Sample Syllabus - LTA 102

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Textbook:

• Reference and Information Services: An Introduction.  Editors: Richard Bopp and Linda Smith.  Published February 2001. - Recommended, not required.

Course Description

The role of the library technical assistant in reference services for answering directional and ready reference questions. Reference tools, interview techniques and automated reference sources are included. Prerequisite: Library Technology 101.

Objectives:

Students will acquire the ability to:

1. Listen to a patron’s request, then clarify and analyze the question to best  determine the patron’s needs.
2. Read a reference work to determine its scope, arrangement, and use in  specific situations.
3. Develop strategies for selecting the best tools for a patron’s needs.
4. Answer ready reference questions involving the use of tools such as  almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories, handbooks,  indexes and abstracts.
5. Learn to search and use the Internet effectively in responding to reference.
6. Learn to respond to reference questions in an ethical and professional  manner.
7. Develop a sense of humor about reference work.  You never know what  you’re going to get at the desk J.

Expectations:

Remember: the syllabus is designed to be a little scary.  It’s important to keep a sense of humor about the work that you’re doing.  Reference is one of the most challenging tasks you may be assigned to do at the library – it’s also one of the most fun.  You’re getting paid to find out cool information!

Attendance:

It is important to attend every class.  We realize that, as adults, life may not always cooperate.  If you know in advance that you will not be able to attend class, please email both Jennie and Kelly. 

However, there will be in-class assignments that cannot be made up if you don’t attend class.  Exceptions will be made only in extreme cases – contact Kelly or Jennie if you believe you have extenuating circumstances.

In addition, there will be points given for attendance and these points cannot be made up in alternative manner.   No exception will be made to this.

Assignments:

Assignments should be handed in on time; points will be deducted for each day that they are late.  No assignment will be accepted if it is more than a week late. 

Each assignment (with the exception of in-class homework) should look professional, i.e. spell-checked and edited for grammar and content.  Complete sentences should be used at all times.  Points will be deducted if these things are not done.

Grading:

Plagiarism Policy:

As information professionals we should always be ethical; plagiarism will not be tolerated.  While collaboration with homework is normal, sources (whether published or not) should always be cited within assignments.  If you need help with this, please see either instructor.

Students found guilty of plagiarism will fail the course (receive the grade of “F”) and, in certain instances, are excluded from taking other courses at the College.

Evaluation:

Assignments:

Details for the weekly assignments will be found on the website.  We will discuss in class what is due the following week.  Each assignment will be due at the beginning of class via e-mail.

Major Projects:

Analysis of Email Reference Services (25 points):

Many libraries are increasingly finding that email reference is another point of contact with the patron.  Analyze the email reference service of 3 libraries and compare and contrast.  A list of libraries and further details will be discussed in class.

Ready Reference Project (50 points):

Libraries often create ready-reference tools for frequently asked questions.  This project will consist of designing a ready-reference tool that shows who represents your area on local, county, state, and federal levels.  Details will be given in class and on the website.

Final Reference Project (100 points):

Often, information requests cannot be answered in a short period of time, and may require some in-depth searching.  A useful exercise will be to pretend to answer an in-depth question.  You may choose from the following questions:

Analyze a company (i. e.  Coca-Cola, IBM, etc.).  It will be helpful to you if you choose a company that is publicly held.  Give us information from a variety of sources: internet, company directories, etc.

A teacher at your school has given you a project: she wants you to provide     some help in choosing books related to Native American culture for the age range of 5th to 8th grade.  Develop a reference & browsing collection of twenty books, include reviews for 5 of the items.  Analyze the items using the various tools discussed for collection development and reference.

A friend is doing a book on Jack the Ripper.  He would like to include pictures, original documentation, etc.  Try to analyze some of the needs he might have, and provide some basic information to meet those needs.  Be original: what kind of clothes would the people have worn then, music that they would have listened too, etc.

A reference question of your own choosing.  Check with Jennie or Kelly as to its appropriateness.

NOTE

Additional readings may be assigned at the discretion of the instructors.