LIBR 210-12
Reference & Information Services
Summer 2008 Greensheet
Renee Jefferson
E-mail
Office Hours: Blackboard, by appointment
| Greensheet Links Textbooks and Readings Course Requirements |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS eBookstore |
Blackboard will be used extensively in this course. The Blackboard site for this class will open for self-enrollment on Tuesday, May 28. I will provide you with a password access code using the MySJSU messaging system. You should be enrolled by June 6, 2008 (the end of the first week of classes). 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.
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 Prerequisites: LIBR 202
Course Objectives
Learning Outcomes
At the completion of the course, the student should be able to perform the following:
- give examples of basic reference sources used in various types of libraries.
- identify various types of reference sources, including their characteristics and functions.
- describe theoretical concepts and techniques that support the provision of reference and information services.
- discover theory-into-practice approaches to provide basic reference and information services.
- identify state-of-the-art information technology and current models for the delivery of reference and information services.
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:
- demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations;
- retrieve, evaluate and synthesize scholarly and professional literature for informed decision-making by specific client groups.
Textbooks and Readings
Required Textbooks
- 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, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and neal-schuman.com.
Additional course required readings will be available in Blackboard.
Recommended Textbooks
The SLIS eBookstore contains several reference textbooks. You may use any of these textbooks to supplement the textbook for this course.
Course Requirements
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used extensively in this course. The Blackboard site for this class will open for self-enrollment on Tuesday, May 28. I will provide you with a password access code using the MySJSU messaging system. You should be enrolled by June 6, 2008 (the end of the first week of classes). 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.
Office Hours
I will not set specific online hours. I will be available to answer questions Monday through Friday. You should have a response to your questions within 48 hours. You may also make an appointment to meet with me in the chat room that is available in Blackboard, or you may schedule a time for me to telephone you.
Expectations
Students are expected to adhere to the following:
- Check email and Blackboard daily for messages and announcements. Know how to use Blackboard. See the Blackboard Tutorials and Resources for SLIS Instructors and Students located at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/blackboard/.
- Communication in an online course is essential. Be an active participant in class discussions and activities. Class discussions and activities are integral components of the course.
- Work cooperatively on group assignments. Group work is an important component of this course. If a member of a group is not contributing his or her fair share, please inform the instructor as soon as possible.
- Submit all assignments by the specified due date and time. Instructions for each assignment are posted under the Assignments section of Blackboard. Points will be deducted for failure to follow directions. Any assignment submitted after the due date, without the permission of the instructor, will have its total score reduced by 10%. [Note: You must have permission from the instructor to submit your assignment late PRIOR to the due date.] Any assignment submitted more than one week after the deadline will not be accepted for grading, and a failing grade will be recorded; that is, unless a student has received an extension from the instructor. This is only fair to students who work to submit their assignments on time. Extra credit assignments are not available. Incompletes will be assigned only in cases of medical or family emergency. Medical or other proof will be required.
- Submit assignments that are free of spelling and grammatical errors. All sources must be correctly cited using the APA style manual.
- It is the responsibility of the student to maintain a copy of all graded and returned materials for use as evidence in any question that might arise regarding the final grade in the course.
- Identify a local academic library, preferably a CSU library, with a sizable reference collection. Plan to visit that library frequently throughout the course. Although the course is conducted online, not all reference sources are readily available online.
Assignments
Detailed instructions for the following assignments will be provided in Blackboard.
- Reference Desk Shadowing Exercise (Learning Outcomes 3 & 4): Observing the activities at a reference desk helps you better understand the nature of reference work. You will spend a few hours shadowing an on-duty reference librarian at a reference desk of your choice, and submit a report recording the shadowing experience and reflecting upon it.
- Reference Sources Exercises (Learning Outcomes 1 & 2): Knowledge of reference resources and skills in effectively searching and evaluating them are one of the core competencies of reference work. Thus, you will complete a series of exercises to practice your skills in selecting, searching and evaluating reference and information resources discussed in class.
- Subject-specific Reference Sources Presentation (Learning Outcomes 1 & 2): This is a group assignment. The class will be split into several groups and each group is responsible for delivering a virtual presentation on reference resources in a specific subject area. This assignment will further your knowledge of reference sources as well as practice your instructional skills.
- Pathfinder (Learning Outcomes 1, 2, & 3): 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 assist you in working 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.
- Reference Service Evaluation Exercises (Learning Outcomes 4 & 5): Evaluating reference and information services from the user’s perspective gives you a more complete view on reference service provision. You will participate as a user in three reference transactions via different media (face-to-face, email and chat), and submit a report evaluating your experiences.
- Engagement and participation (Learning Outcomes 3, 4 & 5): Engagement and participation in class will reflect: (1) your individual responses to course content and questions posted by the instructor; (2) your responses to your colleagues’ postings; and (3) your involvement in discussion threads throughout the semester. Part of the graduate education experience is to help you learn how to present information with support, and not simply say "Well, I think that…." This also applies to agreeing with someone; the statement "I agree" should be presented with support.
Evaluation
| Assignments | Points |
| Reference Desk Shadowing Exercise | 15 |
| Reference Sources Exercise | 30 |
| Subject-specific Reference Sources Presentation | 15 |
| Pathfinder | 15 |
| Reference Service Evaluation Exercise | 15 |
| Engagement and Participation | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
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
