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Determining Objectives

The introduction to this handbook discussed some of the many reasons why a library might decide to implement a community service program. Now, however, you must decide what your specific objectives for your own program are going to be. If you craft measurable, quantitative objectives, it will be easy to measure whether you met them at the program's end.

Sample objectives might be:

• To recruit a minimum of ten teen volunteers during the school year.
• To produce at least three press releases about the program for the community newspaper.
• To make at least one new community contact or partner for the library.
• To produce one teen-planned and implemented program or project.
• To train teen volunteers in use of the library's digital resources.
• To provide teen volunteers with librarian recruitment materials.

There are other worthwhile objectives that may not be so easily measurable. For example, achieving a fine mentoring relationship with the teens is an important objective; but it may be more difficult to measure. Do include these more intangible objectives because they are important to what you are trying to accomplish. You can try to find out how successfully you have reached these objectives through interviews with your teens at the end of the program, but even then some of the more important effects may not show up until years later.

 

Determining Objectives | Choosing a Model of Community Service | Getting Support from Library Staff | Getting Community Support | Designing the Program

 

Revised 03/07