The University of Arizona

The University of Arizona	Spring 2003
School of Information Resources and	Dr. Bill Edgar
Library Science	Office Phone: 520-621-5220
	E-Mail: bedgar@u.arizona.edu
	Office: No. 2
	Office Hours: Monday and Tuesday,
	1-3:00 or by appointment

IRLS 560
Information Resource Development Tentative Syllabus

Course Description: This course is designed to familiarize students with the theory, practice, and issues of collection development. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to develop and maintain library collections meeting the needs of various user groups. Specific topics covered include selection and acquisition of materials in various formats, value provided by collections, types of materials, types of users, collection development policies, collection evaluation, intellectual freedom, weeding, and cooperative collection development. Learning will be through lecture, group presentations, in-class discussion, evaluation of collection aids, guest speakers, and completion of a final project proposing a library collection in some detail. Three credit hours.

Prerequisites: None.

Class Meetings: Tuesdays, 4-6:30 p.m. Please note that we will not meet Tuesday, January 21.

Required Texts:

Evans, G.E. (2000). Developing Library and Information Center Collections, 4^th ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Assignments and Evaluation:

All students are required to:

1. Complete six collection development tool assessments. A description of this
assignment will be provided.

Value: 30%

2. Complete a collection evaluation. A description of this assignment will be provided.

Value: 10%

3. Participate in a group presentation. A description of this assignment will be provided.

Value: 20%

4. Complete an opening day collection assignment. A description of this assignment will be provided. In this assignment, students will propose a library collection in detail.

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 opening day collection, will not be accepted late.

Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the assigned due date.

Please include your name at the top of all your assignments.

Grading criteria:

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

Attendance and Class Participation:

Active participation is expected. 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:

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