BA

BEd

MA

MLS Option 1

MLS Option 2

M. Phil

Fieldwork

Bibliographic Control

• definition
• historical review
• bibliographic control and the Internet

Objectives:
(1) To introduce the concept of bibliographic control.
(2) To introduce bibliography as a discipline and its various branches.

Learning Outcomes:
Students should be able to:
(1) explain the meaning and role of bibliographic control;
(2) distinguish between the different types of bibliography;
(2) outline the nature of the challenge of the Internet for bibliographic control.
(3) use the appropriate [MLA] citation style in all written assignments.

Lectures
1.1 Bibliographic Control: Definition and Overview
1.2 Introduction to Bibliography

Practicals:
Documentation for the Research Paper: Introducing MLA [with 1.1]
Exercise: MLA Citations [with 1.2]
Case Study: The Elusive Report [with 1.2]

Bibliographic Control: Tools & Techniques

• enumerative/systematic bibliography
• library catalogues
• indexes and abstracts
• IFLA & bibliographic control
• Caribbean bibliographic tools

Objectives:
(1) To introduce the major techniques and tools for bibliographic control.
(2) To introduce some Caribbean bibliographic tools
(3) To provide a brief overview of IFLA’s contribution to bibliographic control

Learning Outcomes:
Students should be able to:
(1) identify the various types of enumerative bibliography;
(2) evaluate an enumerative bibliography based on established criteria;
(3) explain the information retrieval role of bibliographies, catalogues, indexes and abstracts;
(4) outline some of IFLA’s activities in the area of bibliographic control;
(5) identify some important local bibliographic tools.

Lectures
2.1 Types of Enumerative / Systematic Bibliography
2.2 Cataloguing and the Catalogue
2.3 Access to Serials: Indexes & Abstracts
2.4 IFLA & Bibliographic Control

Practicals
Exercise: Evaluation of National Bibliographies [with 2.1]
Exercise: Cataloguing Data: Bibliographic Description [with 2.2]
Exercise: Indexing [with 2.3]
Caribbean Bibliographic Tools [with 2.4]

Bibliographic Control and Standards

• what is standardization? introduction and objectives of standardization
• standardization in information retrieval

Objectives:
(1) To introduce the objectives and role of standards generally so as to provide a context for
bibliographic standards.
(2) To introduce standards related to cataloguing principles, bibliographic description, subject
work and transliteration.

Learning Outcomes:
Students should be able to:
(1) outline some of the major standards in information retrieval;
(2) explain the contribution of standards to the exchange of bibliographic data.

Lectures
3.1 Standardization and Bibliographic Standards

Reference Methods & Materials

• definition and development of reference service
• the reference process
• query negotiation
• communication barriers
• policy development
• reference materials & their evaluation

Objectives:
(1) To provide an historical overview of and rationale for the development of reference
service.
(2) To outline the reference process and introduce negotiation techniques and communication
barriers in librarian-user interaction.
(3) To introduce the role and content of reference collection policies.
(4) To introduce sources comprising the reference collection and their selection criteria.
(5) To introduce some major online information providers and examples of their products.
(6) To outline some of the major areas in which IT has impacted reference including e-reference.
(7) To identify some important characteristics/qualities for reference staff so as to facilitate
recognition of education/training needs.

Learning Outcomes:
Students should be able to:
(1) explain the development of reference service;
(2) demonstrate some competency in query handling and “reference salesmanship” in their
fieldwork placement;
(3) evaluate their own reference encounters;
(4) develop a reference collection policy;
(6) select appropriate reference sources for the collection based on established criteria;
(7) identify some major online information providers and their products.

Lectures
4.1 Reference Service: Introduction and Overview
4.2 The Reference Process
4.3 Negotiation Techniques and Communication Barriers
4.4 Reference Collection Management: Policy, Selection and Evaluation
4.5 Reference Materials
4.6 Reference Service & IT

Practicals:
Levels of Service [with 4.2]
Misunderstanding at the Reference Desk [with 4.3]
ALA Video: Difficult Reference Questions [with 4.4]
The Reference Librarian [with 4.6]