Part-time Instructor - IST613: Library Project Design: Analysis to Assessment

IST 613: This course focuses on ways in which libraries create and deliver value, impact positively, or “make a difference” to their users, stakeholders, and communities, as well as the institutions and organizations of which they are a part. In order to serve their users, stakeholders, communities, and overarching institutions/organizations, librarians must understand the goals and needs of those they hope to serve, determine the degree to which their services, expertise, resources, and facilities contribute to those goals and needs, and then make changes, additions, or improvements to close the gap in places where the library falls short of meeting those goals and needs. By closing these gaps, in collaboration with those they wish to serve, libraries become more valuable, more ability to demonstrate their value, and more prepared to communicate/advocate for their value. Three main skill sets undertaking this work include project management, communication/marketing, and assessment. To develop these skills, this course embeds students within the context of an individual library where they: 1) determine the goals/needs of the library’s users and communities; 2) assess the

degree to which existing library services, expertise, resources, and facilities contribute to those goals/needs; 3) make recommendations to close gaps by creating or improving library services, expertise, resources, or facilities; and 5) develop a literature review and project management, communication/marketing, and assessment plans to describe how one of their recommendations could be enacted. Taken together, these skills and experiences prepare students to conduct this work in their first/next library position.

After taking this course, students will be able to:

· communicate and collaborate with a partner library and librarian

· determine the goals/needs of library users, stakeholders, communities, and overarching institutions/organizations

· assess the degree to which existing library services, expertise, resources, and facilities contribute to those goals/needs

· rethink, refine, or redefine ways in which the library can close gaps between user/community goals/needs and library offerings to deliver value and impact

· develop recommendation(s) to help the library create and communicate increased value and impact

· create a literature review to support one suggested recommendation

· utilize basic project management processes, tools, and strategies to plan the development and roll out of the suggested recommendation

· devise communication/marketing messages and media to ensure the success of the suggested recommendation

· craft assessment methods and analysis strategies to determine the degree to which the suggested recommendation augments the library’s value to and impact on library users and communities

· create a final report and presentation of professional quality for the partner library and librarian

· engage rigorously as a class member, teammate, and leader