Goal 2: To provide students with the evaluative and analytical skills to respond flexibly and adaptably to future changes and challenges within the organizations and institutions where they will be employed.

SLO 2: Graduates will apply management principles and interdisciplinary best practices in library and information agency environments.

SLO 2 incorporates the skills, best practices, and methods needed to help lead a library and advocate for one’s patrons. This program has given me the confidence to be able to complete a community analysis, create a collection development plan based off it, and advocate / ask for funding when needed. Being able to see your community needs and take action to fill them is a large part of what I hope to do for my own community. The assignments that show off my knowledge of library management and interdisciplinary best practices include the following: ISLT 7315 Management of Information Agencies grant writing assignment, 9433 Youth Services in Libraries advocacy paper, and 7313 Collection and Access Management collection development plan.

ISLT 7315 allowed me to experience the planning process necessary to secure funding and provide programming for patrons. The grant writing group project created an opportunity for me to work in a collaborative environment with my fellow classmates to plan out a children’s program, create a budget, and think of a way to form a relationship with another agency. This assignment reflects the ability to create short-term, long-term, and strategic planning. Our grant had to include when we would start marketing, how we would communicate to elementary schools and home-schooling groups, and what accommodations we would need for the author we wished to visit our library. The ability to plan and be prepared for whatever comes our way is an important skill for managing a library, and allows one to staying flexible and confident when things go awry.

In ISLT 9433, I was given the opportunity to write a paper to advocate for teen programming for a public library. This assignment made me think of what impact these programs have for the teens of the library, but also for the whole community. I had to draw qualitative and quantitative data from government resources and census to show how large the teen population was for our area, as well as explain that when these teens grow up, we want them to continue their patronage as adults. Not only was this advocating for a specific part of the community, but it also showed how relevant the library was in general and advocated for libraries and librarianship. This assignment was an excellent experience in researching a community and advocating for their needs.

ISLT 7313 provided an in-depth group assignment where we had to do a community analysis for a library and create a collection development plan based off it. In the collection development policy, I was personally responsible for the purpose statement, types of materials, and collection evaluation & management. These sections made me think of short- and long-term goals as it applied to what technology types we would pursue, as new trends emerge, and how the library would continue to evaluate their collection strength in the coming years. The ability to look at one’s current community and meet their resource needs, while also preparing for those needs to shift in the future, is an important skill to have, and reflects the characteristics of SLO two.

In conclusion, these assignments have shown my ability to plan short-term, long-term, and strategically through grant writing and collection development plans. Through this program I have also shown the competency to advocate for my patrons, librarianship, and libraries. Management principles are necessary to adapt and to changes and keep up with patron needs and industry standards. Through this program, I feel confident in my ability to meet the demands that will most certainly come my way as an LIS professional and I have the tools to meet them head on.