Sean Gaffney has taught at the School of Information at San José State University since 2008. His area of expertise is library management and administration. Sean teaches courses in Library Financial Management, Project Management, Library Professions, and Using Social Media for Competitive and Company Research. Sean holds an MLIS from Kent State University, a Certificate in Advanced Study in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Business Administration from Saint Leo University. Sean is also a Project Management Professional and a member of the Project Management Institute. He currently consults in the areas of project management, library administration, and financial analysis. Sean lives in the Tampa Bay, Florida area.

Essential Project Management Skills for Library Workers eCourse
You must complete your registration in advance of the eCourse by following the instructions contained in the PDF download that accompanies your purchase. The download can be found on the final confirmation screen after you complete your purchase and may also be accessed from your account. Select "My Account" and then select the "Files" tab to see all of your digital downloads.
To: June 13, 2021
- Description
- Learning Outcomes
- Registration
- eCourse Outline
- About the Instructor
- Contact Us
This eCourse introduces essential strategies and techniques for project management in libraries. Topics include management styles, institutional constraints, project life cycles, stakeholder management, scope definition, risk assessment, project planning tools, and team management. There will be a special emphasis on managing teams, including information on the role of the leader, the value of diversity and inclusion, communications, and meeting management.
This course will be useful for both experienced and new project managers and other leaders that want to develop a better understanding how to develop and manage projects, particularly in times of uncertainty. No previous experience is required.
There are six modules. Each module includes both resources (lectures, readings, and videos) and a forum discussion question. Our primary text is Searcy, C. (2018). Project management in libraries: On time, on budget, on target. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions. All materials are provided, including the primary text.
By completing the course, students will be able to:
- Apply project management concepts to library and information practices
- Identify project management roles and environment
- Understand the role of the Project Manager as a leader
- Understand the value of diversity and inclusion in team development
- Use major project management techniques
- Control and evaluate project management approaches effectively to achieve better strategic outcomes
Upon purchase you will receive a registration PDF in the form of a digital download. This PDF contains a link to our Registration page and a password. You must download this PDF and follow the instructions in order to complete the registration. The download link can be found on the final confirmation screen after you complete your purchase, and may also be accessed by selecting "My Account" at the top of your screen and then selecting the "Files" tab. Confirmation with login instructions, reminders, and alerts will go to the email address used in the registration.
How this eCourse Works
The eCourse begins on May 3, 2021. Your participation will require approximately four to five hours a week, at times that fit your schedule. There are no live sessions. All activities take place on the website, and you will be expected to
- Read, listen to or view online content
- Post to online discussion boards
- Complete weekly assignments or activities
Instructor Sean Gaffney will monitor discussion boards regularly during the 6-week period, lead group discussions, and will also answer individual questions. All interaction will take place on the eCourse site, which will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's recommended that students log into the site on the first day of class or within a few days for an overview of the content and to begin the first lesson.
User Requirements
Participants will need regular access to a computer with an internet connection for online message boards participation, viewing online video, listening to streaming audio (mp3 files), and downloading and viewing PDFs and PowerPoint files. ALA Publishing eLearning Solutions eCourses are fully compatible with Windows and MacOs.
Bulk Orders
This eCourse is licensed for a single user. For pricing on bulk purchases in excess of $1,000, please contact us for more information.
There are six modules. Each module includes both resources (lectures, readings, and videos) and a forum discussion question.
- Module 1: Characteristics of a Project Manager
- Module 2: Initiating the Project
- Module 3: Planning the Project
- Module 4: Executing the Project
- Module 5: Team Management
- Module 6: Monitoring & Controlling the Project and Closing the Project
If you have any questions about this eCourse, please contact us at elsmarketing@ala.org.
At Your Service
Accommodations are offered based on user needs. For transcription or other accessibility requests, please contact us at elsmarketing@ala.org.