LIBR 573: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION ORGANIZATIONS -- COURSE SYLLABUS (3)

Course Goal:

• To provide an understanding and appreciation for the role of financial management tools and techniques and their practical application in a working environment
• To stimulate discussion and thinking on the importance of financial management in strategic planning and as a change agent
• To identify and discuss current and upcoming issues in financial management
• To develop skills in the preparation and presentation of oral and written reports relating to financial management

 

Objectives:

 

Upon completion of this course student will be able to:

 

• understand the role of budgets and the budget process in the overall management of libraries and archives
• develop competence in preparing, presenting, and monitoring budgets
• introduce techniques for organizing and analyzing financial and statistical data
• examine the sources and uses of financial resources
• develop an understanding of the financial processes and systems found in libraries and archives
• explore various scenarios facing libraries and archives and their financial implications

 

 

Prerequisite: LIBR 500, 501, 502, 503 [recommended co-requisite: 504]

 

 

Format of the course: Lectures, guest speakers, group discussion and presentation.

 

 

Recommended readings:

 

• Kaplan, Robert S. and Norton, David P. (2001). The strategy-focused organization: how balanced scorecard companies thrive in the new business environment. Harvard Business School Press, Boston.

 

• Hallam, Arlita W. and Dalston, Teresa R.(2005). Managing budgeting and finances: A how-to-do it manual for librarians and information professionals. Neal_Schuman, NY.

 

• Hope, Jeremy and Fraser, Robin. (2003). Beyond budgeting: how managers can break free from the annual performance trap. Harvard Business School Press, Boston.

 

• McMillan, E.J. (2003). Not-for-profit budgeting and financial management. Wiley,NJ.

 

• Niven, Paul R. (2003). Balanced scorecard step-by-step for government and non-profit agencies. Wiley, Hoboken, New Jersey.

 

• Pantry, Sheila and Griffiths, Peter. (2004). Managing outsourcing in library and information services. Facet, London.

 

• Roberts, Stephan A. (1998). Financial and cost management for libraries and information services. Bowker, London.

 

• Smith, G. Stevenson.(2002).Managerial Accounting for Libraries and other Not-for-Profit Organizations. American Library Association, Chicago.

 

 

Course Assignments, Due dates and Weight in relation to final course mark (subject to revision):

 

Assignments	Due Dates	Weight
Individual paper	Oct 19	40%
Group presentations Group Paper-Budget Proposal/Balance Score card for a library/non-profit institution	Nov 17 Nov 20	20% 25%
Class participation	Throughout the term.	15%

 

Course Schedule (subject to change):

Date	Topics	Readings
Sept 8	Introduction to the Course
Sept 15	Review of Basic Budgeting and Financial Management	Evans, G Edward. (2001). The in’s and out’s of library budget preparation. The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, 14(1), 19-23. Stueart, Robert D. & Moran, Barbara, B. (2007). Library and Information centre management. 5 th Ed. Libraries Unlimited, Colorado. 364-374.
Sept 22	Different Types of Budgeting and Methods of Financial Estimation	Linn, Mott (2007). Budget systems used in allocating resources to libraries. The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, 20(1), 20-29. Stueart, Robert D. & Moran, Barbara, B. (2007). Library and Information centre management. 5 th Ed. Libraries Unlimited, Colarado. Chapter 15, 439-461.
Sept 29	Budget Planning, Monitoring and Control	Hallam and Dalston: Chapter 3, p. 51-68. Smith, G. Stevenson. Chapter 5, p. 96-102.
Oct 6	Costing Techniques	Poll, Roswitha. (2006). To get one’s money’s worth: library management with cost data. The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, 19(1), 7-15. Smith, G. Stevenson. Chapter 2, p. 12-26.
Oct 13	No Class because of Thanksgiving Day.
Oct 20	Cost Analysis and Outsourcing	Hallam and Dalston: Chapter 4, p. 69-82. Holt, Glen & Elliot, Donald (2002). Cost benefit analysis: a summary of the methodology. The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, 15(4), 154-158. Pantry and Griffiths: p. 21-29; 120-149 Smith, G. Stevenson. Chapter 5, p. 79-111.
Oct 27	Activity-Based Costing	Ellis-Newman, Jennifer (2003). Activity-based costing in user services of an academic library. Library Trends, 51(3), 333-348. Smith, G. Stevenson. Chapter 4, p. 57-77.
Nov 3	Strategic Budgeting and Balance Scorecard	Allio, M. (2006).Seven guidelines for better performance measurement. Handbook of Business Strategy, 255-263. Blumentritt, Tim. (2006). Integrating strategic management and budgeting. Journal of Business Strategy, 26(6), 73-79. Neely, A, Bourne, M & Adams, C. (2003). Better budgeting or beyond budgeting? Measuring Business Excellence, 7(3), 22-28. Niven, Paul R.: Chapter 1 & 2: p.3-44. Poll, R. & Payne, P. (2006). Impact measures for libraries and information services. Library Hi Tech, 24(4)547-562.
Nov 10	Fundraising, Lobbying and Advocacy	Borges, M. (2005). Library advocacy starts at home. The Bottom Line:Managing Library Finances, 18(3),110-111. Meraz, G. (2002). The essentials of financial strength through sound lobbying fundamentals. The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances,15(2), 64-69.
Nov 17	Group Presentations	Group Presentations.
Nov 24	Course Wrap-Up

Course Policies :

Attendance : The calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes.”

Evaluation : All assignments will be awarded letter grades using the evaluative criteria given in your SLAIS Student Handbook.

Assignments will not be accepted late unless prior arrangements are made with me. If an extension is granted, a late penalty may be imposed at my discretion; this will be discussed when you request an extension.

Academic Dishonesty :
Please review the UBC Calendar "Academic regulations" for the University policy on cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty: http://www.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,959. Also visit and review the contents of these two resources: Plagiarism Resource Centre: For Students: http://www.library.ubc.ca/home/plagiarism/welcome.html and Plagiarism Avoided: Taking Responsibility For Your Work: http://www.arts.ubc.ca/Plagiarism_Avoided.373.0.html for useful information on avoiding plagiarism and on correct documentation. Students are held responsible for knowing and following all University regulations regarding academic dishonesty. If a student does not know how to properly cite a source or what constitutes proper use of a source it is the student's personal responsibility to obtain the needed information and to apply it within University guidelines and policies.

Written & Spoken English Requirement :

Written and spoken work may receive a lower mark if it is, in the opinion of the instructor, deficient in English.

Disability Accommodation : The University accommodates students with disabilities who have registered with the Disability Resource Centre [http://www.students.ubc.ca/access/drc.cfm]. You must register with the Disability Resource Centre to be granted special accommodations for any on-going conditions.

Religious Accommodation : The University accommodates students whose religious obligations conflict with attendance, submitting assignments, or completing scheduled tests and examinations. Please let your instructor know in advance, preferably in the first week of class, if you will require any accommodation on these grounds. Students who plan to be absent for varsity athletics, family obligations, or other similar commitments, cannot assume they will be accommodated, and should discuss their commitments with the instructor before the course drop date. UBC policy on Religious Holidays: http://www.universitycounsel.ubc.ca/policies/policy65.pdf

Course Discussion List :
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