LIBR 267-02
LIBR
267-10
Seminar in Services to Children and Young Adults
Topic: Intellectual Freedom and Youth
Fall 2008 Greensheet
Beth Wrenn-Estes
E-mail
Phone (Cell): (303)349-8488 (emergencies only)
Office Hours: By Appointment
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Textbooks and Readings | Course Requirements
This course has a BlackBoard site. Instructor will enroll all students so that access to Bb site is automatic.
Course Description
This course will focus on intellectual freedom issues with youth, the value of youth literature to enhance individuals’ lives, the ethics of intellectual freedom, the psychology of censorship and how to combat it, and how to defend materials for youth.
Course Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify characteristics and topics that are frequently associated with challenged materials
- Write a reconsideration policy for a school or public library
- Train library staff in reconsideration procedures and how to handle an angry customer
- Write a rationale for a challenged book
- State their own philosophy of intellectual freedom
- Discuss the value of books that present graphic material or controversial subjects
- Describe the psychology of the censor and their emotions and motivations
Discuss the motivations of authors who write material that might be challenged and why they are willing to risk censorship
This course 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
- apply the fundamental principles of planning, management and marketing/advocacy
- demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations
- evaluate programs and services on specified criteria
- design training programs based on appropriate learning principles and theories
Textbooks and Readings
- LaRue, James (2007). The New Inquisition. Publisher: Libraries Unlimited (ISBN: 1591582857) [Faculty: Beth Wrenn-Estes] Course(s): 267-02,267-10. Book is required.
- Bodart, J.R. (2002). Radical Reads: 101 YA Novels On The Edge. Publisher: Scarecrow Press (ISBN: 0810842874) [Faculty: Beth Wrenn-Estes] Course(s): 267-02,267-10. Book is required.
- Rubin, R.J. (2000). Defusing the angry patron. Publisher: Neal-Schuman Publishers (ISBN: 1555703720) [Faculty: Beth Wrenn-Estes] Course(s): 267-02,267-10. Book is required.
- Reichman, H. (2000). Censorship and selection: Issues and answers for school, 3rd edition. Publisher: American Library Association (ISBN: 1555703720) [Faculty: Beth Wrenn-Estes] Course(s): 267-02,267-10. Book is recommended.
Go to SLIS eBookstore.
Course Requirements
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.
The Course Blackboard Site and Email 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
Questions and/or Concerns
Ask Student questions or concerns need to be posted on the General Discussion Thread entitled Questions and Concerns OR if question or concern is considered private then emailing the instructor privately is allowed.
Course Assignments
This course requires a variety of assignments designed to introduce students to the concepts covered in class and in the text, as well as to practical applications of methods. Students will work individually and in groups. All students are expected to participate in the 2 Elluminate sessions and the 6 Discussion Forums.
Students accumulate 112 points to determine the course grade. See Grading below for details. Details for the assignments are included in abbreviated form on the Course Outline included in the Greensheet. A more detailed description will be posted under the Course Documents area on BlackBoard
Summary of Assignment Point Values
| Author Study | 10 Points |
| Selection Policy | 15 Points |
| Rationales | 10 Points |
| Group Project/Elluminate Presentations (2) | 15 Points per student |
| Philosophy Essay | 10 Points |
| Database | 20 Points |
| Discussion Forums (6) | 30 Points |
| SOTES Evaluation Completion | 2 Points |
| TOTAL POINTS | 112 Points |
Specific Assignment Descriptions
Please visit the Course Blackboard Site under Course Documents for more detailed assignment descriptions.
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.
Timeframe for grading papers
Papers are graded within one week from the date they are turned in. Late work will not be accepted. The instructor will always inform the student(s) if papers will take longer than a week to grade.
Late or Missed Assignment Policy (including Elluminate Sessions and Discussion Forums)
Instructor will not accept work turned in late and the assignment will receive a grade of 0 points.
Extenuating serious circumstances will be handled on a one-to-one basis and the instructor will determine whether consideration is granted. Students should contact instructor as early as possible with potential problems or issues.
Instructor Philosophy
The instructor is serious about helping you to be successful in the class.
The instructor expects students to work hard and to come away with a love of YA literature, the ability to defend it, and an understanding of how to best serve teenage patrons/students. The expectations are that students are responsible for their learning experience. Understanding the contents and expectations explained in the Greensheet is critical for a student’s 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.
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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