LIBR 204-11
Information Organizations and Management
Summer 2009 Greensheet

Linda F. Larkin, Ph.D.
E-mail
Office Hours: Via e-mail; Phone appointments can be arranged.

Mission of the School
The School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at San Jose State University educates professionals and develops leaders who organize, manage and enable the effective use of information and ideas in order to contribute to the well-being of our communities.

Getting Started
SLIS utilizes a content management system called ANGEL for class communications, submitting assignments, and grade records. You should enroll in our 204-11 ANGEL site between May 30 and June 7, 2009. You will be required to use a password access code I will email to you via the MySJSU e-mail Messaging system prior to May 30, 2009.

Our class begins on Monday, June 1, 2009 and ends Friday, August 7, 2009. Weekly class sessions run from Monday through Sunday of the following week. New weekly course material will appear each Monday in Angel.

Course Description

Identifying distinguishing characteristics, culture and relationships of information organizations. Emphasizes theories examining the interaction between human beings and the organizations in which they work.

Course Prerequisites:
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 Angel, 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

Course Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes
At the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• 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;
• Know issues of diversity in the workplace;
• Prepare and post a résumé and use the services of the SJSU Career Center;
• Review and use the professional and research literature of management.

LIBR 204 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• apply the fundamental principles of planning, management and marketing/advocacy;
• design training programs based on appropriate learning principles and theories;
• demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations;
• evaluate programs and services on specified criteria.

Top of Page

Course Requirements

All written work will be due by the end of the day on the due date listed. No late work will be accepted.

Assignments and Due Dates

More detail about assignments will be provided in ANGEL.

Online Discussion/Class Participation
As this class is completely on-line and asynchronous, participation in ANGEL discussions is essential for success in the course. Discussion topics will be posted on Mondays. All posting must be completed by 11:59pm on the following Sunday.

Observations of Organizational Structure Essay
The goal of this assignment is to compare management theories, principles and practices. In four pages with a maximum of eight pages, you will describe the organizational and management structures and the philosophies of management you have observed used by managers during your working life.  Due by 11:59pm Sun., June 21.

Strategic Planning Group Project
This group assignment will require you to explain the operating goals/objectives of a library/information organization and develop a three year strategic plan with three initiatives.  Due by 11:59pm Sun., July 12.

Operational Plan
This individual assignment will be based on your strategic plan. In it, you will be asked to develop an operational plan for your information organization. In 5 to 10 pages, you will write a plan for the operation of the department or unit you represent. The operational plan should reflect the overall goals and objectives of the strategic plan, but cover only the first year of the plan.  Due by 11:59pm Sun., July 26.

Résumé
Students will begin by posting rough drafts of their résumés along with their introductions the first week of class.  These résumés will be refined throughout the semester and submitted to  SpartaJOBS.  Due by 11:59pm Sun., Aug. 2.

Portfolio Posting
Each student will be required to post all LIBR 204 assignments in an e-portfolio in ANGEL.  All posting must be completed by 11:59pm Wed., Aug. 6.

Incompletes
Students should avail themselves of the policy for uncompleted coursework on the School’s website under “Registration.”

Course Calendar
The following dates are tentative and subject to change with fair notice.

• Week 1 (June 1)
  Discussion: Introduction and posting of résumé rough draft
  Read chapters 1-4.
   
• Week 2 (June 8)
  Discussion: The Organizational Environment
  Read chapters 5-6.
   
• Week 3 (June 15)
  No Discussion this week
  Read chapters 7-8.
  Observational Essay due Sun., 6/21
   
• Week 4 (June 22)
  Discussion: Change/Innovation and Decision Making
  Read chapters 9-10
   
• Week 5 (June 29)
  Discussion: Creating an Environment of Trust
  Read chapters 11-12
   
• Week 6 (July 6)
  No discussion this week
  Read chapters 13-14
  Strategic Plan due Sun., 7/12
   
• Week 7 (July 13)
  Discussion: The Budget Process
  Read chapters 15-16
   
• Week 8 (July 20)
  No Discussion this week
  Operational Plan due Sun., 7/26
   
• Week 9 (July 27)
  Discussion: Developing an Approach to Technology Planning
  Read chapters 17-18
  Revised résumé posted in SpartaJobs – due Sun., 8/2
   
• Week 10 (August 3)
  Discussion: Managing Information Organizations: Wrapping Things Up
  Read chapters 19-20
  All LIBR 204 assignments posted in ANGEL e-portfolio by Wed., 8/6
  

Textbooks and Readings

Required Textbook:

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

Recommended Textbook:

• American Psychological Association (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). American Psychological Association. Available through Amazon: 1557987912.

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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