LIBR 210-05
Reference & Information Services
Spring 2007 Greensheet
Scott Walter
E-mail
Office Hours: By appointment, via Blackboard
| Greensheet Links Textbooks and Readings Course Requirements About Your Instructor |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS e-Bookstore |
Students must self-enroll for this course on Blackboard during these dates: January 18-25. You will be required to use a password access code which I will provide using the MYSJSU Messaging system.
Course Description
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.
Full 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:
- the historical evolution of reference and information service in libraries;
- traditional and emergent models of reference and information service;
- evaluation, selection, and use of general reference sources;
- evaluation and management of reference collections and services;
- issues in information technology and its impact on the provision of reference and information services; and,
- specialized services often incorporated into reference and information service programs, including access services, instructional services, and government information services.
Course Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will:
- demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a reference interview;
- become familiar with current professional standards for professional performance of face-to-face and digital reference service
- have a working knowledge of core reference tools in a variety of fields; and
- become familiar with current issues and trends in reference and information services.
LIBR 210 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:
- use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users.
In addition, this section supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:
- articulate the ethics, values and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom;
- compare the environments and organizational settings in which library and information professionals practice;
- demonstrate proficiency in the use of current information and communication technologies, and other related technologies, as they affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information providing entities;
- demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations; and
- evaluate programs and services on specified criteria.
Textbooks and Readings
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.
Go to SLIS e-Bookstore.
Supplemental Texts
The following texts are not required for this course, but they elaborate on some of the issues we will examine. Students have often asked for suggestions for additional material, and the texts listed below are meant to meet that need. Each is an excellent text that interested students may wish to review at some point:
- Beagle, D. R. (2006). The information commons handbook. New York: Neal-Schuman.
- Grassian, E. S., & Kaplowitz, J. R. (2001). Information literacy instruction: Theory and practice. New York: Neal-Schuman.
- Lanning, S., & Bryner, J. (2004). Essential reference services for today's school media specialists. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
- Ronan, J. S. (2003). Chat reference: A guide to live virtual reference services. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Additional Readings
Additional course materials will be available through the Blackboard course site, or via the full-text electronic journal collection.
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)*
- Reference Services Review (Z1035.1 .R43)*
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.
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. Students may be especially interested in DIG_REF, the discussion list dedicated to digital reference services.
Course Requirements
Format
This is a Web-based course. All class activities will take place through the Blackboard course site, including asynchronous discussions. Students may also make use of group chat functions in order to facilitate completion of the case study assignment.
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+. 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. Finally, you may find that some resources and services will be easier to manage if you have access to a broad-band connection to the Internet, but all resources should be accessible even with a 56K dial-up service.
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. You are also responsible for assuring that your contact information in Blackboard is current and that messages sent to you through the Blackboard server are not being caught by your SPAM filter.
For more detailed information, consult the SLIS home computing environment page.
Blackboard
SLIS IT support personnel have created a "Blackboard Tutorials and Resources for SLIS Instructors and Students" site. It is located at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/blackboard/. Use the tutorial to learn how to set up and manage your Blackboard account.
Course Calendar
The assignments for this course are:
- 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" described in the individual course presentations and assignments available on 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:
- Article Reviews (20%)
You will provide concise, critical reviews of 2-3 articles on topics of current professional relevance and personal interest (e.g., social networking sites as a venue for reference service) to be shared with your classmates. Review I (Foundations of Reference Service) will be due on February 7th. Review II (Current Concerns in Reference Service) will be due on May 15th. - 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 14h. Analysis II (digital reference) will be due on March 7th. - 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 21st, April 4th, April 18th, and May 2nd. - 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 9th.
All assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) on the dates noted above.
Assignments may be submitted either through the Digital Drop Box in Blackboard, or by e-mail attachment to your instructor.
Detailed instructions for each assignment will be posted in the "Assignments" section of the Blackboard course site.
Submitting Assignments
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 point per day from the date due. 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 (http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/resources/apa.htm).
Incompletes
A grade of "Incomplete" will be assigned only in cases of medical or family emergency.
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 |
Office Hours
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 my e-mail address. Please note that your instructor is on Central 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.
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/
About Your Instructor
Scott Walter is currently Associate University Librarian for Services and Professor of Library Administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to this, he served as Assistant Dean of Libraries for Information & Instructional Services at the University of Kansas, and as Interim Assistant Director of Libraries for Public Services & Outreach at Washington State University.
Scott is an active member of the American Library Association and the Association of College & Research Libraries (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 also holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Washington State University. He has taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses at Indiana University, Indiana State University, Washington State University, the University of Kansas, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Phone: 408-924-2490
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