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Textbooks | Course Requirements
Reminder: Students must self-enroll for this course on Blackboard. Students must self-enroll for this course on Blackboard between August 17 and August 26. You will be required to use a password access code which I will provide using the MySJSU Messaging system.
Course Description
This is a process-oriented course that examines how information professionals answer questions. This course emphasizes two central components of the reference process: 1). the interpersonal skills needed to determine the information desired by the inquirer; and 2). the reference sources and search techniques librarians employ to answer these questions.
Course Objectives
At the completion of the course, the student will:
- Be familiar with current issues pertaining to reference and information services, including such topics as the reference interview, bibliographic instruction, technology affecting the delivery of reference, and library-use patterns.
- Understand the problem-solving process reference librarians use in locating information.
- Identify the standard reference tools (including print, electronic and online sources) employed by librarians and other information professionals.
This course supports the School's first program goal "to prepare students...to function effectively as information management professionals in libraries, information centers, and related environments." It incorporates the program's objectives by:
- studying the major theories, important principles, and current practices of reference and information service;
- analyzing the communication process;
- examining information management, including the selection, organization, storage, retrieval, dissemination, and utilization of information sources; and
- applying these principles to a multiculturally diverse environment.
Textbooks
Required Text
Tomaiuolo, Nicholas. (2004). The Web Library: Building a world class personal library with free web resources. Medford, NJ: Information Today. (ISBN 0-910965-67-6)
Janes, Joseph. (2003) Introduction to reference work in the digital age. NY, NY :Neal-Schuman. (ISBN 1-55570-429-8)
Recommended Textbook
American Psychological Association. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. 5th ed. Washington, D.C. : APA.
This is the standard style manual used for the MLS program at SJSU.
Check Online Retailers such as
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Course Requirements
Onsite Sessions
This course meets onsite at the CSUF campus:
- Saturday 8/27 10:am-3pm CSUF Pollak Library BI Room 103
- Sat. 11/ 5 9am-3pm(PLS-68)
Attendance is required. Check Announcements and Calendar.
Web Based Instruction
The class will primarily be Web based using Blackboard. It will be necessary for students to self-enroll using the following URL: http://tigris.sjsu.edu/
This Blackboard self-enrollment process is in addition to the normal course registration. In other words you must be formally registered for the class prior to doing the Blackboard self-enrollment. Students must self-enroll for this course on Blackboard between August 17 and August 26. You will be required to use a password access code which I will provide using the MySJSU Messaging system.
You will post your assignments utilizing the Blackboard Assignment Manager. We will not be using the digital Drop Box section of Blackboard.
Attendance/Participation
Attendance at the onsite sessions is mandatory. Participation in online projects, in class and in Blackboard discussion forums is crucial to learning in the online environment.
Reading/viewing/listening to required materials will enhance your ability to participate in these discussions. Check Blackboard regularly for detailed assignments and updates.
General Expectations for Students
The instructor expects:
- Have the minimal home computing environment as described at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/ecommunication/homecomputing.htm
- Use a current virus protection program to scan all assignments before they are
submitted electronically to Blackboard, other students and to your instructor
- Enroll in Blackboard to receive communications from your instructor (http://tigris.sjsu.edu/)
- Submit selected assignments electronically. Use the following scheme for submitting files: [Course Number]_[Student's Last Name]_Assignment] Example: LIBR200_Tash_Research Paper
- Submit assignments by midnight of the due date. An assignment submitted after the due date may be subjected to a grade penalty.
- Create assignments using Microsoft Word and double space in no more than a 12-point font
- Consistently follow the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.) for formats, citations and references
- Avoid spelling, grammatical and syntactical errors
- Also join the school’s electronic list, SLISADMIN, to get official or administrative messages from SLIS. Find directions at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/ecommunication/electroniclists.htm or
choose Electronic Lists under the Computing pull-down menu on the SLIS Web site.
Assignments
The assignments for this course are:
- Online Discussions/Class Participation
Several of the class sessions will involve online discussions, assigned readings, onsite discussion, e-mail communication and your own research and writing. Participation is required.
- Reference Source Projects
These assignments are designed to assist you in becoming familiar with a variety of information sources and their uses. The source projects may be conducted as group assignments. Interactive assignments on specific reference tools and databases.
- Web site Evaluation Paper
- Issues Project (Onsite Oral Presentation)
For this project, pairs of students will select and research a topic related to a reference issue, prepare an annotated bibliography, and give a 5 to 10 minute presentation in class. We will form groups at our first onsite meeting. Be prepared with some ideas.
- E-Mail/ WWW-based Reference Service Evaluation Project
- Pathfinder Project
(You will submit enough copies for your classmates at last onsite meeting)
For this project, students will select a topic, then research, plan, and develop a pathfinder targeted for a specific user group of a specific library.
A pathfinder is a bibliographic tool designed to guide information seekers through the preliminary stages of research by helping them systematically locate information on a given topic using various types of resources available in a given library.
Grading
The assignments will contribute to your course grade as follows:
| Assignment |
Total Points |
| Ref Source projects |
40 |
| Pathfinder |
15 |
| Email Web Based Ref |
15 |
| Issues Project |
20 |
| Web Site Evaluation |
5 |
| Class Participation |
5 |
Grades for late assignments will be reduced by 10 percent.
Final grades will be based on the following grading scale established for graduate students by San Jose State University :
| 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 69 |
F |
Grading Policy/Papers
Everyone begins class with a grade of "B", the standard grade for graduate level work. Students who satisfactorily complete assignments on time; attend classes; and actively participate in class exercises and discussions (in class and in Blackboard discussion forums) will receive the "B" provided the quality of written work meets the rigorous scholarly standard
for the University.
In general, graduate work should exhibit clarity and be well written in a logical, coherent fashion.
Above standard work is defined as clearly displaying one or more of the following criteria:
- Originality in the approach to the assignment
- Greater depth of analysis than the written assignment expects
- Critical evaluation of readings comparing authors, sources or different viewpoints
- Ability to organize information for oneself and others plus create tools for lifelong learning and knowledge retrieval
Reasonable Accommodation of Disabilities
Students who need accommodation due to a disability must register with SJSU's Disability Resource Center (DRC) during the first three weeks of the semester. The Center will work with the students to determine the disability, document it, and determine the services and accommodations necessary for student success. Then, the DRC will contact the faculty member to determine the types of consideration necessary.
Students attending the Fullerton campus should first contact the Disability Resource Center in San José since they are SJSU students. The DRC will then direct the students to supporting resources on the Fullerton campus.
The DRC Web site: http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/
Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism
All assignments submitted must be your own work. Sources must be properly cited in papers as specified in class. The San Jose State University regulations governing plagiarism will be enforced. Those regulations may be found at:
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