Can you see the future? There are times when I wish I knew what was coming and then others, the mere idea terrifies me. What will tomorrow hold? What will the next month or year? In a similar vein, we don’t know the future of school libraries in general let alone the future of our own school libraries. That can be scary. I’ve had the very reality shift under my feet when what I thought the next few years at a school would look like dramatically changed. If I’d seen it coming, would I have been more prepared?
When I was reading Strategic planning : A practical guide for competitive success by Stanley Charles Abraham (2012) I was a little taken aback at their opening position that strategic planning is trying to see the future. Planning for the future, sure, yes, that I can see. Mapping it out to create your own destiny is more the approach I’ve taken in the past. I use a strategic plan to envision what I want and the steps I’ll take to get there. And yes, while I do consider the school, leadership and world environment in my plan, that’s key of course, for some reason I had never thought about strategic planning like it’s crystal ball gazing, imagining what the future, or really the many possible futures, might be.
Future Thinking
That got me thinking. What might the possible futures of a school library, my school library might be? Being the pessimist I am, I of course started with disaster (hey, can you blame me when ceiling collapses and water leaking from power outlets and walls feels like a common occurrence?)
So, here’s a few possible future scenarios (negative but sad realities that many school library staff face)
- Building becomes uninhabitable and library is forced to move out.
- Building is taken over by another “more important” need in the school and so library is re-homed elsewhere or has no place to go.
- Leadership do not value the library and so staffing, budget or space is reduced or removed altogether.
- Change in the school reduces the capacity of the library, through the loading on of additional work or limiting access of programs, events and activities.
If I’m honest, my head has gone to these many times in the past two years and some feel very close to the reality I’ve faced. I know of many other school library staff who are currently facing these challenges.
Here are some more positive future scenarios.
- The Library continues to grow in strength and scope, with supported budgets, staffing and program access, having a great impact on the school.
- The Library spaces are valued and updated, allowing the scope of services to be expanded.
- The Library has a positive influence on the school, through school-wide programs and policies, including literacy, reading and digital and information literacy.
I’m very fortunate that this too has been my reality, in some regards, over the past few years, as I’ve been able to successfully advocate for increased staffing and had our budgets increased, renovated the junior library, had access to programs, and been able to run events. Writing this out, I found it interesting that you can have situations that are both challenging and positive at the same time.
Of course, another alternative is that the library stays exactly the same. I’d personally put that in the negative column, as to not change, not adapt or grow is the same as going backwards and the school library quickly becomes at risk of becoming redundant.
Strategic Thinking
So how does this lead to strategic thinking?
Strategic planning is complex decision making in uncertain environments (Abraham, 2012). And reflecting on the tough circumstances I’ve found myself in over the past few years, I can say that it has helped. It hasn’t made it easier, making a decision on whether to ask the library team to pull an entire collection out of a library for the second time while the books wrinkle with moisture before your eyes, is never easy. But deciding on what to value in those times, where to direct energy and what to fight for? Yes, having a clear vision and strategic plan did make that easier to let go of the non-essentials and keep things running.
I didn’t realise it, but having a strategic plan helped me to continue to protect and preserve the library, to carry forward its key strategic purpose, to advocate and maintain and build, through both tough times and bountiful.
Using future thinking in strategic planning
Now as we move forward, it’s time once again to update our strategic plan. This time, I’m starting with a whole lot of future thinking. What might be the possible scenarios for a school library of the future? What might be the influences on the school library? And what might be a school library where I’m still excited to turn up each day, one that challenges, supports, encourages and drives learning, wellbeing and innovation?
I’m mapping out possible future scenarios. I’m brainstorming and thinking big. I’m looking to the past to see what has worked well and what has not had such a great impact.
Of the school library industry, I’m asking questions like
- What core values does a school library provide?
- How are school libraries’ roles changing in response to technology and shifts in teaching and learning?
- Where does the decision making power sit and how much influence does the library staff have over it?
- What barriers protect or threaten the sustainability of school libraries?
- What capabilities must a school library excel at to remain essential over the next decade?
The future of school libraries is an exciting thing to contemplate.
References
Abraham, S. C. (Ed.). (2012). Strategic planning : A practical guide for competitive success. Emerald Publishing Limited.