University Library Reference

SYLLABUS--IIST 605
INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES
Spring 2009
Tuesdays 7:15-10:05, Draper 313B

Instructor: Steve Black
blacks@strose.edu (best way to contact me)
(518) 458-5494
My office is in The College of Saint Rose library, at 392 Western Ave. I am normally in at least 9-4 Monday-Friday, plus some Sundays and evenings. You are welcome to visit! If you travel a long distance to Albany, check ahead to be sure I'll be available.

SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of this course is to prepare students to understand and perform reference and information work in libraries and other information arenas. The objectives of this course encompass basic reference sources in both print and electronic formats, and the history, philosophy, and practice of reference services. By the end of the semester, students should be able to:
 identify and evaluate information sources
 choose appropriate sources to answer reference questions
 understand the process of reference, including reference interviewing and search strategies
 describe methods and challenges of connecting online resources to patrons
 discuss current issues in reference services, including policy issues in various library settings
 explain ALA standards for high quality reference service.

READINGS
See “Assignments” below. There is no textbook to buy for this class.

EXPECTATIONS
Intellectual engagement
You are expected to learn about information sources and services by doing all of the following:
• Attend class, pay close attention, and actively participate,
• Read all assigned readings,
• Become familiar with the sources presented in class and used to complete assignments,
• Complete the assignments on time.

Attendance (physical and mental)
All students are expected to be to class on time, to stay the entire class period, to pay attention, and to actively participate in class. One half point will be deducted from your final grade for each instance of being more than 10 minutes late to class or leaving class early. Points will be subtracted from your final average for absences as follows:
First absence: no points off
Second absence -2 points
Third absence -4 points (total 6 points off)
Fourth absence -8 points (total 14 points off)

GRADING STANDARDS

Letter Percentage score Performance indicators
A 96-100 Complete, thorough, and accurate. Exemplary expression of both the spirit and letter of the assignment; clearly shows familiarity with sources and grasp of concepts.
A- 90-95 Complete and well written, with very few errors. Clearly expresses comprehension of the content.
B+ 85-89 Mostly well done and competently written, but contains a few errors and/or does not express understanding of an important concept.
B 80-84 Mostly complete and competently done, but has some errors and/or does not express a few important concepts.
B- 75-79 Substantially completed and displays understanding, but with multiple errors
C+ 70-74 Partially completed and/or contains substantial errors
C 60-69 Incomplete and/or with numerous errors
E 0-59 Very poorly done, displaying minimal effort

Grades on assignments turned in late will be reduced by 10 points.
Incompletes for the course will be given only under truly extraordinary circumstances.

POLICY ON STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER
Librarianship is a collaborative, collegial profession. As such, I strongly encourage you to discuss the content of this course with your peers.
Naturally, the University's policy on academic honesty applies to this course. Part of that policy reads "Plagiarism includes . . .submission of another student's work as one's own." Working together on assignments is allowed. "Together" is defined as being physically in the same time & place. Dividing the work, as in “you do the odd ones and I’ll do the even ones” is NOT allowed. If you work together with someone, write a note at the beginning of your assignment indicating who you worked with and what you did together.
It is also all right to discuss reference sources in terms of their strengths, weaknesses, and the types of information that may be found in them. But giving or receiving an answer from a classmate is forbidden. I encourage you to discuss the readings as much as you would like with your peers, but of course the wording of your work must be your own.

ASSIGNMENTS
Please submit assignments on white paper, stapled in the upper left corner, with your name at the top of the first page.

READER RESPONSES (10% OF GRADE (2% EACH, DUE DATES LISTED BELOW)
Respond to each of the following assigned readings in no more than one page (maximum 500 words). Highlight what you personally found to be most important and/or interesting, and summarize any questions or concerns you’re left with (if the author visited class, what would you want to ask them?).
Green, Samuel S. Personal Relations Between Librarians and Readers, American Library Journal, no. 1, Nov. 1876, 74-81. Online at http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/jrichardson/DIS220/personal.htm. DUE FEB. 10
Radford, Marie L. “A Personal Choice: Reference Service Excellence,” Reference & User Services Quarterly, v.48, no. 2, 2008, 108-115. DUE MARCH 3
Tykoson, David. “Why is Germany in Europe?” Reference & User Services Quarterly, v. 47, no. 3, 207-209. DUE MARCH 17
Kieft, Robert. “The Return of the Guide to Reference (Books),” Reference & User Services Quarterly, v.48, no. 1, 2008, 4-10. DUE APRIL 7
Ross, Catherine S. and Patricia Dewdney. Negative Closure: Strategies and Counter-strategies in the Reference Transaction, Reference & User Services Quarterly, v. 38, no. 2, 1998, 151-163. DUE APRIL 21

BIBLIOGRAPHY—OLD TOOLS, NEW TOOLS (20% OF GRADE, DUE FEB. 24)
1. Choose one bibliography in book format published before 1980 on a person or specific topic. Select one you can check out of the library. If you have difficulty finding a book-length annotated bibliography, select a monograph that includes extensive bibliographic citations. For this assignment, avoid guides to archives and special collections. Cite the book in MLA format.
2. Make a list headed “Books” and cite in MLA format any 10 books listed in the bibliography. Look each one up in WorldCat and record how many libraries have the work. If the title is not in WorldCat, indicate “not in WorldCat”.
3. Make a list headed “Periodicals” and cite any 5 journal, magazine, or newspaper articles from the bibliography, then use WorldCat to indicate how many libraries have the periodical for the cited year.
4. For each of the 5 articles listed for question 3, indicate an index or database (e.g. Reader’s Guide, Social Sciences Index, JSTOR) that cites the article. If you can’t find an index or database that cites it, write “none.” Be thorough! This part counts heavily in the grade on this assignment.
5. Summarize the value of your chosen bibliography as a research tool, including whether online resources make the bibliography obsolete.

WHICH DATABASE SHOULD I USE? (20% OF GRADE, DUE MARCH 31)

For each of the following mock queries, recommend 1-3 of the best database(s) for finding the answer, using those available from http://library.albany.edu (http://library.albany.edu/databases/search.asp, the Minerva catalog, “reference collection”). For each query, describe to the patron in a few sentences why the database(s) is/are good choices. A database may be appropriate for more than one query, but since this assignment is designed to have you identify 15 different databases, do not respond with only a general database like Academic Search or InfoTrac.

1. How many versions of The Night Before Christmas have been published?
2. Does U Albany have this? Can I get it online? Lankes, R David (1998) “The Virtual Reference Desk: building human expertise into information systems,” Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Information Science, v.35, p. 81- .
3. I'm building a comprehensive bibliography of scholarly articles on the history of the Erie Canal.
4. I want to browse issues of the journal Meat Science.
5. Where can I find research articles on dreaming and nightmares?
6. I need information about Fanny Wright for a 5-page paper.
7. Where can I find scholarly articles about how to effectively train employees in the food services industry?
8. Does drinking milk actually improve bone density? I mean, have clinical studies proven that?
9. Can I get full text articles from the Albany Times Union?
10. I need research articles on best ways to teach children with autism spectrum disorder how to read.
11. Where should I look for current research on atomic and molecular collisions and interactions?
12. I need current information on Congressional action in the last few years regarding our troops in Afghanistan. I’ve searched newspapers, but need something with more depth, like committee hearings.
13. Where can I find literary critiques of William Kennedy’s fiction?
14. I need info on the textiles of the Indian subcontinent for my art class.
15. I’m looking for current data on Spain’s economy.

WHAT’S THE BEST SOURCE? (20% OF GRADE, DUE APRIL 14)

Part 1
1. Compare & contrast the entries on a topic of your choice in Encyclopedia Britannica, World Book Encyclopedia, and wikipedia.org. Which would you recommend for whom, and why?

2. Compare & contrast the entries for "Morris, Robert [signer of the Declaration of Independence]" in American National Biography, biography.com, and wikipedia.org. Which would you recommend for whom, and why?

Part 2
For each of the following, find and cite THREE sources that would be useful to the patron asking the question: one reference resource (print or online, but no Wikipedia), one book (circulating or reference), and one article from a periodical. Cite in MLA or Chicago style. For each of the 3 cited sources, state which database(s) or other resources you used to find them, and briefly explain to the patron why it appears to be a useful resource.

3. I'm working on a paper comparing the temperance movement in the early 1800’s with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).
4. Where can I get primary sources from soldiers in the Korean War? You know, letters home, photographs, that sort of thing.
5. I'm writing a paper about prisons for my English 101. I have to present opposing viewpoints.
6. I have to write a short paper for my physics class about what causes rainbows.
7. What are the current job prospects for newly graduated holders of an M.S.I.S.?

ONLINE REFERENCE RESOURCE PRESENTATION (10% of grade, presentation dates TBA)
Create a one-page handout and make a brief presentation to class OF LESS THAN 15 MINUTES on any electronic reference resource listed at http://library.albany.edu/databases/search.asp, OR of a free web resource that is useful at reference. Specify your chosen target audience. The handout should succinctly describe the resources’ purpose and highlight its noteworthy and/or unique features. Part of the assignment is choosing what’s most important to highlight within the 1-page and 15-minute restriction. Make enough copies of the handout to distribute to your classmates. Include in your presentation at least one sample search that shows how the resource works. Grade is based on clarity of presentation, helpfulness of the sample search, and usefulness of the handout to your target audience.

RESEARCH ESSAY (20% of grade, due May 5)

Topic: What must reference librarians do to remain relevant and valuable to patrons in the 21st Century?

Write an essay of 2000-3000 words (approximately 5-8 pages, double-spaced, size 12 font) that answers the question above by analyzing, synthesizing and integrating the standards listed below with 7-12 additional books or journal articles of your choice. Cite sources in either Chicago or MLA style. Definitely express your own opinion, but also show that your opinion is informed by the standards, cited readings, and class lectures and discussions. Periodicals worth a look include Reference and User Services Quarterly, Library Journal, portal: Libraries and the Academy, Journal of Academic Librarianship, and College & Research Libraries. Feel free to include sources from other fields such as education, psychology or business.

RUSA Professional Competencies for Reference and User Services Librarians, Online at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/resources/guidelines/professional.cfm.

RUSA Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers, Reference & User Services Quarterly, v.44, no. 1, Fall 2004, 14-17. (This document is also available at the ALA web site).

Association of College & Research Libraries, Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, 2000. Online at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm.

Posted by Jane Kessler at 10:15 AM | Permalink

Hi all,

There is an anthro assignment. Professor Robinscraft apparently asked students to compare child growth standards with US and other countries. The student who came is looking specifically for Russia but there may be others...

Chris found the category "Child Growth Standards" on the WHO site under Global health indicators.

You can also search the NCHS Natnional Center for Health Statistics site (click on ALL CDC documents) and locate comparative info on their site.

US standards are on the National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/growthcharts/datafiles.htm

WHO (World Health Organization)
http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/who_standards.htm

Chime in if you know of other sources?

Thank you,

Deborah

Posted by Jane Kessler at 12:41 PM | Permalink

Hi everyone,

There’s a new assignment out from Africana Studies 520 (African Economics) for which the students may need to use the UN Demographic Yearbook , UN Statistical Yearbook, etc. They are looking for literacy rates, GDP rates, etc. Traditionally we have set aside long runs of each title at reference if we expect we will get a lot of traffic for them, as well as other relevant titles and we should consider doing the same. One patron said there are about 20 students in the class, but since I didn’t see the assignment itself I have no idea of what the scope is. The professor is Kwandwo Sarfoh and the class meets Tuesdays from 2:45-5:45.

Some info that will help students in this class:

UN Demographic Yearbook (now online!): http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2.htm

UN Statistical Yearbook: Over * HA 12.5 U63 (1990-1998), Ref HA 12.5 U63 (1999-2005)

UNESCO Statistical Yearbook: AZ 361 U45 (1963-1999)

There are also some great statistical sources described on Deborah’s page Guide to Resources for the Study of Africa

Good luck!

Daryl

Posted by Jane Kessler at 03:08 PM | Permalink

Hi everyone,

A professor in art history is sending students to find an article, but has given them incomplete citation information. What they are really looking for is:

Lilley, K. D. (1999). Modern visions of the medieval city: Competing conceptions of urbanism in European civic design. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 26(3), 427 – 446.

The students may or may not be aware that this is a journal article (I had one who thought it was a book), so as a heads up, you have the correct info above. We own the journal in print (Per NA 2005 E58), but the article is freely available as a pdf file through the Web at: http://www.envplan.com/abstract.cgi?id=b260427

I'm not sure how long the assignment will go.

Hope that helps!

Daryl

Posted by Jean McLaughlin at 01:11 PM | Permalink

Please see J.McLaughlin for more information

Posted by Jean McLaughlin at 12:10 PM | Permalink

I just spoke to Deborah and she has created a section on her Psychology Subject Guide page that specifically addresses what they need to do in this workbook. It can be accessed at:
http://library.albany.edu/subject/guides/psychguide.htm#psy101

Thanks Deborah!

Posted by GB at 12:19 PM | Permalink

Please see J.McLaughlin for more information.

Posted by Jean McLaughlin at 05:17 PM | Permalink

Hi,
I just had a student from Allen Wong's Intro to Social Research class. They have been given authors and titles for three articles and told that "the fun part" is they get to try and find the articles. Since we have enough of this type of fun already here are the citations
Race and Formal Volunteering by Musick, Wilson and Bynum
Social Forces volume 78 number 4 June 2000
available in JSTOR
Creating and Spreading Status Beliefs by Ridgeway and Erickson
American Journal of Sociology volume 106 number 3 November 2000
available through JSTOR or University of Chicago
Economic Conditions and Ideologies of Crime in the Media by Barlow, Barlow and Chiricos
Crime and Delinquency volume 41 number 1 January 1995
available through CSA

Cathy

Posted by Jane Kessler at 02:48 PM | Permalink

Project Renaissance: Pre-Law
Everyday Choices: Ethics, Morality and the Law
Slur Assignment Research Guide

For this assignment there are many resources that the University Library has to offer. Some of these will provide content for the research paper and others context. Beyond just searching for a specific slur consider looking for materials that relate to historical usage, background information, and current portrayals in the media.

BOOKS:
There may not be a specific book on the word you have chosen. However, there are many dictionaries, encyclopedias and general history books relating to your topic of choice. Try searching in the library catalog, Minerva for the slur or a word that is relevant to the topic. Some excellent dictionaries to look at are:
• The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English
Reference: PE 3721 P37X 2006
• The Oxford Dictionary of Slang
Reference: PE 3721 O947X 1998
• Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang
Reference: PE 2846 H57 1994
• Also try looking in subject encyclopedia’s such as Gay Histories and Cultures: an Encyclopedia, Reference: HQ 75.13 G37 2000

SCHOLARLY JOURNALS:
Scholarly journal articles can be found in a number of databases available on the library homepage: http://www.library.albany.edu. The Database Finder will provide access to all the databases and can be arranged either alphabetically or by subject. Both JSTOR and EBSCO provide full text articles that can be viewed on the computer or printed. However, there are many articles that can be found in the databases that the University Library has either in print or that can be accessed through interlibrary loan. When searching try using the slur and related words such as “slur,” “insult,” “pejorative” or “epithet,” or even a context in which it might have been used. Some recommended Databases:
• EBSCO Academic Search Premier
• JSTOR, try searching in the Linguistics Discipline
• PyscINFO
• Social Sciences Abstracts

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES:
Newspaper articles can be found using the Database Finder, found on the library homepage. By searching in newspaper or popular magazine databases many articles can be found. When searching try using the slur and related words such as “slur,” “insult,” “pejorative” or “epithet,” or even a context in which it might have been used. Some recommended databases are:
• Custom Newspapers
• LexisNexis Academic
• National Newspaper Index
• New York State Newspapers

OTHER RESOURCES:
A few other resources that the library has to offer that may be helpful are:
• Encyclopedia Britannica (To gain historical insight about a word or event).
• Oxford English Dictionary (To find the original meaning and current meaning of the word)
• LexisNexis Congressional (Provides information about legal issues surrounding a word or issue).
• Encyclopedia of Race and Ethnic Studies
Reference: GN 495.6 C37 2004
• Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History in America
Reference: HQ 76.3 U5 E53 2004
• Ethnic Newswatch Database
Need More Help?

REFERENCE DESK:
The Librarians at the reference desk are available to assist with any research questions you may have. There hours are listed online at http://library.albany.edu/hours/ulibrefspring.html.

CUSTOMIZED SEARCH SERVICE:
If more assistance is required an appointment can be made with a librarian. Appointments can be made at the reference desk or by calling 442-3556.

University Library – University at Albany
State University of New York

R. Verhayden – 3/07

Posted by Jane Kessler at 09:33 AM | Permalink

Please see J.McLaughlin for more information.

Posted by Jane Kessler at 04:44 PM | Permalink

The course that I team teach with Dr. Smith from the Geography Dept., China in the Post-Utopian Age, has a required annotated bibliography this semester. There are about 200 students in the class, so you may encounter a few at the desk.

A copy of the assignment has been placed in the binder at the reference desk, and is copied below. Please let me know if you have any questions.

--Mary Van Ullen

Annotated Bibliography Assignment
Select a topic from the following list to be covered in the course: economic reform; urbanization; China's ethnic minorities; environmental degradation; health care challenges; PRC-Taiwan relations. Create an annotated bibliography on your topic. Provide full documentation plus a description and critique (max 500 words) for each entry. The annotated bibliography should contain ten items, including:
• At least two books
• A reference source in book format
• An article from a popular magazine or newspaper
• Two articles from scholarly journals
• A popular Internet resource
• A scholarly Internet resource
• Two additional resources of your choosing, which may be from the above list or include other
types of materials, such as government documents, media, dissertations, electronic reference
sources, conference proceedings, etc.
The bibliography must be written in APA style, and the annotations should be in the critical style, rather than being merely descriptive. For information on annotations, see http://library.albany.edu/usered/style/ann.html. Organize the entries within the bibliography in alphabetical order. For information on how to cite websites and other sources, see the “HOW TO CITE YOUR SOURCES” section at the end of the syllabus.

The annotated bibliography exercise is assigned on the first day of class (1/18/07), and must be submitted by April 12th (4/12/07) in class.

Posted by Jane Kessler at 01:16 PM | Permalink

Below are some sources which may be helpful to the students doing Professor Gyamfi's African and the Modern World assignment:

Subject pages
· Government Information

· United Nation Information

· Africana Studies

Print Sources in Reference Section of Main Library

· Encyclopedia of African History [Call number Reference DT 20 E53 2005]

· The African Studies Companion: A Guide to Information Sources [Call number Reference DT 19.8 Z45 2001]

· Africa South of the Sahara [Call number Reference DT 351 A37] or online http://www-sul.standford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/history.html

· African Statistical Yearbook [Call number Reference HA 1955 U5 current]

· Demographic Yearbook [Call number Reference HA 17 D45]

· Human Development Report – United Nations [Call number Reference HD 72 H85X]

· World Almanac [Call number Reference AY 67 N5 W7]

· African Historical Dictionaries [Call number Reference DT 563 L48] (then search by country because call numbers different for each)

Some suggested Internet resources

· Countries of the World http://library.albany.edu/reference/countries.html

· Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations http://www.fao.org

· Statistics website http://library.albany.edu/reference/statistics.html

Additional source(s)
Author Mitchell, B. R.
Title International historical statistics : Africa, Asia & Oceania, 1750-2000 / B.R. Mitchell.
Year 2003.
Availability Click All items to check current status
Location University Library / Reference: HA 4675 M58X 2003

The country profile books are also available in electronic format at: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/

Posted by Jane Kessler at 10:48 AM | Permalink

Hello,

Charlotte was just trying to help a student register her "clicker" for a psychology class taught by Professor Earleywine. Apparently this is a device they use to vote or give feedback during class. They have to register it online, and the student was unsure of whether she'd done it correctly. We cannot determine this, so if you have a student with the question, they'll have to check with their instructor.

However, if you get a student who just doesn't know what the website is to register the device, send them here:

http://www.albany.edu/psy/earleywine.html

Thanks,

Greg

Posted by Jane Kessler at 02:10 PM | Permalink

i get asked occasionally for the web address for the research pool- this is where students in psych sign up to particpate in research experiements. i never remember and always have to call the dept. so here is the address
albany.experimentrak.net

cathy

Posted by Cathy Dwyer at 11:22 AM | Permalink

This week's ISP 100 assignment (due at 5pm 4/6) is to find a popular OR a "personal" webpage. A personal webpage seems to mean a blog or a personal wiki. This is somewhat different from previous assignments on webpages, and we don't currently have a yellow handout telling students how to do this. The assignment is described on this webpage:

http://hawk.albany.edu/isp100/AnnBibPopWebPage.htm

Posted by GB at 10:46 AM | Permalink

There have been students from a graduate level class who are looking for something very specific, but they have very little citation information from the instructor on what to look at. After a lot of work with a student in the class, I determined that they are looking for the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act, which happens to be in McKinney’s Consolidated Laws of New York, Book 58A (in Reference University Library / Law: KFN 5030 M34). I set these aside at Reference yesterday, but they may have been put back on the shelf by now. The students know what to do with it once they have it in front of them. I’m not sure if the assignment is finished yet or not, but this is a heads up for those of you who may not be able to interpret what the students really need, if they still need it.

Posted by Daryl Bullis at 01:57 PM | Permalink

Yes, it's back -- students started appearing yesterday with their workbooks for Dr. Soare's Psychology 100 class. Photocopied tip sheets are in the gray metal bins next to the LCSH on the "low side" of the Reference Desk.

Posted by Carol Anderson at 10:00 AM | Permalink

GOG/EAC160 has the mapping assignment described below due on Feb 7. There are over 200 students in the class. If the students need a blank outline map of China to use, there is one posted on the course ERES site (PW=china). I will pull some appropriate atlases and leave them at the desk. Please let me know if you have any questions.

--Mary

Mapping Project
All students will produce a map of China with the following features clearly identified: a) the names and correct locations of all the Provinces, Autonomous Regions, and Special Administrative Regions; b) the major cities (those with populations in excess of 3 million); c) the major rivers and mountain ranges; d) the surrounding seas and oceans; and e) the names of the countries that are directly bordering China. Blank maps for this project will be handed out in class, but the information must be collected on your own, using at least eight sources, including atlases, books, printed encyclopedias, and the Internet. At least three different types of materials must be used; for example, you could obtain information from four web sites, two atlases, and two printed encyclopedias . You must build a bibliography (on a separate typed page) of all of the sources you have used in constructing your map, using the APA style, as discussed in class. To get full points you must have all of the above information shown legibly on your map.

Posted by Mary Van Ullen at 08:32 AM | Permalink