LIBR 200-24
Information and Society
Fall 2011 Greensheet

E. Greenblatt
E-mail
Office Hours:  Virtually via email or telephone by appointment.

This course will be available on D2L on Wednesday, August 24. You will be enrolled into the site automatically. I will send more information about course access as we approach this date through MySJSU. The course begins on Wednesday, August 24. Weekly sessions will run from Monday through Sunday.

Course Description

Explores the complex and interrelated historical, social, economic, cultural, political, and technological influences that shape information and society. Emphasis is on the various roles and responsibilities of information organizations and the values and ethics of information professionals.

Note: Effective Spring 2009, LIBR 200 must be completed with a B grade or higher

Course Objectives

At the completion of the course, students should be able to:

• Describe the role of information from historical, current, and future perspectives;
• Identify the various information stakeholders and the information environments that provide for their needs;
• Describe and evaluate issues involved in creating and disseminating information in society;
• Identify and discuss the major values and codes of ethics associated with the information professions;
• Describe the impact of cultural diversity on the provision of user services by librarians and other information professionals;
• Discuss important economic and policy issues related to the creation, dissemination and use of information;
• Explain what information literacy is and how it helps users evaluate and use information;
• Compare the different genres of and venues for scholarly and professional writing.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Know the foundations and structure of the information profession;
• Locate, evaluate, and utilize scholarly and professional literature;
• Demonstrate in-depth understanding of major issues in library and information science.

LIBR 200 course supports the following MLIS 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;
• Understand the nature of research, research methods and research findings; retrieve, evaluate and synthesize scholarly and professional literature for informed decision-making by specific client groups.

Course Requirements

Complete LIBR 203: Online Social Networking: Technology and Tools.
This is a mandatory 1 unit course that introduces students to the various e-learning tools used in the SLIS program, including Elluminate and Second Life.  For more information, see: http://ischool.sjsu.edu/classes/coursedesc.htm

Writing Requirement
If the instructor finds that a student's writing is unacceptable, the instructor will require the student to sign up for online writing tutoring.  The student will ask the tutor to confirm with the instructor that he or she is attending sessions.

Class Assignments

• D2L Discussions
  All students are required to participate in discussion board activities. Participation in these discussions must be substantive, thoughtful, creative, and informed by research and assigned readings. For more information on grading, see the associated discussion rubric in D2L.
• Reference Resource Survey
  As an introduction to major reference resources for library and information science (LIS) research, you will evaluate five reference sources relating to your term paper topic. Paper topics must be approved by the instructor prior to this assignment.
• Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography
  In order to help you get started on your term paper, you will prepare and literature review and annotated bibliography by identifying and evaluating 10-15 scholarly sources relevant to your paper topic and providing an annotation for each. 
• Librarians in Popular Culture Assignment
  In order to assess the role of librarians in popular culture, you will read a novel set in a library and watch a movie featuring a librarian as a main character and write an essay that analyzes how libraries and librarians are represented in popular culture.
• Term Paper
  In this formal research paper you will analyze a significant issue confronting today’s information professional. Paper topics may be selected from the areas covered in class or you may choose an issue of more personal interest that is relevant to the goals and objectives of this course. Paper topics must be approved by the instructor. The text of your paper should be 15-20 pages in length, double-spaced, with at least 20 citations in your reference list, most of which are scholarly. A bibliography is not required, but you may include one if you'd like to list sources not cited but consulted for background information and context. You will be graded on the extent of your research, your description and critical analysis of the topic, the evidence you provide in support of your argument, and the clarity and quality of your writing. Your references and formatting must adhere to the rules established in the APA Publication Manual.

Weight Percentages of Assignments

Grading

Late Assignments
Assignment due dates are clearly stated on the D2L course site. Be sure to back up your work as a preventative measure and retain copies of your assignments until the end of the grading period.  Although I will accept weekly assignments up to two days late, those assignments will automatically receive a 10% reduction prior to actual grading. Additionally, these late assignments are not eligible for extra credit points. Bear in mind that some assignments build upon previous work, so a pattern of regular tardiness will impact your overall production.

I will grant you one free pass -- i.e., you may turn in one weekly assignment up to a week late without penalty.  However, you must let me know that your work will be late before the assignment due date AND the next week's assignment must still be turned in on time. 

Should a medical situation or family emergency arise, please contact me as soon as possible so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

Textbooks and Readings

Required Textbooks:

• American Psychological Association (2009). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) American Psychological Association. Available through Amazon: 1433805618.

• Rubin, R. E. (2010). Foundations of library and information science (3rd ed.). Neal-Schuman. Available through Amazon: 1555706908.

GWAR

This course satisfies the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR).

INFO 200 gives students graduate-level writing experience, including a literature review and research paper. Graduate-level academic writing is formal and logical. It involves the avoidance of bias, the inclusion of evidence, and the development of strong arguments. Scholarly writing uses concise, precise, and clear language, is cohesive, and utilizes a logically organized flow of ideas. Successful completion of the research paper satisfies San José State University's Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). If the instructor finds that a student's writing is unacceptable, the instructor will require the student to sign up for online writing tutoring. The student will ask the tutor to confirm with the instructor that he or she is attending sessions.

Grading Scale

The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:

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;
  For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA) — INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204 — the iSchool requires that students earn a B in the course. If the grade is less than B (B- or lower) after the first attempt you will be placed on administrative probation.  You must repeat the class the following semester. If -on the second attempt- you do not pass the class with a grade of B or better (not B- but B) you will be disqualified.
  
• 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 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

General Expectations, Rights and Responsibilities of the Student

As members of the academic community, students accept both the rights and responsibilities incumbent upon all members of the institution. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with SJSU's policies and practices pertaining to the procedures to follow if and when questions or concerns about a class arises. See University Policy S90-5 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S90-5.pdf. More detailed information on a variety of related topics is available in the SJSU catalog at http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/catalog/departments/LIS.html. In general, it is recommended that students begin by seeking clarification or discussing concerns with their instructor. If such conversation is not possible, or if it does not serve to address the issue, it is recommended that the student contact the Department Chair as a next step.

Dropping and Adding

Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester's Catalog Policies section at http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current academic year calendars document on the Academic Calendars webpage at http://www.sjsu.edu/provost/services/academic_calendars/. The Late Drop Policy is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes.

Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.

Consent for Recording of Class and Public Sharing of Instructor Material

University Policy S12-7, http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S12-7.pdf, requires students to obtain instructor's permission to record the course and the following items to be included in the syllabus:

• "Common courtesy and professional behavior dictate that you notify someone when you are recording him/her. You must obtain the instructor's permission to make audio or video recordings in this class. Such permission allows the recordings to be used for your private, study purposes only. The recordings are the intellectual property of the instructor; you have not been given any rights to reproduce or distribute the material."
  • It is suggested that the syllabus include the instructor's process for granting permission, whether in writing or orally and whether for the whole semester or on a class by class basis.
  • In classes where active participation of students or guests may be on the recording, permission of those students or guests should be obtained as well.
• "Course material developed by the instructor is the intellectual property of the instructor and cannot be shared publicly without his/her approval. You may not publicly share or upload instructor generated material for this course such as exam questions, lecture notes, or homework solutions without instructor consent."

Academic integrity

Your commitment, as a student, to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University. The University Academic Integrity Policy F15-7 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/F15-7.pdf 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 Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 at http://www.sjsu.edu/president/docs/directives/PD_1997-03.pdf requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Accessible Education Center (AEC) at http://www.sjsu.edu/aec to establish a record of their disability.

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