LIBR 264
Seminar in Library Services for Children and Young Adults
Fall 2004

Instructor: Adele Fasick
E-mail

GREENSHEET

Course Description

Seminar in planning, developing, and evaluating youth services in public libraries. Special needs of children in the public library, liaison with schools, reference services, and collection planning will be featured. Prerequisites: LIBR 200, 202, 204

Course Objectives

At the completion of this course the student should be able to

1. Understand the major issues affecting the management of public library service to children and young adults.
2. Critically examine research dealing with children's services and evaluate its relationship to professional practice.
3. Observe and evaluate library services to children and young adults.

The course supports the following SLIS objectives:

• One or more specialized aspects of information management
• Evaluating and utilizing relevant research studies from a variety of disciplines

Course Format

This is a web-based course, which will start on September 1. Students should enroll on the Blackboard site between August 15 and September 1. Please be sure to enroll in the correct section. The regular session course is 264-01Fall2004; the special session course site is 264-10Fall2004. Most course materials will be available on the class website through the "Course Website" section of Blackboard. The Course Schedule on the 264 website gives a week by week outline of the course and lists the weekly topics and resources. Reading lists and class readings will be posted on the website.

Assignments for the course should be sent to the instructor through the Digital Drop Box.

Assignment 1: Personal Page posted on Blackboard site under "Communications" Due Sept. 8

Assignment 2: Observations Due Sept. 29

Assignment 3: Website evanluations Due Oct. 20

Assignment 4: Group Report November Date to be assigned

Grading

• Personal introductory page 5%
• Observation assignment 25%
• Website evaluation 20%
• Group Report 25%
• Class discussion 25%

Read the SJSU Academic Integrity Policy
http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.pdf

Assignments

Submitting Assignments

Assignments should be sent to instructor via the Blackboard Digital Drop. Please name the file with your last name and the number of the assignment (02 or 03) for example: Smith02.doc. Also remember to put your name on the attached file as well as in the message.

All written assignments are to be submitted no later than the due date and all work is expected to be submitted as a Microsoft Word document, a pdf file, or another standard software format. Because many students do not have access to a range of software programs, it is best not to use complicated graphics unless you can mount your paper on a website that will be accessible to the instructor and other students. All work is to be of graduate level quality. Late papers are not accepted without prior approval of the instructor.

Assignment 1: Personal Introduction. Due Sept. 8

By September 8, each student is to post some information on the Personal Home Page provided by Blackboard. This information should be professional background information about current or past jobs, or plans for future library work, the kind of information you would share with colleagues in a new job. You may include as much additional information about your interests and hobbies as you wish. Everyone is strongly urged to post a picture, because that will facilitate interaction in this web-based course.

Assignment 2: Observation Due Sept. 29

Visit a public library children's department with which you are not familiar. Do not go to a public library that you work in now or have in the past. The reason for this restriction is so that you will be able to look at the library department with fresh eyes as though you were a potential user visiting for the first time. Here are some of the things you should observe:

Appearance of department:

• Space
• Lighting
• Decoration
• Displays and exhibits

Use of department:

• Age range of children
• Number of children and adult using services
• Types of use (reading, browsing, reference, socializing)
• Number of library personnel available

Materials:

• Number and types of materials (books, AV, computers, other)
• Appearance of materials (books worn, dull, new, enticing)
• Number and use of computers
• Arrangement of materials (easy or difficult arrangement, use of signs)

Assignment 3: Group Report Date to be assigned

Students will be assigned to a three-person group to present a report on one of the following topics:

• Publicizing children's library services
• Dealing with problem patrons
• Implementing Services for children with physical disabilities
• Implementing services for homeless or transient students

Groups can use the Blackboard facilities to hold group discussions or chat sessions to divide the topic in any way they wish, giving each student equal responsibility for the report. Students should research the topic through library literature, both print and online, as well as personal interviews as appropriate.

Each report should include the following:

• An introduction to the topic which indicates why it is an important issue in children's library services.
• A bibliography of research on the topic
• A report on the major issues involved in the topic. This should contain approximately the amount of information that would be given in a ten-page term paper, but it may be presented in a different format. This could include power point presentations, audio or visual segments and links to websites.
• A set of discussion questions on the topic (may number from 2-6)

The reports will be sent to the instructor through the Digital Drop Box on the due date and will then be posted on Blackboard so that other students can read and respond to the information. Each group will be responsible for encouraging discussion on the topic they have researched. Other class members will be responsible for reading the report, following up the links and participating in the discussion.

Assignment 4: Class Discussion September 1 through December 8

Contributions to the ongoing discussion on Blackboard will be assessed as part of your grade. Every student is expected to post at least two substantive comments each week. Class discussion will take place on the Group Discussion Board Boards on the Blackboard site. Students will be assigned to groups when registration is complete. The discussion topics for the first weeks are posted on the Class Schedule. Other discussion threads may be started provided these threads are related to the focus of the course.

Starting in November, discussion will focus on the questions posted by student groups in their reports. These will be listed on the course schedule as the reports are posted.

Note: A General Discussion Board is available for comments about any course-related topic. Any student who has information or announcements to share with the class can post them here. General questions about assignments or about the course are appropriate too. Comments on the General Discussion Board are not part of your grade.

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