Austin Community College

Mission:

Library Services is a collaborative system of library information, reference, instructional and technical support services whose aim is to support teaching and learning at Austin Community College. Library Services provides outstanding staff, customer service, instructional resources and support services. Library Services designs and provides instruction to promote information literacy and lifelong learning. Library Services partners with groups within and outside of ACC to offer effective service.

Goals:

1. Provide the appropriate library information resources, services, technologies, and facilities to support teaching and learning.


2. Provide instruction for information literacy and lifelong learning to ACC and the larger community.


3. Ensure equitable access to library resources and services throughout the service area.


4. Maintain a knowledgeable, service-oriented staff.


5. Develop collaborative relationships with similar service providers to meet the needs of the ACC community and to make the most effective use of resources.


6. Disseminate information about Library Services to the college community, college partners, and the larger community.


7. Ensure that the appropriate standards and principles of accrediting agencies and professional associations and ACC policies, rules, and procedures are met.


8. Establish consistent rules, guidelines, and procedures relating to Library Services.

SWOT Analysis - Avoiding Errors

I thought this list of frequently encountered errors was interesting. Sorry ... it came from the "SWOT Analysis" article on Wikipedia.

Avoiding Errors

1. Conducting a SWOT analysis before defining and agreeing upon an objective (a desired end state). SWOTs should not exist in the abstract. They can exist only with reference to an objective. If the desired end state is not openly defined and agreed upon, the participants may have different end states in mind and the results will be ineffective.

2. Opportunities external to the company are often confused with strengths internal to the company. They should be kept separate.

3. SWOTs are sometimes confused with possible strategies. SWOTs are descriptions of conditions, while possible strategies define actions. This error is made especially with reference to opportunity analysis. To avoid this error, it may be useful to think of opportunities as "auspicious conditions".

SWOT: Going for an "A+"

Here are the 4 possible "grades" we could receive for our SWOT analysis along with the criteria for those "grades."

Excellent (3). Clear, thoughtful analysis of internal strengths and weaknesses. Demonstrated use of environmental scanning* for external threats and opportunities. Next steps from SWOT analysis delineated.

Good (2) Overall acceptable but lacking in a comprehensive analysis of internal and external factors.

Fair (1) Some analysis completed but not comprehensive and balanced in all four SWOT areas

Poor (0) Little or no analysis or environmental scanning

From Program Review Report Template for Student Services
and Administrative Support, page 3