Library System Plans of Service
Plan of Service Evaluation Project Summary -- New 7/09! |
Introduction | Sections and Elements of Five-Year Library System Plan of Service Frequently Asked Questions, Public Library Systems Plan of Service 2007-2011 Frequently Asked Questions, School Library Systems Plan of Service 2006-2011 |
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Introduction
The System Plan of Service should be regarded as a planning document, which identifies, organizes, and provides an overview of the library system's service program including intended changes in services or priorities. It should show how the system anticipates it will fulfill the major roles expected of library systems. The major recommended roles for systems are:
- Support and strengthen member libraries
- Facilitate equitable access to library services and resources directly to patrons/customers
- Facilitate resource sharing among libraries
- Provide leadership for improving library services for all
A library system's role considers the major functions and services of a library system. It emphasizes what the system is trying to do, whom the system is trying to serve, and what resources the system needs to achieve these ends. Roles help the system define its priorities and focus its purpose.
Purpose
The purpose of the Plan of Service for all types of systems is to:
- Articulate the basic agreement between the State and the governing board of the system, which makes possible the payment of state aid to the system
- Enumerate the mutual commitments, responsibilities and obligations of the system and its members
- Share the system's mission, goals, intended results and evaluation methods with its members
- Determine how the system meets the service needs of its community, region, and the State
Assumptions
The System Plan of Service integrates current ongoing services and plans for the next five years. It should provide a picture of the intended results of its services for both member libraries and individual users. The Plan of Service includes:
- System Mission (purpose of the organization)
- Goals
- Intended Results
- Evaluation Methods
Mission
The mission statement broadly describes the purpose of the library system. Mission statements traditionally answer the following questions:
- We do what?
- For whom?
- For what benefit?
Goals
Goals are broad statements that describe a desired condition toward which a library system will work.
Intended results
Intended results are the expected user benefits of the goals.
Evaluation methods
Evaluation methods are the tools that indicate if intended results were achieved. Examples include surveys, numerical statistics, anecdotal reports, focus groups, questionnaires, observations, pre- or post-test scores, etc.
Sections and Elements
The Library System Plan of Service consists of the following five sections:
- Section 1 - General Information
- Section 2 - System Governance
- Section 3 - Member Services
- Section 4 - Description of the Planning, Approval, Evaluation and Revision Process for all Sections of the Plan of Service
- Section 5. Mission Statement, Goal Statements, Intended Results and Evaluation Methods (Section 5 for each of the three types of library systems differs slightly based on legal and regulatory requirements). Certain elements in Section 5 have specific requirements that must be addressed (bulleted items in element boxes).
Plan of Service due dates and effective dates:
| System | Due Date | Effective Date |
Reference and Research Library Resources System |
April 3, 2006 |
July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2011 |
School Library System |
April 3, 2006 |
July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2011 |
Public Library System |
October 2, 2006 |
January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2011 |
Plan of Service revision due dates:
| System | Revision Due Date |
Reference and Research Library Resources System |
On or before April 30 for implementation July 1st of the same year |
School Library System |
On or before April 30 for implementation July 1st of the same year |
Public Library System |
On or before October 31 for implementation the following January 1st |
Deletions to the existing Plan of Service - All Systems
- Section 1 - Minimum Staffing Requirements
- Section 2 - Organizational Chart
- Sections 3 and 4 - Revised and combined to form a new Section 4
- Section 5 - Deleted Activities column
- Deleted Official Signature Requirement
Revisions/additions to the existing Plan of Service
All systems
- All systems will use the same format for the 2006-2011 Plan of Service
- Section 2 - Added URL for bylaws
- Section 3 - Added URL for list of members
- Section 5:
- Added "Evaluation Methods"
- Added "Consulting and Technical Assistance Services" element
- Added "Coordinated Services" element
- Added Assurance Statement and Approval Statement
Public library systems
- Section 5 --
- Added URL for Central Library Plan
- Added URL for Direct Access Plan
- Incorporated other plans required in law and regulations, for example: Coordinated Outreach, Corrections (State and local), Construction, Adult Literacy
Reference and research library resources systems
- Section 5 - Incorporated plans required in law and regulations, for example: Coordinated Collection Development, Hospital Library Services, Medical Information Services Program, Regional Bibliographic Data Bases and Interlibrary Resource Sharing
School library systems
- Section 5 --
- Added URL for Member Plan
- Incorporated plan required in law and regulations for Cooperative Collection Development
Section 1 - GENERAL INFORMATION
| 1.1 | SYSTEM NAME - The legal name of the library system |
| 1.2 - 1.5 | ADDRESS - The complete street address of the system. Do not report a post office box. Include 4-digit postal zip code extension (if unknown, enter N/A). |
| 1.6 | TELEPHONE NUMBER - The phone number of the system, including area code. Enter 10 digits only. |
| 1.7 | FAX NUMBER - The phone number for sending fax messages to the system, including area code. Enter 10 digits only. |
| 1.8 | E-MAIL ADDRESS OF THE SYSTEM DIRECTOR - The e-mail address for sending electronic mail messages to the system's director. |
| 1.9 | SYSTEM HOME PAGE URL - The Internet's World Wide Web address of the system's home page. A link to the system's approved five-year Plan of Service must be provided on the system's home page. |
| 1.10 | DATE OF ESTABLISHMENT - The date the library system was first established. |
| 1.11 | DATE OF ABSOLUTE CHARTER (Public and Reference and Research Library Resources Systems only) - The date the library system was granted its absolute charter. |
| 1.12 | NAME(S) OF CENTRAL LIBRARY/CO-CENTRAL LIBRARIES - Enter the name of the system's central library. Systems with co-central libraries should enter the names of both libraries. |
| 1.13 | SQUARE MILEAGE OF THE SYSTEM SERVICE AREA - Final Square Mile Count issued March 2001 by U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census |
| 1.14 | POPULATION OF THE SYSTEM SERVICE AREA - The official population counts given in the Bureau of the Census, 2000 Census of Population and Housing, Summary Populations and Housing Characteristics, New York issued March 2001, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census/ |
Section 2 - SYSTEM GOVERNANCE
| 2.1 | URL OF CURRENT GOVERNING BYLAWS - The URL of the current governing bylaws on the system's website. |
| 2.2 - 2.3 | APPOINTMENT/ELECTION OF BOARD/COUNCIL - Indicate whether the Board/Council Members are appointed or elected and by whom. |
| 2.4 | ADVISORY GROUPS - Indicate the groups that advise the Board/Council. Check all that apply. If "other", specify using the State note. |
Section 3 - MEMBER SERVICES
| 3.1 | URL OF CURRENT LIST OF MEMBERS - Provide the URL of the current list of members on the system's website. |
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| 3.2 | LEVELS OF SERVICE (Public Library Systems only) - Indicate whether the system provides different levels of service to its member libraries. Enter "Y" for Yes; "N" for No. If yes, describe the levels and the services provided for each level. Complete one repeating group for each level of service. If no, enter N/A in one repeating group. |
| 3.3 | LEVELS OF SERVICE (Reference and Research Library Resources Systems only) - Indicate whether the system provides different levels of service to its member libraries and library systems. Enter "Y" for Yes; "N" for No. If yes, describe the levels and the services provided for each level. Complete one repeating group for each level of service. If no, enter N/A in one repeating group. |
| 3.4 | LEVELS OF SERVICE (School Library Systems only) - Indicate whether the system provides different levels of service to its member libraries. Enter "Y" for Yes; "N" for No. If yes, describe the levels and the services provided for each level. Complete one repeating group for each level of service. BOCES-based school library systems should include administered cooperative services plans (Co-sers). If no, enter N/A in one repeating group. |
Section 4 --DESCRIPTION OF PLANNING, APPROVAL, EVALUATION AND REVISION PROCESS FOR ALL SECTIONS OF THE PLAN OF SERVICE
| 4.1 | SUMMARY OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT - Describe the process used to assess member needs in the development of the system's Plan of Service. |
| 4.2 | GROUP INVOLVEMENT AND ROLES - Indicate the groups involved, and their roles, in the development of the system's Plan of Service. Include member libraries, advisory groups, special purpose groups or meetings (such as those for developing federal and state grant proposals), director's advisory groups, and/or other types of advisory groups required in Education Law or Regulations of the Commissioner. |
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| 4.3 - 4.5 | CENTRAL LIBRARY PLAN - Indicate the groups involved, and their roles, in the development of the 2007-2011 Central Library Plan (Note: This is not the Central Library's Long-Range Plan). Describe how the 2007-2011 Central Library Plan will be integrated with the system's Plan of Service. |
| 4.6 | URL OF THE SYSTEM'S MEMBER PLAN - Provide the URL of the 2006-2011 (July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2011) Member Plan on the system's website. Do not include the data or narrative results. |
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| 4.7 | APPROVAL OF THE PLAN - Provide a brief description of the approval process for the system's Plan of Service. School Library Systems must include the Council's role in the approval process. |
| 4.8 | EVALUATION INFORMATION - Provide a brief description of the information that will be collected to evaluate whether or not the system has achieved the intended results of the Plan of Service. |
| 4.9 | EVALUATION METHODS - Provide a brief description of the methods that will be used to determine whether the system's customers were satisfied with the system's services. |
| 4.10 | EVALUATION - PLANNING - Provide a brief description of how the information on customer satisfaction will be used to shape the system's Plan of Service in the next year or in the following cycle. |
| 4.11 | REVISION PROCESS - Provide a brief description of the process for revising the system's Plan of Service for submission to the New York State Library. |
Section 5 - MISSION STATEMENT, GOAL STATEMENTS, INTENDED RESULTS AND EVALUATION METHODS
PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEMS
| 5.1 | MISSION STATEMENT - Provide the mission statement for the system. Refer to the Introductory section for the definition of the mission statement. |
| 5.2 - 5.23 | ELEMENTS |
| 5.2 - 5.20 and 5.23 |
Elements 1-10 and 13 - Provide a description of the goal statements, indicate the year(s) in which the system intends to achieve the goal, and describe the intended results and evaluation methods. Refer to the introductory section for information about goal statements, intended results and evaluation methods. |
| 5.6 | Element 2 - An Integrated Library System (ILS) is defined as a suite of software programs that support all standard library operations, including acquisitions, cataloging, inventory and serials control, circulation, the on-line public catalog and may include media booking and community information. Library systems may not implement all of these functions, but cataloging, circulation, and public catalog are considered minimal components of the ILS. |
| 5.9 - 5.13 | Element 3 - Outreach groups include blind, physically disabled, aged, developmentally or learning disabled, institutionalized, members of ethnic/minority groups in need of special services, educationally disadvantaged, unemployed/underemployed or geographically isolated. Identify targeted groups that will be served in the appropriate years. |
| 5.15 | Element 5 --Consulting and technical assistance services are services that provide expertise to member libraries and branch libraries in areas such as program content, grant writing, budget, grants administration, legal, building and technology. |
| 5.16 | Element 6 - Coordinated services are services that are originated and coordinated through the system for member libraries and branch libraries. Examples include coordinated print purchases, non-print purchases, negotiation of pricing for licensed electronic collection purchases, cataloging services, materials processing services, office supplies, computer services/purchases, etc. |
| 5.21 | Element 11 - Provide the URL of the 2007-2011 Central Library Plan [Commissioner's Regulations (CR) § 90.4 (b)]. This is the Plan approved by the system board and the central library board. |
| 5.22 | Element 12 - Provide the URL of the most recent Direct Access Plan. [Commissioner's Regulations (CR) § 90.3 | Outline | Guidelines] |
| 5.24 | ASSURANCE - Enter the date the Library's Plan of Service was reviewed and accepted by the System Board/Council. |
| 5.25 | APPROVAL - The date that the Library System's Plan of Service was reviewed and approved by the New York State Library. |
REFERENCE AND RESEARCH LIBRARY RESOURCES SYSTEMS
| 5.1 | MISSION STATEMENT - Provide the mission statement for the system. Refer to the Introductory section for the definition of the mission statement. |
| 5.2 - 5.19 | ELEMENTS |
| 5.2 - 5.19 | Elements 1-10 - Provide a description of the goal statements, indicate the year(s) in which the system intends to achieve the goal, and describe the intended results and evaluation methods. Refer to the introductory section for information about goal statements, intended results and evaluation methods. |
| 5.6 | Element 2 - A Virtual Catalog is a list, stored on multiple computer hosts, of the holdings of all the libraries in a library system or of all or a portion of the collections of a group of independent libraries. This list indicates by name and/or location symbol which libraries own at least one copy of each item. Searches made against these multiple hosts are collated into a single user interface. |
| 5.7 | Element 2 - A Union Catalog is an accessible list of the combined cataloged holdings of all the libraries in a library system or of the collections of a group of independent libraries. This list indicates by name and/or location symbol which libraries own at least one copy of each item. |
| 5.8 | Element 2 - A Union List of Serials is an accessible list of the combined serial holdings of all the libraries in a library system or of the collections of a group of independent libraries. This list indicates by name and/or location symbol which libraries own at least one copy of each item. |
| 5.14 | Element 5 - Consulting and technical assistance services are services that provide expertise to member libraries and library systems in areas such as program content, grant writing, budget, grants administration, legal, building and technology. |
| 5.15 | Element 6 - Coordinated services are services that are originated and coordinated through the system for member libraries and library systems. Examples include coordinated print purchases, non-print purchases, negotiation of pricing for licensed electronic collection purchases, cataloging services, materials processing services, office supplies, computer services/purchases, etc. |
| 5.20 | ASSURANCE - Enter the date the Library's Plan of Service was reviewed and accepted by the System Board/Council. |
| 5.21 | APPROVAL - The date that the Library System's Plan of Service was reviewed and approved by the New York State Library. |
SCHOOL LIBRARY SYSTEMS
| 5.1 | MISSION STATEMENT - Provide the mission statement for the system. Refer to the Introductory section for the definition of the mission statement. |
| 5.2 - 5.18 | ELEMENTS |
| 5.2 - 5.14 and 5.18 |
Elements 1-7 and 10 - Provide a description of the goal statements, indicate the year(s) in which the system intends to achieve the goal, and describe the intended results and evaluation methods. Refer to the introductory section for information about goal statements, intended results and evaluation methods |
| 5.6 | Element 2 - A Union Catalog is an accessible list of the combined cataloged holdings of all the libraries in a library system or of the collections of a group of independent libraries. This list indicates by name and/or location symbol which libraries own at least one copy of each item. |
| 5.7 | Element 2 - A Union List of Serials is an accessible list of the combined serial holdings of all the libraries in a library system or of the collections of a group of independent libraries. This list indicates by name and/or location symbol which libraries own at least one copy of each item. |
| 5.8 | Element 2 - An Integrated Library System (ILS) is defined as a suite of software programs that support all standard library operations, including acquisitions, cataloging, inventory and serials control, circulation, the on-line public catalog and may include media booking and community information. Library systems may not implement all of these functions, but cataloging, circulation, and public catalog are considered minimal components of the ILS. |
| 5.12 | Element 5 - Consulting and technical assistance services are services that provide expertise to member libraries in areas such as program content, grant writing, budget, grants administration, legal, building and technology. |
| 5.13 | Element 6 - Coordinated services are services that are originated and coordinated through the system for member libraries. Examples include coordinated print purchases, non-print purchases, negotiation of pricing for licensed electronic collection purchases, catalog services, materials processing services, office supplies, computer services/purchases, etc. |
| 5.15 | Element 8 - Describe communications among members (school districts and non-public schools) and participants (buildings), and the role of liaisons/communication coordinators. |
| 5.16 | Element 8 - Provide the URL for the Member Plan. [Commissioner's Regulations (CR) § 90.18 (f) (4)] |
| 5.19 | ASSURANCE - Enter the date the Library's Plan of Service was reviewed and accepted by the System Board/Council. |
| 5.20 | APPROVAL - The date that the Library System's Plan of Service was reviewed and approved by the New York State Library. |
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The "General Information" on this page, also including the Timetable, in .PDF format | Plan of Service 2001-2006 Information
Last Updated:
July 16, 2009
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