LIBR 200-01
Information and Society
Spring 2012 Greensheet

Jean Bedord
E-mail
Emergencies/Prior Appointment: 408-257-9221
Office location: Virtual
Office hours: E-mail reaches me faster than other communication. But I expect most communication to occur within the D2L online environment or Elluminate/Collaborate, so I can answer to the entire class. Use LIBR200 in the Subject line or it may get lost in my email filters.

Getting Started

D2L Information: This course will be available January 25 , Wednesday.  You will be enrolled into the site automatically.  Students are expected to login within 3 days.    

ALA Membership
All LIBR 200 students receive a one-year paid membership in ALA and their ALA-affiliated state library association.     

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:

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

LIBR 200 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• A.   Articulate the ethics, values and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom;
• B.   Compare the environments and organizational settings in which library and information professionals practice;
• C.  Recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use;
• I.   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;

An overview of the core competencies for SJSU SLIS graduates can be found at http://ischool.sjsu.edu/slis/competencies.htm

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. T  for more information,  http://ischool.sjsu.edu/classes/coursedesc.htm    

Writing Requirement
This course satisfies the University graduate 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.

D2L Environment
Lectures, assignments, discussions and announcements will be online. You must be well organized, disciplined and self-motivated in order to complete an online course successfully. While you can access the course materials online anytime, plan to set aside time each day to complete the readings and assignments. It’s easy to get behind.  

Assignments
All written assignments are submitted electronically via D2L, NOT as email attachments. Here is an overview of the assignments for this course:

• Readings
  The course is broken into topics which will include:
  • an online lecture provided by the instructor via D2L;
  • readings from the textbooks;
  • articles from the professional literature, and;
  • other materials, including vendor information and web sites.

• Online Discussions
  Each topic will have a corresponding Discussion forum, focusing on the values and foundation principles of library and information professionals and their role.

This class is online and asynchronous so participation in the online discussions is essential for success in the course. Students are expected to post at least two comments on each discussion topic, one an original contribution and the other a response to another student’s post. Please check in on the discussions occasionally throughout the week. Note that participation is 20% of your grade, so non-participation will automatically reduce your grade below a B.

The readings and discussions pertain to these student learning outcomes: 1. Know the foundations and structure of the information profession and 2. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of major issues in library and information science; know the foundations and structure of the information profession.

• Review/Analysis of a Professional Association
  Write a report about a library/ information science association. There will be selection process to choose the association. Rubin's book (Appendix A) has a list and there are others related to library and information science.

This assignment pertains to this student learning outcome: 1. Know the foundations and structure of the information profession.

• Library Information Center Report
  Visit two different types of libraries to observe  information services in action. You will write a report to compare and contrast these two libraries with a critical eye.

This assignment pertains to this student learning outcome:  1. Know the foundations and structure of the information profession. 

• Professional Journal or LIS Resource Review/Analysis
  Review a library / information science journal.  A list of possible publications will be provided.   

This assignment pertains to this student learning outcome: 2. Locate, evaluate, and utilize scholarly and professional literature. 

• Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography
  Identify a topic for your term paper regarding a significant issue regarding the information professional today. Paper topics may be selected from areas covered in class or you may choose an issue of personal interest relevant to the goals and objectives of this course.  Your topic must be approved by the instructor mid-way during the semester.
  
  Research your topic by  by locating and evaluating at least 15 -20 sources pertinent to your paper topic, then compile these into an annotated bibliography.  This assignment gets you started on your required term paper.

This assignment pertains to this student learning outcome: 2. Locate, evaluate, and utilize scholarly and professional literature. 

• Term Paper PowerPoint presentation  
  You will create a short presentation on your topic and research findings, then present it either live in an Elluminate / Collaborate session or by creating a video to be shared with the class.

This assignment pertains to this student learning outcome:  3. Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of a major issue in library and information science. 

• Term Paper
  Write a formal term paper (Not original research--you find articles that report on original research) utilizing the annotated bibliography you have prepared.
  
  The text of your paper should be 15 to 20 pages in length. It must have an abstract at the beginning. The paper must also include a reference list that includes at least 20 citations. This reference list is different from the bibliography that you submit earlier in the semester. The annotated bibliography, while on the same topic, represents an early exploration of your topic. Some of the sources in your bibliography may not be part of your final paper as your topic is refined.  Additional sources may be identified after the annotated bibliography assigment is graded. The reference list lists only those sources actually cited in your research paper.
  
  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 the rules established in APA style guides. You will be graded on adherence to technical requirements such as page numbers, margins, font size, and proper citation.

This assignment pertains to this student learning outcome: 2. Locate, evaluate, and utilize scholarly and professional literature and 3. Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of a major issue in library and information science.       

Course Calendar
Assignment due dates are posted to the D2L course. They are subject to change with reasonable notice. 

Grading 

You will submit assignments in D2L, NOT by e-mail attachment.

Late Assignments
Points earned for late assignments will be reduced by 10 percent for every 24 hour period between the due date and the submitted date. No incompletes will be assigned.

Textbooks and Readings

Note that 5th Edition of the Whole Library Handbook is not available, so I'm substituting the 4th Edition.  Consider buying used, since it has been in print for several years.

Required Textbooks:

• Eberhart, G. M. (2006). The whole library handbook 4. ALA. Available through Amazon: 0838909159.

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

Recommended Textbooks:

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

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.

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader to access PDF files.

More accessibility resources.