AALL's Audacious Goals: What tactics will AALL execute to achieve its strategic objectives? (Proofreading official statements might be a good start)

Wisely avoiding a comparison to Stalin's five year plans, the E-Board approved our association's Strategic Plan for 2013-2016 on December 13 while noting in the December 2012 issue of the AALL E-newsletter that "we are still working to complete some of the goals from the 2010-2013 plan." Hum, does AALL issue a report card on prior strategic plans?

The 2013-2016 Strategic Plan includes AALL's "Long-term Envisioned Future (10+ Years)":

The envisioned future conveys a concrete yet unrealized vision for the organization. It consists of a big (hairy) audacious goal (BHAG)-- a clear and compelling catalyst that serves as a focal point for effort and a vivid description which is a vibrant and engaging description of what it will be like to achieve the BHAG.

BHAG (Vision): AALL and its members will be the recognized authority in all aspects of legal information

Vivid Description of a Desired Future:

Legal information is understood as synonymous with law librarians. AALL is the recognized leader in advocating for no-fee permanent public access to government legal information and the essential role law librarians play in accessing legal information. The association's leadership is sought for their expertise in policy and legislation development affecting access to legal information. Law librarians and allied professionals turn to the AALL as their primary source for up-to-date information and professional development on the law librarianship profession. The association sets the standards for legal research competencies for the legal profession. It provides an esteemed network of colleagues willing to share insights and best practices [ed. note: add full stop (".") or screamer ("!") here] Membership and engagement in AALL is recognized and supported by employers as essential to professional growth and success. Law librarians continue to enhance their value by anticipating changing needs and expectations of their work environments and are considered part of the decision-making team. As a result of the efforts of AALL and its members, legal information continues to be accessible and the role of law librarians continues to be valued and essential.

(Emphasis in the original.)

As a very forward-looking statement, this is all fine and well because AALL membership is not "recognized and supported" by many law library employers as "essential." While I imagine freshly minted full AALL member vendor reps give lip service to, some of their employers most definitely do not view the role of law librarians as being "valued and essential" to their business plans these days.

Under the heading "AALL's Five-Year Goals and Objectives" ... wait a minute ... 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 ... shouldn't that read "four-year"? An E-Board group think Stalinist slip? An indication of just how important this document is within AALL officialdom? Perhaps it will be edited when AALL staffers come back from their December 24 to January 1 holiday break.

Until then, here's our association's Strategic Plan for 2013-2016 (or 2017). [JH]