LIS 415: Information Organization

Assignment Calendar


Date
Received
Assignments
Date
Due
Time to Complete
Percentage of Final Grade

Jan 24-25

Discussion Board

Apr 24-25
13 weeks

10%

Jan 24-25
Using Retrieval Tools
Feb 7-8
2 weeks

10%

Feb 14-15

Understanding MARC

Feb 28-29
2 weeks
10%
Feb 28-29
Bibliographic Descriptions
Mar 13-14
2 weeks
15%
Mar 13-14

Access Points & Interpreting Metadata Records

Mar 27-28
2 weeks

10%

Mar 13-14

Presentations (Past, Present, & Future)

Apr 24-25 & May 1-2
6-7 weeks

15%

Mar 27-28

Subject Access

Apr 10-11
2 weeks

10%

Apr 10-11

Classification

Apr 24-25
2 weeks

10%

On-going

Participation and Attendance

10%

A Calendar View is available at Calendars Net.


Course Calendar

Jan 24-25: Introduction and Environments
The various settings in which information is organized are examined in this unit. Is there a basic human need to organize? What is the organization of information? Libraries, archives, museums, digital libraries, the Internet.

Jan 31-Feb 1: Retrieval Tools
Tools that have been developed in various settings are described and examined. Catalogs, indexes, finding aids, bibliographies, museum registers and databases, bibliographic utilities, OPACs, and search engines.

Feb 7-8: Introduction to Metadata
The unit is an introduction to metadata concepts, various types of metadata, and tools to create, use and maintain metadata. Descriptive metadata, administrative metadata, structural metadata, meta-metadata, preservation metadata, and metadata models.

Feb 14-15: Encoding
Ways in which surrogate records can be encoded for computer-readability are explored. MARC, SGML, XML Schemas and DTDs.

Feb 21-22 & Feb 28-29: Description
The unit explores basic descriptive metadata elements that are used to create records for information resources. Descriptive elements, FRBR, RDA, ISBD, AACR2, and Dublin Core.

Week 1: Principles of description, descriptive metadata elements
Week 2: Selected descriptive schemas and content standards

Mar 6-7: Spring Break!

Mar 13-14: Access and Authority Control
The unit describes the process of choosing access points for works; explores the need for consistency in access points with cross-references from variant forms of name. Choosing access points, authority control, authority records, and cross-references.

Mar 20-21: Aboutness & Subject Analysis
The process of determining what subject(s) an information resource is about. Nature of aboutness, approaches to aboutness, consistency.

Mar 27-28 & Apr 3-4: Vocabulary Control
Controlled vocabularies are presented as the best means for providing verbal subject access to information resources.

Week 1: Controlled vocabulary theory, thesaurus construction
Week 2: Applying controlled vocabularies, LCSH, Sears, and AAT

Apr 10-11 & Apr 17-18: Categorization, Classification, & Arrangement
Symbolic representation of subject concepts and categorization of concepts are examined and presented as additional means for providing subject access to information resources.

Week 1: Categorization, Hierarchical classification, Faceted classification
Week 2: Dewey Decimal Classification, Library of Congress Classification, Cuttering and book numbers

April 24-25: The Past - Final Projects (History)

May 1-2: The Present & Future - Final Projects (Current Developments)

Back to the Syllabus