Download PDF of Program Planning Checklist [1]

About the Dream Phase

Use the prompts to put your dreams on paper. After you’ve completed this phase share your outcome statement and ideas with your supervisor and team before moving forward.

This is intended to be a tool to help engagement staff gather their thoughts before presenting an idea to their manager. Not every question needs to be answered and written down, but staff should be prepared to answer these questions in a one on one. If a team is collaborating in a planning meeting these may be questions that the group is asking of each other. The goal is that an outcome statement is created, and a manager has enough information to tell that staff member to move forward with the project before they’ve invested too much time planning.

Outcome

• What system outcome(s) would you like to address?
• Is there a need, customer interest, or opportunity that you have become aware of?
• Is this program the best resource for giving someone this information? Would a service or display be better?
• Are we duplicating someone’s effort in our service area?
• Is this program best suited on a local level, or should we collaborate across the system?
• Complete this section by writing an outcome statement that identifies the positive change that will occur as a result of this program/service/display.

Plan

Write a brief description of the program/service/display including who will need to be involved and an estimated budget.

Measure

• Thinking about your outcome statement and system outcomes:
  • What will success look like for this program/service/display?
  • What are the indicators for success?
  • What are the steps you’ll need to take to meet your outcome?
  • What tool(s) will you use to evaluate the success of the program?

Checklist

• Try to brainstorm early with your Engagement team to plan programs. Some locations plan for a semester all at once. Refer to Program Planning Phases [2].
  • Can use the Collaboration Resources Toolkit [3] for ideas for team brainstorming
• Use the Dream Worksheet [4] to begin brainstorming process.
• Follow OPBE steps to plan individual programs or program series:
  • What is the community need? What is happening in our community?
  • Identify the program outcome(s) (benefits to people within a program. MLS outcomes: civic engagement, health and wellness, literacy, cultural enrichment, and educational attainment)
  • Refer to the How to Write an Outcome Statement [5]
• Discuss with supervisors and/or team. Engagement Managers will communicate w/Library Managers.
• Estimate the budget
• Determine who will present program-staff or outside presenter
  • If presenter is paid, contact presenter with fee, availability, and dates
  • If presenter is a volunteer, refer to volunteer supervisor at branch. Volunteer presenters must fill out applications and have background checks run through DVS

Resources

• Download Dream Worksheet [6]
• Download How to Write an Outcome Statement Worksheet [7]