Wired for the Future: Developing Your Library Technology Plan

To ensure that technology is used as a tool to meet library objectives, librarians must find the delicate balance between over-dependence on technology to meet patron needs and appropriate use. For public libraries with limited budgets and smaller staffs, planning how and where technology is used in the library is imperative. A technology plan provides a blueprint against which to measure new technologies and applications, assess future needs, and allocate resources to balance technology with the needs of users and staff. To help meet the challenge of using technology effectively, the Public Library Association (PLA) offers a comprehensive and practical guide to preparing a technology plan.
Wired for the Future
aids in preparing a plan that positions the library to meet its objectives for the community, its staff and its best future. Authors Nelson and Mayo provide the raw materials to build, implement and evaluate a workable technology plan. All the necessary tools are provided to determine technology needs, identify technology options, select a technology infrastructure, and implement the plan. Reproducible workforms enable librarians to customize key steps to specific situations.
Technotes
describe various technologies and applications to libraries. Regardless of the size of the library or the specific technology being considered,
Wired for the Future
aims to put librarians in control of the present and prepare them for the future.