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Last updated, August 19, 2005.
Requirement for course text revised August 9, 2005. See below.

Course Syllabus: IRLS 404/504, Foundations of Library and Information Services

SIRLS StrongStart will be from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, August 20, 2005, at Education 353. All students enrolled in IRLS 504 for Fall 2005 are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to be at this extension of 504.

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL VERSION OF THE SYLLABUS.

Section 1: IRLS 404/504 001: Mondays, 3:30-6 pm; Shantz 242E
Section 2: IRLS 404/504 002: Tuesdays, 3:30-6 pm; ILC 119

Link to Course Outline

Fall 2005 Instructor: Jana Bradley


COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES

Foundations of Library and Information Service
IRLS 404/504
Prerequisites: None
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COURSE DESCRIPTION

"This course introduces the basic concepts, terminology, literature and issues related to the organization, management, access and use of knowledge and information recourses and the provision of library and information services. The course is the foundation for the SIRLS MA degree program."

PHILOSOPHY OF LEARNING AND TEACHING

The purpose of this class is for you to learn. Research shows that students learn best when they are actively engaged with the material. Students in this class are expected to be active learners. The class is structured to encourage you to be involved in all learning situations, from homework preparation to in-class experiences. As an instructor, I feel it is my responsibility to organize the class to help you engage with the material, be an active learner, and be an active partner in assessing and improving your own learning. As a student, it is your responsibility to engage with the material and learn. I will provide numerous “feedback” opportunities throughout the course designed for both of us—instructor and student—to check in on how your learning is going. Students are encouraged to make at least one appointment with me during the semester to talk about how your learning is going and what we can both do to increase it.

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COURSE GOALS

Students will:

1. Develop the foundations of an informed (knowledgeable) perspective in major content areas relevant to the library and information professions;

2. Learn basic concepts and terminology in foundational content areas;

3. Develop a foundational understanding of the relationships between concepts, theory, research and practice in the library and information professions;

4. Develop and demonstrate learning skills and strategies needed for success in the SIRLS graduate program, including basic technology skills and self-reflective learning skills.

Objectives (learning outcomes) for each unit, as guides for student learning, will be provided at the beginning of the unit, including the relationship of the unit to the SIRLS Competencies.

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REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

Students are expected to meet the technology requirements for entry into the SIRLS program.

Students will need to obtain the following texts from online sources. They are not available in campus bookstores. Note that two of them may either be purchased or read online.

Required:

1. Foundations of Library and Information Science, Richard E. Rubin, 2nd edition, 2004.

2. ODLIS -- Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science, Joan M. Reitz. Students may use the online version at http://lu.com/odlis/index.cfm or purchase a print copy following directions at this link.

3.. OCLC 2003 Environmental Scan. OCLC 2004. This may be read online at http://www.oclc.org/membership/escan/toc.htm or ordered from OCLA following directions at this link.

Optional:
Introductory Concepts in Information Science, Melanie J. Norton, ASIS, 2000. This is out of print and so will not be required. If you can get a copy, you will find it useful.

Additional Readings:
Additional readings will be made available in Desire 2 Learn.

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LEARNING TECHNOLOGY

A major purpose of this course is to introduce students to the various technologies and technical skills that will be essential to their success in SIRLS and as library and information professionals. Basic instructions and lists of resources will be distributed. The course GAT will be available via email to answer questions. An introduction to Desire to Learn will be part of the first class. (Strong Start attendees will also have had an introduction to Desire 2 Learn. A workshop in using Dreamweaver to build web pages will be offered on August 29 and 30, from 1:30 to 3:15, location to be announced.

In general, the 504 GA will be available in the SIRLS labs from 1:30 to 3 to help students; however, other obligations may intervene, so if you need help, you are encouraged to make an appointment. Students are encouraged to help each other and learn from each other.

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The course meets once a week on the Tucson campus (3:30-6 pm) from the week of August 22 through the week of December 5, with the exception of the week of September 5, when the class will be conducted online. Attendance is expected at all classes. A complete syllabus, including all assignments, will be available on the first day of class. Note that there are two sections of the class, one meeting on Monday and one on Tuesday. Students register for and attend ONE section only.

Graded Assignments

Graded assignments for the course appear below, along with the number of points for each assignment and the percentage each assignment counts in the final grade. Instruction sheets for each assignment will include the specific grading scheme for each assignment.

 

Percentage of Grade

Points

Terminology quizzes (Completion of 10 quizzes required)

10%

100

Library history article summary and discussion

10%

100

Searching assignment

10%

100

Professional Development Reports (Completion of 10 required)

10%

100

Interview with a librarian or information professional

10%

100

Group power point presentation: type of library or information setting

10%

100

Topical paper (2500 words) (Including Annotated Bibliography)

20%

200

ePortfolio

10%

100

Final Exam

10%

100
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COURSE POLICIES

Academic Code of Integrity

Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity. 'The guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's own.' If you have any questions regarding what is acceptable practice under this Code, please ask an Instructor.

Accommodating Disabilities

The University has a Disability Resource Center . If you anticipate the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the Disability Resource Center and request that the DRC send me, the Instructor, official notification of your accommodation needs as soon as possible. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate.

Assignment Policies

All assignments are due on the day indicated. Late assignments will not be accepted unless arrangements have been made with me BEFORE class; no approvals will be given for late assignments unless the student attends class the day the assignment is due; approval for late assignments is given only for major circumstances outside the student’s control.

Writing Competence

Norms of graduate level writing, including appropriate organization, level of expression, use of standard grammar and spelling, and citation of resources, are expected in this class. All graded assignments include criteria relating to organization, logic, expression, use of standard grammar and spelling, and appropriate citation of resources. The existence of these problems will be indicated, but the instructor will not edit the student’s work. Students wanting more detail about the kinds of errors they are making should make an appointment to consult the instructor. Help in improving writing is available through the Writing Center. Enlisting the help of others in proofing and editing work is also a useful tool for identifying weaknesses in writing.

Incompletes

Incompletes are given in this course only when circumstances beyond the student’s control prevent the student from completing the final paper by the deadline. All other course requirements, including the course exam, must be satisfied. Students MUST INITIATE the request for an incomplete before the semester ends. If the request for an incomplete is granted, a new deadline date for the paper will be assigned, usually before the start of the next semester. All arrangements for an incomplete must be in writing (usually email), and the student is expected to keep a copy of the agreement.

This course is the foundation for success in the program. It is in your best interest to complete the course on schedule.

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GRADING

Some assignments, such as the quizzes and the searching assignments, are graded on a simple percentage of correct answers. However, the majority of the assignments are graded by the instructor following the conceptual framework below.

1. Response to the assignment:

2. Use of information resources: readings, class material, outside resources

3. Analytical converstation

4. Professional presentation

The description of each assignment will include a more specific description of how these criteria relate to the assignment and the specific weights of each of these elements for that assignment.

Grading is done on a point system. The total number of points possible is 1000. Final grades will be assigned according to the following scale.

900 – 1000 = A
800 – 899 = B
700 – 799 = C
600 – 699 = D
000– 599 = E

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CONTACTING ME

Jana Bradley, Professor and Director
janabrad@email.arizona.edu
SIRLS
1515 E. First
Tucson, Arizona 85719
520-621-3565

Office Hours:
1:30 - 3:00 PM Mondays

1:30 - 3:00 PM Tuesdays

The instructor is occasionally obliged to travel on school business. When office hours are cancelled for these reasons, a notice will be sent to the class listserv. As always, appointments can be arranged at mutual convenience.

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