Creating a strategic plan is a critical task to ensure the school library’s goals and objectives align with the school’s vision and mission. It just doesn’t make sense to have any separation especially when it is crucial to have the support of the school leadership and administration.

Let’s start with a general format for the presentation of the plan. The key thing is to make sure it is well-organised and visually appealing. So here are some suggestions to include:

  1. Cover Page [Include the school’s name and logo, and, if you have this, the school library’s name and logo. Also, give your plan a title.]
  2. Table of Contents [Usually, a plan is about 10 to 20 pages in length, so make sure you have a list of sections, and if necessary, subsections.]
  3. Executive Summary [Don’t miss this out as the person reading the plan may be busy so you want to catch their attention by providing a concise summary of the key points.]
  4. Introduction [Brief explanation of the purpose and significance of the plan.]
  5. Main Sections [Present each component of the plan. (We’ll look at this in more detail below.)]
  6. Graphics and Visuals [The placement of images throughout the report that are relevant to the plan and capture important data is powerful. Use charts, graphs and images to illustrate and support data and key points.]
  7. Appendices [Include supporting documents such as surveys, student/staff feedback, data analysis or additional resources.]
  8. References [This goes without stating! Cite sources and references as needed.]
  9. Glossary [Sometimes we might use library jargon, so including definitions of specialised terms or acronyms is helpful.]
  10. Contact Information [Provide contact details for the teacher librarian/school librarian for any inquiries.]

Let’s now explore some key components that should be included in the school library strategic plan.

    1. Executive Summary
      Provide a brief overview of the strategic plan. Make sure you highlight key objectives and goals.
    2. Introduction
      Explore the purpose of the strategic plan
      Briefly describe the school’s vision and mission statements.
    3. Situational Analysis
      Assess the current state of the school library. Include data on library usage, collection quality, technology & staffing.
      Analyse strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges/threats.
    4. Vision and Mission Alignment
      Clearly state how the school library’s objectives align with the school’s visions and mission.
    5. Strategic Goals and Objectives
      Outline specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-focused (SMART) goals.
      Include short-term and long-term objectives.
      Address relevant areas of the school library, e.g. collection development, technology integration, user services, programs and staff development.
    6. Action Plans
      For each of the above, provide a detailed action plan. (Let the reader see you as a solution creator.)
      Include responsibilities, timelines, resources and accountability.
    7. Budget and Resource Allocation
      Detail the financial requirements to successfully achieve the strategic plan.
      Maybe explain how resources will be allocated in a cost-effective way to support each goal.
    8. Stakeholder Engagement
      Describe how you will involve various stakeholders, e.g. teachers, students, parents and the community, in achieving the school library goals.
    9. Assessment and Evaluation
      Present the methods and criteria for measuring the success of the plan.
      You could include periodic evaluations and checkpoints to assess the progress.
    10. Technology and Innovation
      Address how the school library will stay up to date in its practices.
      Include plans for the integration of digital resources and tools.
    11. Professional Development
      Outline professional learning opportunities for the school library staff to develop their skills, knowledge and expertise.
    12. Marketing and Outreach
      Present strategies for promoting the school library’s services, programs and resources.
      Include how the school library will engage with the school community.
    13. Risk Management
      Identify potential risks and challenges and explain how these will be managed.
    14. Timeline
      Create a timeline that highlights key milestones and deadlines.

Where possible, engage with other school library staff and or relevant school leaders to get their input before finalising the plan.

Remember a strategic plan should be concise and to the point. Try and avoid verbosity. Here are some things to consider:

  • Clarity and conciseness: Use language that is easy to understand and get to the point. Avoid technical or jargon-laden terminology.
  • Key information: Include the most critical information that directly relates to the school library’s goals and how they align with the school’s strategic direction.
  • Visual elements: Incorporate a variety of visuals to present data, information and key points.
  • Executive Summary: Start the plan with a well-crafted executive summary that provides an overview of the plan’s key objectives and strategies. This should give the reader a good sense of what the plan entails.
  • Appendices: For detailed information, consider using appendices that can be referred to if necessary.
  • Engagement: Ensure the plan is engaging and captures the reader’s interest right from the beginning.
  • Alignment: Demonstrate how the school library’s strategic plan aligns with the vision, mission and goals of the school.