U of A Office: Room 10, 621-5220 during summer session I 2002 only

Office Hours: Fridays from 10-12 am on days when class meets. Do NOT hesitate to contact me in between meetings by eMail or by phone. This is an intensive class & time passes quickly.

Course Meeting Room - 210 Modern Languages Building

Class Meeting Schedule – This course will be taught as an intensive seminar and will move at a pretty fast pace to cover the issues and provide the overview to reference services and evaluation. The course is scheduled to meet for a total of 45 contact hours. Every student is expected to have access to eMail, and a course listserv will be established to support ongoing discussions about issues, assignments and provide a means to share information, submit assignments, etc. If there is consensus within the class we can meet longer some days than on others as long as we meet the minimum schedule and cover the content. I will be flexible.

Friday, July 12, 2002 - from 1-4 pm- with 15 min break
Saturday, July 13, 2002 - from 8-12; 1-5 - a break in both morning & afternoon and lunch
Sunday, July 14, 2002 - from 8-4 - same as Sat

Friday, July 19, 2002 - from 1-4 pm
Saturday, July 20, 2002 - from 8-12; 1-5
Sunday, July 21, 2002 - from 8-12; 1-4

Friday, July 26, 2002 - from 1-4pm
Saturday, July 27, 2002 - from 8-12; 1-5
Sunday, July 28, 2002 - from 8-12; 1-4pm

You may want to bring cold drinks and lunch; as it is uneven what is open on weekends on campus.

Course Description: This course will serve as an introduction to reference work in all types of libraries and information exchange environments, including public, school, academic, special libraries, distance education, commercial electronic encounters, etc. The course will be taught in a rather intensive seminar program with guest lecturers. It covers the identification and evaluation of a wide variety of reference materials issued in all formats, and the strategies and skills needed to answer questions asked by library users and information seekers. There is no doubt that the nature of reference has changed significantly, as information is produced and transmitted in digital formats; thus the skill set required to work in this increasingly digital environment has also changed. Not to be forgotten is the added expectations of our user populations in whatever environment they are for better, faster and more relevant assistance. The definition of information remains volatile and our sources & providers of information are in constant transition. We have new concerns about copyright, ethics in our practice, and keeping up with technology becomes a constant challenge. This course will address those changes and upon successful completion of the course, all students should have developed the confidence to take more advanced bibliography courses and to function in a front-line reference capacity.

Course Objectives: The intensity of this course will drive the objectives that are:

1. Students should learn what the major functions of reference service are in all library environments and what the current trends of service delivery models suggest.
2. Students will develop a basic understanding of information seeking behavior.
3. Students will learn strategies for identifying solutions to information queries and methods used in the evaluation of information resources.
4. Students will develop proficiencies in interpersonal communication in order to participate in effective reference encounters.
5. Students will consider methods of incorporating new and emerging technologies to achieve potential in launching a variety of digital reference services.

Grading & Evaluation: The following grid will be the basis of successful completion of the course. Every student has the potential to earn the highest grade as no curve will be used. Class attendance is compulsory. All work must be submitted in grammatical English and typed in 12-font by the last day of the class, unless medical or personal emergency takes place. Students will be graded on the following scale based on a 100 point maximum. At the conclusion of the course, each student will get a full review of all completed work. When possible, assignments will be graded and evaluated and returned to the students during the course, in order that students know how well they are doing.

90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C

Academic Integrity – All students are expected to follow the guidelines as described in the University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity (http://w3arizona.edu/~studpubs/handbook/policyframe.html). All written work must be submitted in typed form with sufficient citations and references and can be delivered in person or sent electronically. All students should retain a copy of all submissions as backup.

Course Requirements & Assignments: This course will emphasize the intellectual and physical tool set librarians will need to engage in reference activities. The assignments are designed to meet student needs in order to become a proficient reference librarian and understand the traditional and digital reference environments. Each assignment will be fully explained in class. The instructor advocates that effective and active learning takes place when students are engaged in discussion and exchange.

1. Library Observation/Interview - every student must visit a library of some sort, in which they currently do not work and spend at least an hour observing the reference functions and speak to the reference personnel to learn some operational details. A full list of questions and issues will be distributed to guide the engagement. Students will write up their observations in a 3pp maximum essay. Due to be sent to instructor by eMail (jgelfand@uci.edu) by 9pm Tues, July 16 - 10 points

 

2. Outside Reading Summaries - each student is expected to read 2 journal articles or book chapters published since 1998, the latest 3 years of the literature, and write a brief abstract on the article to share with the class on a theme related to the course content. Realizing that not everyone can read much in such a short course, this will expose the class to a broader slice of the literature. Topic or theme of reading selection should be evident in course coverage. However, there should not be any evidence that the submitted abstract is the same one that accompanies the article! A good abstract contains:


Hypothesis of article - what is studied
Methodology employed
Relevant environment or context of issues
Brief findings
Conclusion - about relevancy; can hypothesis be supported or refuted
What made this selection so interesting.

 

Use standard indexing tools, Library Literature, ERIC, ABI, WOS, LISA, Sociological Abstracts, Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts, PsycINFO, any of the course materials, etc to find interesting reading. Ideas may include information seeking behavior, digital reference experiences, reference publishing, etc.

Students will choose how to circulate and distribute their abstracts - probably via e- Mail - on a class listserv that I will create and distribute on Monday, July 15. Articles can come from the library/information science, business/management, education, consumer studies, organizational psychology, sociology, and related literatures in print or electronic format - but must include consistent standard citation. DUE: Friday, July 19. - 5 points - 2.5 points per abstract.

3. Pathfinder - This assignment will require students to choose a topic of their choice and build a bare yet core reference collection to support the subject. Students will select the scope of the collection, define and introduce the library environment and user community. Very brief annotations for each of 15 items that will cover electronic or print versions of atlas, handbook, 2 dictionaries, subject encyclopedia, almanac, yearbook, 2 statistical sources, biographical source, relevant quotation collection, 2 abstracting and indexing tools, and 2 general reference works. Emphasis is on the evaluation and selection criteria for each inclusion. Students can elect to prepare in electronic or print format. If done in e-format, submission of print copy is required. Students should collect examples from library visits to given them ideas. DUE: no later than Tuesday, July 23 @ 9pm - 15 points. (Let me know if you are interested in sharing these with the class.)

 

4. Instruction Session - as instruction is so intrinsically integrated in the reference process, each student will be expected to prepare and offer a 7minute maximum instruction on how to use a general reference tool. The tools will be randomly assigned. Students will be able to use a pc, powerpoint, overhead transparencies and create handouts, or whatever method they think works to demonstrate the assigned product. Again, more information on this assignment will be shared in class. DUE: Sunday, July 21. - 15 points

 

5. Group Assignment - Students will work in assigned groups of 4-5 students and will explore how to introduce a new digital reference service in a public or academic or special library. It should reflect a "best practices model." Each group will do exploratory work, create a business model, put into a context why such a service is needed, survey the library field and demonstrate exactly how it will function. Examples of the technologies will be demonstrated as part of the group exercise to the entire class. Each student will write up his/her own part of the project in a 3-5pp paper. Instructor will work closely with each group and direct the project. Some class time will be devoted to group meeting opportunities. 15/25 points will be individually assigned and 10/25 points will be the group grade that all members will get. DUE: Friday/Saturday, July 26-27. - 25 points total.

 

6. Final Exam - This final course activity will require each student to answer questions to 6 essays, in a closed book exam with each question worth 5 points and the lowest score will be dropped. Ninety minutes of the last session will be devoted to the exam, so students should expect to write for 15 minutes on each question. There will be a choice of ten questions from which to choose on all themes covered in the course. Concepts and content of the course will be the focus of the exam. DUE: Sunday, July 28 - 25 points

 

7. Classroom Participation - this is a key part of this course, because it gives you a forum in which to hear other people’s ideas and develop your own ideas. You should come prepared to class. Each class meeting will begin with a very brief pick-up on the last session. 5 points.

• Offering information
• Offering an opinion
• Giving examples or counter-examples
• Informing others about a source of information
• Providing evidence for or against discussion
• Pursuing and analyzing an argument, example, suggestion

Clearing Misunderstandings Up

• Revealing confusion
• Clarifying
• Indicating alternatives
• Testing for agreement
• Identifying areas of disagreement
• Suggesting an integrative agreement or compromise

• Relieving group tension
• Encouraging
• Expressing feelings
• Agreeing with another participant’s comment, question, feeling

• Bringing up a new topic
• Setting standards
• Pointing out prejudiced, narrow-minded or simplistic arguments
• Gate keeping
• Summarizing

• Asking for clarification
• Raising new questions
• Paraphrasing another’s statement to test for understanding
• Seeing information from other participants
• Seeking opinions from other participants

Textbooks and Recommended Readings – there are two required books that will be used for the foundation of the course and the remainder of the materials will be placed on Reserve at the U of A Library. ** primary

**Bopp, Richard E. and Smith, Linda C., eds, Reference and Information Services, 3rd edition. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2000. ISBN 1-56308-624-7.

**Curry, Evelyn L, ed., "Technological Advances in Reference: A Paradigm Shift?" Library Trends, vol. 50, #2, Fall 2001, 165-307.

Nolan, Christopher W., Managing the Reference Collection. Chicago, IL: ALA, 1998. ISBN 0-8389-0748-2. $27.00

Supplementary Readings – A bibliography of this list will be distributed to students on the first day of class - with some additional material likely to be added. Most, if not all of these materials should be readily available at the University of Arizona Library.

American Library Association, Reference and User Services Association. Towards a New Vision of Reference: Kaleidoscopic Collections and Real Librarians. RUSA Occasional Papers, #23, 1997.

Association of College and Research Libraries, Institute for Information Literacy. Best Practices and Assessment of Information Literacy Programs: A Project Plan, 2000. http://www.earlham.edu/~libr/Plan.htm

Association of College & Research Libraries. Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, 2000. http://www.ala.org/acrl.html

Besser, Howard, "The Shape of the Twenty-First Century Library," in Information Imagineering: Meeting at the Interface edited by Milton T. Wolf, et al. Chicago, IL: ALA, 1998: 133-146.

Cassell, Kay Ann, Developing Reference Collections and Services in an Electronic Age. NY: Neal-Schuman, 1999.

Coffman, Steve, "We'll Take It from Here: Further Developments We'd Like to See in Virtual Reference Software," Information Technology & Libraries, Volume 20, Number 3, September 2001:149-153. Online at: http://www.lita.org/ital/2003_coffman.html/

Coffman, Steve and Susan McGlamery, "The Librarian and Mr. Jeeves," American Libraries, 31, May 2000, 66-69.

Gorman, G.E., ed., Information Services in an Electronic Environment. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2001.

Gorman, Michael, Our Enduring Values: Librarianship in the 21^st Century. Chicago, IL: ALA, 2000. Chapter 3, "The Library as Place," pp. 43-57.

Hadid, Peggy, Web Based Reference Services. http://multnomah.lib.or.us/lib/products/digref/resources.html

Iannuzzi, Patricia, "We are Teaching, But are They Learning: Accountability, Productivity and Assessment," The Journal of Academic Librarianship 25(4) July 1999, 304-5. (on ScienceDirect via Elsevier)

Janes, Joseph, Introduction to Reference Work in the 21^st Century. NY: Neal-Schuman, 2002.

Katz, Bill, ed., "New Technologies and Reference Services," (also published as Reference Librarian, vol. 33 #71.) NY: Haworth Press, 2000.

Katz, William A., Introduction to Reference Work, Vol. 1, 8^th ed., NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2001.

Kennedy, Scott E., ed., Reference Sources for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries, 6^th ed., Chicago, IL: ALA, 1999.

Lankes, R. David, Collins, John W., and Kasowitz, Abby S., eds., Digital Reference Service in the New Millenium: Planning, Management and Evaluation. NY: Neal-Schuman, 2000.

Leonardt, Thomas W., ed., "Loex" of the West: Teaching and Learning in a Climate of Constant Change. Foundations in Library & Information Science, #34). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, 1996.

Lessick, Susan, et al, "Interactive Reference Service (IRS) at UC Irvine: Expanding Reference Service Beyond the Reference Desk." Presented at ACRL, Detroit, 1999. http://www.ala.org/acrl/paperhtm/a10.html

Library of Congress. Collaborative Digital Reference Service. http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/digiref/papers.html

Libutti, Patricia O’Brien, ed, Librarians as Learners, Librarians as Teachers: The Diffusion of Internet Expertise in the Academic Library. Chicago, IL: ACRL, 1999.

Lipow, Anne, Serving the Remote User: Reference Service in the Digital Environment. 1999. http://www.csu.edu.au/special/online99/proceedings99/200.htm

Marchionini, Gary, Information Seeking in Electronic Environments. NY: Cambridge University Press, 1997.

McCook, Kathleen de la Pena, A Place at the Table: Participating in Community Building. Chicago, IL: ALA, 2000.

McDougald, Dana and Bowie, Melvin, Information Services for Secondary Schools. Westport, CT: Greenwood press, 1998.

Miller, William, "Breaking the Pattern of Reference Work Burnout," Journal of Academic Librarianship, 18, November 1992, 280-1.

Miller, William, "Logic and Passion at the Reference Desk," Journal of Academic Librarianship, 11, May 1985, 73-74.

Miller, William, "What’s Wrong with Reference?" American Libraries, May 1984, 303-306, 321-322.

Miller, William, "Causes and Cures for Inaccurate Reference Work," Journal of Academic Librarianship, 13, May 1987, 71-73.

Radford, Marie L., The Reference Encounter: Interpersonal Communication in the Academic Library. Chicago, IL: ACRL, 1999.

Raspa, Dick and Dane Ward, eds, The Collaborative Imperative: Librarians and Faculty Working Together in the Information Universe. Chicago, IL: ALA, 2000.

Richardson, John V., ed., Knowledge-Based Systems for General Reference Work. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 1995.

Sauers, Michael and Adkins, Denice, Using the Internet as a Reference Tool: A How To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. NY: Neal-Schuman, 2001.

Saxton, Matthew L. and Richardson, John V., Understanding Reference Transactions: Transforming an Art into a Science. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 2002.

Sloan, Bernie, E-Mail Reference Sites. http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/~b-sloan/e-mail.html

Stalker, John C., "Reference: Putting Users First," in Montanelli, Dale S. and Patricia F. Stenstrom, People Come First: User Centered Academic Library Service. Chicago, IL: ALA, 1999.

Su, Di, "Evolution in Reference and Information Services: The Impact of the Internet." Also published as the Reference Librarian, vol. 35 #74. NY: Haworth, 2002.

Thomsen, Elizabeth, Rethinking Reference: The Reference Librarian’s Practical Guide for Surviving Constant Change. NY: Neal-Schuman, 1999.

Tyckoson, David A., "What’s Right with Reference?" American Libraries, 30, 5, May 1999, 57-63.

Weingand, Darlene E., Customer Service Excellence: A Concise Guide for Librarians. Chicago, IL: ALA, 1997.

Friday, July 12 - course overview; introduction of instructor & class members; review of textbooks & assignments, glossary; tour of Main Library Reference Room & Information Commons & briefing with Janet Fore, Undergraduate Team Leader & Project Director, University of Arizona Libraries.

Assignment: Read Miller (1984), Tyckoson (1999)

Saturday, July 13 - History of Reference Services; Nature of Reference Today; Ethics

Assignment: Read Bopp/Smith Chapter 1-3

Sunday, July 14 - Reference Interview & Interaction; Communication between Library Patron and Librarian; Role-playing exercise; Services to specialized & diverse populations; Recap of Radford; Group Time

Assignment - Read Bopp chapter 9, 10, 11; RUSA 2002 papers; Curry volume papers by Tyckoson, Dilevko & Katz.

***Also, engage in an "Ask-A-Librarian" reference interface with whatever library you choose. Be ready to discuss at our next meeting your experience - how long did it take for a reply; what kind of reference interview was engaged in

Friday, July 19 - Review of Reference Observation Assignment; Reference Services; beginning of Reference Collection analysis - overview, scope, content, evaluation; selection vs acquisition; space issues; format considerations; etc. Recap of Nolan. Group Time

Assignment - Read Bopp chapters 5-6; Read Coffman's 2001 article.

Saturday, July 20 - Electronic Age - Review of Cassell volume, Thomsen. Digital Reference; will show exerpts of video from DuPage experience; Guest Lecturer: Steve Coffman, is Product Development Manager, Virtual Reference Services, at Library Systems and Services, LLC (LSSI).(check out www.lssi.com and eGain software.

Assignment - Bopp chapter 8

Sunday, July 21 - Instruction, Information Literacy, Core Competencies, Building Communities; Recap of Libutti; Instruction Sessions & Critiques; Group time

Assignment - Bopp chapters 9; Review chapters 13-22 through end of course as you work on pathfinders and project

Friday, July 26 - Electronic Resources & Publishing; Visiting Lecturer, Chet Grycz, CEO, Octavo Press, Oakland (see www.octavo.com) - who will discuss Imaging & Technology, User Interface, Navigation and Publishing; Cataloging, Rights Management, the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), and Cultural Artifacts; Archiving, Long Term Retention of Digital Images; Evaluating Competing Technologies for Reference Collection & Competitive Intelligence; Reference Publishing

Saturday, July 27 - half of the Group Presentations; Recap of all issues for exam;

Sunday, July 28 - remainder of Group Presentations; Final Exam; Debriefing and Course Evaluation