INFO 204-04
INFO 204-13
Information Professions
Fall 2021 Syllabus

Dr. Deborah Hicks
E-mail
Office Hours:
Virtual office hours. See Canvas for times. 


Syllabus Links
Textbooks
CLOs
Competencies
Prerequisites
Resources
Canvas Login and Tutorials
iSchool eBookstore

Canvas Information: Courses will be available beginning August 19, 2021, at 6 am (PT) unless you are taking an intensive or a one-unit or two-unit class that starts on a different day. In that case, the class will open on the first day that the class meets.

You will be enrolled in the Canvas site automatically.

Course Description

As they respond to the information needs of clients and communities, information organizations face complex and exciting challenges. This course will help prepare students to take on these challenges by providing them with an understanding of the organizations and environments in which information professionals work, traditional and emerging professional roles, and core management and leadership theories. This knowledge will help students understand the similarities and differences among information organizations, explore different specializations and career paths, apply professional values to ethical decision-making, and to develop core management and leadership skills. This course prepares students to be active participants in their professional communities and networks and to become collaborative professionals ready to take on management and leadership roles.

Note: iSchool requires that students earn a B in this 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.

Course Requirements

Complete INFO 203 Online Learning: Tools and Strategies for Success. This is a mandatory 1 unit course that introduces students to the various e-learning tools used in the iSchool program, including Collaborate.  For more information, see INFO 203 Online Learning.

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.

Weekly Schedule

Module

Topics

Required Readings

Activity and Assignment Due Dates

1

Aug 18-24

Introduction to the Big Ideas of INFO 204

Textbook:
Chapter 1: The Transformative Information Landscape: What It Means to be an Information Professional Today 

Activity: Introduction and LibSquares

Due Aug 24

2

Aug 25-31

Origins of the Information Professions

Core Professional Values

Working in Teams

 

Textbook:
Chapter 2: Libraries, Communities, and Information: Two Centuries of Experience

Chapter 5: Diversity, Equity of Access, and Social Justice

Articles: 
Mehra, B., & Gray, L. (2020). An "owning up" of White-IST trends in LIS to further real transformations. Library Quarterly, 90(2). https://doi.org/10.1086/707674

Wiegand, W. (2020). Sanitizing American library history: Reflections of a library historian. Library Quarterly, 90(2). https://doi.org/10.1086/707669

Web Resource:
Community Tool Box. (2018). Building teams: Broadening the base for leadership. Retrieved from
https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/
leadership-ideas/team-
building/main

Activity: Current Events and Core Values

Due Aug 31

3

Sept 1-7 

(Labor Day: Sept 6)

Ethics and Decision Making

 

Textbook:
Chapter 30: Information Ethics

Book Chapters:
Koufogiannakis, D. A., & Brittle, A. (Eds.) (2016). Being evidence-based in library and information practice. Retrieved from 
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com.
libaccess.sjlibrary.org/
lib/sjsu/detail.action?docID=4718664

Read Chapter 2: A New Framework for EBLIP and one of the following: 

Chapter 9: Academic Libraries

Chapter 10: Public Libraries

Chapter 11: Health Libraries

Chapter 12: School Libraries

Chapter 13: Special Libraries

Activity: Ethics Case Studies 

Due Sept 7

Sept 8-14 *Work Week*  No Readings

Assignments: 

Organizational Analysis - Group Ground Rules 
Due Sept 14

Foundations Assignment
Due Sept 17

Sept 15-21

 

 

Information Sectors and Environments 

 

 

Article: 
Rathi, D., Shiri, A. and Cockney, C. (2017). Environmental scan: A methodological framework to initiate digital library development for communities in Canada’s North. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 69 (1), 76-94. https://doi-org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.1108/AJIM-06-2016-0082

Textbook:
Three of the following. Please ensure that one represents an information sector that you are interested in exploring for your future career and one that you are unfamiliar with:

Chapter 6: Literacy and Media Centers: School Libraries

Chapter 7: Learning and Research Institutions: Academic Libraries

Chapter 8: Community Anchors for Lifelong Learning: Public Libraries

Chapter 9: Working in Different Information Environments: Special Libraries and Information Centers

Chapter 10: Digital Resources: Digital Libraries

Activity: Environmental Scan Searching

Due Sept 21

5

Sept 22-28

Introduction to Management 

Organizational Planning 

 

Textbook:
Chapter 19: Strategic Planning 

Article:
Buchanan, S., & Cousins, F. (2012). Evaluating the strategic plans of public libraries: An inspection-based approach. Library and Information Science Research, 34, 125-130. doi: 10.1016/j.lisr.2011.1

Activity: Analyze Strategic Plans

Due Sept 28

6

Sept 29-Oct 5

Financial Management 

 

Textbook:
Chapter 21: Managing Budgets

Book Chapter:
Velasquez, D. L. (2013). Financial management. In D. L. Velasquez (Ed.), Library management 101: A practical guide (pp. 161-176). Chicago, IL: ALA Editions. Retrieved from 
https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/
lib/sjsu/detail.action?docID=1672832

Article: 
DiVittorio, K., & Gianelli, L. (2021, March 31). Ethical financial stewardship: One library's examination of vendor's business practices. In the Library with the Lead Pipe. https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2021/ethical-financial-stewardship/

Activity: Budget Case Studies 

Due Oct 5

7

Oct 6-12

Personnel Management

Textbook: 
Chapter 22: Managing Personnel

Articles:
Alabi, J. (2015). “This actually happened”: An analysis of librarians’ responses to a survey about racial microaggressions. Journal of Library Administration, 55, 179-191.

Allard, D., Lieu, A., Oliphant, T. (2020). Reading between the lines: An environmental scan of writing about third-party sexual harassment in the LIS literature and beyond. Library Quarterly, 90(4), https://doi.org/10.1086/710256

Activity: HR case studies 

Due Oct 12

8

Oct 13-19

Advocacy 

Textbook:
Chapter 27: Communication, Marketing, and Outreach Strategies

Chapter 28: Advocacy

Web Resource: 
American Library Association. (n.d.). Making budget presentations. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/
advleg/advocacyuniversity/
budgetpresentation

Activity: Elevator Pitches

Due Oct 19

 

9

Oct 20-26

Assessment and Evaluation

Articles and Web Resources:

Farkas, M. (2013). Building and sustaining a culture of assessment: Best practices for change leadership. Reference Services Review, 41, 13-31. doi: 10.1108/00907321311300857

Magnus, E., Belanger, J., & Faber, M. (2018). Towards a critical assessment practice. In the Library with the Lead Pipe. Retrieved from 
http://www.inthelibrarywith
theleadpipe.org/
2018/towards-critical-
assessment-practice/

Reuter, K., & Silipigni Connaway, L. (2018). User-centered assessment: Leveraging what you know and filling in the gaps [Webinar]. Retrieved from 
https://www.webjunction.org/
events/webjunction/user-centered-assessment.html 

Assignment: 
Organizational Analysis - Environmental Scan 

Due Oct 22

Activity: Developing KIPs

Due Oct 26

 

 

10

Oct 27-Nov 2

Crisis Management 

Articles: 
Cowell, J. (2021). Managing a library service through a crisis. Library Management, 42(4/5), 250-255. doi: 10.1108/LM-10-2020-0158

Erickson, S. (2021). Communication in a crisis and the importance of authenticity and transparency. Journal of Library Administration, 61(4), 476-483. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2021.1906556

O'Neill, B., & Kelley, R. (2021). Delivering bad news: Crisis communication methods in academic libraries. College and Research Libraries, 82(3). https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/article/view/24913

Activity: Crisis Communication 

Due Nov 2

 

11

Nov 3-9

Technology Management 

 

Textbook:
Chapter 25: Managing Technology

Chapter 26: Managing Data and Data Analysis in Information Organizations 

Chapter 32: Information Licensing

ActivityAdvocate for a Technology Trend

Due Nov 9

 

Nov 10-16

*Work Week*

No readings

Assignment: Organizational Analysis - Strategic Plan

Due Nov 16

 

 

12

Nov 17-23

Leadership: An Introduction 

Textbook:
Chapter 37: Leadership Skills for Today's Global Information Landscape 

Thomas, C., Trucks, E., & Kounds, H. B., (219, April 17). Preparing early career librarians for leadership and management: A feminist critique. In the Library with the Lead Pipe. https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2019/early-career-leadership-and-management/

Activity: LibSquares Revisited

Due Nov 23

Nov 24-30 *Thanksgiving and Work Period* No Readings

Assignment: Organizational Analysis - Presentation

Due Nov 30

13

Dec 1-7

Leadership, Change, and Planning for the Future

 

 

Textbook:
Chapter 20: Change Management 

Chapter 36: Career Management Strategies for Lifelong Success

And, two of the following:

Chapter 11: Information Intermediation and Reference Services 

Chapter 12: Metadata, Cataloging, Linked Data, and the Evolving ILS

Chapter 13: Analog and Digital Curation and Preservation 

Chapter 16: Teaching Users: Information and Technology Instruction

Assignments: Organizational Analysis - Peer- and Self-Reviews

Leadership Infographic and Reflection 

Due Dec 7

Assessments

Module Activities
Students will perform 10 activities relating to course topics. Activities will include case studies and scenarios, reflections, critical analysis of organizational documents, and hands-on practice of key professional skills. Students will use a variety of modalities (such as written report and videos) to express themselves. (Course Learning Outcomes: #1#2#3#4, #5#6#7#8#9)

LibSquares Activities
Using an arts-based approach, students will reflect on what it means to be a librarian and/or information professional. (Course Learning Outcomes: #1#7)

Foundations Assignment
In either a podcast or written format, students will critically engage with and reflect on a key foundational aspect of the information professions, library and information science, or a core professional value of their choice. (Course Learning Outcomes: #1, #5, #9)

Leadership Infographic and Reflection 
Using LIS databases, other relevant resources, and personal reflection, students will gain an understanding of the role of leadership within the information professions and develop their personal thoughts and ideas about leadership. (Course Learning Outcomes: #2, #5#6#9)

Organizational Analysis
Working together in small groups, students will create an organizational analysis for an information organization of their choice. The assignment consists of five parts. First, each team will create Group Ground Rules for working together. Second, each team will conduct an environmental scan and SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) of their chosen information organization. Teams will then use this information to draft vision, mission, and value statements for the organization. Third, based on the second part of the project, the group will articulate strategic directions for the information organization. Fourth, the team will present its strategic plan and associated planning documents to their classmates. Fifth, students peer review team member's individual contributions and performance. (Course Learning Outcomes: #2#3#4, #5#6#7,#8)

Grading

Assignment

Point Value

Due Dates

Module activities

2 points each (20 points total)

Ongoing

LibSquare Activities 5 points 

Part 1 - Aug 24

Part 2 - Nov 23

Foundations Assignment  15 points  September 17

Leadership Infographic and Reflection

15 points

December 7

Organizational Analysis

Part 1. Group Ground Rules –5 points

Part 2. Environmental Scan – 15 points

Part 3. Strategic Plan – 10 points

Part 4. Presentation – 10 points

Part 5. Peer- and Self-Review – 5 points

Part 1 - Sept 14

Part 2 - Oct 22

Part 3 - Nov 16

Part 4 - Nov 30

Part 5 - Dec 7 

Other Relevant Information:

All assignments (excluding module activities and parts 1-4 of the Organizational Analysis) must be submitted before 11:59 pm Pacific Time on the due date. Grades will be reduced for any late work, each day late, by ten percent (10%). Please contact the instructor prior to a deadline in the case of illness or emergency. Additional late policy details available in Canvas.

Course Workload Expectations

Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course related activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical practica. Other course structures will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus.

Instructional time may include but is not limited to:
Working on posted modules or lessons prepared by the instructor; discussion forum interactions with the instructor and/or other students; making presentations and getting feedback from the instructor; attending office hours or other synchronous sessions with the instructor.

Student time outside of class:
In any seven-day period, a student is expected to be academically engaged through submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam or an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; building websites, blogs, databases, social media presentations; attending a study group;contributing to an academic online discussion; writing papers; reading articles; conducting research; engaging in small group work.

Course Prerequisites

INFO 204 has no prequisite requirements.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe the similarities and differences between various information organizations and professional roles from historical, current, and future perspectives.
  2. Recognize the roles and activities of managers in information organizations.
  3. Explain strategic planning processes and skills.
  4. Identify and choose appropriate assessment tools for evaluating organizational effectiveness.
  5. Synthesize (including reviewing, using and properly citing) the professional and research management and leadership literature.
  6. Demonstrate leadership abilities through collaborative teamwork.
  7. Analyze and assess their own and others leadership abilities through self-reflection and peer review.
  8. Apply management theories and principles, professional values, and ethical frameworks to organizational issues and decision-making using scenarios and case studies.
  9. Create and deliver high quality reports, presentations and organizational documents that communicate to internal and external stakeholders organizational values, missions, and priorities.

Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

INFO 204 supports the following core competencies:

  1. A Demonstrate awareness of the ethics, values, and foundational principles of one of the information professions, and discuss the importance of those principles within that profession.
  2. B Describe and compare organizational settings in which information professionals practice.
  3. D Apply the fundamental principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy.
  4. M Demonstrate professional leadership and communication skills.
  5. N Evaluate programs and services using measurable criteria.

Textbooks

Required Textbooks:

  • American Psychological Association (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). American Psychological Association. Available through Amazon: 1433832178. arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain
  • Hirsh, S. (Ed.) (2018). Information services today: An introduction (2nd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. Available as free eBook through King Libraryarrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain

Grading Scale

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

97 to 100 A
94 to 96 A minus
91 to 93 B plus
88 to 90 B
85 to 87 B minus
82 to 84 C plus
79 to 81 C
76 to 78 C minus
73 to 75 D plus
70 to 72 D
67 to 69 D minus
Below 67 F

 

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 or undergraduate (for BS-ISDA);
    For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA, Informatics, BS-ISDA) — 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 if you wish to stay in the program. 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.

Graduate Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Undergraduates must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

Per University Policy S16-9, university-wide policy information relevant to all courses, such as academic integrity, accommodations, etc. will be available on Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs' Syllabus Information web page at: https://www.sjsu.edu/curriculum/courses/syllabus-info.php. Make sure to visit this page, review and be familiar with these university policies and resources.

In order to request an accommodation in a class please contact the Accessible Education Center and register via the MyAEC portal.

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