LIBR 200-18
Information and Society 
Spring 2009 Greensheet

Cherie Givens
E-mail
Office hours: Virtually by appointment on Fridays between 11:00AM - 1:00PM. Email me to set up an appointment. I will do my best to respond to you within 24 hours, often sooner.

This course will be delivered online primarily using Angel in conjunction with the Elluminate sessions noted below and other online tools indicated in the course materials. Students must self-enroll for this course on Angel between January 20- January 24. Registered students will be required to use a password access code which will be sent via the MYSJSU Messaging on or before January 20.

The class begins on January 22, 2008. Following this initial week, weekly sessions will run Monday - Sunday.

Elluminate Information
There are four Elluminate sessions scheduled for this semester. These are: January 28th (6:30-8:00 PST), March 12 (6:30-8:00 PST), April 23 (6:30-8:00 PST), and May13 (6:00-8:00 PST). These sessions are mandatory. Assignments will be discussed in depth and examples provided in sessions. The final session is reserved for student presentations on their term paper topics.  

Course Description

This course is designed to explore the complex social, economic, historical, and technological developments that influence the impact of information on society. The mission, values and ethics of information professionals are also analyzed.

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 sectors;
• Describe and evaluate issues involved in creating and disseminating information in society, with particular attention paid to information literacy;
• Understand the role of libraries and their relationship to other information providers;
• 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;
• Describe and discuss important economic and policy issues related to the creation and dissemination of information;
• Understand and have experience with different forms and genres of 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 SLIS 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;
• Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations.

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 Blackboard, Elluminate and Second Life. This course must be completed by all new SLIS students within the first 4 weeks of their first semester. If you have questions about this course, e-mail Debbie Faires or Dale David.

For more information, see http://ischool.sjsu.edu/classes/coursedesc.htm

Assignments

• Angel discussions. There are six discussions, approximately every other week, which allow you to reflect on issues introduced in lectures and readings. Participation is mandatory. Each discussion is worth 4 points. The Discussion Guidelines provide information addressing the times for and type of participation required to earn the maximum points.
• LIS resources survey. This assignment is intended to introduce you to the major print and online sources used in library and information science research. You will be asked to examine 5 reference sources which contain information pertinent to your term paper topic and to evaluate their content, quality, and usefulness. A bibliography and instructions will be provided. 12 points.
• Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography. This assignment is designed to help you prepare to write your term paper. You are to locate and evaluate 15 items (peer reviewed articles, books, websites, etc.) pertinent to your paper topic. Instructions will be provided. 20 points.
• Librarians in Popular Culture Assignment. For this assignment, you will read a novel set in a library and watch a movie featuring a librarian as a main character and/or 10-15 non-instructional YouTube videos featuring a librarian as a main character and write an essay that analyzes how libraries and librarians are represented in popular culture. A bibliography, filmography, and introductory list of YouTube videos will be provided. 10 points.
• Term Paper. Write a formal research paper in which you analyze a significant issue confronting the information professional today. 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. The student must request and receive topic approval from the instructor. The text of your paper should be 15 to 20 pages in length; the reference list should include at least 20 citations. 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 should adhere to current APA formatting rules. 30 points.
• Term Paper Presentation. A brief, approximately 5 minute overview of your research topic explaining why it is important, the main points made in your paper or uncovered by your research and key references. You should prepare a handout to accompany your presentation which includes your research topic, main points and references. 4 points.

All assignments are due no later than 5:00 PM (Pacific) on the assigned dates. Late Submissions are subject to a 20% reduction in the total points for the assignment.  

Assignments and Due Dates

Course Calendar

Textbooks and Readings

Required Textbooks:

• Rubin, R. E. (2004). Foundations of Library and Information Science. Neal-Schuman. Available through Amazon: 1555705189.

GWAR

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

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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