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So you've gone though the trials and tribulations of creating a tech plan. You've outlined your library's tech priorities, and you know how much money you need to reach your goal. Now what?

You have just entered into a crucial stage of technology planning I like to call the "Black Hole Stage." You have a plan, but you're feeling a little overwhelmed. You will likely go one of two ways. You might move forward and implement the steps of the tech plan. Or, you might theorize that you will begin implementing it later, and file it away. Many a tech plan has been filed away, never to see the light of day again.

One group I worked with actually presented me with the last tech plan they had created, dated about three years earlier. Not surprisingly, the tech plan that I had created for them listed several of the same items as the old one.

Don't procrastinate

My advice is that you move forward! Yes, I know what you're probably thinking. "Duh! But what if I don't have the staffing resources?" or "I don't have the money in my budget yet to implement these steps," or even, "These tech improvements are at the bottom of my priority list right now." These are all very good arguments for procrastinating.

But the bottom line is, as you upgrade and make the improvements needed, doing your everyday work will be that much easier. You will have a database to keep thorough records and create reports at the push of a button; you'll be able to check for that important e-mail whenever you want; and you'll also have a much easier time getting funding for these improvements. Funders want to see that you have a plan, but they also like to see that you are working hard internally to make the necessary upgrades.

One group I worked with is a good illustration of how this can work. These folks were doing a lot of hard everyday work. They had been using some of the same computers for 10 years. Each computer was a standalone workstation, because they hadn't installed a network. One workstation had Internet access and another had the database installed on it, so they would swap workstations depending on what kind of work they needed to do. This system worked fine, and they used it for some time.

Implement change gradually

When they created their tech plan, it looked quite hefty. There was a lot of money to be raised, they didn't have a system administrator to help manage the changes, and the list of training needs was pretty long. They weren't daunted. Instead, they started implementing the plan and made changes as resources were made available. Within nine months, they had a shared database and a new network of upgraded machines, each with Internet access.

This may be a success story, but it is not an unusual case. The organization was able to accomplish their goals with a few important steps: They assigned the role of manager to one person; they gave the manager the authority to delegate; they involved everyone in the planning and implementation process; and they integrated technology work into staff's daily tasks. They also assigned a portion of their operating budget to technology and included that cost in their grant proposal. As a result, they got funding. And so can your library.

Seek help online

TechAtlas is WebJunction's free technology planning and management tool for libraries.  The software helps you construct and implement a customized technology plan. It lets you evaluate your current technology, determine the technology improvements needed to fulfill your mission, and gives you a blueprint on how to accomplish your technology goals. Surveys, worksheets, and fact sheets aid you in visualizing a method, timeline, and price tag for implementing technology improvements to your library. In addition, library systems can use TechAtlas to develop their own proprietary assessment tools.  The TechAtlas inventory tools can assist you in compiling a complete inventory of your technology assets: hardware, software, networks, and peripherals, and the technology skills of your staff.

Don't lose your momentum! Implement your technology plan one item at a time. If you keep moving, the result will be a positive change in your library's technology systems.