Librarians often have to lead projects with no formal project management training. This course, led by PMP-certified librarians, will help you gain project management skills from a library perspective so that you can plan and manage projects with confidence and efficiency. You will also have the opportunity to participate in an asynchronous workshop with expert feedback to practice applying new skills to your library.
See what a past participant had to say:
"The course was very interactive and informative, and my new knowledge of project management methodologies have afforded me the mechanism to deliver efficient and improved project results" Debbie Brathwaite, Academic Librarian
Course Program
Week 1 Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 pm ET
Project Management 101 for Your Library
Increasingly, librarians are embracing project management to guide their work. This session will teach you the foundations of what project management is and how to get started when you’re also juggling many other work responsibilities.
Speaker: Carly Wiggins Searcy, Project Manager, Information Scientist, Author
Week 1 Session 2 | 3:00-3:45 pm ET
Foundational Methods for Library Project Management
There are different ways to approach project management in your library. This session will cover the basics of the agile and waterfall methods of project management so that you leave with an understanding of available methods and what might work best for your unique organization and context.
A large part of project management includes supporting and working with all the people involved on your team. This session will teach you practical tips for how to manage and lead teams and stakeholders, how to conduct efficient and effective meetings, how to handle problems that arise, and best practices for clear and compassionate communication.
Speaker: Carly Wiggins Searcy, Project Manager, Information Scientist, Author
Week 2 Session 2 | 3:00-3:45 pm ET
Where Do I Begin? How to Initiate Projects
Initiating a project encompasses the processes that outline a new project or a new phase of a current project by obtaining authorization to begin work. Learn how to begin a project in a sustainable way through this session that will teach you first how to understand business cases and feasibility studies, how to develop goals and objectives, and how to identify risks and reveal assumptions. From there, you will learn how to determine your deliverables and clearly outline the scope of your project.
Set Yourself Up for Success: How to Plan Your Projects
Planning a project includes outlining the processes related to figuring out what you will do and how you will do it. This phase establishes the scope of the project, refines goals and objectives, and defines the course of action for the project. The time devoted to project planning pays major dividends later as you are executing and monitoring time, cost, and quality. This session will teach you how to: kick off your project, develop a structure to break down your work, define your work sequence, schedule your project realistically, and determine and secure your needed resources.
Maintaining Progress Pt. 1: Monitoring and Controlling Projects
This phase is involved with monitoring project progress, managing change and risk, and communicating project status. Project managers will ensure a project is performing well by using appropriate tools and techniques; managing changes to the project scope, schedule, and costs; and communicating project status to stakeholders.
Speaker: Carly Wiggins Searcy, Project Manager, Information Scientist, Author
Week 4 Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 pm ET
Maintaining Progress Pt. 2: Monitoring and Controlling Project
This session will be a continuation of last week’s monitoring and controlling projects session. This is the heart of project management, and it can be a lot to digest. Together, these sessions will ensure you leave knowing how to establish a communication plan, document a project and track its progress, manage quality control and changes, and control the project to meet your goals.
Speaker: Carly Wiggins Searcy, Project Manager, Information Scientist, Author
Week 4 Session 2 | 3:00-3:45 pm ET
Now What? Project Reflection and Closure
Ensuring you have a process in place to complete your project is just as important as your process for starting. Typical closing actions include finishing all project activities, archiving documents, obtaining acceptance for deliverables, and communicating project closure. This session will teach you how to close your contracts, conduct performance reviews, and manage transitions. You will learn how to reflect on the lessons you learned alongside your team to build and maintain relationships and establish your desired processes for future projects.