IFLA Market: What your Section can achieve – planning and strategy Chair: Lynne Rudasill,

1. IFLA Market: What your Section can achieve – planning and strategy Chair: Lynne Rudasill, Chair of the Professional Committee 2013 - 2015

2. Aims of this session today This session is aimed mainly at active participants of IFLA Units (Section Standing Committee members, Special Interest Group participants, Strategic Programme committee members). Especially those that are planning to submit a Professional Project proposal to the Professional Committee this year.

3. [..continued] Aims of this session today We hope you learn more about how to plan and carry out an effective IFLA project, and to understand more about how your project could support the Strategic Plan and Key Initiatives. Examples taken from current professional projects will be presented, and you will have the opportunity to ask members of the Professional Committee about the selection process, and what makes a good application.

4. Agenda 5’ Introduction. 15’ Overview of the IFLA Strategic Plan and the Key Initiatives. 15’ Effectively planning projects and activities. 10’ Aspects of an effective PC Project plan. Examples of PC Projects: 5’ Sister Libraries. 5’ Workshop for E-book Campaign. 15’ Questions and discussion.

5. Overview of the IFLA Strategic Plan and the Key Initiatives and how professional units can contribute through their activities. Russell Lynch Chair of Division 2

6. What are the they? The IFLA Strategic Plan sets out the framework for the direction that IFLA will take up to 2015. Each new Governing Board will review the strategic directions and goals and adjust according to their findings. The Key Initiatives form the basis for the IFLA strategic activities for all units across IFLA.

7. 4 Key Initiatives for 2013-2014 Digital Content Programme - Driving access to content, and digital resources, for informed library users and communities. There are several sub-themes, such as Open Access, digital lending, standards, etc. IFLA International Librarianship Leadership Development Programme Outreach for Advocacy and Advancement of the Library and Information sector: connecting, collaborating, representing strategically Cultural Heritage Disaster Reconstruction Programme: Culture is a basic need, a community thrives through its cultural heritage, it dies without it

8. Read the full details online http://www.ifla.org/strategic-plan/key-initiatives These will be updated by the Governing Board for 2013 - 2014

9. Relation to the work of the IFLA professional units Sections and Special Interest Groups are asked to help contribute to the Key Initiatives so that all the many parts of IFLA can be seen to be moving in the same direction, and so that we can use our strength together to move forward and demonstrate results.

10. Why does IFLA need Key Initiatives: the bigger goal Our aim through these Initiatives is to use our influence and apply our expertise to position libraries as a force for change and secure equitable access to knowledge, cultural heritage, and information for the library user community in the rapidly changing and competitive environment for information resources.

11. How do we all align? Sections and Special Interest Groups take forward the interests of IFLA members in their identified area by developing an Action Plan which is shared with everyone. The Action Plan might include: Gathering information, statistics, examples of best practice, or viewpoints, perhaps in order to develop documentation or policy, perhaps just to inform through a web page. Developing and writing a new guideline or standard. An event or workshop. Information dissemination or facilitation of discussion. Developing or delivering training materials. Community development (for example, partnerships).

12. How might these activities contribute to the Key Initiatives? If IFLA needs input or examples, does your unit have a community ready to be contacted or activated? If IFLA needs a representative or advisor, do you have active and informed members across the different continents? If IFLA needs examples of good practice is your unit able to point to a web page?

13. By achieving success in our units, we all contribute to IFLA’s bigger goal.

14. Carolynn RankinVisiting Fellow, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. Effectively planning projects/activities for your Section: what makes a good plan and how to inform people about the result.

15. Why undertake projects - benefits to IFLA and the profession Furthering professional excellence Creating new knowledge, provoking conversation and debate Providing an evidence base for practice and policy development Bringing about positive change Enhancing reputation Developing an engaged and vibrant professional community ...

16. What is a project? A project may be expected to have the following features: Has a clearly defined set of objectives or outcomes Has a specific start and end date Involves the investment of resources for future benefit Can be planned, financed and implemented as a unit Has geographical or organisational boundaries

17. Characteristics that make projects different from other work Instruments of change Non-routine Unique Composed of inter-dependent activities Carried out by people who don't normally work together Temporary - with defined start and end dates Intended to achieve a specific outcome May be risky and involving uncertainties

18. Project management involves a range of management skills Carrying out some research to identify a gap in provision. Developing a plan to decide what needs to be done and in what order Allocating and managing the resources e.g. people and finances Considering the risks involved Communicating with the stakeholders – disseminating the progress, the outcomes Evaluating the project

19. Project management skills provide a framework Most of project management is plain, common sense and a lot of what we describe is simply a structured approach to what you would do instinctively! Different methodologies and software available to help.

20. Planning Why is it important to spend time formulating & clarifying your project plan? Without being clear it is difficult to plan what needs to be done To ensure you have sufficient time and money and human resources to undertake the project Helps to share your plan with others who may be working with you to deliver the project may be financially backing the project Don’t be woolly!

21. That’s a good IDEA framework – your project The framework: I = Interest, Issue, Idea D = Develop, Discuss, Define E = Engage, Elaborate, Enact A = Advocate, Advertise, Apply

22. I = interest, issue, idea Identify a project or research opportunity that meets a need for your Section. What do we want to know? How could this help professional practice/benefit IFLA– make an impact...

23. D = develop, discuss, define Define the questions to ask… What has been done on this before? where is the evidence base? where are the gaps? Develop the project proposal SMARTER objectives appropriate methods

24. SMARTER objectives Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timed (or Time-bounded) Evaluate Review

25. Benefits of setting objectives for the professional project Confirming or communicating the purpose and direction Helping to make plans and set priorities Guiding and informing decisions or actions Determining progress and success (Corrall 2000)

26. E = engage, elaborate, enact Partnerships and connections Look for common goals Win-win agenda for impact Who will you engage with and how? This might be partners, colleagues, library users, management, funders, policy makers…

27. A = advocate, advertise, apply Who needs to know about your Section project? Other IFLA units LIS practitioner community Managers Funders Policy makers Where will your project outcomes make a difference? Effecting change within and beyond the library – making the impact

28. Writing a professional project proposal helps you to organise and focus your ideas The content should tell the reader - What you want to do Why you want to do it What you are trying to achieve How you plan to achieve it

29. The professional project proposal should be… Rational – has been reasoned out Informative – enough detail Persuasive – to gain support from the PC Demonstrative – to show the appropriateness of the work proposed Realistic – to show it is capable of being achieved

30. People – the critical human resource Consider the people who will be involved in working on the project – what management system and structure is needed. What skills are needed - leadership role Think of Belbin Team Roles

31. Project plan - timescales Major tasks Estimate time Think about dependencies Deliverables/key dates Can be presented as a Gantt chart - graphical tool that can help you visualise the project schedule

33. Questions… Have we done this? Have we considered that? Do we understand this fully? What will we do should "x" happen? How should we deal with this?

34. Budgeting in project work Funding available for projects often has to be allocated and used within a specific time scale. Manage the finances and keep records of project income and expenditure (copies of paperwork such as quotes and invoices.) Usually these records will be kept on the accounting system of the parent organisation and project costs can be managed using a spreadsheet. Sustainability and accountability - may need an auditor’s report to demonstrate appropriate accountability for the funding.

35. Reality check - some common reasons for project ‘failure’ Poor project specification Unrealistic timescales or timescales that are too long Inappropriate staff, lack of skill base Insufficient involvement by senior management Failure to manage user expectations Failure to manage the change required Opportunity for review and ‘lessons learned’

37. Successful communication to disseminate information on the project The content - the message itself The form - how it is presented, e.g. report, newsletter, tweet The medium - how it is transmitted, e.g. face to face, telephone, SMS, email, web, blogs, Twitter etc. The skills - how effective the communicator is, e.g. report-writing, presentation skills The organisation - communication policy and procedures, formal channels

39. Aspects of an effective PC Project plan What does the Professional Committee (PC) look for? Genevieve Clavel-Merrin GB Member of the PC

40. The PC Project process The PC has a small amount of money for supporting projects in the professional units. Call for proposals in October. Projects approved for funding may claim for invoices dated from January to December in the following year. Units have to report on progress in July and November. PC Projects can be funded for two years (maximum) then should be ongoing without the need for funding, completed, or self-sustaining.

41. The application The proposal must contain a clear description stating: the project's goals and objectives, alignment with IFLA’s Key Initiatives, methodology (the plan), participants (those who will work on the project), anticipated beneficiaries and stakeholders (who will benefit from the outcomes and who else will be interested), expected outcomes and results and how these will be disseminated, project deliverables, and plan of follow-up action.

42. Planning your project effectively Use Carolynn’s tips to plan your project and use the details in your application for funds. Even if you don’t need funding, plan your project effectively and make details available online so that the rest of IFLA knows what you are doing. This might bring other benefits back to you.. Discussing and planning your project might take a year or more – don’t rush things.

43. Increase your chances of funding success By… Involving your Division Chair to get feedback on how the plan might be aligned with the Key Initiatives or other activities going on elsewhere. Being honest about what might be achievable. Having a realistic plan that doesn’t depend too much on one individual. Showing evidence of time-planning and deadlines. Clearly explaining why money is needed and showing that other sources have been investigated.

44. When to apply for PC Project funds You might start the project before funding is needed - ask your Division Chair to inform the PC of your project if you think funding might be needed later on. First investigate alternative funding, or voluntary effort from members of your section, or other sections. If you really need funds to complete or move forward with the project, obtain good estimates and clearly explain to the PC in your application what the money is needed for and when.

45. What does the PC look for in a good project plan? What benefit is there for IFLA and the library community – why is this needed? Is the funded-part of the project embedded in a bigger goal? Self-sufficiency of the activity over the long term. Involvement of the right people to make it a success. Effective budget planning before and over the course of the project. Plans for promoting the results or deliverables and transferring experience to others.

46. Lastly The Division Chairs are your contact with the PC – they can advise on what the PC is looking for when it chooses projects to fund. Stay in touch and discuss the project and its progress with your Division Chair. Remember the Section’s Standing Committee is not the only source of advice, ideas and helping hands – use others within and even outside IFLA.

47. PC Project funding Example 1: SISTER LIBRARIES Example 2: EBOOK WORKSHOP

48. Sister Libraries for Children’s and Young Adult’s reading

49. A programme for children’s libraries of any country to build an international partnership, exchange views and experiences, collaborate and develop joint programs for children’s and YA’s reading Launched end 2009 – evaluated in 2012 (Helsinki) Because The exchange of knowledge, information, resources, experience & good ideas on librarywork for children and YA withcolleaguesabroad opens up new possibilities & caneven help overcomedifficultiesfaced (« professionalsolidarity ») It can help to circumventprofessional isolation and stagnation, and providea channel for professionalstimulation, motivation and dialogue.  Workat an international level, within the frame of an important body (IFLA) can call authorities’ attention to the importance of the library; itcan help increasetheir support and theirawareness of the importance of children and YA reading Any library or organisation working with children’s reading can participate – they need not be IFLA members

50. On IFLA site : - description in 5 IFLA languages - registration -list of participants 100 libraries registered today, from 43 countries 53 are paired Activites range from email exchanges to elaborate joint programmes including book donation A blog to share sister libraries’ activities http://sisterlibraries.wordpress.com/ Presentations at IFLA conferences