Coloradans Set New Strategic Plan

By Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 11/1/2006

Colorado libraries have developed a new five-year strategic plan entitled Moving Libraries Forward: A Roadmap for Colorado Library Cooperation, aimed at guiding libraries while “doing more with less.” A task force appointed by the Colorado Library Advisory Board surveyed library leaders, public library trustees, school library district administrators, and academic officers to set priorities. The six priority objectives are:

• Increased access to sustainable, statewide virtual services such as virtual reference and online tutoring

• Funding of a collection of electronic content for all residents

• Development of a comprehensive education plan

• Identification of the needs of business and community members

• Development of a statewide virtual catalog and ILL system

• Extension of the Colorado courier program statewide

Not chosen as priorities were statewide digitization and preservation efforts; a new emphasis on library values and ethics; statewide standards for school libraries; models for cooperative services between different library types; library-assisted online learning; school library advocacy; assessment of information and learning needs; minority staff recruitment; focus on sustainable funding; improved understanding of the “Colorado Libraries Collaborate!” program; and cooperative collection development.