INFO 210-14 (2 units)
Reference and Information Services
Topic: Reference in the Age of Google: Marketing, Outreach, Management, Evaluation
Fall 2016 Syllabus

Dr. Johanna Tunon
E-mail -- For class-related communications, use the Canvas e-mail.
Home phone: (954) 249-1449
Office location: Richmond, VA
Office hours: By appointment via Collaborate. NOTE:  You are welcome to call before 9 pm ET.


Syllabus Links
Textbooks
CLOs
Competencies
Prerequisites
Resources
Canvas Login and Tutorials
iSchool eBookstore
 

Canvas Information: Courses will be available beginning Aug. 24th, 6 am PT unless you are taking an intensive or a one unit or two unit class that starts on a different day. In that case the class will open on the first day that the class meets.

You will be enrolled into the Canvas site automatically.

This means that this course will be available to students on Oct. 17.

NOTE: Early birds can email me if you would like the list of video lecture links for the class before the course

Course Description

Catalog Description: The methods and models used in marketing, outreach, management, and evaluation by information professionals to serve and support the information needs of patrons in the 21st century are examined using a process-oriented approach.

Course Requirements

  • Assignment 1 (30%)
    Discussion topics/activities
    (6 weeks X 4% = 24% + 2 sharing postings  3% X 2 = 6%)
  • Assignment 2 - (35%)
    Choose from list of assignment options 
  • Assignment 3 (35%)
    Choose from list of assignment options

Course Calendar

Week Overview of Class Readings, Activities, and Assignments Due Dates
Wk 1
  • Getting started:
    • Course overview and video
    • Post introductions
    • Week 1 overview page
    • Video lectures
  • Digging in:
    • Either locate and read Chapter 18 of the Cassell and Hiremath textbook if you have access or read one of the journal articles posted in the Week 1 overview.
  • Discuss:
    • Week 1 discussion topic (D1) -- 4%
Oct. 25
Wk 2
  • Getting started:
    • Week 2 overview page
    • Reading -- e-book chapter
    • Video lecture
  • Digging in:
    • Locate and read two articles on the topic of conducting outreach in libraries.
  • Discuss:
    • Week 2 discussion topic (D2) -- 4%
Oct. 30
Wk 3
  • Getting started:
    • Week 3 overview page
    • Video lectures
    • Read Chapter 19 -- Cassell and Hiremath (pdf)
  • Digging in:
    • Locate and read two articles of your choice about managing a department. The articles can be more general business articles or articles that focus more specifically about managing a library reference department.
    • Other optional lectures and web sources
  • Discuss:
    • Week 3 discussion topic (D3) --4%
             ** Veteran's Day -- Nov. 11
Nov. 6
Wk 4
  •  Getting started:
    • Week 4 overview page
    • Reading -- e-book chapter
    • Video lecture
  • Digging in:
    • Either read Chapter 16 by Cassell and Hiremath if you have access to the textbook or take a look at one of the useful websites or articles provided in the Week 4 overview.
    • Optional video lectures on instructional design models
  • Applying what you learned:
    • Sharing posting (3%)
    • Assignment 2   (35%)
Nov. 13
Wk 5
  • Getting started:
    • Week 5 overview page
    • Video lectures
    • Read: Chapter 20 pdf -- Cassell and Hiremath
  • Digging in:
    • Either read Chapter 17 by Cassell and Hiremath if you have access to the textbook or locate and read two articles that relate to the topic you choose for this week's discussion.
  • Discuss:
    • Week 5 discussion (D5) -- 4%
             ** Thanksgiving break -- Nov. 24/25
Nov. 20
Wk 6
  • Getting started:
    • Week 6 overview page
    • Video lecture
  • Digging in:
    • Either read Chapter 21 by Cassell and Hiremath if you have access to the textbook or locate and read two articles related to the discussion topic you for Week 6.
  • Discuss:
    • Week 6 duscussion  (D6) -- 4%
Nov. 27
Wk 7
  • Getting started: 
    • Week 7 overview page
    • Video lecture
  • Digging in:
    • Either read Chapter 22 by Cassell and Hiremath if you have access or read two articles about trends in public service library departments or about the future of reference departments.
  • Discuss:
    • Week 7 discussion (D7) -- 4%
Dec. 4
 Wk 8
  • Wrapping up
    • Week 8 overview page and video
  •  Digging in:
    • Take a look at one of the posted futurist reports
  • Apply what you learned:
    • Sharing posting (3%) -- Due Dec. 9
    • Assignment 3 (35%) --  Due Dec. 12
Dec. 12
 
  • Course ends Dec. 12:
    • All work must be submitted by midnight of the last day of class unless an extension has been arranged and verified by email by me.  The one exception is the last assignment which has a two-day no-questions-asked grace period.
    • The course content will be available for a couple of additional weeks.
 

*Due dates are subject to change with fair notice. 

Description of Assignments and Grading Criteria
NOTE: If you have some special circumstance that makes completion of some activities difficult, contact me about possible alternative activities.

  • Assignment 1: Discussion Posts (6 X 4% = 24%) + Sharing Posts (2 X 3% = 6%)
    Discussion topics may require you to visit a library or use a library service. The discussion topics do require more than posting your own personal opinions on the topic under discussion.  Address the posted discussion questions using substantive content by utilizing, analyzing, and synthesizing what you learned in the textbook, class readings, etc. See my Panopto video and the scoring rubric for the details about completing the discussions and the grading criteria. The two sharing postings are on weeks when you have a major assignment.
    • INFO 210 Student Learning Outcomes addressed:
      • CLO1 - Investigate the current issues in managing reference departments and evaluating reference staff and various types of reference services.
      • CLO2 - Explore outreach and marketing roles of reference librarians.
      • CLO3 - Describe current issues and trends on reference departments, including the impact of technology on marketing, outreach, management, and evaluation.
      • CLO4 - Evaluate reference outreach, marketing, and advocacy services that address the needs of a diverse and changing society.
    • NOTE: A number of the topics for the weekly discussions may serve as evidence to support various core competencies for your e-portfolio.

  • Assignments 2 and 3  (35% for each of the two project)
    You will choose from one of the following projects for Assignment 2 and another topic for Assignment 3. Options include: (a) a pathfinder, subject guide, or LibGuide, (b) an instructional tutorial, (c) a reference-related outreach or marketing project with some kind of artifact, (d) an outreach or marketing action plan, (e) shadowing a reference librarian doing some kind of outreach or library instruction, (f) interview a reference manager, (g) write a research paper that takes  specific viewpoint on your selected reference topic, or (h) some other preapproved project.  Go to the Assignment folder in Canvas to see the assignment description, the scoring rubric, and the Panopto video on subject options for Assignments 2/3 for details, exemplars, and grading criteria.
    • INFO 210 Student Learning Outcome addressed:
      • CLO1 - Investigate the current issues in managing reference departments and evaluating reference staff and various types of reference services.
      • CLO2 - Explore outreach and marketing roles of reference librarians.
      • CLO3 - Describe current issues and trends on reference departments, including the impact of technology on marketing, outreach, management, and evaluation.
      • CLO4 - Evaluate reference outreach, marketing, and advocacy services that address the needs of a diverse and changing society.
    • NOTE:  See video for more information on using class assignments as possible artifacts for your e-portfolio.

Course Grading

  • See the description of the assignments in Canvas for links to possible exemplars, the grading rubrics, and links to "how-to" videos.
  • All work is due by the date listed, but there is a two-day no-questions-asked grace period for all assignments. If you are unable to complete the work by the end of the grace period, there is a 10% penalty unless you contact me and formally make special arrangements for an extension.  
  • Check the grading criteria provided in the scoring rubrics before submitting assignments to be sure that you are addressing all of the elements that should be included in the assignments.
  • If you "blow" an assignment and get a really poor grade, you do have the option to resubmit it, but the highest possible grade for the resubmission is capped at 90%.
  • The details of the assignments, grading criteria, and grading rubrics are subject to minor adjustments with fair notice. 
  • With the exception of the standard two-day, no-questions-asked grace period, no work will be accepted after the end of the course unless you have made arrangements that meet the university criteria and have been approved by me in writing or by email.

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

INFO 210 has no prequisite requirements.

Course Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Investigate the current issues in managing reference departments and evaluating reference staff and various types of reference services.
  2. Explore outreach and marketing roles of reference librarians.
  3. Describe current issues and trends on reference departments, including the impact of technology on marketing, outreach, management, and evaluation.
  4. Evaluate reference outreach, marketing, and advocacy services that address the needs of a diverse and changing society.

Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

INFO 210 supports the following core competencies:

  1. D Apply the fundamental principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy.
  2. I Use service concepts, principles, and techniques to connect individuals or groups with accurate, relevant, and appropriate information.
  3. N Evaluate programs and services using measurable criteria.

Textbooks

Recommended Textbooks:

  • Cassell, K. A., & Hiremath, U. (2013). Reference and information services: An introduction (3rd ed.). Neal-Schuman. Available through Amazon: 1555708595arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain

Grading Scale

The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:

97 to 100 A
94 to 96 A minus
91 to 93 B plus
88 to 90 B
85 to 87 B minus
82 to 84 C plus
79 to 81 C
76 to 78 C minus
73 to 75 D plus
70 to 72 D
67 to 69 D minus
Below 67 F

 

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 or undergraduate (for BS-ISDA);
    For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA, Informatics, BS-ISDA) — 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 if you wish to stay in the program. 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.

Graduate Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Undergraduates must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

Per University Policy S16-9, university-wide policy information relevant to all courses, such as academic integrity, accommodations, etc. will be available on Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs' Syllabus Information web page at: https://www.sjsu.edu/curriculum/courses/syllabus-info.php. Make sure to visit this page, review and be familiar with these university policies and resources.

In order to request an accommodation in a class please contact the Accessible Education Center and register via the MyAEC portal.

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