Organizational Integration, Strategic Planning, and Staff Assessment in Publicly Funded Libraries

Abstract

Library and information center services are at risk during times of extensive budget reductions. Publicly funded institutions labeled as inessential or as auxiliary departments may lose the revenue necessary to maintain full staffing. Financial circumstances of recent years highlight the importance of strategic planning in library and information center management. Although typically characterized as formal nonprofit organizations that depend on government expenditures and private donations, libraries are also open systems. The operations of an open system can be explained by reference to a levers model. Open systems are sensitive to the external environment and depend upon competent management for successful operation. Assessment measures are necessary for management evaluation. Poor decision making can be attributed to a lack of coherent policies in regards to employee evaluation and retention. A coherent assessment strategy is mutually reinforcing and can be illustrated by examples in the form of tables or other diagrams that locate integration policies vertically, in regards to the chosen strategy, and horizontally, in regards to how the policies support each other. The proper role of HR departments is to fairly implement the policies. Strategic planning and assessments should include standards of conduct and abide by established ethical criteria.