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Creating an Environmental Resource for the 21st Century
A Strategic Plan for the BAA+PCCF Library
Compiled by Geoffrey Skinner
April 18, 2001
BAA+PCCF
3921 E. Bayshore Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94303
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Compiled by Geoffrey Skinner
April 18, 2001
BAA+PCCF
3921 E. Bayshore Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94303
"Creating an Environmental Resource for the 21st Century" is a Strategic Plan designed to guide the Library into the next millennium. It reaffirms the Library's traditional mission while proposing changes in how that mission can best be achieved, given new imperatives and new opportunities.
This Strategic Plan comes at a critical time; a time when the Library is confronted by dramatic changes in expectations and in the application of new technologies. Change is now a constant. We find that we must continually rethink and adjust our ways of 'doing business' what and how we collect, the look and feel of catalogs and other finding aids, the ways we support and serve our users, the relationships with others in our local and San Francisco Bay Area-wide environmental communities, the way in which Library staff is structured and the work that staff do, the use of technology and of finite space and budgets.
In many ways, the BAA+PCCF Library's mission remains traditional in that Library is a depository for useful environmental information and serves as a gateway to current resources. As we move into the twenty-first century, we envision the Library contributing to the environmental efforts taking place in the Bay Area by collecting and connecting for an extended community.
Three interdependent strategic goals are outlined in this Plan:
Some of the goals in these strategic areas are expensive; additional funding will be necessary to achieve them. More staff will be needed, and additional training. Nonetheless, the Plan envisions few Library renovations and space needed in the short-term, although in the longer-term, we envision an expanded Library in the planned Eco-Campus.
The mission of the Library is to develop, organize and maintain a core collection of information resources and such other specialized collections as are required to further the operational and research objectives of BAA+PCCF and its affiliate organizations. The Library serves as a cornerstone of environmental concern, activism, stewardship and enjoyment by providing organized access to environmental information and by facilitating the sharing of that information.
The Library will be an outstanding environmental information provider. It will offer organized access to information in print and online for environmental issues of concern to a community of users that includes public officials, ordinary citizens, teachers and students, businesses and other environmental organizations. The Library will facilitate sharing of environmental information.
Strategic Goals
The BAA+PCCF Library will achieve the following strategic goals over the next 3-4 years:
A key component of this Strategic Plan is a mechanism for evaluating our institutional policies and programs and our level of success in meeting our goals and objectives. In this regard, in addition to the some of the measures outlined in this plan, we intend to develop more specific, objective performance standards. We intend to assess our progress, and to review and evaluate both our management processes and operational outcomes, against such standards.
Some of the measures will include:
The Library staff will provide analysis to the BAA+PCCF's governing board at each annual review.
Key stakeholders are defined as those who are significantly affected by the plan and whose participation is essential to make it a success. Other stakeholders include those who may be affected in minor or superficial ways; their participation is valuable but not critical to achieving success.
Stakeholders may be internal and external. Internal stakeholders include BAA+PCCF's governing board, staff, volunteers, members, programs, and resident and affiliate organizations -- including their staff, volunteers and the agencies they serve. External stakeholders encompass other individuals, organizations, and communities.
The support of internal stakeholders is critical. Space within the current building is at a premium and if the Library is not valued, the future of the Library as a viable program is in question.
As the BAA+PCCF's reach and influence are extended over time, we expect to engage many other stakeholders. Some of the current external stakeholders include:
External stakeholders are important both as Library users and as supporters, through material and financial donations. Financial support from outside sources may greatly increase the likelihood that goals outlined in this Plan will be met.
Key stakeholders, both internal and external, should have access to information about this Strategic Plan. In addition, they should be provided with appropriate information about current or proposed project(s), progress to date, goals, and other plans. Key stakeholders should be kept apprised of the plan and its progress. Their input is desired and is welcomed on an on-going basis. Periodically, internal and external stakeholders will be formally solicited for their ideas and suggestions for improving and enhancing the BAA+PCCF Library's program.
The overarching goal of the Strategic Plan is to increase the value of the Library to BAA+PCCF, its programs, resident and affiliate organizations, and to the general public.
The BAA+PCCF Library will achieve the following strategic goals over the next 3-4 years:
Increase the relevancy of the Library to the BAA+PCCF programs, resident and affiliate organizations.
Develop awareness of services beyond BAA+PCCF and disseminate environmental information among the Bay Area environmental community, local government agencies, and general public.
Make library collections more accessible and offer excellent and efficient service to our patrons.
The plan is to be reviewed by the BAA+PCCF Board of Directors annually and revised as necessary. The plan is considered to be a living document that will evolve over time. Its evolution is intended to reflect an expanding vision and mission, changing goals and objectives, new projects and activities. The input from an ever-expanding number of stakeholders and constituents will be solicited.
Each year, when the plan is reviewed, those involved will: analyze the progress of the plan, reassess the overall goals of the plan, and consider the input of the library staff as they review their own progress and goals.
The Peninsula Conservation Center (PCC) includes a small library that operates as a program of BAA+PCCF (Bay Area Action/Peninsula Conservation Center Foundation), an umbrella environmental organization located in Palo Alto, California. The Library was formed in the 1970s when a group of activists, who were concerned about the SF Bay Area, discovered that the general public was interested in the materials they were collecting. The Library developed into a resource to provide environmental information for the member and affiliated organizations of BAA+PCCF. It is open to the public.
Collections include roughly 7,500 unique items, including environmental impact statements, curriculum guides, trail books, guides and maps (including historical topographic maps), information on wildlife and endangered species, environmental job resources, journals and newspapers, videos, and an extensive pamphlet and clipping file (arranged by rough subject). New materials include books on sustainability (both community development and individual conduct) and energy conservation. The Library supports the Bay Area Environmental Forum (which hosts one or two events per month) with bibliographies on their topics of discussion. The library offers reference service by phone and email. Almost all materials circulate.
The Library's former parent organization, the Peninsula Conservation Center Foundation (PCCF) recently completed a merger with another major organization, Bay Area Action, forming BAA+PCCF. During the restructuring, a proposal was made to move the entire collection to the new Environmental Studies Center at De Anza College in order to make materials more accessible to the general public and to free up office space at the PCC, but was the proposal was later withdrawn when space could not be made available in the new building. As a result, the library will remain in the PCC and its future is unclear. Funding does not currently allow for much programmatic or staffing expansion (a small endowment partially funds the Library); funding from the merged BAA+PCCF is yet to be determined.
Much of the information contained in the Library that is useful to the BAA+PCCF programs, resident and affiliate organizations can now be found online; the staff most of these organizations use print materials in the library infrequently. Portions of the collection are extensively used, but other portions receive little use while occupying a significant amount of the 560 sq. ft. space. Public use is low, in part due to limited hours (weekday afternoons only) and location (not centrally located and no nearby public transit is available). A lack of awareness among the general public and greater environmental community also limits use. Finally, much of the collection remains uncataloged or cataloged only on index cards.
Despite weaknesses and threats, the Library does serve as a unique resource for environmental information; people often contact the Library's phone and email reference service with questions that they are unable to have answered anywhere else. The Library's video collection is quite popular. Some of the BAA+PCCF's programs find the Library's support very important, particularly the Bay Area Environmental Forum. The Library also serves as a popular meeting space.
Opportunities exist for expanded collaboration with BAA+PCCF programs and affiliated organization, as well as outside organizations such as Bay Area Open Space Council and others, as well as relevant government agencies and area libraries. The Library can build greater awareness through providing a comprehensive gateway website that gives access to an online catalog, environmental resource sheets and online environmental resources.
In the longer term, we expect BAA+PCCF to occupy a planned Eco-Campus in Mountain View. The new Eco-Campus presents exciting opportunities for an expanded Library.
The last draft of the Library's vision, mission and goals was formulated in 1998, before the BAA+PCCF merger. Some progress has been made in the goals, particularly in timely acquisitions of important materials and in offering an "environmental hotline." Little progress has been made toward achieving other goals, such as creating a Library website or increasing staffing.
It is the Library's intention to:
The mission of the PCCF Library is to serve as a cornerstone of environmental concern, activism, stewardship and enjoyment by providing organized access to environmental information and by facilitating the sharing of that information.
To provide: