[Baynet] Infopeople's "CORE Reference Fundamentals" online course

Wed Sep 23 09:55:52 PDT 2009

Since some people who may be interested in participating might not receive
this notice directly, we would appreciate it if you would print and post or
route this announcement to staff and colleagues. Thanks!

Title:  CORE Reference Fundamentals  (online learning course)

Dates:  October 27 – December 14, 2009

To register for this workshop:  Use the online registration form at

http://infopeople.org/workshop/424 

Fee:  $75 for those in the California library community and Infopeople
Partners, $150 for all others.

Libraries of all types provide reference services to their users. To provide
effective reference requires staff who understand and can apply the
underlying values and methods as they assist users in finding the best
possible resources to meet their information needs. 

·         Are you stepping into the role of providing reference assistance
for the first time in your library career? 

·         Is it time to brush up on your basic skills because you are
returning to work at the reference desk? 

·         Do you want to be able to quickly identify and locate information
in all formats? 

Whether you have been recently promoted to support reference services, or
are returning to reference work some years after you completed your library
degree, you'll need a clear understanding of how to determine the real
information need behind users' questions and where to look for authoritative
answers. This course will acquaint you with why, when and how to do an
effective reference interview, which resources are best suited to which
types of reference questions, how to use both print and Web based resources
appropriate to the user's need, and how reference work fits into the mission
of your library. You'll learn how the physical layout of your library, and
signage and shelving for various collections can impact reference service.
You'll become familiar with alternative methods for delivering reference,
such as email, chat and instant messaging, to help your users no matter
where they are or when the library is open. 

Course Description: This online course will provide you with opportunities
to learn and practice an effective reference interview, as well as to
explore a wide variety of print and Web based reference tools. Through
individual and group exercises, you will discover ways to assist diverse
groups of users, including those with physical disabilities and those with
whom you do not share a common language. You will learn to think like an
indexer and apply that perspective to answering reference questions. We will
spend time examining and using a variety of print and Web based resources,
as well as specialized resources for homework help, government research, and
inquiries about images or sounds. The instructor will provide sample
policies, templates, tip sheets and a webliography, as well as simple,
practical techniques that can be applied immediately. 

During the course, you will be doing exercises and taking quizzes. You must
also participate in weekly online discussion forums as part of the online
learning process. 

After you have completed the six weeks of this CORE course, you will be
ready and encouraged to enroll in CORE2, Infopeople's self-paced online
course on specific topics: Business Information; Consumer Information; Legal
Reference; Medical Information; Genealogy; Travel, Culture, and Language;
and Poems, Songs, and Quotes. 

Preliminary Course Outline: Using your web browser and your Internet
connection, you will log in to the Infopeople online learning site and
complete the following learning modules: 

·         Module One: The Reference Interview 

Goals and components of an effective reference interview 

Helping with sensitive questions 

Phrases to incorporate into your reference interview 

·         Module Two: Library Users' Rights to Privacy and Open Access 

First Amendment, Library Bill of Rights, and ALA Code of Ethics 

Working across barriers of physical ability or communication skills 

Responding appropriately to library users of different ages 

·         Module Three: Reference Resources in Your Library 

Building layouts 

Special collections 

Your library's Web site 

The structure of your library's catalog 

·         Module Four: Construction and Use of Indexes 

Comparing and contrasting print and online indexing 

Databases and ready reference work 

·         Module Five: Evaluating Reference Tools 

Print tools 

Online resources 

Search engines 

·         Module Six: Contemporary Ready Reference Tools and Delivery
Methods 

Nontraditional reference sources, like Flickr and YouTube 

Government publications (online and in print) 

Niche inquiries, including homework, sports, and celebrities 

Roving, passive vs active reference services, for profit reference
businesses 

Instructor:  Francisca Goldsmith.  Francisca Goldsmith is the Director of
Branch Services at Halifax Public Libraries. Formerly she was the Collection
Management Librarian and head of Teen Services at Berkeley Public Library,
and has been a reference librarian in both academic and public libraries.
She has worked with school and public library staffs who have needed
appropriate training to support up to date reference assistance and to
design local weeding projects. Francisca has taught several Infopeople
courses and also consults as a Young Adult Library Services Association
trainer for its Serving the Underserved Project and other YALSA staff
development institutes. She also writes for a range of professional journals
in the US and Canada. 

Time required: To complete this course, you can expect to spend 2½ to 3
hours per week. You can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of
the day or night. However, it is recommended that you complete each week's
assignments within that week to stay in sync with other learners. 

Who Should Take This Course: Anyone from the library community who provides
reference service. This course is especially geared to paraprofessional
staff new to reference work or librarians who need updates on contemporary
tools and methods that support excellent reference service. 

Course Start: This online learning course starts on Tuesday, October 27,
2009. Because the Thanksgiving holiday falls within what would normally be a
six-week course, the end date has been extended to December 14 to allow
sufficient time to finish the six modules.

Online Learning Details and System Requirements may be found at

http://www.infopeople.org/training/learning_details.html     

If you would like to subscribe via RSS and be notified whenever new
Infopeople training events are available, you can use these links:

**For new on-ground or online workshops: http://infopeople.org/workshop/rss

**For new podcasts: http://feeds.feedburner.com/InfopeoplePodcasts

To view a complete list of Infopeople workshops and for general information
about Infopeople Training opportunities, go to the main Infopeople Workshops
page at http://infopeople.org/workshop                     

If you have questions about registration or scheduling of workshops, please
contact Linda Rodenspiel, the Infopeople Project Assistant, at
assist at infopeople.org  or by phone at 650-578-9685.

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