L524: Information Sources and Services

Schoolof Library and Information Science
Indiana University - Bloomington

Summer, 2006

Monday, Wednesday, 1-3:45

(This syllabus is subject to changes with appropriate notice)

Instructor: Ron Day	:
E-mail: roday@indiana.edu	Office Hours: Monday 4-5:15; Wednesday, 4-5:15, and by appointment
Tel: email me.	Classroom: LI031

This course focuses on understanding the context and resources for reference services. The course introduces the philosophy, principles, and practice of reference services (broadly defined) and provides practical experience in evaluating and using a variety of information sources. The course also provides practical experience in assessing, designing, and developing a reference document (i.e, the final pathfinder assignment). Students who wish to become reference librarians in research libraries are highly encouraged to take L570 (Online Information Retrieval) afterwards.

By the end of the course, students should have:

• An understanding of the various roles of reference information professionals in different environments.
• An appreciation of the interpersonal and communication skills needed to carry out effective reference transactions and work.
• The ability to proficiently analyze reference inquiries in order to assess clients' information needs.
• An understanding of the nature, characteristics, and functions of major types of reference sources.
• Experience with the most important and most widely used reference materials and the ability to use them to specific reference inquiries.
• The ability to formulate search strategies that will effectively and efficiently identify and locate relevant information.
• The ability to evaluate and select reference and other information sources and tools that best fit the needs of clients.
• An understanding of the basic principles and practices involved in bibliographic instruction.
• The ability to prepare research guides.
• An awareness of current and emerging trends in reference sources and services.

The objectives of the course will be achieved through lectures, readings, in-class discussions and activities, examination and use of key reference tools and sources, take-home assignments involving electronic database searching, and a term project (electronic pathfinder—due on last day of the class).

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING

Written assignments will be made throughout the semester to familiarize you with sources, search methodologies, and the theory and philosophy of reference services. All assignments will be graded and discussed before and after they are completed. LATE assignments will lose one letter grade from the grade they would have gotten had they been turned in on time. In case an absence is inevitable on a day an assignment is due, please e-mail it to the instructor to avoid the penalty. An "Incomplete" will be given to students who fail to submit their final projects before the end of the semester. Unless otherwise stated below and on individual assignment sheets, all students are to work individually and follow IU's honor code. The assignments for the course include:

1. Eight take-home print/electronic reference sources exercises (5% each)

You should go over the relevant class handouts and readings before tackling these exercises.

2. One reference observation/interview assignment (10%)

As part of this assignment, you will visit a library of your choice (academic, public, special, or school) to observe the reference librarian(s) there and ask for materials about your pathfinder topic (see below). After your observation of, and interaction with, the librarian(s) is over, you will answer a set of questions in an essay form and come to class ready to talk about your experience. Further instructions are provided on the assignment sheet.

3. One term project: pathfinder (40%)

A pathfinder is a bibliographic guide that introduces clients to the literature of a specific subject area or topic. Its arrangement and content reflect the most common questions in a literature search and the beginning stages of a research project. A pathfinder is not an exhaustive annotated bibliography. Instead, it provides a carefully selected list of various types of important resources, both reference and non-reference. Pathfinders are typically short in length, depending on the intended audience and the resources available. The pathfinder you prepare for this course should not exceed eight pages in length and must be mounted on the web. Your pathfinder should only include resources available in one library or library system. Further instructions are provided on the assignment sheet.

Readings, class participation, and attendance (10%)

Reading assignments are due on the dates listed in the schedule below. Completing the reading assignments by the dates indicated should enhance your understanding of the lecture topic(s) and allow you to participate more fully in class discussions and do well in the course as a whole. Specific discussion points or questions are included in the Schedule to focus your readings for most classes. Keep these discussion points or questions in mind as you complete the readings. You are expected to participate in class discussion. Failure to do so will result in you losing much of the 10 points assigned for attendance and participation.

Attendance in each class session is expected. It is unlikely that you will do well in the course if you miss any sessions. If you must miss a class, please make arrangements with one of your classmates concerning note taking. Points will be deducted for each absence.

Grades will be assigned on an A, B, C bases. The following definitions of letter grades have been defined by student and faculty members of the Committee on Improvement of Instruction and have been approved by the faculty (November 11, 1996) as an aid in evaluation of academic performance and to assist students by giving them an understanding of the grading standards of the School of Library and Information Science:

Grade	GPA	MEANING
A	4.0	Outstanding achievement. Student performance demonstrates full command of the course materials and evinces a high level of originality and/or creativity that far surpasses course expectations
A-	3.7	Excellent achievement. Student performance demonstrates thorough knowledge of the course materials and exceeds course expectations by completing all requirements in a superior manner
B+	3.3	Very good work. Student performance demonstrates above-average comprehension of the course materials and exceeds course expectations on all tasks as defined in the course syllabus
B	3.0	Good work. Student performance meets designated course expectations, demonstrates understanding of the course materials and is at an acceptable level
B-	2.7	Marginal work. Student performance demonstrates incomplete understanding of course materials.
C+ C	2.3 2.0	Unsatisfactory work. Student performance demonstrates incomplete and inadequate understanding of course materials
C- D+ D D-	1.7 1.3 1.0 .07	Unacceptable work. Coursework performed at this level will not count toward the MLS or MIS degree. For the course to count towards the degree, the student must repeat the course with a passing grade.
F	0.0	Failing. Student may continue in program only with permission of the Dean.

Please note that all assignments and readings can be accessed online. Also note that this reference course demands a HEAVY commitment of your time. It is expected that you will spend an average of eight hours each week on readings and assignments. Much of this time will be spent in campus libraries. Please do not ask reference librarians to do your work for you. While such assistance may shorten assignment time, it will not help you increase your learning of sources nor of the search process as more diligent effort will. If, however, you cannot find something on the shelf where it is supposed to be, do not hesitate to ask someone where it is.

Academic Dishonesty

There is extensive documentation and discussion of the issue of academic dishonesty in the Indiana University "Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct." Of particular relevance is the section on plagiarism:

A student must not submit work that reproduces ideas, words, or statements of another person without appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following:

Indiana University and SLIS policies on academic dishonesty will be followed. Students found to be engaged in plagiarism, cheating, and other types of dishonesty will be reported to the Dean's Office for appropriate action. As a rule of thumb, when in doubt, cite the source!

Schedule

Class 1: June 19: INTRODUCTION

Course overview and introductions

Assignment: Readings; start thinking about your pathfinder topic.

Class 2: June 21: REFERENCE & INFORMATION ACCESS PROFESSIONALS

Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Assignment: Readings

Class 3: June 26: ACCESS SERVICES; CURRENT ISSUES & TRENDS IN REFERENCE; USER BEHAVIOR

Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Due: Pathfinder Topic

Assignment: Readings; Pathfinder report I

Class 4: June 28: BIBLIOGRAPHIC CONTROL, ORGANIZATION OF INFORMATION, AND SEARCH STRATEGIES

Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Class Topic: Online Catalog

Due: Pathfinder Report I

Assignment: Readings; online catalog assignment

Class 5: July 3: QUESTION ANALYSIS & NEGOTIATION (REFERENCE INTERVIEW)

Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Class topic: Reference Interview

Due: Online Catalog Assignment
ASSIGNMENT: Readings; Reference Interview Assignment

 

Class 6: July 5: SELECTION AND EVALUATION OF REFERENCE SOURCES

Discussion Points/Questions:

Accuracy Appropriateness Arrangement Audience Authority Cost Coverage Currency Documentation Format

Genealogy Illustrations Indexing Objectivity Physical Make-up Purpose and Scope Reputation Special Features Treatment Uniqueness

Reference collection development entails decisions to:

Readings:

Class Topic: Book reviews, Books in Print, and Web resources for evaluation of resources.

Due: Reference Interview

Assignment: Readings; Book Reviews, Books in Print, & Web Resources exercise

 

Class 7: July 10: BIBLIOGRAPHIC SOURCES

Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Class Topic: WorldCat, Ulrich's, and Dissertation Abstracts

Due: Book Reviews, Books in Print, & Web Resources exercise

Assignment: Readings; WorldCat, Ulrich's, and Dissertation Abstracts exercise

Class 8: July 12: INDEXES AND ABSTRACTS (DATABASES)

Terms and concepts frequently used in relation to databases:

Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Class Topic: Indexes and Abstracts

Due: WorldCat, Ulrich's, and Dissertation Abstracts exercise

Assignment: Readings; General databases assignment

Class 9: July 17: ENCYCLOPEDIAS; BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES; WEB SOURCES

Encyclopedias Outline of Significant Points:

Encyclopedias Discussion Points/Questions:

Note on Biographical Sources: Bopp and Smith point out that "interest in the lives of others is a universal phenomenon" and that "one of the most consistent features of reference work over the years has been the high demand for information about people." Biographical sources of information fall into several categories:

Biographical Sources Discussion Points/Questions:

Web Information Sources Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Class Topic: Encyclopedia, biographical, and web resources.

Due: General Databases

Assignment: Readings; Encyclopedia and biographical resources assignment

CLASS 10: July 19: READY REFERENCE AND DICTIONARIES; BUSINESS AND HEALTH SOURCES

Definitions of Types of Ready Reference Sources:

Ready Reference Sources Discussion Points/Questions:

Note on Dictionaries: The purpose of a dictionary is to explain words. Most typically, these words are listed in an alphabetical order and a description of their meaning is given. Dictionaries may include added features such as syllabication, pronunciation, etymology, usage, synonyms, grammar, illustrations, maps, spellings and usage. There are different kinds of dictionaries: those that address national languages (e.g., English, French, Spanish, German, and so on) and those that address languages of specific scientific disciplines (e.g., chemistry, medicine, political science, sociology, and so on).

Dictionaries Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Class Topic: Ready Reference, health and business resources

Due: Encyclopedias and Biography resources

Assignment: Readings; Ready reference, business, and health resources assignment

CLASS 11: July 24: GEOGRAPHICAL, GOVERNMENT, AND STATISTICAL SOURCES

Note on Geographical Sources: Geographical sources are invaluable in reference. Information needs ranging from the simple "Where is [a river, town, mountain range . . .]?" to the complex "environmental analyses, historical studies of past explorations, wars, plagues; lunar surface features; geological structure of a mountain range" can be met through the use of maps. Atlases (a collection of maps with a detailed index) are found in most libraries, as are gazetteers, which are geographical dictionaries of place names. Map librarians are very enthusiastic about their profession; are interested in such issues as access to maps, Geographic Information Systems, and map preservation; and they produce many useful guides, union lists, carto-bibliographies, indexes, and directories. When evaluating a geographical source, one has to examine: authority, currency, changing names, revision policies, encyclopedia information, nationalism, topical approaches, balance/content, quality of maps, scale and projection, topographical representation, format, place name control, vernacular vs. language of the country of publication (roma vs. rome), transliteration of names, location of small towns, statistical data, subject access approaches, among others.

Notable Publishers in Cartography:

Definitions:

Geographical Sources Discussion Points/Questions:

Government Sources Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Class topic: Geographical, government, and statistical resources

Due: Ready reference, business, and health resources

Assignment: Readings; Geographical, government, and statistical resources assignment.

 

CLASS 12: July 26: INFORMATION ETHICS; REFERENCE SERVICES FOR SPECIFIC POPULATIONS; ARCHIVES, MUSEUMS, AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Readings:

Due: Readings; Geographical, Government, and Statistics Sources assignment.

 

CLASS 13: July 31: INFORMATION LITERACY, BIBLIOGRAPHIC INSTRUCTION, AND EVALUATION OF REFERENCE SERVICES

Discussion Points/Questions:

Reference Service Evaluation Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Assignment: Readings

 

CLASS 14: August 2: VIRTUAL REFERENCE SERVICES AND EVAUATION

Virtual Reference Discussion Points/Questions:

Virtual Reference Services Discussion Points/Questions:

Instant Messaging (or Chat) Reference Discussion Points/Questions:

Readings:

Assignment: Readings

 

• CLASS 15: August 7: Student presentation of pathfinders.  FINAL PROJECT (PATHFINDERS) DUE

Journals and Reference Sources to Browse

In addition to the required readings for each class, I encourage you to make a habit of browsing recent issues of the following journals (all are available online through the University's online catalog) and Internet sources:

Library Journal College and Research Libraries Information Today Peter's Digital Reference Shelf

Reference and User Services Quarterly Reference Services Review Searcher: The Magazine for Database Professionals

Job Resources

• Library Job Postings on the Internet
• Lisjobs.com - Jobs for Librarians and Information Professionals
• LibrarySpot
• LIS-UIUC: Sources of Job Information
• Library ParaProfessional Support Staff
• SLIS-IUB