1. To Infinity and Beyond!
Public Library Association
Spring Symposium 2011

2. Inspiration
 New Jersey Blue Ribbon Task Force
 Mid-Atlantic Futures Conference
 MN Office of the Legislative Auditor Report on Public
Libraries
 No strategic state plan for libraries
 General threats and challenges to libraries of all types

3. Why Multitypes Took the Lead
 Multicounty multitype library systems take the lead
 Talk across the lines
 Recognize challenges and opportunities
 Know the history of library structures & issues
 Understand the importance of vision and planning

4. Steps
 Multitype directors committed to funding the initial
planning meetings
 Identified individuals and groups to participate in a
planning session
 Issued the invitations
 Hired a facilitator

5. Who was invited
 Regional Public Library Systems
 Public Libraries
 Private Colleges
 U of M Libraries
 MnScu Libraries
 Minnesota Library Association
 Minnesota Educational Media Organization
 Minitex
 State Library

6. First meeting—May 2010
 Goals of the Meeting
 Agree that this was needed
 Look at process & procedures
 Create timeline
 Establish subcommittees

8. Steering Committee
 Executive Committee
 Application Development
 Finance
 Session Planning
 Recruitment
 Resource & Support for Futurists

9. Other Steering Committee
Meetings
June
 Accepted work of subcommittees
 Defined the Futurists Group
 Application process
 Session planning for Kick Off

10. What we wanted to happen
 Identify challenges, changes, that will impact libraries
of all types
 Create a foundation for a conversation about the
future, change, and getting there
 Involve the library community in the conversation

11. “Ulterior Motives”
 Introduce different types of library staff to each other
 Encourage recognition of the shared problems and
issues
 Encourage acknowledgement that all types of libraries
matter
 Metro-centric attitude would be diluted
 Identify common challenges
 Leadership development

12. Accelerated timeline
 Aim for Kick Off in October 2010
 Selection of participants in September 2010
 Futurists report in May 2011

13. Describe expectations for library service and ways to
meet these expectations.

14. How?
Have a facilitated, focused
conversation about our
future.

15. Expectation that the Library
community would be involved
in the conversation, be used
as resources, & and would be
informed throughout the
course of the process.

16. No expectations that this
Futurists Group would be able
to define how to implement
changes.

17. Who?
A group of designated
people to have the focused
conversation…and then
could initiate a wider
conversation.

18. Applicant Criteria
 Work in Minnesota library or be a library school
student
 Between the ages 25-35

19. Questions for Applicants
 What motivates you to want to be part of a group
involved in making recommendations for the future of
Minnesota’s Libraries?
 Describe what comes to mind when you think of
“Minnesota Libraries”?
 If you are selected as a member of the Library Futurists
– what do you hope is one possible outcome from the
work of the Initiative?

20. Who Applied?
 83 applicants
 6 School Librarians
 44 Public
 7 Special
 26 Academic

21. Selection Criteria & Process
 All types of libraries
 Geographic representation
 Everyone read all the applications
 Scored on a rubric
 Face to face discussion of applicants

22. Futurist Group Profile
 3 School Librarians
 3 Special/Other
 6 Academic Librarians
 12 Public Librarians
 Geographic representation

23. October 18 Kick Off

24. Involving the Library Community
 Everyone invited
 Michael Rogers, The Practical Futurist
 Christine Lind Hage, ALA Committee for America’s
Libraries for the 21st Century

25. First Meeting for Futurists
 Facilitator to help them get started
 Let them decide their own process, topics, & procedures

26. Dillon Young
JennStraumann

27. Thanks to Patricia Post, Executive Committee
Planning Documents
http://mnlfi.pbworks.com