LIBR 520: Survey of Literature and Other Materials for Children -- COURSE SYLLABUS
Program Master of Library and Information Studies
Year: 2008/09Winter Session, Term 2
Course Schedule: Thursdays 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Rm. 461
Instructor: Judith Saltman
Office location: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Rm. 493
Office phone: 604-822-4448
Office hours: Tuesdays andThursdays 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
E-mail address: judith.saltman@ubc.ca
Course website address: www.slais.ubc.ca/courses/libr520/08-09-wt2/index.htm
Course Goal: The goal of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and appreciation of children’s literature required for the development of children’s library collections and children’s reader’s advisory services.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Discuss the historical development of children’s literature from the fifteenth century to the present
- Relate the types, genres, formats, and content of children’s literature to the different stages of children’s reading levels, recreational interests, information needs, and development and growth
- Define the various genres in children’s literature and their place in children’s reading development
- Identify and discuss a wide range of authors and illustrators
- Develop and apply criteria for the selection and evaluation of the various types of literature for children in print format
- Demonstrate familiarity with resources, research, and critical theory in children’s literature
- Assess review journals of children’s books
- Write critical annotations of children’s books
Course Topics:
- Evaluating Children's Books
- Research in Children’s Literature
- Journals of Children’s Literature Criticism and Review
- Children’s Developmental Stages and Their Books
- History of Children’s Literature
- Genres of Children’s Literature
Prerequisites: LIBR 500, 501 and 503, for MLIS students. No prerequisites for MACL students.
Format of the course: One lecture per week, student book discussion groups, guest speakers
Required and Recommended Reading :
Required:
- A minimum of four to five children’s books per week, chosen from the course reading lists
- The Riverside Anthology of Children’s Literature . 6th ed. Edited by Judith Saltman. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1985. PZ5.J636 AN 1985. Education Library.
Recommended:
- Key Resources listed below are on reserve in the Koerner Library and in the Education Library.
- Egoff, Sheila A., and Judith Saltman. The New Republic of Childhood: A Critical Guide to Canadian Children’s Literature in English. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1990. PN1009.A1 E335 1990 KOERNER
- Only Connect: Readings on Children’s Literature . 3rd ed. Edited by Sheila Egoff, Gordon Stubbs, Ralph Ashley, and Wendy Sutton. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996. PN1009.A1 E396 1996. Education Library.
- Opie, Iona, and Peter Opie, ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. London: Oxford University Press, 1974. GR550 .06 1974 KOERNER
- Smith, Lillian H. The Unreluctant Years: A Critical Approach to Children’s Literature. Chicago: ALA, 1991. PN1009.A1 S6 1990 KOERNER
- Tolkien, J. R. R. The Tolkien Reader. New York: Ballantine, 1966. PR6039.032 A6 1966. KOERNER
- And other critical resources from class reading lists
A recommended reading list of children’s books will be distributed in the first class. The books are in the Education Library.
Suggested Electronic Resources
- You will find a list of electronic resources at our course page on the SLAIS web site ( http://www.slais.ubc.ca/courses/libr520/08-09-wt2/index.htm) . Our course page has links to recommended sites, information on listservs, and information on evaluating web sites.
- On Canadian Children’s Literature and Illustrated Books: http://www.slais.ubc.ca/USERS/ccib/home.html
- Other resources found on the U.B.C. websites:
- on Canadian children’s literature: http://www.library.ubc.ca/hss/CanadianChildLit.html
- on Children’s literature: http://toby.library.ubc.ca/subjects/subjpage2.cfm?id=168
Course Assignments, Due dates and Weight in relation to final course mark:
A critique of a children’s book |
January 29 |
15% |
An examination of a children’s literature journal |
February 19 |
15% |
An annotation of a children’s book |
March 12 |
15% |
Term paper |
April 10 |
50% |
Class participation |
|
5% |
Course Schedule [week-by-week]:
January 8 |
Introduction to the course |
January 15 |
History of Children’s literature Riverside Readings On Children’s Literature (pp.1067- 74; 1097-1104) Trade and Plum Cake Forever (pp.1-9)
|
January 22 |
Picture Books Picture Books: Stories for the Eye pp.165-88; 207-22 |
January 29 |
The Oral Tradition:The Cauldron of Story pp. 225-29; 245-51; 475-81; 562-66 |
February 5 |
The Oral Tradition Contd STUDENT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS ON INFANTS AND TODDLERS |
February 12 |
Children’s Poetry Children’s Poetry: A Chorus of Voices pp. 13-20; 64-68; 88-95 STUDENT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS ON PICTURE BOOKS |
February 19 |
Mid-Term Break
|
February 26 |
Fiction: The Storied World pp. 665-74; 807-13 STUDENT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS ON EARLY READERS |
March 5 |
Fiction STUDENT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS ON MIDDLE READERS |
March 12 |
Fiction STUDENT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS ON OLDER READERS |
March 19 |
Fiction STUDENT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS ON ALL AGES |
March 26 |
Fiction STUDENT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS ON ALL AGES |
April 2 |
Last class |
Attendance:
The calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes.”
Evaluation:
All assignments will be marked using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site .
Prior arrangements must be made with the instructor for assignment extensions. Late penalties may be imposed; this will be discussed when extensions are requested.
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.
Other Course Policies:
Students should subscribe to the course discussion list. From whatever email account you wish to use, send the following [leave the Subject line blank]:
Address – To: majordomo@interchange.ubc.ca
Message – subscribe l-520
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