LIBR 575: ACADEMIC LIBRARIES - – COURSE SYLLABUS (3)
Program: Master of Library and Information Studies
Year: 2009-2010 Summer Session Term 1
Course Schedule: 2 units per week
Location: Web delivered
Instructors: Lynn Copeland and Joyce Garnett
Course Goal: The overall goal of this course is to enable students to contribute to the economic, social, and cultural progress of the community by preparing them for positions of responsibility and leadership in academic libraries. More specifically students will be able to describe general missions and values of academic libraries, the environmental changes affecting those missions, and how those changes effect the current and future management of academic libraries. This course will build on, and complement knowledge obtained in LIBR 500 and LIBR 501.
Course Objectives:
By the completion of this course you will:
- Clearly delineate between community college libraries, college libraries, university/college libraries and university libraries;
- Clearly articulate the place and role of the library in the parent, academic institution
- Outline both the threats and opportunities that developing electronic technologies pose for academic libraries;
- Be able to report current trends in academic library buildings;
- Be able to articulate the functions and services involved in collections and access management in academic libraries, academic public services, technical services and library systems and services.
- Be able to articulate the management principles and practices employed in academic libraries;
- Be cognizant of professional issues in academic libraries such as faculty status, collaborative lesson planning, unionization, etc.
- Be able to employ several performance evaluation techniques to assess the effectiveness of academic library programs.
- Be able to locate pertinent monographs, articles, and research reports in the field in general and on various sub-topics in the literature of the field.
Course Schedule:
Module |
Weeks |
Unit |
A: Context |
1 |
Unit 1: Introduction to the Course and the Academic Library |
B: The User |
2 & 3 |
Unit 3: Understanding Users and User Needs |
C: Environment |
3 & 4 |
Unit 6: The Academic Library in Physical, Digital, and Hybrid Modes |
D: Management |
4 & 5 |
Unit 9: Behind the Scenes but Out in Front: technology, budget |
E: Conclusion |
6 |
Unit 12: You as Academic Librarian |
Prerequisites: LIBR 500, 501, 502, 503 [recommended co-requisite: 504]
Format of the course: Online using WebCT Vista
Required and Recommended Reading:
Reading materials will be recommended during the course.
Course Assignments, Due dates and Weight in relation to final course mark: [please use table – change the number of columns/rows as needed]
Assignment |
Due |
Weight |
Discussion topics, wiki entries |
Various; participation in every discussion is required |
20% |
#1 User needs |
End of week (Sunday 2359PDT) |
15% |
#2 Liaison librarian roles |
End of week (Sunday 2359PDT) |
15% |
#3 Report on site visit |
End of week (Sunday 2359PDT) |
15% |
#4 Open access |
End of week (Sunday 2359PDT) |
10% |
#5 ‘Taming technolust’ |
End of week (Sunday 2359PDT) |
10% |
#6 Campaign analysis |
End of week (Sunday 2359PDT) |
15% |
Course Policies:
Participation: The calendar states: “Regular participation 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.
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 Access and Diversity unit: [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 Participation, 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/arts-students/plagiarism-avoided.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. UBC policy requires that all suspected cases of academic dishonesty must be forwarded to the Dean for possible action.
