS.
  • Write and develop an ILS training and procedures manual.
  • Develop a reporting and tracking system for ILS problems similar to Track-It!

GOAL A-II: Library users in Jefferson County will have the skills they need to use databases to evaluate and utilize information to meet their business, educational, and personal information needs.

Objective: The number of library users who have received training on library databases will increase 5%.

Timeframe: 5% annually after baseline year

Responsibility: Member Libraries/Training Committee

Activities:

  • Develop measurement protocol to establish first year baseline (FY2006).
  • Develop training plan and implement.
  • Promote use of federated search engine as the first search strategy.
  • Obtain statistics using PC reservation and print control software and the federated search engine.
  • Develop marketing campaign to educate public emphasizing accuracy of online databases over Internet use and explain the difference between the two.
  • Offer model for public training classes on database use.
  • Develop training aids for staff to use in training individual library users (Reference Roundtable).
  • Evaluate use of federated search engine and training requirements in terms of numbers and satisfaction.
B. Lifelong Learning

GOAL B-I: The citizens of Jefferson County will know that they can access resources and services for lifelong learning through their local library to fulfill their need for personal interest and education.

Objective 1: The number of people attending adult programs and classes will increase by 5% countywide.

Objective 2: The percentage of the total population holding a library card will increase by 5%.

Objective 3: The number of circulating materials will increase by 5% countywide.

Objective 4: Use of online databases will increase by 5%.

Timeframe: Annually

Responsibility: Public Relations Committee

Activities:

  • Develop measurement protocol and determine a baseline.
  • Develop countywide membership program with outreach component for all ages.
  • Develop marketing campaign to increase awareness for Library as a tool for lifelong learning.
  • Develop programs with collection emphasis to encourage new members and continued usage.
  • Continue current campaigns: i.e. License to Read, September library card campaign, summer reading programs, NLW campaign.
  • Collect statistics on adult classes/programs countywide.
  • Plan for virtual services when feasible.

GOAL B-II: Staff in Jefferson County libraries will be skilled in providing information and services to users who are interested in pursuing their ongoing educational opportunities and personal growth.

Objective: Each year staff that plan adult programs will attend 2 training sessions on developing programs of interest to adults.

Timeframe: Annually

Responsibility: Member libraries, Reference Round Table & Readers’ Advisory Committee

Activities:

  • Determine if and where service is needed.
  • Develop training components (JCPLA roundtables) on their respective specialty.
  • Investigate community programs available to complement library resources to avoid duplication of efforts.
  • Target groups/topics, locations for programs, etc.
  • Investigate the development of an online database of performers and programs, similar to the Ohio Library System’s Performer’s Showcase online or the Greater Cincinnati Library Consortium’s programs database.

GOAL B-III: Library users in Jefferson County will have access to materials on a wide variety of topics to address their need for ongoing educational opportunities and their desire for personal growth.

Objective 1: The usage of nonfiction library materials in all formats will increase by 5% countywide.

Timeframe: Annually

Responsibility: Member libraries

Activities:

  • Establish baseline for nonfiction circulating and online resource usage.
  • Evaluate need for non-fiction in formats other than books.
  • Evaluate what libraries have now and the topics that are requested and used most for non-fiction formats.
  • Determine top 25 topics of non-fiction categories by community and which lend to media and distribute information to member libraries.
  • Encourage collection development in top 25 topics.
  • Work toward providing countywide databases and online resources using shared costs across the county.

Objective 2: Provide online and telephone reference services to citizens of Jefferson County as needed.

Timeframe: By 2009

Responsibility: Reference Roundtable

Activities:

  • Investigate and evaluate the need to provide reference services online and or by telephone 24/7.
  • Investigate and compare costs and feasibility of locally provided reference services to commercial providers of 24/7 reference services.
C. Current Topics and Titles

GOAL C-I: Library users in Jefferson County will be able to borrow and return library materials in all formats to any facility they choose in order to meet their need for convenient, timely service.

Objective: Non-print materials will be delivered, borrowed and returned in the same manner as print materials by participating libraries.

Timeframe: By 2009

Responsibility: Member libraries

Activities:

  • Quantify issues related to the implementation of this service countywide.
  • Determine citizen desire and need for this service and which libraries would be equipped to participate in a pilot program.
  • Establish a base line of current damage to date.
  • Plan for solutions to any problems discovered and develop procedures.
  • Investigate safe and secure methods of transporting multipart non-print materials.
  • Evaluate costs of upgrading current delivery system vehicles vs. contracting for services.
  • Investigate system wide circulating rotating media collections.

GOAL C-II: Readers in Jefferson County will have ready access to suggestions to stimulate their reading interests and facilitate the discussion of what they read.

Objective 1:Staff will identify ways for the public to use libraries’ web sites interactively for readers’ advisory services.

Objective 2: Develop book discussion kits for member libraries and/or patrons to assist and promote book discussion group programs and resources.

Objective 3:Collaborate with member libraries to provide more author programs.

Timeframe:2 years

Responsibility: Readers Advisory Roundtable

Activities:

  • Develop online reading lists, ex. bibliographies, pathfinders.
  • Develop readers’ advisory Web site - allowing immediate access to reserves (check Tech Plan).
  • Develop component for public reviews and comments, ex. Amazon.com  readers’ reviews.
  • Expand online book groups.
  • Investigate technology to use other media such as video, sound and pictures to provide book talks.
  • Evaluate vendor provided readers’ advisory services, such as BookLetters as a means of providing current suggestions online to readers. (example at www.hooverlibrary.org)
  • Promote and evaluate these services.

GOAL C-III: Citizens of Jefferson County will have opportunities to participate in a "One County - One Book" reading program.

Objective: Provide a "One County - One Book" program bi-annually.

Timeframe: By 2008, JCLC’s 30th anniversary

Responsibility: Countywide committees, including Readers’ Advisory Round Table, will coordinate.

Activities:

  • Investigate other successful "One City/County - One book" reading programs.
  • Plan "One County - One Book" using best practices and local needs and resources.
  • Determine viability, interest and funding of designed programs to be presented at multiple locations throughout the county seeking support of mayors, bookstores, and media.
  • Recruit cosponsors to provide financial and promotional support for the program.
  • Investigate possible grant sources.
  • Develop marketing campaign.

GOAL C-IV: The citizens of Jefferson County will have fast access to popular titles in order to satisfy their demand for information about popular topics, trends, and current events.

Objective: Promote fast access to popular titles throughout Jefferson County.

Timeframe: By 2008

Responsibility: Countywide committee

Activities:

  • Quantify current practices by member libraries in providing access to bestsellers and popular materials.
  • Investigate BPL’s Best Seller club and other methods of fast access.
  • Survey libraries to determine interest.
  • Evaluate costs for implementation: budget requirements – staff and materials, purchasing requirements, six-day van delivery, etc.
  • Develop a pilot program, with training component.