Programming and Services for Young Adults
INFO 261A

Jennifer Velasquez
E-mail
Office Hours: By appointment

General Requirements
As this is an advanced course (i.e., not a required "core" course), the instructor makes some assumptions about student skills. More specifically, it is assumed that students possess skills in navigating bibliographic resources, group or collaborative work, writing at the graduate level, and in delivering presentations. We will rely on these skills throughout the term but apply them to young adult-specific content.

Further, this 261A course requires that you:

• complete reading and writing assignments as required in Course Outline (including the instructor’s comments following short class writing assignments)
• perform literature searches and produce critical written analysis
• be responsible for all lectures
• refer to and post to course discussion/ participation  - opportunities frequently arise
• produce a final project as detailed in the Course Outline
• have minimal home computing environment required by iSchool, see Home Computing Environment
• access to the required software downloads (free):
  • Adobe Reader 

All assignments and written products are to be completed and submitted by 11:59 pm on the Friday of the week in which they are due unless noted otherwise (e.g., Final Group Project). 

A comprehensive introductory survey of competencies required of librarians working with or around today’s young adults, featuring an introduction to the skills, relationships, methods, materials, and resources necessary for the delivery of a successful, developmentally-appropriate, and professional library service profile.

Expectations

Students are expected to participate fully in all class activities. It is expected that students will be open-minded and participate fully in discussions in class and debate in a mature and respectful manner. Use of derogatory, condescending, or offensive language including profanity is prohibited. Disagreement is healthy and perfectly acceptable. Expressing disagreement should always include an explanation of your reasoning and, whenever possible, evidence to support your position. In accordance with San José State University's Policies, the Student Code of Conduct, and applicable state and federal laws, discrimination based on gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or disability is prohibited in any form.

Course Workload

Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course related activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical practica. Other course structures will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus.

Instructional time may include but is not limited to:
Working on posted modules or lessons prepared by the instructor; discussion forum interactions with the instructor and/or other students; making presentations and getting feedback from the instructor; attending office hours or other synchronous sessions with the instructor.

Student time outside of class:
In any seven-day period, a student is expected to be academically engaged through submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam or an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; building websites, blogs, databases, social media presentations; attending a study group; contributing to an academic online discussion; writing papers; reading articles; conducting research; engaging in small group work.

Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes) Supported

INFO 261A supports the following core competencies:

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of and increase their confidence in delivering library services for young people in a demographically complex contemporary culture.
2. Demonstrate practical and analytical facility with innovative principles of youth experience, meanings, and civic identity through participation in and with library services and the application of professional-grade resource management.
3. Begin developing professional skills for working directly with young adults and with adults who work with young people.
4. Establish familiarity with a wide range of creative forms produced for, desired by, and produced by young people.
5. Identify one particular domain of youth experience and develop a plan for library service linkage.
6. Develop an overarching philosophy of today's young people that includes ways in which the library can contribute to their lives and meanings, their communities, and the institution's broad public value.

Textbooks

Required Textbooks:

• Bernier, A. (Ed.). (2020). Transforming young adult services (2nd ed.). ALA Editions. Available through Amazon: 0838917747

• Velasquez, J. (2015). Real-world teen services. ALA. Available through Amazon: 0838913423

• Readings Assignments as detailed in Course Outline
• (3) Major Points Lectures / Assignment Instruction Reviews: synchronous attendance is optional, but content of lectures/reviews is required. Recordings will be posted in course.
• Reflections: topical exercises/entries/posts - instructions provided in Course Materials (2 Reflections + 3 Discussion Posts)
• One, 5 - 7 page LIS & Teen Services Assignment
• One, 9 - 12 page Teen Library Space Analysis & Virtual Tour: please note this requires recording an online photo/video tour with audio narrated - camera & microphone are necessary.
• One, 3 - 5 page "LIS Practice" Essay
• One, Teen Service Topic - Group Project: multiple components (please note: this is a GROUP project)
• Final Project Peer Review

Feedback
All major written work will receive analytical comments. These comments are designed to help strengthen skills and build confidence to perform and deliver developmentally-appropriate library services for young adults at a professional level.
They are not necessarily intended to explain your grade.

Late Assignments
Assignment drop-boxes automatically close at 11:59 pm Pacific Time on due dates. Assignments submitted after 11:59 pm Pacific Time on the due date will receive a 20% reduction of the total points possible for that assignment. An additional 10% reduction in the total points possible for that assignment will be assessed per day until the assignment is submitted. No points will be awarded for late discussion posts. 

Extra Credit
Extra credit is not offered in this course.

Assignment Changes
The instructor reserves the right to alter assignments and assignment due dates with fair notice.

Incompletes
An incomplete is granted only in the case of documented serious medical or family emergency. The majority of coursework must have been completed, and supporting documentation is required. Inefficient time management or course overload is not a valid reason to receive an incomplete. Students should avail themselves of the policy for incomplete coursework on the iSchool’s website.

AEC Documentation
Please share AEC documentation, if any, as early in the course as possible - preferably before the first assignment is due. 

The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:

In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:

• C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
• B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work or undergraduate (for BS-ISDA);
  For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA, Informatics, BS-ISDA) — INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204 — the iSchool requires that students earn a B in the course. If the grade is less than B (B- or lower) after the first attempt you will be placed on administrative probation. You must repeat the class if you wish to stay in the program. If - on the second attempt - you do not pass the class with a grade of B or better (not B- but B) you will be disqualified.
  
• A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.

Graduate Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Undergraduates must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

Per University Policy S16-9 (PDF), relevant university policy concerning all courses, such as student responsibilities, academic integrity, accommodations, dropping and adding, consent for recording of class, etc. and available student services (e.g. learning assistance, counseling, and other resources) are listed on the Syllabus Information web page. Make sure to visit this page to review and be aware of these university policies and resources.