SLIS Courses

Courses offered by the School of Library and Information Studies are listed below. Note that not all courses are offered every semester. Consult the online timetable to determine course availability for a particular semester.

201 The Information Society. 4 cr. Explores the ways in which information - in oral, print, broadcast, and digital/networked forms - has been tied to notions of democracy, capitalism, social justice, and "progress" in American history. Coursework involves significant online component, including weblogging and podcasting. Com-B course; satisfies either humanities or social studies breadth requirement. Open to freshmen. Semester I.

319 Scandinavian Children's Literature. (Crosslisted with Literature in Translation) Alt. yrs. 3-4 cr. (L-I) Forms and themes of Scandinavian children's literature from the nineteenth century to the present. Exploration of the dominant concerns of authors, adult and non-adult audiences. Film adaptations and Scandinavian-American materials included. P: Jr. St. or cons inst.

354 Introduction to Children's Literature. (Crosslisted with English) 3 cr. This online course will cover various types of books for children (pre-K to teens) including picture books, folks and fairy tales, fiction, poetry. P: So st. Students may not receive credit for both 354 & 622.

399 Independent Reading and Research. 1-4 cr. Concentrated work on a subject or problem of the student's need or interest; students must submit a written report, paper, or other product covering the work accomplished. P: Cons inst.

450 Information Agencies and Their Environment. 3 cr. Basic communication theories and models; information users as individuals and as members of groups; production and transmission of information; nature and roles of libraries and other information agencies; the profession of librarianship. P: Jr st & cons of dept.

451 Foundations of Reference Service. 3 cr. Use of databases for library and other information services; development and use of search protocols and search strategies; information resource evaluation; understanding information retrieval systems; comparison and contrast of systems and strategies for World Wide Web searching. P: Jr st & cons of dept.

490 Field Methods and the Public Presentation of Folklore. (Crosslisted with Folklore) 3 cr. The course combines a field-work practicum with scrutiny of the cultural, political, and ethical dimensions underlying the documentation and public presentation of folklore through festivals, exhibitions, publications, and audio-visual productions. P: Sr st, two courses in folklore or cultural anthro or cons inst.

551 Organization of Information. 3 cr. Introduction to bibliographic organization and control, including cataloging, classification, indexing, file organization, vocabulary control and retrieval strategies. P: LIS 450 or con enrollment.

569 History of American Librarianship. (Crosslisted with History 569.) 3 cr. Development of American librarianship from colonial times to the present, with special reference to the relationship of library institutions to their contemporary social, economic, cultural and political environments. P: Jr st; or Grad in SLIS.

570 History of Books and Print Culture. (Crosslisted with History and Journ) 3 cr. Introduction to the history of books and print culture in the West from ancient times to the present with a focus on how reading and writing have influenced social, cultural, and intellectual life. Emphasis on how historians work, including the methodologies, theories, and sources for the study of the history of books and print culture. P: Jr st; or Grad st in SLIS.

616 Records Management. 3 cr. An introduction to the role of records in society and to the principles and practices involved in managing records (both paper and electronic) in private and public sector organizations. P: Grad st in SLIS or cons inst.

617 Health Information Systems. (Crosslisted with Ind Eng) 3 cr. Provides grounding in core concepts of health information systems. Major applications include clinical information systems, language and standards, decision support, image technology and digital libraries. Evaluation of IE tools and perspectives designed to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of health information. P: Sr or Grad st, or cons inst.

619 Music Research Methods and Materials. (Crosslisted with Music) 3 cr. Historical and contemporary bibliography resources for musical scholarship; general reference tools of scholarly work and specific musicological works. P: Grad st or cons. inst.

620 Field Project in Library and Information Agencies. (Crosslisted with Curric) 2-8 cr. Analysis of field experience through seminars, individual conferences, required reading and consultations with cooperating librarians and information specialists. Enrollment limited. P: LIS 450,451 & 551; electives appropriate to the proposed project; & cons inst.

622 Children's Literature. 3 cr. Traditional sources to the present; criticism and evaluation; contemporary trends and issues. Techniques of reading guidance in school or public library in relationship to developmental interests, needs and skills of children. P: Jr st & cons inst; or Grad st in SLIS.

624 Story Telling and Oral Literature. 3 cr. The oral tradition in world literature for children. Techniques of interpretation through story telling; development of story telling programs in library, school and community. P: Jr st & cons inst; or Grad st in SLIS.

629 Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults. 3 cr. Focus on literature written or illustrated by U.S. citizens or residents which depicts people of color both within and outside the U.S. Emphasis on literature of past fifteen years with comparison to earlier literature. Publishing trends. P: Jr st & cons inst; or Grad st in SLIS. Fulfills ethnic studies requirement.

631 Young Adult Literature. 3 cr. Survey of background and current media interests and needs of young adults, with emphasis on reading interests. Critical examination of media trends, materials, selection criteria, guiding the individual user, censorship problems, as they relate to the young adult. P: Jr st & cons of inst; or Grad st in SLIS.

635 Reference and Information Service. 3 cr. Theories, principles and practices in selected aspects of reference and information services. P: LIS 450 & 451 or con reg or cons inst.

639 Information Literacy Pedagogy. 3 cr. Introduction to the concept of information literacy and its significance for the practice of librarianship in school, public, and academic library settings. Students gain expertise and practice in conducting research and in teaching information literacy competencies. P: Grad st in SLIS or cons inst.

640 Topics in Library and Information Studies. 3 cr. Current issues in library and information studies that are not addressed in sufficient depth in existing courses or that combine facets of several existing courses. P: Jr st & cons inst; or Grad st in SLIS.

641 The School Library/Media Center. 3 cr. Its function in the educational program; the management, organization, and development of its media resources and services. P: LIS 450 & 451 or con reg or cons inst.

642 Reading Interests of Adults. 3 cr. An examination of the nature and societal functions of a variety of mass media-generated adult reading materials, the standards by which they are judged, and their relationship to contemporary library and information science fields. P: LIS 450 & 451 or con reg or cons inst.

644 Digital Tools, Trends, and Debates. 3 cr. Overview of information and communication technologies, digital media, and standards in relationship to information agencies within the context of current societal controversies. Promotes technical knowledge of ICT and critical analysis of controversies surrounding ICT development, use and modification. P: Jr st & cons inst; or Grad st in SLIS.

645 Intellectual Freedom and Libraries. 3 cr. An examination of the current trends and topics in intellectual freedom related to librarianship and of the historical and legal background of censorship in libraries. P: LIS 450 & 451 or con reg or cons inst.

651 Cataloging and Classification. 3 cr. Basic cataloging and classification principles and suitable techniques. Includes descriptive cataloging, selected entry headings, Sears subject headings, Dewey Decimal Classification, book numbers, and cataloging with supplied copy including OCLC editing. P: LIS 450, 451 & 551; or con reg or cons inst.

653 Government Information Sources. 3 cr. Issues of United States government information policy. Structure, policies, and procedures of the Depository Library System. Selection, acquisition, and problems of access to government information sources, including electronic formats. P: Jr st and cons inst; or Grad st in SLIS.

654 Management of Information Agencies. 3 cr. Survey of concepts and skills necessary to perform in an information services organization. Service needs assessment, goal and objective setting, staffing, budgeting and evaluation. P: LIS 450 & 451 or con reg or cons inst.

655 Collection Management. 3 cr. A course in collection development designed to teach professional skills in selection and control of collections. The course examines large societal forces affecting the ways librarians have traditionally built collections and contemporary changes in access and ownership. P: Grad st in SLIS or cons inst.

661 Information Ethics and Policy. 3 cr. Overview of ethical theories and how they inform agency policies and practices; examines selected policy issues relating to information and communications; includes topics such as intellectual property, privacy, censorship, equity of access. P: Jr st & cons inst, or Grad st in SLIS.

663 Introduction to Cyberlaw. (Crosslisted with Legal Studies) 3 cr. This is an introductory course in the law of cyberspace. The emphasis is on critical thinking about a broad variety of legal and policy problems that arise because of ever-changing information and communication technologies. P: Jr st & cons inst, or Grad st in SLIS.

678 Preservation and Conservation of Library and Archives Materials. 3 cr. Basic concepts, principles, and approaches to protection and care of library and archives material, including nature and structure of paper- and plastic-based materials, deterioration, preservation management, disaster prevention, reformatting, and repair. Laboratory experience offered. P: LIS 450 & 451 con reg or cons inst.

710 Research Methods for Library and Information Studies. 3 cr. Fundamental purposes and principles of research. Introduction to research design and methodologies. Distinctive characteristics of problems in librarianship and information studies and methods of research best adapted to solution of these kinds of problems. P: LIS 654 or cons inst.

712 The Public Library. 3 cr. Library service based on knowledge of structure and government, personnel, resources, legislation, building, management and planning, public relations and marketing. P: LIS 450 & 451 or con reg or cons inst.

722 College and University Libraries. 3 cr. Place of the library and librarian in the instructional program; special units of study devoted to administration of the library, budgets, buildings departmental libraries and cooperative ventures. P: LIS 450 & 451 or con reg or cons inst.

732 Corporate and Specialized Information Services. 3 cr. Corporate, fee-based, and specialized information services; with emphasis on client-centered systems in the commercial sector. Examines evolving role of special librarian with attention given to methodology for associating information services with the particular requirements of organizations; supervised field visits. P: LIS 450 & 451 or con reg or cons inst.

734 Modern Archives Administration. (Crosslisted with History) 3 cr. For students particularly interested in archives administration, library science, historical agencies administration, or teaching of history; basics in theory and practice of modern records administration. Lectures; lab work in the State Historical Society's Division of Archives and Manuscripts. Enrollment limited. P: Grad st & cons inst.

741 Supervision of School Library/ Media Centers and Systems. 3 cr. Consideration of the administration and supervision of media systems, local, regional and state; problems of personnel, organizational patterns, centralized services, policy and decision-making, and public relations programs in such systems. P: LIS 641 & cons inst.

751 Database Design for Libraries and Information Agencies. 3 cr. Introduction to database management systems, the database design process and database management issues, current trends and developments in the database field with a focus on library database systems. P: Grad st in SLIS.

754 Seminar in Information Agency Management. 3 cr. In-depth examination of management issues related to information service agencies. P: Cons inst.

772 Library Services to Children and Young Adults. 3 cr. The theory and structure of public library service to children and young people, its function in the community, and techniques of administration. Seminar and field work. P: Grad st in SLIS or cons inst.

810 Topics in Research Methods for Library and Information Studies. 1-3 cr. Critical examination of selected methods of research methods and design; for example, bibliometric techniques, scale design. P: LIS 710 or cons inst.

815 Advanced Cataloging and Classification. 3 cr. Advanced entry heading problems according to AACR including corporate headings and uniform titles. Detailed study of LC classification of serials and selected AV materials. Advanced OCLC cataloging. Labs. P: LIS 651 or cons inst. [Offered rarely]

817 Indexing. 3 cr. Theoretical and practical introduction to a variety of indexing systems for various materials in a range of subjects. Includes manual and computer-assisted approaches. P: LIS 450, 451 & 551 or con reg or cons inst.[Offered rarely.]

818 Archives Accessioning and Appraisal. 3 cr. Theories and principles behind archival decisions to acquire records and designate them as worthy of long-term retention in an archive. Emphasis on understanding archival views about society, the role of the archivist, and the attribution of value to archival material. P: LIS 734 or cons inst.

822 Information Use and Users. 3 cr. Survey of information needs, information seeking behavior, and information use by people in their various roles, situations, and contexts. Methods that are used to study information needs, uses, and information seeking behavior, including community analysis. P: LIS 450 or con reg.

826 Field Project in Library and Information Literacy Instruction. 3 cr. Guided practice in the development and implementation of information literacy curriculum at the university level. Participants will assist campus teaching librarians with the Communication Requirement A courses and perform other teaching related tasks at assigned site. P: LIS 450, 451 & 551, or con reg and cons inst.

839 Special Collections. 1-3 cr. A topical course focusing on a special subject (art, law, music, health sciences) or format (maps, microforms, rare books, iconographic materials). Issues related to collection development, acquisitions, reference, indexing and management. P: Cons inst. May be repeated for cr. a max of 6 cr applicable to the master's degree.

845 Topics in School Library/Media Centers. 1-3 cr. Problems of the library/media center in schools and the role of the library/media specialist. Centralizing services, programming for children and young adults, budgeting modes, curriculum planning, and team teaching. P: LIS 641 & cons inst.; may be repeated; max of 6 cr applicable to master's degree.

847 Topics in User Services. 1-3 cr. Special aspects of user services, publics served, skills in service and service models involved. May include such topics as information and referral; digital reference; literacy services; services to the elderly; services to underserved populations and nontraditional users. P: Cons inst; repeatable; max of 6 cr applic to master's degree.

848 Topics in Literature for Children and Young Adults. 1-3 cr. Seminar. Trends and issues in children's and young adult reading, viewing, and listening interests. Topics vary. Typical focuses: realistic young adult novel; publishing trends; rise of book clubs; illustrations and illustrators; mixed media programming. P: LIS 622 or 631 or cons inst; repeatable; max of 6 cr applicable to the master's degree.

855 Topics in Information Agency Management. 1-3 cr. Critical examination of selected management techniques in the areas of materials control, physical plant operations, personnel programs, budget preparation and statistical reporting. May also focus on a particular type of information agency; e.g., data analysis centers, research libraries, or public libraries. P: 9 cr of LIS including 654, or cons inst; may be repeated, max of 6 cr applicable to master's degree.

861 Information Architecture. 3 cr. This course covers how traditional library science concepts such as organization of information and users and uses apply to web design, and examines the basics of usability, navigation, project planning, project management, web evaluation, and ongoing web information system management. P: Grad st in SLIS.

863 International Cyberlaw and Policy. 3 cr. This is an advanced graduate seminar focusing on media and communication technology regulation in a world of increasingly porous borders. The class will focus on the transnational aspects of regulatory problems raised by communication technology. P: Grad st in SLIS.

875 Topics in Information Processing and Retrieval. 1-3 cr. Current issues in technologies for information processing and retrieval in libraries and information agencies. P: Cons inst. May be repeated for cr; a max of 6 cr applicable to master's degree.

879 Digital Libraries. 3 cr. Technologies and other related topics/issues in developing and maintaining digital libraries. Covers digitization and organization of information, user-center systems design and evaluation, public services, funding, and so on. Project-based course. P: LIS 450, 551 and cons inst.

910 Seminar in Research Design and Methodology for Library and Information Studies. 3 cr. Examination of key issues in research design, including how to formulate research questions and shape scholarly research to make valid descriptive and causal inferences. Analysis and evaluation of research designed and conducted with different theoretical frameworks and methodologies; guided proposal preparation. P: LIS 710 or cons inst.; may be repeated, max of 6 cr applicable for doctoral degree.

931 Seminar in Information Policy, Management and Institutions. 3 cr. Survey of research and theorizing of: information policy and law, the management of information within and between organizations - including information labor, and investigation of traditional and new institutions in the information society. P: Post-Masters st in SLIS or cons inst.

940 Seminar in Information Use and Users in Context. 3 cr. Exploration of information needs, information seeking behavior, and information use by people in various roles, situations, and contexts that go beyond libraries. It includes exploring factors that influence a user's information needs and behavior. P: Post-Masters st in SLIS or cons inst.

950 Seminar in LIS Foundations: Histories, Philosophies and Debates. 3 cr. An in-depth examination of some aspect(s) of the historical and philosophical foundations of LIS as it has been transformed through time and space, within the broader cultural context. P: Post-masters st in SLIS or cons inst

975 Seminar in Information Organization and Access. 3 cr. Critically examines systems and models of information organization, retrieval, and transfer. Covers technical/non-technical aspects and cognitive/socio-cultural processes and implications, in relation to information retrieval and organization. Introduces different research approaches and topic areas, including relevance, search behavior, knowledge representation, and systems design and evaluation. P: Post-masters st in SLIS or cons inst.

976 Special Problems in Archives-Manuscripts Administration. (Crosslisted with History) 3 cr. A research seminar. Contemporary problems in archives administration, with special types of archival institutions and special classes of archival material. P: LIS 734 & cons inst.

977 The Practice of Archives-Manuscripts Administration. (Crosslisted with History) 3 cr. Practical training in the collecting and accessioning, arrangement, describing and servicing of archives and manuscript holdings in the Division of Archives and Manuscripts of the State Historical Society under the direct supervision of the chief archivist or a member of the professional staff. P: LIS 734 & cons inst.

990 Research and Thesis. 1-9 cr. Doctoral students. P: Cons of major professor. May be repeated for credit.

999 Independent Reading and Research. 1-4 cr. Concentrated work on a subject or problem of the student's need or interest; students must submit a typewritten report or paper covering the work accomplished. P: Grad standing; Cons inst.

Abbreviations
C&I -- School of Education Department of Curriculum and Instruction
conc enroll. -- concurrent enrollment
conc reg -- concurrent registration
cons inst -- consent of instructor
cons of dept. -- consent of department
cr -- number of credit hours per semester
equiv -- equivalent
Grad st -- graduate standing
So, Jr, Sr - sophomore, junior, senior standing
LIS -- Library and Information Studies
P -- prerequisite(s)

Also see course listings in:
Graduate School Catalog 2006 - 2008, Library and Information Studies
http://www.wisc.edu/grad/catalog/letsci/library.html