LIBR 200-03
Information and Society
Spring 2012 Greensheet

Dr. Scott Walter
E-mail
Office Hours: Virtual. E-mail reaches me more quickly than other forms of communication, but I expect most communication to occur within the D2L environment. If you choose to send e-mail to me directly, please use "LIBR200" in the subject line lest the message be lost in my e-mail filter(s).

This course will be available on D2L on Wednesday, January 25th. Students will be enrolled into the D2L course site automatically.

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 grade of "B" 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 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

LIBR 203: Online Social Networking: Technology and Tools
This is a mandatory, one-unit course that introduces students to the various e-learning tools used in the SLIS program, including 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 any questions about this course, please contact Debbie Faires or Dale David.

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

Expectations
As a graduate student, you are expected to:

• Complete and carefully consider all assigned readings.
• Fully participate in all class activities and discussions.
• Complete all assignments on time.
• Inform the instructor if you have an illness or emergency that requires you to be absent from our online learning environment for an extended period of time or to request an extension on an assignment.

Format
This is a Web-based course. All class activities will take place through D2L and Elluminate/Collaborate.

Elluminate/Collaborate will be used throughout this course. A schedule of synchronous course sessions will be made available in the D2L course site; Synchronous sessions will be recorded for review by those unable to participate at the scheduled time.

As synchronous sessions for this class are optional, it is crucial that you visit the D2L site on a regular basis in order to participate in asynchronous discussions and to receive announcements and updates to course requirements and the course calendar. An introduction to the D2L system is available on the listing of D2L Student Tutorials.

If this is your first class using Elluminate/Collaborate, please complete an orientation session prior to your first login. You may need to have a microphone attached to your computer in order to participate in synchronous class activities. It is recommended that you log in at least 10 minutes prior to the start of a class session to check the audio. A list of training times and other helpful information can be found in the SLIS Student Guide to Using Elluminate.

The SLIS D2L site is located at http://ischool.sjsu.edu/d2l/index.html

The SLIS Elluminate/Collaborate site is located at https://nexus.sjsu.edu/

Technical Requirements
For a complete description of requirements, please see the guidelines for the SLIS Home Computing Environment.

You should plan to check your e-mail and the D2L class site regularly for announcements. You are also responsible for assuring that your contact information in D2L is current and that messages sent to you through D2L, if forwarded to your e-mail, are not being caught by your e-mail filter(s).

Assignments

• Class Participation (20%)
  All students are expected to participate fully in the course. Active participation in synchronous and asynchronous discussions is expected of all students, and each student is expected to maintain individual contact with the instructor regarding course requirements, concerns, etc. Participation in asynchronous discussions on D2L will be crucial to success in this course and will be evaluated using the "Guidelines for Critical Engagement" described in course presentations and assignments sheets available on the D2L class site.
• Review of a Professional Association (10%)
  You will prepare a 3-5 pp. overview of a professional association relevant to work in the field of Library & Information Science. In this overview, you should identify resources made available by the association relevant to this class (e.g., professional ethics or standards, job resources, competency statements), as well as identify professional and/or social issues of key concern to the association. You may select any association from those listed on the SLIS Professional Associations in the Information Sciences page, or in Appendix A of the Rubin textbook, but note that national or international associations are the most likely to have the depth and breadth of resources required to complete this assignment effectively. This assignment supports Student Learning Outcome No. 1 (know the foundations and structure of the information profession). The Review of a Professional Association will be due on February 14th.
• Review of a Scholarly Journal (10%)
  You will prepare a 3-5 pp. overview of a scholarly journal in the field of Library & Information Science. In this overview, you should identify the major themes in the published literature over the past 3-5 years, as well as exemplary essays that explore research questions relevant to this class (e.g., recruitment and retention, professional ethics, information policy, social or historical issues in libraries). A short list of “Core Journals” is provided on this Greensheet, but you may choose from other scholarly journals in the field. If you have questions about the suitability of a journal for use in this assignment, please contact your instructor. This assignment supports Student Learning Outcome No. 2 (locate, evaluate, and utilize scholarly and professional literature). The Review of a Scholarly Journal will be due on March 13th.
• Annotated Bibliography (10%)
  You will identify 8-10 sources relevant to your research paper topic, with the majority drawn from scholarly sources, e.g., subject encyclopedias, scholarly books (or book chapters), scholarly monographs, articles drawn from professional and peer-reviewed journal literature. This assignment is designed to continue your introduction to relevant literature in the field, and to help you prepare to write your research paper. This assignment supports Student Learning Outcome No. 2 (locate, evaluate, and utilize scholarly and professional literature).The Annotated Bibliography will be due on April 3rd.
• Group Project: Perspectives on the Information Organization (20%)
  In this group project, you will work with 2-3 of your classmates to prepare an overview of key issues, concerns, and trends in one of the major "library types" identified in your textbook: public libraries, school libraries, academic libraries, and special libraries. This assignment is designed to allow you to work with classmates to explore a topic of mutual interest, identify issues of concern within that topic, and share responsibility for learning in our class. This assignment supports Student Learning Outcome No. 1 (know the foundations and structure of the information profession). Group Projects will be presented to the class through D2L between April 25th and May 8th. Specific due dates for each group project will be announced on D2L.
• Research Paper (30%)
  You will write a 15-20 pp. paper on an issue relevant to this course. This assignment is designed to introduce you to the scholarly and professional literature of Library and Information Science and to provide you with an opportunity to explore an area of personal interest in greater depth while demonstrating the ability to evaluate, synthesize, and present information from a variety of sources. This assignment supports Student Learning Outcome No. 2 (locate, evaluate, and utilize scholarly and professional literature) and Student Learning Outcome No. 3 (demonstrate in-depth understanding of major issues in library and information science). A brief paper proposal will be due on March 20th. The Research Paper will be due on May 15th.

Detailed instructions for each assignment will be posted on the D2L class site.

Correct usage of academic English, spelling, grammar, and composition are expected, and all sources should be cited according to the most recent (6th) edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. For further information, see the SLIS APA Style Resources page.

Submitting Assignments
All assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) on the dates noted above. Assignments should be submitted through D2L. Dates on which assignments are due may be modified with appropriate notice. Please consult the Course Calendar available on the D2L class site. Any changes to the Course Calendar will be announced via D2L.

Course Calendar
A complete Course Calendar will be available on the D2L class site. Major due dates for class assignments are as follows:

• February 14th - Review of a Professional Association
• March 13th - Review of a Scholarly Journal
• April 3rd - Annotated Bibliography
• April 25th - May 8th - Group Project
• May 15th - Research Paper

Finally, you will be expected to complete discussion question assignments throughout the semester, and may be asked to complete additional assignments related to course topics.

Any changes to course assignments or to due dates will be announced via D2L.

Grading
Course assignments will be given the following weight in determining your final grade in LIBR 200:

• Class Participation (20%)
• Review of a Professional Association (10%)
• Review of a Scholarly Journal (10%)
• Annotated Bibliography (10%)
• Group Project (20%)
• Research Paper (30%)

Assignments must be submitted on or before their specified due dates. Any assignment turned in after the due date, without the permission of the instructor, will have its total score reduced by one point per day from the date due. Any assignment turned in more than one week after the due date, without the permission of the instructor, will not be accepted for grading, and a grade of "Zero" will be recorded for that assignment.

Incompletes
A course grade of "Incomplete" will be assigned only in cases of medical or family emergency. For more information, please see the SLIS Policy on Incompletes.

Textbooks and Readings

Additional Readings
Readings in addition to your textbook will be available through the D2L class site, through the SJSU electronic journal collection, or through electronic reserves.

Core Journals
Finally, you should begin to become familiar with professional journals that address issues relevant to this course and appropriate to your career plans, e.g.:

• College & Research Libraries (Z671 C6)
• Communications in Information Literacy (online)
• Evidence-Based Library & Information Practice (online)
• Journal of Academic Librarianship (Z671 J58)
• Journal of Information Ethics (Z682.35.P75 J68)
• Public Libraries (Z673.A5 P88)
• Reference Services Review (Z1035.1 R43)
• School Library Media Research (online)

The call numbers listed above are drawn from the library catalog, and they may help you to locate materials, if available, at any academic library to which you may have access. Each of the titles above is also available through the SJSU electronic journal collection or through open access.

Required Textbooks:

• 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.

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