LIBR 210-11
Reference and Information Services
Spring 2008 Greensheet
Dr. Ann Hotta
E-mail
Office Hours: Via email; replies within 48 hours. Blackboard chat or live Elluminate sessions by appointment
| Greensheet Links Textbooks and Materials Course Requirements |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS eBookstore |
This is an online course using the SLIS Blackboard system. You will be sent the access enrollment code for the class site during the week of January 14 via a message sent through My.SJSU. You should enroll in Blackboard by January 25, the Friday of the first week of the semester.
Course 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.
Prerequisite: LIBR 202
In this introductory course on reference and information service we will:
- Learn how to search for information in print and electronic reference sources;
- Learn the purposes, strengths, and weaknesses of different genres of reference sources;
- Observe and practice online and face-to-face reference interviews;
- Create our own reference guides;
- Examine past and present reference practices, principles, and values.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Use basic reference tools to answer questions;
- Discern the interests of information seekers and connect them with appropriate resources or information;
- Assess the quality and usefulness of reference sources;
- Evaluate reference services that address the needs of a diverse and changing society;
- Begin to develop a personal philosophy of reference service.
LIBR 210 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:
- 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:
- recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use;
- use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users;
- demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations.
Textbooks and Materials
Required Texts and Materials
- Cassell, K.A. and Hiremath, U. 2006. Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.
The textbook may be purchased from the SLIS ebookstore at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/courses/books/. Purchases made through the SLIS ebookstore benefit SLIS. (See also Neal-Schuman Publishers at http://www.neal-schuman.com/ or the websites of major online booksellers.)
- The World Almanac and Book of Facts. World Almanac Books.
Any edition within the past three years will suffice for this class. It is inexpensive and readily available for purchase at most bookstores as well as via the SLIS ebookstore at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/courses/books/. Your local public library may also have a copy that you can borrow.
- Balay, R., Carrington, V. F., & Martin, M. S. Guide to Reference Books (11th ed. and supplements) 1996.
You are NOT expected to purchase this book; it is very expensive. However, you will need to have access to this book at a local library in order to complete one exercise and begin your first major assignment. Please contact the instructor at the start of the semester to make special arrangements if you cannot find a copy in your area to use.
- A microphone or headset is required. You will use this equipment to make audio files and to participate in Elluminate sessions. See http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/software/elluminate/students/equipment.htm for more information.
Additional course readings will supplement and add up-to-date information to the textbook. Readings will be available via Blackboard, the SLIS course e-reserves, and the SJSU King Library databases and electronic journals.
Go to SLIS eBookstore.
Course Requirements
Elluminate
Three live Elluminate sessions are scheduled during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of the semester, and you are required to either attend one of these scheduled sessions. At the beginning of he semester you will be asked to sign up for ONE of these times: 2/6 @ 8pm, 2/10 @ 7pm, or 2/13 @ 8 pm. Other scheduled Elluminate sessions are all optional. Please see http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/software/elluminate/students/ for more information about Elluminate. Attendance at a live orientation session provided by SLIS before this time is strongly encouraged; please see http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/software/elluminate/students/#signup for available times and dates.
Assignments
- You will do observations in a library and use its print resources to complete some of the assignments. It is assumed that students have access to a local public or academic library.
- You will be asked to enlist the help of family members or friends to complete a reference interview exercise.
- There are two major assignments for this course. In the first assignment you will create pathfinder (i.e., a guide) to resources on a given topic. This assignment demonstrates your ability to assess a user’s information need, use various genres of reference tools, and identify appropriate resources. For the second assignment, you will create a presentation on a topic related to your pathfinder topic. This assignment demonstrates your ability to conduct the basic steps of planning a simple instructional program and apply your creative powers to it. Further directions and due dates will be provided on Blackboard.
- You will be required to complete a variety of short exercises throughout the semester, some of which will be graded.
Class Participation
In addition, class participation will determine a significant portion of the final grade. Class participation includes:
- contributing to weekly discussions and postings in a timely fashion via the Blackboard discussion board;
- contributing to small group discussions and providing critiques of each other’s work.
Your posts to the discussion board should add real value to the discussion. For example, you should pull in something from the readings, highlight some aspect of the question that you find particularly significant, synthesize or critique what others have said, take the discussion in a new direction, or tell us about a personal experience. Your contributions help everyone, including yourself, to learn.
Grading
| Class participation | 30 points |
| Graded exercises (total points) | 20 points |
| Pathfinder | 35 points |
| Presentation | 15 points |
| TOTAL | 100 points |
Late Assignments
One-half point will be deducted each day for late assignments. You must discuss any exceptional situations with the instructor before the due date of assignments. Please see below for the policy on accommodations for disabilities.
Grading
The grade of B reflects high quality work commensurate with expectations for graduate students.
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.
Incompletes
Incompletes are only granted to students who have completed most of the work but must deal with an extended medical or family emergency. A firm completion date must be negotiated. Supporting documentation must be provided in a timely fashion.
Expectations
Students should check the Blackboard course site at least three times a week. You should budget 10 hours each week to complete the class. If you are new to Blackboard, you should work through the tutorials at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/blackboard/ before the semester begins; contact SLIS tech support if you have any questions.
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
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