Strategic Plan 2000-2005

Review of the Process

The ARLIS/NA Strategic Plan for 2000-2005, like earlier plans, was built on the successful foundation of previous planning initiatives. The first phase of strategic planning began in 1990. The first plan approved by the ARLIS/NA board at its mid-year meeting in 1991 covered a five-year period. The plan was updated and revised in 1994 for the period 1996-1999. This information is recorded in documents available via the ARLIS/NA Web Site. The current Task Force was appointed in 1999 to provide the third update of the plan covering the years 2000 through 2002. A survey was distributed to the membership at the 1999 ARLIS/NA Annual Conference (Vancouver, BC) as well as made available via the ARLIS/NA web site. 118 members responded via the survey. Additional comments concerning the strategic plan were solicited through ARLIS-L, as well as by direct communication with chapter presidents, committee chairs, group moderators and other leaders of the Society. The survey results were tabulated and discussed with the Executive Board at its mid-year meeting in Berkeley, California, fall 1999.

Discussions focused on the existing goals and objectives of the Society and how they might be more closely aligned with ideas expressed in the membership survey. While the original charge of the Task Force was to work with the existing goals and objectives as outlined in the 1996-1999 Strategic Plan, it was the Board’s recommendation, given the responses to the survey, that the Task Force should revise the Society’s goals and objectives to more accurately reflect the key focus areas. It was also felt that a more proactive mission statement should be developed. The Executive Board noted that the timing was right to re-evaluate the Society after 25 + years. It was also determined that the strategic plan should cover a five-year period: 2000-2005.

The Board also agreed that the new strategic plan should include a reduced number of action steps so that the Society would have a more achievable and streamlined plan. It was further suggested that the specific charges of many of the individual groups/committees within the organization were reflective of the strategic plan and therefore these did not have to be repeated in a new document. The major overriding concern from both the Board and membership was to create a plan that was less complicated and easier for the membership to review, update, and maintain.

The Board also reviewed the proliferation of various groups within ARLIS/NA and discussed how ARLIS/NA might utilize electronic communication "discussion forums" as a method of communicating with the membership. This concept should be addressed in the SP in an effort to "simplify" our organizational structure and devote time to the "big" issues.

The Board also agreed that the major themes outlined in the survey results should be the basis of the strategic plan: leadership, professional development, conferences, and streamlining the organization. The survey results also revealed a serious challenge the Society faces: the membership is not growing. Ten years ago the membership totaled 1,339. Today’s figures reveal a membership number of 1,370. That indicates the pool of available (volunteer) workers remains the same. However, in many ways, members demand a higher level of programming and service from the organization.

The Task Force modified the current goals and objectives to more accurately reflect issues emphasized in the member survey responses. In an effort to provide additional opportunities for member feedback and input, The Task Force arranged for an "Ask ARLIS" session held at the 2000 ARLIS/NA Annual Conference (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) to provide a focal point for members to express concerns and ideas about the future of the Society.

Representatives from each unit within ARLIS/NA were also asked to review the current Strategic Plan and to re-evaluate existing action steps and suggest new action steps that were specifically tied to these key areas. These comments were submitted to the Task Force for review and discussion. All the information was reviewed and revised and in some cases information was added or deleted. Many of the new action steps in the revised strategic plan are associated with several key committees: Development, Professional Development, Membership and the ARLIS/NA Web Site Administrative Board. The Task Force consolidated the action steps for the Divisions, Sections, and Round Tables. It was felt that the action steps represent areas of focus appropriate to all these groups. Unifying and focusing the efforts of Divisions, Sections, and Round Tables reinforces many of the major themes of the Strategic Plan. Each individual group can tailor the method in which the action steps are executed to reflect the group’s subject area/expertise. It is not intended to neglect individual groups within the Society. The Task Force feels that this more unified approach helps streamline the strategic planning document and also provides a more efficient method of reporting progress on issues of relevance to the Society.

A final report with accompanying documentation in both print and electronic format was submitted to the Executive Board. The revised Strategic Plan was approved and distributed to the membership in August 2000.

Respectfully Submitted,

Strategic Planning Task Force
Jane Carlin, Chair
Ross Day
Carol Graney
Rosemary Haddad
Katharine Martinez
Ann Whiteside

[submitted to Executive Board January 17, 2001. PPB]

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Goals & Objectives

VISION: ARLIS/NA’s vision is to be the leading organization in the arts information field and a catalyst in the development of services and resources for the arts community. The Society will provide leadership in enhancing education, information, and scholarly communication within the arts. It will achieve this through partnerships with higher education organizations, international forums, and the inclusion of highly qualified and talented professionals who reflect the diversity found in our society. ARLIS/NA will promote and provide opportunities for continuous learning for arts information professionals.

MISSION: To foster excellence in art librarianship and visual resources curatorship for the advancement of the visual arts.

Goal I: To increase the effectiveness of art librarians and visual resources curators by focusing efforts on professional and continuing education, as well as professional development activities.

Promote art library and visual resource programs in graduate schools
Provide continuing education opportunities
Develop scholarships, awards, fellowships, and grants to support education and development activities
Promote the expertise and services that members provide
Provide a mentoring program
Enhance and promote the Society’s scholarly research through its publications programs
Foster efforts that will maintain current awareness and understanding of technological advancements, changing trends in collection development and user services, research in the visual arts, and changes in the workplace

Goal II: To develop stimulating and pertinent programs that meet the needs and support the activities of all members and components of the Society.

Explore ways to expand the Society’s support and development of regional workshops and conferences
Develop financial resources to attract the best speakers in our profession to ARLIS/NA conferences, workshops, and meetings
Infuse the annual conference with a high level of energy and excitement through excellent content and structure as well as collaboration with other professional organizations

Goal III: To exert an influence on external forces affecting the profession through promotion, cooperation, and advocacy.

Establish and promote professional and information standards, working collaboratively with peer organizations
Enhance our affiliations with existing affinity organizations
Develop a higher visibility for ARLIS/NA and significantly expand recognition of and support for the Society as an international professional organization
Advocate public positions on issues affecting librarianship and visual resources curatorship

Goal IV: To strengthen and increase the effectiveness of the Society’s activities and operations.

Provide an efficient organizational structure that is responsive to the membership
Maintain and expand the Society’s sound financial structure
Develop a program to cultivate leaders for the Society
Address the need to expand and engage a culturally diverse membership
Enhance communication between the Society’s leadership and membership

Originally approved by the ARLIS/NA Executive Board, July 1991. Revisions approved by ARLIS/NA Executive Board, May 1996. 2000-2005 Revised Plan approved by ARLIS/NA Executive Board, July 2000.

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Delivering the Vision: Action Items, 2000-2005

Introduction:

The Strategic Plan shall be the primary basis for all ARLIS/NA programs and services. The goals and action steps contained in the plan shall provide the basis upon which the Executive Board establishes the Society’s budget. The plan has been designed to reflect priorities, but it is also flexible to respond to changes in the profession and the Society. Therefore, additions and revisions to the plan may be implemented on an annual basis to reflect new or changing priorities.

This document reflects action items of new or renewed importance. Not all groups within ARLIS/NA are listed in this document. It is important to note that this does not in any way diminish the contributions of specific groups within ARLIS/NA. In many instances, the standing charge of the committee or group (see ARLIS/NA Policy Manual) accurately reflects the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan and therefore is not repeated in this working document. Action items may be added to the Plan as the leadership identifies them. Roman numerals in the individual action items refer to the 2000-2005 Goals and Objectives.

Executive Board Action Items:

Establish clear budgeting links between the Strategic Plan and the annual budget to facilitate the attainment of plan goals. Review and revise the budget annually as goals are achieved. (IV B)
Review the Society's organizational structure for the purpose of streamlining; for example, consolidation of committees and documents, re-defining Board responsibilities, and creating a plan for web development. (IV A)
Continue to work with the Visual Resources Association on joint ventures with the end-goal of strengthening both organizations. (III B)
Revitalize outreach and public relations efforts to graduate programs in art and related disciplines, as well as graduate library schools to promote art librarianship as a career option. (I A)
Create guidelines/timelines for future strategic planning reviews. (IV A)
Create higher visibility for the organization by increased communication with affiliated organizations, marketing ARLIS/NA member’s expertise, and hosting a series of events such as an "ARLIS/NA awareness day" or an "art information" day. (I D, III C)
Develop press kits that provide information on programs, services and publications for dissemination to the media and affiliated organizations as well as to possible donors and sponsors. (III C)

Action Items for Standing Committees:

Development Committee

Develop a profile of the Society membership which succinctly and clearly describes its members, their institutions, their patrons, and their interests and needs. (IV B)

Use the membership profile to develop a complete package of appropriate fund raising and development tools to disseminate information on "why to give", "how to give", and "the benefits of giving". These tools would include print and electronic information pages and forms, such as a prominent page on the web site, a display ad in ARLIS/NA Update, a brochure, a presentation format for personalized solicitations, and an end-of-tax-year reminder note that could be included in a variety of publications. (IV B)

Collect information on planned giving campaigns to be used in the development of a planned giving strategy for ARLIS/NA. (IV B)

Coordinate solicitation and acceptance of funds for special projects and uses identified by ARLIS/NA members, in full consultation with other Chairs, as prioritized and/or directed by the Executive Board. (IV B)

Prepare a long-range plan to build and maintain funds to support the development of regional workshops, a domestic travel award, an award for a visual resource professional, honoraria for annual conference and workshop speakers, and programs designed to attract and retain members. (II A, B)

Finance Committee

Refine methods for overseeing the Society’s investments which include: determine a methodology by which information concerning endowment management is gathered from other similar organizations, establish guidelines for reviewing the statements, and maintain a chart providing an overview of income and fees. (IV B)

Write guidelines for the use, establishment, and distribution of short-term and long-term funds. (IV B)

International Relations Committee

Continue promotion of International Federation of Library Association’s conferences and related activities. (III C)

Continue monitoring activities of affiliated organizations. (III C)

Actively promote ARLIS/NA on an international level and assist in the formation and development of "ARLIS" organizations on an international level. (III C)

Membership Committee

Encourage new members through reciprocal advertising with other professional organizations and coordination with the North American Relations Committee, Chapters and liaisons. (IV D)

Revise and update, in consultation with Headquarters, the ARLIS/NA brochure, budget request, and membership form. (IV D)

Retain members by aggressively working with Headquarters, Regional Representatives and Chapter officers to address issues of non-renewals, encouraging renewals and updating databases. (IV D)

Utilize the web site as a communication tool ensuring that basic membership functions of application, renewal, and updating directory information are in place. Establish a link for "new members." (IV E)

Work with the Development and Travel Awards Committees to secure funding to encourage membership growth, and to identify additional funding sources for new members. (I C)

Work with Professional Development Committee to expand the mentor program to include new members to help foster membership retention as well as provide leadership training for the Society. (I E)

Professional Development Committee

Investigate new methods of offering programs to the membership such as developing an ARLIS/NA summer institute with an affiliated organization, establishing an ARLIS/NA speakers bureau, co-hosting or sponsoring events with organizations and institutions, as well as utilizing computer technology through distance learning and web-based education programs. (I B, II A B C)

Investigate the possibility of an Education Coordinator for the Society. (I B)

Create, working closely with Divisions, Sections, and Chapters, a roster of libraries and visual resource collections that support internships in art librarianship. (I D)

Expand the existing mentor program to include new members, mid-career professionals, committee chairs, and first-time presenters thus increasing membership retention as well as offering leadership training for Society members. Work with Chapters to develop ways to identify local mentors. (I E, IV C)

Develop a core curriculum for art librarianship and visual resources curatorship and create a strategy, working closely with the Executive Board, for active recommendation of this course in graduate programs. (I A)

Public Policy Committee

Establish guidelines for kind and quantity of involvement in political action and lobbying allowable under IRS 501 tax status. (III D)

Identify other agencies and associations with shared interests in legislative/policy matters; link with groups, as appropriate, to co-author and/or co-sign position statements; provide descriptive annotations on other groups’ committees, working groups, etc. (III D)

Create, disseminate, and update regularly a list of legislative topics and issues of a particular concern to arts and image professionals; draft position statements consistent with ARLIS/NA interests; publicize endorsed statements or other documents describing the Society’s position on legal issues and legislation via the ARLIS/NA Web Site and Society publications. (III D)

Assign individual committee members to monitor specific web sites and listservs and report activities to membership via the ARLIS/NA Web Site and ARLIS-L; refer items requiring action/responses to Executive Board. (III D)

Create a "recommended reading" list on topics such as intellectual property, telecommunications, censorship and make available via the ARLIS/NA Web Site. (III D)

Create communication links and define responsibilities shared among Public Policy Committee, Diversity Committee, Collection Development Committee, and ARLIS/NA Chapters to identify issues and topics with legislative agendas. (III D)

Publications Committee

Strengthen Occasional Papers (OP) program by establishing specifications including style sheet and design templates, initiate regular promotion of all in-print OPs, and financial analysis on proposed new OPs. (I F)

Create a proactive plan for producing more ARLIS/NA publications electronically as downloadable files as well as web accessible sites. (I F)

Create guidelines and procedures for publishing pre-conference program and session summaries, as well as posting conference individual papers, session reports and full conference proceedings. (I F)

Standards Committee

Create a clearinghouse of relevant statistics and standards, useful to members, available via the web, working closely with the Committees, Divisions, Sections, and Round Tables. (III A)

Ad Hoc Committee Action Items:

Collection Development Committee

Identify important print and non-print resources in the arts, as well as non-art resources of value to art research. (I G)

Actively lobby publishers and database producers for inclusion of art journals with images in e-journal and full-text databases. (I G)

Diversity Committee

Continue to identify, assess, and report to membership other organizations positions and statements concerning diversity. (IV D)

Establish a pro-active program, which provides examples of how to integrate diversity into all aspects of ARLIS/NA programming as well as library instruction. (IV D)

Work with the Membership Committee to review the membership form and suggest ways to improve collection of data reflecting the diversity of our organization, as well as ways to attract a culturally diverse membership. (IV D)

North American Relations Committee

Enhance and expand affiliations with organizations to promote activities, services, and expertise of ARLIS/NA organization and members. (III B)

Research Committee

Investigate the development of an "ARLIS/NA stamp of approval" for art web sites. This type of "award" could be proudly displayed on web sites as a sign of integrity and high quality and would promote ARLIS/NA as an organization of experts in art information. (III C)

Investigate the possibility of an award for teaching excellence. (I C)

Technology Committee

Provide web site access to technology vendors and product information. (I G)

Develop relationships with other technology groups in related professional organizations. (I G)

Provide links to technology related information/educational web sites. (I G)

Establish technology Q&A section on web site and develop a list of technology experts to contact on issues of relevance to the profession. (I G)

Travel Awards Committee

Develop and maintain funding for a domestic travel award. (I C)

Develop and maintain funding for a visual resources travel award. (I C)

Develop and maintain funding for a new member travel award. (I C)

Visual Resources Advisory Committee

Working collaboratively with the Visual Resources Division and the Professional Development Committee, investigate methods ofsponsoring workshops or continuing education opportunities, at either the regional or national level, on topics of relevance to visual resources professionals. (I B)

Working with the Travel Awards Committee, Development Committee and Visual Resources Division, assist in establishment of a travel award for a visual resource professional. (I C)

Continue to monitor and support standards programs in visual resources, and work collaboratively with the Standards Committee and Public Policy Committee to make this information available via the web site. (III A D)

Special Appointments Action Items:

ARLIS Web Site Administrative Board

Create an ARLIS/NA Web Site policy covering web site development which would include archiving files, limiting uncontrolled growth of the site while providing necessary membership services, developing and maintaining consistency on the AWS, and addressing representation of all ARLIS/NA committees. (IV E)

Advise on the development of methods to receive feedback from the membership on a continual basis such as a web "how are we doing" link. (IV E)

Review design of the web site and develop a dynamic new interface. (IV E)

Working with the Publications Committee, develop a plan to expand Society publications on the web. (I F)

Develop procedures to ensure that the AWS provides references and or links to useful print and electronic art as well as interdisciplinary information resources and organizations reflective of each unit of the organization. (IV E, I G)

Divisions, Sections, & Round Tables Action Items:

Divisions, Sections, and Round Tables actively promote the knowledge and subject expertise of the members they represent. Each group is focused on a unique aspect of art librarianship, and therefore has connections with a variety of peer institutions and knowledge of specialized vendors as well as collections. Each Division, Section and Round Table can help achieve the goals and objectives of the strategic plan by focusing on the following action steps.

Create a roster of libraries and visual resources collections that support internships in art librarianship. (I B)
Become active and influential participants in the accreditation process by establishing and maintaining a roster of members who have been, are currently, or will be involved in the accreditation process and make this roster available on the ARLIS/NA website. Promote the inclusion of ARLIS/NA members in accreditation visiting teams where appropriate. Discuss the establishment of a task force to evaluate the idea of independent accreditation of art libraries by ARLIS/NA. (III A)
Working closely with the AWS Administrative Board, develop procedures to ensure that the ARLIS/NA website provides references and/or links to useful print and electronic art and interdisciplinary information resources reflective of each Division, Section, or Round Table. (IV E, I G)
Standards Committee to make sure this information is available via the web site. (III A)
Work with the professional development committee to expand mentoring program to new Division, Section, and Round Table members. (I G)
Contribute to the establishment of professional development and continuing education programs of the Society. (II A)
Working with the Development Committee, contribute to the process of identifying sources of funding for regional workshops, travel grants, honoraria for speakers, and programs to attract and retain members. (I C)
Promote members expertise by working with the Professional Development Committee on the establishment of an ARLIS/NA speaker’s bureau. (I D)
Continue to promote efforts of librarians who teach. Promote dissemination of instructional materials through LOEX Clearinghouse for Library Instruction. (I D)
Actively lobby publishers/database producers for inclusion of art journals with images in e-journals and full-text databases. (III D)

Regions & Chapters Action Items:

Identify local and regional sources of funding and work with Development Committee to obtain funding to support ARLIS/NA professional development and continuing education programs. (I C)
Establish local mentoring programs, and work with Membership Committee to ensure implementation. (I E)
Establish a speaker’s bureau within each Chapter/Region. (I D)
Establish methods to share chapter programming on a regional level, and to support regional workshops. (II A, I B)

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