University of Zululand Library
Modular strategic plan with 18-month phased rollout
The University Librarian needed a reworked strategic plan that reflected current demands: research data management, open access, learning and collaboration spaces, and collection health — without trying to fund everything at once.
The institution required a pragmatic document that Senate and executive could endorse, with a realistic implementation path for a lean, high-performing library in a constrained resource environment.
The existing plan was reworked using a modular, phased approach over 18 months, allowing the library to sequence investment and change management. Priority workstreams included:
- Research Data Management (RDM) service design and policy alignment
- Open access strategy linked to researcher support and repository development
- Learning space master planning for student-centred collaboration
- Collection health and sustainability decisions backed by rapid assessment insights
- Digital preservation roadmap for long-term stewardship of digitised and born-digital material
Each module had clear owners, timelines, and success signals so progress could be reviewed at library executive and institutional governance levels.
A new strategic plan was adopted with sharper priorities and an affordable, phased rollout. The library gained a shared roadmap for modern research support, spaces, and digital collections — replacing a static plan with one the team could execute quarter by quarter.
Outcome: Clear priorities across RDM, open access, spaces, collections, and preservation — sequenced so the library could deliver value early while building capacity for harder reforms.