Colorado State Library Outline and Template for E-Rate Technology Plan
Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Activities:
The plan establishes clear goals and a realistic strategy for using telecommunications to improve library services.
- Goals are broad statements of a desired outcome.
- Objectives are specific methods for measuring the goal.
- Strategies are the actual steps taken to reach the goal.
Example
- Goal:
- Provide quality internet access to patrons and staff, so they can efficiently access web resources.
- Objective:
- We will receive 70% fewer complaints regarding speed of the Internet connection, once high-speed connection is in place.
- Strategies:
- Director will research ISP's in the area (Aug-Oct 2004)
- Director and staff will select a provider based on cost and speed of connection offered (January 2005)
- By March 2005 Director and staff techie will Create list of "to do's" before installation-e.g. purchase new cabling, change IP addresses, contact tech support
- Connection installed July 1, 2005
Professional Development
The plan has a professional development strategy to ensure that staff knows how to use the new technologies to improve library services.
Questions to include in your Professional Development Strategy
- How do you ensure that staff has sufficient training on technology services such as the online catalog, online databases and Internet search engines?
- Who on staff has been trained on what applications? If you have several employees, you can list units that have received training on specific applications. For example, the Technical Services unit receives training on circulation, cataloging, and serials modules on a quarterly basis.
- Do you have funds in the budget for continuing education? If not, how will you ensure that staff will continue to receive training. For example, are you taking advantage of online tutorials, using volunteers to train, etc.
- What is your strategy for training the public? For example, do you offer mostly one-on-one training to the public, or do you offer specific classes, or both?
- What type of technology training do you offer to the public?
Needs Assessment of Telecommunication Services, Hardware, Software, and Other Services
The plan includes a needs assessment of the telecommunication services, hardware, software, and other services that will be needed to improve library services.
| Internet Access | Description (if you wish to supply more details) |
|---|---|
| Type of Internet access (cable, DSL, frame relay, wireless, satellite, dial up, etc.) |
|
| Speed of Internet connection(s) e.g. 56k, 128k 256k, T1, other |
|
| Online or CD/ROM databases | |
| Number of Public and staff computers with Internet access |
|
| Primary Network Applications e.g. library automation system, Microsoft Office, virtual reference, other |
|
| Notes (Other details about library technology assessment) |
|
Sufficient Budget
(should cover a THREE YEAR PERIOD if plan is approved for 3 years)
The plan provides for a sufficient budget to acquire and maintain the hardware, software, professional development, and other services that will be needed to implement the strategy for improved library services
This is not intended to be a final budget approved by your accounting office, but rather a reasonable reflection of the planning process you have put into place for your ongoing technology needs for the next three years.
- If you will use only existing computer hardware during the budget period, check the box marked "Existing" and do not enter any budget amounts in that line. The same instruction applies for computer software in the next line.
- Enter your actual or planned expenditures in the appropriate blanks. Where appropriate, subtract your e-rate discount amount from your total budgeted amount and enter only the net amount (your actual cost after the discount).
| Category | Existing | 1st Year Budget for mm/yy-mm/yy _______________ |
2nd Year Budget for mm/yy-mm/yy _______________ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | |||
| Software | |||
| Training | |||
| Telecommunications services |
|||
| Other services | |||
| E-rate Funds Received |
Budget Plan for 3rd Year
You don't need to list actual figures, but do indicate any projected increase or decrease in expenditures and income.
Plan Evaluation
The plan includes an evaluation process that enables the library to monitor progress toward the specified goals and make mid-course corrections in response to new developments and opportunities as they arise.
Following is a list of questions that you might include in your plan evaluation.
- How frequently will you update this plan?
- Who is responsible for updating the plan?
- How has the plan improved services to library patrons?
- What is the plan for meeting unmet goals and objectives?
- What were some barriers in meeting plan goals?
- Are the goals you outlined in the plan still the right goals for your library?
Methods to Use in Evaluating your Technology Plan
Outcomes based evaluations provide methods of measuring a particular goal or objective. There are different levels for measuring an objective. The crucial factor is that the level of accountability taken for each measure is practical, realistic, and doable.
For example, a goal in your plan that you evaluate may be to provide patrons "virtual" access to the library holdings and subscription databases through the Internet.
There are several methods for measuring this goal, each with a different level of accountability.
- Level 1 Accountability
- We purchased the web catalog, so we were successful in meeting this goal
- Level 2 Accountability
- We received 1500 hits per day on the web catalog, so we were successful in meeting this goal
- Level 3 Accountability
- 80% of our patrons that filled out a survey indicated that they were satisfied with access to library materials through the new web-based catalog. This indicates that we were successful in meeting this goal.
Outcome-based measurements that reflect a level 3 accountability help you determine the success of your technology plan and can demonstrate to the library board that technology is crucial to improve services to patrons by providing greater access to information. It truly works in your favor to use a higher level of accountability in evaluating goals of the plan.
Remember that the key factor behind evaluation is that it helps you determine if you were successful in meeting the goals of your library service plan. It will also help you determine if you need to change the goals of the technology plan. Maybe they are not realistic or practical anymore. Perhaps you had budget cuts and cannot afford that new web-based OPAC. Your board wants to move in a new direction and the technology plan needs to reflect this. The evaluation of your technology plan will keep you on course and moving in the right direction.
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