IST 605 - Reference & Info Literacy Svces

Course Description

The use of information resources and service provision in libraries.  Assumes an integrated approach, combining print and electronic resources and comprehensive services in a broad range of contexts. Assumes an integrated approach, combining print and electronic resources and comprehensive services in a broad range of contexts.

Reference and information literacy services are core to all forms of librarianship and take center stage in all types of libraries: academic, public, school, and special.  This course serves to introduce students to the essential ethics, techniques, and tools related to communicating with and teaching users.  It also helps hone students’ burgeoning information search, evaluation, and use skills – skills that are of critical importance to the rest of the library and information science curriculum, as well as to students’ future professional careers.

Credit(s)

3.0

Professor of Record

Megan Oakleaf

Audience

Graduate students pursuing an MSLIS degree.

Learning Objectives

After taking this course, students will be able to:

1. Articulate information and learning theories associated with the principles of reference service and information literacy.
2. Communicate the historic and current roles of reference services professionals.
3. Gain understanding of diversity and cultural differences in communicating with users.
4. Develop essential searching techniques for the provision of reference service.
5. Locate and use reference sources in a variety of formats, subject areas, and library types.
6. Practice and participate in various delivery modes of reference service.
7. Evaluate reference resources according to user needs.
8. Examine tools used to evaluate the provision of reference services.
9. Distinguish subscription database services and various types of information access and retrieval tools and systems.
10. Integrate information literacy instruction in reference services.

Course Syllabus

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