Toolkit: Plan of Service

The Alberta Libraries Regulation requires boards to have a current plan of service that is on file with the provincial Ministry, which reads as follows:

Part 3
Municipal Boards
Plan of service
13(1) In managing and controlling a municipal library, a municipal board shall

    (a)    within 3 years of being established, develop and file with the Minister a plan of service with a mission statement and goals and objectives based on a needs assessment of the municipality, and

    (b)    annually review its plan of service.

(2) A municipal board shall file with the Minister a copy of its current plan of service with goals and objectives not less frequently than every 5 years following the date on which the plan was previously filed with the Minister.  http://www.qp.gov.ab.ca/documents/regs/1998_141.cfm

The plan of service is developed by the library board and staff, and usually includes:

  1. A needs assessment process
  2. Mission statement, Goals and Objectives
  3. The planning process to carry out your service goals

The Planning Process

The process involved in writing a Plan of Service is outlined in the following steps:

Needs Assessment (link)

  1. Assessing the community library needs (data)
  2. Evaluating current library service/s and resources

Mission Statement

  1. Determining the role of the public library in the community

Plan of Service

  1. Setting goals, objectives and priorities
  2. Developing and evaluating strategies (Action plans, tasks)
  3. Implementing strategies
  4. Monitoring and evaluating progress towards goals and objectives

For detailed information on this process, see Road Map for a Plan of Service.
If you require further information or assistance with this process, please contact a Training and Development Librarian at Yellowhead Regional Library.