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LIBR 579L: Risk Management for Libraries and Archives – Course Syllabus (3)

Programs: Master of Library and Information Studies; Master of Archival Studies
Year: 2008-2009, Winter Session, Term 1
Course Schedule: Friday, October 24: 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.; Saturday, October 25: 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Location: IBLC 191
Instructor: Guy Robertson
Office location: Guy Robertson’s offices are in downtown Vancouver and at Langara College.
Office phone: (604) 224-3243; mobile: (604) 765-8494
Office hours: Prearranged with students as required; held on campus if preferred
E-mail address: guy_robertson@telus.net

Course Goal: The goal of this course is to introduce students to risk management in libraries and archives. Students will acquire a practical knowledge of risk assessment and disaster planning, and investigate risk mitigation in different sites.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Identify natural, technological, human-caused, and proximity risks in libraries and archives
  • Identify and mitigate security risks in libraries and archives
  • Formulate loss control policies and procedures for collections and other assets
  • Audit emergency response procedures and security measures in IT departments
  • Respond quickly and effectively to moisture damage; supervise and carry out emergency conservation procedures in libraries and archives
  • Develop basic business resumption plans for libraries and archives
  • Review Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines and procedures to address post-disaster issues
  • Review insurance coverage for libraries and archives
  • Develop basic orientation programs in risk management for staff members 

Course Topics:  

  • What is risk? What are the basic elements of risk management? How we perceive risks in libraries and archives
  • Classification of risks; primary regional focus; site-specific risk analysis
  • IT risk profiles; loss prevention in IT departments
  • Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) in libraries and archives
  • The role of Trustees and Boards in the disaster planning process
  • Emergency preparedness planning in libraries and archives; basic orientation and sustainable training for staff members
  • Emergency response planning; Occupational Health and Safety programs and their role in emergency response
  • Business resumption, continuity, and recovery plans and processes in libraries and archives
  • Security programs in libraries and archives
  • Special problems in public libraries
  • Special problems in academic libraries
  • Special problems in corporate libraries
  • Special problems in public archives
  • Patron safety and liability issues
  • Strategic alliances with vendors, government agencies, and other information organizations 

Prerequisites: LIBR 500 or ARST 500, LIBR 501

Corequisites: LIBR 502, LIBR 503

Format of the course: Lectures, readings, a site tour, worksheets, research memo, group project

Required and Recommended Reading :

Required:

  • Articles from various journals, to be handed out during the lectures

Recommended:

  • Select bibliography to be handed out during the lectures

Course Assignments, Due dates and Weight in relation to final course mark:

Research memo

November 3, 2008

30%

Group assignment

November 10, 2008

60%

Class participation

 

10%

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.” Note: Since this is a 2-day course, students must attend for the full time both days in order to receive credit for the course.

Evaluation: All assignments will be awarded letter grades using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site .

Written & Spoken English Requirement: Written and spoken work may receive a lower 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

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 practice. 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. If evidence of academic dishonesty is found in a course assignment, previously submitted work in this course may be reviewed for possible academic dishonesty and grades modified as appropriate. [this MUST be included]