Drive greater impact in your community, and realize greater efficiency and confidence in your work, by becoming proficient in project management skills. 

Course Description 

Drive greater impact in your community, and realize greater efficiency and confidence in your work, by becoming proficient in project management skills. Entrenching a project management mindset in an organization’s culture and learning to master project management techniques together as a team are crucial elements in achieving and maintaining strategic goals set forth by your organization.

Project management skills and strategies are useful in all kinds of situations, not just formal projects! It’s a way of thinking and approaching all kinds of problems or challenges, and is a  crucial skill for more than just library leaders. Support staff, service librarians, and anyone who helps develop and implement programs for their communities will benefit from learning how to create and follow through with a project scope and sequence. 

In this course, you will learn the foundations of project management in the library to ensure that your future programs are set up for success. Join us and get targeted support in learning the ins and outs of project management. The course will demystify the tools and processes essential to successful project management and offer advice on managing the interpersonal dynamics and organizational culture that influences the effectiveness of these methods. 

At the close of this course, participants will have acquired various techniques for planning and executing projects in general and targeted to their home institution. They will leave with an increased understanding of the tools and applications that can assist them throughout the project lifecycle. Together, they will have gained a baseline of project management knowledge that will improve budget and schedule estimates, increase quality and productivity, and reduce project failures–and make their work easier. 

You’ll complete workshop assignments over 4+ weeks in an interactive online classroom environment with personal coaching from an expert in the field. In addition, you’ll have access to our foundational bonus content—rich supporting materials you can explore at your own pace, including a series of webinars from Library Journal and School Library Journal contributors, readings, activities, and videos.

Our transformational online courses have given thousands of librarians the tools and vision for meaningful change. The live sessions run on Thursdays, October 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2023 from 2:00-4:00 pm ET (recorded for on-demand viewing) with an ongoing facilitator-led workshop over 4 weeks. Don’t miss this opportunity!

Learning Outcomes

After you attend this interactive online course and workshop, you’ll be able to:

• Understand the intersections of project management and librarianship 

• Understand and have tools for the main two project management methods

• Create and follow a realistic work plan

• Manage personnel and team dynamics within projects

• Conduct a risk assessment and manage your project accordingly

• Track budgets and deliverables clearly and efficiently 

• Work within institutional constraints and guidelines

• Report on project progress with confidence and clear metrics

Who should take this course

Any librarian whose role involves planning and completing mid- to large-scale projects, including program development, community outreach, children’s and adult services, and more. Whether you work in a school, public, academic library or elsewhere, this course will help you plan, track, and evaluate any project and streamline a program’s progress and success.

Expected time commitment: 

If you attend or watch the recordings of all live sessions and participate fully in the asynchronous workshop, you'll spend approximately 3-4 hours per week on this course. You'll earn 20 hours of PD credit and a Library Journal certificate of completion. 

Live sessions are also available on demand for six months

Can’t make a live session? All guest speaker sessions are recorded and available on demand for six months following the initial broadcast. Asynchronous workshops allow you to complete assignments and receive feedback from experts.

Certificate of completion provided 

20 professional development credits are available

For support with online courses, please contact libraryjournal@edmaker.co

Accessibility

All guest speaker sessions feature live captioning and are made available on demand after the initial broadcast. Please email libraryjournal@edmaker.co upon registration if you require any special accommodations and we will make our best efforts to facilitate them.

Course Curriculum Advisors

Group Rates

Have a team attend and increase your impact!

Discounted registration fees are available for groups of 3 or more. When you register your team for our online courses, they will be placed in the same small workshop group, where discussions and project-based assignments receive feedback from an experienced librarian.

Send us a request for a quote.

If your group prefers to work separately, just let us know.

By registering for this event you confirm that you have read and agree to our Code of Conduct.

For support with online courses, please contact libraryjournal@edmaker.co.

Course Speakers

 Week 1: Understanding the Basics: Project Management Fundamentals for Libraries

Thursday, October 5, 2023

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

Break and Workshop Q&A | 2:45-3:00 pm ET

An introduction to this week’s assignment and an overview of what to expect from the online workshop in this course

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.

Speaker:
Crystal Trice, CSM, CSM@Scale, Library Consultant, Scissors & Glue, LLC

Facilitated Discussion and Q&A Session | 3:45-4:00 EST

This dedicated Q&A session and facilitated discussion will give you the opportunity to ask questions you didn’t get to ask in the first two sessions. If there are topics discussed earlier that you still don’t fully understand, this is a chance for speakers to unpack or clarify anything.

Week 2: Preparing for success: Initiating your project and leading your team 

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 pm ET

Engaging Your Team to Execute Projects

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

Break and Workshop Q&A | 2:45-3:00 pm ET

An introduction to this week’s assignment and an overview of what to expect from the online workshop in this course

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. 

Speaker:
Crystal Trice, CSM, CSM@Scale, Library Consultant, Scissors & Glue, LLC

Facilitated Discussion and Q&A Session | 3:45-4:00 EST

This dedicated Q&A session and facilitated discussion will give you the opportunity to ask questions you didn’t get to ask in the first two sessions. If there are topics discussed earlier that you still don’t fully understand, this is a chance for speakers to unpack or clarify anything.

Week 3: Tools and strategies for planning, monitoring, and controlling your projects

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 pm ET

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.

Speaker:
Crystal Trice, CSM, CSM@Scale, Library Consultant, Scissors & Glue, LLC

Break and Workshop Q&A | 2:45-3:00 pm ET

An introduction to this week’s assignment and an overview of what to expect from the online workshop in this course

Session 2 | 3:00-3:45 pm ET

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

Facilitated Discussion and Q&A Session | 3:45-4:00 EST

This dedicated Q&A session and facilitated discussion will give you the opportunity to ask questions you didn’t get to ask in the first two sessions. If there are topics discussed earlier that you still don’t fully understand, this is a chance for speakers to unpack or clarify anything.

Week 4: Monitoring, controlling, and closing your projects 

Thursday, October 26, 2023

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

Break and Workshop Q&A | 2:45-3:00 pm ET

An introduction to this week’s assignment and an overview of what to expect from the online workshop in this course

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. 

Speaker:
Crystal Trice, CSM, CSM@Scale, Library Consultant, Scissors & Glue, LLC

Facilitated Discussion and Q&A Session | 3:45-4:00 EST

This dedicated Q&A session and facilitated discussion will give you the opportunity to ask questions you didn’t get to ask in the first two sessions. If there are topics discussed earlier that you still don’t fully understand, this is a chance for speakers to unpack or clarify anything.

Online Course Preview

A preview of how we build your library skills and bring inspiration to your projects with our online learning experience.

Course Format

One-Week Timeline (Course Runs 4+ Weeks)

DAYS 1-2 On Demand	DAY 3 2.5 hours	DAYS 4-7 1-2 hours (optional)
PRE-LIVE SESSION - Resources - Discussions - Bonus Content	LIVE SESSIONS - Guest speakers via webcast - Q&A via chat - Recordings available on demand	ASYNCHRONOUS WORKSHOP - Project-based homework, applied to your job - Personalized feedback from a facilitator - Group discussion in an asynchronous workshop setting via discussion forum	4-WEEK WORKSHOP - Facilitator-led feedback

Inspiring Live Guest Speakers + Facilitated Group Workshop for Project-Based Learning

Live session with Andrea Blackman and Tasneem Ansariyah Grace	Live Guest Speakers Each Week Live speaker sessions with Q&A Project-based, asynchronous workshop assignments to practice and apply new skills  Expert, individualized feedback on asynchronous work

Online Course Features

Recordings of guest speakers

Recordings Available After The Live Session Real-time guest speakers and conversation via live video stream (with recordings available afterward) Instructor-led online course features personalized interaction over 4+ weeks

Facilitator-led workshop

Online Classroom Organizes All Materials Workshop assignments to help you make progress on your goals Individualized attention from course facilitators who work with you in a coaching environment in the workshop to help sort out challenges Ongoing group conversation via discussion forums

Early Access On Demand Resources

Resources To Support Learning Supporting resources (articles, videos, worksheets) in the online classroom to provide a foundation for your work Access all course content for six months after the course ends Bonus: Register early and get immediate access to archival video recordings from related courses and other bonus content