LIBR 210-03
Reference & Information Services
Spring 2008 Greensheet
Charlotte Ford
E-mail
Phone: 205-978-3301
Office Hours: Immediately following class meetings, or by appointment
| Greensheet Links Textbooks and Readings Course Requirements |
Video Welcome Captioned Uncaptioned |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS eBookstore |
The Blackboard site for this class will open for self-enrollment on Monday, January 21. I will provide you with a password access code using the MySJSU messaging system. You should be enrolled by January 26, 2008 (the end of the first week of classes).
Course Description
Catalog Description
A process-oriented examination of how information professionals answer reference questions. The interpersonal skills required for effective question negotiation and the sources with which questions are answered are stressed.
Course Description
This course is designed to introduce you to the world of reference and information services. We will explore different methods and models of information service delivery; examine and evaluate key information sources of various types and formats; and discuss vital issues pertinent to the provision of reference service.
Major themes will include:
- The history of reference service
- Information seeking behavior
- The reference process (including the reference interview)
- Evaluation of reference interactions
- Information sources and their use (including effective search strategies)
- Evaluation of reference sources
- Reference service to diverse populations
- The role of instruction in reference service
- Reference ethics and reference policies
- Trends in reference and information services
Course Objectives
You should emerge from this course with:
- A clear understanding of the reference process and the skills required for conducting a successful reference interview
- More highly developed search skills for assisting users with their information needs
- A demonstrated familiarity with a variety of basic reference sources, in both print and electronic formats
- The ability to thoroughly evaluate reference sources in a particular area
- An understanding of current trends and ongoing issues in reference and information service
LIBR 210 supports the following SLIS Core Competency:
- Use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users
In addition, this section supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:
- Demonstrate proficiency in the use of current information and communication technologies, and other related technologies
- Retrieve, evaluate and synthesize scholarly and professional literature for informed decision-making by specific client groups
Textbooks and Readings
Required Text
- Cassell, K.A., and Hiremath, U. (2006). Reference and information services in the 21st century: An introduction. New York: Neal-Schuman. Available through the SLIS eBookstore, as well as amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, neal-schuman.com, etc.
Additional required readings will be made available online, through the course Blackboard site.
Recommended Texts
(feel free to consult these at the King Library, or another library of your choice!)
- Bopp, R. E., & Smith, L. C. (2001). Reference and information services: An introduction (3rd ed.). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.
- Katz, W. A. (2002). Introduction to reference work. 8th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.
Course Requirements
Course Format
This class is conducted in online mode, using Blackboard and Elluminate. There are 4 required Elluminate meetings on the following dates:
- January 31
- February 28
- April 3
- May 1
Class meetings will be held from 6-8:30 pm. The URLs and login information for each session will be provided in Blackboard.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used extensively in this course. The Blackboard site for this class will open for self-enrollment on January 21. I will provide you with a password access code using the MySJSU messaging system. You should be enrolled by January 26, 2008 (the end of the first week of classes). As we will meet synchronously only four times, a number of class discussions and activities will take place via Blackboard. It is crucial that you log in every few days between meetings. The SLIS Blackboard site is located at http://tigris.sjsu.edu and tutorials are available at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/blackboard.
Elluminate
There are several required Elluminate meetings in conjunction with this class. If this is your first class using Elluminate, please complete an orientation session prior to our meeting. You will need to have a microphone attached to your computer in order to participate; it is recommended that you log in at least 10 minutes before class to check the audio. A list of training times and other helpful information can be found in the SLIS Student guide to using Elluminate at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/software/elluminate/students/index.htm
Expectations
As a graduate student, you are expected to:
- Read and carefully consider all readings.
- Fully participate in all class activities and discussions.
- Complete all assignments on time.
- Inform the instructor if you have an illness or emergency which requires you to miss class or to request an extension on an assignment. If a legitimate emergency should arise, we will negotiate future action; otherwise, there will be a penalty for work turned in after the assigned date.
Assignments
- Reports:
Your understanding of reference work will benefit if you are able to consider some of the concepts we read about and discuss in a real-world setting. Thus, you will be asked to formally observe reference work and to participate consciously in two types of reference interactions. You will submit a brief report on these experiences. - Exercises:
You will complete a set of exercises designed to give you practical experience examining and using some of the reference sources and search techniques we are studying. - Pathfinder:
Your success as a reference librarian will depend, in great part, on your ability to understand your patrons’ information needs and help them locate appropriate resources. In order to hone these skills, you will compile a pathfinder designed to assist a user (a fellow classmate) with a particular information need. This assignment will enable you to work through various facets of the reference process, including interviewing the user, searching for useful information sources, communicating your findings to the user, and receiving user feedback. It will also help you develop skills in the analysis and evaluation of information sources.
The pathfinder will be worth 25% of your grade. More information on this assignment will be given in a separate handout. - Participation:
A portion of the overall grade is allocated for class participation. For the purposes of this class, participation includes attendance, thoughtful contribution to class discussions and other activities, and demonstration that you are making an effort to master the material covered in this course.
Summary of assignments and their worth:
More details on the assignments, and a list of due dates, will be provided in Blackboard.
| Assignment | % of final grade |
| Reports | 20% |
| Exercises | 40% |
| Pathfinder | 25% |
| Class participation | 15% |
Grading
Your work will be evaluated according to four criteria; it should:
- Be clearly written or presented
- Display familiarity with the appropriate literature and/or bibliographic tools
- Show insight into the concepts and/or issues in question
- Demonstrate a degree of originality
Grading Scale
The standard SJSU SLIS Grading Scale is utilized for all SLIS courses:
| 97-100 | A |
| 94-96 | A- |
| 91-93 | B+ |
| 88-90 | B |
| 85-87 | B- |
| 82-84 | C+ |
| 79-81 | C |
| 76-78 | C- |
| 73-75 | D+ |
| 70-72 | D |
| 67-69 | D- |
| Below 67 | F |
In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:
- C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
- B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work;
- A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.
Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0.
Academic Integrity
Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San José State University, and the University's Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The policy on academic integrity can be found at http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_conduct.
Reasonable Accommodation of Disabilities
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability,
please e-mail me as soon as possible. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires
that students with disabilities register with the Disability Resource Center
(DRC) to establish record of their disability.
No matter where students reside, they should contact the SJSU DRC to register. The DRC Web site: http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/
One Washington Square - San José, California USA, 95192-0029
Phone: 408-924-2490
Contact the webmaster
