A project, by nature and definition, is a temporary initiative. The Project Management Institute, or PMI, defines a project as “a temporary endeavor that is undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result”, (2008, p. 5). In libraries and other types of service organizations, projects are usually undertaken that seek to enhance the patron or user experience. Larger projects initiated by libraries, whether they redesign space, digitize collections, or implement a new integrated library system, tend to have long term effects on the services libraries provide.
Libraries are functional organizations, with personnel located in specific departments responsible for the daily tasks associated with each specific department. Different libraries utilize different departmental names, but generally there are four major components of within library services; reference services, technical services, and circulation services, administrative services. Larger libraries may split services within these functional areas into multiple departments creating a more specialized organization, while smaller libraries may tend to combine these functional areas, for example even personnel in administrative roles may perform some reference or circulation services at times. Often even in larger libraries, staff members depending upon their duties, can provide service in and be assigned to more than one department simultaneously.
While smaller projects generally stay within a single department, as departments within a library are interrelated to produce a consistent service, larger projects usually involve selected members from each library department. Consequently, when larger projects are undertaken libraries tend to resemble matrix organizations. In such instances the manager of the project will be a person whose department has either initiated the project, has the most influence in its outcome, or whose department will be most affected by the initiative.
Projects are characterized by a life-cycle that includes: initiating the project, organizing the project, working on the project, and closing out the project, (PMI, 2008, p.16). In library modernization initiatives, as projects tend to involve newer technologies that librarians might not be fully familiar with, and concrete project management procedures may not be utilized, projects may have a tendency to linger. Ira Revels discusses how library software projects often continue without a formal plan due to the fact that libraries add additional features and incorporate system maintenance into the project, (2010). Revels goes on to maintain that this may occur for one of several reasons; proper closeout procedures are not followed, the project’s completion was not signed off , the scope of the project was not well defined initially, or leadership has not formalized an additional project for maintenance.
Shtub, Bard, and Globerson state that project managers must have a blend of technical skills, interpersonal skills, and administrative skills, (2005). Like project management, librarianship is both a highly interpersonal profession and a highly task focused profession, necessitating employees have good interpersonal skills, good technical skills, and good administrative skills as well. Assisting patrons with their information needs involves librarians having high people-focused skills, organizing and maintaining often complicated collections of information involves having high task-focused technical skills, and additionally librarians routinely administrate personnel, budgets, and policies and procedures. Unlike project managers library administrators are usually either highly interpersonal leaders, focusing primarily on interpersonal relationships, or highly task oriented leaders, focusing primarily on the successful completion of tasks.
References:
PMI, (2008). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) (4th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc.
Revels, I. (2010, April). Managing digital projects. American Libraries, (41)4, 48-50.
Shtub, A., Bard, J., & Globerson, S. (2005). Project management: processes, methodologies, and economics (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
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David Hector Thibodeau
1045 Wylie Street SE • Atlanta, GA 30316
• davidhectorthibodeau@gmail.com
Professional Experience:
Georgia College & State University - Milledgeville, GA 31061 2008 - Present
www.gcsu.edu
Serials/Acquisitions Coordinator
• Establish policies and procedures for the efficient operation of the Serials and Acquisitions Department, oversees database maintenance and quality, and processing of materials.
• Supervise full-time faculty, staff, and student positions.
• Manage electronic serials collection using electronic management software systems.
• Update bibliographic holdings for serials collection using standard library utilities.
• Direct all major projects and daily activities involving the management of the serials collection.
• Oversee participation in National Library of Medicine’s DOCLINE ILL program.
• Meet with department faculty to review their acquisitions needs and serve as a library liaison with academic departments.
• Provides assistance and advice to the Dean/University Librarian in the overall administration of the library, including strategic planning and the establishment of overall goals and objectives.
• Assist library administration in monitoring the budget and expenditures, recommends equipment, supplies, personnel, and other needs. Perform fiscal period close in Voyager integrated library system.
• Serve as primary liaison to vendors and as the technical contact for electronic databases, including setting up trials, negotiating licensing agreements, managing SLAs, and authoring RFQs and other correspondence.
• Participate in collection development to support the curriculum by recommending acquisitions and participating in the evaluation of current collections.
• Develop and prepare statistical and narrative reports.
• Provide reference services as assigned.
KPMG LLP - Atlanta, GA 10/2003 - 10/2007
http://www.kpmg.com/
Southeast Area Library Associate
• Relocated from Miami to Atlanta by KPMG due to assuming additional offices in 2006.
• Reference, research, and collection management for fifteen Southeast area libraries.
• Developed on-line training sessions for proprietary accounting research platform.
• Set up, developed, and administered SharePoint internal collaboration web site.
• Liaison to National Operations teams on SharePoint development.
• Redeveloped external acquisitions web site to be high functioning and suitable for firm-wide use.
• Collaborated with marketing department to improve collateral for delivery to clients and targets.
• Account contact and administrator for firm-wide on-line subscription.
• Coordinated development of the Latin American Tax Handbook between the European Tax Centre, the Latin American Tax Center, and the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation.
• Led a team to develop an electronic tool to survey library users.
• Appointed Work Environment Initiative Local Action Committee Representative in South Florida.
• Promoted from Area Library Coordinator to Area Library Associate and relocated from Boston to Miami in 2003; originally responsible for library collections, acquisitions, vendor relations, and accounts in 13 Northeast area offices.
KPMG LLP - Boston, MA 03/200- - 10/2003
http://www.kpmg.com/
Northeast Area Library Coordinator
• Implemented integrated library system software in area libraries.
• Assisted in creating a collection development database on MS Access to track expenditures.
• Substantially decreased print purchases through resource sharing and eliminating duplicative materials.
• Developed electronic process for Partners to select and order professional literature annually that resulted in $60K savings in the Northeast in the first year, (project adopted firm wide).
• Piloted on-line access to tax literature platform in Northeast Area that resulted in over $25K cost savings in Northeast area and a wider distribution of resources, (project adopted firm wide).
• Coordinated and developed training programs for Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw, and other information platforms for professionals and support staff, (project adopted firm wide).
Education:
American Intercontinental University
• 2010 – Present, MBA – Project Management Concentration
Simmons College--Boston, MA
• Summer 2000; audited - Knowledge Management
• Summer 1999; audited- Management of Information Technology
• 1996-1998 MLIS, Graduate School of Library and Information Science
Boston College--Newton, MA
• 1984-1988 BA, College of Arts and Sciences: Double Major: English and Psychology
Hebrew University--Jerusalem, Israel
• Summer 1988 & summer 1990, Assistant Archaeological Field Supervisor and associated graduate level classes.
Leadership:
Georgia Leadership Institute – State Personnel Administration
• 2009 – The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Florida Library Leadership Program -- Tallahassee, FL
• 2005-2006 - Year-long comprehensive series of learning sessions that focuses on developing an understanding of leadership, within a conceptual framework and practical applications.
Certifications:
Emory University - Center for Lifelong Learning – Atlanta, GA
• 2008 - Emory University: Management Certification.
• Courses included: Essentials of Personnel Management, Win-Win Negotiations, Essentials of Supervision, Essentials of Motivation, and Essentials of Coaching for Managers.
New Horizons--Boston, MA
• 2002 - Certified Internet Webmaster – Foundation Fundamentals
• Courses included: Networking, Internet, and Web-Page Authoring Fundamentals.
Professional Memberships:
SLA Georgia Chapter Board Member 2009 - Present
Tennis Club II Condominium Association President, Fort Lauderdale, FL 2005-2006
Member: ALA, NASIG, CIP
Skills / Strengths:
• Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw, Factiva, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, & other information databases.
• Conversational French, some Spanish
• MS office: Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, SharePoint, Visio, and Project.
1045 Wylie Street SE • Atlanta, GA 30316
• davidhectorthibodeau@gmail.com
Professional Experience:
Georgia College & State University - Milledgeville, GA 31061 2008 - Present
www.gcsu.edu
Serials/Acquisitions Coordinator
• Establish policies and procedures for the efficient operation of the Serials and Acquisitions Department, oversees database maintenance and quality, and processing of materials.
• Supervise full-time faculty, staff, and student positions.
• Manage electronic serials collection using electronic management software systems.
• Update bibliographic holdings for serials collection using standard library utilities.
• Direct all major projects and daily activities involving the management of the serials collection.
• Oversee participation in National Library of Medicine’s DOCLINE ILL program.
• Meet with department faculty to review their acquisitions needs and serve as a library liaison with academic departments.
• Provides assistance and advice to the Dean/University Librarian in the overall administration of the library, including strategic planning and the establishment of overall goals and objectives.
• Assist library administration in monitoring the budget and expenditures, recommends equipment, supplies, personnel, and other needs. Perform fiscal period close in Voyager integrated library system.
• Serve as primary liaison to vendors and as the technical contact for electronic databases, including setting up trials, negotiating licensing agreements, managing SLAs, and authoring RFQs and other correspondence.
• Participate in collection development to support the curriculum by recommending acquisitions and participating in the evaluation of current collections.
• Develop and prepare statistical and narrative reports.
• Provide reference services as assigned.
KPMG LLP - Atlanta, GA 10/2003 - 10/2007
http://www.kpmg.com/
Southeast Area Library Associate
• Relocated from Miami to Atlanta by KPMG due to assuming additional offices in 2006.
• Reference, research, and collection management for fifteen Southeast area libraries.
• Developed on-line training sessions for proprietary accounting research platform.
• Set up, developed, and administered SharePoint internal collaboration web site.
• Liaison to National Operations teams on SharePoint development.
• Redeveloped external acquisitions web site to be high functioning and suitable for firm-wide use.
• Collaborated with marketing department to improve collateral for delivery to clients and targets.
• Account contact and administrator for firm-wide on-line subscription.
• Coordinated development of the Latin American Tax Handbook between the European Tax Centre, the Latin American Tax Center, and the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation.
• Led a team to develop an electronic tool to survey library users.
• Appointed Work Environment Initiative Local Action Committee Representative in South Florida.
• Promoted from Area Library Coordinator to Area Library Associate and relocated from Boston to Miami in 2003; originally responsible for library collections, acquisitions, vendor relations, and accounts in 13 Northeast area offices.
KPMG LLP - Boston, MA 03/200- - 10/2003
http://www.kpmg.com/
Northeast Area Library Coordinator
• Implemented integrated library system software in area libraries.
• Assisted in creating a collection development database on MS Access to track expenditures.
• Substantially decreased print purchases through resource sharing and eliminating duplicative materials.
• Developed electronic process for Partners to select and order professional literature annually that resulted in $60K savings in the Northeast in the first year, (project adopted firm wide).
• Piloted on-line access to tax literature platform in Northeast Area that resulted in over $25K cost savings in Northeast area and a wider distribution of resources, (project adopted firm wide).
• Coordinated and developed training programs for Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw, and other information platforms for professionals and support staff, (project adopted firm wide).
Education:
American Intercontinental University
• 2010 – Present, MBA – Project Management Concentration
Simmons College--Boston, MA
• Summer 2000; audited - Knowledge Management
• Summer 1999; audited- Management of Information Technology
• 1996-1998 MLIS, Graduate School of Library and Information Science
Boston College--Newton, MA
• 1984-1988 BA, College of Arts and Sciences: Double Major: English and Psychology
Hebrew University--Jerusalem, Israel
• Summer 1988 & summer 1990, Assistant Archaeological Field Supervisor and associated graduate level classes.
Leadership:
Georgia Leadership Institute – State Personnel Administration
• 2009 – The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Florida Library Leadership Program -- Tallahassee, FL
• 2005-2006 - Year-long comprehensive series of learning sessions that focuses on developing an understanding of leadership, within a conceptual framework and practical applications.
Certifications:
Emory University - Center for Lifelong Learning – Atlanta, GA
• 2008 - Emory University: Management Certification.
• Courses included: Essentials of Personnel Management, Win-Win Negotiations, Essentials of Supervision, Essentials of Motivation, and Essentials of Coaching for Managers.
New Horizons--Boston, MA
• 2002 - Certified Internet Webmaster – Foundation Fundamentals
• Courses included: Networking, Internet, and Web-Page Authoring Fundamentals.
Professional Memberships:
SLA Georgia Chapter Board Member 2009 - Present
Tennis Club II Condominium Association President, Fort Lauderdale, FL 2005-2006
Member: ALA, NASIG, CIP
Skills / Strengths:
• Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw, Factiva, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, & other information databases.
• Conversational French, some Spanish
• MS office: Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, SharePoint, Visio, and Project.
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