1. ANYTHINK STRATEGIC
PLAN
By Holly Caro, Susan Elder, Jennifer Roberts &
Lisa Wood

2. Anythink Service Area
 Anythink serves the
population of Adams
County, except for
Westminster, Aurora, and
Deer Trail School District 26-
J
 There are currently seven
Anythink Library branches,
including Outreach Services
 The eighth branch, Wright
Farms, is scheduled to open
in July of 2010

3. Anythink History
 Adams County Library
established 1953
 Becomes Adams County
Library System 1988
 Taxpayers approve Mill
Levy that creates
Rangeview Library
District-January 2004
 Anythink brand rolled out
September 2009

4. Anythink Milestones
 2/09- Rangeview goes fine free.
 5/09- Bennett Branch reopens (first rebuild)
 7/09- Rangeview “Breaks up with Dewey”
 9/09- Anythink brand is launched with Brighton Branch
opening.

5. SWOT Analysis
Strengths
 Mill Levy funding provides
long term financial stability.
 Professional marketing
program implemented-
Anythink brand
 All buildings will be new or
remodeled by 2011
 80% of materials published
after 2005
 New job descriptions, pay
raises, and core
competencies
Weaknesses
 Only 16.5% of population has
a library card
 Non-intuitive website does
not reflect Anythink vision
 Lack of signage, labeling, and
catalog access in Spanish
 Ongoing cost of marketing
and new technology

6. SWOT Analysis
Opportunities
 Creation of user-friendly
environment to increase
library usage in community.
 New technology will allow
library to be a training center
for elderly, baby boomers,
and underserved.
 Create volunteer program to
add to community response.
 Expand Friends of the Library
for funding opportunities.
Threats
 Funding model shifts on a 3-
year basis- difficult to predict
effects of economic downturn.
 First system to fully
implement BISAC in every
library.
 Unique vision depends on
continued support of Board
and Administration.
 Many changes in a very short
time period.
 These challenges can all be
overcome with strong
communiyt support.

7. All of these challenges can be overcome with
strong community support.

8. GOAL 1A. WHY IS IT
IMPORTANT?

9. GOAL 1A:
 Increase the frequency and satisfaction of
library use among the Spanish speaking
population of Adams County* by increasing
accessibility to information resources, and
creating a welcoming, bilingual library
environment.
*The majority of the 15-38% foreign language households in any given library
branch community.

10. Presentation – Goal 1A
 Why a priority?
 What are the best Strategies?
 How best identify Key Issues?
 Why Early Literacy?
 Plan for action

11. Research-based strategies
What research was used?
 Existing local market research
What does it tell us? EX: less than 17% patron-base
w/ card
 Current expert research in bi-lingual field
 Papers -
2004 70th
International Federation of Library
Association (IFLA) General Conference
2004 American Library Association (ALA) conference
 Expert Authors -
Camille Alire
Orland Archibeque
Sharon Chickering Moller
Marielena Fina

12. 2 Key Problems
 Collection Development (CD)
 Organization of materials
 Physical placement
Ease of accessibility
 Subject headings
Ex.: Latina = physically handicapped ?
 Signage

13.  85% of a child’s language develops
between birth and age 5 (Reeves, B.
n.d.).
 Focus on children in Spanish-speaking
homes between ages of birth – 5 years
old.
Early Childhood Education

14. Impact of Reading:
A good children’s book is three times richer in
vocabulary than conversation. (Trealease, J., n.d.)

17. 2007 poverty rate nationally for Latinos was
21.7%, up from 20.6% in 2006 (U.S. Census Bureau,
2008).
Given the large percentage of Spanish-speakers
in this library district, the impact such factors can
have on a community are indicated as follows:
Failure to graduate . . . Staggering loss in human
potential. One analysis estimated that the lost
potential of students not graduating from high school
costs Colorado $3.4 billion per year (Colorado
Children’s Campaign & CEPA, 2009).

18. 30% less likely to go to any college
70% more likely to never hold a job
70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime
70% more likely to drop-out of school
Early childhood programs are the most cost-effective
way to ensure the healthy development of children in
poverty and offer the greatest returns to society.
Children born into poverty
are:

20. Goal 1A.
Increase the frequency and satisfaction of library
use among the Spanish speaking population of
Adams County* by increasing accessibility to
information resources, and creating a welcoming,
bilingual library environment.
*The majority of the 15-38% foreign language households in any given library
branch community.

21. Strategies:
•Add bi-lingual speakers to schedule as greeters/tour guides and reference
help: Spanish-speaking LIS professionals, para-professionals , & volunteers.
•Establish communication with Latino organizations, media.
•Improve services and programs for Spanish-speaking children.
•Conduct survey on Spanish speakers’ information-seeking behaviors and
attitudes towards strengths & weaknesses of library’s services.
•Improve organization of Spanish materials in the browsing collections:
Shelving
Easy accessibility
Labeling in relation to culture (cultural sensitivity)
•Install bilingual Spanish/English signage and collateral throughout the
library.
•Extend bilingual signage use to other branch libraries in District if evidence
indicates it is successful.

22. Methods of Measurement:
•Surveys to determine patron ratings – written
•Surveys to determine patron response – verbal
•Rate of increase in Latino card-holders
•Number of people attending bi-lingual storytime
•Number of Latino customers visiting library/attending
programs
•Rate of increase of circulation to Latino patrons

23. References
 Change the First Five Years and You Change Everything.
(2009). Retrieved March 10, 2010 from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbSp88PBe9E
 Colorado Children’s Campaign & CEPA (2009). Governor’s
Colorado P-20 Council Brief: The Graduation Gap In
Colorado. Retrieved March 10, 2010 from
Governor's Colorado P-20 Council Brief: The Graduation Gap in Colora
 Reeves, Babette. (n.d.) [Brochure]. To ddle r tim e at So uthe rn
Pe aks Public Library
 Trealease, J. (n.d.) [Brochure]. Why re ad alo ud to childre n?
 U.S. Census Press Release. (2008). Household Income
Rises, Poverty Rate Unchanged, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Washington, D.C.

24. Goal 3: Small Business Community
Outreach

25. Small Businesses. . . .
 Represent 99.% of all employer firms.
 Pay 45% of the national payroll.
 Have generated 60%-80% of jobs annually
over the last decade.
 Create more than 50% of the non-farm GDP.

26. What do we have to offer the small
business community?
Information Access to:
 Business Plan
Development Sources
 Marketing and
Demographic Data
 Funding and
Mentorship Sources

27. Why Should we reach out to
Entrepreneurs?
 Anythink funding is dependent on the
economic health of the community
 We can provide very relevant information
inexpensively, and using existing resources.
 We will reach out to non traditional library
users by providing a strong, value-added
services.

28. Where do we start???
1. Create a Library Task Force to determine key staff
players and the amount of time available for the
project.
2. Determine the first library for a pilot project.
3. Conduct a Community Analysis to determine the
economic outlook, key industries, and projected
growth of the target area.
4. Identify and begin contacting key players one on one
to form relationships and research strategies.
5. Implement a planning session for all partners, paid for
by the library, to brainstorm service ideas and create
timelines for program development.

29. Then what???
1. Work with library staff and partners to design
programs targeting the small business community.
2. Implement programs following timeline created in
planning session, and one-on-one meetings.
3. Meet with team after each session to discuss what
was effective, look over evaluations, and strategize
improvements.
4. Determine the next library to take on the program.
5. Train library staff and provide continued support.

30. How much will this cost?
 Existing staff time
 $500.00 for increased
mileage reimbursements
 $3,000.00 for extra
business reference
materials
 Potential future cost of
increased staff and
business related
databases.

31.  “Most small businesses are micro-enterprises with fewerthan
five employees. They don’t have the resources to pay for
outside research ormarketing services. Getting the right
information can make a critical difference to theirsurvival
and success. The public library can provide the information
these small businesses need.”
- Christine Hamilton-Pennell, CAL Conference 2009