Course Overview
Course topics • Objectives • Learning goals• Expectations• Format • Cell phones & Laptops • Technology • Course Evaluation • Academic Conduct
Course Topics
- Career
- Project Management
- Change Management
II. Integrated Library Systems
- Automation marketplace
- System selection
- Open source versus commercial software
- RFP
- System migration
III. Search and Delivery:
- OPACs
- Discovery platforms
IV. Library 2.0
- Social networking
- Future of library technology
Objectives
The focus of the course is on the intersection of technology and management in the library information world. As information professionals, you will be involved in automation projects and managing technological change that best meet patron and organizational needs. You will need to develop numerous skills, both technological and managerial, to successfully meet these challenges. This course will provide a foundation for this skill set to develop and acquaint you with a broad understanding of the issues involved in library technology systems.
Although a major topic of this class is the integrated library systems (a fundamental cornerstone of most library technology), we will also explore new library technologies that have a potential place in the library technology world. This class is geared to the thinking and planning processes for library technology, rather than on the specific programming and development of library systems.
Along with the theoretical knowledge that you will obtain on library technology, you will also have some hands-on experience with a library system set up for class use. This will translate some of the concepts that we discuss in class to a real-world situation, providing you with some practical working systems experience. Whether you will be working in a large public or academic library or small school library system, the concepts that we discuss should prepare you for your new career in whatever type of library setting you choose.
Student Learning goals
- To develop an understanding of the components of automated library systems: record structure, standards, access, and security
- To develop an understanding of the management issues involved in automating library functions: change management, communication, personnel, staffing, training, and project management.
- To develop an understanding of the process of planning, implementing and managing an online integrated library system: specifications, vendors, system evaluation, and customization.
- To develop an understanding of the automation marketplace: commercial vendors, open source, and web management services.
- To develop an understanding of the job descriptions and roles of a systems librarian.
- To develop an understanding of current and upcoming library technology trends and their implications to enhance patron and staff experiences.
Student Expectations
My expectations for this course are that all students:
- will attend class sessions on a regular basis
- will come to class fully prepared to participate in the class discussions
- will complete the readings before the class for which they are assigned
- will complete all assignments following the directions and submitted by the posted due date
Course Format
The course will meet twice a week on campus. The class sessions will be primarily a discussion class in a seminar style, supplemented by lectures. Class sessions may also include hands-on system work, presentations, guest speakers, in-class assignments and student-led discussions.
Cell phones and Laptops
To facilitate class discussion and to minimize disruption to other students, cell phone and laptop use is limited in class. Obviously, you are better served if, during the class period, you focus your attention on the class discussions. Moreover, the classroom environment must be conducive to learning for all students. Technological devices can be distracting to your classmates & me and thus undermine that goal.
- Please turn off your cell phones while in the classroom
- Laptops are for note-taking only during the lecture section. While we are having a discussion, laptops are to be turned off and closed. As always, in addition to the usual courtesies, kindly refrain from email, computer games, or displaying anything on your screens that can reasonably be expected to offend or distract your classmates.
Technology and Software Requirements
In this course you may be required to:
- create a Power Point presentation
- create a screencast presentation (using Jing)
- work on an open source library system
- access web-based integrated library systems
Course Evaluation
There will be an end-of-quarter course evaluation for all students.
Academic Conduct
The following paragraphs discussing academic integrity, copyright and privacy outline matters governing student conduct in the iSchool and the University of Washington. They apply to all assignments and communications in this course.
Academic Integrity
The essence of academic life revolves around respect not only for the ideas of others, but also their rights to those ideas and their promulgation. It is therefore essential that all of us engaged in the life of the mind take the utmost care that the ideas and expressions of ideas of other people always be appropriately handled, and, where necessary, cited. For writing assignments, when ideas or materials of others are used, they must be cited. The format is not that important–as long as the source material can be located and the citation verified, it’s OK. What is important is that the material be cited. In any situation, if you have a question, please feel free to ask. Such attention to ideas and acknowledgment of their sources is central not only to academic life, but life in general.
Please acquaint yourself with the University of Washington's resources on academic honesty.
Copyright
All of the expressions of ideas in this class that are fixed in any tangible medium such as digital and physical documents are protected by copyright law as embodied in title 17 of the United States Code. These expressions include the work product of both: (1) your student colleagues (e.g., any assignments published here in the course environment or statements committed to text in a discussion forum); and, (2) your instructors (e.g., the syllabus, assignments, reading lists, and lectures). Within the constraints of "fair use" (you should have/will have learned about that in depth in LIS 550), you may copy these copyrighted expressions for your personal intellectual use in support of your education here in the iSchool. Such fair use by you does not include further distribution by any means of copying, performance or presentation beyond the circle of your close acquaintances, student colleagues in this class and your family. If you have any questions regarding whether a use to which you wish to put one of these expressions violates the creator's copyright interests, please feel free to ask the instructor for guidance.
Grading
See the Grading page.
Privacy
To support an academic environment of rigorous discussion and open expression of personal thoughts and feelings, we, as members of the academic community, must be committed to the inviolate right of privacy of our student and instructor colleagues. As a result, we must forego sharing personally identifiable information about any member of our community including information about the ideas they express, their families, life styles and their political and social affiliations. If you have any questions regarding whether a disclosure you wish to make regarding anyone in this course or in the iSchool community violates that person's privacy interests, please feel free to ask the instructor for guidance.
Knowing violations of these principles of academic conduct, privacy or copyright may result in University disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct.
Students with Disabilities
To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services: 448 Schmitz, 206-543-8924 (V/TTY). If you have a letter from DSS indicating that you have a disability which requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the accommodations you might need in the class.
Academic accommodations due to disability will not be made unless the student has a letter from DSS specifying the type and nature of accommodations needed.
Student Code of Conduct
Good student conduct is important for maintaining a healthy course environment. Please familiarize yourself with the University of Washington's Student Code of Conduct.
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Last updated: Monday, 14-Jan-2013 09:38:13 PST
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