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Summer 2007

Seminar on Special Issues in Information Science:
IS 289 Readers' Advisory Service

Course description:

During this ten-week course, students will learn the importance of fiction in library collections.  They will also be exposed to techniques and aids in delivering readers’ advisory service.  In addition, students will sample genre and popular fiction titles while sharing “read-alikes” with classmates.  Guest speakers include authors, booksellers, librarians, and genre experts.  May be taken as 2- or 4-unit course.

Course requirements:

Read and report (verbally and via class wiki) on seven genre novels (western, mystery, romance, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and religious/inspirational)
(35%/4 units; 70%/2units)

Report (in writing and verbally) on two “secret-shopper” readers’ advisory visits
(25%/4 units; 30%/2 units)

Write a paper on an issue related to reading or fiction in library collections
(40%/4 units only)

Required textbooks:

Herald, Diana Tixier. Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interest in Genre Fiction (6th ed.ONLY!). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2006. (required)

Saricks, Joyce and Nancy Brown. Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library (3rd ed. ONLY!). Chicago: American Library Association, 1997. (required)

Saricks, Joyce. The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction. Chicago: American Library. Association, 2001. (optional)

Contact info:

Cindy Mediavilla
cmediavi@ucla.edu
310/206-2464

Office hours:

Tues., half-hour before and after class; or by appt.