LIBR 204-15
Information Organizations 
Spring 2012 Greensheet

Wayne Disher
E-mail
Phone: 951-765-2441
Office Location: Hemet Public Library or Online
Office Hours: By arrangement

This course has a D2L site. You will be enrolled into the site automatically on the first day of the semester. 

Course Description

This 3 unit course offers a survey of the field of organizational management, and aims to help you understand and apply theory in a variety of areas, including: leadership; work attitudes and motivation; group dynamics; organizational communication; organizational structure and design; and organizational culture. Emphasis is placed on management theory and practice as applied to the library and information center setting. Successful completion of this course is a required element in the Master of Library and Information Science program.

Course Objectives

Student Learning Ourcomes

• Compare management theories, principles and practices;
• Apply analytical and strategic planning processes and skills;
• Identify the roles and activities of managers;
• Understand portfolios as a means of performance assessment;
• Experience and assess working in teams;
• Managing issues of diversity in the workplace; 
• Review and use the professional and research literature of management.:
• Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations.

LIBR 204 supports the following MLIS Core Competencies:

• Compare the environments and organizational settings in which library and information professionals practice;
• Use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users;
• Contribute to the cultural, economic, educational and social well-being of our communities.

http://ischool.sjsu.edu/slis/competencies.htm

Course Requirements

Complete LIBR 203: Online Social Networking: Technology and Tools
This is a mandatory 1 unit course that introduces students to the various e-learning tools used in the SLIS program, including D2L, Elluminate and Second Life. This course must be completed by all new SLIS students within the first 4 weeks of their first semester. If you have questions about this course, e-mail Debbie Faires or Dale David.

For more information, see http://ischool.sjsu.edu/classes/coursedesc.htm

Weekly Assignments

Each unit contains a graded assignment as well as discussion topics, readings, case histories, Elluminate sessions, and web work.  Units One through Four have graded assignments that account for 10 points each.  The weight of this accummulated 40 points will be about 20% of your entire grade.  Units Five and Six each have larger assignments worth 100 points each.  They each are weighted 40%.  While you will find detailed information about each graded assignment appearing in the Unit itself here is a brief rundown of what you'll be doing this semester in terms of graded assignments.

Unit One's 10 point graded assignment involves getting comfortable with your ePortfolio. You will be investigating the ePortfolio process, looking for a few library related jobs that interests you, and writing a targeted resume for each to post in your ePortfolio. (Student Learning Outcome:  Understand portfolios as a means of performance assessment)

Unit Two's 10 point graded assignment will ask you to read a case history involving communication in an organization and asks you to think about how you'd resolve the issue in a 3 to 4 page double spaced paper. (Student Learning Outcomes: Compare management theories, principles and practices; Review and use the professional and research literature of management; Managing issues of diversity in the workplace).

Unit Three's 10 point graded assignment asks you to learn about a strategic planning process called SWOT analysis and to submit a 3 page SWOT analysis of a library of your choice.  (Student Learning Outcomes:  Compare management theories, principles and practices; Apply analytical and strategic planning processes and skills)

Unit Four's 10 point graded assignment asks you to read over a couple of case histories involving the creation of a library's budget.  After reading over the budget scenarios, you will be asked to consider what you would do in both situations, but to submit a 3 page paper explaining how you handled one of the cases.  (Student Learning Outcomes:  Apply analytical and strategic planning processes and  skills;  Review and use the professional and research literature of management; Compare management theories, principles and practices

End of Term Assignments
There are two large written assignments near the end of the semester.  One is a group assignment and one will be an analytical essay:

Group Assignment
Students will be assigned to a team for a project conducting a "visualized critique" --a sort of performance audit --of a library information organization.  Each member of the team visits a library on their own, and each brings back potential management problems they noticed sharing pictures with the other team members. The team as a whole will analyze each member's pictures and choose ten items to work on as a group.  Students analyze such things as managment decisions, efficiency, and effectiveness and articulate strategic recommendations for the management of the institution. In an online presentation to the instructor, the group shares information about their chosen ten items.  (Student Learning Outcomes: Apply analytical and strategic planning processes and skills; Experience and assess working in teams; Review and use the professional and research literature of management)

D2L Online Discussion/Class Participation
As this class is completely on-line and asynchronous, participation in the weekly D2L discussions is essential for success in the course. Weekly postings are due each Friday by midnight.  Several live Elluminate sessions will be offered throughout the semester.  While attending these sessions LIVE is not required, you ARE required to listen to the recordings if you are not able to attend live. (Student Learning Outcomes: Compare management theories, principles and practices; Identify the roles and activities of managers; Managing issues of diversity in the workplace) 

Expectations
Passing this course is a required component of the SLIS program. The demands of this class are intense. You will be doing a great deal of reading and writing as well as working online. Students are required to participate.

Writing Requirement
If the instructor finds that a student's writing is unacceptable, the instructor will require the student to sign up for online writing tutoring.  The student will ask the tutor to confirm with the instructor that he or she is attending sessions.

Course Calendar
A complete calendar of due dates and online activities is available on Angel.

Grading
Papers and assignments are due as listed on the Assignments page. I do not accept late papers. Additionally, due to the fact that I am an adjunct faculty member, and my schedule is such that I can not predict if I will be available in the future, I do not allow students to take an incomplete in this class.

Letter grades are assigned using the standard SJSU SLIS Grading Scale below. If you do the assignments as outlined on the assignment sheet and explained in class, you will maintain a B grade. If you submit sub-standard work, you will receive a sub-standard grade (B- or below). If, however, you submit above-standard work, you will receive an above standard grade (B or better). I define above standard work as that which clearly displays several of the following criteria:

1. Originality in the approach to the assignment;
2. Greater depth of analysis than the written assignment calls for;
3. Overall treatment of the assignment above & beyond what the written assignment calls for; or
4. Superior organizational and/or written skills in the presentation of the material.

Due Dates and Late Assignments
Due dates are not negotiable. As a rule, I do not accept late assignments. If extraordinary circumstances prevail, however, an accepted late assignment will receive a penalty of at least one half of a grade.

Textbooks and Readings

In addition, each unit will have postings of required readings in folders contained on D2L within Unit links.

Required Textbooks:

• Disher, W. (2010). Crash course in public library administration. Libraries Unlimited. Available through Amazon: 1598844652

• Evans, G. E., & Ward, P. L. (2007). Management Basics for Information Professionals (2nd ed.). Neal-Schuman. Available through Amazon: 1555705863.

• Shaara, M. (1987). The killer angels. Ballantine Books. Available through Amazon: 0345348109.

Grading Scale

The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:

In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:

• C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
• B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work;
  For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA) — INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204 — the iSchool requires that students earn a B in the course. If the grade is less than B (B- or lower) after the first attempt you will be placed on administrative probation.  You must repeat the class the following semester. If -on the second attempt- you do not pass the class with a grade of B or better (not B- but B) you will be disqualified.
  
• A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.

Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

General Expectations, Rights and Responsibilities of the Student

As members of the academic community, students accept both the rights and responsibilities incumbent upon all members of the institution. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with SJSU's policies and practices pertaining to the procedures to follow if and when questions or concerns about a class arises. See University Policy S90-5 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S90-5.pdf. More detailed information on a variety of related topics is available in the SJSU catalog at http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/catalog/departments/LIS.html. In general, it is recommended that students begin by seeking clarification or discussing concerns with their instructor. If such conversation is not possible, or if it does not serve to address the issue, it is recommended that the student contact the Department Chair as a next step.

Dropping and Adding

Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester's Catalog Policies section at http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current academic year calendars document on the Academic Calendars webpage at http://www.sjsu.edu/provost/services/academic_calendars/. The Late Drop Policy is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes.

Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.

Consent for Recording of Class and Public Sharing of Instructor Material

University Policy S12-7, http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S12-7.pdf, requires students to obtain instructor's permission to record the course and the following items to be included in the syllabus:

• "Common courtesy and professional behavior dictate that you notify someone when you are recording him/her. You must obtain the instructor's permission to make audio or video recordings in this class. Such permission allows the recordings to be used for your private, study purposes only. The recordings are the intellectual property of the instructor; you have not been given any rights to reproduce or distribute the material."
  • It is suggested that the syllabus include the instructor's process for granting permission, whether in writing or orally and whether for the whole semester or on a class by class basis.
  • In classes where active participation of students or guests may be on the recording, permission of those students or guests should be obtained as well.
• "Course material developed by the instructor is the intellectual property of the instructor and cannot be shared publicly without his/her approval. You may not publicly share or upload instructor generated material for this course such as exam questions, lecture notes, or homework solutions without instructor consent."

Academic integrity

Your commitment, as a student, to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University. The University Academic Integrity Policy F15-7 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/F15-7.pdf requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 at http://www.sjsu.edu/president/docs/directives/PD_1997-03.pdf requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Accessible Education Center (AEC) at http://www.sjsu.edu/aec to establish a record of their disability.

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