THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

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1 THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE LSC 553, Information Sources and Services, Section 01, Fall Credit Hours; No Prerequisites Syllabus, Version 1, August 17 NOTE: This Syllabus is Subject to Change This is an in-person course. All class sessions will be in person, Wednesdays, 6:40 9:10 p.m. in room G-023 Pangborn Hall, unless otherwise noted. Instructor: David Shumaker Office: 455 Columbus School of Law Bldg. Hours: By appointment shumaker@cua.edu Phone: Course Description (from Cardinal Station A solid introduction to the fundamental terminology, concepts, and practices of library public services as well as the skills to deliver them effectively to a variety of information users and within a variety of settings. Special emphasis on the philosophy of reference service, appropriate communications skills for use in instructional settings and reference interviews, standard evaluative criteria for determining fitness of sources to meet information needs, proficient retrieval of information from print and electronic reference sources, policies and procedures for the provision of reference service, and the role of reference and information service departments within an organization. Instructional Methods The course will incorporate lecture/discussion; hands-on exercises; role playing of simulated interview scenarios; and homework assignments. Class meetings will be supplemented by announcements, discussion, and other materials posted in the class Blackboard site ( ) Class meetings will be in-person unless otherwise noted. Homework assignments will include field observation, practice exercises, and analytical assignments. Required Text Cassell, Kay Ann, Hiremath, Uma. (2013) Reference and Information Services: An Introduction. Third ed. Chicago: Neal Schuman. Optional Supplementary Texts 1

2 Hock, Randolph. (2013) The Extreme Searcher s Internet Handbook. Fourth ed. Medford, NJ: CyberAge Books. Mann, T. (2005). The Oxford guide to library research. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Other Required Readings Agosto, D. E., Rozaklis, L., MacDonald, C., & Abels, E. G. (2011). A model of the reference and information service process: An educators' perspective. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(3), Arends, Richard I., and Sharon Castle. (2002) "Instructional Strategies." Encyclopedia of Education. Ed. James W. Guthrie. 2nd ed. Vol. 4. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, Available: ALADIN Gale Virtual Reference Library. Association of College & Research Libraries. (2000, Jan. 18) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Available: or (Accessed Aug. 17, 2015) Austin, Brice. (2001, June) Mooers' Law: In and out of context. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology; vol. 52, no. 8, p Available: Proquest ABI/INFORM. Bates, Marcia J.(2010) 'Information Behavior', Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, Third Edition, 1: 1, Available: ALADIN. Bean, T. M., & Thomas, S. N. (2010). Being like both: Library instruction methods that outshine the one-shot. Public Services Quarterly, 6, 237. Booth, C. (2010, June/July) Build your own instructional literacy. American Libraries, Ferrell, S. (2010, Winter) Who says there s a problem?: A new way to approach the issue of problem patrons. Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 50, no. 2, p Grassian, E.S., & Kaplowitz, J.R. (2010) Information literacy instruction. Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, Third Edition, 1: 1, Available: ALADIN. Perry, E. (2011, Dec.) Then and Now: Looking back on 43 years as a librarian. Searcher, vol. 19 no. 10, Reference and User Services Association (RUSA). (2003, Jan. 26) Professional Competencies for Reference and User Services Librarians. Available: Accessed: Aug. 17,

3 Reference and User Services Association (RUSA). (2004, June) Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers. Available: Accessed: Aug. 17, Smith, Linda C. (2009) Reference Services. In Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, Third Edition. New York: Taylor and Francis, Williams, S. (2010). New tools for online information literacy instruction. The Reference Librarian, 51, 148. Optional and Supplementary Resources OWL : Purdue Online Writing Lab. Available: (Accessed Aug. 6, 2015) Useful guidance for writing style, research methods, citation formatting, and academic honesty. Required Technologies Capabilities Required for Course Delivery and Student Participation: Blackboard; standard CUA software; CUA library and information system accounts; ability to use CUA digital library resources. Every student should have daily access to a computer and high speed internet access, and the ability to use Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Excel or equivalent tools. Tools and Technologies Taught: Advanced use of information retrieval systems, including digital library resources, library catalogs, and open Web information discovery and retrieval tools. Other materials: Free demonstration accounts for commercial digital information resources, which may include any or all of the following: Dialog, Grolier s Online; Nexis; ReadersAdvisor Online (Libraries Unlimited); Gale Reference; etc. Course Goals and Goals for Student Learning The goals of the course are to introduce fundamental concepts of library public services, and the skills required to deliver services effectively. The emphasis of this course is on the skills needed for direct interaction with information seekers, singly or in groups, that leads to the satisfaction of their information needs. At the conclusion of this course, students should achieve five learning objectives. These objectives, and their relationship to the Objectives of the School, are shown in the table below: LSC553 Course Outcomes Articulate a philosophy of reference service which includes a discussion of ethical and other issues relevant to the provision of information SLIS Objectives Demonstrate a commitment to the philosophy, principles and legal and ethical responsibilities of the field Appreciate education and service as integral to the role of the information professional in society Articulate the economic, political, cultural, and 3

4 Apply interpersonal communications skills, including interviewing skills, to discern the needs of information seekers Analyze information literacy instructional programs using a basic understanding of learning theory and instructional development principles Apply standard evaluative criteria to basic reference sources in order to determine the fitness of sources to meet particular information needs Demonstrate proficiency in retrieving information from general reference sources (print and electronic), including designing basic search strategies Discuss policies and procedures for the provision of service (in person and virtually), and the role and evaluation of reference and information service departments social importance of the information profession Are skilled in organizing, disseminating, managing, preserving information Are skilled in the use of information technologies and articulate the role of information technology in facilitating information management Are capable of serving information seekers in a global society Appreciate education and service as integral to the role of the information professional in society Are capable of serving information seekers in a global society Appreciate education and service as integral to the role of the information professional in society Are capable of serving information seekers in a global society Interpret and apply research results from library and information science and related fields Are skilled in the use of information technologies and articulate the role of information technology in facilitating information management Are capable of serving information seekers in a global society Interpret and apply research results from library and information science and related fields Are dedicated to professional growth, continuous learning, and applying new knowledge to improve information systems and services to meet the needs of information users in society Are skilled in organizing, disseminating, managing, preserving information Demonstrate a commitment to the philosophy, principles and legal and ethical responsibilities of the field Are dedicated to professional growth, continuous learning, and applying new knowledge to improve information systems and services to meet the needs of information users in society 4

5 Professional Standards Addressed American Library Association (ALA) Core Competences of Librarianship, approved by ALA s Presidential Task Force on Library Education, May Reference and User Services 5A. The concepts, principles, and techniques of reference and user services that provide access to relevant and accurate recorded knowledge and information to individuals and groups. 5B. Techniques used to retrieve, evaluate and synthesize information from diverse sources for use by individuals and groups. 5C. The methods used to interact successfully with individuals and groups to provide consultation, mediation, and guidance in their use of recorded knowledge and information. 5D. Information literacy/information competence techniques and methods. 5E. The principles and methods of advocacy used to reach specific audiences to promote and explain concepts and services. 5F. The principles of assessment and response to diversity in user needs, user communities, and user preferences. 5G. The principles and methods used to assess current and emerging situations or circumstances to the design and implementation of appropriate services or resource development. Special Libraries Association (SLA) C. Managing Information Services Information professionals manage the entire life cycle of information services, from the concept stage through the design, development, testing, marketing, packaging, delivery and divestment of these offerings. Information professionals may oversee this entire process or may concentrate on specific stages, but their expertise is unquestionable in providing offerings that enable clients to immediately integrate and apply information in their work or learning processes. C.1 Develops and maintains a portfolio of cost-effective, client-valued information services that are aligned with the strategic directions of the organization and client groups. C.2 Conducts market research of the information behaviors and problems of current and potential client groups to identify concepts for new or enhanced information solutions for these groups. Transforms these concepts into customized information products and services. C.3 Researches, analyzes and synthesizes information into accurate answers or actionable information for clients, and ensures that clients have the tools or capabilities to immediately apply these. C.4 Develops and applies appropriate metrics to continually measure the quality and value of information offerings, and to take appropriate action to ensure each offering's relevancy within the portfolio. C.5 Employs evidence-based management to demonstrate the value of 5

6 and continually improve information sources and services. Medical Library Association (MLA) Health sciences librarians require knowledge of the content of information resources and skills in using them. They must understand the principles and practices related to providing information to meet specific user needs and to ensure convenient access to information in all forms, including information needs of health practitioners, researchers, educators, students, and consumers; information-seeking and transfer characteristics of user groups and individuals; assessment of identified information needs; health sciences and other information resources and their relevance to specific information needs; retrieval strategies and techniques; analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information for identified needs; methods of information delivery and access; development of services tailored to meet needs of individual and group users; and resource sharing. ALA s Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) RUSA Guidelines, RUSA Guidelines for Implementing and Maintaining Virtual Reference Services, Course Requirements Assignments and their weighting in the overall course grade are: 1. Graded Assignments (60%) There will be six graded assignments, each accounting for 12% of the course grade. The assignments are: 1.1 Assignment 1: Interview and Field Observation 1.2 Assignment 2: Interviewing Skills 1.3 Assignment 3: Information Source Analysis 1.4 Assignment 4: Search Strategy 1.5 Assignment 5: Instructional Design and Development 1.6 Assignment 6: Searching, Retrieving, and Managing Results 2. Final Exam (18%) There will be a take-home final exam. 3. Class Contributions (10%) The class is designed to be highly interactive, and there will be a number of homework assignments that are important learning opportunities. Students who complete the homework assignments, participate substantively in class, and contribute the most to the shared pool of knowledge will receive the highest grades in this area. Expectations and policies Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is not merely avoiding plagiarism or cheating, but it certainly includes those things. More than anything, having academic integrity means taking 6

7 responsibility for your work, your ideas, and your effort, and giving credit to others for their work, ideas and effort. If you submit work that is not your own whether test answers, whole papers or something in-between I have a responsibility to hold you accountable for that action. I also have a responsibility to treat you with respect and dignity while doing so. The following sanctions are presented in the University procedures related to Student Academic Dishonesty: The presumed sanction for undergraduate students for academic dishonesty will be failure for the course. In the context of graduate studies, the expectations for academic honesty are greater, and therefore the presumed sanction for dishonesty is likely to be more severe, e.g., expulsion....in the more unusual case, mitigating circumstances may exist that would warrant a lesser sanction than the presumed sanction. There are no group assignments in the class. Therefore, you should not collaborate with classmates on graded assignments. For more information about what academic integrity means at CUA, including your responsibilities and rights, visit General Expectations: Successful completion of this course entails on-time delivery of assignments, work that meets or exceeds the standard for graduate-level programs, and regular, active participation in class discussions, exercises, and activities. Students must have access to word processing and presentation software, , CUA libraries and the ALADIN system, and the World Wide Web. Class Attendance, Participation, and Absences: Class attendance and participation are very important, as our aim is to form a learning community, with contributions from all members. If you must miss a class, whether in-person or virtual, for any reason, you are expected to notify the instructor as early as possible, and to take responsibility for catching up with any work missed. Unexplained and unjustified absence will earn a class participation grade of zero for the class missed. To prepare for class, read and reflect on all assigned readings before class. The sessions will generally be highly interactive, and you ll be expected to make comments and ask questions based on what you have read. The highest grades for class participation will go to those students who participate actively and whose participation reflects thoughtful consideration of the topics of the class. Assignments: Assignments are due at the time and date indicated. Unless prior permission is obtained, the grade for late assignments will be reduced by 4 points (out of 100) per day; however, any work not turned in on or before the end of the term will receive a zero grade. Grades are based on work submitted; rewriting, resubmission, and extra credit are not allowed. Important University Resources: CUA Network: 7

8 All students should know their CUA network account information and be able to log on to the CUA network. It is essential that students frequently monitor their CUA Cardinalmail account, as course announcements will be sent to the Cardinalmail address. Contact the Center for Planning and Information Technology at for assistance. CUA Libraries: All students should be able to use the CUA library resources, including the ALADIN online system. Visit the CUA Library homepage at for assistance and directions, or phone (202) Academic Support Services The university s primary academic support resources are located on the 2 nd floor of the Pryzbyla Center. These affiliated offices and services include: The Center for Academic Success provides academic support services for all students through a broad base of programs and services, including Tutoring Services, Workshops, Academic Coaching, Individual Skills Meetings, Peer Mentoring, and more. Phone: (202) cua-academicsuccess@cua.edu Web: success.cua.edu The Writing Center provides free, one-on-one consultations with trained graduate instructors for writing projects across all disciplines at any stage of the process, from brainstorming to revising. Appointments in the main location, 202 Pryz, can be scheduled in advance online ( Drop-in appointments are also welcome based on availability in the Pryz and at the satellite location in the Mullen Library Lobby (see website for days and hours). Phone: (202) cua-writingcenter@cua.edu Web: english.cua.edu/wc/ The Math Center is staffed with Math Faculty and Tutors who are trained to assist students struggling in areas ranging from the basics to complex problems in calculus and statistics. Any student who feels he or she may need assistance in this or any other math class is welcome to visit the Math Center in Pryz 204 Monday through Thursday between the hours of 4:00 and 10:00pm. No appointment is necessary and services are absolutely free. Phone: (202) cua-academicsuccess@cua.edu Disability Support Services provides programs and services designed to support and encourage the integration of students with disabilities into the mainstream of the university community. Phone: (202) cua-disabilityservices@cua.edu Web: dss.cua.edu The Counseling Center provides free individual and group counseling services, psychiatric consultation, alternative testing, and emergency services to CUA students. In addition, we provide consultation services and outreach programs to the CUA community. Appointments can be scheduled in person in 127 O Boyle Hall, or by phone. Phone: (202) Web: counseling.cua.edu Assessment Assignment Weight 8

9 Graded Assignments 12%) 72% Final Exam 18% Class Participation 10% Total 100% Based on scores for individual assignments, final letter grades will be assigned as follows: A A B B B C <70 F University grades: The University grading system is available at for undergraduates and for graduate students. Reports of grades in courses are available at the end of each term on Course Schedule Date Class Number and Topic Assignments 1. Sept. 2 Class 1: Service Philosophy and Ethics 2. Sept. 9 Class 2: Understanding Needs Part 1: Interviewing Techniques Read: Cassell, Ch. 1, 18; Perry; Smith Assignment 1, Interview & Field Observation, Given Read: Cassell, Ch. 2; RUSA Guidelines for Behavioral Performance Watch: Videos TBA 3. Sept. 16 Class 3: Understanding Needs Part 2: Service Settings and Audiences Assignment 2, Interviewing Skills, Given Read: Austin; Bates; Ferrell One additional reading as assigned: to be announced. Assignment 1, Interview & Field Observation, Due 9

10 Sept. 23 No class President s Holiday; Papal Visit 4. Sept. 30 Class 4: Information Sources, Part 1 Read: Cassell, Ch. 17 (Also skim chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) Assignment 2, Interviewing Skills Due 5. Oct. 7 Class 5: Information Sources, Part 2 Read: Cassell, Ch (Also skim chapters 9, 10, 11, 12) Assignment Given: Assignment 3, Information Source Analysis 6. Oct. 14 Class 6: Search Strategy, Part 1 Read: Cassell, Ch Oct. 21 Class 7: Search Strategy, Part 2 Read: Cassell, Ch Oct. 28 Virtual Class Class 8: Information Literacy Assignment Given: Assignment 4, Search Strategy Assignment Due: Assignment 3, Information Source Analysis Read: Assn. of College & Research Libraries; Cassell, Ch Nov. 4 Class 9: Instructional Design Read: Arends; Bean; Booth; Williams; optional: Grassian Assignment Given: Assignment 5, Information Literacy Instruction 10. Nov. 11 Class 10: Personal Information Management Assignment Due: Assignment 4, Search Strategy Read: None 11. Nov. 18 Class 11: Information Analysis Read: None 10 Assignment Given: Assignment 6, Searching, Retrieving, and Managing Results Assignment Due: Assignment 5, Information Literacy Instruction

11 Nov. 25 Thanksgiving Holiday No Class 12. Dec. 2 Class 12: Innovations and Trends in Library Services 13. Dec. 9 Class 13: Managing Information Sources and Services; Course Review and Wrapup Read: Cassell, Ch. 21 Assignment Due: Assignment 6, Searching, Retrieving, and Managing Results Read: Cassell, Ch. 19, 20, 22; RUSA Professional Competencies Dec. 16 Take Home Final Exam due Exam due by 10:00 p.m. Wed. Dec. 9. (This is the end of the scheduled exam period for this course.) NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus. 11