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Course Description
Course Description
LIS 5513-995 Information Sources & Services
Characteristics and use of information sources and systems; policies and procedures for the provision of user-centered service in libraries and other information agencies. Introduction to basic reference tools in both print and electronic formats.
Course Objectives
Course Objectives
Course Objectives:
This course is designed to introduce students to:
the roles and responsibilities of reference librarians
diverse user needs and information seeking behaviors
techniques and strategies for providing information services, including the reference interview, instruction, readers’ advisory and evaluation and review of reference materials
the structure of reference sources, basic reference tools, and search strategies
professional literature as a means of understanding current services and as a strategy for continuous professional education
Student Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
define and conduct an effective reference interview
utilize efficient search strategies and knowledge of basic reference sources to respond to patron queries
create subject guides (pathfinders)
explore and evaluate new technologies for the purpose of delivering or improving information services
participate in professional discussions related to issues in reference and information services
This class helped me develop goal 2C, consisting of the competencies listed in the Professional Competencies for Reference and User Services Librarians by the Reference and Users Services Association (RUSA). This class opened doors to new methods, understandings, and options of searching, which I was able to utilize in later classes and at the Fine Arts desk. The class discussed the nuances of information, the challenges of developing and weeding collections, and the changing roles of librarians and student employees in providing reference services. We also explored information literacy (goal 2A), the move from print to electronic information (1A), and providing sources and services to underserved populations (1C).
Issues of training and management featured in my Texas Library Journal contributed paper, “Lessons from Improv Theater”, contributing to my goal to publish in a professional paper (3C). In a section focusing on reference interviews, I develop the concept of "yes, and" as a framework for understanding the back-and-forth nature of a reference interaction. Special thanks to Professor Antell for her feedback and editing.
Professor Karen "Karie" Antell
My final project was to create a subject guide for improvisation materials. The primary audience for the guide were college improv groups at OU, interested in learning how to perform improvisational theater as well as its history, philosophy, and issues of equity. The act of scrutinizing, selecting from, and organizing a wide variety of material (including material I haven’t read before) was time-intensive and complicated--the hardest part was deciding what would not be included, and refraining from overloading the guide with too much information. Articulating the importance of resources and how to use services helped me think about how users interact with information, and what information is valuable and relevant to a given user.
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