Department/Division: Library Science.

Course Number/Title: LS 534/Information Services and Resources I.

Instructor: Dr. Frank Hoffmann.

Text: William Katz. Introduction to Reference Work. 2 volumes. Seventh edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.

Course Objectives: At the conclusion of the course, the student should be able to:

(1) Demonstrate a commitment to promoting intellectual freedom through the dissemination of varied information sources;

(2) Exhibit ethical behavior;

(3) Subscribe to the importance of cooperation and networking among libraries and other information agencies in meeting the information needs of participants in a democratic society;

(4) Listen and respond to information requests in a manner that encourages further inquiry;

(5) Development, implement, monitor, and revise selection policies and procedures at the district level anc collection development policies in the school;

(6) Identify and apply criteria appropriate for evaluating resources of all formats and at all grade levels and accompanying equipment;

(7) Evaluate both internal holdings and external information access points to coordinate the selection of appropriate resources to meet the goals and objectives of the school;

(8) Use appropriate techniques for evaluating and selecting resources;

(9) Reflect the school's philosophy, curriculum, and instructional objectives in the selection of resources;

(10) Ensure that the evaluation and selection process provides curriculum related resources that reflect teaching styles and instructional strategies;

(11) Recognize the characteristics unique to each information format and select items according to their specific contribution to learning objectives;

(12) Advocate, initiate, and implement formal and informal agreements providing for increased availability and accessibility of information through resource sharing;

(13) Apply appropriate research findings for the improvement of the school library media program;

(14) Access existing and emerging technologies for management applications;

(15) Recommend strategies and creative uses of resources;

(16) Provide activities and opportunities for enabling students to assume responsibility for planning, undertaking, and assuming independent learning;

(17) Provide specific information and resources in response to information needs identified in the curriculum development process;

(18) Assist students and teachers in retrieving, analyzing, interpreting, organizing, evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating information and ideas;

(19) Motivate and promote the design of production activities to assist in the development of skills for analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating information and ideas;

(20) Assess existing and emerging technologies for possible applications to the instructional program;

(21) Plan and implement staff development activities to increase competence in locating, using, and producing resources for teaching;

(22) Develop, advocate, and implement a curriculum-integrated information skills component;

(23) Enhance accessibility to all types of resources and equipment by identifying, evaluating, establishing, and using delivery systems to retrieve information in all formats;

(24) Identify and select appropriate external information access points;

(25) Protect confidentiality and ensure information security as well as the rights of users; and

(26) Exhibit a familiarity with the latest trends and research in this area (to be accomplished through the reading, abstracting, and discussion of the literature).

Course Format: Lecture/discussion; reference work and automated (online, CD-ROM, multimedia) searching practice.

Course Evaluation: Mid-term (10%); Final (25%); Assignments--Information Sources (20%); Reference Questions (2 sets--1st, 10%/2nd, 20%); Worksheet (5%); Online seaching techniques (10%).

Content:

Toward a Definition of the Field

A. Levels of Service

B. Types of Reference Work

C. Variations in Service Philosophy

1. Type of Library

2. Subject Field

D. Desirable Characteristics of the Professional Reference Librarian Search Process Models

A. Orientation to the Components of the Jahoda Model

B. Utility of Older Models for Information Searching

C. The Reference Interview

1. Verbal Communication

2. Nonverbal Communication

Chief Types of Reference Tools

A. Print

1. Books

a. Dictionaries*

b. Encyclopedias*

c. Biographical Sources*

d. Geographical Sources: Atlases*; Gazetteers*;

Travel Books*

e. Handbooks and Manuals*

f. Catalogs and Union Lists*

g. Indexes, Abstracts, and Bibliographies*

h. Directories*

i. Almanacs and Yearbooks*

j. Guides to the Literature*

2. Government Publications/Documents*

3. Journals

4. Ephemera/Realia

B. Audiovisual Resources

C. Automation

1. Online Searching

2. Laser Optical Searching: laserdiscs, CD-ROM, DVDs*

3. Computer Software

(*Categories for Information Sources assignment)

Development of a Core Reference Collection

A. Differences Between Types of Libraries

B. Evaluative Criteria

Specialized Types of Information Service

A. Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI)

B. Information & Referral (I&R)

C. Teleconference Systems

D. Reader Services

1. Reader's Advisory Services

2. Bibliotherapy

E. Archives Management

F. Community Information Services

G. Information Brokering

H. Records Management

Ethics in Information Service

Evaluation and Measurement of Information Services

Practice Work

A. Reference Questions

B. Online/Laser Optical Demonstrations and Practice Work

C. Discussion of Techniques Employed in Print and Automated Searching

Administration and Planning of Information Services

Recommended Reference Materials: Titles culled from many sources, including bibliographies such as ARBA, Guide to Reference Books (1996 ed.), etc.

Assignments:

(1) Abstracts. Read chapters 1-2 of Volume I and chapters 1-10 of Volume II from the Katz text, and then briefly summarize each chapter in writing. Each of the twelve abstracts should be at least one (typewritten) page in length. Periodical articles or sections from other texts may be substituted for any of the Katz chapters. The only limitations are that these optional sources be (a) moderately substantial in length (i.e., more than a short news note or column); and (b) distributed over the fields of automation in reference (at least two selections); the reference process--e.g., interviewing techniques (2); specialized types of information services--e.g., SDI, I & R (1); collection development/selection aids for reference (1); and the evaluation of reference services (1). Extra Credit; can be substituted for lowest 10% of course grade. For example, if receiving a "B" grade on mid-term, submitting awell done set of abstracts would upgrade that portion of coursework to "A."

(2) Worksheet. A page containing twelve questions has been included in a separate handout. Utilizing the Katz textbook and class notes, provide answers for each (taking approximately one-half to a full page per question--some might run a bit longer). The information which fits each question may be paraphrased from the source employed; the primary purpose of this assignment is to supplement (and highlight) information derived from lectures and readings.

(3) Information Sources. Develop a core collection of 150 reference titles for the library (elementary school, middle school, high school, K-12, public, academic, special) of your choice. Include at least five titles from each of the major reference categories (A-1, A-2, B, and C from the "Chief Types of Reference Tools" section of the course outline) discussed during the first class session. Use one card (paper sheet) per title according to the following format: (a) bibliographic data (title/editor/publisher/edition); (b) interval of publication (weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual/biennial/every __ years--note cumulations); (c) arrangement of contents (alphabetical by author, historical figure, term, subject, etc./chronological/geographical/classified--arbitrary subject arrangement); (d) scope notes (range, depth, level, etc., of subject matter/special features worthy of attention/comparison with other notable titles in same reference category). Elements to be evaluated:

(a) applicability of titles to type/level of library selected;

(b) presence of at least five titles within each (14) reference category;

(c) appropriateness of titles to category placement (common pitfalls: print tools about AV materials do not constitute AV reference titles; biographical or bibliographical sources lacking an overview of a given discipline's literature are not guides to the literature; catalogs/union lists apply only to materials clearly designated as library holdings);

(d) accuracy of information included;

(e) currency of edition consulted (if libraru used does not have recent editions, reference to instructional materials--e.g., Katz--for information an acceptable substitute);

(f) thoroughness of scope notes section; and

(g) completeness in responding to all four sections for each title (typical pitfall: starting a title included within packet and then forgetting to complete at a later date).

Ideas regarding title choices and descriptive information to include can be obtained from the Katz text, ARBA, Guide to Reference Books (1996 ed.), Walford, other book and periodical bibliographies, and the introductory sections of the reference tools themselves. Students are encouraged to work in groups in order to pool ideas and optimize learning; only direct copying of finished work is off-limits.

(4) Reference Questions. Two sets of reference questions will be distributed to students during the third session. One set will be done during class under simulated library reference conditions; the other one will constitute a take-home assignment. The results of the in-class set will be discussed in class during the fourth session to enhance performance on the second set. Answers for both sets will be evaluated according to (a) correctness of the answer (i.e., accuracy and appropriateness); (b) adherence to the fundamentals of information searching form; and (c) clarity, thoroughness, and organization of the answer.

(5) Online Searching Techniques. Following preparatory readings and lab demonstrations, students will be directed to develop search strategies for both commercial systems (e.g., Dialog, FirstSearch) and the Internet which employ Boolean techniques. Print-outs of the finalized results will be evaluation according to (a) match of reference query and selected databases, (b) efficiency of descriptors and search protocols employed, and (c) quality of the answers.

Availability of Instructor: Dr. Hoffmann can reached at the following addresses/phone numbers:

(1) Work: Department of Library Science/Box 2236/Sam Houston State University/Huntsville, TX 77341

(409) 294-1289 (personal office; includes voice mail)

(409) 294-1151 (main office)

lis_fwh@shsu.edu (e-mail)

(2) Home: 30 E. Shadowpoint Circle/The Woodlands, TX 77381

(281) 298-2130

Students are welcome to call home evenings and weekends.