Part-time Instructor - IST613: Library Project Design: Analysis to Assessment

About the Role

This course focuses on how libraries create and deliver value, impact positively, or “make a difference” to their users, stakeholders, and communities, as well as the institutions and organizations they serve. Librarians must understand the goals and needs of those they serve, assess how well their services, expertise, resources, and facilities meet those needs, and make improvements to close gaps. By doing so, libraries enhance their value, demonstrate their impact, and strengthen advocacy efforts. The course develops three key skill sets: project management, communication/marketing, and assessment.

Students will work within a partner library to:

• Determine the goals and needs of the library’s users and communities;
• Assess how existing library services, expertise, resources, and facilities contribute to those goals and needs;
• Make recommendations to close gaps by creating or improving library services, expertise, resources, or facilities; and
• Develop a literature review and plans for project management, communication/marketing, and assessment to enact one recommendation.

These experiences prepare students to conduct similar work in their professional library careers.

Learning Outcomes

After taking this course, students will be able to:

• Communicate and collaborate with a partner library and librarian;
• Determine the goals and needs of library users, stakeholders, communities, and overarching institutions;
• Assess how existing library services, expertise, resources, and facilities contribute to those goals and needs;
• Rethink, refine, or redefine ways to close gaps between user/community needs and library offerings to deliver value and impact;
• Develop recommendations to help the library create and communicate increased value and impact;
• Create a literature review to support a suggested recommendation;
• Utilize basic project management processes, tools, and strategies to plan the development and rollout of a recommendation;
• Devise communication and marketing messages and media to ensure the success of a recommendation;
• Craft assessment methods and analysis strategies to measure the impact of a recommendation;
• Produce a final report and presentation of professional quality for the partner library and librarian; and
• Engage rigorously as a class member, teammate, and leader.

Requirements

• MLIS required; a PhD is preferred;
• Work experience as a librarian;
• Experience with conducting assessment activities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as instructor and mentor for the course, working with the Professor of Record, Program Director, and other instructors;
• Collaborate with the professor of record and/or program director, who is responsible for the course syllabus and content, to align with the overall vision for the course;
• Attend onboarding and training with the iSchool’s Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning;
• Maintain office hours and open communication with students;
• Grade student assignments and exams in a timely manner, providing feedback as appropriate;
• Prepare for weekly online sessions with students;
• Teach the course during the Winter 2027 online quarter term.

About the Institution

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, unique offerings, and nearly 150 years of history. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, the university offers over 200 majors and 100 minors through 13 schools and colleges, serving nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students. The student population represents all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries.

About the Location

Syracuse is a medium-sized city in central New York State, approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City. The metro-area population is around 500,000, offering a low cost of living and a variety of social, cultural, and recreational opportunities, including parks, museums, festivals, professional regional theater, and premier shopping. The region provides seasonal attractions such as water skiing, snow skiing, hiking in the Adirondacks, touring historic sites, visiting Finger Lakes wineries, and biking along the Erie Canal.