The technology planning process lets you step back from the daily routine of checking out books and answering reference questions. It gives you a chance to think about the big picture.

Why Should You Create a Technology Plan?

• Technology plans help you make the case for more funding. Funders want to know that you have specific goals in mind, as well as a plan for reaching those goals and measuring progress.
• Many funders actually require technology plans. If you’re asking for e-rate discounts, you have to have a written tech plan in most cases. A lot of grants, including those made with LSTA funding or Gates Foundation money, require that you undertake some or all of the steps discussed in this section.
• With a plan in place, you’re much less likely to buy an expensive new technology that you can’t support due to a lack of ongoing funds, staff time and/or expertise.
• Technology planning:
  • Forces you to align your IT decisions with the library’s overall strategic priorities
  • Encourages you to align your IT priorities with the needs of your community and the needs of your staff.

Key Actions

To help you launch your technology planning efforts, we’ve provided a Six-Step Technology Planning tool. It lists some key actions for gathering information and preparing a technology plan for your library. Please note that there’s no strict sequence that you have to follow when creating a technology plan.

Further Resources

Want to learn more about technology planning? Check out the Further Resources section.