Strategic Plan for Tater University Special Collections

1. Strategic Plan for Tater University Special Collections Cheryl Bemiss, Sarah Hardy, Brianna Hoffman, Haley Songchild

2. Overview Hungry for History?

3. The City of Yam • Largest city in eastern Oregon (pop. 80,000) • Settled in 1860s by Irish immigrants • Primary industries - Potato farming and tourism • Home to Tater University

4. Tater University • Founded in 1911 by Dr. James Poe Tater • 20,000 students currently enrolled • Famous for football team - "The Fighting Spuds" • Quarterback Hash Brown

5. Tater University Special Collections (TUSC) • Created in 1928 to house unique and historically significant materials, including rare books, manuscripts, film, photographs, etc. • Tater University Archives (TUA) - TUSC's partner organization for financial, administrative, legal documents

6. TUSC Staff • 4 FTE • Head of Special Collections – Brianna Hoffman • Reference and Instruction Archivist – Sarah Hardy • Rare Books Cataloger – Haley Songchild • Processing Archivist – Cheryl Bemiss • 2 PTE • 2 Volunteers • Graduate Intern

7. Collections & Areas of Emphasis Four Main Areas: • History of Yam • agriculture, tourism, local events, politicians • Tater University Sports Programs • athlete profiles, players' jerseys, trophies, news articles, etc. • The Yukon Gold Theatre Dept. Collection • costumes, photos, films • Genealogical Resources • military, church, land records

8. Guiding Values • Obtain, manage, and preserve unique materials • Ensure equal access • Provide instruction opportunities • Facilitate discovery of collections • Deliver expert, personal, responsive service to all users Core values echo Tater University's Guiding Values

9. Mission & Vision Our Mission Statement: “TUSC strives to serve all people by preserving and encouraging the use of our collections, which document the rich heritage of the university and the community.” Our Vision Statement: "Enriching peoples' lives by increasing access to the past.”

10. Preparation & Planning "A team's effectiveness to a large extent depends on communication.” –Stueart & Moran, 2007

11. Management Team Who Will Be Involved? • TUSC Strategic Planning Team • Comprised of Full Time and Part Time Staff • Led by Head of Special Collections Why Will They Be Involved? • Strong Devotion to Continuing Education • Keeping Skills Current and Relevant What Will They Contribute? • Open and Constructive Communication • Strong Dedication

12. Planning Factors Dynamics • Full Time Staff • Working together for Approximately 8 Years • Past Work Experience and Connections • Open Communication • Encouraging Creativity • Servant Leadership at the Top • Values that Support the Organization and its Mission Challenges • Material Centered vs. User Centered • Diversity of Personalities

13. Current reality “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” –Albert Einstein

14. Environmental Scan Challenges: • Interdepartmental Conflicts • Economic Recession = budget cuts, reorganization/consolidation, increased demands on smaller staff • Community Resistance = traditional oral histories vs. research

15. SWOT Analysis

16. Organization Performance Areas of Performance: • Collection Processing: Cheryl, the all-star • Instruction: Sarah, the pro • Access: Technologically behind, reducing access • Outreach: Centennial Celebration bust Metrics: • Room for Growth • Future Implementation of S.M.A.R.T. goals

17. Gap Analysis Areas of Need: • Processing (minimal): some backlog of materials • Marketing: to promote access and use we want to employ a unified, technologically advanced approach • Staff training: willingness to be trained, guidance needed

18. New Priorities Let your mission and vision guide you...

19. Strategic Profile • Guiding Factors • Mission and Vision • User-Centered Attitude • Intimate Access to Collections • Increasing Outreach • Taking Advantage of Technology • Increasing Access in Special Collections • Digitization • Exposure to Community and Beyond

20. Future Vision Center for Oregon History Access • Digitization • Outreach • Enthusiasm and Passion of TUSC Staff • De-Mystifying Services Vision Statement "Enriching peoples' lives by increasing access to the past." Mission Statement "TUSC strives to serve all people by preserving and encouraging the use of our collections, which document the rich heritage of the university and the community."

21. Strategic Initiatives Goal 1: Implement new outreach strategies to raise public awarenessof TUSC’s services. Goal 2: Update current technology through a digital initiative.

22. Goal 1: Implement new outreach strategies to raise public awareness of TUSC’s services. • Objective 1: Improve accessibility/exposure of TUSC’s collections by consulting a marketing advisor. • Initiative 1: Launch a marketing campaign in collaboration with the University’s football team, the Fighting Spuds, to promote use of the archives. • Initiative 2: Launch a marketing campaign in collaboration with the University's Yukon Gold Theatre Department to promote use of the archives.

23. Goal 1: Implement new outreach strategies to raise public awareness of TUSC’s services. • Objective 2: De-mystify the process of TUSC’s services through instruction and classes. • Initiative 1: Add more University Special Collections orientation classes and/or redesign existing classes to better reflect the needs of patrons. • Initiative 2: Hold TUSC tours for students in collaboration with the University’s English, History, Research, and other relatable classes.

24. Goal 2: Update current technology through a digital initiative. • Objective 1: Redesign and improve TUSC’s website for usability and accessibility by hiring a website designer. • Initiative 1: Increase social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) on the website for ease of access. • Initiative 2: Develop staff skills in relation to technology/web design for future improvements and maintenance to website without hiring outside services.

25. Goal 2: Update current technology through a digital initiative. • Objective 2: Digitize articles, newspapers, photographs, artifacts, etc. and make collections available online. • Initiative 1: Purchase scanning equipment able to scan small and large photos and artifacts. • Initiative 2: Train in-house staff on how to use the new scanning equipment, and train staff on any safety protocols related to the machine.

26. Timeline

27. Budget "Money is the root of all evil, and yet it is such a useful root that we cannot get on without it any more than we can without potatoes." ~Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), American novelist • Staff development/training $3,000 (annually) • Online tutorials, workshops • Website Designer $1,800 (one-time) • Bid estimate– adjustment if advanced web design student volunteer recruited • Marketing Services - Football Campaign $0 • Donor funded initiative • Consultant - 20 hrs. @ $40 per hr. paid by philanthropist (former Spuds quarterback Hash Brown)

28. Performance Management Synergies • Outreach • Made Possible through Increase in Social Media • Technology • De-Mystifying the Process • Planning and Instruction • Accessibility • Digitization Conflicts • Material-Centered > User-Centered Transition • Moving Outside of the "Comfort Zone" Monitoring and Revision • Constant Monitoring • Timeline Benchmarks

29. Contingencies • Budget cuts • Staff resistance • Community resistance • Loss of university support

30. Conclusion • "We're gonna mash ya!" "The Fighting Spuds are butter than your team!"

31. Team Narrative Forming • Easy Process • Open and Honest • Picking and Choosing Best Practices • Playing to Strengths • Agreement on Team Norms • Consensus of Topic Storming • No Inter-Group Conflict • Forthcoming of Obstacles • Proactivity • Equal Contributions • No Intimidation • No Undervaluing

32. Team Narrative Norming • Adobe Connect Convenience • Entertainment on the Side • Camaraderie • Job Searching • Serious Workplace Issues • Encouraging Emails Performing • Knowing when to Focus • Value of Preparation • Artificial Deadlines • Knowing when to Slow your Pace Adjourning • Lessons Learned

33. References Spuds to Spare (Potato images). Retrieved from http://www.columbiavalleypioneer.com/?p=7391 Stueart, R. D., & Moran, B. B. (2007). Library and information center management. Colorado: Libraries Unlimited.