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:
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 / (Mis)conceptions contributing to librarianshipNew approaches to old ideas / Collaboration in librarianship
Libraries as institutions / Libraries in social, cultural, economic and political contexts
Learning Outcomes:At the end of the semester, students should be able to:
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 / 94-100A- / 90-93
B+ / 87-89
B / 83-86
B- / 80-82
C+ / 77-79
C / 73-76
C- / 70-72
D+ / 67-69
D / 63-66
D- / 60-62
F / 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 tosave 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
For assistance with online course development, contact Peggy Brown (; 315-443-8144). 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 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:
Disabilities
If you believe that you need accommodations for a disability, please contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 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.