CLSC874: Special Topics: Managing Digital Projects, Summer 2006

Catholic University of America - School of Library and Information Science

	Special Topics in Librarianship: Managing Digital Projects	LSC874 Summer 2006
	Location: Library of Congress, Madison Building, LM654a/b (6th fl). Date/time: Wednesday 4:30pm-8:30pm; June 7-August 9, 2006 Instructor: Erik Delfino Prerequisites: CLSC551 and 555

Syllabus
(rev. 7/17/06)

Schedule | Readings | Class web site & listserv | Grading | Policies

Course Description: Building the digital library for the 21st century is exciting and full of promise. But it can also be full of pitfalls and landmines for the unwary. Digital projects can provide new and innovative services for library patrons, but they can also be a distraction for staff and gobble up scarce resources. In this class we'll explore ways to tame the digital beast and bring some order and method to managing digital projects.

     We will draw on project management principles developed in the business world and apply them to a range of typical digital library projects - building digital collections, licensing e-resources, distributing content, integrating tools, and planning for future systems.. We will use Curtis Cook's Just Enough Project Management (McGraw Hill, 2005) as our text, supplemented by a number of readings and case studies of real-life digital projects.

     Through a series of group, in-class, and individual exercises and activities we will tackle defining digital projects, how well they do (or do not) advance the mission of the library, organizing for projects, planning tasks and schedules, and balancing competing priorities.

    Students completing this course will have a set of tools and principles to help them manage projects of all types - digital and otherwise - which they can carry into the workplace.

Office of War Information, ca. 1942.
National Archives and Records Administration; ARC #515970.

Course Schedule

Notes on class sessions:

Since we have one very long (!) block of time every week, each class will be broken up into three 60-75 minute mini-sessions, as shown in the schedule.
Readings and assignments are due the day listed.

Date	Session 1: 4:30-5:30	Session 2: 5:45-6:45	Session 3: 7:00-8:00ish
June 7	Class introduction & logistics Class projects	Class overview pt 2 Digital projects and the library	Exercises/case studies
June 14 Readings: JEPM: Chapters 1-4 Framework: pp1-11 Background on client projects assignments (see list below) 1	Meet the Clients	Project management (PM) overview PM I: Initiate	PM II: Plan pt1 Exercises/case studies/ groups
June 21 Readings: JEPM: Chapters 4-7 Framework: pp. 12-33 Digital Life Cycle Framework Assignments: Due: draft charter for client projects	Group work	PM II: Plan (cont'd)	PM III: Execute/Control
June 28 Readings: Chapman SDLC Survey Assignments: Due: draft charter/plan for indiv. projects	PM IV: Close Life Cycle Models (LCM) I: Digital Collection Life Cycle (DCLC)	LCM II: System Development Life Cycle	Exercises/case studies/ groups
Date	Session 1: 4:30-5:30	Session 2: 5:45-6:45	Session 3: 7:00-8:00ish
July 5 Readings: Breeding, SPEC kit 282 Assignments: Due: project plan for client projects (*tentative)	Guest speaker: Conversion and scanning projects TBA	Non-conversion digital projects	Exercise/case studies/ groups Review for quiz
July 12 Readings: LC ILS Lessons Learned SPEC kit 289 Assignments: Due: client project updates (in class) Due 7/17: group project schedule	RFPs Working with vendors	Guest speaker: System integration, migration, upgrade	Exercises/case studies/ groups Prep for "Blitz"
July 19 Assignments: Due: client project updates (n class) Due 7/24: final indiv. projects	Consult with clients	Managing the managers
July 26 Readings: AmMem1 NDLP1 McGee Webb Assignments: Due: client project updates (in class) - Bring results of pers. type test	Guest speaker: TBA	Intro to staffing & teams Working with IT staff	Exercise/case studies
Date	Session 1: 4:30-5:30	Session 2: 5:45-6:45	Session 3: 7:00-8:00ish
August 2 Readings: TBD Assignments: Due: Final client project packages	Budgeting	Testing	Exercise/case studies
August 9 Readings: TBD Assignments: Due: Client project group and indiv. lessons learned	Debrief on client projects Wrap-up	Celebrate!

Required Readings:

[Breeding]	Breeding, Marshall. "The Many Facets of Managing Electronic Resources." Computers in Libraries. Vol. 24, no. 1. January 2004. http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/jan04/breeding.shtml
[Chapman]	Chapman, Stephen. "Considerations for Project Management". (Chapter 3). Handbook for Digital Projects: A Management Tool for Preservation and Access. Northeast Document Conservation Center, . http://www.nedcc.org/digital/iii.htm
[JEPM]	Cook, Curtis R. Just Enough Project Management. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005. Available at the CUA bookstore, or via online book vendors.
[Framework]	A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections. 2nd edition (2004). Bethesda: NISO Press, 2004. Available free online via NISO in HTML or PDF. http://www.niso.org/framework/Framework2.html (Note: page numbers in the schedule refer to the PDF version).
[SDLC]	Learn IT: Software Development [System Development Life Cycle]. "SearchWinIT.com" (Rev. January 2006) http://searchwinit.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid1_gci936454,00.html
[AmMem1]	Lessons Learned: Workflow and Project Management. The Library of Congress / Ameritech National Digital Library Competition, 2000 (rev. 2003). http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award/lessons/workflow.html
[SPEC Kit 282]	Managing Electronic Resources. SPEC Kit 282. Association of Research Libraries, 2004. (Executive Summary only). http://www.arl.org/spec/SPEC282web.pdf
[SPEC Kit 289]	Managing Large Projects. SPEC Kit 289. Association of Research Libraries, 2005. (Executive Summary only). http://www.arl.org/spec/SPEC289web.pdf
[McGee]	McGee, Jim. "Bridging the IT Cultural Divide: Parts 1 and 2". January 18 and 25, 2005. Enterprise Systems. "www.esj.com". Part 1 - http://www.esj.com/news/article.aspx?EditorialsID=1246 ; Part 2 - http://www.esj.com/enterprise/article.aspx?EditorialsID=1254
[NDLP]	NDLP Project Planning Checklist. Library of Congress, National Digital Library Program, 1997. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/techdocs/prjplan.html
[NDNP1]	Schlukbier, George. National Digital Newspaper Project: Arcitecture. Library of Congress, 2005. http://www.loc.gov/ndnp/pdf/NDNP_Architecture_0505.pdf . ***See esp. slides 2 and 7.
[Survey]	A Survey of System Development Process Models. Albany, NY: Center for Technology in Government, SUNY at Albany, 1998. http://www.ctg.albany.edu/publications/reports/survey_of_sysdev/survey_of_sysdev.pdf
[Webb]	Webb, Barbara. "Type-Casting: Life with Myers Briggs." Library Journal. Vol. 115, Issue 11, p32. http://search.epnet.com.proxycu.wrlc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=9008131796 (*log into Aladin to access*).

- For Client #1 (DHS) Project:

[Serials]

Review background brochures on SerialsSolutions:
Access & Management Suite: http://www.serialssolutions.com/ams.asp and http://www.serialssolutions.com/azreports.asp
ArticleLinker: http://www.serialssolutions.com/articlelinker.asp
Central Search: http://www.serialssolutions.com/promotion/centralsearch.asp

- For Client #2 (GWU) Project:

[ICPS]	Review website of the Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies at GWU: http://www.gwu.edu/~icps/index.html and http://www.gwu.edu/~ccps/etzioni/articles2.html
[Lynch]	Lynch, Clifford A. "Institutional Repositories: Essential Infrastructure for Scholarship in the Digital Age. " ARL Bimonthly Report #226, February 2003. http://www.arl.org/newsltr/226/ir.html

Class web site & listserv

We have a class site set up in BlackBoard which contains additional background documents, support materials for the assignments, etc. There are also areas set aside for the user of the client project groups. Check this site for full information on projects and assignments.
Listserv: LSC874-05@LISTS.CUA.EDU. I'll register everyone for both BB and the listserv after the first class.

Grading/Evaluation

Client project: 50% (30% group, 20% personal review)
Individual project: 30%
Class contributions: 20%

ACADEMIC HONESTY: You'll find Academic Affairs policies on “Academic Dishonesty” and on "Unethical Practices" in the University Policies and Procedures web page at http://policies.cua.edu/ . You are held responsible for adhering to these policies. Incidences of academic dishonesty, defined by the University as “failure to observe rules of fairness in taking exams or writing papers, plagiarism, fabrication, and cheating” will result in a grade of F (0 points) on the project or exam in question, and will be reported to the Dean for possible further action (including failure in the course). Talk with your instructor if you have questions about what is involved in such offenses. Plagiarism, which includes "[1] intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise; [2] failure to attribute any of the following: quotations, paraphrases, or borrowed information from print sources or websites; [3] buying completed papers from other to use as one's own work", will not be tolerated. For more on what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it, see the guide on the Purdue Online Writing Lab web site at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html .

ADA ACCOMODATION: Students with disabilities requiring accomodation under federal regulations must present a written accommodation request to the instructor by the second class meeting . It is strongly recommended that the student contact the Office of Disability Support Services , Suite 207, Pryzbyla Center (202-319-5211; email cua-disabilityservices@cua.edu, web http://disabilitysupport.cua.edu/). This is the University office responsible for disability accommodation and services, and its staff can answer questions about services and requirements regarding documentation. Special accommodations or other arrangements cannot be made without documentation approved by this office.

TIMELY SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS. Assignments are due on the dates indicated in the syllabus and each assignment handout, unless you have made other arrangements with the instructor in advance and with sufficient lead time. (I know that "stuff happens" and I will be reasonable and expect the same from the students.)