A Shared Future: Advancing Institutional Goals by Aligning Library, Unit, and Campus Strategic Plans

Abstract

Higher education is undergoing radical change due to heightened competition, increased globalization, and changing student populations. Universities are using mission and vision statements to provide clarity for everyone in the institution during this period of change and uncertainty. Strategic plans are created to provide a pathway for the institution to reach a desired future which addresses the diverse challenges and opportunities impacting higher education. However, without collective commitment to the organizational goals and objectives by all units and departments, strategic work becomes siloed and serves to create a separation between campus administration and faculty and staff. This paper explores methods and strategies library units and departments can use to align themselves with organizational strategic plans in order to demonstrate value to campus leadership and advance institutional goals. To further examine institutional alignment, this paper will demonstrate alignment methodology in practice through the University of Wisconsin - Madison Libraries’ E-Learning Plan as a case study. The University of Wisconsin - Madison’s Chancellor launched an initiative to offer online undergraduate degrees starting Fall 2020. The Libraries’ created the E-Learning Plan to shift information literacy instruction and library services online and to be responsive and proactive to the changing campus landscape. Challenges, successes, and emerging best practices from the creation of the E-Learning Plan are considered. Librarians and professionals can apply observations and lessons learned from the development of a unit plan that aligns with campus initiatives and campus-level strategic plans to their own institutions and libraries.