"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 children’s and teen services librarians including: assessing needs based on community input and the developmental 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.
The objectives of this course are:
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.
Text:
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 assigning a number of children's and young adult books that will be relevant to the course content.
Assigned reading beyond the titles listed below will be announced prior to the first day of class. Students should check the ALSC Web site http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/alsc.htm on Monday, January 14th, 2008 to check for the announcement of the Newbery, Caldecott and other literary awards. Reading of any 2008 award winners is highly recommended, and some will be assigned reading.
Assigned Reading TBA
For sure, we will be reading the following books:
General: Dear Miss Breed by Joanne Oppenheim
Realistic Fiction: The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall
Additional reading: Articles to be handed out in class.
While these are not assigned or required, 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
Course Schedule:
Tuesday, January 22
Introduction, Overview. Business Discussion. Assignment review.
Philosophies of Library Service to Children and Young Adults
Tuesday, January 29
History of Library Service to Children and Young Adults
Tuesday, February 5
Gateways to Children’s and Young Adult Services: Web sites and Facilities
Tuesday, February 12
Planning Programs and Services
Tuesday, February 19
Services and Materials—Early Years
Tuesday, February 26
Services and Materials--Early Years and Elementary School
Tuesday, March 4
Services and Materials—Elementary School (continued)
Tuesday, March 11
Services and Materials—Tweens and Beyond
Assignment: Program Observations due on March 25
Tuesday, March 18
Spring Break—No Class
Tuesday, March 25
Planning Programs and Services--Outreach
Planning Programs and Services—Special Needs
Tuesday, April 1
Information Needs, Readers Advisory and Reference Services
Tuesday, April 8
Guest Lecturer Elaine Meyers
Tuesday, April 15
Cooperation With Other Agencies: Networking/Management
Assignment: Two programs due for next class
Assignment: Program presentation in class for next two classes. Order will be determined by random drawing.
Tuesday, April 22
Student Programs
Tuesday, April 29
Student Programs
Tuesday, May 6
Issues and Trends—Administration and Management
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. Write essays at the beginning and end of the course describing your philosophy and vision of library service to children and teens. The purpose will be to see how it has changed over the course of the semester..
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.
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.
Value 40%
4. Program Presentation in Class
At least one of the above programs must be presented in class . The amount of time alloted 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.
Value: 30%
Class Participation:
Both class discussion/attitude presented in class as well as class attendance will be assessed.
Value 5%
Academic Code of Integrity
Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity. '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
Please include your name at the top of all your assignments. Written assignments will be returned in class with a grade and comments.
Assignment due dates: Assignments are due no later than 6:30 pm (the beginning of class) on their assigned due date.
Late Policy: Late work will lose one letter grade from the grade it would have gotten had it been turned in on time
Incompletes
The current Catalog reads
The grade of I may be awarded only at the end of a term, when all but a minor portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed. The grade of I is not to be awarded in place of a failing grade or when the student is expected to repeat the course; in such a case, a grade other than I must be assigned. Students should make arrangements with the instructor to receive an incomplete grade before the end of the term ...
If the incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one year the I grade will revert to a failing grade.
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 meeting 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.
Tim Wadham, Ph.D.
Children’s Services Coordinator
Maricopa County Library District
Office Hours: 6:00-6:30 Tuesdays (in
classroom), other hours by appointment
E-mail/phone: twadham@email.arizona.edu
/602-652-3045
