Input from Library and Education Communities for new Statewide Plan
Deadline extended; please respond to ten key questions by August 31.
(Answers to ten key questions as of July 2011)
The Regents Advisory Council on Libraries (RAC) invited broad input from the library and education communities to inform development of a new statewide plan for library services. The New York State Board of Regents has challenged RAC to develop and recommend to the Board a 2020 vision for library services and an innovative plan for ensuring the greatest access to information for all New Yorkers. Some 95 responses were received, including 36 from library and education organizations. [NOTE: "anonymous" responses have not been posted.]
In 2000, the Regents adopted Meeting the Needs of All New Yorkers: Library Service in the New Century, the current plan for statewide library services. It has been over 10 years since that plan was enacted and adopted as statewide policy for libraries by the Board of Regents.
SEE: draft status report on implementation of the 2000 statewide plan
Any questions about the RAC 2020 Vision Process may be sent to John Hammond, Chair, RAC 2020 Vision Planning Taskforce or to Bridget Quinn-Carey, Chair, Regents Advisory Council on Libraries.
Respondents
This call for input on key issues was an important first step in what will be a multi-phase process for developing a new statewide vision and plan for library services in New York State. The RAC 2020 Vision Planning Taskforce's tentative timetable for development of the new statewide plan is: 2011
2012
|
2020 Visioning Process: Key Questions for the Library and Education Communities
- What are the two most important roles of libraries today? What will they be in the future? How will libraries fulfill these future roles?
- What are the greatest challenges libraries will face over the next 10 years? What assets and resources do libraries have that can overcome these challenges? What are the barriers that will prevent libraries from meeting these challenges?
- How can library service be extended to those currently not using libraries? How do we engage community members in connecting their needs to libraries?
- What will be the most important roles of school libraries in the future? What will increase the visibility and relevance of school libraries?
- How can academic libraries be more integral to their own institution’s community? Is there a role for academic libraries beyond the campus? If so, what is that role?
- What can public libraries do to ensure their survival? How can they better serve their communities?
- What will be the most important roles of special and research libraries in the future? What will increase the visibility and relevance of special and research libraries?
- What are the greatest challenges facing New York State’s library systems over the next 10 years? What are the assets and resources library systems will need to meet these challenges?
- How can the State Library and the State Education Department help libraries position themselves to successfully meet the needs of all New Yorkers for library services in 2020 and beyond?
- What will be the impact on libraries with the rapid growth of commercial information sources like streaming video, iTunes, and e-books? How can libraries prosper in a Digital Age?