Upgrade Library System - Essay Example

? RESEARCH PROJECT Topic: Upgrade Library System due Miami-Dade project Logo. Cover letter The current status of education and research in Miami Dade College is appalling and full of constraints. This is impacting negatively on the quality of education in the college, morale and the productivity of the staff. Therefore, the administration has instituted a project team of mainly three persons being headed by the project manager to carry out project that will lead to upgrading of the library system. There are several benefits of the project both to the institution and to student’s academic performance. First, the institution’s brand name will improve attracting more students and other interested team of researchers. Second, student’s performance will greatly improve both their psychological attitudes and Morales being improved. This will directly and indirectly enhance their academic performance. The conflicts between students and staff that result of poor quality products and services shall be reduced. The quality of service delivered to students shall increase. For example, by automating all its operations, it will be able to better respond to the needs of students in a faster and more accurate manner. The upgraded library will save time thereby allowing more time for studying. It will also lead to higher productivity and improved attitudes towards learning and studying in the college. The project has numerous benefits both tangible and intangible not only to the sponsors but also to the society at large. I therefore, strongly recommend that the project be undertaken to realize its potential fruits of growth and development in the arena of education and research. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Title of the project………………………………………………………..1 Cover letter………………………………………………………………..2 Table of contents………………………………………………………….3 Proposal synopsis………………………………………………………….4 Project description and summary……………………………………….....4 Aims of the proposal……………………………………………………....5 Objectives of the proposal………………………………………………….6 Benefits………………………………………………………………….....8 Outcomes………………………………………………………………….10 Research plan……………………………………………………………....11 Budget……………………………………………………………………..15 Summary …………………………………………………………………..17 Conclusion………………………………………………………………….17 References…………………………………………………………………..19 Miami-Dade College Title: Upgrade Library System Executive summary The proposal involves the upgrading the library to suit and respond to the ever-increasing needs of students and other interested stakes. Through a brief historical background of Miami-Dade College, the project has highlighted the need for upgrading the library system to address the increasing number of their students and their ever-changing needs. The project aims at improving the service delivery by reducing the workload of librarians, saving time, automation of all the library operations. It will also increase the efficiency and the general outputs of the staff. The project will consist of three members, who have vast expertise and knowledge in the field of technology and administration o key a keen eye of the progress of the project to ensure its success. The research will take a maximum of two weeks considering the urgency and role it is awaiting to play in the institution that is marred with inefficiency and high staff turnover due to using the traditional manual system in its operations. The project aims to develop an understanding of how the current library system works, its weaknesses and how the new and proposed system will deal with those challenges to keep the institution at par with their competitors in the education sector. Through plastering of advertising campaigns, the institutions intends top solicit for funds to run the project that has far reaching benefits in both college and the surrounding society. With an estimated increase of students by 30 -40 % next year, the project aims to serve their needs more efficiently and without putting much strain on the available resources like the inadequate human resources currently witnessed in the institution. Due to limited, resources, the administration will not put up with a further escalation of costs, but instead it will be one of their missions to keep the costs at check. The project will serve as a stimulus in the learning processes, staff morale and staff in research fields. Project description and summary Miami-Dade College is an academic institution found in the United States charged with a sole mission of providing academic services, teaching and research centre. For the past 10 years, Miami-Dade College has been using an old-fashion processing of library system. Due to increase students of the university, librarian has the hard time to provide accurate information for the students and instructors. The Librarian is not able to organize and maintain the library transaction such as recording of library holdings, and reader registrations. In addition, the printing system is slow, produce poor quality outputs. It was witnessed these when last summer I took summer school in MDC. It cost me one hour to search for a book in the library, and 3mins to print out just 10 pages. This has tainted the morale of students and other researchers who utilize the services of the library. It has led to poor quality research due to the time it takes for searching of reading materials, photocopy and services associated with photocopying and printings. In addition, the old-fashioned library continues to taint the image and morale of staff working in the library. This is due constant conflicts they constantly stumble upon with unhappy students who hurl abuses at them. For the library to move in tandem with globalization, growing technology and serve the needs o f its clients more efficiently, it has embarked on the programs of upgrading it especially the printing services. Aims of the proposal The main aim of the proposal is to install and upgrade the library system that will ensure optimal productivity and efficiency in the rapidly growing industry with a desire to provide products and services that incorporate present technology solutions. The college has a desire to increase effectiveness, save time and increase the population of those who can utilize the library services without putting straining the resources available. In addition, it wants to use the new and improved system to attract more students’ population such as international students, expertise researchers, other interested financiers and experienced scholars. This way, it shall be developing in its mission for academic and research advancements. It also aims at addressing the following requirements Slow and poor services offered in the library The general dissatisfaction of students and other interested stakeholders with services of the library. Improve the quality of work offered to students and staff by saving time taken for services to be effected in the library premises. To improve on the study habits, morale and the general outputs of students Improve efficiency and productivity in all library operations especially the printing services. Objectives of adoption of an improved Library system The adoption of an improved library system research proposal aims to: i. Evaluate the performance of the current library and services currently offered, stating and explaining their strengths and weaknesses and how the new system could be improved. ii. Identify specific locations and areas where the library has underperformed in the past, present and suggest ways on how the new and sophisticated library should be funded, purchased, installed and tested so as to eventually pinpoint best ways of how it can be maintained in future. iii. Identify and evaluate the colleges’ technological strengths and weaknesses in relation to the technological dynamics in the education industry and suggest possible means of strengthening it to adapt to increasing needs of students and other interested stakeholders. iv. Identify the best-in practice academic institutions such as colleges in the education industry and how the knowledge acquired can assist the college leapfrog from the current level of performance to greater visions. Benefits The study has both the tangible and intangible benefits both to the company and to its customers as a result of replacement. First, there new and improved library services will automate all the library services. This will improve on accuracy, speed and quality of services and outputs delivered. All the record of work, operational d efficiency of the performance can be monitored and controlled accordingly. For instance, student ticketing services, short loans and other library services can be monitored and improved depending on how the system is working, as terms of demand and supply. This assists the library administration in further planning in future. Second, it will ensure that great time is saved by both students and staff or any other interested staff in searching for any references. This improves the overall satisfaction and help boost the morale of clients. It further aids students in time management thus having more time devoted to study thus improving on performance and quality of learning in the college. Third, the new upgraded library will ensure that books and students is regularly checked and updated as need may rise. This enables the library track its performance in terms of how many students it is able to serve, the demand and supply patterns. This also enables the library to update its stock of books and other reading material that have the current and updated knowledge. This acts a positive impetus in attracting students and researchers in joint collaborations thus boosting research and further generation of knowledge. Fourth, the upgrade will reduce the workload of librarian. It is noted that an automated library has an increase in efficiency of 50% (Levy, 2006).This will improve the general morale and productivity of librarian that will impact positively on the outputs of students in the value chains. Eventually, the quality of services and products like photocopies and printing services will rise. This enhances the relationship among students and staff as conflicts that arise as a result of work dynamics will greatly be reduced. It will improve the general outlook of the college as a result of an improved library service. For instance, it will attract well wishers and alumni who will be willing to be associated with college for the remarkable advancement it has achieved in the academic field. Lastly, the research also aims at improving and building the library infrastructure, leverage and synchronize it entire operations, increased the speed and focus on its core operations that will add value to the entire institution. Increasing of client satisfaction is the overall aim for being the leader in academic and research services in the region. Outcomes After the research has been carried, it main outcomes will be able to: Develop an understanding and thorough knowledge of how the upgraded system works, its major challenges and how it can continuously be improved. This will carefully be instituted with challenges with clients in focus. After the research has been carried, it main outcomes will be able to: i. Develop an understanding and thorough comprehension of the current library operations Miami-Dade college ii. Employ and utilize the sophisticated services of the new library to remain competitive in education by exploiting its potentials to reach optimal performance in all its areas like production, human resources, technology, production, research and development and gain and boost the reputation of its performance. In particular to achieving these specific outcomes, the firm intents to: i. Refine and revise its current library technology strategies, the type of customers and the process will be improved to cater for ever-increasing customer needs and personality. ii. Analyze the current corporate strategies and how the library and its new and improved system will congruently fit into each other for excellent services and products. Research Plan The overall aim of the system is to ensure customer satisfaction. The approach will majorly focus on both primary and secondary research. Primary research will utilize the questionnaires and survey, involving 30 respondents. Through well designed questions, it will utilize the services of respondents in getting respondents which will make the research analyze and make appropriate recommendations. A thorough review of the respondents will be carried to ensure that their views are as a accurate as possible to aid the research team’s findings in decision making process in addressing the current challenges. Qualifications Project administrator: MBA Strategic administrator and has over 10 years experience in similar position. He has aided the firm leapfrog in its Strategic management needs and has won substantial awards. He/she will be responsible for monitoring and evaluation of cost against the planned to ensure that the project proceed within the budgeted cost. Project Manager: PhD in library and information science and have worked for Harvard university for over 10 years, during which the university has been ranked 6th regionally in research and academic advancement. The project manager will assume the ownership of the project’s mission, vision, anticipate problems and constantly refer to them from time to time.( Gardiner,2005).He/she will demand excellent individual performance, encourage team members to be action-oriented and stress urgency in the project life cycle. He/she will be in charge of innovation and initiative throughout the life of project. Statistician: Msc in statistics from MIT and has owroked for IBM for two years as a statistician in data collection, analysis, interpretation and decision making process. There research process will take a maximum of 2 weeks, with an overlay of time due to risks that that may face the project Research plan 4th Dec 2011 to 18th Dec 2011 Activity Responsibility Duration (days) Start date Finish date remarks Others Funding administrator 1.0 Purchase and assigning of materials Project manager 1.0 Install Project team (entire team) 10.0 Test and integration statistician 1.0 Orientation of staff clerk 2.0 Maintenance report Project manager. 1 day From project funding, procurement, installation nd testing, it will take a maximum of two weeks 1 curve 1 Consumption Of resources Curve 2 0 Funding purchase install test and maintain In the above figure, life cycle changes is well pointed.Curve1 shows resource consumption as it progresses from the initial stages of system installation to its closure while curve 2 depicts the depth of organizational influence and political influences with great influence being evidenced at the initial and very light towards the end of the project Research proposal; budget 2011 from Dec 4th 2011 to Dec 18th,2011 The company has agreed that the man source of funding will be plastering adverting everywhere there is a possibility of getting the projects funded. The project sponsors will therefore vary in their capacity and will not be limited nor be discriminated or rejected with however little they may wish to contribute. Most of the colleges Alumni are expected to be part of the main project sponsors. Through postering of the advertising ads everywhere there are legally allowed, they will attract a pool of financiers and sponsors who will paint a positive image of the college. Some of the plastered ads campaigns are as shown below. The Budget Having adopted a bottom-up budgeting technique, it has improved the accuracy and cost estimates as shown in the budget figures below. Due to limited resources and the capacity of the Miami-Dade College, the budget requested for was higher than what the college could afford which necessitated the administration to slash it slightly as indicated in the budget below. The budget will be instituted by the experienced administrator who will plan, mobilize and ensure that they are deployed to the necessary areas to accomplish tasks. It will time be instituted as the project ought to take a maximum of tow weeks with one or two days extensions. In the proposal, a total $ 12843.20 was approved from the total requested of $15109.95 to procure a total of 12 units of materials. This is because the company has limited resources and ensures that the budgets are controlled by the project managers. It also assign role and implement as planned in the project plan. During the two weeks, there are pecuniary expenses that will be incurred don the course of the project. They can be computed as follows. The project budget is as shown below with periods expressed up to n- periods, depending on how the expenditures will be administered. Expenditure Period 1 Period 2 Period n category Total comments others Consultancy services Procurements administrative Periodical Reports others Summary In summary, the upgrading of the new library system in Miami-Dade College will take two weeks stating from 4th Dec 2011 to 18th Dec 2011.The main project sponsors is the college administration with plastering advertising campaigns being the financial strategy it has integrated in the process of funding the project. The project team, a team of experienced experts in their fields will carry out the mandated of running the project to its successful completion. The project team is expected to give a report of all the summary progress- strengths, weakness and challenges encountered during the life cycle of the project to assist the administration in managing similar projects. Conclusion The proposal will take two weeks and will be conducted to find the feasibility of an improved network to address the problems of inefficiencies and ineffectiveness being caused by increasing needs of students and the need to make faster and informed decision in the library so as to improve on the client services. In conclusion, an installation of an upgraded Library system will enable the college make decisions faster through an efficient resource and information needs that enhance the quality and speed of decision making regarding its service delivery. It will also promote the global competitiveness of the products and services offered. This will return a substantial return on investment by more than 10%, create more jobs such IT specialists and improve their responsiveness to the society’s needs. The benefits of a new and improved Library system are numerous such as saving time for both students and lecturers, increasing the speed of service delivery, reduce the workload of library staff and more importantly attract more students to the college. Therefore, an enactment of the upgraded Library system in the Miami-Dade College will realize its goals of growth, survival and profitability. References Levy, M.,(2006). Design-build project delivery: managing the building process from proposal through construction. New York: McGraw-hill. Naimzada, K.A., (2009).Networks, topology and dynamics: theory and applications to economics and social systems. New York: 2009 Gardiner, P. D (2005).Project management: A strategic planning approach. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Appendices Since the management is centralized, a star network topology is highly plausible. The topology shown below will ensure that all the library system is interconnected to speed up the rate of decision making and improve efficiency of serving students. Read More