LIBR 234-10
Intellectual Freedom Seminar
Summer 2007 Greensheet
Carrie Gardner
E-mail
| Greensheet Links Textbooks and Resources Course Requirements |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS e-Bookstore |
Please check MySJSU Messaging for information about Blackboard enrollment.
Course Description
Focuses on current intellectual freedom issues and the centrality of intellectual freedom to librarianship.
Course Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, the student will:
- Understand the concept of patron privacy and be familiar with relevant state and federal laws.
- Understand how the First Amendment and numerous laws relate to Libraries and patron access to information.
- Know the philosophical underpinnings of selection and censorship of library resources.
- Understand how Internet Filtering software influences access to information.
- Define Intellectual Freedom and understand how the American Library Association illustrates it’s existence in library service
LIBR 234 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;
- recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use.
In addition, this section supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:
- contribute to the cultural, economic, educational and social well-being of our communities.
Textbooks and Resources
Required Textbook
Intellectual Freedom Manual, 7th edition. American Library Association. amazon.com.
It is also available from the American Library Association at 800-545-2433.
IFACTION
Everyone in the class will be monitoring IFACTION, a news-only, no-discussion e-list of the Intellectual Freedom Action Network (IFAN) and the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) of the American Library Association.
- To Subscribe to IFACTION
- Send a message to listproc@ala.org
- Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message, type:
subscribe ifaction yourfirstname yourlastname
- To Unsubscribe from IFACTION
- send a message to listproc@ala.org
- Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message, type:
unsubscribe ifaction
- To Receive IFACTION in Digest Form
To receive ALA e-lists in digest form, send the following command as the only text in an e-mail message to listproc@ala.org. Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message, type:
set NAMEOFELIST mail digest
Information from the IFaction posts should be used in assignments and discussion board posts. It is NOT necessary to read all of the posts. Students are encouraged to review the title of the posts and read only those that pertain to the topic of this course.
Course Requirements
Blackboard
This course will be conducted using the Blackboard Software. Registration information will be posted via MySJSU Messaging. The blackboard software will be available by May 31, 2007. If you would like a head start, secure the textbook and read pages 55-211.
Communication
Because this class is delivered entirely online, below are some helpful hints to facilitate communication.
- My cell phone number is in the Blackboard software. Please do not hesitate to call me.
- There are no required chat times for this class.
- If you e-mail me and do not have an answer within 36 hours, please e-mail or call again. When I teach an online class, I read my e-mail many, many times a day. I am very prompt in answering it. If you have not received an answer, that means I didn't receive the e-mail. Please e-mail or call again. I have taught online classes for the last 7 years and I know that sometime e-mails are lost.
- Please use the email subject line: SJSU
- Please check the accuracy of your email address programmed into the Blackboard Software. When I need to email you, I use the address blackboard has on record.
- I encourage you to log into the blackboard software at least once every 3 to 4 days. This will allow you to keep current with my announcements and with the class discussions.
Assignments
Detailed information about each assignment is in Blackboard.
| Assignment | Points | Date Available to Students in Blackboard | Date Due | Filename for Dropbox |
| Library Bill of Rights | 20 | June 4, 2007 | June 24, 2007 | Yourlastname.lbr |
| Librarian Interview | 20 | June 4, 2007 | August 12, 2007 | Yourlastname.interview |
| Resource Selection Policy | 15 | June 17, 2007 | July 8, 2007 | Yourlastname.selection |
| Filter Assignment | 15 | July 1, 2007 | July 22, 2007 | Yourlastname.filter |
| Privacy and Confidentiality | 15 | July 15, 2007 | August 5, 2007 | Yourlastname.privacy |
| Class Participation via Blackboard Discussion Board |
15 | All Semester | All Semester |
You are welcome to express opinions but in order to gain all of the class participation points, posts should include examples from the literature and real libraries. In depth discussion of the issues should be obvious.
Readings will be posted under the Assignments button.
Helpful Hints
- Please submit all assignments via the dropbox feature in the Blackboard software. Please note: It is possible to place an assignment in the dropbox and not send it to the instructor. Please take care to send it to me. See the Blackboard Tutorial for instructions.
- After I grade an assignment, I post the grade in the gradebook feature of Blackboard and return an electronic file with my comments via the dropbox. Please check there for my feedback. I use the Word comments feature. When you retrieve the file I returned, open it and look for words highlighted by a color. If you hold the cursor over the highlighted words my comments will become visible.
- I only enter the dropbox when I am retrieving assignments or sending them back. Please do not place questions for me there.
- I reserve the right to deduct points for grammar issues, poor spelling and late work.
- You are welcome to submit assignments anytime before or on the due date.
- Please use the APA Style manual for all citations.
Grading
Usually I grade on the weekends, so grades are available the weekend after the assignment is due.
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 |
Presenting the Course Using A Constructivist Approach
Constructivist learning is based on the student's active participation in problem solving. Students construct their own knowledge by testing ideas and approaches based on past knowledge, experiences and new concepts. The social interaction of class and team members will add to the experiences as the student constructs their learning. Learning is assessed through performance based projects. The teacher acts as a guide for the students in their learning.
Many people find the topic of intellectual freedom controversial. It is expected that all students will respect the opinions of their fellow students by debating opinions and facts while avoiding personal attacks.
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.
Cheating
At SJSU, cheating is the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for academic work through the use of any dishonest, deceptive, or fraudulent means. Cheating at SJSU includes but is not limited to:
- Copying in part or in whole, from another's test or other evaluation instrument;
- Submitting work previously graded in another course unless this has been approved by the course instructor or by departmental policy;
- Submitting work simultaneously presented in two courses, unless this has been approved by both course instructors or by departmental policy;
- Altering or interfering with grading or grading instructions;
- Sitting for an examination by a surrogate, or as a surrogate; any other act committed by a student in the course of his or her academic work which defrauds or misrepresents, including aiding or abetting in any of the actions defined above.
Plagiarism
At SJSU plagiarism is the act of representing the work of another as one's own (without giving appropriate credit) regardless of how that work was obtained, and submitting it to fulfill academic requirements. Plagiarism at SJSU includes but is not limited to:
- The act of incorporating the ideas, words, sentences, paragraphs, or parts thereof, or the specific substances of another's work, without giving appropriate credit, and representing the product as one's own work; and
- representing another's artistic/scholarly works such as musical compositions, computer programs, photographs, painting, drawing, sculptures, or similar works as one's own.
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/
One Washington Square - San José, California USA, 95192-0029
Phone: 408-924-2490
Contact the webmaster
