| In a one-person library or information service organization, there never seems to be enough time to do the administrative work, never mind the professional. In today's turbulent business conditions, there is hardly anyone who doesn't feel beset with the demands on time made by customers and bosses or not know the pressure to deliver more service at lower cost. When you are working “solo” or with only a few people, these stresses can be very intense.
This six-week course covers practical management techniques that will make it easier for you to decide among conflicting priorities. It provides a framework for decision-making to help you:
- manage your portfolio of services, knowing which ones to advance, which to phase out, and which to introduce for long term growth
- spend more time on the critical projects and say 'No' to the low-priority demands
- reach new customer or patron groups and secure support from current customer groups
- promote your service to clients and management without great expenditures of time and resources
- cultivate relationships with the "influencers" in the organization
talk and think in business terms
The course draws on business articles, books, and Web resources to present a practical set of easy-to-apply concepts. Library case studies are used to illustrate how to use the management models.
During the course you have the opportunity to analyze the services you provide, study your customer or patron groups, and develop a plan for marketing and promoting a service of your choice.
This course provides the added benefit of receiving feedback and guidance from the instructor, Maggie Weaver, who has years of experience working as a solo information professional and has taught several business courses for librarians. Students do not work alone, but discuss situations and ideas with Maggie and with fellow solos.
Course Outline:
Week 1:You are not alone: Meet the class and instructor. Be introduced to the main concepts and learn about sources of power impacting you and your library.
Week 2:Focussing: Take a close look at the services you provide using three business models for analysis. Build a service profile and assess strengths and weaknesses.
Week 3:Time management: Identify where your time goes and make some changes so that you have the time for what is important.
Week 4:Market research: Use a few simple techniques to identify target markets, learn more about your customers, and position your services better.
Week 5:Marketing mix: Work with a marketing mix of tools to present the library and its service. Prepare an outline for promoting a particular service.
Week 6:Relationship management: Learn to communicate more effectively with management and other departments.
Computer Requirements:
- Computer with Internet connection and a personal email account accessable
from any location - home, office, internet cafe. You must also have the ability to join in chat sessions at certain points during the course.
- Windows: Windows: XP or Vista with browsers Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher or Firefox 2.0/3.0.
Apple: Mac OS 10.3 and higher using Safari 2 or 3 or Firefox 2.0.
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