Core Values Steering Committee Minutes - October 08, 2021

Larry opened the meeting and shared his vision for the Steering Committee’s charge, goals, and process.

• Leadership Role
  • Steering Committee to lead in implementing the Library System’s Core Values
  • Accountability structure
    • Steering Committee (Committee) reports to the Leadership Team and the Executive Director.
      • Committee will be led by Chris Kennedy and Kim Boldt, acting as co-chairs.
        • Committee Chairs will:
          • Set the Committee’s agenda ;
          • Lead planning and implementation ;
          • Ensure communication across the board.
        • Executive Director will bring questions, concerns, etc. to the Committee Chairs to be brought to the entire Committee.
    • Core Value Subcommittees report to the Steering Committee.
      • There are 5 Subcommittees, one for each Core Value, each consisting of 6 members.
      • Committee to work with the Subcommittees to establish Chairs for each group
      • Committee will guide Subcommittees in their work.
      • At least one member of the Committee will service on each Subcommittee to serve as liaison between the two groups.
    • Committee will hold itself and the Subcommittees accountable for reporting progress and maintaining communication.
• Charge of the Core Values Steering Committee
  • Scope and responsibility of Steering Committee and Subcommittees
    • The Committee is charged with bringing the Core Values to all of MLS, and incorporating them throughout the organization.
    • The Committee’s tasks are to:
      • Set up an operational structure for the Committee and Subcommittees ;
      • Set up an action plan for implementing the Core Values ;
      • Lead implementation of the Core Values ;
      • Evaluate the results.
• Expectations
  • Larry’s expectations of the Committee:
    • Live and model the Core Values
    • Focus on accomplishment, not just generating ideas
    • Be biased toward action
      • If nothing is achieved, the process is not working
    • Remain committed to the purpose
    • Be effective and efficient
    • Set goals and timelines to meet them
    • Make Core Values meaningful to the organization, its members, and through implementation to its customers
    • Create an impactful process
    • Create a sustainable, ongoing process so that the Committee and Subcommittees can continue to operate and grow
    • Develop recommendations and practices that will be effective now and in the future
    • Be strategic
    • Put MLS in the best long term position to be sustainable and viable
      • Remember, not everybody in our community knows what we do
    • Report effectively
• Reporting of Progress
  • Communication
    • The Committee will communicate with transparency and openness throughout its process.
      • It is up to the Committee to establish a structure to do so.
    • When needs, responses, or recommendations are identified, communicate this to the entire MLS organization.
      • Communication includes what is being done, when, how, and WHY.
    • Get feedback from impacted areas, staff, etc.
      • Develop a feedback mechanism.
      • Maintain regular ongoing communication between Committee and Subcommittees.
  • Progress Reporting
    • Committee reports progress and impacts to stakeholders.
    • Presentation to Commission at some point.
• Next steps
  • Action Plan
    • Assess needs
      • Define what the Core Values mean
        • LEAP group suggested some definitions in their final report
        • May use this as jumping off point
        • Remember values cannot be passed on until they can be defined
      • Where is MLS right now in implementing Core Values?
        • Where do we need to be better?
        • Where are we doing reasonably well?
      • Identify needs before developing responses
    • Develop a set of responses
      • Committee works with MLS up and down to implement the responses
      • Guide and support implementation up and down
      • Follow up to see if actions worked as intended and were effective
      • Committee may reach out to Larry or the Leadership Team if assistance or an action is needed
        • May bring in expertise or assistance from within MLS if needed
        • May create additional Subcommittees
    • Report the impact of actions to stakeholders
      • MLS staff
      • Leadership
      • Commission
      • Keep all stakeholders informed
    • Report achievements
  • Implementation of action plan
    • Assess deliverables of the plan
  • Timeline of activities
    • Larry suggested the following dates:
      • 11/8/2021 – Implement Subcommittees
      • 4/30/2022 – Report overall project definition and action plan for the Committee and Subcommittees
        • Budget reviews will begin in early May 2022, so it is important to identify cost estimates and include them in next year’s budget
        • Start to consider what deliverables make sense to deliver by 4/30/2022
      • Implementation may begin before or after 4/30/2022.
  • Deliverables of activities
• Discussion
  • Is it more effective to implement all Core Values at the same time, or one at a time?
    • Need to determine budget impact for all needs and responses regardless of implementation plan
    • Some Core values overlap
    • Implementation could be staggered
    • Cannot really determine timeline until further along
  • What is the Committee members’ responsibility to Subcommittee?
    • Call the first meeting
    • See to it that the group has a leader going forward
    • Communicate what their projects and goals are
• Action items
  • Committee members are to notify Chris and Kim which Subcommittee they are interested in serving on by noon on 10/8/2021
    • They will determine assignments and disseminate to Committee members
  • Committee will vote on ground rules at the next meeting
  • Meetings will be recorded so that absent Committee members can view them.
  • Comprehensive minutes will be distributed after each meeting.
• Next meeting
  • Chris and Kimberly will set the next Committee meeting

Steering Committee subcommittee liaison assignments

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Katherine Hickey

Pauline Rodriguez-Atkins

Innovation

Kimberly Francisco

Jessica Gonzalez

Integrity

Erin Bedford

Pauline Rodriguez-Atkins

People First

Judie Matthews

Mark Schuster

Respect

Jill Rosewood

Darcus Smith