1.2+Interview+with+KTPL+CEO+and+Chief+Librarian

Aug 3, 2011 2pm, interview with Sharon Bentley

1. Strategic Plan

From the "experts" point of view, we are doing an amazing job on strategic planning, with only two exceptions that I can ... measurable objectives - numbers that performance can be evaluated against monitoring of objectives - how often do we come back to the objectives and see where we are at?

crafted this way - a number of objectives are either perpetual in nature, or reported as we are successful because we are already doing this timing - at one point we were reporting on strategic plan on monthly reports should be reviewing plan at least annually technology plan - working document, go back, provide updates staying away from numbers as hard to measure - effectiveness of surveys, moreso to do the survey than to measure changes go forward the intention is to review the accomplishments and misses considerable time to form the mission - staff, management trustee - getting the right words, etc 2. Stakeholders - formal list? Who does the library believe are most important? formally recognizes the residents of the township via mission/vision informally through development of strategic plan taxpayers, patrons - who is are audience council, the board, staff the businesses therei are users we may not know about (ie not visiting, but using the website?) they also have a stake in what we doing 3. Strengths of Library (Internal) staff customer service dont think of ourselves as a small library, which can limit what you do we'll try new things, cutting technology support of board - represents community, which allows the management to run the library

4. Weakness of Library (Internal) staff - lack of being able to download to a marketing person - time, money size of community -- smaller budget base limits activity, especially when under spending restraints promotions tend to be internal vs external

5. Opportunities (External) our budget - well funded in comparison to other similar sized libraries support of community grants - eligibility to receive grants becasue of the population (under 20000) partnerning with outside groups

6. Threats (External) seniors moving out of community as they cannot afford the housing - highest user base, age of people moving in to community needs/wants of people moving into community perception of available service vs actual - we appear to be small - ie people don't expect us to have uptodate materials/technology ie wireless

7. Market segmentation and customer research - how does the library understand its users? potential users? what studies have been done? What customer information has been collected (and how) associated to pyschographics (opinions, tendancies etc) and lifestyles? community needs assessment - focus groups people have their chance to say, strategic plan - focus groups, redesign of website customer survey, information when signing up new patrons people who are happy don't seem to respond as much only one community needs in last 30 years, periodically do mail out with tax bill township has done needs assesments during town plans, we have access to that information informal research - asking the realtors/developers who is buying the homes york region planning information - stats interaction with schools, registration numbers where are people coming from - ie seniors centre web - click link to library website Google analytics 8. On launching a new product/service - what aspectis of the marketing 4p's - are considered? How is this done? Product, Place of Distribution, Price, Promotion (who to)

i nformatlly - we don't think of it as the 4 p's but when think about the process, we are following many of the prescribed steps in development of a marketing strategy for a product/service

ie Playaway View - how does product fit into what library promoting, is cost an issue, where are we going to put it, how are we going to promote it?

agreed that formal application of 4 p's is an opportunity to further improve the success/popularity of our offerings promotion is our weakest aspect - mostly internal, to current users Issue is resources - time and leg work required

Sharon's feedback on section on internal strengths/weaknesses- Schomberg still has homebound Newspapers are smaller in our community, no charge to audience