Competency D: Introduction
Apply the fundamental principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy.
One can imagine the principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy as four points on a compass. And if one can use this “compass” effectively, they can steer their information organization away from pitfalls and towards a brighter horizon.
Marketing and advocacy both involve looking outwards from the organization. Advocacy works to draw in resources such as funding and social capital by representing the organization to outside shareholders. Marketing works to draw in patrons and shareholders so that they utilize the organization’s resources. Engaging in social media or organizing a fundraiser are some examples of marketing and advocacy.
On the other axis is planning and management. Planning involves preparing and working towards long-term goals, whereas management is associated with shorter-term objectives such as daily operations. Both of these principles require looking inward towards the inner working of the organization. Creating a proposal for a new printer or supervising library staff are some examples of planning and management.
Evidence #1: Graphic Designs
As part of my Graphic Design for Libraries course, I made several flyers, social media images, and other marketing material with the assistance of available online image editors such as Canva and Pixiv. This was so we could better understand some of the work required in order to advertise a library’s services effectively.
One example of a longer-term project that would require significant planning on the part of a library or other entity is that of an Organizational Risk Assessment, which is an audit of an organizations’ assets and what risks exist for those assets. For my Cybersecurity course, I created an Organizational Risk Assessment for Undercover Rose, a nonprofit that have previously volunteered for.
What was most enlightening was not the identification of assets, but rather the sheer amount of information the organization possessed, much of it stored in a network with multiple security flaws. After the course concluded, I contacted the founder of Undercover Rose and walked her through the report so that she could see the weaknesses in her security. Since then, those issues have been resolved.
Application and Conclusion
At Salt Lake Community College, I have already begun to put these principles to use. I regularly update the library’s website with monthly carousel images and announcements to market SLCC’s many collections and services. In addition, collect monthly patron statistics to help assess performance in the Public Services sector, as well as guide future planning endeavors by identifying areas of improvement.
While I currently utilize these principles in my employment, my time at SJSU has shown me how to enact them with greater understanding and efficiency.