LIBR 230-10
Issues in Academic Libraries
Spring 2006 Greensheet
Renee Jefferson
E-mail
Office Hours: Blackboard, by appointment
| Course Links Greensheet Schedule |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials |
Course Materials | Course Requirements
The course will be ready on Wednesday, January 18th. The instructor will personally enroll you in the course by Wednesday, January 18th; after which, you will be able to access Blackboard.
Course Description
This course will investigate current issues that impact the functioning of the academic library. Topics covered will include issues related to social and political environments, clientele, services, collections, physical settings, financing and staffing, and future trends in the academic library sector.
Prerequisites: LIBR 200, 202, and 204.
Course Objectives
At the completion of the course, the student should be able to perform the following:
- Understand the role of academic libraries in post-secondary institutions.
- Examine critically concepts and issues related to academic libraries in post-secondary institutions.
- Analyze and evaluate critically research related to academic librarianship.
- Apply critical thinking and analytical methods to the solution of problems related to academic libraries.
The course supports the following School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) objectives:
- The principles and practices of management as specifically applied to information environments
- Requiring students to evaluate and utilize relevant research studies from a variety of disciplines in their coursework.
Course Materials
There is no required textbook.
Course materials will consist of information from the academic library literature. These materials will be posted in Blackboard.
Course Requirements
Course Format
This is a Web-based course. Blackboard will be used for all course activities.
- The course will be ready on Wednesday, January 18th.
- The instructor will enroll you in the course by Wednesday, January 18th; after which, you will be able to access Blackboard.
- Follow the instructions posted in the Announcements section.
Class Sessions
There are two MANDATORY class sessions:
- Friday, April 14th (9am – 5pm) and
- Saturday, April 15th (9am – 5pm).
The class sessions will be held at California State University, Fullerton in Pollack Library South, Room 68.
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, or you may schedule a time for me to telephone you.
Instructor Expectations
Students are expected to adhere to the following:
- Check e-mail and Blackboard daily for messages and announcements. Communication in an online course is essential.
- Submit all assignments by the specified due date and time. Instructions for each assignment are posted under the Assignments section of Blackboard. Points will be deducted for failure to follow directions. Any assignment submitted after the due date, without the permission of the instructor, will have its total score reduced by 10%. [Note: You must have permission from the instructor to submit your assignment late PRIOR to the due date.] Any assignment submitted more than one week after the deadline will not be accepted for grading, and a failing grade will be recorded; that is, unless a student has received an extension from the instructor. This is only fair to students who work to submit their assignments on time.
- Submit assignments that are free of spelling and grammatical errors. All sources must be correctly cited using the APA style manual.
- All assignments must be your own work. Sources must be properly cited in papers. The San Jose State University codes and rules governing plagiarism are in effect. Please refer to the following sites for specific information.
- Read the SJSU Academic Integrity Policy
http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.pdf
- Read the SJSU Academic Integrity Policy
- Work cooperatively on group assignments. Group work is an important 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.
- Identify a local academic library, preferably a CSU library, with a sizable reference collection. Plan to visit that library frequently throughout the semester. Although the course is conducted online, not all reference sources are readily available online.
- Know how to use Blackboard. See the Blackboard Tutorials and Resources for SLIS Instructors and Students located at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/blackboard/.
- 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 will be assigned only in cases of medical or family emergency. Medical or other proof will be required.
Assignments
Students are required to complete the following assignments:
- Case Study
The focus of the case study is an in-depth examination of an academic library. You will be required to select and provide a detailed analysis of an academic library. The analysis includes the following components: (1) the library description—50 points, (2) a needs assessment—100 points, and (3) the action plan—150 points. You will present the case study (100 points) at the April 14th and 15th site visits. These assignments will contribute 400 points toward your final course grade. - Academic Library Issues
The purpose of the academic library issues assignment is to give you an opportunity to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate literature related to traditional and contemporary issues in different types of academic library environments. Discussions will take place in the Blackboard’s Discussion Forum and at the site visits. The assignments will contribute 250 points toward your final course grade, each assignment contributing 50 points. These are individual and group assignments.- Groups. The number of students assigned to a will vary depending on the issue being discussed. Participation in the group is mandatory. Group members may terminate the membership of a student who does not participate in the activities defined by the group (e.g., meetings, tasks). If a student is terminated from a group, he/she WILL NOT receive credit for the assignment. No make-up or extra-credit assignment will be permitted for a terminated group member.
- Topic Paper
The focus of this paper is an examination of an academic library issue. You will be required to write a 7-10 page paper. You may focus on a historical or contemporary issue related to academic libraries. You will interview a currently employed academic librarian or administrator who can provide information regarding the issue you select. This is an individual assignment and it contributes 300 points toward your final course grade. - Class Participation
A variety of simulations and hands-on activities will be used during the semester. You must participant in all of the activities to receive full credit for class participation. Class participation contributes 50 points toward your final course grade.
Evaluation
The assignments will be evaluated using the following points and percentages scale:
| Assignments | Percent | Points |
| Case Study: Library Description | 5% | 50 |
| Case Study: Needs Assessment | 10% | 100 |
| Case Study: Action Plan | 15% | 150 |
| Case Study: Presentation | 10% | 100 |
| Academic Library Issues | 25% | 250 |
| Topic Paper | 30% | 300 |
| Class Participation | 5% | 50 |
| Total | 100% | 1000 |
Grading Scale
All graded assignments will be marked using one of the following letter grades.
| Letter Grade | Points |
| A+ | 1000 |
| A | 950 – 999 |
| A- | 900 – 949 |
| B+ | 850 – 899 |
| B | 800 – 849 |
| B- | 750 – 799 |
| C+ | 700 – 749 |
| C | 650 – 699 |
| C- | 600 - 649 |
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/
School of Library & Information Science
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Phone: 408-924-2490
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