On October 2, 2012, Ms. Amy E. Ryan, President of the Boston Public Library (BPL), gave a lecture "Fulfilling the Public Library’s 21st Century Potential: The Power of a Strategic Plan" in the Tokyo Main Library of the National Diet Library (NDL). The event was relayed to the Kansai-kan of the NDL and about 120 people, quite a few of them public librarians themselves, were in attendance.

With over 35 years of public library management experience, Ms. Ryan became the first female president of the BPL in 2008; and led the development of the BPL’s strategic plan – known as the “BPL Compass.” Before being named to lead the BPL, she was the Director of the nationally recognized Hennepin County Library in Minnesota from 2005 to 2008, and is currently on the Steering Committee of the Digital Public Library of America.

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In her talk, Ms. Ryan addressed the importance of a strategic plan which could be a roadmap for budget allocations, capital improvements, service initiatives, and fundraising opportunities. Focusing on the budget crisis that evolved out of the world-wide financial meltdown in 2008, she described the background circumstances leading to the eventual success in the Compass formulation, not the least of which is engagement with the local community.

For the content of her lecture, please refer to the transcript and slides below:

• Transcript of the lecture
• Slides

The following Q&A session that lasted 80 minutes dealt with a wide range of questions from the floor. The topics included the qualities and abilities required of the top director of a library, difficulties in achieving consensus among various citizens, how to utilize social media, case study on reflecting demographic survey results to library services, reading promotion efforts for children and teens, services for the visually impaired.

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