LIBR 228-01
LIBR 228-10
Advanced Information Services
Fall 2012 Greensheet

Dr. Michelle Holschuh Simmons
E-mail
Phone: (336) 854-3034
BbIM: michelle.simmons1
Office Hours: Virtually via weekly Collaborate sessions (see D2L for schedule)

Our D2L course site will automatically open on Wednesday, August 22nd. Please log in to our class' D2L site no later than Thursday, August 23rd.

Course Description

In-depth survey of information needs, uses, and sources across different user groups; current methods of providing reference services and instruction in different information seeking contexts; and techniques for evaluating reference sources and services.

Course Requirements

Mode of instruction
This course will be entirely asynchronous. We will use D2L for online discussions, for the submission of assignments, and for accessing readings and course materials. Attendance at the synchronous office hour in Collaborate is optional; the office hour is intended for me to answer students’ questions, for students to get to know me and each other, and for students who would prefer to interact in a synchronous environment. If students ask questions during the office hour from which I believe the rest of the class will benefit, I will post the question and my response to our D2L site. 

Assignments
For detailed requirements and grading rubrics for each of the assignments, please see documents in D2L. Please note that the due dates listed below are subject to change with fair notice.

• Connecting Users with Information: In this assignment, you will have the opportunity to respond to a research need of two of your classmates.  You will research the two queries; then you will evaluate, select, and annotate a small number of resources to deliver to each of your two classmates; and finally you will write a brief research report explaining your selections.  Please see the Connecting Users assignment sheet in D2L for detailed information and a grading rubric.  Supports SLO #1, SLO #2, SLO #4, and SLO #6. (20% of final grade) (Due 9/24/12)
• Database Recommendation Proposal:  In this assignment, you and a classmate will be evaluating two similar databases based on evaluation criteria, and then you and your partner will collaborate in writing a proposal in which the two of you take on the role of colleagues working at a library, and you are trying to make a case for your library to subscribe to one of the two databases.  You will need to write a succinct proposal in which you point out the advantages and disadvantages of each tool, and then you will conclude with a recommendation to subscribe to one.  As part of the proposal, you will need to incorporate at least one screencast showing the features of each database. Please see the Database Recommendation Proposal assignment sheet in D2L for detailed information and a grading rubric.   Supports SLO #2 and SLO #3.  (20% of final grade) (Due 10/22/12)
• Research Guide (LibGuide) Analysis:  In this paper (around 8-10 pages), you will have the opportunity to analyze two research guides (such as LibGuides) for the same subject area from two different libraries. You will need to describe and analyze each research guide and then evaluate each based on published evaluation criteria, commenting on possible improvements or enhancements. Please see the Research Guide Analysis assignment sheet in D2L for detailed information and a grading rubric.  Supports SLO #4, SLO #5, and SLO #6 (20% of final grade) (Due 11/12/12)
• Research Guide (LibGuide) and Reflection: In this assignment, you will have the opportunity to apply what you have learned about best practices in creating research guides as well as what you have learned about reference resources in creating a research guide for a topic and an audience of your choice.  I will be setting up a LibGuide account for each student in the class, but if you prefer to use a different platform, you are welcome to do so.  In addition to the research guide, you will write a reflection (around 5 pages) reflecting on your process of creating the research guide, explaining your choices of what to include and what to exclude, and reflecting on how you implemented the best practices published in the literature.  Please see the Research Guide assignment sheet in D2L for detailed information and a grading rubric. Supports SLO #2 and SLO #7. (20% of final grade) (Due 12/10/12)
• Online Discussions: Because this class is asynchronous, the online discussions are an integral part of this course. Most weeks, participation will be mandatory, but we will have some breaks, especially when other assignments are due. For each mandatory discussion, one substantive, thoughtful initial post (a few hundred words) and one response to another person's posts (around 150 words each) are required.  Please see the online discussion expectations sheet in D2L for detailed information. Supports SLO #1 and SLO #3. (20% of final grade) (Due throughout the semester)

Late Assignments Policy
There will be a late penalty for assignments turned in after the due date without prior approval. If your life circumstances require you to seek an extension, please do so at least several days before the assignment is due. No extensions will be granted for discussion posts.

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Course Workload Expectations

Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course related activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical practica. Other course structures will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus.

Instructional time may include but is not limited to:
Working on posted modules or lessons prepared by the instructor; discussion forum interactions with the instructor and/or other students; making presentations and getting feedback from the instructor; attending office hours or other synchronous sessions with the instructor.

Student time outside of class:
In any seven-day period, a student is expected to be academically engaged through submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam or an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; building websites, blogs, databases, social media presentations; attending a study group;contributing to an academic online discussion; writing papers; reading articles; conducting research; engaging in small group work.

Course Prerequisites

LIBR 202, LIBR 210. 

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

LIBR 228 supports the following core competencies:

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Textbooks

Recommended Textbooks:

• Cassell, K.A. & Hiremath, U. (2011). Reference and information services in the 21st century (2nd ed. revised). Neal-Schuman. Available through Amazon: 1555707408.

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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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