University of Buffalo - Department of Information and Library Sciences
Children’s Library related Classes:
LIS 526 Practicum with Mary Clare Scheg – Monroe Branch Library
120 hour practicum spent on a variety of projects including: create and implement story time for 3, 4, and 5 year olds, help with the summer reading project, create posters for displays, help with collection development, answer reference questions, and other projects.
LIS 534 Resources and Services for Children
A study of children’s literature and other related media applicable to children. Includes an overview of the history of children’s literature, child development, and other factors that affect the selection and evaluation of children’s materials in public and school libraries. Students will learn to evaluate and promote materials according to their various uses, both personal and curricular, and according to the needs of the individual child.
Technology related Library Classes:
LIS 506 Information and Storage Retrieval
This course will introduce students to the foundatinal vocabulary, concepts, and practices for the use of information technology in libraries and information centers. Topics will include information storage and retrieval, networking, systems analysis, computing standards, and emerging technologies.
LIS 519 Selection, Acquisition and Management of Non-book Material
An examination of the various aspects of selection, acquisition, management and preservation of non-book materials in libraries. Includes: archival and local history resources; audio recordings; film and video formats; maps; microforms; models, pictures, reproductions, and art originals; CD-ROMs and multimedia computer software; and relevant developments in communications technology.
LIS 562 Networking Technologies
This course covers the concepts of networking technologies with an emphasis on Local Area Networks (LANs), communication concepts, network architecture, wiring and connection methods, access and contention, data communication software and hardware, protocols, network management, client server and distributed information systems. Included hands-on practice in setting up and managing a LAN.
LIS 563 Digital Libraries
Digital libraries are defined as electronic libraries in which geographically scattered users access diverse repositories of electronic objects, including scientific, business, and government datasets, networked text, images, maps, sounds, videos, merchandise catalogs, hypertext, hypermedia, and multimedia compositions. This course will cover professional issues related to digital libraries, technical aspects, tools for creation and use of digital products and library and public policy.
During this class, the students created our digital library called: Room to Grow Digital Library: UB School of Informatics http://www.informatics.buffalo.edu/faculty/Abbas/room2grow/
The purpose of Room to Grow is to provide a user-friendly, web accessible, educational resource that serves as a starting point for authoritative research relating to “special needs” students, K-12. This resource was designed to meet the varied information needs of school librarians, teachers, and parents. I was specifically responsible for helping to create the Collection Development Policy as well as accepting original web sites.
LIS 566 Digital Information Retrieval
Emphasis is twofold: the practical aspects of online bibliographic retrieval and its implications for the library and information profession. Students develop skills in searching, with numerous laboratory assignments in bibliographic and full-text databases. They also study issues of question negotiation, search strategy formulation and database evaluation. Discussions, readings and some assignments require a consideration of the place of on-line retrieval in reference services and its impact on libraries and information centers, on the professionals who work in them, and on the people who use them.
General Library Classes:
LIS 505 Introduction to Library and Information Studies
An introduction to the library and information science profession covering historical and philosophical foundations of library and information studies, an overview of the professional setting including types of libraries and information centers and professional organizations, networks and utilities, and an introduction to library literature and research and current issues in library and information studies. Students will also learn the use of current electronic tools. An orientation to the LIS program will be provided and students will begin to develop their individual educational objectives for the program.
LIS 518 Reference Sources and Services
A study of the evaluation, selection, and use of general reference sources by type of material,including an analysis of search strategy. Source types include dictionaries, almanacs, indexes,abstracts, directories, encyclopedias, government documents, and the Internet. Also includes a survey of reference policies and services.
LIS 571 Organization and Control of Recorded Information
Introduces students to cataloging and classification practices common in most American libraries and information centers. Basic cataloging tools such as The Anglo- American Cataloging Rules, both the Library of Congress and the Dewey decimal classification schemes and the Sears and Library of Congress subject heading lists as well as the major automated source of catalog records, the OCLC system, are introduced. Students will participate in practical exercises including OCLC searching and the preparation of catalog records. They will also, however, consider more policy oriented and theoretical issues. Emphasis will be on the adaptation of existing tools for the age of automated information retrieval.
LIS 580 Intellectual Freedom
An examination of freedom as it relates to human thought and communication and the effect on library and information resources and services. The effects of censorship, pressure tactics, cultural pluralism, personal bias and the effect on unrestricted access to materials. Professional librarian and information specialist concerns are examined and practical applications of principle are discussed.
LIS 581 Management of Library and Information Agencies
Management theory and practice applicable to varied information service agencies and to supervisory, middle, and top managers are explored through lecture, case studies, problem analysis, role playing, and course assignments.
