<br>
Last revised August 21, 2006

Course Syllabus for IRLS 460/560 Information Resource Development


COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES

IRLS 460/560

Information Resource Development

No prerequisites
[return to top of page]


COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to familiarize students with the theory, practice, and issues of collection development.  Learning will be through lecture, group presentations, virtual discussions, evaluation of collection aids, guest speakers, and completion of a final project proposing a library collection in some detail. Three credit hours.
[return to top of page]

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to develop and maintain library collections meeting the needs of various user groups. Specific topics covered include selection and acquisition of materials in various formats, value provided by collections, types of materials, types of users, collection development policies, collection evaluation, intellectual freedom, weeding, and cooperative collection development.
[return to top of page]


REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

Evans, G. Edward. Developing Library and Information Center Collections, 5th ed. Englewood, Colo: Libraries Unlimited.   There are copies of this available through the UA bookstore. It’s ISBN number is: 1-59158-219-9, if you’d like to order it.



[return to top of page]


COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1.  Complete six collection development tool assessments.  A description of this
assignment will be provided. Due: Tools 1-3 on Sept. 22; Tools 4-6 on Oct  13

            Value: 40%

2. Participate in a group presentation. A description of this assignment will be
provided.  Due:  Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27, and  November  3

            Value: 20%

  3. Complete an opening day collection assignment. A description of this assignment
              will be provided. Interim Report Due: Sept. 15. Final Report Due Dec. 1

            Value: 40%

[return to top of page]


COURSE POLICIES

Academic Code of Integrity

Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity, see . 'The guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's own.' If you have any questions regarding what is acceptable practice under this Code, please ask an Instructor.

Accommodating Disabilities

The University has a Disability Resource Center . If you anticipate the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the Disability Resource Center and request that the DRC send me, the Instructor, official notification of your accommodation needs as soon as possible. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate.

Assignment Policies

         Assignments are due no later than 10 p.m. PT (MT. after the time change) on the their assigned due date.

           Please include your name at the top of all your assignments.

Attendance and Class Participation:

Active participation is expected. Class participation will have no specific grade value.  However, meaningful and active participation will contribute to a student’s final grade by increasing it slightly (for example from a high B to a low A.).  Conversely, inappropriate and disruptive participation will lower a student’s final grade.

Incompletes

The 1997-8 University of Arizona General Academic Manual, p.23 reads

The grade of I may be awarded only at the end of a semester, when all but a minor portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed. The grade of I is not to be awarded when the student is expected to repeat the course; in such a case the grade of E must be assigned. Students should make arrangements with the instructor to receive an incompete grade before the end of the semester.

If the incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one year the I grade will revert to a failing grade.

[return to top of page]


GRADING

Late work will lose one letter grade from the grade it would have gotten had it been turned in on time.  However, the final project, the opening
day collection, will not be accepted late.

 Grading criteria:

 A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F=59 and below

 


[return to top of page]


CONTACTING ME

Office Phone: 520-621-5220
 E-Mail: bedgar@u.arizona.edu
Office:  No. 2
Office Hours: Thursday, 3:00-4:00 or by appointment

[return to top of page]