Attention New and Returning Online Students:
We are using Canvas as the online course software for this course. This may be a new experience for some, so please be patient as you, your classmates, and guest speakers learn how to navigate this platform. 

**This is a "Late Start Class":  begins Mon Oct 16, 2023.**

Hello Students:

Welcome to another course in Cuesta College's Library/Information Technology (LIBT) series. Our program is designed to prepare individuals for employment as a paraprofessional in a public, school, academic, special library, or information center.

This is the Welcome Page for the distance education course Library/Information Technology 208 (Library Teamwork and Supervisory Skills), Fall 2023. LIBT 208 is a required course in our series and provides an overview of the practical skills and concepts that all library staff need to work together successfully as a team. It also looks at skills a supervising library technician needs to effectively carry out their job. While many topics covered are applicable to all workplaces, the class also tries to focus on issues specific to the library and information field. Depending on their job classification and the type of library they work in, library technicians may supervise student assistants, lab aides, volunteers, interns, other library paraprofessional staff, or a combination of these employees.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for LIBT 208

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Identify the role and responsibilities of a supervising library technician
• Recognize the role and effects of stress and identify strategies for coping with it in the workplace
• Discuss effective techniques for written and verbal communication in the workplace

Pre-requisites

To enroll in this course, it is recommended that you must have already completed the prerequisite class Library/Information Technology 201 (Introduction to Library Services) or also be enrolled in LIBT 201 for the Fall 2023 semester. 

Civility in the Online Environment

Offering our courses online is an innovative and challenging experience for all of us. While online courses can be a convenient, exciting learning experience, distance education is not for everyone. Please note that just as with a traditional in-person classroom, all online students are bound by the Cuesta College Student Code of Conduct Links to an external site. Links to an external site.in terms of exhibiting civil behavior in the online classroom and in all course e-mail and communications with the instructor, fellow students, and guest speakers. One additional norm is that a student, in an online class, should not expect to monopolize the time of the instructor or of their fellow classmates any more than they would in an actual classroom. Students should feel free to contact the instructor or fellow students to seek answers to legitimate, class-related questions. Students not compliant with this conduct code will be referred to the Vice President of Student Services for disciplinary action which may include expulsion from the course.

Disabled Students

Any student with a verifiable disability (must be verified with the campus DSPS department) will need to let the instructor know as soon as possible so that appropriate accommodation can be made. Authorized accommodations and alternative media will be provided as appropriate.

The following is important information that may answer some of your questions about how the course will operate. Please read it carefully now as you are registering and again before the course begins. We hope you will enjoy the opportunity to participate in a new learning environment.

Sincerely,

Denise Fourie
Instructor, Library/Information Technology
Cuesta College 
P. O. Box 8106
Highway One
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8106
dfourie@cuesta.edu

(805) 592-9280

Library/Information Technology Dept. Phone: (805) 592-9287

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When does the class begin and end?
Is there a mandatory orientation for this class?
Do I need to do anything before the class officially starts?
When will the complete class web site and syllabus be available on the web?
What is the schedule for readings and homework?
What about e-mail communication with the Instructor?
What about communicating with the Instructor and the library office during the summer break?
How do I withdraw from class?
What tools do I need?
What software do I need?
Is there a required textbook to buy?
Can you give me any tips on Distance Education or on using Canvas?

 

When does the class begin and end?
The class begins Mon. Oct. 16 and ends Weds. Dec. 13, 2023. 

Is there a mandatory orientation for this class?
No, this semester there is not a mandatory orientation for this class. 

Do I need to do anything before we meet?
Yes. It is very important to understand that the work for an online classes begins BEFORE the official class start date.
As soon as you enroll, you will need to:

• Send the instructor your name and the e-mail address for the account you plan to use for the class; please do this as soon as you have registered for class. From now on, communication will be via e-mail, so we must have your name and correct e-mail address on file. Send the post to dfourie@cuesta.edu.

Then:

• We will be using Canvas for this course. Once you are enrolled, you will be able to sign in to the class the first date it begins (Mon. Oct. 16), but not before. Make sure that you can access the site that day. Experience has shown us that students who wait until after the class has started to try to access the site leave themselves no time for solving any possible technical incompatibilities. They quickly fall behind and have to be dropped from the class.

When will the complete course web site and syllabus be available on the web? 
The online class syllabus will be available to enrolled students on the class start date (Oct. 16) through the Canvas website https://cuesta.instructure.com/or by going to Cuesta Home Page Links to an external site.and clicking on the Canvas link in the upper middle portion of the webpage.

Canvas Login Name and Password are the same as your my.Cuesta Login Name and Password: firstname_lastname (all lower case). So, a student named Joana Smith would be joana_smith; Jose Ortiz would be jose_ortiz

Here is the contact for online Canvas help if you can't login or submit assignments.

• Send an email to support@my.cuesta.edu
• Include your name, class, section number, instructor's name.
• Describe the problem you are experiencing including what browser/version you are using.

 

What is the schedule for readings and homework?
The course syllabus on Canvas (accessible Mon. Oct. 16) will give you the schedule for all readings and homework assignments. Please note that all due dates are FIRM, with assignments due by 11:55 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time/Los Angeles, CA time) of the specified day (which is often on Tuesdays).

What about e-mail communication with the Instructor?
Generally, when class is in session the instructor will try to respond to your e-mail within 48 hours (assuming there are no technical malfunctions). 
Instructor’s e-mail address: dfourie@cuesta.edu

What about communicating with the Instructor and the Library Office during the summer (May 20-August 8)?
If you have questions about this course or the overall program during the summer break, please read the following:

The instructor will be off duty from May 20-August 8, 2023. From May 20-June 10, she will be traveling and will be unable to answer any e-mail or return telephone calls. For the remainder of the summer, she will be checking e-mail on a weekly basis.

Another contact is:

• Carina Love, Chair, Library Dept., (805) 546-3159, clove@cuesta.edu
  (Out of the office: July 25-Aug 8, 2023)
• Position Vacant, Division Assistant, Library Dept., (805) 592-9287

Please note that due to state budget cutbacks, the library office staff have had their summer work hours reduced. We will do our best to respond to your questions during summer. Please allow a longer response time than usual.

How do I withdraw from class?
It is the responsibility of the student to complete a drop slip before the drop date in order to withdraw from the class. Please see the official campus policy on withdrawing from a courseLinks to an external site.

What tools do I need?
You will need a modern computer with reliable Internet access that is accessible to you at least three times a week. It is up to each student to make their own arrangements to have these tools available before beginning the class. The Cuesta SLO campus library has Internet desktop computers located in the open lab/library that are available on a walk-in basis for students; there are also some Chromebooks available for checkout on a first-come, first-serve basis and WiFi hotspots. Cuesta North County campus library also has computers for student use. Library hours, click here.

You should be very comfortable using the web and e-mail including formatting word processing documents for attachments (many of your assignments will need to be submitted as .docx, .pdf or .jpg attached files). These will be the main methods of delivering information and communicating during the class. These tools replace the in-person lectures and class meetings of a traditional course. 

What software do I need?
Browser: We recommend that you use the most current version of a standard browser such as Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.

Word Processing: Any recent version (2 years old or newer) of Microsoft Word, the standard word processing software is needed for composing your assignments. Non-standard software is not acceptable. Apple's Pages may not be compatible with Canvas and is not recommended. If you do compose in Pages, you need to then convert your final document to a .pdf and then submit/upload to Canvas.

Adobe Acrobat Reader: You will also need to have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open various files. Download it here: http://get.adobe.com/reader/Links to an external site.

Zoom: The app is free.  We recommend that you download it on your own computer and other devices as there are times when we might end up using Zoom for a class exercise. Instructions are here.

Is there a required textbook to buy?
The required text for the class is Supervisor's Survival Kit, c. 2009, 11th edition, by Clifford R. Goodwin and Daniel B. Griffith. It will be available for purchase through the Cuesta bookstore in early August 2023: https://cuesta.bncollege.comLinks to an external site. It is also available through online book vendors; there may also be options for "renting" the book as opposing to buying it.

Can you give me any tips on distance education or on using Canvas?

• Distance Education, FAQs:  http://www.cuesta.edu/student/aboutacad/distance/faqs.htmlLinks to an external site.

• Especially helpful is the section called "Is An Online Course Right for Me?"Links to an external site.
• For an overview of using Canvas, these tutorials can be very helpful: Canvas Student Orientation Videos at http://www.cuesta.edu/academics/distance/fac_de_resources/Student_Videos.htmlLinks to an external site.