RESULTS – STATE LIBRARY FY09 STRATEGIC PLAN

1)    Promote high quality library services for all Iowans through the use of technology.

       Develop a statewide shared library automation system.     

       1a)  Create a State Lib shared automation team.  Begin development & fundraising.  Meet with statewide advisory group.
        
       1a)  Alan Schmitz, Marie Harms and Mary Wegner visited Georgia in October and met with Georgia state library staff and Evergreen open source library automation software developers; also visited two public libraries to see Evergreen performance in the field.  Harms and Sandy Dixon presented a session on Evergreen software and State Library plans at the October Iowa Library Association conference.  Schmitz and Harms attended an Evergreen Open Source Software conference in Atlanta in spring 2009.  The difficult budget situation has slowed the development of a statewide shared automation system in Iowa but the dream remains and we will continue to work on it.
      

       Increase statewide availability of subscription databases
and other digital resources.     

       1b)  Seek funding for LearningExpressLib, a test preparation database.
      
       1b)  The Iowa Library Association 2009 Legislative Agenda included a plank requesting funding for test preparation software but the legislature did not provide funds for the database.  Wegner and Dixon discussed Learning Express Library and what it can do for job seekers with Iowa Workforce Development.  Statewide pricing has been negotiated, but funding for the database has not been secured as of June 30, 2009.
       

       Encourage public libraries to upgrade the speed of their Internet service.
 

       1c)  Update the State Library's information about Iowa public libraries internet access; identify partners within state government who promote high speed internet in Iowa communities. 
     
       1c)  Scott Dermont worked closely with Iowa public libraries to encourage them to participate in a national broadband assessment project of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  Every public library in the state was asked to respond to survey questions about their Internet availability and bandwidth.  We received the results from the Gates Foundation and corrected some of the data.  Wegner shared with data with the Iowa Utilities Board and the ICN.
       

       Enhance the Putting Librarie on the Web program by developing
new features & adding new libraries.      

       1d)  Convert PLOW libraries to Plone 3.0; begin training PLOW round 3 libraries in Feb 09.
      
       1d) Marie Harms and a contract trainer completed the training for PLOW Round 3; 38 libraries participated.  328 PLOW Web sites were converted to Plone 3.3.  A new class called “PLOW training for library staff”, for staff members of PLOW libraries who will update and add content to their library’s Web site, was developed and offered in FY09. 
      

       Help libraries use technology to provide services and solve problems.
   

       1e)  Convert State Library computers to Office 2007; train more State Library staff to use Wimba; introduce State Library staff to new technology at regular staff meetings and special events.
     

2)    Strengthen the capacity of Iowa libraries of all types and sizes to provide the best possible library service to Iowans.      

       2a)  Develop and offer Introduction to Youth Services course; publish new editions of the trustee and public library director handbooks.
     
       2a)  The 2009 Iowa Public Library Trustee’s Handbook was published and distributed to public libraries.  Karen Randleman created an outline for the Introduction to Youth Services course.  The Iowa Public Library Director’s Handbook was delayed due to a staff vacancy.
      

       Improve public library funding.
     

       2b)  Use 2008 Town Meetings to inform public libraries about the special library levy and community foundations.  Add a question to the 2009 public library annual survey about library foundations.  Continue to advocate for adequate funding for Open Access and Access Plus.
      
       2b)  Sandy Dixon and Mary Wegner taught a session about the special library levy and community foundations at the 2008 Town Meetings.  A question about library foundations was added to the public library annual survey.   The Enrich Iowa report for FY08, with statistics about the growth in Open Access and Access Plus, was developed and distributed to legislators and other stakeholders.  Wegner discussed funding for Open Access/Access Plus with the Iowa legislature’s Education Appropriations committee; librarians and library supporters lobbied for Open Access and Access Plus funding.  Enrich Iowa funding (including Open Access and Access Plus) was not cut for FY10, even though most other state funding was reduced.
      

       Update public library standards.
     

       2c)  Review number and percent of public libraries meeting each standard.
      
       2c)  Scott Dermont researched and identified public library standards that need better explanation; standards that libraries have difficulty meeting; and ideas for new standards.
      

       Improve public library district legislation.
    

       2d)  Revise public library district legislation and have it introduced in the 2009 legislative session.
      
       2d) The State Library’s proposed revision of the Iowa Code chapter on public library districts, drafted by Sandy Dixon and Wegner, was submitted to the legislature.  Due to questions about district funding, the legislation was dropped.  Tentative plans are to re-introduce it in 2010.
      

       Enhance knowledge and skills of State Library staff to provide leadership
and consulting services to our constituents.
    

       2e)  Initiate a State Library staff inservice day in FY09.
     
       2e)  All staff attended State sponsored diversity training.  A State Library all staff in-service was not provided due to a staff vacancy.  Plans are to offer it in December, 2009.
      

       Continue to work closely with the Library Service Areas, Iowa Library Association, Iowa Department of Education & Area Education Agencies to best equip Iowa libraries to provide high quality services. 
  

       2f)  Maintain communications through monthly meetings or other regular channels of information sharing.
      
       2f) Mary Wegner attended meetings with the AEAs, Iowa Library Association Executive Board, Regents university library directors, Iowa urban public libraries, Iowa private academic libraries, Iowa Library Association-College and Research Libraries chapter, University of Iowa library school advisory group and others.  Wegner, Dixon and library development staff attended meetings with the LSAs.  Dixon attended meetings of the Iowa Small Libraries Association, Iowa Libraries of Medium Size and one board meeting in each LSA.
     

3)    Build the capacity of Iowa libraries of all types and sizes to prepare Iowans for a bright future and enhance Iowa’s quality of life.

       Position Iowa libraries as essential civic institutions and centers for community gatherings, lifelong learning, workforce and economic development.
  

       3a)  Address “The Engaged Library” in 2008 Town Meetings; provide an abbreviated program for public library trustees.  
  
       3a)   State Library staff presented The Engaged Library at 2008 Town Meetings; 407 attended.  A similar program was offered for trustees and city officials; 103 attended.  Sandy Dixon worked with Ames Public Library and ISU Extension to write a Smart Investing grant request to ALA.  Annette Wetteland attended the national Center for the Book Idea Exchange, with 39 states represented.  Wegner and Dixon met with administrators from Iowa Workforce Development to begin to develop a partnership between Iowa Workforce Development and public libraries.        
      

       Prepare library directors to be community builders and leaders who are responsive to changing community needs. 
  

       3b)  Address community building and leadership in 2008 Town Meetings; provide a program for public library trustees.
      
       3b)  The Engaged Library at 2008 Town Meetings addressed community building and leadership; a similar program was offered for trustees and city officials.  The State Library agreed to work with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau to send booster seat safety information to public libraries.  We also worked with the federal Social Security Administration to encourage public libraries to provide information about Social Security benefits and stimulus payments to their customers.  We provided information about job seeking and careers and suggested libraries add the content to their Web sites.
      

       Help libraries improve services to immigrants and older adults.
     

       3c)  Hire a library consultant to work with public libraries on developing services for older adults; begin development of an Adult Services section on the State Library Web site. 
    
       3c)  Alysia Peich was hired as library consultant effective July 1, 2009.  She will work with public libraries on services and programs for older adults.
      

       Help libraries improve services to teens, to ensure that they are
prepared for success.
  

       3d)  Increase the number of teen summer library program workshops offered from three to four; offer sessions on serving teens at 2009 KidsFirst.
      
       3d) The number of teen summer library program workshops were increased from three to four; 176 librarians attended.  Eight summer library program workshops have been scheduled for fall 2009 and each will cover both children’s and teens’ topics.  One of the days at the Kids First conference focused on serving teens.
      

       Provide statewide training to librarians on the fundamentals of early childhood literacy to ensure that all children are ready to learn upon entry to school.  
 

       3e)  Offer at least one statewide workshop on the fundamentals of early childhood literacy.
      
       3e)  Karen Randleman taught two ICN sessions on early childhood literacy fundamentals:  “Early Literacy for Story Hour”; 70 librarians attended.  Sessions on early literacy were also offered at the Kids First conference.
     

4)    Ensure access to unique Iowa collections.      

       Improve access to statistics about Iowa’s population & economy. 
  

       4a)  Redesign the State Data Center Web site.
      
       4a) The State Library purchased and installed Cognos 8 Business Intelligence software and a server to provide the platform for the new Web site. Gary Krob and Beth Henning each attended eight classes for the software and began the conversion of existing data to the new software.
      

       Expand and publicize Iowa Publications Online.
  

       4b)  Add 1300 new documents to Iowa Publications Online; promote IPO at least four different ways.
      
       4b)  924 documents were added to IPO. More than 800 documents in .doc format in IPO were duplicated in .docx format to ensure future access. IPO was promoted in the July State Library Update, through a handout during our annual Door-to-Door promotion, via email to state of Iowa webmasters and Tom taught in a class for IPO depositors for National Library Week in April.
      

       Develop the Iowa Heritage Digital Collection.

       4c)  Transfer the CONTENTdm license & responsibility for the Iowa Heritage Digital Collection to the State Library; create the State Library’s Digital Projects Team.
     
       4c)  The CONTENTdm license was transferred to the State Library from the University of IA Library; the Digital Projects Team was named and met several times. The Team spent a day with a digital projects consultant from BCR. Barb Corson revised and updated documentation for the new IHDC Web site.
      

      Promote the State Library’s special collections in law and materials about Iowa.
     

       4d)  Promote the Law Library to the public at least three different ways; promote the Iowa collection at least three different ways.  Establish baseline use measures in FY09.
      
       4d)  Law Library Services were promoted in all four State Library Updates this fiscal year and also through handouts during National Library Week classes. The Iowa collection was promoted in two of the Updates, in an on-line new book list, and with a quarterly display in the Miller Building rotunda. Base-line use information was collected for each: 101 items circulated from the Iowa Collection and the Law Library answered 5,426 reference requests. We changed the way we describe ourselves in print to reflect our two locations:  “State Library – Main Library” and “State Library – Law Library”, which helps promote the Law Library.
      

       Improve access to Iowa’s state documents.   
  

       4e)  Reduce state documents cataloging backlog and reclassify state documents from SWANK to LC.
     
       4e) )  340 titles were cataloged  from the backlog of titles received before the depository began. 2377 state documents were converted from SWANK to LC classification leaving about 2300 left to reclassify. This 7 year project has improved access to the collection dramatically by bringing together items by subject and by uniting journal title runs that were shelved in several different locations. The Documents Depository received a donation of nearly complete sets of the Code of Iowa and the Iowa Reports. In response to numerous requests over the years the Law Library has digitized all of the Court of Appeals unpublished opinions dating back to the inception of the lower court in 1976. After five years of continuous effort the Law Library has completed converting close to one hundred thousand card catalog records into an electronic database that will enable users to search for Iowa appellate court briefs by case name, docket number, date or reporter citation.  
     

5)    Tell the Iowa library story – that libraries of all types and sizes enrich Iowa and make Iowa a desirable place to live, work, & play.      

       Help libraries publicize their programs & services. 
    

       5a)  Inform libraries about changes and additions to Telling the Library Story in at least two different ways.
      
       5a) Annette Wetteland taught an online class sponsored by Southwest LSA on working with the news media, and presented a session on how to do publicity at the Kids First conference.  Wetteland updated the Telling the Library Story section of the State Library Web site with materials for public librarians preparing budget presentations.  When the Cedar Rapids Public Library management team was named “Librarian of the Year” by Library Journal, Mary Wegner spoke at a dinner in their honor at the American Library Association conference and the State Library assisted in providing publicity about the tribute.
      

       Communicate the essential roles Iowa libraries play in their communities.
     

       5b)  Issue press releases and write at least one op-ed piece to tell the library story; State Library staff model being “at the table” by participating in activities such as Rebuild Iowa committees.
      
        5b)  The Feb09 issue of Cityscape, the Iowa League of Cities publication, included an article by Wetteland about public libraries titled “Heart and Soul.”  In November, the Des Moines Register published a guest column by Wegner about how libraries build community and how public library use always goes up when disaster occurs or there is an economic downturn.  Scott Dermont conducted a special survey of public library use comparing Jul-Dec 08 to the same period in 07; the State Library’s news releases were covered by Iowa news media.  Copies of letters announcing public library accreditation status are now mailed to mayors as well as library directors.  The State Library was one of two state libraries chosen to partner with OCLC on a major public awareness campaign regarding public library funding - “Geek the Library!”- which began in Iowa in June. 
State Library staff serve on the Iowa Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (Pam Rees); the IowAccess Council (Barb Corson); the State Records Commission (Corson); the Iowa Connecting to Collections grant advisory committee (Corson); the Census 2010 Iowa roundtable (Beth Henning); the advisory council for Iowa AEA Online (Jay Peterson); the state IT working group for broadband stimulus funding (Mary Wegner); Iowa Literacy Council (Karen Randleman); Every Child Reads (Karen Randleman) and as President of the U.S. Patents and Trademark Library Association (Karon King). 
      

       Improve the quality of statistical information about Iowa’s public libraries.
      

       5c)  Streamline public library annual survey and train librarians in its use.
     
       5c)  Scott Dermont, using feedback from an advisory committee, completed a major revision of the public library annual survey.  51 questions were removed and 6 were added.  Dermont also rewrote the instructions for all 158 questions.  Training sessions on the revised survey have been scheduled; there will be 18 sessions in 9 locations.
     

       Share State Library successes.   

       5d) Make at least one national presentation about the PLOW project; write an article about the PLOW project for a national publication; recognize staff achievements.
     
       5d) We applied to make a presentation about the PLOW program at the national Internet Librarian conference, but were not selected.  Biographies researched and written by State Library staff (Helen Dagley, Tom Keyser, Karon King, Nancy Lee, Pam Rees) for the newly published Biographical Dictionary of Iowa were showcased to all staff members and to the Commission of Libraries.  Staff achievements highlighted on the State Library Web site include:  State Library staff members Barb Corson and Michele Leininger, plus Commission member Dan Boice, being chosen to attend the ILA Leadership Institute; the hiring of new staff members Scott Dermont and Mark Bockenstedt; and Mary Wegner’s selection as Iowa Library Association Member of the Year.