Current Issues 

Instructor: Catherine Hakala Ausperk

Sponsoring Institution: American Library Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60601

Course Structure/Delivery: The course will consist of 6 weeks of online asynchronous sessions. The course will be taught via the Moodle course management system that is used by the Graduate School of Library and Information Science online master’s degree program. Students will be expected to participate asynchronously during the 6 weeks via forums/discussion boards. Students will use these tools to interact with the instructor and with other students in the class. Assignments and discussion topics will be posted to these forums, and students will be expected to provide comments and feedback to each other throughout the course.

Course Description:
Utilizing information about international, federal, state, and local issues, trends, and legislation and community demographics, readings on current library management issues, case studies, and assignments, students will apply what they have learned to their own library. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify at least five current issues or trends that affect public library management and apply new skills to develop related services. They will analyze their current long range plan and services in the light of this new knowledge and apply their new skills to develop a new service response for the library in its changing community, goal, objectives, and one new service development plan. The service plan will address relevant activity steps, gap analysis, and resource allocation to show the full development and implementation of the service.

Enrollment Process: http://ala-apa.org/certification/courses-offered/ 

Technology Requirements: Reliable Internet connection higher than 28.8; Java-enabled Web browser; Real Player software; Adobe Reader; IBM Compatible Pentium II or greater with at least 400 MHz with Windows 98/ME/20000/XP or Macintosh with OS8; 128 MB RAM; sound card with speakers and/or earphones; color monitor with at least 800×600 resolution

Contact: Pamela Akins, pakins@ala.org, 312.280.4210