SPRING 2024

Survey of access issues in library and information studies; professional operations and potential roles in society.

1. Analyze the concepts of ethics in relationship to information organizations (PLO’s 1, 2, 5, 6).
2. Evaluate the policies and trends, including legal issues, of information organizations (PLO’s 1, 2, 3, 5, 6)
   
3. Analyze types of information organizations, professional jobs, and specializations (PLO’s 3, 6, 7) 
   
4. Examine the impact of multicultural and diverse populations on the profession (PLO’s 1, 2, 5)
   
5. Analyze and apply basic research methods in LIS (PLO’s 2, 3, 4)

SUMMER 2024

Covers philosophy and techniques of matching information to people's needs. Introduces human information behavior and information retrieval concepts; prepares students to meet needs through needs assessment, source selection, and user-instruction.

1. Describe the dynamic nature of information technology and anticipate its application to meet user needs. (PLO 1, 3)
2. Describe forms of information available for use and analyze the relevance, authenticity, authority, and credibility of information sources. (PLO 1, 3)
3. Identify the information needs and behaviors of diverse groups through collection of evidence. (PLO 1, 2, 3)
4. Formulate and execute search strategies. (PLO 1, 3)
5. Curate a collection of resources to meet the needs of a specific user group. (PLO 1, 2, 3, 4)
6. Design instruction to meet the needs of a specific user group. (PLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 7)
7. Assess the effectiveness of information provision in information organizations through user experience analysis. (PLO 3, 4, 5, 7).
8. Apply ethical principles to information provision. (PLO 1)

Media and technology applications in libraries and information agencies. Develops competencies in designing, developing and producing, and presenting media and technology. 

1. Select, use, and evaluate various types of media and technology.
2. Apply design principles in the production of various forms of educational media.
3. Produce products that meet diverse learning styles, physical, and intellectual abilities and needs.
4. Create products suitable for use in group, class, and individual instruction.
5. Demonstrate ability to design and adapt relevant learning experiences that engage students in authentic learning through the use of digital tools and resources​.
6. Utilize technology to develop plans for the advocacy of information programs, resources, and services.

Examination of legal and ethical aspects of information ethics and policies in libraries/information centers. Covers traditional concerns of access to print, government information, and issues of technology access, privacy concerns.

1. Analyze the historical background and development of information access, ethics and policy in American society and the impact on the library and information agency profession.
2. Synthesize current challenges to information access that are emerging in the networked information environment.\
3. Compare and contrast the elements of conflict between privacy and the ownership of information in professional and personal terms.
4. Articulate a reasoned and coherent position on the concepts of information access, ethics and policy and their related issues.
5. Demonstrate excellent communication skills.

FALL 2024

1. Evaluate the database structure for a wide variety of bibliographic databases.
2. Create effective search strategies for structured bibliographic databases by selecting and utilizing commands, Boolean operators and other techniques.
3. Interpret information needs through application of reference interview techniques.
4. Appraise the relative merits of using Web resources or structured databases.
5. Critique the strengths and weaknesses of databases for acquisition by information organizations.
6. Arrange and present information in suitable formats for an intended audience.

Emphasizes management functions, resource management, and application of concepts to management situations in libraries and information centers.

1. Apply current research to complex leadership, management, and planning issues. (PLOs 2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
2. Articulate theory and applications of user services. (PLOs 1-7)
3. Implement principles of budgeting, technology, and marketing. (PLOs 1- 4, 6-7)
4. Develop feasible and ethical solutions based on reasoned judgment and knowledge of management techniques for various work situations. (PLOs 1-7)
5. Demonstrate advanced communication, organizational, relationship, and personnel management skills across diverse populations and settings. (PLOs 1-7)

SPRING 2025

Introduces the artifacts created in scholarly and commercial publishing and how physical and electronic materials are identified, selected, acquired, and managed for the user community of an information center.  Creation of policies, marketing plans, and outreach activities, as well as use assessment and collection rightsizing are covered.

1. Define the entities and processes that are involved in knowledge production and creative output. This is also a dimension of Program Learning Outcome (PLO) 1.
2. Curate a collection of materials on a topic that is based on the needs of certain constituents. Curation involves evaluation, description, and critique. (See PLO 1 Curation and Description)
3. Create a comprehensive collection management policy matched to a selected community that details selection, acquisition, management, and conservation of the collection constituents (PLO 2, Planning and Design).
4. Practice professional attitudes in collaboration, presentation, and participation. (PLO 7)

Introduction to the organization of information and collections to enhance access. Topics include format choice, verification of appropriate sources, collection definitions, methods and systems of description, classification, and metadata assignment.

1. Describe the development and principles of the organization of recorded information. (PLO 1, 6)
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the standards, methods, and concepts related to information organization. (PLO 1, 4, 6)
   
3. Explain principles of access and retrieval tools such as inventories, bibliographies, catalogs, indexes, finding aids, registers, and other organizing entities. (PLOS 1, 3, 4, 6) 
   
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of cataloging, authority control, controlled vocabularies, indexing and abstracting, and classification. (PLO 1, 2, 4, 6)
5. Articulate the importance of information organization and the roles of metadata in information organization. (PLO 1, 2, 4- 7)
6. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of organizational tools. (PLO 1-4, 6, 7)
   
7. Examine current library issues and their impact on the organization of collections. (PLO 1-7)

SUMMER 2025

Major social and ethical issues emerging in the virtual community including those embraced by access, privacy, intellectual property, freedom of speech, institutional/social control, and evolving formats.

Contemporary issues and current trends in librarianship, educational technology, and information science. Topics to be identified for a particular seminar.

FALL 2025

Cataloging and classification of materials using current cataloging codes and appropriate techniques of subject analysis and classification. 

Capstone supervised field experience/project and culminating portfolio.