Mission and Goals
The
Illinois Library Association is the voice for Illinois libraries and
the millions who depend on them. It provides leadership for the development,
promotion, and improvement of library services in Illinois and for
the library community in order to enhance learning and ensure access
to information for all. Its primary goals are:
Advocating for the Public Interest
- develop and promote strong public policy related
to libraries, literacy and lifelong learning;
- defend intellectual freedom and access to
information;
- increase public awareness of the value of
libraries to society.
Promoting Excellence and Innovation
- provide outstanding programs of continuing
education and leadership development;
- support the recruitment, retention and professional
development of a culturally and racially diverse workforce for
libraries;
- produce high quality publications and communications;
- celebrate the achievement of excellence and
innovation on behalf of the membership.
Managing the Present to Prepare for the Future
In order to achieve these goals, ILA will use its resources wisely
and maintain a flexible structure that promotes the diverse interests
and broad participation of members.
Vision
The Illinois Library Association is indispensable in leading efforts
in library advocacy and collaboration, and serving as a springboard
to innovation and excellence in library services. these priorities,
ILA will use its resources wisely and maintain a flexible structure
that promotes the diverse interests and broad participation of members
and units.
Overall Success Measures and Metrics
- Membership in ILA will increase at a rate of 5% per year.
- Participation in ILA events and programs will increase at a
rate of 5% per year.
- ILA will secure at least one grant per year and identify other
sources of external funding to expand the reach and impact of
the association.
- Contributions to the ILA endowment will increase at a rate of
10% per year.
- Usage of the ILA website will increase by 100% per year.
- By the end of the planning period (June 2010), ILA will have
added at least one new full time staff member and will have developed
plans for moving to new office space.
Strategies to Achieve Vision
- Communication and outreach. Revise ILA publications
and communications initiatives to meet members where they are
and at the point of need with timely and relevant information
and content.
Sample Action Items to Advance this Strategy
Review all aspects of current ILA web site; publications and
communications processes and redesign as appropriate for highest
ROI. Seek new ways to engage ILA leadership and to empower collaboration
of the broader membership in the resulting communications environment.
- Innovation and excellence. Focus ILA programming
on library best practices and transformation to showcase opportunities
for libraries to become increasingly indispensable to the communities
we serve by expanding their reach and impact.
Sample Action Items to Advance this Strategy
Participate in the development and revision of standards. Utilize
social networking tools to stimulate library innovation and
the sharing of information about best practices and effective
models for moving forward in all areas.
- Advocacy and public awareness. Enhance ILA’s
recognized leadership and success in legislative advocacy by becoming
more proactive in the legislative process and by increasing the
effectiveness of initiatives by ILA and by individual member libraries
that promote the value of libraries to the communities we serve.
Sample Action Items to Advance this Strategy
Improve the effectiveness of member contacts with government
officials at the local, state and national levels. Proactively
develop legislative proposals to strengthen the position of
libraries. Assist libraries in positively shaping the perceptions
of libraries held by the communities we serve.
- Collaboration and partnerships. Develop and
enhance the impact of partnerships between ILA and other professional
associations, organizations and library consortia to enhance the
breadth and depth of programming and services available to the
library community while leveraging the expertise and strengths
of ILA staff and membership.
Sample Action Items to Advance this Strategy
Coordinate recruitment, retention and leadership development
programming with ALA, the Illinois State Library and other partner
organizations to enhance the cultural and racial diversity in
libraries. Expand access to online and other virtual leaning
opportunities to expand the reach of professional development.
- Financial strength and sustainability. Remain
fiscally conservative in developing annual operating budgets and
fiscally disciplined in growing the level of association long
term investment reserves to insure the viability of the association
to support member needs.
Sample Action Items to Advance this Strategy
Pursue grants and foundation support to supplement traditional
revenue streams. Increase recruitment efforts to expand membership.
Increase fund and friend-raising efforts to build a stronger
financial cushion for ILA.
Approved by ILA Board, Sept. 21, 2007
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