Courses

Language, ethnicity, culture, disability, and other conditions that can hamper access to appropriate library information services; methods for studying communities in these categories and developing relevant programs and resources. Students write grant proposals to implement needs-based information services for target groups in specific settings.

• Students will acquire techniques for studying diverse communities and will apply the insights gained to the design of relevant information services. In the process, they will identify resources, communication channels and styles, and  feedback mechanisms appropriate for their chosen client group. They will write a grant proposal as a means of presenting their implementation plan.
• Students will select a potential user group that appears to be underserved by a specific library agency as their target group by the second class.
• Students will explore the use of census data, community information, gatekeepers, and other resources to learn about their target group during the first half of the course.
• Students will compile first draft resource guides about their target group by the seventh class.
• Students will identify information and library service needs of their target group by the eighth class.
• Students will decide on an action plan to meet needs by the ninth class.
• Students will draft a grant proposal to fund their plan by the thirteenth week of the course.
• In addition, students will be exposed to readings and discussions of outreach services, cross-cultural communication, staffing and diversity issues, grant writing and project management basics.