LIBR 210
Reference and Information Services
Summer 2003

Professor Steve Tash
travelstudy@yahoo.com
Voice: 949-951-0688


Course Links

Greensheet

Course Outline

Assignments

Resources

 

GREENSHEET


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 should be able to perform the following:

  1. demonstrate familiarity with a number of basic reference sources in various types of formats by efficiently and independently providing answers to sample questions designed to utilize those sources;
  2. identify the various types of reference sources, including their characteristics and functions;
  3. comprehend theoretical concepts and techniques that support the provision of reference and information services;
  4. apply theory-into-practice approaches to provide basic reference and information services; and
  5. identify state-of-the-art information technology and current models for the delivery of reference and information services.


Program Goals and Objectives
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:

  1. studying the major theories, important principles, and current practices of reference and information service;
  2. analyzing the communication process;
  3. examining information management, including the selection, organization, storage, retrieval, dissemination, and utilization of information sources; and
  4. applying these principles to a multiculturally diverse environment.



Course Materials

Textbook (required)
Bopp, Richard E., & Smith, Linda C. (2001). Reference and Information Services: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited. [You may order the textbook from Libraries Unlimited. The telephone number is 1-800-225-5800. The address for their web site is www.lu.com.] Check CSUF Bookstore as well as Online Retailers such as http://www.barnesandnobel.com
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.varsitybooks.com

Additional course materials will be available through Blackboard.


Course Format
This is a web-based course. There are two MANDATORY class sessions: Thursday July 31 and August 1 Friday. We will use Blackboard for all course activities.

Blackboard
Enroll in the Blackboard site for this class as soon as possible.

Stanley Laufer, the SLIS Network Administrator, has created a Blackboard Tutorials and Resources for SLIS Instructors and Students. It is located at http://witloof.sjsu.edu/blackboard/. Use the tutorial to learn how to set up your Blackboard account.

Requirements
You must have access to the following: Internet/World Wide Web, Microsoft Office (particularly Word and PowerPoint), and Adobe Acrobat Reader 5+. (See the software download page for information on how to obtain these)
You must be able to send and receive e-mail, including attachments. You will need to check your e-mail and Blackboard daily for announcements.

Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is strongly prohibited by the University Policy. For detailed university policy, see http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/de/problems/plagiarism.htm. If student work has been plagiarized, the instructor has the right to assign an “F” grade for the course.

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. You may call me at work anytime at (949) 951-0688 or send email to: stash@saddleback.edu or travelstudy@yahoo.com.

 

 


This page is part of The School of Library & Information Science at San José State University.
It is maintained by slisweb@wahoo.sjsu.edu.
It was last updated on May 16, 2003