What was the purpose of strategic planning at the CSU Libraries?
As the intellectual and interdisciplinary nexus for the CSU community and Colorado residents, Colorado State University Libraries is charged with providing resources, tools, and guidance necessary to engage critically with the global information landscape. In fulfillment of this charge, CSU Libraries aligned with CSU’s Principles of Community and Courageous Strategic Transformation framework to envision the Libraries’ mission, vision, goals, and priorities.
The strategic plan’s goal is to refine our purpose, giving a mission and vision that directs the Libraries over the next several years as we face unknown scenarios and decisions.
This plan will help guide library employees in making choices that have the best impact on CSU’s community, students, and users.
Who contributed to the Libraries’ strategic planning process?
The Libraries initiated its strategic planning process in 2020, built on a continuous improvement model and using the Appreciative Inquiry framework, led by the Library Leadership Group in coordination with Dean Karen Estlund. After work of 23 task forces between 2020 and 2024, and participation from nearly 80% of Libraries’ employees, the Strategic Planning Advisory Group, charged from the Library Leadership Group, assessed progress and future directions.
In 2024, following a comprehensive library-wide assessment of surveys and departmental meetings, we:
- Refined the wording of our vision, mission, and goals for clarity and combined similar goals
- Added a goal: “Drive Organizational Excellence through Continuous Improvement”
- Removed operationalized priorities from the plan
- Updated our strategic priorities
The Strategic Planning Advisory Group will continue to form tactical task forces to advance these priorities, ensuring focused and efficient progress where cross-unit collaboration is crucial, identifying key initiatives that require dedicated time and resources at the library-wide level. All library employees support our goals through ongoing work integrated into daily operations, individual goals, and within specific unit plans.
What informed the Libraries’ strategic planning?
- Creation of a mission and vision statement
- Organizational-level audit of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Libraries
- Unit benchmarking and peer comparison
- Organizational review
- Scenario planning
- Adoption of the University’s Principles of Community as the Libraries’ organizational values
Who provided feedback on the the strategic plan at CSU?
CSU Libraries spoke with student, faculty and staff stakeholders across the University to discuss our strategic planning process and plans for the future. Many of their suggestions were incorporated into this final version. We thank all who gave their time and feedback, particularly: the Associated Students of Colorado State University, the Faculty Council Committee on Libraries, and our donors and friends.
