Text and Assigned Reads (Required)
Bopp, R.E. and Smith, L.C. (1995). Reference and Information Services: An Introduction. 2nd edition. Libraries Unlimited: Englewood, CO. Supplementary Read packet (available at the ASUA Bookstore).
June 3 - Introduction; Professional Resources
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 1
June 4 - Evaluating Reference Resources
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 12
Bates (1986). What is a reference book?
Rettig (1987). Every reference librarian a reviewer.
June 5 - Search Strategy; Introduction to Bibliography
Read:
Bopp & Smith, p. 66-80
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 19
Benson & Maloney (1975). Principles of searching.
June 6 - Trade Bibliography (LIST 1)
June 7 - National and Union Catalogs (LIST 2); Practice Exam
Read:
Benaud & Bordeianu (1993). OCLC’s FirstSearch.
June 10 - Reference Interview
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 2
Dervin & Dewdney (1986). Neutral questioning.
Smith & Fitt (1982). Active listening at the reference desk.
Larson & Dickson (1994). Developing behavioral reference desk…
Abels (1996). The e-mail reference interview.
DUE: REVIEW
June 11 - Serials (LIST 3); Introduction to Indexes and Abstracts
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 20
June 12 - Indexes and Abstracts (LIST 4)
June 13 - Indexes and Abstracts; Dialog Demo
June 14 - Electronic Reference; MIDTERM EXAM (in class - 1 hour)
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 4
Lancaster et al (1994). Searching databases with CD-ROM.
Piternick (1990). Decision factors…
Tenopir (1995). Integrating electronic reference.
June 17 - Dictionaries (LIST 5)
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 16
Kister (1992). What is important when choosing a dictionary?
DUE: TAKE HOME MIDTERM
June 18 - Internet Reference
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 5
Ladner & Tillman (1993). Using the Internet for reference.
Lanier & Wilkins (1994). Ready reference via the Internet.
Klassen (1995). Usenet as a reference tool.
Mellendorf (1995). Pounding the pavement with a purpose.
Rettig (1995) - Putting the squeeze… NOT IN READING PACKET
June 19 - Encyclopedias (LIST 6)
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 17
Kister (1994). Kister’s best encyclopedias.
Valauska (1995). Britannica Online.
June 20 - Almanacs and Yearbooks (LIST 7)
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 14
June 21 - Evaluation of Reference Services
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 8
Campbell (1992). Shaking the conceptual foundations of reference.
Dewdney & Ross (1994). Flying a light aircraft.
Durrance (1989). Reference success.
June 24 - Biographical Sources (LIST 8)
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 15
DUE: ENCYCLOPEDIA REPORT
June 25 - Ethics; Geographical Sources (LIST 9)
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 10
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 18
Sader (1988). What to look for in atlases.
June 26 - Directories and Handbooks (LIST 10)
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 13
June 27 - Business Sources (LIST 11)
Read:
Lavin (1992). Sources and forms of business information.
June 28 - Government Documents and Statistical Sources (LIST 12)
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 21
Maxwell (1995). The 10 best federal government Internet sites.
July 1 - Discuss Observation Reports
DUE: OBSERVATION REPORTS
July 2 - Review; Trends & Directions
Read:
Bopp & Smith, Chapter 9
July 3 -FINAL EXAM
Letter grades are awarded on the following basis:
90-100 = A
80-89 = B
70-79 = C
>70 = F
Late assignments will be graded down, unless otherwise arranged with the professor.
1. Book Review (10%)
You will be asked to write a short review of a reference book of your choice.
Your review should be no longer than 400 words and should be similar in style
and content to reviews published in professional journals.
2. Observation Report (15%)
You will be required to spend 4 hours observing the service, organization, and
environment of a reference department. You may conduct this observation at
any type of library – public, academic, school, or special library. You will write a
5-6 page paper based on your observations. Some questions to keep in mind as
you observe the reference area are: library setting and environment (including
signage), reference services offered, clientele, types of questions asked, and
organization of the collection. These observations will be discussed in class on
the due date. A handout outlining the specific information to guide your
observation will be distributed during the course.
3. Encyclopedia Report (15%)
You will compare the print version of the Encyclopedia Britannica to the Internet
version of the encyclopedia, Britannica Online (available on SABIO). In a 5 page
paper, evaluate the access issues related to finding information in this
encyclopedia in these different formats. Consider the following:
Does the scope differ between the electronic and print formats?
Is the intended audience different for the print and electronic formats?
How is the information organized in the print and electronic formats and
how does this affect ease of access to information?
Are the print and electronic versions equally current?
Do the print and electronic versions equally comprehensive and contain
information of equal quality, authority, accuracy and objectivity?
Are there differences in “value-added” features (e.g., graphics, maps,
sound, video, web links)?
Please use specific examples to illustrate your points.
4. Examinations (55%)
This course will have 2 exams: a midterm and a final exam. The midterm will be
administered in two parts: 1) an in class exam will be comprised of short-answer
reference questions and essay questions based on the issues addressed in
lecture, class discussions, and the readings, and 2) a take home exam requiring
the use of electronic resources. The final exam will be an in-class exam and will
be similar to the in-class portion of the midterm exam.
5. Class Participation (5%)
Students are expected to participate in class discussion, as well as participate
on the class listserv (LIS524) and outside listservs related to reference (e.g.,
LIBREF-L). The class listserv will be used to distribute class assignments and to
communicate with the class. It is very important that students sign up for the
listerv at the beginning of the semester.
Supplementary Readings.
Evaluating Reference Resources:
Bates, M.J. (1986). What is a reference book? A theoretical and empirical
analysis. RQ, 26 (Fall), 37-57.
Rettig, J. (1987). Every reference librarian a reviewer. RQ, 26 (4), 467-476.
Search Strategy:
Benson, J., and Maloney, R.K. (1975). Principles of searching. RQ, 14 (4), 316-
320
Bibliography:
Benaud, C-L, & Bordeianu, S. (1993). OCLC’s FirstSearch: A reference tool still
evolving. Reference Services Review, 21 (2), 7-16.
Reference Interview:
Dervin, B. and Dewdney, P. (1986). Neutral questioning: a new approach to the
reference interview. RQ, 25 (4), 506-513.
Smith, N.M., and Fitt, S.D. (1982). Active listening at the reference desk. RQ, 21 (3), 247-249.
Larson, C.A., and Dickson, L.K. (1994). Developing behavioral reference desk performance standards. RQ, 33 (3), 349-357.
Abels, E.G. (1996). The e-mail reference interview. RQ, 35 (3), 345-358.
Electronic Reference
Lancaster, F.W. et al. (1994). Searching databases with CD-ROM: Comparison
of the results of end-user searching with results from two modes of searching by
skilled intermediaries. RQ, 33 (3), 370-386.
Piternick, A.B. (1990). Decision factors favoring the use of online sources for
providing information. RQ, 29 (4), 534-544.
Tenopir, C. (1995). Integrating electronic reference. Library Journal, 20 (6), 39-
40.
Dictionaries
Kister, K.F. (1992). Kister’s Best Dictionaries for Adults and Young People: A
Comparative Guide. Phoenix, AZ: Oyrx Press. p. 61-73.
Internet Reference
Ladner, S.J., and Tillman, H.N. (1993). Using the Internet for reference. Online,
17 (1), 45-51.
Lanier, D., and Wilkins, W. (1994). Ready reference via the Internet. RQ, 33
(3), 359-367.
Klassen, T.W. (1995). Usenet as a reference tool. Reference Services Review
(RSR), 23 (2), 13-16, 39.
Mellendorf, S.A. (1995). Pounding the pavement with purpose: Utilizing the
information superhighway for daily work tasks. RQ, 35 (2), 231-235.
Rettig, J. (1995). Putting the squeeze on the information firehose: The need for
‘Neteditors and ‘Netreviewers. Not in readings. Find at:
http://www.swem.wm.edu/firehose.html
Encyclopedias
Kister, K.F. (1994). Kister’s Best Encyclopedias: A comparative guide to general
and specialized encyclopedias. 2nd ed. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press. p. 15-20.
Valauska, E.J. (1995). Britannica Online: Redefining encyclopedias for the next
century. Database, 18 (1), 14-19.
Reference Evaluation
Campbell, J.D. (1992). Shaking the conceptual foundations of reference: A
perspective. Reference Services Review, 20 (4), 29-36.
Dewdney, P., & Ross, C.S. (1994). Flying a light aircraft: Reference service
evaluation from a user’s viewpoint. RQ, 34 (2), 217-230.
Durrance, J.C. (1989). Reference success: Does the 55 percent rule tell the
whole story? Library Journal, 114 (April 15, 1989), 31-36.
Geographic Sources
Sader, M. (1988). What to look for in atlases. General Reference Books for
Adults: Authoritative evaluations of encyclopedias, atlases, and dictionaries.
New York: R.R. Bowker. p. 149-161.
Business
Lavin, M.R. (1992). Chapter 1: Sources and forms of business information.
Business Information: How to find it, How to use it. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, p.
3-22.
Government Documents
Maxwell, B. (1995). The 10 Best Federal Government Internet Sites. Database,
18 (4), 42-47.
Professional Resources
Guides to the Literature
Balay. Guide to Reference Books. 11th ed. Z1035.1 G89 1996
Walford. Guide to Reference Materials. V. 1-3. Z1035.1 W33
Reference Sources for Small and Medium Size Libraries. 5th ed. Z1035.1 A47
Periodicals - Reference Focus
Booklist (includes “Reference Books Bulletin”). Z1035 A49
RQ. Z711 R69
RSR: Reference Services Review. Z1035.1 R43
Reference Librarian. Z711 R455
Encyclopedias
ALA World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, 2nd ed. Z1006 A18
Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. Z1006 E57
Annuals and Statistics
American Reference Books Annual (ARBA). Z1035.1 A55
Libraries and Information Centers Today. Z673 A5 Y4
Bowker Annual Library and Book Trade Almanac. Z731 A47
Annual Review of Information Science & Technology (ARIST). Z699 A1 A65
Directories
American Library Directory. Z731 A53
Arizona Library Directory. Z732 A7 A73
Gale Directory of Databases. QA76.9 D32 D576
Indexes & Abstracts
Information Science Abstracts. Z699 A1 D6
Library Literature. Z666 .L69 (CD-ROM and FirstSearch)
Library & Information Science Abstracts. Z699 A1 L5
Source List 1 - Trade Bibliography
Weekly Record. Z1201 A52b
American Book Publishing Record. Z1201 A52a
Cumulative Book Index. 5th floor oversize Z1219 M782
Publisher's Trade List Annual. Z1215 P97
Books in Print (desk). Z1215 P972
Subject Guide to Books in Print (desk). Z1215 P973
Forthcoming Books. Z1215 P974
Source List 2 - National and Union Catalogs
National Union Catalog. Pre 1956 Imprints. Z881 A1U518 V750
National Union Catalog 1956 - (Available in Reference Room on microfiche. Metal file drawer 6.)
OCLC "First Search" (SLS Computer Lab.)
RLIN
Internet
Source List 3 - Serials
Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory. Z6941 U5 (desk)
Serials Directory (EBSCO) Z6941 S464 (desk)
Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media. Z6951 A97 (desk)
Standard Periodical Directory Z6951 S78 (desk)
International Directory of Little Magazines and Small Presses. Z6944.L5 D5
Union List of Serials in Libraries of the United States and Canada. Z6945 U5
S42
New Serial Titles. Z6945 U5 S42
Source List 4 - Indexes and Abstracts
Expanded Academic Index (SABIO)
ACCESS 1975- (Table A)
Reader's Guide to Periodicals 1900- (Table A)
Humanities Index 1974- (Print and CD)
Public Affairs Information Service Bulletin (Print and CD) (Table B)
Psychological Abstracts 1927- (Print, CD and SABIO)
ERIC Educational Resources (Print, SABIO)
Newsbank (CD)
Dissertation Abstracts OnDisc (Print and CD) AS1 D57
Citation Indexes
Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) Z7161 S673
Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) Z5937 A788
Science Citation Index (SCI) (in Science Library) Q1 S68
Indexes to Materials in the Collection
Essay and General Literature Index AI3 E752
Play Index PN2021 W48
Short Story Index PN6010 S32
Columbia Granger’s Index to Poetry. PN1022 H39
Source List 5 - Dictionaries
Webster's New International 3rd ed. PE 1625
Random House Dictionary of English Language. Unabridged. PE1625 R3
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language PE 1628 A53
Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary PE 1628 W4
Oxford English Dictionary (OED) (in print and on CD) PE 1625 O87 1989
Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang PE 2846 R36 1994
Partridge. Dictionary of Slang. PE 3721 P32
Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) PE 2843 D52
Roget’s International Thesaurus PE 1591 R73
Roget’s II: The New Thesaurus. PE1591 R715
Source List 6 - Encyclopedias
General Encyclopedias
Encyclopedia Americana AE5 E333
Encyclopedia Britannica AE5 E363
Collier's Encyclopedia AE5 C683
Academic American Encyclopedia AE5 A23
New Columbia Encyclopedia 5th ed. AG5 C725
World Book Encyclopedia AE5 W55
Subject Encyclopedias
Encyclopedia of World Art N31 E33
New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ML100 N48
International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences H40 A2 I5
McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology Q121 M3 (newest in
Science)
Guide to American Law. KF156 G772
Encyclopedia of Religion. BL31 E46
Encyclopedia of Psychology. BF31 E52 1994
Source List 7 - Almanacs and Yearbooks
World Almanac. AT67 N5 W7 (desk)
Whitaker's Almanac AY754 W5 (desk)
Information Please Almanac. AY64 I55
Annual Register: A Record of World Events. D2 A7
Facts on File D410 F3
Keesing’s Contemporary Archives. D410 K4
Statesman's Yearbook JA51 S7 (desk)
Europa Yearbook JN1 E85 (desk)
Americana Annual: An Encyclopedia of Current Events. AE5 E334
Britannica Book of the Year. AE5 E364
Source List 8 - Biographical Sources
National and General Biographical Sources
Biography Index (Table B)
Biographical and Genealogical Index (CD)
Dictionary of National Biography DA28 D47
Dictionary of American Biography E176 D46
National Cyclopedia of American Biography E176 N28
Who’s Who in America E663 W56
Who Was Who in America E176 W64
Webster's Biographical Dictionary CT103 W4
Chamber's Biographical Dictionary CT103 C4
Professional and Subject Biographical Sources
Contemporary Authors (CD)
Current Biography (Table B)
Newsmakers (Table B)
National Faculty Directory L901 N34
Dictionary of Literary Biography. PS221 D5
Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Q141 D5 (Science Reference)
Source List 9 - Geographical Sources
Webster's New Geographical Dictionary G103.5 W42
Times Atlas of the World G1019 T52
Hammond Atlas of the World. G1019 T52
Times Atlas of World History G1030 T54
Historical Atlas of the United States G1201 S1 N3
National Atlas of the United States of America G1200 U57 1970
National Geographic Atlas of the World G1021 N38
Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide. G1200 R36
Source List 10 - Directories and Handbooks
Directories
Directories in Print AY2001 D57 (desk)
Encyclopedia of Associations HS17 G332 (desk)
Literary Market Place PN161 L5
Publishers, Distributors, & Wholesalers of the United States Z475 P86
The World of Learning L900 W6
Foundation Directory AS911 A2 F65
Handbooks
The Guinness Book of World Records AG243 G87
Famous First Facts. AG5 K3
Chase’s Calendar of Events. D11.5 C48
Chicago Manual of Style Z253 U69
Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR). RS75 P5 (Science)
Masterplots. PN44 M3
Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia. PN41 B4
Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. PN43 B65
Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations. PN6081 B27
Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. PN6080 095
Source List 11 - Business Sources
Standard Industrial Classification Manual (desk)
Encyclopedia of Business Information HF5353 E9
Business Periodicals Index (Table K)
Predicasts F & S United States (Table K)
Infotrac "General Business File" (CD-ROM)
Moody's Industrial Manual HG4961 M67
Standard and Poor’s Corporation Records HG4501 S7664
Dun and Bradstreet’s Million Dollar Directory (desk)
Value Line Investment Survey (current periodicals)
Brands and Their Companies T223 V4 A22
Thomas Register of American Manufacturers HD9720 T6
Source List 12 - Government Documents and Statistics
Government Documents
Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications (see current issues
on 3rd floor and CD version)
Subject Bibliographies of Government Publications. North Wall GP3.22
Congressional Information Service Index and Abstracts (CIS/Index) (Table M)
Congressional Quarterly. Weekly Report. JK1 C15
Index to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR Index) KF70 A2 I5
United States Government Manual (desk) JK421 A3
Official Congressional Directory JK1011 U53
The Book of the States JK2403 B6
Statistics
Statistical Abstract of the U.S. (desk)
Historical Statistics of the U. S. HA202 A385
Arizona Statistical Abstract HC107 A6 S9
American Statistical Index (ASI) HA209.A43 (main ref)
Standard Reference Index (SRI) HA209 S75 (main ref)
LIS 524 Syllabus, Hirsh, Summer 1996, Page 18