LIBR 210-12
Reference and Information Services
Spring 2005

Dr. Susan Tschabrun
E-mail
Office Hours by appointment via Blackboard

GREENSHEET

| Textbooks | Course Format/Technology Requirements | Course Requirements |
Grading Policy | Instructor Expectations | Accommodation of Disabilities |

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

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Understand the nature of the reference process and the
   communication skills required to determine the user's real question and the information problem.
2. Have a working knowledge of the standard reference tools involved in answering users' questions and be able to evaluate the value and appropriateness of those tools in different information settings.
3. Be familiar with current issues pertaining to reference and information services, including digital reference, special populations, instruction and information literacy, and the future of the reference profession.

Program Goals and Objectives

This course supports the School's 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 theories and principles to a multiculturally diverse environment.

Required Texts

Katz, William A. (2002) Introduction to Reference Work, vol. 1. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Janes, Joseph. (2003) Introduction to reference work in the digital age. New York: Neal-Schuman.

The Katz text is available from amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. The Janes text can be purchased directly from the publisher at http://www.neal-schuman.com/db/9/279.html or from amazon.com.

Other assigned readings are available on the course reading list.

Recommended texts include:

Bopp, R.E. and Smith, L.C. (2001) Reference and Information Services:An introduction (3rd edition). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Lanning, S., & Bryner, J. (2004) Essential reference services for today’s school media specialists. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Top of Page

Course Format and Technology Requirements

This is a Web-based course with only one in-person meeting scheduled for Saturday, February 5, 2005 10:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Cal State Fullerton Pollak Library north PN-303. Attendance at the in-person meeting on 2/5/05 is required. The bulk of our interactions will take place online in the Blackboard course site, which will be available for students to enroll in between January 22 and January 26, 2005, if not before.

To succeed in this online course, you must have the following:

• A Blackboard account (instructions and tutorial available at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/blackboard/)
• An e-mail account that allows you to send and receive attachments.
• Internet access and an up-to-date Web browser
• Microsoft Office (Word and PowerPoint)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader 5+

In addition, you may find that some chat-based, digital reference services are more likely to work if you are using a PC and Internet Explorer.

Top of Page

Course Requirements

Read the SJSU Academic Integrity Policy
http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.pdf

1. Reference Observation Paper (15% of final grade)
2. Reference Sources Evaluations and Reference Question Challenges (25% of final grade)
3. Pathfinder Assignment (20% of final grade)
4. Digital Reference Exercises (20% of final grade)
5. Class Participation (20% of final grade)

Full assignment instructions, including assignment objectives, submission instructions, and grading rubrics are available on Blackboard under Assignments.

Top of Page

Grading Policy

This course will follow the University recommended grading scale for graduate students.

University Recommended Grading Scale for Graduate Students:

Late assignments will not be accepted unless previously approved by the instructor.

It is the responsibility of the student to keep copies of all submitted assignments and all graded materials returned to the student by the instructor until grades are officially issued.

Incompletes will be assigned only in cases of medical or family emergency. Medical or other proof will be required.

Top of Page

Instructor Expectations

1. Communication in an online course is essential. Plan to check your e-mail and Blackboard at least two times per week for messages or announcements.
2. All assignments must be submitted by the due date. Assignment instructions should be followed exactly; points will be deducted for failure to follow directions. Students are expected to submit assignments that are free of spelling and grammatical errors. All sources must be correctly cited using the APA style manual.
3. Group work is a 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.
4. Although the course is conducted online, not all reference sources are readily available online. It is essential that each student identify a local academic library, preferably a CSU library, with a sizable reference collection and plan to visit that library frequently throughout the semester.

Top of Page

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 Jose 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/

Top of Page