University of Arizona
School of Library and Information Science
LS 524
Information Resources Evaluation

The purpose of this course is to evaluate basic reference materials and to suggest techniques applicable to effective reference work in all types of libraries and information centers.

Required Text:

Textbook and a supplementary reading packet available at ASUA Bookstrore.

Course Outline

September
5 Reference evaluation
7 Bibliography
12 Bibliography
14 Examination
19 Serials - guides
21 Indexing
26 Indexing
28 Biography (INDEX SEARCH DUE)

October
3 Biography
5 Dictionaries
10 Dictionaries
12 SEARCH (IN LIBRARY)
17 Technostress - readings
19 Encyclopedias
24 Encyclopedias
26 Geographic sources
31 Documents

November
2 Social Science
7 Social Science
9 SEARCH (IN LIBRARY)
14 Business
16 Business
21 Literature
27 Literature
29 Reader's advising - prices

December
5 Internet
7 Summary

Course Evaluation

All examinations and papers will be graded on a scale where A+ is valued at 10 points, A is 9, A- is 8, B+ is 7, B is 6, B- is 5 etc. In order to compute your final grade, the point value given for each exercise will be multiplied by the percentage for that unit (for example an A (value 9) on the first examination multiplied by 25% gives you a 2.25). All values will be added together. An over all total of 8.00 points must be obtained to reach a course grade of A.

The first examination will be made up of short essay questions (90% of the credit) and multiple choice questions (10% of the credit). The first search exam will be of the take-home variety while the second and third will be made up of questions to be answered in a timed exercise in the Reference area of the University library. The course is divided into five sections with an examination at the end of each section - covering only those materials discussed in that section.

For the encyclopedia assignment (due on October 17) you will be asked to prepare an annotated bibliography based on your selection of an "opening day" collection for a new community college. Details later.

The guidelines as described in the University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity (August 1991) are to be followed in this course. ASSIGNMENT FOR AUGUST 29
Read: Katz: 3-31.67-72
Guides to Reference Materials
What purpose do the guides serve? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the guides listed below? In order to test the guides take a reference work you know (an atlas or a dictionary for example) and compare and contrast the treatment provided by Sheehy/Balay and Walford. Next, take a general topic that interests you and again compare and contrast the coverage of materials as provided in Sheehy/Balay and Walford.

Examine

1. Sheehy. Guide to Reference Books 10th ed Z1035.1 and Supplement by Balay (1992) (desk)
2. Walford. Guide to Reference Materials. V. 1-3 Z1035.1
3. American Reference Books Annual. (ARBA) Z1035.1
4. Topical Reference Books. Z1035.1 T66
5. Sader (ed.) General Reference Books for Adults. 1988 Z1035.1
6. Reference Sources for Small and Medium Size Libraries. 5th ed. 1992 (at reserve desk)

Current Reviewing
Read: Katz 72-76 (in packet) Outstanding Reference Books of 1994.
For discussion
What are the qualities of an ideal reference review? If you were responsible for selection of reference materials for a new community college OR a medium size public library what sources would you use? Why? What are useful sources for the evaluation of databases? of CD-Roms?
Select a reference book costing $50.00 or more published within the last two years and try to locate critical reviews in two different review sources. Which source was the most informative? Which did the best job of comparing the title with other titles? Did either review indicate the level of user most likely to profit by the book?

Examine the section in the following journals that provide reviews of REFERENCE sources.

• Choice
• Library journal
• RQ (Reference Quarterly)
• "Reference Books Bulletin" in Booklist

• Katz Introduction to Reference Work v. 2 45-65
• University of Arizona. Training Manual.
• Larson "Developing Behavioral Reference Standards"
• Tyckoson "Wrong Questions, Wrong Answers"
• optional - Bopp and Smith Chapter 2 The Interview.

• Durance, J. "Reference success . . . "
• Hernon, P. "Library Reference Services-Symposium"
• Problems in Reference Service
• Bunge, "Potential and Reality"
• Miller "What's Wrong with Reference?"
• Campbell "Shaking the Conceptional Foundations"

September 7
Bibliography
Read

• Katz 89-113
• "OCLC's First Search" (in packet)

National Bibliography

1. OCLC "First Search" (SLS Computer Lab.)
2. National Union Catalog. Pre 1956 Imprints (Mansell)
3. National Union Catalog 1956 - (Available in Reference Room on microfiche. Metal file drawer 6
4. British Library General Catalogue Z 921 B85

Trade Bibliography

1. Forthcoming Books
2. American Book Publishing Record
3. Cumulative Book Index (5th floor oversize Z 1219)
4. Publisher's Trade List Annual
5. Books in Print (desk)
6. Subject Guide to Books in Print (desk)
7. British National Bibliography Z 2001 B75

September 19
Serials - Guides
Read:

• Katz 118-127
  

• Ulrich International Directory. Z 6941 (desk)
• EBSCO Directory (desk)
• Katz. Magazines for Libraries 1992 PN 4832.
• Gale Directory Publications. (desk)
• Standard Periodical Directory (desk)

September 21
Indexing
Read:

• Katz 33-55, 131-172, 196-200
• Lancaster. "Searching Databases with CDROM" (packet) optional Bopp and Smith Chapter 4 Electronic Services and Chapter 20 Indexes.

• Expanded Academic Index (SABIO)
• ACCESS 1975- (Table A)
• Reader's Guide to Periodicals 1900- (Table A)
• Humanities Index 1974- (print and CD)
• Social Science Citation Index OR Arts and Humanities
• Citation Index OR Science Citation Index (in Science Library)

• Public Affairs Information Service Bulletin (Print and CD) (Table B)
• Psychological Abstracts 1927- (Print, CD and SABIO)
• ERIC Educational Resources . . . (SABIO)
• Newsbank (CD)

• Katz 329-359
  
• optional Bopp and Smith Chapter 15 Biography
  

• Biography Index (Table B)
• Biographical and Genealogical Index (CD)
• Dictionary of National Biography DA 28
• Dictionary of American Biography E 176
• National Cyclopedia of American Biography E 176
• Webster's Biographical CT 103
• Chamber's Biographical CT 103
• St. James Guide to Biography 1991 CT 101

• Contemporary Authors (CD)
• Current Biography (Table B)
• Newsmakers (Table B)
• New York Times Biographical Service CT 120
• National Faculty Directory L 901

• Katz 361-398
  
• Sader. Reference Books Adults. 227-235
  
• Kister. Kister's Best Dictionaries. 61-73
  
• optional Bopp and Smith Chapter 16 Dictionaries
  

• Webster's New International 3rd ed. PE 1625
• Random House Dictionary of English Language. Unabridged.
• Oxford English Dictionary (Murray's Dictionary) (OED) (in print and on CD) PE 1625
• Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang PE 2835
• Dictionary of American Regional English PE 2843
• Partridge. Dictionary of Slang. PE 3721.

October 10
Dictionaries (cont.)
Compare and contrast newest editions of desk dictionaries
Examine:

• American Heritage PE 1628
• Oxford American PE 2835
• Webster's New Collegiate PE 1628
• Eponyms Dictionary PE 1596
• Partridge. Cliches PE 1689
• Roget. Thesaurus PE 1591
• Bernstein. Reverse Dictionary.

• Verbatim
• Maledicta

• Cline "Confessions of a Reference Technophile . . ."
  
• Kupersmith "Technostress . . ."
  
• Stieg. "Technology and Concept of Reference"
  

October 19
Encyclopedias
Read:

• Katz 215-275
• Sader 25-28, 36-37, 57-62
• Read complete sketch of one encyclopedia
• Kister. Encyclopedias 1994. scan.
• Optional Bopp and Smith Chapter 17 Encyclopedias
  

• Encyclopedia Americana AE 5
• Encyclopedia Britannica AE 5
• Collier's AE 5

• World Book AE 5
• Compton's AG 5
• New Book of Knowledge AG 5
• Foreign Language Encyclopedia
• Examine one of the following briefly
• Great Soviet AE 55
• Larousse La Grande 1971 v 1-20 AE 25
• Espasa Encyclopedia Universal AE 61
• Barsa AE 65

• Encyclopedia of World Art N 31
• New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ML 100
• Encyclopedia of Philosophy B 41
• New Catholic BX 841
• International Social Sciences H 40
• McGraw Hill Science/Technology Q 121 (newest in Science)
• Guide to American law. KF 156
• Encyclopedia of Religion. BL 31

• Katz 399-424
• Sader "What to Look for in Atlases" 149-161
• (optional) Bopp and Smith Chapter 18 Geographic sources

• Atlas of American History G 1201
• Rand McNally Atlas World history G 1030
• Times Atlas World history G 1030
• Webster's New Geographical Dictionary G 103.5
• Times Atlas of the World G 1021
• Rand Mcnally New International
• Hammond. Medalion G 1021
• Rand McNally Goode World Atlas G 1021
• National Geographic Atlas G 1021
• Prentice Hall International G 1021 R229 1993

• Katz 425-446
• optional Bopp and Smith Chapter 21 Documents

• Monthly Catalog (see current issues on 3rd floor and CD version)
• Congressional Information Service Index and Abstracts (Table M)
• United States Government Manual (desk)
• Publications Reference File (PRF) North Wall
• Subject Bibliographies North Wall GP 3.22

• Katz 277-296

• World Almanac AT 67 desk
• Whitaker's Almanac AY 754 desk
• Statesman's Yearbook JA 51 desk
• Europa Yearbook JN 1 desk
• Facts on File D 410

• Statistical Abstract of the U.s. (desk)
• County and City Data Book HA 202
• Rand McNally Commercial Atlas (atlas case)
• Historical Statistics of the U. S. HA 2202
• Arizona Statistical Abstract HC 107

• Congressional Quarterly. Weekly Reports. Jk 1
• Almanac of American politics JK 8
• CQ Researcher H 35
• Congressional Directory

• Katz 321-324
• Lavin. Business Information (in packet)

• Standard Industrial Classification Manual (desk)
• Encyclopedia of Business Information HF 5353
• Directories in Print AY 2001 (desk)
• Encyclopedia of Associations HS 17 (desk)
• Business Periodicals Index (table K)
• Predicasts Funk and Scott United States (table K)
• Infotrac "General Business File" (CD)

• Moody's Industrial Records HG 4961
• Standard and Poor Corporation Records HG 4501
• Dun and Bradstreet Million Dollar Directory (desk)
• Value Line (current periodicals)
• Brands and Companies T 22
• Thomas Register HD 9720

• Katz 188-189

• Harner Literary Research Guide PR 83
• Modern Language Association. International
• Bibliography (print and CD)
• New Cambridge Bibliography English Literature Z2001
• Magill. Literary Criticism Z 6511
• Essay and General Literature Index. (Table d)

• American Writers PS 129
• Contemporary Literary Criticism (Table D)
• Dictionary of Literary Biography PS 221
• Benet Reader's Encyclopedia PN 41
• Columbia Dictionary of Modern European Literature
• Quotations - Bartlett, Stevenson, Oxford

• The Reader's Advisor Z 5916
• The Fiction Catalog

• Lanier. "Ready Reference via the Internet"
• Kalin. "Beyond OPACS . . ."
• Stahl "The Virtual Library"
• Ladner. "Using the Internet for Reference"
• optional Bopp and Smith Chapter 5 Trends Electronic Services