Last revised Jan 3 , 2007

Course Syllabus for Children In Public Libraries



Spring 2007 Instructor: Dr. Tim Wadham


COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES

Children in Public Libraries

IRLS 588

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COURSE DESCRIPTION

"This course will enable students to examine the full range of skills needed for working with children and young adults in today's public library. It will provide theory and practice and give students a framework for thinking about services to children and young adults. Assignments are designed to provide practical experiences in "real world" library situations that they will encounter in the field. Students will be challenged to develop a passion to provide the best in library service to children and young adults and to envision themselves as key players in their libraries and communities in the next critical decades." 3 Credit Hours

This course will cover the history, philosophy, and practical application of children's and young adult library services. We will look at the role of childrens and teen services librarians including: assessing needs based on community input and the develomental characteristics of children; planning and evaluation; age appropriate services and materials; Our focus will be on children from birth through age 13, and young adults from 12-18 along with adults who are stakeholders in children's literacy (parents, teachers, caregivers, etc.). The services we will explore will include programming, reference/information, readers advisory, and educational services. We will also look at technology as it impacts children's and young adult services, including how Web sites are used as gateways to service. Physical facilities for library service will also be covered.

Though this course is called "Children in Public Libraries" we will be covering cooperation with school libraries and teacher librarians and other child services agencies. This course is essential for those considering a career in Children's librarianship in the Public Library sector, but would also be useful for School/Teacher Librarians and other public librarians.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. To become aware of the past, present and potential of library services to children and young adults

2. To develop skills to assess needs and to be able to utilize goals to plan services and programs, and to evaluate services and programs.

3. To plan, implement and assess a variety of types of programs appropriate for various age groups, and to observe and conduct model programs in real settings.

4. To learn how to present booktalks, do readers advisory, and put the right book in the hands of the right kid at the right time.

5. To learn how to make use of computers and technology in the provision of children's and young adult services.

6. To develop a passion for children's and young adult services.

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REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

Texts :

Walter, Virginia A. Children and Libraries: Getting it Right. Chicago, ALA Editions, 2001.

While I am assigning a text for this class, my general philosophy is that the foundation for children's and teen services is the literature that we provide and share. The most important thing you can do is read children's and young adult books, and for that reason I am assinging a number of children's and young adult books that will be relavant to the course content.

Read the following children's books by the dates indicated on the syllabus. These titles should be available at most major bookstores and online. You are welcome to obtain them from your local library—don't feel obligated to purchase them unless they are titles you would like to have in your personal library. Please make sure you have the books in time to read them before the date they are discussed in class. The quality of the class discussion will depend on your having read the books. If you have read any of these books in the past, I'd ask you to please re-read them so that they are fresh in your minds for the discussion. Because of the number of books I'm asking you to read, I would suggest you pace yourself and begin reading EARLY, preferably before the semester begins. Additional titles may be added to this list and will be announced on the January 30th class.

Assigned Reading

General:

Oppenhiem, Joanne. Dear Miss Breed.

Picture Books and Beginning Readers:

Arnold, Tedd. Shoo, Fly Guy!

Arnold, Tedd. Super Fly Guy.

Baker, Keith. On the Go with Mr. and Mrs. Green.

Beaumont, Lori. Move Over, Rover!

Chaconas, Dori. Cork and Fuzz: Short and Tall.

Crews, Nina. Below.

Cronin, Doreen. Dooby Dooby Moo.

DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson Fights Crime.

DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride.

Ehrhardt, Karen. This Jazz Man.

Gregorich, Barbara. Waltur Buys a Pig in a Poke and Other Stories.

Joyce, William. A Day With Wilbur Robinson.

Kvasnosky, Laura McGee. Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways.

Martin, David. All for Pie, Pie for All.

Moser, Lisa. The Monster in the Backpack.

Portis, Antoinette. Not a Box.

Prince, April Jones. What Do Wheels Do All Day?

Reiser, Lynn. Hardworking Puppies.

Reiser, Lynn. Play Ball with Me!

Ries, Lori. Aggie and Ben: Three Stories.

Rueda, Claudia. Let’s Play in the Forest While the Wolf Is Not Around!

Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleepover.

Rylant, Cynthia.  Mr. Putter & Tabby Spin the Yarn.

Schwartz, Corey Rosen & Tali Klein. Hop! Plop!

Shannon, David. Good Boy, Fergus!

Thomas, Shelley Moore. Happy Birthday, Good Knight.

Van Leeuwen, Jean. Oliver Pig and the Best Fort Ever.

Weeks, Sarah. Counting Ovejas.

Wiesner, David. Flotsam.

Fiction for Younger Readers:

Van Draanen, Wendelin. The Gecko and Sticky in…The Villain’s Lair. (Manuscript to be provided to class electronically).

Modern Fantasy:

Di Camillo, Kate. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.

Realistic Fiction:

Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks.

Paterson, Katherine. A Bridge to Terabithia.

Van Draanen, Wendelin. Runaway.

Historical Fiction:

Kadohata, Cynthia. Weedflower.

Multicultural Literature:

Yolen, Jane. The Devil’s Arithmetic.

Non-Fiction:

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth.

Young Adult Fiction:

Anderson, M. T. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation. Volume 1: The Pox Party.

Duncan, Lois. Killing Mr. Griffin.

Additional readings : Articles to be handed out in class.

You may find some of the following books helpful:

Braun, Linda. Teens.library: Developing Internet Services for Young Adults. Chicago, American Library Association, 2002.

Fasick, Adele M. Managing Children's Services in the Public Library. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, 1991.

Ghoting, Saroj and Pamela Martin Díaz. Early Literacy Storytimes @ Your Library: Partnering With Caregivers for Success. Chicago, American Library Association, 2006.

Harris, Frances Jacobson. I Found it On the Internet: Coming of Age Online. Chicago: American Library Association, 2005

Sullivan, Michael. Fundamentals of Children’s Services. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2005.

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COURSE SCHEDULE

Tuesday, January 16

No Class—In lieu of this class period, you will be required to participate in the Arizona Book Festival on April 14.

Tuesday, January 23

Guest Lecturer, Elaine Myers, Phoenix Public Library

Tuesday, January 30

Introduction, Overview.  Business Discussion.  Assignment review.

Philosophies of Library Service to Children and Young Adults

Assignment: Read Dear Miss Breed

Read Chapter 1 in your text

Tuesday, February 6

History of Library Service to Children and Young Adults

Assignment: Read Chapter 2 in your text

Assignment: Read A Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Tuesday, February 13

Gateways to Children’s and Young Adult Services: Web sites and Facilities

Planning Programs and Services

Services and Materials—Early Years

Assignment: Read Chapter 3 in your text

Assignment: Read The Gecko and Sticky…in The Villain’s Lair by Wendelin Van Draanen

Tuesday, February 20

Planning Programs and Services

Services and Materials—Early Years (continued)

Mock Theodor Seuss Geisel Award discussion.

Assignment: Read assigned Picture Books and Beginning Readers

Tuesday, February 27

Services and Materials—Elementary School

Assignment: Read The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

Assignment: The Gecko and Sticky Activity Ideas Due

Tuesday, March 6

Services and Materials—Tweens and Beyond

Assignment reminder: Program Observations due on March 20

Assignment: Read assigned Young Adult Fiction

Tuesday, March 13

Spring Break—No Class

Tuesday, March 20

Planning Programs and Services--Outreach

Assignment: Read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Assignment: Program Observations Due

Tuesday, March 27

Planning Programs and Services—Special Needs

Assignment: Read Chapter 4 in your text

Assignment: Read Runaway by Wendelin Van Draanen

Tuesday, April 3

Information Needs, Readers Advisory and Reference Services

Read Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Read Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata

Tuesday, April 10

Cooperation With Other Agencies: Networking/Management

Read Chapter 5 in your text.

Read The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

Saturday, April 14

Arizona Book Festival

Tuesday, April 17

Student Programs

Assignment: Two programs due

Assignment: Program presentation in class for next two classes.  Order will be determined by random drawing.

Tuesday, April 24

Student Programs

Tuesday, May 1

Issues and Trends—Administration and Management

Assignment: Read Chapter 6 and 7 in your text
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Assignments:

It is very important to me that assignments reflect in a practical way the sorts of things you will be doing in a real world setting with children's books, whether in a school or a public library. Each of these assignments is something you would be doing as a practicing professional.

All students are required to:

1. Provide a written activity idea to go along with the novel The Gecko and Sticky in…The Villain’s Lair. Details will be explained in class.

Due February 27

Value 10%

2. Observation of Children's/Teen Library Programs

Before planning your own programs for presentation in class (see assignment 3), observe two similar programs in a real library setting for a similar age group. Contact the librarian presenting the program in advance to let them know that you will be attending, and the nature of your assignment. As the librarian if you can have a few moments with them after the program for a brief interview. Write a report of your experience that includes a 1-2 page description of the program, and additional pages describing your impressions based on the audience reaction to the program and your interview with the librarian who presented the program.

Due March 20

Value 15%

3. Programming

Design two programs for two distinct age groups depending on your experience and career goals. They should be chosen from the following age groups:

Program I: Preschool

Choice A: Baby/lapsit program

Choice B: Toddler time

Choice C: Preschool storytime

Program II: Children

Choice A : Young Children (6-8 years / 1st-2nd Graders)

Choice B: Middle Grade Children (9-12 years / 3rd-4th graders or 5th -6th graders)

1. Book Discussion program with related activities

2. Craft program (literature based)

3. Information Program/Computer Literacy

4. Booktalk program

Program III: Young Adults (13-15 Years)

Choice A: Book Discussion program with related activities

Choice B: Teen Council program

Choice C: Information Program/Computer Literacy

Choice D: Film or other media-oriented program

Each program is to by typed using a program planning sheet tha twill be provided in class. These programs will be shared with the class and should be in a format in which they can be used in the future.

Due April 17

Value 40%

4. Program Presentation in Class

At least one of the above programs must be presented in class. The amount of time allotted for the program will depend on the number of students, and will be discussed in class. Students should understand that there will likely not be time for the entire program as they might present it in a library setting, however, students should plan to present as if the class were an audience of children or teens. The presentation order will be determined by an impartial drawing.

Due: April 17

Value: 30%

Class Participation:

Both class discussion/attitude presented in class as well as class attendance will be assessed.

Value 5%

 

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COURSE POLICIES

Academic Code of Integrity

Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity (one theme of which is that 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

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

Grading

Grading Criteria :

A=90-100 The grade 'A' means excellence and reflects the fact that you not only understand the material but also that you have a demonstrated critical thinking skills and the ability to draw your own conclusions. A score of 90-92 indicates that your work is very good, but is perhaps lacking in one of the above-mentioned areas. .

B=80-89 This grade indicates that you have a good grasp of the material and show some thoughtfulness in approaching the assignments, but that your knowledge or ability is lacking something in both areas. This grade represents a decent standard of academic achievement, but indicates that you have not 'gone the extra mile' in terms of rmeeting the requirements of the assignments. A score of 80-82 indicates that your performance was felt to be slightly below average in terms of either the knowledge or understanding of the facts and of relevant information, and your ability to apply what you have learned to specific questions or problems, .

C=70-79 This grade indicates that performance was below average in both knowledge and understanding or interpretation of relevant information.

D=60-69 The D range of grade is reserved for those who do the assignments, but perhaps should not have bothered.A 'D' means your work was sufficiently related to the question so as to deserve a grade, but that you were for the most part unprepared..

F=59 and below   An 'F' normally indicates that the work was not done at all, or if it was done, was not relevant to the subject assigned.

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CONTACTING ME

Office Hours: 5:30-6:30 Tuesdays (in classroom), other hours by appointment

E-mail/phone: twadham@email.arizona.edu /602-652-3045

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