LIBR 266-01
Collection Management and Organization
Spring 2003

Wayne Disher
E-mail

Course Links

Greensheet

Course Materials

Assignments

Syllabus

GREENSHEET

Course description: Welcome! I'm glad you've chosen Collection Management this term.This 3 unit course supports the SLIS objective of information management, including the selection, storage and utilization of information resources and will examine the field of collection management in all types of libraries and information centers. It will also introduce you to Collection Development principles and practices that can be generalized to the work of academic, public, school, and special libraries. The course is designed to help you understand and apply collection management theory in a variety of areas, including: material selection; development of collection management policies; collection marketing and merchandising; and, collection evaluation. The course deals with collections in a general sense rather than those limited to a particular subject, format or agency. However, while examples will be taken from a variety of settings, I will place emphasis on collection management theory as it is applied to the public library setting as this is the area in which your instructor has more experience.

Class Meeting Schedule: Class meets from 10am-3pm on the following dates: 1/26, 2/9, 2/23, 3/9, 3/16, 4/6, 5/4 NOTE: Class will NOT meet on Easter Sunday, April 20th. Additional course work will be done on the Web-- as assigned,--on the student's own time.

Office hours: I will make myself available before and after class meeting dates, but it is always best for you to let me know you need to meet at least a day or two BEFORE class. I am happy to arrange alternate hours on a case-by-case basis. Email is the best way for students who are not often on campus to meet with me. I normally check my email several times per day during the workweek so I can usually answer your queries within a few hours.

Course objectives:

1. To familiarize the student with the theoretical and practical issues associated with collection management and the various selection resources for libraries.

2. To identify, evaluate, and utilize the literature pertinent to both the management of collections and the selection of resource materials.

3. To describe and analyze the historical and current theoretical and practical issues associated with the management of library collections.

4. To aid the student in understanding the centrality of collection development to other functions of the library.

5. Become aware of methodologies for determining user needs regardless of information environment.

6. Acquire an understanding of resource selection, evaluation and the complexities that this work brings to the professional role.

My teaching philosophy: As much as possible I want to create a classroom environment that allows you to actively participate in learning about collection management. Toward this end, I want to encourage you to interact both formally and informally with me and with your classmates. I welcome student initiative and look forward to hearing from you about things I do well and about areas where you think I could improve. In addition, I feel strongly that learning to write and speak effectively is the key to thinking and acting successfully in your Library School career. Learning to write and speak more effectively has pragmatic benefits in terms of making you a better communicator and therefore a stronger candidate for employment.

What I think you need to do to succeed in this course: I will do everything possible to create conditions that will allow you to succeed. However, ultimately your success depends on the extent of your personal effort. To support high performance, I have outlined the following four guidelines:

1. You will be most comfortable in class when you have completed all reading assignments in advance of the lecture, and have prepared yourself to talk about them. I cannot over-emphasize this point. An important part of class sessions will be the dialogue between you, your classmates, and your instructor. Although you may feel these conversations put you "on the spot," questions will be posed in a friendly and non-confrontational manner. Further, I will use these classroom conversations to help you discover new ways of thinking about the material you've studied, rather than as tests of whether you can recite a specific set of facts.

2. Since you are in a graduate level, professional school program, your work must be of graduate level caliber. All work will be typed, double-spaced, and pages consecutively numbered. I prefer that you use the American Psychological Association (APA) style since this is the style used by most professional journals. Furthermore, you will be required to use APA style when you culminate in this program, so it's best you get familiar with using it now. Finally, you will be happiest with my evaluation of your performance on papers and essays when your work is grammatically correct, free of spelling errors, logically organized, precise, concise, clear, and original. I will strictly adhere to the University's policy on plagiarism!

3. You will be most satisfied with my evaluation of your class participation when your comments indicate a thorough reading of course materials, distinguish between facts and opinions, take into consideration contributions by your classmates, and indicate a willingness to test new ideas. I appreciate that you may be hesitant to speak in class. Therefore, we will conduct discussions in a low-key and inclusive style designed to reduce anxiety about talking in front of others.

4. You will get the greatest benefit out of this course when you make a commitment to attend every lecture as I have! Failure to attend a lecture would place you significantly behind your classmates, and will be detrimental to your ultimate class grade. I will aim to design lectures and sections that make your attendance worthwhile productive, and interesting.

Grading policy: Everyone starts the course with a "B" grade-the standard grade for graduate level work. If you do the assignments as outlined on the assignment sheet and explained in class, you will maintain that "B" grade. If you submit sub-standard work, you will receive a sub-standard grade (B- or below). If, however, you submit above-standard work, you will receive an above standard grade (B+ or better). I define above standard work as that which clearly displays one or more of the following criteria:
a) originality in the approach to the assignment;
b) greater depth of analysis than the written assignment calls for;
c) overall treatment of the assignment above & beyond what the written assignment calls for; or
d) superior organizational and/or written skills in the presentation of the material.

REMEMBER-a "B" grade is not a bad grade. A "B" grade shows that you have satisfactorily demonstrated potential for professional achievement in this area.

The bottom line: I recognize that students are enrolled in several other classes, and that you have a significant workload separate from this class. Therefore, to avoid unpleasant surprises I want to be as honest as possible about the demands of this class. First, you will be doing an average of ninety to a hundred pages of required reading between class meetings. For the most part, you will find this reading to be entertaining and thought provoking, but I know that you will find some readings long, dry, and challenging. Second, you will be required to complete a total of five assignments over the course of this term-four short papers and a final exam.

Class norms:

1. I will treat you and your fellow students with respect at all times. Similarly, I expect you to treat your classmates and staff with respect at all times. In particular, you should not talk or whisper while others are speaking.

2. If you cheat or plagiarize you will be punished to the full extent of university regulations.

3. I will keep my office hours zealously. To ensure that you get the full benefit of my attention and time, please make an appointment to see me-even during scheduled office hours. If you make an appointment to meet me during office hours, I would appreciate that you keep your commitment. Further, I will immediately respond to phone calls and electronic mail messages.

4. To avoid disrupting and wasting the time of your classmates and your instructor, please make every effort to arrive at class meetings on time.

5. You will not be allowed to negotiate extensions to due dates for assignments, except under exceptional circumstances (e.g. family tragedy).

6. Classes are very long. While you will be given suitable breaks for lunch and to get out and stretch, if you must eat and/or drink during class lectures please make sure you do not disrupt or distract your classmates in any way.

7. Sometimes, despite my best efforts, papers may get lost in the shuffle. To avoid problems please photocopy your work and save your computer files as protection against misplaced papers.