LIBR 256-10
Archives and Manuscripts
Summer 2007 Greensheet
Jennifer Martinez Wormser
E-mail
Office Location: Off Campus
Office Hours: Before and after each class meeting or by appointment
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Textbooks and Readings | Course Requirements
Students must self-enroll in this course via Blackboard before the first day of class. The instructor will send an access code via the MySJSU system.
Mission of the School of Library and Information Science
In support of the San José State University mission, the School of Library and Information Science educates professionals to address the information needs of their community, the nature of information and its uses and its supporting technologies through teaching, research, service, and leadership.
Course Description
This class will provide an introduction to the theory and practice of managing manuscript and archival collections, including personal papers, institutional records, photographs, electronic records, and other unpublished materials. Topics covered include manuscript and records acquisition, appraisal, arrangement, description, reference, management and preservation.
Prerequisites: LIBR 200, 202, 204
Course Objectives
Student Learning Objectives
This course strives to teach the principles, theories and current practices of managing and understanding archival and manuscript material so that by the end of the semester students should have an understanding of the following:
- The foundations of archival theory;
- Fundamental archival skills and methods in the management of archival and manuscript material;
- The application of diverse technologies to the management of archival and manuscript material to further intellectual control and access;
- Preservation standards and techniques;
- Advocacy and leadership in the archival profession and its future.
These learning objectives will be achieved through the following methods:
- Completion and comprehension of the assigned readings;
- Participation in class discussion and activities (both online and in person);
- Successful completion of six writing assignments/projects;
- Successful completion of one critical paper of 20-25 pages on an aspect of archival theory, practices, history, or principles.
LIBR 256 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;
- recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use;
- use the basic concepts and principles related to the creation, evaluation, selection, acquisition, preservation and organization of specific items or collections of information;
- understand the system of standards and methods used to control and create information structures and apply basic principles involved in the organization and representation of knowledge.
Textbooks and Readings
Textbooks
The four books listed below form the core of the class readings and will serve as standard references on your professional bookshelf for many years to come. Used copies online tend to be scarce; the most efficient way of procuring them is to order through the Publications Catalog of the Society of American Archivists (www.archivists.org). Alternatively, A Modern Archives Reader may also be purchased directly through the National Archives and Records Administration (www.nara.gov/publications).
- Daniels, Maygene F. and Timothy Walch. A Modern Archives Reader: Basic Readings on Archival Theory and Practice. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service, U.S. General Services Administration, 1984. [ISBN 0-911333-12-6]
- Jimerson, Randall C. American Archival Studies. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2000. [ISBN 0-931828-41-4]
- Kurtz, Michael. Managing Archival and Manuscript Repositories (Archival Fundamentals
Series II). Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2004. [1-931666-09-1] - Roe, Kathleen D. Arranging & Describing Archives & Manuscripts (Archival Fundamentals Series II). Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2005. [ISBN 1-93166-13-X]
Because many articles and/or chapters of A Modern Archives Reader and American Archival Studies were first printed in various professional journals such as American Archivist, I have also listed the original publication information when relevant.
Other Reading Materials
Additional readings include selected websites and articles described in the course calendar below.
Archival Supplies
While recommended but not required, some of you may wish to purchase or bring the following archival supplies in anticipation of our hands-on processing class meetings in July:
- Micro spatula
- Bone folder
- Apron
These can be purchased from any archival supplier such as Metal Edge, Inc. (www.metaledgeinc.com)
Course Requirements
Class Meetings
| Class Hours | Saturday and Sunday, June 23-24 Saturday and Sunday, July 14-15 Class meeting hours: 9:30am-4:00pm |
| Class meeting locations | June 23-24: CSU Fullerton in PLS 68 July 14-15: Sherman Library, Corona del Mar |
Attendance/Participation
Because our class meets only a four times during the semester, attendance at and participation in discussions and in-class projects is vital to successful completion of this course.
Part of the online portion of our class will involve use of the Blackboard Discussion Board. Be prepared to check the Discussion Board at least two or three times a week, as you may see the following:
- Questions or discussion concerning assigned readings
- Recent newsworthy events related to archives and manuscripts
- Discussion concerning a particular archival function
- Links to and discussion about interesting documents or collections
- Archival humor (yes, indeed...)
Readings
Readings are assigned per the course calendar below to further class discussion (both online and in person) and to aid you in the successful completion of your assignments. Do not be deterred by what at first glance may appear to be an extensive reading list, as closer examination of the average page count for each week indicates study appropriate to graduate-level coursework. Although I would hope that many of you keep this list of readings as a ready-reference bibliography to consult in the course of your professional careers, odds are that in the future you will not have the opportunity to read these materials with the same dedication of time and energy as you have today. Absorb and enjoy them, as best you can.
Assignments/Projects
There will be a survey conducted via Blackboard (see “Assignments” section) at the beginning of the class. Please complete this survey by 6pm on Wednesday, June 6.
There will be four writing assignments and/or projects assigned during this course which will often serve as discussion points for the class (both online and in person) and will also provide students with hands-on and administrative components of various aspects of archival work.
Examples of these small writing assignments and/or projects may include: creating a budget for a start-up archival program, evaluating websites, creating a finding aid, evaluating current job postings for archival positions, or comparing the preservation requirements of different media.
You will have approximately two weeks to complete each of these assignments; they will appear on Blackboard under the “Assignments” section and are to be turned in via the “Assignment Manager/Gradebook” on Blackboard per the dates and times specified.
Final Paper
Each student will be expected to write a critical paper of 20-25 pages on an aspect of archival theory, practices, history, or principles. Students will be expected to identify their research topic no later than Sunday, June 24th and should be prepared to discuss it in class. Research subjects may be related to or derived from topics discussed as part of the course, but the paper should provide a more in-depth analysis of the issue or topic at hand and make use of additional readings beyond those assigned as part of the class. Papers will be graded on the thoroughness of the student’s research, clarity of analysis and writing, an indicated mastery of the subject matter, and professional presentation (proper citations, notes, grammar, etc.). Final papers will be accepted no later than 9:00am on Friday, August 10, 2007 via the “Assignment Manager/Gradebook” on Blackboard.
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 |
Grading
The assignments will contribute to your final grade as follows:
| Writing assignments and projects (4 @ 10% each) | 60% |
| Final Paper | 30% |
| Survey | 3% |
| Participation | 7% |
| Total | 100% |
Late or Missed Work
Late work will be penalized by 10% for every day which passes after the stated deadline. After three days (36 hours after the stated deadline passes), no credit will be given for the assignment.
For example, your six writing assignments are all due on specified Friday mornings no later than 9:00am. Sending an assignment after 9:00am will result in a -10% penalty, whether it is sent later that day at 9:30am or at 3:00pm. If the assignment has still not been received by 9:00am the following Saturday morning (24 hours after the stated due date and time), the penalty will rise to -20%. If the assignment has not been received by 9:00am the following Sunday morning (36 hours after the stated due date and time), then no credit will be received for the assignment.
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/
Cell Phones
Students will turn their cell phones off or put them on vibrate mode while in class. They will not answer their phones in class. Students whose phones disrupt the course and do not stop when requested by the instructor will be referred to the Judicial Affairs Officer of the University.
Communication
I will endeavor to respond to your email correspondence during the course of the semester within 48 hours and will notify the class as a whole if circumstances arise which prevent me from being unable to do so. Each of your completed assignments and final paper will be returned to you with a completed online form which provides individualized and meaningful comments and feedback as well as your grade in order to help further your learning process.
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