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Members Council 2002/2003 Annual Plan

Introduction:

The Members Council, along with the Board of Trustees, is one of the two governance bodies representing the membership of the OCLC global, nonprofit, worldwide library cooperative. Members Council supports OCLC's mission of furthering cost-effective access to worldwide information by serving as a key strategic discussion forum and the major communications link between member libraries, networks, and OCLC. By providing an open channel for recommendations and questions from delegates, approving changes in the Code of Regulations, and electing six members of the Board of Trustees, Members Council helps shape the future direction of OCLC and libraries.

This annual plan is the guide by which Members Council determines its programs and activities for the year. It includes proposed questions and objectives for each meeting and related activities. The plan is prepared during the beginning summer months of each Council year. Although specific in plans for the fall meeting, it is less specific for the winter and spring meetings to allow flexibility and may evolve as the year progresses.

This document is prepared by the Members Council Executive Committee to communicate plans to delegates, the Board of Trustees, OCLC management, the networks and member libraries. To coordinate Members Council activities with OCLC plans, this annual plan is discussed with the Chair of the OCLC Board and management at the first of the Council year. Members Council meetings usually have two tracks: 1) a thematic track to deal with larger issues in librarianship and information science in order to relate them to OCLC, networks, and libraries and 2) a strategic directions and environmental track to plan future OCLC services to meet the cooperative needs of libraries and similar institutions.

2002/2003 Dual Themes:

  1. Libraries, Their Present and Future Global Environment: National, Regional, Locale
  2. OCLC Strategic Plans and Measurements for Success

Background/Justification:

The focus of the 2002/2003 Members Council is two-fold. Both are required for Members Council to better understand and to contribute to the future development of OCLC as a viable partner for libraries in the 21st century. Both are designed to facilitate Members Council in its role of assisting the OCLC Board and management in the continued development of OCLC as a worldwide, world-class, library cooperative.

As OCLC works to position itself as a leader in library services on a global scale, Members Council is also working to position itself to provide news ideas and useful feedback that represent a global view. Last year saw the addition of six new transition delegates from outside of the United States, to give the Members Council a more international point of view. In addition, the Council approved changes in the membership model and the formula for determining delegate representation that will facilitate adding permanent global representatives to the Members Council in the future. This year we want to continue the push to a more global viewpoint, and intend to do that by gaining a better understanding of the environment in which libraries operate in a variety of geographic locations. We intend to take a look at the opportunities and the constraints under which libraries function at a national level, a regional level, and a local level.

The Members Council and the OCLC Board also spent much of 2001/2002 addressing the question of how to implement the strategic plans and new business ideas. Good progress was made in placing the Council in a position to learn about and then advise OCLC senior leadership on its business plans. However, there is so much going on in the various OCLC divisions that there are still many business plans yet to be presented to the Council. It is also the case that the Council delegates need to continue to learn how to properly evaluate such plans. To that end Members Council will be involved in both some training for and evaluation of business plans throughout the year.

Operating concurrently with the deliberations of the full Members Council is a Members Council task force that will be looking at the issue of library staff development. This is a development that grew out issues brought forward last year, and is designed to aid OCLC in deciding how to best focus its energy in this arena. It will be reporting on its work to the Members Council during the year, and plans to bring a set of resolutions before the Council at the May meeting. The Task Force is another example of how Members Council is working to get upstream in its position vis a vis OCLC, to help with planning for the future.

The fall meeting will focus on looking at libraries in the national context. A keynote speaker will comment on the challenges facing libraries in different nations around the globe. We will also tap the expertise of some of our overseas delegates to educate us on what support and limitations they experience from their national government, and how that affects their libraries operation in relation to OCLC. We will continue our examination of OCLC business plans, looking at the plans for the future of WorldCat and one of OCLC's overseas service centers. At this meeting we will also initiate a year-long process with the library type groups to gather information on how they perceive their respective environments, focusing in October on the issue of staff development

The winter meeting will shift its focus to how libraries operate in a regional environment. One of the most important influences on libraries today is their consortia memberships, which usually operate on a regional level. A speaker representing the International Consortia of Consortia will be the keynote speaker. Council delegates will also be called upon to offer their views on this topic. We will look at the business plans of one of the OCLC networks, some of which themselves operate as regional consortia, as well as a business plan for one of OCLC's new ventures, the Virtual Reference Service The Task Force on OCLC's Role in Library Staff Development may want to make an interim report at this point, and gather feedback from the full council to enhance its deliberations. In group sessions the delegates will look at the relationship between the OCLC Advisory Groups and the Interest and Library Type groups of Members Council.

The spring meeting will narrow its focus to the local level and an examination of how that environment affects libraries, recognizing that the definition of "local" will mean different things to different libraries. A Director of a state-wide consortium will be invited to speak, and once again we will call upon the expertise of some of our delegates to help us learn about this issue. We will look at the business plans of one of the OCLC networks that operate on a state level, as well as a business plan for one of OCLC's divisions. The Task Force on OCLC's Role in Library Staff Development will make its final report at this meeting, and introduce any resolutions as an outcome of that report to be voted on by the full council. The Council will also vote to elect a new President and Executive Committee at this meeting.

Meeting Plans

October 20-22, 2002

October Topic: Libraries, Their Present and Future Global Environment: The National Context
OCLC Strategic Plans and Measurements for Success

October Meeting Questions:

  1. What support and constraints are afforded libraries by national governments and organizations?
  2. What type of opportunities and challenges do these pose to OCLC?
  3. What is OCLC doing well and what can it do better to build the global library cooperative?

Objectives:

  1. Orient and introduce new delegates to OCLC, networks, services, and Members Council.
  2. Strengthen relationships with members of the OCLC Board of Trustees & management.
  3. Review and evaluative business plans for expanding the worldwide library cooperative.
  4. Develop an environmental scan of national influences on libraries, and how these may affect OCLC's future.

February 9-11 2003

February Topic: Libraries, Their Present and Future Global Environment: The Regional Context
OCLC Strategic Plans and Measurements for Success

Questions:

  1. How do regional consortial relationships affect our relationship to OCLC and each other?
  2. How can the networks and service centers capitalize on their role as regional consortia?
  3. What type of opportunities and challenges do these factors pose to OCLC?
  4. How can OCLC efficiently gather information on the different challenges facing different types of libraries?

Objectives:

  1. Develop an environmental scan of regional influences on libraries, and how these may affect OCLC's future.
  2. Discuss the interim report of the Task Force of Staff Development.
  3. Consider the role of the OCLC Advisory Committees in relation to the Interest and Library Type groups.

May 18-20, 2003

May Topic: Libraries, Their Present and Future Global Environment: The Local Context
OCLC Strategic Plans and Measurements for Success

Questions:

  1. How do local relationships affect our relationship to OCLC and each other?
  2. What type of opportunities and challenges do these pose to OCLC?
  3. How can OCLC best focus its energies in the area of staff development?

Objectives:

  1. Develop an environmental scan of local influences on libraries, and how these may affect OCLC's future.
  2. Consider the final report of the Task Force on Staff Development, and vote on any resolutions that flow from it.
  3. Elect a new Vice-President/President Elect and Executive Committee at this meeting.

Members Council Committee Meetings

Members Council Executive Committee Meeting with all Group Leaders

  • Sunday, October 20, 2002, 12:00-12:45 PM, luncheon, (Marriott Northwest Hotel)
  • Sunday, February 9, 2003, 12:00-12:45 PM, luncheon (Marriott Northwest Hotel)
  • Sunday, May 18, 2003, 12:00-12:45 PM, luncheon (Marriott Northwest Hotel)

Members Council Executive Committee Meeting with OCLC Strategic Leadership Team and Board Of Trustees Attendees

  • Monday, October 21, 2002, 12:00-12:45 PM, luncheon, (Smith Dining Room, Private Section)
  • Monday, February 10, 2003, 12:00-12:45 PM, luncheon (TBA)
  • Monday, May 19, 2003, 12:00-12:45 PM, luncheon (TBA)

Members Council/RONDAC Executive Committees' Meetings

  • Sunday, June 16, 2002, 12:00-1:30 PM, luncheon (ALA in Atlanta)
  • Tuesday, October 22. 2002, 7:30-8:30 AM, breakfast (Marriott Northwest Hotel)

Members Council Executive Committee Transition Luncheon with Board Chair, OCLC President, and New Members Council Executive Committee

  • Tuesday, May 20, 2003, 11:00-11:50 PM, luncheon (Marriott Northwest Hotel)

Members Council Finance Committee Meetings

  • Sunday, October 20, 2002, 1:30-3:00 PM, (Marriott Northwest Hotel)
  • Sunday, February 9, 2003, 1:30-3:00 PM, (Marriott Northwest Hotel)
  • Sunday, May 18, 2003, 3:00-4:30 PM, (Marriott Northwest Hotel)

Members Council Nominating Committee Meetings

  • Sunday, October 20, 2002, 2:00-3:00 PM, (Marriott Northwest Hotel)
  • Sunday, February 9, 2003, 2:00-3:30 PM, (Marriott Northwest Hotel)
  • Sunday, May 18, 2003, 2:00-3:30 PM, (Marriott Northwest Hotel)

PLEASE NOTE: Times may change slightly depending upon final agenda.

Revised: 20000623