LIBR 262-10
Resources for Young Adults
Summer 2008 Greensheet
Beth Wrenn-Estes
E-mail
Phone (Cell): (303)349-8488
Office Hours: I will hold office hours by request. Please let me know if you need to have some one-on-one time with me.
| Course Links Greensheet Course Outline |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS eBookstore |
Textbooks and Readings | Course Requirements
The class will use Blackboard. I expect that Students will take the time to read through the site for the class. I will provide access to the Blackboard site for each student in the class so that no passwords will be necessary.
Course Description
- The course will focus on materials in all formats for adolescents and pre-adolescents and methods for incorporating these materials into library programs.
- The course touches on collection development, needs assessment, and YA programming.
- In addition students will learn about selection tools and will read extensively in the YA genres ultimately creating a materials database.
- How information services works in different settings will also be addressed.
Course Objectives
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:
- Students will evaluate selection tools, and use appropriate resources to develop a young adult collection including all appropriate formats.
- Students will apply information on adolescent development, psychology, sociology and popular culture to plan appropriate programming and services for teens.
- Students will understand and articulate student's own philosophy of intellectual freedom and the importance of protecting this right when working with materials for young adults in any appropriate format.
- Students will understand and appreciate literature for young adults, including both the historical perspective and the current trends in the field.
- Students will understand the current reading, viewing and listening habits of teens, using this knowledge in program planning and collection development.
LIBR 262 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;
- describe the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behaviors.
In addition, this section 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;
- evaluate programs and services on specified criteria;
- demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations;
- contribute to the cultural, economic, educational and social well-being of our communities.
Textbooks and Readings
Textbook Requirements
- Herald, Diana Tixier (2003). Teen Genreflecting Second Edition. Publisher: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. (ISBN: 1563089963) [Faculty: Beth Wrenn-Estes] Course(s): 262-10. Book is required. Comment: Please make sure that the purchase is the second edition
- Jones, Patrick (2004). Connecting Young Adults and Libraries Third Edition. Publisher: Neal-Schuman Publishers (ISBN: 1555705081) [Faculty: Beth Wrenn-Estes] Course(s): 262-10. Book is required. Comment: Please make sure that the purchase is for the third edition.
Optional or Recommended
- Aaronson, Marc. (2001). Exploding the Myths: The Truth about Teenagers and Reading. Maryland:Scarecrow.
- Bodart, Joni Richards. (2002). Radical Reads: 101 YA Novels on the Edge. Maryland:Scarecrow.
- Strauch, Barbara. (2003). The Primal Teen: What the New Discoveries about the Teenage Brain Tell Us about Our Kids, New York: Random House.
- Silvey, Anita. (2006). 500 Great Books for Teens, New York:Houghton Mifflin.
- Bodart, Joni. (1985). Booktalk!2 Booktalking and School Visiting for all Ages and Audiences. New York:H.W. Wilson.
- Dresang, Eliza. (1999). Radical Change: Books for Youth in a Digital Age. New York: H.W. Wilson.
- Jones, Patrick and Joel Shoemaker. (2001) Do It Right: Best Practices for Serving Young Adults in School and Public Libraries. New York:Neal-Schumann.
- LaRue, James, (2007). The New Inquisition, CT:Libraries Unlimited.
Other Resources You Might Find Useful
- Sheila B. Anderson. Serving Older Teens. Libraries Unlimited, 2003.
- Lesley S. J. Farmer. Digital Inclusion, Teens and your Library. Libraries Unlimited, 3/05.
- Carole D. Fiore. Fiore's Summer Library Reading Program Handbook. Neal-Schuman, 2005.
- Roger Leslie and Patricia Wilson. Igniting the Spark: Library Programs that Inspire High School Patrons. Libraries Unlimited, 2001.
- C. Allen Nichols. Thinking Outside the Book: Alternatives for Today’s Teen Library Collections. Libraries Unlimited, 2004.
- Mary Anne Nichols. Merchandising Library Materials to Young Adults, Libraries Unlimited, 2002.
Go to SLIS eBookstore.
Course Requirements
Class Input
I welcome student comments and suggestions about how to make this class more valuable. The instructor welcomes comments, suggestions and questions and encourage students to be active in class discussions and activities.
Instructor Philosophy
The instructor is serious about being student’s guide and facilitator to make the journey through this course successful holding to the principal that in order to be successful as a librarian students must know the material, and in the case of YA, the books and other formats of materials, programming and the psychology of the young adult themselves.
The instructor expects students to work hard and to come away with a love of the literature and an understanding of how to best serve teenage patrons/students. The expectations are that students are responsible for their learning experience. The Green sheet is critical to student success in the class.
Writing expectations are that students will be able to write on a graduate level and will check papers for spelling and grammar, all transitions, APA style format, and content BEFORE turning the paper into the instructor. The instructor wants Students to succeed and will do everything to help students do so but it is a partnership. Please remember that there isn’t a stupid question or a concern too small to voice. Please make sure that communication stays one of the top priorities during the Semester.
The Importance of SOTES
Students evaluate the course and instructor at the end of each term. An announcement will go out from the administration letting students/faculty know when they are available to complete. Those completing the SOTES, and informing me of doing so, will receive 2 points towards their overall grade. 2 points can make the difference between a higher and a lower grade overall. The importance of SOTES is very easy to describe – it is the student voice to the administration and the instructor and it is so very important to improving courses and instruction.
Course Format
This is a completely online course, and most participation in it will be asynchronous. You are expected to read and do all assignments by with the due dates given.
Summary of Assignment Point Values
| Book Discussion Threads Sessions (5) | 20 points |
| Selection Tools Paper | 5 points |
| Genre Study Paper | 15 points |
| Presentation of BookTalks (Elluminate) | 10 points |
| Booktalking Paper | 20 points |
| Elluminate Book Discussion Sessions (3 of them, 5 points each) |
15 points |
| Database | 50 points |
| Completing Sotes | 2 points |
| TOTAL | 137 points |
Rubrics
The instructor uses the following guidelines in addition to the rubric.
- Guidelines for Evaluating Oral Presentations
- An excellent presentation exceeds the requirements of the assignment. The content of the presentation is organized, clear and interesting. It exhibits transparent delivery.
- A satisfactory presentation completes the specific assignment adequately. It exhibits no significant errors in either content or delivery.
- A poor presentation demonstrates lack of preparation and exhibits serious flaws in content and/or delivery. It does not meet the requirements of the assignment.
- Guidelines for Evaluation of Written Work
- An excellent paper completes the task set by the assignment and is excellent in nearly all respects. It is well argued, well supported, well organized with a clear thesis. It is well developed with content that is specific, accurate, interesting and appropriate. It demonstrates the writer's ability to produce and synthesize complex ideas. Logical transitions contribute to its fluent style. It is virtually free from errors in mechanics, usage and sentence structure and shows evidence of excellent control of language.
- A satisfactory paper is generally competent. It accomplishes the assignment less completely than the good paper, but it does come to terms with the basic task of the assignment. It insufficiently develops some points, but it does give evidence of the writer's ability to support and defend key ideas. It is organized well enough to allow the reader to move with relative ease through the discourse. The satisfactory paper may contain some awkward or ineffective sentences and may show some problems with mechanics and usage.
- A poor paper fails to come to terms with the assignment. There may be a combination of the following weaknesses: serious errors in reasoning, little or no development of or support for ideas, or no clear progressions from one part of the paper to the next. The poor paper may have ungrammatical or poorly constructed sentences and serious, frequent errors in mechanics and usage that impede understanding.
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 |
In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:
- C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
- B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work;
- A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.
Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0.
Extra Credit
None
Timeframe for Grading Papers
Papers are graded within one week after the date they are turned in. Late work will be graded when the instructor can fit in to regular grading schedule. There may be times when the instructor will need more time to grade but students will be made aware of the need if the situation arises.
Late or Missed Work
Instructor will not accept work that is more than one week late from the due date. The late assignment will count as a zero in the student’s class grade if received after time extension. Work not turned in will be treated as a zero.
The database assignment is due on August 12 (Tuesday) and no grace period on this due date will be granted.
Responses From Instructor via E-mail
The instructor will make every effort to reply to your email within 24-48 hours of receiving it.
E-mail and Blackboard
CHECK YOUR EMAIL AND THE CLASS Bb SITE EVERYDAY
The instructor uses the email system within Blackboard so please check your email frequently for updates and communications.
The Course Site/E-mail Communication
Become familiar with the course site. Know the content - this is absolutely critical to student success in the class. Students must keep up with any announcements, discussions, and assignments that are posted.
The instructor responds to student’s queries using the course site (internal email system on Blackboard). The system can accommodate group and individual emails from the instructor to the class.
The instructor will make every effort to reply to student emails within 24 hours of receiving them however weekend response time may not be as responsive.
All clarifications, other announcements are posted on a regular basis. It is the student’s responsibility to read and understand the information posted on the Bb site. If Students need clarifications please contact me via Bb email or to my personal account of bwestes@mac.com
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/
One Washington Square - San José, California USA, 95192-0029
Phone: 408-924-2490
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