Strategic Plan 2000-2005

Purpose

This Strategic Plan will guide Miami-Dade College Libraries regarding projects and activities for the next five years. This plan sets a Mission for the college and identifies the governing values that underlie all decisions made throughout the system. Through consensus and planning, all campus and outreach center libraries not only uniquely serve their local constituents but when combined, they balance the college library system as a whole thus maximizing resources. This plan will help the Libraries coordinate collections and services in an environment evolving from print to digital collections that will be supportive of the College curriculum and future goals.

Mission

The collective mission of the Libraries of Miami Dade College is to provide access to collections, resources, services and facilities in support of the College’s purposes and educational programs for all students. In support of the educational and developmental role of the College, on behalf of students, the Libraries emphasize their instructional role in assisting faculty, staff and students to use collections, research tools and services effectively. The library/leaning resources centers’ collections and services will evolve to:

1) meet user information needs,
2) incorporate advances in information delivery systems, including the College Center for Library Automation’s (CCLA’s) digital library, to interact with in-state and out-of-state information retrieval sources.

As information centers, the Libraries endeavor to serve their at-large communities and engage in cooperative activities with local, national and international networks.

Vision

• Students, faculty, and staff will have barrier-free and timely access to the total information resources of the MDC System libraries as well as the electronic gateways to information resources.
  
• Materials will be easily accessible to all students through library computerized information systems and other distance learning technologies.
  
• The MDC library collections will be developed as an integrated, interdependent statewide resource for research, teaching and service.
  
• The MDC libraries will increasingly serve as centers for collaboration, group study and specialized instruction.
  
• Librarians will be information resource managers and teachers of information literacy who assist their constituencies using new learning technologies, developing lifetime learning skills, and accessing worldwide electronic information.
  

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Goals and Strategies

Goal 1:      Anticipate and initiate new services to support emerging needs.

Goal 2:      Update the library collections to increase currency and relevancy of materials available to users.

Goal 3:      Improve physical facilities in order to enhance patron access to staff, collections and information technology.

Goal 4:      Enhance and increase cooperative agreements to support the open exchange of information and provide access to other institutions throughout the county and state.

Goal 5:      Provide technical and professional opportunities for all library staff.

Goal 6:      Provide library access to materials and services to all library users including the distance learner.

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Services

Goal 1: Anticipate and initiate new services to support emerging needs.

Objective and Strategies

1.1 Update instructional programs to teach users new ways of accessing library information and other emerging resources.

1.1.1 Coordinate the integration of information literacy techniques and assignments into all library instruction classes and materials in conjunction with the discipline committees.
1.1.2 Develop e-handouts and Web pages that provide discipline oriented supplemental information to students.
1.1.3 Increase the number of library instruction sessions provided for faculty and students.
1.1.4 Increase the number of library courses available through the Web and through traditional course offerings.
1.1.5 Implement alternative reference services such as online/electronic reference services.
1.2 Provide all students with opportunities to learn how to access information in different formats so that they can continue their life-long learning.
1.2.1 Design a MCC Library Web interface to all Library electronic services including the library catalog, CD ROM materials, electronic reserves, electronic indexes and databases.
1.2.2 Provide adaptive equipment, software and space for students with disabilities in collaboration with the MDC Disabled Student Services office.
1.2.3 Develop Web pages that facilitate efficient user-initiated electronic services.
1.2.3.1 Establish electronic document delivery processes i.e. interlibrary loan, reference services, etc.
1.2.3.2 Increase the number of electronic interlibrary loan and document delivery transactions for distance education programs.
1.2.4 Implement systems for digitizing materials in order to give students easier and broader access.
1.2.5 Increase the availability of public access computer workstations with Internet capabilities in the libraries.
1.3 Partner with the faculty to incorporate new technologies that support students’ with their research.
1.3.1 Implement procedures to integrate new technologies pertinent to specific disciplines into library instruction.
1.3.2 Provide electronic reserves, including digitized media, to promote remote access of supplemental course materials.
1.4 Provide students with new and emerging technologies that help them locate, evaluate, and use information.
1.4.1 Create an online research primer to assist students, especially the non-traditional.
1.5 Extend the use of emerging technologies to students in order to provide access anytime, anywhere.
1.5.1 Consolidate service and resource points in the Libraries so that they are more convenient and efficient for Library users.
1.5.2 Implement alternative reference services such as online/electronic reference and in-depth consultation by appointment on-site or via e-mail.

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Library Collections

Goal 2: Update the library collections to increase currency and relevancy of materials available to users.

Objectives and Strategies

2.1 Provide essential and current references and specialized program resources in support of the curriculum.

2.1.1 Secure additional funds for library materials.
2.1.2 Replace 50% of the total number of weeded volumes in tandem with curriculum needs.
2.1.3 Revise library policies and procedures to include the selection and purchase of electronic resources college-wide such as books, e-books, serials, electronic indexes, periodicals and media, etc.
2.1.4 Weed a minimum of 50,000 outdated volumes from the collection.
2.1.5 Maintain currency of collections by weeding at a rate of 5% annually.
2.1.6 Ensure copyright compliance for all services and materials provided by the library including digital media.

2.2 Balance the current collection in all areas of study throughout the system.

2.2.1 Develop a college-wide profile, subdivided by campus, for collection development according to curriculum.
2.2.2 Develop and implement the library materials budgets according to discipline and taking into account the curriculum, FTE and the location of the cluster headquarters and unique or specific campus needs.
2.2.3 Examine and recommend a process for outsourcing cataloging and collection development including serials and continuations.
2.2.4 Consolidate microfilm collections.

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Goal 3: Improve physical facilities in order to enhance patron access to staff, collections and information technology.

Objectives and Strategies

3.1 Update the physical facilities and infrastructure to improve access to the collections and services.

3.1.1 Examine the impact of new services and technology provided through the library to ensure adequate lighting, means of egress, elevators, furniture, etc.
3.1.2 In conjunction with the MDC Disabled Student Services Dept., evaluate library facilities with regards to ADA accessibility standards and make the necessary recommendations.
3.1.3 Create or adapt physical spaces to accommodate group study and new collaborative learning styles.
3.1.4 Evaluate, assess and upgrade the technological capabilities in the library.

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Goal 4: Enhance and increase cooperative agreements to support the open exchange of information and provide access to other institutions throughout the county and state.

Objectives and Strategies

4.1 Increase access to resources available to our constituents.

4.1.1 Expand the library’s participation in state and national networks and consortiums, such as OCLC, SOLINET (Southeast Library Information Network), CCLA (College Center for Library Automation), SEFLIN (Southeast Florida Library Information Network), and others.
4.1.2 Develop partnerships with institutions in the development of digital resources.
4.1.3 Utilize CCLA’s portal (Information Gateway) to access the MDC digital collections and other digital resources such as SEFLIN’s digital library.

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Goal 5: Provide technical and professional opportunities for all library staff.

Objectives and Strategies

5.1 Develop a training plan in conjunction with College Training & Development, Library Directors, library faculty and staff to increase technological expertise with regards to identification and utilization of Internet Resources, utilization and ordering of non-print materials, software packages and electronic resources.

5.2 Analyze library positions in relation to other areas of Learning Resources and develop a reorganization plan for the library that takes into account shared task areas across the division.

5.3 Develop and implement cross-training within the Learning Resources Division to enhance worker flexibility, productivity and to broaden shared knowledge-base.

5.4 Offer training workshops in LC Classification to all library personnel.

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Goal 6: Provide library access to materials and services to all library users, including the distance learner.

Objectives and Strategies

6.1 Provide access for all students especially, distance learners and individuals with special needs.

6.2 Reclassify collections to the Library of Congress classification system.

6.2.1 Shift the collections to conform to LC classification.

6.3 Coordinate with CCLA the training factors and implementation and training of ExLibris, the new library management system for all of Florida's academic libraries operating in public community colleges, four-year colleges and and universities.

6.4 Conduct a library inventory.

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