LIBR 220-04
LIBR 220-13
Resources and Information Services in the Disciplines and Professions
Topic: Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTIQ) Resources and Services
Fall 2011 Greensheet

E. Greenblatt
E-mail

Office Hours: Virtually via email or telephone by appointment.

While there are no special online office hours for this class, I will be happy to answer your questions as they arise. Please submit your questions and comments through Desire to Learn (D2L) or send them directly to me. Please start your email subject line with “220-04” or "220-13" so that I can easily identify your emails and ensure a timely reply – within 48 hours of receipt. I will announce on D2L any extended absences that may affect the promptness of my responses. Also, when sending emails, please keep in mind that I am most likely in a different time zone – Mountain Time – than most of you.

This course will be delivered online using the D2L class management software. It 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 Thursday through Wednesday.

Course Description

This class will explore library services and resources as they relate to GLBTIQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer/Questioning) communities and their support systems. We will discuss various library operations and services within the context of GLBTIQ issues and concerns as well as examine and evaluate key publications and other information resources in the field.

Course Prerequisites: LIBR 202 required.

Course Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

• Understand at least two dozen basic concepts and terms relating to GLBTIQ communities and issues;
• Identify at least 5 service-oriented issues and concerns regarding library use by GLBTIQ communities;
• Identify access barriers to GLBTIQ resources, particularly those relating to subject access
• Learn how to handle challenges to GLBTIQ materials and exhibits in the library;
• Develop the ability to evaluate the appropriateness of information resources relating to this topic and become familiar with key GLBTIQ information resources;
• Become familiar with collection development issues relating to this subject area; and
• Develop culturally competent approaches to working with GLBTIQ communities and individuals
  

LIBR 220 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• Recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use;
• Use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users;
• Articulate the ethics, values and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom;
• 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;
• Evaluate programs and services on specified criteria; and
• Contribute to the cultural, economic, educational and social well-being of our communities.

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Course Requirements

Class Assignments

• Weekly Assignments: Each week, with some notable exceptions (see course calendar in D2L) you will be required to turn in an assignment based on that week’s topic. Assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time each Wednesday evening. For information on grading, please see the associated assignment rubric in D2L.
• Weekly Discussions: All students are required to participate in discussion board activities. Participation in these discussions must be substantive, thoughtful, creative, and grounded in research and assigned readings. For more information on grading, see the associated discussion rubric in D2L.
• Discussion Facilitation: You will work with your colleagues to initiate, facilitate, summarize, and grade the discussion of one of the weekly topics. For information on grading, please see the associated rubric in D2L.
• Pathfinder: Each of you will create a pathfinder (resource guide) on a topic relevant to this course.  For explicit instructions, template, and content criteria, please see D2L. For information on grading, please see the associated rubric in D2L.
• Pathfinder Critiques: You will evaluate your colleagues’ pathfinders in light of the criteria associated with the pathfinder assignment. You will be graded on the helpfulness of your comments, the constructiveness of your criticism, and the thoroughness of your feedback. For more information on grading, please see the associated rubric in D2L.

Note: Weekly assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time each Wednesday evening. Other assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the date specified in the calendar in D2L.

Weight Percentages of Assignments

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.  This free pass does not apply to discussion facilitation, the pathfinder, or pathfinder critiques, as turning in these assignments late would adversely affect your classmates. 

Unless otherwise stated on the assignment page and/or D2L drop box, weekly  assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time each Wednesday with late assignments due by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the Friday of that same week.

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

Incompletes
SLIS discourages the awarding of an incomplete. An incomplete is granted only in cases of serious medical or family emergency. Most of the coursework must be completed and supporting documentation is required. Inefficient time management or course overload is not a valid reason to receive an incomplete.

Textbooks and Readings

Required Textbooks:

• Greenblatt, E. (Ed.). (2011). Serving LGBTIQ library and archives users: Essays on outreach, service, collections and access. McFarland & Company, Inc. Available as free eBook from King Library.

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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