Library of Congress Report: Information Technology Strategic Planning

Library of Congress Report: Information Technology Strategic Planning: A Well Developed Framework is Essential to Support the Library’s Current and Future Information Technology (IT) Needs
The Library of Congress Office of the Inspector General.

Library-Wide
Report No. 2008-PA-105
March 2009.

“The intent of this review was to access the effectiveness of information technology (IT) strategic planning at the Library of Congress (LC), , to evaluate whether the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) Strategic Plan supports and implements the Library’s Strategic Plan as it pertains to the IT infrastructure, the Library Office of the Inspector General (OIG) contracted with A-TECH Systems, Inc.”

Findings discussed in the Report includes observations under the following categories in the order mentioned:

1. Strategic Plan Process.

2. IT Investment Process.

3. Organizational Structure.

4. Customer Service.

There are many observations of general value in this Report. As someone who is both interested and concerned about the strategic planning process , the following observations on page 8 caught my attention:

“We do not agree with the decision of the Library’s leadership to make strategic planning a management-only activity. We suggest that the Library allow line employees to actively participate in the strategic planning process. The Library Strategic Plan should be part of line employees as well as management training programs. Execution of strategic planning objectives whould be tied to line employees performance plans….”