IST 600 – Spring 2011
Innovation in Public Libraries
“Without
deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.”
Frank Zappa
Instructor Name & Contact Information:
Instructor: Alison Miller
E-mail Address: milleru65@gmail.com
Google+: Innovation in Public Libraries
Facebook: Alison Miller
Twitter: @millerlibrarian
Telephone: (607)-243-8813 (office hours: Skype Alison.miller65)
Office Hours: as needed
Course Description:
Students in this course will identify, develop and participate in new and creative approaches to
and practices of Public Libraries. Innovations and contemporary practices will drive students to
creatively work with libraries and supercharge library Innovation Planning using vitality in
gaining practice with Public Libraries.
Contributions and Topics will include, but are not limited to:
Innovation
New approaches to old ideas
Libraries as institutions
(Mis)conceptions contributing to librarianship
Collaboration in librarianship
Libraries in social, cultural, economic and
political contexts
Learning Outcomes: At the end of the semester, students should be able to:
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Apply and identify innovation in public library work
Identify the possibilities of change in public libraries
Gain and apply new ideas from beginning to end and examine those ideas
Work independently and collaboratively in contributing to Innovation Planning with
Public Libraries and Librarians
Understand how public libraries function within social, cultural, economic and political
contexts
Required Texts and Readings: There is no required textbook. Readings will be posted each
week during the semester. These will be a mix of readings from web sites, blogs, social media
and online databases.
Course Calendar, Assignments & Grading:
Course Calendar: Class begins on Tuesday, January17, and ends on Tuesday, May 1.
Assignments: The assignments for this class are outlined below. When working on the
assignments, you are encouraged to refer to the information presented here in the syllabus. The
requirements as stated in the syllabus become the basis for assessing work on each assignment.
Discussions/conversations: We will begin the semester using Blackboard for discussions, but
we will also use Google+. When we use Google+ for of our discussion, graded activity,
gradebook, and any communication about grades will take within Blackboard (Bb) for privacy
purposes. Additionally, you have the option of not using a photo in your Google+ profile
(although I do encourage it).
Grading: Grades will be assigned as follows:
A
94-100
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
90-93
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
60-62
59 and below
Environmental scanning (20 points): Environmental scanning is the acquisition and use of
information about events, trends, and relationships in an organization's external environment,
the knowledge of which would assist management in planning the organization's future course of
action. (Aguilar, 1967, Choo & Auster, 1993) For this assignment, you will perform a multistep
environmental scan. First, you will identify a public library to focus on. Information about your
organization will be due at the end of week 2 (January 30, by 11:59pm). After you have
indentified your organization, you will continue your environmental scan throughout the
semester. You will add weekly updates to the following Google Spreadsheet
Sample spreadsheet
Note: You will create your own sheet and track your progress using this spreadsheet (this will
be included in your grade). Sheets are found at the bottom of the Google Spreadsheet. To add a
sheet, click on the + button in the bottom left corner of the spreadsheet. Once you see the tab for
the new sheet, click on the dropdown arrow and rename the sheet, using your name. Copy and
paste row 1 into your sheet (this is the information that you will track each week). Please do not
modify other people’s sheets. Please be sure to save the spreadsheet every time, before you close
it. You may want to keep the information in a separate document/spreadsheet as it will be
required each week and losing the information will impact your grade.
The updates that you add will depend on what types of activity your library shares. This can and
should include programming, collection development, social media activity, special events,
community activity, etc. Final updates due the end of Week 15, May 1, by 11:59pm).
Innovation plan/project (20 points): This plan/project will directly relate to the environmental
scanning exercise. As you work through the semester on your public library scan, you will think
of ideas and activities that would contribute to innovation creation for the library and library
community. You will create a feasible plan that could be used by the library to enhance services
and/or visibility. Due the end of Week 14 (April 23, by 11:59pm).
Library Spotlights (20 points): During the semester we will share and discuss spotlight
information about individual public libraries. We will all contribute in selecting and posting a
library to spotlight and commenting on the library and spotlight information. Due dates will vary
based on selection using the calendar provided.
Interview with an Innovator (10 points): You will identify someone in the public library field
to talk to about innovation. In this interview, you should discuss what innovation means to them;
discover what they do to stay innovative. You can capture this interaction through text, audio,
video or a combination of these and include your reflections on the practice and purpose of the
individual. Due the end of Week 13 (April 16, by 11:59pm).
Participation (30 points): Involvement in the class is essential. You are expected to contribute
to discussion, conversation and thought generation. Challenge each other, challenge me!
Learning Management System
Effective Fall 2011, the iSchool transitioned its learning management services from a locally
administered system to the centrally supported SU Blackboard system. This system is our
primary delivery vehicle for online instruction and it serves as an important supplement to an
increasing percentage of on-campus courses. We strongly encourage you to incorporate
Blackboard into your course and we have extensive staff expertise to help you find the right
blend between traditional and online instruction. For information about Blackboard in the
iSchool, see
https://answers.syr.edu/display/ischool/iSchool+BlackBoard+Resources
For assistance with online course development, contact Peggy Brown (pbrown01@syr.edu; 315443-8144). If you or your students need to report problems on the Blackboard System, the best
way to get the fastest possible response is to submit a trouble ticket at http://ischool.syr.edu/it/.
Click on the Get Help button. It’s quick and easy.
Academic Integrity
The academic community of Syracuse University and of the School of Information Studies
requires the highest standards of professional ethics and personal integrity from all members of
the community. Violations of these standards are violations of a mutual obligation characterized
by trust, honesty, and personal honor. As a community, we commit ourselves to standards of
academic conduct, impose sanctions against those who violate these standards, and keep
appropriate records of violations. The academic integrity statement can be found at:
http://supolicies.syr.edu/ethics/acad_integrity.htm.
Disabilities
If you believe that you need accommodations for a disability, please contact the Office of
Disability Services (ODS), http://disabilityservices.syr.edu, located in Room 309 of 804
University Avenue, or call (315) 443-4498 for an appointment to discuss your needs and the
process for requesting accommodations. ODS is responsible for coordinating disability-related
accommodations and will issue students with documented disabilities Accommodation
Authorization Letters, as appropriate. Since accommodations may require early planning and
generally are not provided retroactively, please contact ODS as soon as possible.
Ownership of Student Work
This course may use course participation and documents created by students for educational
purposes. In compliance with the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, works in
all media produced by students as part of their course participation at Syracuse University may
be used for educational purposes, provided that the course syllabus makes clear that such use
may occur. It is understood that registration for and continued enrollment in a course where such
use of student works is announced constitutes permission by the student. After such a course has
been completed, any further use of student works will meet one of the following conditions: (1)
the work will be rendered anonymous through the removal of all personal identification of the
work’s creator/originator(s); or (2) the creator/originator(s)’ written permission will be secured.
As generally accepted practice, honors theses, graduate theses, graduate research projects,
dissertations, or other exit projects submitted in partial fulfillment of degree requirements are
placed in the library, University Archives, or academic departments for public reference.