L524 Information Sources and Services
Summer II 2003
Monday & Wednesday 5:45 - 8:30pm

Instructor: Jeanne Holba Puacz
Office Hours by appointment
Telephone: (812) 232-1113 ext. 248
e-mail: jpuacz@indiana.edu

6/23/03

Course Description: "This course introduces students to the basic information sources and services among different types of libraries and information centers, including academic, public, special, and school media." (from the SLIS website: www-slis.lib.indiana.edu/ accessed 5/23/03)

Texts:

Bopp, Richard & Linda Smith. Reference and Information Services: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Englewood CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2001.

Katz, William. Introduction to Reference Work, Volumes I & II, 8th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2002.

All assigned readings will be available in the IUB Library. Articles may be added to this list during the course of the class.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of L524 students should be able to:

Describe, compare and evaluate different types of print & electronic information sources and use selected examples;
Understand and apply techniques of question negotiation;
Analyze an information need and identify types of sources likely to meet that need;
Develop and apply appropriate search strategies for information retrieval;
Be able to comprehend and discuss reference services and issues within the context of different types of libraries and information centers.

This introductory course combines theoretical considerations with practical hands-on use of information sources.

If you have any special needs due to disability of any kind, please contact the instructor before the second class meeting to discuss accommodations.

Student Responsibilities:

Attendance:

You are expected to attend all class sessions. If you are unable to attend, it is your responsibility to contact the instructor, arrange to turn in any assignments, and obtain notes.

Assignments:

Assignments are due on the date specified. Late papers will be penalized.
You must complete all assignments to pass the course.
Indiana University and the School of Library and Information Science policies on academic dishonesty will be followed. Students found to be engaging in plagiarism, cheating, and other types of dishonesty will receive an F for the course.
Contact your instructor if you do not understand any portion of an assignment: jpuacz@indiana.edu

COURSE CALENDAR
Changes or adjustments may be made.
Any changes or adjustments will be announced in class
and the syllabus will be updated to reflect the changes.

June 23
Introductions & Course Overview
History & Varieties of Reference
Read pp. 3-22 of Bopp & Smith

June 25
Bibliographic Control & Organization of Information
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 69-93 of Bopp & Smith.

Ready Reference, pt. 1 - Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 277-341 of Volume 1 of Katz.

June 30
Searching & Search Strategies
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 141-164 of Volume 2 of Katz and pp. 101-110 of Bopp & Smith.

Ready Reference, pt. 2 - Ready Reference Exercise Due

July 2
Reference Interview & Question Negotiation
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 123-140 of Volume 2 of Katz and pp. 47-65 of Bopp & Smith.

Dictionaries, pt. 1 - Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 377-386 of Volume 1 of Katz and pp. 409-428 of Bopp & Smith.

July 7
Information Ethics
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 186-190 of Volume 2 of Katz and pp. 28-44 of Bopp & Smith.

Dictionaries, pt. 2 - Dictionaries Exercise Due

July 9
Organization of Reference Services
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 265-275 of Bopp & Smith.

Encyclopedias, pt. 1 - Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 213-228 of Volume 1 of Katz and pp. 433-455 of Bopp & Smith.

July 14
Evaluation of Sources & Reference Policies
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 183-209 of Volume 2 of Katz and pp. 309-325 of Bopp & Smith.

Encyclopedias, pt. 2 - Encyclopedias Exercise Due

Paper 1 Due

July 16
Reference in the Community & Reference for Specific Populations
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 3-13 of Volume 2 of Katz and pp. 279-300 of Bopp & Smith.

Indexes, pt. 1 - Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 131-145 of Volume 1 of Katz and pp. 509-530 of Bopp & Smith.

July 21
Training & Development of Staff, Evaluation of Services and Reference Service Improvements
Be prepared to discuss pp. 210-236 and 245-261 of Bopp & Smith.

Indexes pt. 2 - Indexes Reference Exercise Due

July 23
Network & Access Issues
Be prepared to discuss pp. 81-96 and 111-117 of Volume 1 of Katz.

Bibliographic Sources, pt. 1 - Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 75-88 of Volume 1 of Katz and pp. 480-486 & 502-504 of Bopp & Smith.

July 28
Information Literacy & Bibliographic Instruction
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 167-181 of Volume 2 of Katz and pp. 177-201 of Bopp & Smith.

Bibliographic Sources, pt. 2 - Bibliographies Reference Exercise Due

July 30
Biographical Sources, pt. 1 - Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 343-350 of Volume 1 of Katz and pp. 381-403 of Bopp & Smith.

Government Information, pt. 1 - Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 447-473 of Volume 1 of Katz.

August 4
Biographical Sources pt. 2 - Biographical Sources Reference Exercise Due

Government Information, pt. 2 - Government Information Reference Exercise Due

Geographical Sources, pt. 1
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 417-427 of Volume 1 of Katz and pp. 460-476 of Bopp & Smith.

Reference Observation Due

August 6
Electronic Resources & Development of Reference Tools
Read & be prepared to discuss pp. 97-101, 110-124 & 136-140 of Bopp & Smith.

August 11
Future of Reference

Geographic Sources, pt. 2 - Geographic Sources Reference Exercise Due

Paper #2 Due

August 13
Review
Practicum

Assignments

Assignment	Percent of Final Grade	Maximum Points
Reference Exercises (8 @ 5 questions each)	40%	200
Papers (2 @ 3-5 pages)	30%	150
Reference Observation (1)	10%	50
Class Participation	10%	50
Practicum (1)	10%	50
TOTAL	100%	500

Final grades will be based on the following scale:

A	94 - 100%	470 - 500 points
A-	90 - 93%	450 - 469 points
B+	88 - 89%	440 - 449 points
B	84 - 87%	420 - 439 points
B-	80 - 83%	400 - 419 points
C+	78 - 79%	390 - 399 points
C	74 - 77%	370 - 389 points
C-	70 - 73%	350 - 369 points
D+	68 - 69%	340 - 349 points
D	64 - 67%	320 - 339 points
D-	60 - 63%	300 - 319 points
F	0 - 59%	0 - 299 points

Assignments

Papers

The purpose of these papers is to encourage you to analyze your thoughts, and the thoughts of your colleagues, on current issues of importance to the field of library and information science. Using the information provided in the required text and at least one additional cited source, address the following topics. Papers should be 3 - 5 pages.

What is your philosophy of reference? Is your philosophy in agreement with the RUSA (Reference and User Services Association) Guidelines? Do you agree, ethically, with the ALA Bill of Rights and the ALA Code of Ethics? Why or why not? Paper #1 due July 14, 2003.
There is much discussion about the future of reference and reference librarians. What do you feel the future holds? How do you feel reference services and sources will change? Where do you see yourself in five years? Paper #2 due August 11, 2003.

Reference Observation

The purpose of this assignment is to provide you the opportunity to observe reference work in the actual process. Be sure to have read Chapter 2 of Bopp & Smith, "The Reference Interview," before you observe.

Make arrangements to observe reference services in the type of library in which you hope to work (public, academic, special, school). You should observe for at least one hour; two hours is preferable. Be sure to arrange permission for your observation with the library before you arrive to observe.

During your observation, note the types of questions received and sources used, the reference interview, the library user's level of satisfaction, etc.

Write a report on your observation experience. You can describe the patrons, the library staff, level of service, etc.; include anything you feel is important. Is telephone reference provided? E-mail reference? Real-time chat reference? How successful are these services? Include the day and time of your observation. Provide the name of the library, the service points observed, and the name of the person in charge of each service point as well as the name of the person whose permission you obtained to do the observation. Your Observation Paper should be 3 - 5 pages. Reference Observation due August 4, 2003.

Reference Question Assignments

The purpose of the reference question assignments is to help you become familiar with valuable reference sources and to develop effective search strategies. Each set of questions will focus on a particular type of reference source. Assignments are due as noted on the course calendar.

All questions should be answered from the sources provided; however, other legitimate reference sources will be accepted.
Please (briefly) note all the sources consulted, whether they were helpful or not, as well as the source in which you located the answer. Your search strategy and the sources you choose to consult are just as important as finding the right answer.
For the source where you locate the answer, please note the title, author or editor, edition, and publication date as well as the page number on which the answer was located.
Online sources that are noted on the source list are acceptable. For this class, general web searches are not acceptable. If an online source is used, note the name of the source, the date accessed, etc.
Answer 5 of the questions from each section. Answering additional questions will result in bonus points.
As you work on the questions, note one source that you find particularly helpful or one that you find particularly unhelpful.

Timeliness, correct answers, search strategy, citation information, legitimacy of sources, and specification of a favorite/least favorite source will all impact points received.

Ready Reference - Due June 30

1. A patron is a fan of yodeling; how might you connect him with others of similar interests?

2. What is the zip code for Ellis Island, New York?

3. What university is located in Kiribati?

4. How can I contact manufacturers of touch free car wash equipment?

5. On what day of the week did April Fool's day fall in 1990?

6. What is the projected population of Iceland in 2010?

7. Should frog legs be eaten with the fingers or with a knife and fork?

8. What are the median earnings for a respiratory therapist?

9. How should a time zone, i.e. the Eastern Time Zone, be abbreviated?

10.What was Louisa May Alcott quoted as saying about Huckleberry Finn?

Dictionaries - Due July 7

1. Define "halo effect."

2. From what language did the word paradise evolve? When was it first used in English?

3. According to the Acronyms, Initialisms & Abbreviations Dictionary, for what does FAQ stand? Is there another meaning that should be added to the Dictionary?

4. What is a bodger?

5. What else might you call an obituary?

6. What is "Dutch courage?"

7. Compare the coverage of Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus and Roget's International on "radical."

Encyclopedias - Due July 14

1. What is a vicuna and where is it found?

2. Find information on Jan Holly's contribution to literature.

3. Scientifically, what is a sea arrow?

4. Find pictures of the art from the Book of Kells.

5. With which literary figure is Countess Teresa Guiccioli associated?

6. Find an article with a bibliography that deals with food in relation to religion.

7. Find a bibliography of Bob Dylan's writings.

Indexes and Abstracts - Due July 21

1. Can you point me to an anthology that includes the poem "We Real Cool?" Who wrote the poem?

2. Find a short story about cows that was published in 2000. Who wrote it? Was it published in a magazine, a collection, or both?

3. Compare the coverage of Social Science Citation Index and PAIS on the pollution of the Aral Sea.

4. I am researching Eamon de Valera and need articles from around 1919; can you help me?

5. A couple of years ago I read an article about using paraprofessionals on the reference desk by someone named Genz; can you help me find the full citation?

6. Find an abstract for an article that deals with using digital cameras in the K-12 classroom.

7. Has the article "A K-band-selected photometric redshift catalog in the Hubble Deep Field South: Sampling the rest-frame V band to z=3," by Greg Rudnick, been cited by any other authors? Name one author who cited this article.

Bibliographies - Due July 28

1. Provide a description of the materials included in the "American Journal of Nursing"

2. The Odd Fellows' Literary Casket was a serial published in the 1850's; where should I look to get an overview of what volumes are held by what libraries?

3. Are any videos based on Lawrence Block works currently available "in print?"

4. Is Click Clack Moo in print? Can you help me find a review of this book?

5. Find a fax number for the Pointe Coupee Banner, published in New Roads, Louisiana.

6. Does the 11th edition of the Guide to Reference Books recommend the Bopp & Smith text used in this class in the reference section? Speculate on the reason why or why not.

7. I need to find a library that holds the work Avvisi di Costantinopoli that was published in Venice in the 17th century.

Biographies - Due August 4

1. Where might I find a signed biographical article with a bibliography about Gene Kelly?

2. What is Stephen Hawking's position at Cambridge?

3. Are there any librarians from Urbana, Illinois, included in the current Who's Who in America? Name one.

4. Is Jack Black really Jack Black's name?

5. Author Eric Flint spoke at a book talk I attended and I want to write to him; what is his address?

6. What was John Dillinger's middle name?

7. Where did Michael Schumacher first race? How old was he?

Government Information - Due August 4

1. How many curbside recycling programs were available in the U.S. in 1999?

2. Where could I find an organizational chart for the Peace Corp?

3. The Senate voted on Alan Greenspan's confirmation in Senate Vote 6 on February 3, 2000. How did Indiana Senator Evan Bayh vote?

4. How did Florida vote in the 1996 presidential election?

5. Who are the Alaskan delegates to the 107th Congress?

6. Find the text of Al Gore's concession speech.

7. How do I get a passport?

8. Is there a former schoolteacher serving as a Hawaiian Senator? If yes, who?

Geographical Sources - August 11

1. What are the major crops of Sara Buri Province?

2. What is the adult literacy rate of females in Egypt?

3. What is the approximate driving time and distance from Mazatlan to Guadalajara?

4. When was the first post office established in Bloomington, IN?

5. Geographically, what does the Italian word "cataratta" mean?

6. What mountain ranges might you find in Wyoming?

7. In what county is Furnace, IN?

Ready Reference

Directories

Almanacs & Yearbooks

Handbooks & Manuals

Abridged

Historical

Specialized

One Volume

Subject Encyclopedias