LIBR 210 - 04
Reference & Information Services
Spring 2004

Scott Walter
swalter@slis.sjsu.edu
Office Hours: By appointment via Blackboard

GREENSHEET

Course Description | Course Objectives | Readings | Assignments | Format & Technical Requirements

About your Instructor

Course Description

This course is designed to present an overview of reference and information services in a variety of settings, including: methods and models of information service delivery, basic tools for reference and information services, and emergent trends in reference and information service.

The major topics are:

1. the historical evolution of reference and information service in libraries;

2. traditional and emergent models of reference and information service;

3. evaluation, selection, and use of general reference sources;

4. evaluation and management of reference collections and services;

5. issues in information technology and its impact on the provision of reference and information services; and,

6. specialized services often incorporated into reference and information service programs, including access services, instructional services, and government information services.

Return to top

Course Objectives

By the conclusion of this course, students will:

1. demonstrate familiarity with a number of basic reference sources in print and electronic format by providing answers to sample questions designed to utilize those sources;

2. demonstrate the ability to evaluate reference sources in a given area by identifying core resources for a field of study;

3. demonstrate the ability to evaluate reference and information services at the individual or programmatic level;

4. be introduced to a variety of approaches to providing reference and information service, both traditional and emergent;

5. become familiar with current trends and issues in reference and information service; and,

6. begin to explore various areas of professional specialty common to reference librarians (e.g., by subject, by function).

Program Objectives

This course supports the following School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) objectives:

1. SLIS supports an environment and curriculum that prepares students to function effectively in libraries, information centers, schools, and other relevant institutions.

2. SLIS contributes to the knowledge base of the information community by engaging in basic and applied research and communicating its results through faculty and student presentations, activities, and publications.

By the conclusion of this course, the student will:

1. become familiar with the major theories and principles that form the foundation of reference and information services;

2. be able to evaluate research related to the theory and practice of reference and information services;

3. demonstrate knowledge of current practices in information service, transfer, and management, including the selection, organization, storage, retrieval, dissemination and utilization of information resources; and,

4. understand the application of information technologies to information services.

Return to top

Readings and Other Course Materials

Required Texts:

Bopp, R. E., & Smith, L. C. (2001). Reference and information services: An introduction (3rd ed.). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

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

You may order the Bopp & Smith textbook directly from Libraries Unlimited, and you may order the Janes textbook directly from Neal-Schuman. You may also acquire them through Web-based vendors such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Additional Readings:

Additional course materials will be available through the Blackboard course site.

Core Journals:

Finally, you should begin to become familiar with professional journals that address reference and information service issues appropriate to your career plans, e.g.:

College & Research Libraries (Z671 .C6)*

Journal of Academic Librarianship (Z671 .J58)*

Medical Reference Services Quarterly (R118.2 .M4)*

Public Libraries (Z673.A5 .P88)*

Reference & User Services Quarterly (Z671 .R7)*

The Reference Librarian (Z711 .R43x)*

The call numbers listed above are drawn from the SJSU library catalog, but they should also help you locate materials, if available, at any academic library to which you may have access. Titles marked with an asterisk (*) show electronic access through the SJSU Electronic Journals List.

Discussion Lists:

Electronic discussion lists are an important part of professional dialogue and support for reference and information service librarians. All students in this class should subscribe to LIBREF-L, the largest electronic discussion list dedicated to issues in reference librarianship.

* Join LIBREF-L *

In addition to LIBREF-L, you will find a variety of electronic discussion lists dedicated to specific subject areas (e.g., history librarianship), to specialized service areas often administered as part of reference and information service programs (e.g., instructional services), and to the use of information technology as a means of delivering reference and information services. A sample of these additional lists can be found in the "External Links" section of the Blackboard course site.

Return to top

Course Assignments and Expectations

Class Participation (20%) - all students are expected to participate fully in the course. Active participation in all synchronous and asynchronous discussions is expected of all students, and each student is expected to maintain individual contact with the instructor regarding course requirements, concerns, etc. Participation in threaded discussions will be crucial to success in this course and will be evaluated using the "Guidelines for Critical Engagement" available in the "Course Documents" section of the Blackboard course site.

In addition to active participation, each student will be required to complete a number of assignments based on our study of reference and information sources and services. These assignments and their weight in determining your final grade for this course are as follows:

Reference Source Exercises (20%) - you will answer a number of sample reference questions using different tools. These short exercises are designed to help acquaint you with different types of reference tools (e.g., encyclopedias, indexes) and their use. You will also provide brief evaluations of the tool(s) used to answer each question. Assignments will be due on March 25th, April 8th, April 22nd, and May 6th.

Reference Interview Analyses (20%) - you will pose reference questions in different information environments and observe different approaches to reference and information service. This assignment is designed to help you begin turning a critical eye on reference services provided in person and in the Web-based environment through a combination of observation, interaction, and reflection. Analysis I (Face-to-Face) will be due on February 19th. Analysis II (digital reference) will be due on March 11th

Pathfinder (20%) - you will develop a guide to core reference materials (print and electronic) for a specific area of study. This assignment is designed to help you become familiar with a variety of information resources in an area of interest to you and to prepare you for typical professional responsibilities for reference collection development and instruction. This assignment will be due on May 14th.

Research Paper (20%) - You will write a 7-10 page paper on an issue related to reference and information services. This assignment is designed to introduce you to the scholarly and professional literature of reference librarianship and to provide you with an opportunity to explore an area of personal interest in greater depth while demonstrating the ability to evaluate, synthesize, and present information from a variety of sources. Proposal and working bibliography due April 26th. Final paper due on May 24th.

Detailed instructions for each assignment will be posted in the "Course Documents" section of the Blackboard course site.

Assignments must be submitted on their specified due dates. Any assignment turned in after the due date, without the permission of the instructor, will have its total score reduced by one letter grade. You must have permission from the instructor to submit your assignment late prior to the due date. Any assignment turned in more than one week after the deadline will not be accepted for grading, and a failing grade will be recorded (unless a student has received an extension from the instructor).

Correct usage of academic English, spelling, grammar, and composition are expected, and all sources should be cited according to the most recent (5th) edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. For further information, see the SLIS APA Style Resources page.

All assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) on the dates noted below.

Note: remember to regularly consult the Blackboard course site for any announced changes to assignments or due dates.

Academic Integrity

Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are strongly prohibited by university policy. All assignments turned in for grading must represent your own work, either individually or (when appropriate) as part of a group. Assignments suitable for group work will be noted explicitly. To help avoid questions, please be sure to cite all sources used for evaluative and research assignments.

For general guidelines designed to help you avoid plagiarism, see, for example, the University of North Carolina plagiarism tutorial.

For official San Jose State University policies regarding academic dishonesty, see:

• Academic Dishonesty Procedures (SJSU Class Schedule)

• University Policy F88-10

• University Policy S98-1 (amends F88-10)

• University Policy S02-4 (amends S98-1)

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.

Incompletes

A grade of "Incomplete" will be assigned only in cases of medical or family emergency.

Return to top

Course Format and Technical Requirements

Format

This is a Web-based course. All class activities will take place through the Blackboard course site, including asynchronous discussions and synchronous chat. When a synchronous chat has been scheduled, you will be alerted ahead of time to facilitate attendance.

Technical Requirements

You must have access to the following: Internet/World Wide Web access, Java-enabled Web browser, Microsoft Office (particularly Word and PowerPoint), and Adobe Acrobat Reader 5+.

You must be able to send and receive e-mail, including attachments. You should plan to check your e-mail and the Blackboard course site regularly for announcements.

For more detailed information, consult the SLIS home computing environment page.

Blackboard

You should enroll on the Blackboard site for the course between Saturday, January 24th and Thursday, January 29th.

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

Return to top

About Your Instructor

Scott Walter is currently the Interim Assistant Director for Public Services & Outreach at the Washington State University Libraries. Prior to this, he served WSU as the Interim Head of Library Instruction, and as Head of the George B. Brain Education Library. He has also served as a reference and information services librarian at The Ohio State University and at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Scott is an active member of the American Library Association, the Association of College & Research Libraries, and the American Educational Research Association (among others). He completed his M.L.S. at Indiana University, where he also completed an M.S. in History and Philosophy of Education. He has taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses at Indiana University, Indiana State University, Washington State University, and the University of Illinois.

There will be no specific online office hours set for this class, but your instructor will be available to answer questions submitted either through the Blackboard course site, or directly to swalter@slis.sjsu.edu. Please note that your instructor is on Pacific time, and that you should expect to receive a reply to any questions within 48 hours of receipt. Any extended absences that might affect response time will be announced through the Blackboard course site. You may also make an appointment to meet with me in the chat room available through the Blackboard course site.

Return to top