LIBR 562: INTERNATIONAL LIBRARIANSHIP – ISSUES AND INNOVATIONS -   COURSE SYLLABUS (3)

Course Goal: The goal of this course is to provide students with a broad understanding of library development and services throughout the world. Students will learn the issues and problems facing the development of libraries within their socio-economic and cultural contexts and will become acquainted with the successes and/or failures of various approaches to these issues. As North American librarianship is addressed in other SLAIS courses, most attention will be given to library development in other regions.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• discuss the major cross-cutting issues facing libraries, library services and the library profession in various regions of the world (North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia/Pacific)
• identify the major trends in the provision of library and information services in the aforementioned regions - discuss the specific issues facing libraries, library services and the library profession in developed, lesser, and least developed countries within their cultural contexts
• describe the various library and information training approaches and accreditation systems in different countries and regions
• explain the role and existence of national libraries in various countries
• describe the role and activities of national, regional and international library associations
• describe the effects on libraries and library services in areas where there is: war; natural disaster; unstable governance; low levels of literacy; little indigenous publishing; little or no monetary assistance; lack of foreign currency for purchase of materials; lack of training;
• censorship and other intellectual freedom challenges, etc.
• propose possible solutions and assistance where the aforementioned occurs
• iscuss the role of information and access (or lack of) to information and development
• discuss the role of  international aid organizations, and inter-governmental aid/assistance
• identify the existing programmes of international aid organizations and inter-governmental assistance - discuss the pro's and con's of these methods of assistance
• access various internet sites concerned with the aforementioned issues, associations etc.
• identify the key international journals of librarianship

Course Topics:

• Introduction to the course
• What is International Librarianship? Why do we study it?
• The skills and methods involved in the study of International Librarianship
• Perspectives on library development – case studies (UK, EU, USSR, Anglophone Africa)
• Training for Librarianship
• War and Natural Disaster
• Information for Development; the role Donors and International Aid; and the ‘Digital Divide’
• Innovations
• Library Associations
• Working Internationally

Prerequisites and/or Course Restrictions: LIBR500, 501, 503 for SLAIS MLIS and Joint MAS/MLIS students

Format of the course: Class delivered via the web using Vista software.

Required and Recommended Reading:

• Required readings from commonly used university library databases and from selected web sites will be provided in the online Vista course modules.
• Additional readings and resources are listed
• There is no textbook for this course

Course Assignments, Due dates and Weight in relation to final course mark: 

NOTE: Bonus Marks – In Unit 10 Innovations you can receive 3 bonus marks but participation is strictly voluntary.

Course Schedule:
Weeks begin on a Monday and end on a Sunday

Attendance: LIBR562 is a web-based version, and therefore, attendance at on-campus classes is not required. However, students “who neglect their academic work and assignments” will be penalized. For instance, late submissions for assignments or other activities may not be accepted or may be given a failing grade unless there are exceptional circumstances and other arrangements have been made and agreed to in advance.
The University accommodates students with disabilities who have registered with the Disability Resource Centre. The University accommodates students whose religious obligations conflict with attendance, submitting assignments, or completing scheduled tests and examinations. Please let your instructor know in advance, preferably in the first week of class, if you will require any accommodation on these grounds. Students who plan to be absent for varsity athletics, family obligations, or other similar commitments, cannot assume they will be accommodated, and should discuss their commitments with the instructor before the drop date.

Assessment:  The final grade will be assigned using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site. Prior arrangements must be made with the instructors for assignment extensions. Late penalties may be imposed; these will be discussed when extensions are requested.
This is a very condensed and intense full 3 credit course, and requires regular online access and focus throughout the 6 weeks.  During regular term time most courses are offered over a 12- 13 week period.  Therefore, as this course spans less than half of that time, but is a full 3 credit course, students are expected to put in the same amount of work, review, and research in less than half the calendar time as they would in a full term course.  This point cannot be stressed enough.   As the Group Project and the Discussion Board are important parts of the information-sharing, it is important that all students contribute fully to the group work, presentation(s) and Discussions.

Written & Spoken English Requirement: Written and spoken work may receive a lower mark if it is, in the opinion of the instructor, deficient in English.

Disability Accommodation: The University accommodates students with disabilities who have registered with the Disability Resource Centre [http://www.students.ubc.ca/access/drc.cfm]. You must register with the Disability Resource Centre to be granted special accommodations for any on-going conditions.

Religious Accommodation: The University accommodates students whose religious obligations conflict with attendance, submitting assignments, or completing scheduled tests and examinations. Please let your instructor know in advance, preferably in the first week of class, if you will require any accommodation on these grounds. Students who plan to be absent for varsity athletics, family obligations, or other similar commitments, cannot assume they will be accommodated, and should discuss their commitments with the instructor before the course drop date. UBC policy on Religious Holidays: http://www.universitycounsel.ubc.ca/policies/policy65.pdf

Academic Dishonesty:
Please review the UBC Calendar Academic regulations for the University policy on cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty: http://www.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,959. Also visit and review the contents of these two resources: Plagiarism Resource Centre: For Students: http://www.library.ubc.ca/home/plagiarism/welcome.html and Plagiarism Avoided: Taking Responsibility For Your Work: http://www.arts.ubc.ca/Plagiarism_Avoided.373.0.html for useful information on avoiding plagiarism and on correct documentation practice. Students are held responsible for knowing and following all University regulations regarding academic dishonesty. If a student does not know how to properly cite a source or what constitutes proper use of a source it is the student's personal responsibility to obtain the needed information and to apply it within University guidelines and policies. If evidence of academic dishonesty is found in a course assignment, previously submitted work in this course may be reviewed for possible academic dishonesty and grades modified as appropriate. University policy requires that all incidents of academic dishonesty must be forwarded to the Dean’s office for review and possible action.

Additional course information: If you have questions or concerns or require other information, please contact the course instructor by email:  sgiggey@telus.net or by VISTA course e-mail