IRLS 520-01 Course Outline

Last revised February 7, 2006.

Course Outline for IRLS 520, Section 1: Ethics for Library and Information Professionals
Semester: Spring 2006
Instructor: Kay Mathiesen

Topic Readings Assignments

Week 1 (1/16) No Class--Martin Luther King Day

Week 2 (1/23) Introduction
Participate in The Morality Play. Print out and bring your results to class.

Week 3 (1/30) The Mission of the Information Professional Ortega y Gasset, Wengert Write a PRE for the Gassett and Wengert articles.

Week 4 (2/6) Ethical Theories Spinello
See assignment in d2l

Week 5 (2/13) Ethical Theory Cont. and Diversity Issues Woodward (both articles) Take the concrete ethical delimma that you described in last week's assignment.

Explain how a utilitarian would go about deciding this case.

Explain how Kant would go about deciding this case.

Explain how Ross would go about deciding this case.

Explain how a rights theorist would go about deciding this case.
(Be sure to refer to the specifics of the case in your answers.)

Week 6 (2/20) What is Information Ethics? Moor, Floridi, Mathiesen Write a PRE for each of the readings.

Week 7 (2/27) Intellectual Freedom Mill, Doyle Write a PRE for each of the readings.

Week 8 (3/6) Intellectual Freedom (cont.) Wolkoff, Nesta/Blanke, Baldwin
Browse the ALA Intellectual Freedom pages and the Supreme Court decision on US vs. ALA

Midterm due Sunday at 5 p.m.

Spring Break (3/13)

Week 9 (3/20) Access to Information Sheerin

PRE

Week 10 (3/27) Privacy Thompson, Garoogian

Week 11 (4/3) Intellectual Property and Copyright Harper

Outline of Copyright Information.

Interview Questions

Week 12 (4/10) Justifying Intellectual Property Rights Hettinger, Vaidhyanathan Write a PRE for each of the readings.

Week 13 (4/17) Presentations

Week 14 (4/24) Presentations
Optional rough draft due.

Week 15 (5/1) Presentations

Week 16 (Finals Week)

Topic	Readings	Assignments
Week 1 (1/16) No Class--Martin Luther King Day
Week 2 (1/23) Introduction		Participate in The Morality Play. Print out and bring your results to class.
Week 3 (1/30) The Mission of the Information Professional	Ortega y Gasset, Wengert	Write a PRE for the Gassett and Wengert articles.
Week 4 (2/6) Ethical Theories	Spinello	See assignment in d2l
Week 5 (2/13) Ethical Theory Cont. and Diversity Issues	Woodward (both articles)	Take the concrete ethical delimma that you described in last week's assignment. Explain how a utilitarian would go about deciding this case. Explain how Kant would go about deciding this case. Explain how Ross would go about deciding this case. Explain how a rights theorist would go about deciding this case. (Be sure to refer to the specifics of the case in your answers.)
Week 6 (2/20) What is Information Ethics?	Moor, Floridi, Mathiesen	Write a PRE for each of the readings.
Week 7 (2/27) Intellectual Freedom	Mill, Doyle	Write a PRE for each of the readings.
Week 8 (3/6) Intellectual Freedom (cont.)	Wolkoff, Nesta/Blanke, Baldwin Browse the ALA Intellectual Freedom pages and the Supreme Court decision on US vs. ALA	Midterm due Sunday at 5 p.m.
Spring Break (3/13)
Week 9 (3/20) Access to Information	Sheerin	PRE
Week 10 (3/27) Privacy	Thompson, Garoogian
Week 11 (4/3) Intellectual Property and Copyright	Harper	Outline of Copyright Information. Interview Questions
Week 12 (4/10) Justifying Intellectual Property Rights	Hettinger, Vaidhyanathan	Write a PRE for each of the readings.
Week 13 (4/17) Presentations
Week 14 (4/24) Presentations		Optional rough draft due.
Week 15 (5/1) Presentations
Week 16 (Finals Week)