Michigan Library Association

							                       Engaging Members in our Preferred Future
                             MLA Strategic Plan Highlights

                                          July 29, 2010


MLA Adopted Mission

Helping libraries and library professionals succeed.

MLA Value Statements

Access to Information:
MLA values free and open access to information and skilled professional assistance in
information retrieval and research while protecting an individual's right to privacy.
Professionalism:
MLA values the advancement of well-informed and well-trained library professionals through
quality professional development.
Sharing:
MLA is a forum for collaboration, cooperation, and partnerships cultivating cutting-edge ideas
and awareness of best practices in an open and supportive culture.
Leadership:
MLA provides leadership and empowers members to promote libraries as a powerful united
presence that is civically engaged and socially active to provide for the sustained stewardship of
informational, financial and community resources.
Sustainability:
MLA is a sustainable, financially viable association that is characterized by diversity and has the
ability to quickly change to meet member needs.


MLA Preferred Future – In 2020 Michigan Library Association is/will be:

1. The statewide voice and advocacy network for libraries and library professionals.
2. The primary source of high quality professional development, advancement and leadership
   training for library professionals.
3. A forum for collaboration, cooperation, and partnerships cultivating cutting-edge ideas and
   awareness of best practices in an open and supportive culture.
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4. The first- choice resource for vital products, services and knowledge/information essential
   to the success of libraries and library professionals.
5. The ultimate source for research and data on Michigan libraries.


Goals-Three Year Strategic Plan

1. MLA is an association whose members are engaged and have a positive, rewarding
   membership experience.
2. MLA is valuable to its members.
3. MLA is sustainable and has sufficient organizational (human, financial, technological)
   capacity to achieve mission and accomplish the strategic plan.
4. MLA is an association that delivers high quality, consistent, reliable information to its
   members.


Objectives:

1. Increase member value.
2. Increase member engagement.
3. Determine organizational resources required to achieve mission and accomplish the
   strategic plan.
4. Increase unrestricted net assets to 50% of annual expenses.
5. Increase dues revenue.
6. Increase member retention rate to 90%
7. Increase professional development profit.
8. Meet average staff ratios of like size organizations.




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                                   Annual Plan 2010-11


Communications and Marketing Committee Charge

Oversees all MLA communications including MLA website, Michigan Libraries, Facebook and
Twitter, to improve MLA brand and deliver valued membership information. Develop
comprehensive communications plan with MLA staff and evaluates alternative technologies for
communication and ad sales/promotions.

Subcommittees:

Michigan Libraries – Produce quarterly online MLA newsletter
Web Advisory – Maintain, assess and guide MLA’s web presence


Strategic Plan Strategies:

1. Research and propose a plan to move the MLA website and MLA wiki to an outside hosting
   company while archiving MLA Forum and Peer to Peer by October, 2010.
2. Explore a comprehensive communication plan to achieve board defined outcomes.
3. Research and propose a complete plan to move Michigan Libraries to a web-based
   newsletter including software recommendations, content recommendations, publishing
   schedule, and revenue/advertising generation and budget to the Board of Directors by
   January, 2011.
4. In coordination with the Membership Committee, develop membership marketing materials
   and website updates for MLA’s member to member campaign to transition to a new
   membership dues model, January – June, 2011.
5. Begin a conversation about an integrated technology plan to support Board defined
   outcomes in coordination with PDNC, Membership and Legislative Committees.


Annual Tactics:

1. Publish Michigan Libraries quarterly in September, December (2010), March and June
   (2011) with MLA volunteer Editor.
2. Maintain monthly President’s and Executive Director’s email blasts on MLA news and
   information.
3. Maintain monthly Institutional Updates.
4. Develop a Year-End review/Annual Report.
5. Maintain regular website, Facebook and Twitter updates with MLA volunteer Webmaster.




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Professional Development and Networking Committee Charge
Align all efforts and activities with MLA Board’s mission, value statements, and strategic plan.
Work cohesively with MLA staff as a team to maintain oversight and assure a high standard of
quality experiences. Assure that work groups and communities of practice teams have
adequate resources to develop and produce targeted, valuable, and fiscally responsible events.
Assure that work groups and communities of practice teams produce events that have clearly
defined goals, objectives, and outcomes. Incorporate new concepts, programs, events, and
delivery modes in a methodical and calculated manner and in collaboration with the other MLA
Committees. Utilize appropriate measurement tools and data to determine future direction.

Strategic Plan Strategies:

1. Develop an operations manual for professional development, documenting a uniform
   approach to policies, procedures, budgeting, contracting, evaluations, planning tools, etc.
   (2010-11).
2. Continue and evaluate second year of Communities of Practice at MLA including Academic
   Libraries Community (ACRL Chapter relationship), continuing and new communities.
3. Evaluate and recommend future purpose, outcomes, technology, operations, sustainability
   of Communities of Practice at MLA (2011-12).
4. Recommend measures of member engagement in professional development (2012-13).
5. Develop an Awards Task Force to envision a brand new approach to awards at MLA to
   achieve mission that is viable and sustainable (2012-13).
6. Develop a comprehensive business plan analysis to document existing and explore potential
   diversification of professional development and networking offerings at MLA (2012-13).


Annual PDNC-related events:

Annual Conference:
4-day event in the fall that draws 600-1,000 members / exhibitors / guests that consists of a
pre-conference, a Call to recruit 50-80 programs, 5 keynote-types, special events (including
fund raisers), exhibition (80-100), 4-8 talk tables, 16 poster sessions, $50,000+ sponsors,
advertising, publicity, 50+ volunteers, audio visual procurement to support all, and awards
recognition (5).

Spring Institute:
2-day event in the spring that draws 150-350 members / exhibitors / guests that consists of 25+
programs, exhibition (20), publicity, performers showcase (8), 5 keynote-types, special events,
and audio visual, awards (4).

Leadership Academy:
1-year (5 sessions) program for cohort of 30 with 2 sessions (2nd & 4th sessions) open to
membership registration/participation. Facilitated by professional trainer. Designed to run
every other year.

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Academic Libraries
2-day event in the spring that draws 100 members / guests that consists of 20+ programs, 2
keynote-types, special events, and audio visual.

Leadership Orientation
1-day event in the summer that draws 70-100 members / guests to allow leaders an
opportunity to become familiar with MLA as an organization along with expectations for all.

Workshops
Ten 1-day events that draw 30-100 / each and consist of keynote-types, publicity, and audio
visual.
    - Spring Workshops include Directors’ Summit, Fantastic Fiction, Tech Escape, Transition
        in Collections, and Leadership Academy
    - Summer workshops include Leadership Orientation and Leadership Academy.
    - Fall Workshops include Literature, The Child and The Teen and Leadership Academy.
    - Winter Workshops include Summer Reading Program, Leadership Academy


PDNC 2010-11 Annual Plan
1. Create a flow chart to illustrate components of current event management processes,
   procedures, protocol, and tools; identify strengths and weaknesses; and develop
   recommendations for continued strength in all.
2. Create an evaluation tool to inventory all current PDNC-related activities, including
   conferences, workshops, programs, awards, and communities of practice to guide in
   determining future viability, delivery, opportunities, and value.
3. Create and utilize an evaluation tool for all professional development events for long term
   comparison.
4. Create a 5-year plan to guide with next steps on the direction of association Awards.
5. Begin discussion on how to measure member involvement as it relates to PDNC-related
   activities.
6. Create a framework for discussion on PDNC-related technology.
7. Document a profile of 3 new potential PDNC-related revenue streams.
8. Create a checklist of how PDNC-related events can be consistently marketed to members.




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Membership Committee Charge:
Create and implement a plan to retain current and recruit new members. Serve as
ambassadors from MLA to current and prospective members, focusing on targeted and
personalized interactions with members promoting the value and benefits of membership. Act
as the guardians of the MLA member experience by providing a flow of information from
members to MLA committees, the Board and executive staff to improve the quality and value of
MLA products, services and programs. Assist in the gathering and analysis of member data and
feedback.

According to ASAE (American Society of Association Executives), the average retention rate is
between 82 and 90 percent. If an association’s retention rate is below 80%, the association
should review and /or develop new or additional incentives to address the value proposition. If
the association’s retention rate is below 75%, the association’s value proposition needs to be
seriously overhauled. When looking at retention rates, it is also important to benchmark
against other associations in your industry.

The formula is:

      (Total Number of Members Today minus 12 months of new members) / Total Number
       of Members in Previous Year = Renewal Rate


Strategic Plan Strategies:

1. Develop and implement a plan to measure and increase member engagement (2012-14).

2. Restructure MLA’s membership classifications and dues structure by June, 2011.

3. Create a strategic partner membership classification, define a value proposition and member
    benefits and recruit strategic partner members (2010-11).

4. Roll out a member to member campaign to education and engage members in the
   transition to a new MLA membership/dues model, Jan-June, 2011.

5. Develop and implement a membership retention and recruitment plan for MLA individual
   and institutional members and prospects (2011-13).

6. Develop membership marketing materials and regular communications (2011-13).


Annual Tactics:

1. Retention
      1. Develop a member retention plan (member to member campaign) and marketing
             message around the dues simplification.

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       2. Develop marketing messages and timeline for communications (touches) throughout
       the year, both individual and institutional. (examples: Annual Conference, Events and
       Library Presentations)
       3. Develop and launch a feedback tool to track and assess the membership experience.

2. Recruitment
      1. Develop a list of potential recruits with a focus on institutional membership.
      2. Develop recruitment procedures, tools and a timeline.
      3. Develop a strategic partner plan.

3. Membership Marketing
     1. Update content on MLA’s website for membership marketing message including how
     to join, how to renew and how to volunteer for both individual and institutional
     members that reflects the dues simplification.
     2. Create a recruitment marketing kit.
     3. Outreach via a Member to Member Campaign
     4. Membership Committee presence at all MLA events - either a physical presence or
     materials (i.e. Annual Conference membership table)
     5. List of renewals in email blasts.

  4. Data Management/Reports, Tools, Systems, Staff
      1. Clean up MemberMax, the membership database.
      2. Develop reporting tools for tracking success.
      3. Develop a report for tracking non-renewing (lapsed) members .
      4. Create a timeline for reporting.

  5. Budget




Legislative Committee Charge

Monitors legislative and policy issues that impact libraries and makes policy recommendations
to the Board. Informs and educates members about state legislation and policy issues of
interest to the membership. Work closely with MLA lobbyist. Evaluates survey results and
makes recommendations on professional development/training and other efforts to enhance
advocacy efforts in the library community.

Strategies:

1. Begin discussions on a model to measure and market the benefits and value of issues
   lobbied to retain and attract members.
2. Begin a conversation on measures of member engagement in advocacy.
3. Begin development of a long-range plan to combat tax capture.

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Annual Tactics:

1. Advocate to protect state aid to libraries and the Michigan eLibrary.
2. Oppose tax capture legislation.
3. Update and propose legislative Guiding Principles and Legislative Agenda for the 2010-2012
   legislative session to the Board of Directors by December, 2010.


Board/Staff Management

Strategies:

1. Develop a 5-year business plan for MLA and evaluate new revenue streams to build
   organizational capacity and priorities tied to mission/viability impact matrix (2011-13).
2. Appoint a task force (board/at-large) to evaluate all revenue generation sources and
   opportunities, evaluate risk/reward, actual costs/benefits, survey members regarding
   priorities/pricing and propose a solid business plan to proceed (2011-12).
3. Conduct board training on business development, nondues revenue generation, etc. (2011-
   12).
4. Budget for support staff to increase organizational capacity (2011-12).
5. Budget for membership/communications staff (2012-13).


Annual Tactics:

1. Rollout the strategic plan to the general membership in August-September, 2010.
2. Implement the Fraud Risk management plan – clean out the basement by August, 2010.
3. Appoint Nominating Committee October, 2010 hold board elections in April, 2011.
4. Revise the Employee Personnel Manual by December, 2010.
5. Rebid disability insurance and recommend a plan by February, 2011.
6. Initiate conversations about MLA’s Preferred Future and Outcomes, the strategic plan and
   business planning, including board training.
7. Create a template and process for annual planning and budgeting to incorporate greater
   committee involvement and reporting into board deliberations.




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