IRLS 554-001

Last revised Spring 2006.

Course Syllabus for Diverse Cultures, Communities & Libraries

· Course Name, Number and Prerequisites

· Course Description

· Course Objectives

· Required Course Materials

· Course Requirements

· Course Policies

· Grading

· Contacting the Instructor

Link to Course Outline

Summer 2006 Instructor: Elizabeth Martinez

COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES

Diverse Cultures, Communities & Libraries

554-001

No prerequisites are required.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

“The capacity to grow personally through learning and good understanding of diverse cultural heritage, and to effectively work with people from different cultural backgrounds and understanding is Cultural Intelligence.”

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course explores the complex, social, economic, historical and technological developments that impact library and information services to diverse communities. Students will study and assess current programs and services, and develop skills and understanding for planning, implementing and evaluating programs that address the information needs of diverse racial, ethnic and linguistic communities.

This is a Knowledge River course and emphasis is on Latino and Native American cultures. However, other cultural populations will also be discussed.

The course addresses the following school-wide learning objectives:

· how diversity affects the library and information professions;

· the value and service orientation of the library and information professions;

· partnerships and alliances and their role in information provision.

In an increasingly diverse society, information professionals seeking to provide resources about and for diverse cultural communities need to use a “Cultural Lens” to understand information needs from a cultural perspective. A Cultural Lens is the perspective from which a person sees the world. Cultural differences are the beliefs, values, expectations, attitudes, and assumptions beneath the surface of a person’s Cultural Lens.

Because content on the Internet is often more current, and reflective of today’s cultural voices than that in collections of libraries, it is important to use this vehicle to expand our Cultural Lens.

How are we going to learn about this?

The topic of cultural diversity and Cultural Lens is a difficult discussion topic in any setting because it goes beyond academic and intellectual research. The challenge will be to make it meaningful and convey the subtle implications in an online environment.

We will explore the Internet for cultural identities and resources that help information professionals expand their perspectives about diverse communities. We will analyze and view libraries through a diverse Cultural Lens to understand how diverse populations view the institution.

Students will participate in online discussions of readings, link to Internet cultural resources such as www.implicit.harvard.edu to learn more about cultural differences and assumptions, and assess libraries through the Cultural Lens of a diverse people.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Specific Course objectives are as follows:

· Students will explore and analyze different cultural resources;

· Students will understand the challenges of providing information services in a multicultural society, and understand the numerous cultural perspectives;

· Students will chart the role of information institutions and cultural diversity and perspectives;

· Students will advocate and provide leadership for library services to culturally diverse communities.

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

The course requirements are the following materials for background information:

1. Chabran, Richard and Salinas, R. “Place Matters; Journeys through global and local spaces,” in Sturken, M. (ed). Reinventing Technology: Cultural Narratives of Technological Change, Temple University Press, 2003.

2. Guerena, Sal (ed). Latino Librarianship: a Handbook for Professionals (2^nd ed.) New York: Gale Research Inc., 2000.

3. Metoyer-Duran, Cheryl. Gatekeepers in Ethnolinguistic Communities. Norwood, NJ:Ablex Pub., 1993.

4. See ALA “Diversity articles and publications” at www.ala.org/diversity

The best means to explore the topic of diverse populations in this country is to view history from the Cultural Lens provided by a series of 3 videos produced by PBS called “Race: The Power of an Illusion.”* Hopefully, they are available at your local public or at the University Library.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The course requires students to be engaged learners in a virtual environment through timely and thoughtful discussions, completion of assignments, and active participation online in the exploration new culturally diverse resources. The final assignment is an Advocacy paper posted online for all students in the class to read. See the Course Outline for specific information on assignments.

COURSE POLICIES

Academic Code of Integrity

Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity, see . 'The guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's own.' If you have any questions regarding what is acceptable practice under this Code, please ask an Instructor.

Accommodating Disabilities

The University has a Disability Resource Center . If you anticipate the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the Disability Resource Center and request that the DRC send me, the Instructor, official notification of your accommodation needs as soon as possible. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate.

Assignment Policies

Students will submit all assignments online by the posted due date. Exceptions may be considered at the discretion of the Instructor.

The required writing style is APA.

Incompletes

The 1997-8 University of Arizona General Academic Manual, p.23 reads

The grade of I may be awarded only at the end of a semester, when all but a minor portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed. The grade of I is not to be awarded when the student is expected to repeat the course; in such a case the grade of E must be assigned. Students should make arrangements with the instructor to receive an incompete grade before the end of the semester ...

If the incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one year the I grade will revert to a failing grade.

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GRADING

Assignments 1 and 2: 40%

Participation: 20%

Advocacy Paper: 40%

Students begin with 100 points. Students lose points for late assignments, incomplete assignments, poorly written assignments, lack of participation, inaccurate information, etc. At the end of the semester the points will be converted toa letter grade as follows:

A=90-100 points for Superior Work: highest quality, ideas are discussed thoughtfully and well formulated; demonstration of a thorough understanding of the content and an openness to diverse perspectives. All assignments submitted on time with excellent written expression and grammatically correct.

B=80-89 points for Very Good Work: discussions indicate a good or very good understanding of content. Most assignments on time and well written with few grammatical errors.

C=70-79 points for Marginally Satisfactory Work: meets minimum requirement; discussions reflect limited understanding or interest. Written work contains errors, needs editing, and not submitted in a timely manner.

Course Syllabus for Diverse Cultures, Communities & Libraries

COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES

[return to top of page]

COURSE DESCRIPTION

“The capacity to grow personally through learning and good understanding of diverse cultural heritage, and to effectively work with people from different cultural backgrounds and understanding is Cultural Intelligence.”

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is a Knowledge River course and emphasis is on Latino and Native American cultures. However, other cultural populations will also be discussed.

The course addresses the following school-wide learning objectives:

· how diversity affects the library and information professions;

· the value and service orientation of the library and information professions;

· partnerships and alliances and their role in information provision.

Because content on the Internet is often more current, and reflective of today’s cultural voices than that in collections of libraries, it is important to use this vehicle to expand our Cultural Lens.

How are we going to learn about this?

The topic of cultural diversity and Cultural Lens is a difficult discussion topic in any setting because it goes beyond academic and intellectual research. The challenge will be to make it meaningful and convey the subtle implications in an online environment.

We will explore the Internet for cultural identities and resources that help information professionals expand their perspectives about diverse communities. We will analyze and view libraries through a diverse Cultural Lens to understand how diverse populations view the institution.

Students will participate in online discussions of readings, link to Internet cultural resources such as www.implicit.harvard.edu to learn more about cultural differences and assumptions, and assess libraries through the Cultural Lens of a diverse people.

[return to top of page]

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Specific Course objectives are as follows:

· Students will explore and analyze different cultural resources;

· Students will understand the challenges of providing information services in a multicultural society, and understand the numerous cultural perspectives;

· Students will chart the role of information institutions and cultural diversity and perspectives;

· Students will advocate and provide leadership for library services to culturally diverse communities.

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

The course requirements are the following materials for background information:

1. Chabran, Richard and Salinas, R. “Place Matters; Journeys through global and local spaces,” in Sturken, M. (ed). Reinventing Technology: Cultural Narratives of Technological Change, Temple University Press, 2003.

2. Guerena, Sal (ed). Latino Librarianship: a Handbook for Professionals (2nd ed.) New York: Gale Research Inc., 2000.

3. Metoyer-Duran, Cheryl. Gatekeepers in Ethnolinguistic Communities. Norwood, NJ:Ablex Pub., 1993.

4. See ALA “Diversity articles and publications” at www.ala.org/diversity

*The best means to explore the topic of diverse populations in this country is to view history from the Cultural Lens provided by a series of 3 videos produced by PBS called “Race: The Power of an Illusion.” Hopefully, they are available at your local public or at the University Library.

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

COURSE POLICIES

Academic Code of Integrity

Accommodating Disabilities

Assignment Policies

Students will submit all assignments online by the posted due date. Exceptions may be considered at the discretion of the Instructor.

The required writing style is APA.

Incompletes

[return to top of page]

GRADING

Assignments 1 and 2: 40%

Participation: 20%

Advocacy Paper: 40%

Students begin with 100 points. Students lose points for late assignments, incomplete assignments, poorly written assignments, lack of participation, inaccurate information, etc. At the end of the semester the points will be converted toa letter grade as follows:

A=90-100 points for Superior Work: highest quality, ideas are discussed thoughtfully and well formulated; demonstration of a thorough understanding of the content and an openness to diverse perspectives. All assignments submitted on time with excellent written expression and grammatically correct.

B=80-89 points for Very Good Work: discussions indicate a good or very good understanding of content. Most assignments on time and well written with few grammatical errors.

C=70-79 points for Marginally Satisfactory Work: meets minimum requirement; discussions reflect limited understanding or interest. Written work contains errors, needs editing, and not submitted in a timely manner.

F=0-69 Failed to meet the requirements

CONTACTING ME

My email address is emfuture@hotmail.com

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2. Guerena, Sal (ed). Latino Librarianship: a Handbook for Professionals (2^nd ed.) New York: Gale Research Inc., 2000.

The best means to explore the topic of diverse populations in this country is to view history from the Cultural Lens provided by a series of 3 videos produced by PBS called “Race: The Power of an Illusion.”* Hopefully, they are available at your local public or at the University Library.