Consulting Services

Consulting Services

Custom Strategic Plan Development
We’ve worked with partners in public libraries and library systems to develop more than 40 custom strategic plans, rooted in the belief that the library is important to its community and its community is important to the library. We offer a flexible framework that relies on data collection to help make the best decisions. We listen to what you need and work with you to make it happen in your budget.

Strategic Planning Cohort for Small Libraries
Every library and every community should be able to afford a strategic plan to help them make big decisions. We offer a cohort learning and hands-on strategic planning opportunity that helps libraries in small communities (5,000 people or less) learn about their community’s needs and aspirations, and use them to craft strategic directions for the next 3-5 years.

Strategic Plan Activation
A strategic plan must be “lived” in order to work toward the library’s strategic goals. In addition to our strategic plan development offerings, we also offer tools and processes to keep your plan alive, manageable, and relevant for its lifespan.

Community Engagement
Community engagement is a mindset and an approach to library work that involves relationship-building, understanding community initiatives and projects, and investing in ongoing conversations with community members about their goals and needs. There are a number of approaches, channels, and tools that can help libraries engage with their communities, and WiLS is available to consult on different strategies that will work for individual libraries.

Archives Consulting
With experts on staff and deep connections in the archives and digital projects community of practice, WiLS can work with you and your stakeholders to craft and implement recommendations related to archives project planning, preservation of historical materials, cataloging and organization, collection development policies, digitization practices and processes, and use of space.

Research and Data Services
WiLS’ data analyst has over a decade of experience and our library strategists have completed a variety of library research projects to provide you with the answers you need. We understand that sometimes it’s hard to know where to start on a research project or how much data is enough data. Our team is warm and approachable and will craft a process that works best for you and your organization.

WiLS Consulting in Action: City Library Collective
Co-designed and developed with member libraries, the City Library Collective (CLC) brings together libraries across the state that serve mid-sized communities, working together to address common issues and use collective knowledge and experience to improve their organizations and services to their communities.

Custom Projects and Services
Sometimes your project doesn’t fit into a tidy category, but that doesn’t mean you are out of luck! WiLS specializes in custom project and service planning that meets member needs, whether it be a focus on staffing and organizational culture, prioritization work, or service development.