Program Planning 101

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Program Planning 101

• Tips to ensure a quality, successful program
• Presented by Heather Groves Hannan
• and Becki Bronson
• VLA Continuing Education Committee

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Program Planners Resources
2007-08 COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS Rebecca
Bronson Bowman Library, Handley Regional
Library Stephens City, VA rbronson_at_hrl.lib.state.v
a.us   Heather Groves Hannan Mercer Library, GMU
Prince William Campus Manassas, VA
hhannan_at_gmu.edu
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What makes a quality program?

• A relevant, current topic.
• A dynamic presenter.
• Convenient location.
• Price that is a win-win for sponsors and
  participant.

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Finding a topic

• Journals, blogs, listservs.
• Suggestions from colleagues.
• Self-identified topics.
• Sessions at state and national conferences.
• Emerging issues in your area of librarianship.

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Speaker Sources

• Recommendations from colleagues.
• Blogs, listservs, journals.
• Conferences.
• Upcoming VLA CEC database. Share your
  suggestions

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Speaker Negotiations

• Have a budget.
• Discuss authorized expenses parking, meals,
  lodging, materials, etc.
• Clarify each partys responsibilities.
• Be flexible.

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Help your speaker succeed

• Provide as much information as you can regarding
  the audience.
• Make sure that s/he knows what your audience
  wants to take away.
• Explore 2-3 most important issues facing the
  audience regarding this topic.

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Location, Location, Location

• Convenient for attendees and sponsor.
• Sufficient AV equipment.
• Comfortable room/hall with lighting appropriate
  to the presentation.
• Quality and availablity of meals and
  refreshments.

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Program Planners Resources

• Program Planners Checklist
• Step 1. CONTACT YOUR CEC LIAISON
• Step 2. CONFIRM THE DATE
• Step 3. GET PROGRAM APPROVAL
• Step 4. SEND ADVERTISING
• Step 5. COMPLETE PAPERWORK
• CEC coming attractions
• Update Needs Assessment Survey
• Revamp Speaker Resource Website
• Develop Speaker Database/Bureau

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Program Planners Resources

• Program Planners Checklist
• Step 1. CONTACT YOUR CEC LIAISON
• Notify the Continuing Education Committee
  representative for your Region, Forum, Section or
  Committee that you are about to plan a program.
  See the CEC Committee roster for contact
  information.
• CEC representatives are your planning
  committees resource and your program evaluators.

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Program Planners Resources

• Program Planners Checklist
• Step 2. CONFIRM THE DATE
• Send your program date to the VLA Newsletter
  Editor and VLA Webmaster.

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Program Planners Resources

• Program Planners Checklist
• Step 3. GET PROGRAM APPROVAL
• Submit the Program Expense Estimate Sheet to
  the Executive Director. Copies are available
  through the VLA office.
• The Executive Director will review and approve
  your program plan and forward it to the
  Treasurer.
• Contact information for the Executive Director is
  available on the VLA website.

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Program Planners Resources

• Program Planners Checklist
• Step 4. SEND ADVERTISING
• Send a camera-ready copy of the program flyer
  to the Newsletter Editor.
• DEADLINE 15th of the month, two months before
  the program. (Ex for a program scheduled for
  Oct. 19, the Newsletter deadline will be August
  15.)
• Camera-ready guidelines are found in the VLA
  Publications Manual.

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Program Planners Resources

• Program Planners Checklist
• Step 5. COMPLETE PAPERWORK
• Send via registered mail, no later than one
  week after Program
• All registration monies to Executive Director
• Reimbursement Request form with all receipts
• Program Expense Estimate reflecting actual
  figures
• Always retain copies for your records
• Summarize the results of Program Evaluation
  Forms and send to your CEC liaison within seven
  days of program completion. Program Evaluation
  forms are available on the VLA website.

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Program Planners Resources

• Program Evaluation Forms
• Evaluation forms should include
• Statement of the sponsoring division, including
  identification with VLA.
• Date and location of the event.
• A clear explanation of the scale or ranking
  system used.
• Include questions on the following the speaker,
  handouts or training materials,
  facilities/location, and an overall rating.
• Indicate space for additional comments.
• Keep the form brief.
• Several sample evaluation forms, with a variety
  of questions and rating scales, that may be
  modified by VLA groups _at_
• http//www.vla.org/ContEd/evaluation.html

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Program Planners Resources

• CEC coming attractions
• Update 2003 Needs Assessment Survey _at_
  http//www.vla.org/demo/Cont-Ed/Survey20results2
  0with20charts.htm
• Revamp Speaker Resource Website _at_
  http//www.vla.org/ContEd/speakersbureau.html
• Develop Speaker Database/Bureau. Willing to
  present? Let us know.

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Program Planners Resources

• 2003 Needs Assessment Survey
• _at_ http//www.vla.org/demo/Cont-Ed/Survey20results
  20with20charts.htm
• Total number of responses 326
• Question Categories
• - Type of library and type of work/position
• Level of interest and type of development
• Cost associated with development
• Interests (issues/trends of the day,
  technology, administration, etc.)
• Ranking of topics
• Additional info

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Program Planners Resources

• Needs Assessment Survey Enhancements
• Update 2003 data available, collect recent
  responses
• Connect text commentary with appropriate data
• Greater differentiation of responses/data
  elements
• By Region
• By position
• YOUR IDEAS ????

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Program Planners Resources

• Speaker Resource Website http//www.vla.org/ContEd
  /speakersbureau.html
• Purpose Links to sources when seeking a speaker,
  such as colleges and universities list of faculty
  experts federal, state, and local government
  agencies in-house experts and previous VLA
  programs and conferences.
• Enhancements
• Update broken/dead links
• Include new resources and delete outdated sites

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Program Planners Resources

• Speakers Database/Bureau
• University of Virginia Faculty Senate Speakers
  Bureau _at_ http//www.virginia.edu/facultysenate/sp
  eakers/
• Chesterfield County Chesterfield Connections _at_
  http//www.chesterfield.gov/publicaffairs/speakers
  .asp
• Virginia Beach City Public Schools _at_
  http//www.vbschools.com/volunteers/speakersbureau
  .asp

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Where To Get Help

• CEC Committee Roster _at_ http//www.vla.org/ContEd/
  roster.html
• CEC Region Liaisons _at_ http//www.vla.org/ContEd/ro
  ster.htmlliaisons