Course Objective:

This course is designed to familiarize students with the theory, practice, and issues of reference services in libraries and information centers. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to describe the principal features of reference services in a variety of environments. Specific topics covered include information provision theory; information seeking and retrieval; the history and philosophy of reference services; types of reference services; reference service in different library environments; the reference interview; the fundamentals of bibliographic control; the evaluation of reference sources and services; the management of reference services; specific types of reference sources, in both physical and digital format; and other topics. Learning will be through lecture, group presentations, guest speakers, evaluation of reference sources, use of reference sources to answer specific reference questions, and completion of a final project guiding library users to appropriate reference sources in a topic. Three credit hours.

Text: Katz, W.A. (2002). Introduction to Reference Work, vols. 1 and 2. 8^th edition. Boston: McGraw Hill.

Readings: To be assigned in class.

Syllabus:

Introduction to Course—Substitute instructor

Reference in the Real World—Substitute instructor

Information Provision Overview

Assignments for Group Presentations

Lecture Topic: Bibliographic Control
Lecture Topic: Bibliographies and Catalogs
Text Readings: Vol. 1, chapters 3-4
Due: Interim Report 1

Lecture Topic: Indexes and Encyclopedias
Text Readings: Vol. 1, chapters 5-7
Due: Reference Worksheet 1

Lecture Topic: Background to Reference
Text Readings: Vol. 1, chapters 1-2
Due: Interim Report 2

Lecture Topic: Reference Interview
Recommended Text Readings: Vol. 2, chapters 7-8

Lecture Topic: Types of Users
Recommended Text Readings: Vol. 2, chapters 1-2
Due: Group Presentations
Due: Reference Worksheet 2

NO CLASS. SPRING BREAK

Lecture Topic: Types of Materials
Due: Group Presentations
Due: Source Evaluation

Lecture Topic: Information Needs/Retrieval/Use
Due: Group Presentations

Lecture Topic: Ready Reference Sources
Text Readings: Vol. 1, chapters 8, 12
Due: Group Presentations

Lecture Topic: Dictionaries
Text Readings: Vol. 1, chapter 10
Due: Group Presentations

Lecture Topic: Biographical and Geographical Sources
Text Readings: Vol. 1, chapters 9,11

Class Evaluations
Finish Final Pathfinder Projects
Due: Final Pathfinder Projects

North Central Regional Library Tour

Assignments:

All students are required to:

1. Complete two reference worksheets. A handout describing this assignment will be provided.
   Due: February 18, March 11
   Value: 30%
2. Complete one source evaluation. A handout describing this assignment will be provided.
   Due: March 25
   Value: 10%
3. Complete one group written report and discussion. A handout describing this assignment will be provided.
   Due: March 11, 25, April 1, 8, and 15
   Value: 20%
4. Complete a Pathfinder in digital format, either posted to the World Wide Web or submitted to the instructor electronically. A handout describing this assignment will be provided.
   Due: Interim reports 1 and 2, February 11 and February 25; Final Pathfinder, April 29
   Value: 40%

Please note:

• Late work will lose one letter grade from the grade it would have gotten had it been turned in on time. However, the final project, the Pathfinder, will not be accepted late.
• Assignments are due no later than 6:30 p.m. MT (PT after the time change) on the their assigned due date.
• Please include your name on the first page of all your assignments.

A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F=59 and below

Class participation will have no specific grade value. However, meaningful and active participation will contribute to a student’s final grade by increasing it slightly (for example from a high B to a low A). Conversely, inappropriate and disruptive participation will lower a student’s final grade.

Academic misconduct is unacceptable. The appropriate UA regulations regarding it will be enforced.