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Home - Course Web Pages - Spring 2007 - LIBR 210-10 Greensheet

LIBR 210-10
Reference and Information Services
Spring 2007 Greensheet

Steve Tash
E-mail
Phone: 949.683.7151 9am-9pm PST
Office Hours: E-mail, Telephone Appointments & Instant Messaging
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Reminder: Students must self-enroll for this course on Blackboard. Students must self-enroll for this course on Blackboard January 15-24, 2007. You will be required to use a password access code which I will provide using the MySJSU Messaging system.

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.

Course Objectives

LIBR 210 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

In addition, this section supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

  1. Be able to evaluate the quality, accuracy, comprehensiveness, timeliness, and utility of individual reference resources.
  2. Familiarize themselves with reference practice in the library and in digital/virtual settings.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of current trends and ongoing issues in reference and information service.
  4. Have a clear understanding of the reference process in various contexts and the skills required for conducting a successful reference interview.
  5. Understand reference service to diverse populations.
  6. Recognize the role of instruction in reference service.

Upon completion of course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the development of reference service and the basic concepts:

This course supports the following SLIS Learning Outcomes:

  1. Outcome: Students will know the similarities and differences of the reference interview both in a face2face situation and a digital/virtual environment; and identify state-of-the-art information technology and current models for the delivery of reference and information services.
    Assessment: All students will observe reference work and participate consciously in two types of reference interactions and submit a report on these experiences. 
  2. Outcome: Students will demonstrate in-depth understanding of current trends and issues in reference and information services and incorporate information competency skills (and search strategies) within a teaching component. Students will submit instruction presentations for classroom discussion and instruction.
    Assessment: All students will use instruction concepts and skill sets to showcase either an issue facing information professionals today or new or successful programs to serve special or unique populations. All students will be required to write critical essays, notes, and/or annotations, biographical sources evaluation project and produce presentations that identify various types of reference sources, including their characteristics and functions.
  3. Outcome: Students will be able to locate, evaluate and utilize reference resources and give examples of basic reference sources used in various types of libraries. Be able to develop a presentation that involves working through various facets of the reference process, including searching for useful information sources and developing skills in the analysis and evaluation of information sources. In addition they will discover theory-into-practice approaches to provide basic reference and information services.
    Assessment: All students will produce a Webliography Pathfinder (i.e. 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); complete a search strategy paper, reference project and reference issues essay.

Textbooks and Readings

Required Texts
This class does not have any required textbooks. All assigned readings will be available via Blackboard, university-provided databases, or the Web. All of the readings materials assigned for this class will be equally available regardless of student location.

Recommended Texts

Go to SLIS e-Bookstore.

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Course Requirements

Course Format
This class is conducted online through Blackboard.

Check Course BB Calendar for Exact Due Dates for Assignments.

Blackboard and Elluminate
Blackboard and Elluminate will be used extensively in this course. The Blackboard site for this class will open for self-enrollment on January 15.  I will provide you with a password access code using the MySJSU messaging system.  You should be enrolled by January 30, 2007(the end of the first week of classes).  As we will only meet face-to-face ONE time, a number of class discussions and activities will take place via Blackboard and Elluminate.  It is crucial that you log in every few days.  The SLIS Blackboard site is located at http://tigris.sjsu.edu and tutorials are available at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/blackboard. You will post your assignments utilizing the Blackboard Assignment Manager. We will not be using the digital Drop Box section of Blackboard.

General Expectations for Students:

Assignments

  1. Digital Reference Interview Evaluation and Face to face Reference interview Evaluation
    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. Project value = 10 points.

  2. Instruction Session Presentation
    This project is designed to assist the student in developing expertise in instructing library patrons in a user-friendly, electronically-based format. Students whose last name begins with A-L will develop Bibliographic Instruction (aka BI) lesson #A below while those whose last name begins with M-Z will develop Bibliographic Instruction (aka BI) lesson #B below:

    1. Each student (last name A-L) will be responsible for choosing ONE electronic JOURNAL database and teaching its use to the class. The project will involve learning about the database in depth and preparing a product to be used in instructing others in its use. The product may be a printed handout or a web-based product that can be used with a browser and your PowerPoint presentation to teach your classmates. I suggest you utilize SJSU Library Online Database collection, ALISE collection for SLIS or your local public or college library. I will set up a DB forum for you to post your DB TITLE. This will be a first-come first-serve assignment. First one to post their selection to DB forum will be ONLY student to develop a Bi for that tool. All students working on this project must check the Db forum to verify their title NOT selected already. Concepts to keep in mind during the preparation of this product are the purpose of the database, the audience for which it is intended, the type of library in which it will be used, and the scope of the instruction (beginner, advanced, professional, etc.). Also, critical analysis of the resource and its comparison to other resources, whether electronic or in print, will increase the relevance of the exercise. This instruction session is designed to assist you in identifying and describing information sources generally located in reference departments. It will also assist you in comprehending and applying library instruction concepts. You will design and develop instructional materials for a specific library user group (i.e. new professional librarian or information specialist). You will be required to post a PowerPoint presentation and a copy of your instructional materials to the Virtual Instruction discussion board.

      OR

      Students whose last name begins with M-Z will develop Bibliographic Instruction (aka BI) lesson #B below:

    2. Each student (last name M-Z) will be responsible for choosing one Library User Group. You will pretend you are the director of this particular library agency and you have recently hired new staff, it is your responsibility to train these staff members with the major reference tools for your library and/or information center. The project will involve learning about the particular library in depth and preparing a product or handout to be used in instructing these new staff members in the use of the ONE major PRINT or ELECTRONIC reference (non Journal database) resource in this collection. The product may be a printed handout or a web-based product that can be used with a browser and your PowerPoint presentation to teach your classmates. Concepts to keep in mind during the preparation of this product are the purpose of this specialized collection, the audience for which it is intended, the type of library in which it will be used, and the scope of the instruction (beginner, advanced, professional, etc.). Also, critical analysis of the resource and its comparison to other resources, whether electronic or in print, will increase the relevance of the exercise. You will be required to post a PowerPoint presentation and a copy of your instructional materials to the Virtual Instruction discussion board. This instruction session is designed to assist you in identifying and describing information sources generally located in reference departments. It will also assist you in comprehending and applying library instruction concepts. You will design and develop instructional materials for a specific library user group (hint: you design the library scenario, setting, staffing, physical facility, etc.). Many of the groups below are fictional so use them as appropriate to start your strategy. I am not going to provide too many more details as I wish to grade your intuitiveness and inventiveness. Visit the “type” of library either in person or electronically if possible to get an idea about collection highlights. Communicate with a staff member at this particular “library user”group facility.
    Library User Group Options:
    Law Library
    Los Angeles Times Newspaper Archives
    USC Ethnic Studies Library
    Getty Museum Art Library
    Chapman University-Business Library
    Los Angeles Public Library Music Dept.
    LAPL Social Sciences Dept.
    UCSB Literature and Humanities Library
    CSUF Web Librarian
    Museum of Modern Art Digital Library (any major city)
    Government Documents Collection (University of California, Irvine)
    Public Library (Children)
    Public Library (Young Adult)
    High School Library (typical suburan)
    UCLA Education Library
    UCLA Undergraduate Library Gen.Reference Desk
    Community College Library
    Elementary School Library (San Diego Unified School District)
    University Medical Center Library (graduate and staff only)
    Loma Linda University medical center Public Access Library(open to public and faculty & staff)
    JPL (Jet Propulsion lab) Library
    UC Berkeley Psychology Library (Undergraduate)

    The materials will be used for your instruction session presentation. You will be required to post a PowerPoint presentation and a copy of your instructional materials to the Virtual Instruction discussion board. The instructional materials contribute 10 points toward your final course grade, and the presentation contributes 10 points for a total of 20 points. This is an individual assignment. The purpose of this assignment is to introduce students to the methodical evaluation of electronic reference resources and to facilitate the development of their instructional skills. Grading will be based on the quality of both the presentation and the finished product.

  3. Webliography
    Create a high quality Web pathfinder. Use several search engines and Web indexes [e.g., Librarian’s Index to the Internet (http://lii.org) or Internet Public library (http://ipl.org) to search for Web Sites on your webliography topic. The Webliography has 2 parts. Part 1: Create a 1-2 page Webliography with 7-10 of the best web sites you found. Use the evaluation criteria provided in class and in your assigned reading. Avoid commercial sites (.com). Use no cover page, put the title of your webliography on the top of the 1st page along with your name and class name, number and term (i.e. Spring 07), followed by a brief paragraph of introduction to the topic. Then, in alphabetical order (or in another order that makes sense to you), list the Web site names, complete URLs, and a brief annotation (20-30 words) with critical comments (one to two sentences) for each site. Be creative, use graphics and/or color if possible. You can make it a PowerPoint presentation. Part 2: On a separate page 1) briefly describe the user population you have designed your webliography to serve (e.g., academic, public, age level, etc.). 2) List the search engines/Web indexes you used with a paragraph or two on an evaluation of your search, describing any problems you encountered in compiling the webliography and how you solved them. If you encountered no problems, provide a paragraph or two on your search strategy, what worked, what did not work, and comparing the search engines/Web indexes. Webliographies will be graded on the quality of the sites selected, presentation and overall appearance, quality of annotations for each site, suitability of sites selected for user audience described, and quality of description of problems/search strategy.

  4. Reference Project - Ready Reference
    Read outside readings and examine as many ready reference resources described as possible, noting their organization and indexing. Choose 4 ready reference resources from the list below, including one in both paper and electronic versions, plus these 3 resources: Books in Print, the literature resource center (Gale), and the World Almanac & Book of Facts. For each of these 7 sources, browse the resource and look up a few questions you would deem appropriate as per your readings. In a well-organized essay, of 5-6 pages discuss the following questions: What types of questions would each resource answer? What features and search capabilities you like or dislike about each? Which were easiest to use? Compare subscription databases to free Web resources. Describe your experience. Discuss pros and cons of each. Compare the features of print vs. electronic for the resources examined in both formats. Provide an annotated bibliography in APA Style with complete citations for the paper resource, list name and URL for electronic resources. An annotated bibliography is an alphabetical list of resources with a brief descriptive summary for each (25-50 words). Ready Reference paper will be graded on quality of description of each source, depth of comparison of features, analysis of usefulness of resource, comparison of print vs. electronic resource, and quality of the annotations, and organization.

    Must examine these THREE resources:
    • Books in Print with Reviews (e-resource) http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/resources/databases.htm
    • Literature Resource Center (Gale) (e-resource)
    • World Almanac & Book of Facts (E-resource - Fulltext availalbe in Academic Search Premier(2000-present))
    Plus your choice of four of these (including one paper and electronic version comparison):
    • Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations (http://www.bartleby.com/100) or print edition
    • Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus (http://www.m-w.com/). Free e-version; do not input your credit card information.
    • Merck Manual of Medical Information Second Home Edition (http://www.merck.com/pubs/).
    • Roget’s Thesaurus (http://www.thesaurus.com).
    • FedStats (http://www.fedstats.gov) print version Statistical Abstract of the United States.
    • Occupational Outlook Handbook   http://www.bls.gov/oco/ (Print version)
    • Zip Code Look-Up (http://www.usps.com/ncsc/ziplookup/lookupmenu.htm)
    • Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory (E-resource) http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/resources/databases.htm
    • ARBA Online (E-resource)

    This assignment is designed to assist you in becoming familiar with a variety of information sources and their uses.  This assignment will help familiarize students with the varieties of reference sources available and to develop their skills at critically evaluating different sources.
    This Assignment is worth 25 points.

  5. Reference Issues
    The reading and understanding of articles in the professional periodical literature of library science is a must for all librarians.  To assist in familiarizing students in the L.I.S. literature, you must choose an article from one of the major library periodicals (C&RL, RUSQ, JAL, Public Libraries, Special Libraries, Reference and User Services Quarterly, The Reference Librarian and Reference Services Review, Information Today, ONLINE, Searcher and other research/database trade press journals, etc.) that focuses on some aspect of reference service OR trends in providing service to a diverse population group (i.e. Prison libraries, shut-in service, vision-impaired, hard of hearing & deaf, Native Americans, recent immigrants, Senior Citizen, Non-English speaking, etc . The article should be grounded in research, although it need not be technical in nature. 

    The summary should be no more than two pages in length with all margins set at 1 inch and the font size set at 12 (Times New Roman preferred but not required).  The paper should begin with a complete citation of the article in an appropriate APA format.  The entire summary, including the citation, should be double-spaced.  In addition to summarizing the article, you should include a critical analysis of the article, paying special attention to its assumptions, methodology if important, and conclusions.   

    The Reference issues assignment is designed with several purposes in mind:
  1. Biographical Sources Evaluation
    Choose a famous person alive or dead and find information about this person in THREE (3) different biographical sources (print or electronic) (do not use monographs). Discuss difficulty/ease in locating information and any differences you came across in terms of coverage among the resources. Do not describe the person but your search strategy and the similarities and differences between the resources. 1-2 page text with additional title page and a separate reference page (APA format). Project value = 5 points.

  2. Search Strategy Paper
    (6-7 pages, including title and references page, annotated bibliography). Search for journal articles (NO BOOKS, NO NEWSPAPERS, and NO WEBSITES) in several
    Journal indexes on your research topic as if you were doing a 15-25 page research paper. The Search Strategy paper must be in essay format and have 5 parts (part 6 optional):
    1. Statement of your search topic. The topic should be one in which you are interested, but which is of a scholarly nature, so that you will be able to find information about it in journal indexes as well as on the Web. It should not be too broad (e.g., India) nor too narrow (e.g., History of SLIS Program). Do not choose a famous person, although a literary or historical genre that is not too broad is acceptable. Choose a topic that has a combination of at least 2 concepts (e.g., reference desk assessment, service excellence in academic libraries, or diet plans for weight loss rather than assessment, service excellence, or weight loss).
    2. Description of the process you used to locate the articles. How did you approach the search? What was your strategy? Was your strategy successful? Why? What did you do 1st, 2nd, etc. and why? Did you ask for help? When and why? Was help "helpful"? Why or why not? What would have been helpful? Would you approach the search in the same way were you to do it over?
    3. An evaluation of the search features of the indexes you used. Were they easy or difficult to use? What search features were helpful and why? What improvements could be made? How did the 4-5 indexes you used compare?
    4. A reference page (not annotated, APA style) of the 15 "best" articles, the ones you would obtain and read for this mythical paper. Note at the end of each article citation the name of the journal index that you found it in.
    5. Attach an annotated bibliography (non APA) of the indexes you used after the references page. Annotations should be between 25-35 WORDS. Search strategy papers will be graded on quality of description/analysis of search strategy protocol; quality and depth of evaluation of search features of selected resources; relevance of articles selected; variety, number and appropriateness of indexes used; and quality of annotations for each index. Project worth = 20 points.
    6. Extra Credit! If you are able to find and use one of your indexes in print as well as electronic format, include a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of print and electronic resources. Extra credit given for inclusion of this section.*

  
Class Participation
A portion of the overall grade is allocated for class participation.  For the purposes of this class, participation includes thoughtful contribution to online discussions and other activities (online), assigned readings, e-mail communication and your own research and writing and demonstration that you are making an effort to master the material covered in this course. 

Grading
Summary of assignments and their worth:

Assignment % of final grade
Face2Face Interview and Digital Interview 10%
Reference Project-Ready Reference 20%
Web Pathfinder 15%
Instruction Session Presentation 20%
Biographical Sources Evaluation 5%
Reference issues 5%
Search Strategy paper 20%
Class participation 5%

More details on the assignments, and a list of due dates, will be provided in Blackboard.

Evaluation
your work will be evaluated according to four criteria; it should:

Late Assignments
Grades for late assignments will be reduced by 10% PER DAY.

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

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:

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/

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