MISSION: The purpose of the Oklahoma Library Association is to strengthen libraries, library services, and the librarianship in Oklahoma.

Goal One: To strengthen Oklahoma libraries and services

Objective 1: Advocate effectively for Oklahoma libraries and librarians at the local, state, and national levels

Strategy 1.1: Continue to provide OLA membership with information about impending legislation via the OLA list and Web site

Responsible Groups: Executive Board, Legislative Committee, Webmaster

Strategy 1.2: Continue to refine the strategy used to distribute information and legislative needs to OLA members in a timely manner for advocacy in their local communities 

Responsible Groups: Executive Board, Legislative Committee

Strategy 1.3: Continue to support the Oklahoma Department of Libraries in their efforts increase funding to strengthen services to libraries in Oklahoma

Responsible Groups: Executive Board, Legislative Committee, Marketing and Communication Committee

Strategy 1.4: Build awareness of Oklahoma libraries’ contributions to the state’s economic, social, and cultural well-being

Responsible Groups: Executive Board, OLA President, Marketing and Communication Committee

Objective 2: Safeguard the public's trust in Oklahoma libraries

Strategy 2.1: Monitor confidentiality issues and needs and report to OLA

Responsible Groups: Intellectual Freedom Committee, Legislative Committee

Strategy 2.2: Support legislation upholding free inquiry and access to information for all

Responsible Groups: Intellectual Freedom Committee, Legislative Committee, Government Documents Roundtable

Objective 3: Support local Friends of Libraries in Oklahoma (FOLIO)

Strategy 3.1: Partner with FOLIO in their efforts to increase and strengthen FOLIO groups in Oklahoma

Responsible Groups: FOLIO Board, Executive Board

Goal Two: To strengthen librarianship in Oklahoma

Objective 1: Increase OLA membership and participation

Strategy 1.1: Create awareness of OLA in specific library communities (e.g., public, school, and academic libraries)

Responsible Groups: Membership Committee, Oklahoma Association of School Library Media Specialists (OASLMS) Division, Public Library Division, University and College Library Division, Marketing and Communication Committee, Career Recruitment and Retention Committee

Strategy 1.2: Continue and develop programs for communicating with potential members and librarians in recruitment settings and at regional meetings

Responsible Groups: Oklahoma Association of School Library Media Specialists (OASLMS), Public Library Division, Career Recruitment and Retention Committee

Strategy 1.3: Target new hires for recruitment into OLA

Responsible Groups: Membership Committee, Oklahoma Association of School Library Media Specialists (OASLMS) Division, Public Library Division, Marketing and Communication Committee, Career Recruitment and Retention Committee

Strategy 1.4: Increase student involvement in OLA, for example, through participation in social networking, conference activities, and committee work

Responsible Groups: Membership Committee, Oklahoma Association of School Library Media Specialists (OASLMS) Division, Public Library Division, University and College Library Division

Objective 2: Develop strong leaders in the library community

Strategy 2.1: Continue to involve the graduates of the OLA Gold Leadership Institute in activities, committees, divisions and roundtables throughout 2008-2009

Responsible Groups: Executive Board and Leadership Institute Committee

Strategy 2.2: Continue to develop and plan scheduled OLA Gold leadership institutes

Responsible Groups: Executive Board and Leadership Institute Committee

Objective 3: Promote library education opportunities

Strategy 3.1: Publish class offerings on the OLA web site for accredited library education programs and school library media certification programs

Responsible Groups: Library Education Division

Strategy 3.2: Provide state, regional, and national scholarship information on the OLA web site

Responsible Groups: Library Education Division, Career Recruitment and Retention Committee

Objective 4: Promote diversity of library professionals in Oklahoma libraries

Strategy 4.1: Provide scholarships to library and information studies students from under-represented populations

Responsible Groups: Executive Board, Scholarship Committee, Career Recruitment and Retention Committee

Strategy 4.2: Disseminate scholarship information for potential library and information studies students from underserved populations

Responsible Groups: Library Education Division

Strategy 4.3: Recruit members of under-represented groups into the profession by, for example, providing career talks and presentations about library and information studies to potential students from those populations

Responsible Groups: Library Education Division

Strategy 4.4: Serve as mentors to library and information studies students from underserved populations

Responsible Groups: Executive Board, Library Education Division, Membership Committee

Goal Three: To improve organization and operation of OLA

Objective 1: Provide Oklahoma library news to OLA members

Strategy 1.1: Determine criteria for news dissemination, prioritizing items for online and for paper distribution

Responsible Groups: OLA Executive Board, OK Librarian Editor, All Chairs

Objective 2: Continue improvement of OLA office

Strategy 2.1: Develop criteria for OLA office space needs

Responsible Groups: Executive Director, Executive Board

Strategy 2.2: Annually review the lease against defined needs and, if adequate, to renew it

Responsible Groups: Executive Board

Strategy 2.3: Develop a furnishing improvement plan

Responsible Groups: Executive Board

Strategy 2.4: Provide continuous funding for OLA Office furnishings

Responsible Groups: Executive Board

Objective 3: Implement a Technology Plan

Strategy 3.1: Develop a technology plan that addresses infrastructure, association publications, and training

Responsible Groups: Executive Director, Executive Board

Strategy 3.2: Provide continuous funding for technology infrastructure, association publications, and training

Responsible Groups: Webmaster, Executive Director, Executive Board

Strategy 3.3: To evaluate the permanence and organization of OLA online records

Responsible Groups: Executive Director, Executive Board

Strategy 3.4: Obtain ongoing computer file backup no later than June 2008

Responsible Groups: Executive Director, Executive Board

Strategy 3.5: Evaluate the ever-changing technical needs of the OLA web site

Responsible Groups: Executive Director, Executive Board, Webmaster

Objective 4: Provide adequate staffing

Strategy 4.1: Prepare current job description for Executive Director and develop new job description(s) for part-time clerical staff that include projected challenges in the upcoming decade

Responsible Groups: Executive Director, Executive Board

Strategy 4.2: Conduct a staffing needs assessment

Responsible Groups: Executive Director, Executive Board

Objective 5: Continue to improve financial stability of OLA

Strategy 5.1: Progress within the established framework for raising the next goal of $100,000.00 for the OLA Endowment

Responsible Groups: Centennial Endowment Committee, Executive Board

Objective 6: Implement a record-keeping plan

Strategy 6.1: Specify management of active records

Responsible Groups: Executive Director, Executive Board

Strategy 6.2: Specify management of archival materials

Responsible Groups: OLA Executive Board, OLA Archives Ad Hoc Committee with assistance from OSU staff