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College of Computing & Information, University at Albany, SUNY

Department of Information Studies

IIST 666(33092) Current Problems in Information Studies: Academic Libraries and Higher Education (3 Credits)

FallSemester 2009 Syllabus (13 pages), Prepared 8/27/2009

Instructor: Frank D’AndraiaClass Meets: Wednesdays, 12:20PM – 3:10PM

Office: 141A DraperLocation: Draper 147

Phone: 518.442.5118

Email:

Office Hours: Monday, 10:00AM –NOON; Thursdays, 2:00PM-4:00PM; & By Appointment

ERes Password: Provided on September 2nd

For Whom Planned: The course is designed for students currently enrolled in the master’s degree program in Information Studies. Pre-requisite IIST 523or with instructors permission.

Course Description: The course studies the academic library in the context of the changing environment of higher education, including the historical development of institutions of higher education and their libraries in the U.S. Enrolled students will analyze the academic library, its functions, and its relationships within the various institutions of which they are a part and study current challenges confronting academic libraries.

Learning Outcomes/Objectives:

By the end of this course students should be able to accomplish the following:

  • Identify historic and contemporary challenges confronting US higher education (weeks 2-4) (IST Goals #1 and #2 and assessed through Class Discussion and Essay Assignment #1)
  • Discuss the context in which academic (community college, college, and university) library collections, operations, and services develop and evolve (weeks 5-9)(IST Goals #1 and #2 and assessed through Class Discussion and Essay Assignment #1; Student Oral Presentation #1; and Written Guest Speaker Summaries #1 and #2)
  • Describe and analyze various and changing roles, goals, and objectives of academic libraries vis a vis the different types of institutions they serve (weeks 5-9) (IST Goals ##4, #5, and #6 and assessed through Class Discussion; Essay Assignments #1 and #2; Student Oral Presentation #1; and Written Guest Speaker Summaries #1 and #2)
  • Identify and use the major sources of information and literature pertaining to academic libraries in class discussions and written assignments (weeks 1-14) (IST Goals #8 and assessed through Class Discussion and Term Paper Assignment )
  • Formulate personal judgments regarding academic libraries and higher education issues and develop some facility in expressing these judgments clearly and succinctly in class discussions and written assignments (weeks 2-14) (IST Goal # 8 and assessed though Class Discussion; Essay Assignments #1, #2, and #3; and Written Guest Speaker Summaries #1 and #2; and Term Paper Assignment)
  • Discern current issues facing academic libraries in the age of information and express points of view on these challenges in class discussions and written assignments (weeks 3-14)(IST Goals #4, #5, #6, and #7 and assessed though Class Discussion; Essay Assignments #1, #2, and #3; Student Oral Presentations #1 and #2; Written Guest Speaker Summaries #1 and #2; and Term Paper Assignment)
  • Assess the impact of informatics on the organizational structures and operational patterns of academic libraries, as well as the social impact on clientsin class discussions and written assignments. (week 4-14) (IST Goal #11 and assessed though Class Discussion; Essay Assignments #1, #2, and #3; Student Oral Presentations #1 and #2; Written Guest Speaker Summaries #1 and #2; and Term Paper Assignment)

Teaching Strategies: The course will be conducted in a lecture/discussion format which will require active class participation. Students make threeoral reports and writethree short essays, two speaker summaries, and a term paper. Class sessions will involve discussion of the assigned readings and current issues in higher education, technology, and academic libraries. You owe it to your colleagues to come to class prepared to discuss assigned readings and to provide feedback on class reports.

There will be guest speakers; for those, a brief (1-2 pages) written summary of the presentation also will be required. It is to be submitted to the instructor by email within seven days following thepresentation. The summary will not be graded, but it will be figured into the class participation component of the final grade.

Attendance Policy/Obligations: Students are expected to attend class sessions and advise the instructor if there are any accommodations necessary due to disabilities. Absences of two (2) or more without prior permission or reasonable excuse will be considered excessive and will reduce your final grade by 3 points. Students are to advise the instructor in advance when it is necessary to be absent from class.

Students are expected to adhere to the Community Rights and Responsibilitiesand to give proper credit in the presentation of ideas (Graduate Bulletin: ). Formal written work must be word processed or typed and reflect use of a style manual. Preference is given to Kate L. Turabian, A Manual of Style for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, Chicago, University of Chicago Press. Assignments submitted late will be marked down one letter grade.

Email Communications: The instructor will reply to student e-mail within 72 hours.

Required Texts:

Lucas, C.J. (2006) American Higher Education; a History. 2d ed. New York, Palgrave Macmillan. (A copy of Lucas is on reserve in Dewey Graduate Library)

You can get the required textbook at Mary Jane Books (corner of Quail and Western), or through Amazon.com. The required text will be supplemented by additional readings.

Several books are on reserve (ERes); assignments will be made from them:

Cohen, ArthurM. The Shaping of American Higher Education (on traditional reserve)

Hamlin, Arthur T. The University Library in the United States (scanned)

Shores, Louis. Origins of the American College Library 1638-1800 (scanned)

Shores and Hamlin are classics in the literature of academic librarianship. Cohen offers a model that is useful in comparing American higher education across the centuries and is one that will be used in this course.

A number of required readings will be placed on reserve (traditional (Dewey) and E-Res. These readings are designed to get you into the literature. They may not be a seminal work, although some are. You are expected to delve further into the literature on various topics. The pass word for class ERes materials is provided on September 2.

Chronicle of Higher Education: To facilitateclass discussions, students are expected to access the Chronicle weekly throughout the semester. The Chronicle is available in print (Dewey) and online.

EDUCAUSE Review: This is anaward-winning magazine for the higher education IT community. Published bimonthly in print and online, the magazine takes a broad look at current developments and trends in information technology, how they may affect the college/university as an institution, and what these mean for higher education and society.

Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, 2d edition. New York, Dekker, 2003. 4 volumes: All four volumes are on reserve in the Dewey. The encyclopedia is a good source to use as an introduction to various topics.

Inside Higher Ed: An online source for news (includes breaking news and feature stories), commentary, opinion, and more. As in the case of the Chronicle, for class discussion purposes participants are expected to access Inside Higher Ed throughout the semester (available electronically).

College & Research Libraries and College & Research Libraries News: These two publicationsare excellent sources for research articles and news and information about academic libraries and the issues before them. Both are available in Dewey. Students anticipating a career in academic libraries should subscribe to these journals which are available through membership in the Association of College & Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. (journal back files available online)

There are other journals of interest and these are available in Dewey: Change, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Journal of Library Administration, Library Administration and Management, Library Trends, andPortal: Libraries and the Academy, are among them. (journal back files are available online)

Selected and Highly Recommended Web Sites

Chronicle of Higher Education

Higher Education and National Affairs

Inside Higher Ed

Association of Research Libraries

Association of College & Research Libraries

Assignments:

I. Active Class Participation (15%): Your active participation in class discussions and sharing of information is essential. Each class will begin with thirty minutes of sharing current activities/news events on higher education as they relate to policy issues in academic libraries. The activities/events can be gleaned from either hard copy or the on-line version of the Chronicle of Higher Education, College & Research Libraries News, the EDUCAUSE Review, and Inside Higher Ed. Newspapers, e.g., The New York Timesandthe Wall Street Journalcan also be a source, as well as the new online magazineeCampus News: You should bring to class either a citation to the current event you will discuss or the article itself.

You are expected to have read the suggested readings and be prepared to discuss the readings cited in the syllabus for each class.

II. A brief (1-2 pages) written summary of the guest speaker presentations are due the week following the presentation (see course outline for exact date). These summaries, while not graded in themselves, will be used in determining the final assessment for the class participation component of the final grade. These summaries can be submitted electronically.

N.B. All papers must be submitted in paper copy (with the exception of the guest speaker analyses.) Papers should be double-spaced, paged in the upper right hand corner, stapled in the upper left. A cover page should include your name, the title of the paper, the course number and date. No binders, etc. please. Assignments submitted late will be marked down one letter grade.

III. Oral Presentations on Types of Institutionsand Research Paper Topic(15%).

  1. Oral Presentation #1 (Group), Types of Institution (Weeks #5 through #7): There will be approximately ten reports given in threeregular sessions of class. Depending on the size of the class the reports will be given by a team of two to four individuals. Approximately thirty minutes should be allotted to each report, which should include time for responding to questions and providing clarification. The reports shouldbe an integrated whole, not just a series of short topics assigned toeach team member. You must consult with your class colleagues. Each presentationmust include an outline, which is tobe distributed to the class and to the instructor on the day of your presentation. Consult Addendums “A” and “B.”

Sample questions tobeanswered might include: What are the institutions historical origins? What is unique about this type of institution? What kind of market share or market advantages does the institutionhave? What is different about the types of students, faculty and/or financial support it attracts or is dependent upon? Does the library, its programs, collections, and services, reflect the particular nature of the institution? In the past, what have been the major problems peculiar to this type of institution? What are the problems most pressing or are most likely to be especially relevant in the future? When you present, groups mustidentify a particular organizational cluster (ARL, ACRL, CIC, CRRA, EPSCoR, Oberlin, etc.) within the institutional category in order to discuss the library issues in greater detail.

  1. Oral Presentation #2 (Individual), Research Paper Topic: During week #3, each student will make a 15 minute presentation on her or his planned term paper topic. Remarks should includethe following: Why the topic is of interest; focus of the paper, and identification of the key issues. State how you plan to approach your topic. Explain briefly the major points you plan to cover in your paper and why readers should be interested in your topic. Written copies of the aforementioned points of interest are to be distributed to the class and to the instructor on the day of your presentation. Also, be prepared to answer questions about your proposed term paper topic. These briefings, while not graded in themselves will be used in determining the final grade for your term paper.
  1. Oral Presentation #3 (Individual), Research Paper Outline: During week #9, each student will make a 15 minute presentation on the outline he or she plans to use in writing their term paper. As A Research Guide for Students aptly states, “A good outline is the most important step in writing a good paper.” After talking about your outline, identify three significant sources you are using; and prepare a brief one page annotated bibliography on these key materials. Written copies of your outline and the one page annotated bibliography are to be distributed to the class and to the instructor on the day of your presentation. Also, be prepared to answer questions about your outline and sources. These briefings, while not graded in themselves will be used in determining the final grade for your term paper.

IV. Essay Assignments(30%):

The three short writing assignments are intended to provide an opportunity for each individual to develop and express a personal point of view. Each essay should be five to six pages in length and should use the required and recommended readings for a given topic as a starting point. Essays should be double-spaced, paged in the upper right hand corner, stapled in the upper left. A cover page should include your name, the title of the term paper, the course number and date. No binders, etc. please. The questions noted for the short writing assignments are suggestive. Individuals may wish to address questions of their own choosing which fall in the main topical area. Please do not concentrate on relating what your sources said. Instead, concentrate on developing your reactions to the topic. Analysis, synthesis, and interpretation should be stressed.

  1. Essay #1 (10%), dueweek #4 September 23): What role has the library played in the development of the colleges and universities in the U.S. 1636-1880. Shores pays particular attention to this question, while Lucas ignores it altogether. What is your opinion and point of view on the question? Discuss the question of whether the historical roles played by the academic library in the development of the college or university have any relevance for today’s academic library.
  1. Essay #2 (10%) , due week #8 (October 21): Choose ONE
  1. Many states have master plans for higher education and the California Master Plan has been one of the most lauded state policies pertaining to higher education. What does the plan mean for academic libraries? Are overarching plans like that of California still valid in 21st Century?

Or

  1. Many academic libraries have developed plans to design a research library for the 21st century. One of the more robust plans was developed by NYU. What does the NYU plan mean for library users and those who work at the NYU libraries? Is this plan on “the bubble?”
  1. Essay #3 (10%), due week #12 (November 18): An assessment of one of the current issues facing academic libraries and the institutions they serve. Identify one issue of importance to you and discuss it. You can put it in an historical context, in the context of the particular type of institution or student, or in another framework that is of particular importance to the issue. For this assignment you will have to go beyond the suggested readings (Addendum “B”). A totally different issue can also be the topic for your paper.

V. Term paper 40%: Due NLT (not later than)12:20pm of week #14 (December 2).

Each person is expected to complete a term paper on a topic or issue of his or her own choosing relating to libraries in American higher education. The paper should include historical background and a description of the topic as it relates to the various topics considered in class. Formal written work must be word processed or typed and reflect use of a style manual. Preference is given to Kate L. Turabian, A Manual of Style for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, Chicago, University of Chicago Press. The text’s narrative is not to exceed 20 pages in length. Papers will be evaluated on the basis of content, clarity, ideas developed, organization, originality, and appropriate composition, as in the use of a variety of appropriate sources, as well as grammar, spelling, and attribution. Papers should be double-spaced, paged in the upper right hand corner, stapled in the upper left. A cover page should include your name, the title of the term paper, the course number and date. No binders, etc. please. Term papers submitted late will be marked down one letter grade.

Grading and Due Dates Summary: There is no final examination in this course. You are graded on weekly class participation and the completion of nine oral and written assignments that have specific due dates and they are as follows:

Activity/Assignment Weighting Due Dates

  • Class Participation (Oral) 15% Weekly

(Includes written assessment guest speaker presentations and individual term paper topic briefing)

  • Essay Assignments (Written)

Academic Library’s Role 10% Week #4, 23 September