Course Syllabus for Diverse Cultures, Communities & Libraries (SIRLS 554)
• Course Name, Number, and Prerequisites
• Grading
Link to Course Outline
Spring 2007; Instructor: Elizabeth Martinez
COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES
Diverse Cultures, Communities & Libraries (554)
No Prerequisites are required.
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
"The capacity to grow personally through learning and good understanding of diverse cultural heritage, and to effectively work with people from different cultural backgrounds and understanding is Cultural Intelligence."
This course explores the complex, social, economic, historical and technological developments that impact library and information services to diverse communities. Students will study and assess current programs and services, develop skills and understanding for planning, implementing and evaluation programs that address the information needs of diverse racial, ethnic and linguistic communities.
This is a Knowledge River course and emphasis is on Latino and Native American cultures. However, other cultural populations will also be discussed.
The course address the following school-wide learning objectives:
• how diversity affects the library and information professions;
• the value and service orientation of the library and information professions;
• partnerships and alliances and their role in information provision
In an increasingly diverse society, information professional seeking to provide resources about and for diverse cultural communities need to use a "cultural lens" to understand information needs form a cultural perspective. A cultural lens is the perspective from which a person sees the world. Cultural differences are the beliefs, values, expectations, attitudes and assumptions beneath the surface of a person's cultural lens.
Because content on the Internet is often more current and reflective of today's cultural voices than that in collections of libraries, it is important to use this vehicle to expand our cultural lens.
How are we going to do this?The topic of cultural diversity and cultural lens is a difficult topic in any setting because it goes beyond academic and intellectual research. The challenge will be to make it meaningful and convey the subtle implications in an online environment. We will explore the Internet for cultural identities and resources that help information professionals expand their perspective about diverse communities. We will analyze and view libraries through a diverse cultural lens to understand how diverse populations view the institution.
Students will participate in online discussion of readings, link to Internet cultural resources that explore diversity and race such as www.implicit.harvard.edu to learn more about cultural differences and assumptions, and assess libraries through the cultural lens of diverse people.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Specific Course objectives are as follows:
• Students will explore and analyze different cultural resources;
• Students will understand the challenges of providing information services in a multicultural society, and understand the numerous cultural perspectives;
• Students will chart the role of information institutions and cultural diversity and perspectives;
• Students will advocate and provide leadership for library services to culturally diverse populations.
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REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS: There are no required course materials for purchase. There are required and recommended readings.
. Basic Resources & Readings (do not purchase )
• "Diversity Counts ," a comprehensive study of gender, race and age in the library profession, American Library Association, 2006.
• Galens, Judy et al. (eds.) Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America. ( 2 nd ed.) New York: Gale Research Inc., 2000.
• Guerena, Sal (ed.). Latino Librarianship: A Handbook for Professionals. (2 nd ed.) Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 2000.
• Metoyer-Duran, Cheryl. Gatekeepers in Ethnolinguistic Communities. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Pub., 1993.
• See Ethnic Caucus of ALA
Section 1: Background on Diversity; The American Experience & Historical Perspectives.
See Videos: " Race: The Power of an Illusion " (PBS, 3 parts). This video series is an excellent exploration of the topic of cultural diversity in the USA "“ myths, assumptions, and historical events, as viewed through science, politics and experience.
REQUIRED READINGS:
• Curry. Deborah A. "Your Worries Ain't Like Mine: African American Librarians and the Pervasiveness of Racism, Prejudice and Discrimination in Academe," In The Reference Librarian, 45/46: 299-311, 1994.
• McIntosh, Peggy. "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," Peace and Freedom, 49: 10-12, July/August 1989.
• Wright, Lawrence. "One Drop of Blood," The New Yorker, 46-55; July 25, 1994.
RECOMMENDED READINGS:
• Kitano, Harry H.L. Race Relations. 5 th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997.
• O'Hearn, Claudine Chiawei (ed.) Half and Half: Writers on Growing Up Biracial and Bicultural. New York: Pantheon, 1998.
• Simon Wiesenthal Center. The New Lexicon of Hate: The Changing Tactics, Language and Symbols of America's Extremists, 3 rd ed., 1998.
• Stoffle, Carla J. and Patricia A. Tarin. "No Place for Neutrality: The Case for Multiculturalism," Library Journal: 46-49, July 1994.
Section 2: Internet & Cultural Resources
The Internet is the source of current cultural voices.
See Assignment 1: Group Presentations on Internet Resources (15 minutes each)
Section 3: Information Institutions & Diverse Cultural Services.
REQUIRED READINGS:
• Adkins, Denise and Isabel Espinal. "The Diversity Mandate," Library Journal , April 15, 2004
• Berman, Sanford. "Things are Seldom What They Seem: Finding Multicultural Materials in Library Catalogs," In Alternative Library Literature, 1990/1991: A Biennial Anthology, ed. By Sanford Berman and James P. Danky. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1992: 132-136.
• de la Pena McCook, K. (ed). Ethnic Diversity in Library and Information Science, Library Trends, 49(1), 2000.
• Grady, J. and Hall, T. "The World is Changing: Why aren't we? Recruiting Minorities to Librarianship, Library Worklife , 1(4) 2004.
• Josey, E.J. "Education for Library Services to Cultural Minorities," Education Libraries, 15(3): 16-22, Winter 1991.
• Owens, Irene. "A Managerial/Leadership Approach to Maintaining Diversity in Libraires: Accountability, Professionalism Job Performance, Policies and Standards, Texas Library Journal , see www.txla.org/pubs/tlj76.
RECOMMENDED READINGS
• Bigelow, Jane M. H. "Library and Information Services for Native Americans," Multicultural Review, 3(4): 20-24, 1994.
• Chu, Clara M. "Literacy Practices of Linguistic Minorities: Socio-Linguistic Issues and Implications for Literacy Services, " Library Quarterly, 69(3): 339-59, July 1999.
• de la Pena McCook, Kathleen, and Kate Lippincott. "Library Schools and Diversity: Who Makes the Grade?," Library Journal: 30-32, April 15, 1997.
• Hamilton, Virginia. "The Library's Role in a Multicultural Society," In Libraries, Coalitions & the Public Good, ed. By E.J. Josey. New York: Neal-Schuman Pub., 1987; pp.43-55.
• Metoyer-Duran, Cheryl. "The Information and Referral Process in Culturally Diverse Communities," RQ , 32(3): 168-173, 1994.
• Trujillo, Roberto G. and David C. Weber. "Academic Library responses to Cultural Diversity: A Position Paper for the 1990's," The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 17(3): 157-161, 1991.
Section 4: Advocacy Action Papers (15 minutes for an overview; 3 minutes questions).
It is difficult to reduce a research paper to a 10-12 minute synopsis. Practice your oral presentation so that every student can have their allotted time, and we are not rushed in the last hours to complete the presentations.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The course requires students to be engaged learners in a virtual environment through timely and thoughtful discussions, completion of assignments, and active participation online in the exploration of new, culturally diverse resources available on the Internet. The final assignment is an Advocacy paper posted online for all students in the class to read. See the Course Outline for specific information on assignments.
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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
Students will submit all assignments online by the posted due date. Exceptions may be considered at the discretion of the Instructor.
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.
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GRADING
Assignment 1 - Research Internet Resources 30 %
Assignment 2 - Advocacy Paper 50 %
Attendance & Participation 20%
Students begin with 100 points. Students lose points for late assignments, incomplete assignments, poorly written papers, lack of participation, and inaccurate information. .At the end of the semester the points will be converted to a letter grade as follows:
A= 90-100 points for Superior Work: highest quality, ideas are discussed thoughtfully and well formulated; demonstration of a thorough understanding of the content and an openness to diverse perspectives. All assignments submitted on time with excellent written expression and correct grammar.
B=80-89 points for Good Work: discussions indicate a good or very good understanding of content. Most assignments submitted on time and well written with few grammatical errors.
C=70-79 points for Marginally Satisfactory Work: meets minimal requirement; discussions reflect limited understanding or interest. Written work contains errors, needs editing and not submitted on time.
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CONTACTING ME:
My email address is emfuture@hotmail.com