This paper will discuss the processes of strategic planning, performance indicators and benchmarking and examine the way in which these tools can be used as a means to assist in the management of a library. In this paper I will be looking at the processes of strategic planning, performance indicators and benchmarking and examining the way in which you can use these tools as a means to assist you in the management of your library. Strategic planning identifies business performance and improvement activities to be undertaken within the planning timeframe to meet customer needs.
Strategic planning encourages the library manager to be future oriented.
This may be gained in a number of ways. For example, by getting out of the library and becoming part of the organisation, either formally through work on committees and informally through your friendship and social networks. This will enable you to gain knowledge of current and future directions being taken by the organisation, which you can use to position your library as a necessary part of it. This last step is also very important - let your management know what you are planning and how this supports the mission of the broader organisation. Develop a mission statement.