LIBR 210-11
Reference and Information Services
Fall 2009 Greensheet

Dr. Johanna Tunon
E-mail
Home phone: (954) 792-6814 
Office location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Office hours: By appointment by phone or via Elluminate. NOTE: I live in Florida so I am on Eastern Standard time. You are welcome to call before 10 pm Eastern Standard/Daylight time.

I will email you with your access enrollment code for your class site. Links with tutorials on how to use Angel are provided above.

Course Description

Catalog Description: A process-oriented examination of how information professionals answer reference questions. The interpersonal skills required for effective question negotiation and the sources with which questions are answered are stressed.

Full Description: This course provides an overview of reference and information services. We will be examining and evaluating key information sources in a variety of formats and becoming familiar with professional resources. Because the field of librarianship is changing rapidly, we will be exploring various methods and models for delivering information and examining how emerging trends and ways to use new ideas and skills may impact the future of reference services and access to information.

Course Prerequisites: LIBR 202 required.

Course Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will:

• Have a developed understanding of the reference process
• Use basic reference tools and search techniques to answer a wide range of questions;
• Conduct an effective reference interview;
• Make the connection between user needs, information resources, and the relevant information technology;
• Assess the quality and usefulness of reference sources;
• Evaluate reference services that address the needs of today’s dynamic and cultural diverse society;
• Understand the relationship between reference service and information literacy instruction;
• Be familiar with current issues and trends in reference service;
• Begin to develop a personal philosophy of reference service.

LIBR 210 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• Use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users.

In addition, this section supports the following SLIS core competencies:

• Retrieve, evaluate, and synthesize scholarly and professional literature for informed decision-making by specific client groups;
• Demonstrate proficiency in the use of current information and communication technologies, and other related technologies, as they affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information providing entities;
• Evaluate programs and services on specified criteria.

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Course Requirements

Assignment 1: Mini exercises 20% (2.5% X 8 weeks)
                        (Wk2, Wk4, Wk6, Wk7, Wk9, Wk10, Wk12, Wk13)
Assignment 2: Ref Interview/Pathfinder 14% Due Oct, 2009
Assignment 3: BI session via Elluminate 9% (Nov. 8, 12, 17, 21, 22)
                        Instructional handout 4% Submit in Elluminate folder with BI
                        materials
                        Self reflection 1% - Due within one week after BI presentation
                        Peer review feedback 1% - Due within one week after BI 
                        presentation or no later than Nov. 29
Assignment 4: Reference bibliograph/ group wikis 25% Due Dec. 1
Assignment 5: Article summaries  8% (1% X 8) See designated weeks
                        (Wks 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14)
                        Reflections 2% Due Dec. 6
                        ** Optional peer disc. moderator in place of two article
                             summaries (2%)
Participation/Discussion topics 16% (16 x 1%) Due Dec. 8

Course Calendar

 * These due dates are subject to change with fair notice. 

Description of Assignments and Grading Criteria :
(Grading rubrics will be provided in the course)

• Assignment 1: Mini Exercises 20% (2.5% X 8 weeks)
  In eight out of the sixteen weeks of class (Weeks 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13), we will have mini exercises that will have you actually look for appropriate sources to information quest questions or examine specific types of resources. You will email these resources to me using the Angel email system. The activities will be graded using the following criteria:
  Grading criteria:
  • Correct responses were identified. If the answer for a question was not located, the student demonstrated due diligence by providing at least five appropriate authoritative sources that were checked for the answer. Correct grammar was used.
  • Appropriate sources -- A variety of print and appropriate electronic reference resources were used to completely answer information requests. Only authoritative Web reference resources were utilized. 
   
• Assignment 2: Reference Interview/Pathfinder 14% Due Oct. 18
  Assignment 2 has two parts. You will need to conduct a reference interview with someone who has an information need of some kind. It might be that the individual is looking for an answer to a personal question, but you can also talk to a teacher or librarian who would like to help patrons with a specific type of question. You will need to conduct a reference interview to identify the nature and focus of the information need. In one page, describe your interview using what you learned about the process in the Cassell and Hiremath text as well as other readings and discussions in the class. In the second part of the assignment, you will develop a 1-2 page pathfinder to help the individual find relevant resources on the topic of interest. You can take a look at examples of some other LIBR 210 pathfinders at http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/wikis/faculty/reference/index.php/LIBR_210_Student_Pathfinder_ProjectsGrading Grading criteria:
  • The information need of the patron was clearly identified in the reference interview
  • The description of the reference interview demonstrated a solid grasp of how to correctly conduct a reference interview..
  • The pathfinder addressed the patron’s identified information needs.
  • The pathfinder was attractive and appropriate for the age and ability level of the user(s).
  • The pathfinder identified a variety of appropriate resources for the information need.
  • The pathfinder organized the information in a clear and concise manner.
  • Both the description of the reference interview and the pathfinder used correct grammar and writing mechanics.
   
• Assignment 3: BI Session via Elluminate 10% Weeks 12-15 
                                                                              (Nov. 8, 12, 17, 21, 22)
                          BI session – 9%
                          Instructional handout – 4%
                          Peer-review feedback – 1%
                          Reflection on what you learned in the process – 1%
  Assignment 3 is designed to give students the opportunity to use Elluminate for a short (5-7 minute) introduction to a SJSU database or Web 2.0 application. In addition to giving students to opportunity to teach in an online environment, the sessions also provide the rest of the class with an introduction to some relevant databases and Web 2.0 applications that they might not otherwise become familiar with. I have requested student assistants to help with any questions about using Elluminate, but it will be up to the individual students to develop their own lesson plan and any needed supplemental instructional materials such as a handout or Web resource. Students are encouraged to talk with SJSU librarians about their database choices. The sign-up wiki page is located in the Lessons folder. The dates include Nov. 8 (7 pm PT), Nov. 12 (7 pm PT), Nov. 17 (5 pm PT), Nov. 21 (9 am PT), and Nov. 22 (3 pm PT). As you can see, there are a variety of days of the week and times to accomodate different people’s schedules. I do not expect you to be present for the live presentations. Since you will want to get an overview of the various resources, you will be able to see the archived sessions when you cannot participate live. Also, if needed, we can add one more Elluminate session in Week 15, but that is pretty late in the term since I do not want to schedule any sessions during Thanksgiving week. I would prefer to complete everything by the end of Week 13 if at all possible.
  Because librarians are often expected to work in teams in library settings and provide feedback to peers, I am including a follow-up part to this assignment where you will be expected to provide at least one other student in the class with substantive feedback on his or her presentation. In order that some students do not get unfairly bombarded with feedback, I will be assigning each of you to provide feedback on someone presenting on the same day as your own presentation.
  Grading Criteria:
  • The student presenter introduced him or herself and explained the goals for the instructional session.
  • Instructional session was well organized and covered the major points about the selected database or Web 2.0 application. The student presenter demonstrated how to use the database or Web 2.0 application as time permitted.
  • The presentation made clear how the database or Web 2.0 application might be useful for reference librarians.
  • Elluminate was used appropriately for the purposes of the instructional session.
  • The student presenter presented the materials clearly and succinctly.
  • The student presenter interacted with the others in the class, answered questions, and encouraged interaction as time permitted.
  • The student presenter was knowledgeable about the database or Web 2.0 application selected.
  • At least one handout, Web resource, or other instructional aid was provided to supplement the instruction.
  • Student provided peer review on someone else’s presentation.
  • Student provided a paragraph with a self-reflection about what the individual learned about the instructional process.
   
• Assignment 4: Reference Bibliograph/Group Wikis 25% Due Dec. 1
• You will be working in group wikis on the following problem-based learning scenario: The Reference Department at the NepoMax Library has been charged by the University Librarian with identifying the top 200 reference sources by December 1 for a special ALA/RUSA bibliography scheduled to be published in the spring of 2010. The Director of Reference Services made the decision to split the department into the general/multidisciplinary, humanities, social sciences, and science/technology teams. Your team’s job is to identify the best reference online and print resources for public, school, and academic libraries available in 2009 in your subject area. The final product must be formatted using APA for the reference citations, and the annotations are included with a critical evaluation of each source that includes information on the coverage and scope, format, authority, treatment, arrangement, special features, and cost (if appropriate) of your selected resources. Also include imprint/publication information (name of publisher, place, and date of publication), frequency, the audience, uses, limitations, and a description of why the resource was selected. The director has instructed you to use the RUSA guidelines (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinespreparation.cfm) in constructing each subject area of the bibliography. Moreover, the bibliography needs to be completed in the designated timeframe in order not to embarrass the University Librarian. Just as importantly, failure to meet the deadline will negatively impact your yearly appraisal and any chances for getting a raise this year.
  (NOTE: The wiki for identifying work groups based on areas of interest is posted in Lessons > Week 2. You can choose from General/Multidisciplinary, Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences/Technology. First come, first serve with a maximum of six per subject area. Each group can decide on how to divide your work, but to facilitate grading, each resource needs the name of the person who wrote the annotation at the end of the summary. The majority of your grade will be based on your selection of resources and annotations, and a smaller percentage of the grade will be based on the group’s overall preparation of their section of Assignment 4 and cooperation between groups to produce a professional product that looks cohesive rather than “cobled” together.)
  Grading Criteria:
  • Group work in subject areas and overall design
  • Appropriate selection of resources for subject area
  • Solid justification for the choices is provided
  • Information about the coverage and scope, format, authority, treatment, arrangement, special features, and cost (if appropriate) of the resources were accurate, well organized, and concise.
  • APA formatting and followed RUSA guidelines for preparing a bibliography.
   
• Assignment 5: Articles 8% (1% X 8)  All article postings due by Dec. 6
                           Reflections 2% due Dec. 6
• Eight summaries articles are to be posted over the course of the semester in the provided folder in the Lessons section. The schedule for posting article summaries for Fall 2009 is as follows:
  • Week 3: Article summaries of best practices or case studies on reference interviews (1%)
  • Week 5: Article summaries for phone/email/virtual/chat/mobile reference services (1%)
  • Week 7: Article summaries on reference outreach, roving reference, embedded libraries, or reader’s advisories (1%)
  • Week 9: Summaries of research articles on reference services (1%)
  • Week 10: Article summaries on bibliographic instruction/information literacy/instructional design article/assessing instruction (1%)
  • Week 11: Article summaries on library instruction for distance/remote/online users or Web. 2.0 applications (1%)
  • Week 13: Article summaries on serving special populations (1%)
  • Week 14: Article summaries on the future of reference services (1%)
  • Week 15: Student reflections postings on a topic addressed in article summaries (2%)
• Optional: Peer Moderator for a Weekly Discussion Topic 2%
  Research suggests that students engage in more lively and in-depth discussions when the discussions are led by peer moderators. As a result, I would like to give you the option to be a peer moderator for a week. The sign-up wiki is located in --- on a first-come, first-serve basis. This optional activity can be completed in lieu of doing two article summaries.
  Grading criteria :
  1) Create a friendly environment for that week’s discussion topic.
  2) Start the week with an introduction to the topic under discussion.
  3) End the week’s discussion by summarizing the ideas discussed.
  4) Prompt participants to pursue their ideas.
  5) Encourage participation and sharing of ideas.
  
   
• Participation 16% 1% x 16 Grades (posted after Weeks 1, 6, 11, and 16)
  Class participation is an important part of the class and can take a variety of forms throughout the course including the Elluminate classroom sessions, asking good questions that move the direction of the course forward, participation on various topics posted in the discussion board throughout the term, and responding constructively to others’ postings. Your participation can take the form of active listening that incorporates or builds on comments by other students, thoughtful questions, suggestions, addressing related issues, and making observations based on personal or professional experiences and/or class readings. Although positive reinforcement is good, participation that does not add to the discussion (e.g., comments like “Yes, I agree” and “Good point!” will not be counted toward your participation grade.
  I will be providing detailed feedback for Week 1 so you can see how I plan to grade weekly participation. After Week 1, I will post the participation credit in 5% “chunks” in the gradebook after the discussion in Weeks 6, 11, and 16 have been completed.
  Grading Criteria
  • Content – Comments and questions are substantive and relate to the topic. Your responses were relevant to the topics addressed in the class and show that you were prepared for the class discussion and were applying the principles learned in the class text.
  • Organization -- Comments are presented in logical manner and concise.
  • Knowledge – Comments reflect knowledge about research and your readings in the text book, your postings in the reading blog, and any other professional literature. Support your comments with concrete evidence when possible.
  • Active listening – Incorporates or building off the comments of others in class participation.
  • Used the professional literature and your text to support comments
  • Substantive input/comments/questions/feedback for other students
  • Postings with relevant resources that you want to share with the class in the Course-Related Resources section would be considered a plus!
  • Communicate in a professional manner and avoid computer abbreviations like LOL. Correct grammar and writing mechanics.
   
• * The details of the asssignments, grading criteria, and grading rubrics are subject to minor adjustments with fair notice.
   

Course Grading
All work is due by the date listed. If you are unable to complete the work by the assigned date, you need to email me to make alternative arrangements. No work will be accepted after the last day of class unless arrangements have been made in writing and approved for an incomplete. 

Check the grading rcriteria and rubrics with class assignments before submitting assignments to be sure that you are addressing all of the elements that should be included in the assignments.

Textbooks and Readings

You will be using the APA formatting for class assignments so you may also obtain a copy of the APA publication manul (6th ed.) It was just released in July.  If you have the 5th edition, that will also suffice. However, I will be providing some basic tutorials.

• American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American
       Psychological Association. New York, NY: Author.

Information about additional readings from online articles, Web resources, and videos  will be posted as the semester progresses, but there will be no additional textbooks for the class that you need to purchase.

• Bopp, R. E., & Smith, C. E. (2001). Reference and information services: An
      introduction. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.**

(Although I requested Cassell & Hiremath for this semester and arranged my class content based on the orgnaization of content in their textbook, Bopp & Smith's book was mistakenly still listed as the textbook until recently. As a result, I will accept the Bopp and Smith textbook as an alternative text for those of you who already bought this textbook. For anyone planning to use this text, check with me for coorect chapters from Bopp and Smith to read throughout the semester that align with the readings in Cassell and Hiremath.)

Required Textbook:

• Cassell, K. A., & Hiremath, U. (2006). Reference and information services in the 21st century: An introduction. Neal-Schuman. Available through Amazon: 1555705634.

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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