22910088 - Library and information science

The course introduces the general principles of Bibliography and Library Science, analyzes the origins, functions and organization of the contemporary library and deepens the theoretical, methodological, technological, technical-application aspects related to programming, management and use of libraries, with particular regard to digital information and documentation as a didactic and pedagogical resource.
The student will have acquired, in terms of knowledge and understanding, the main elements of the discipline of bibliography and librarianship in the scientific and professional field and, in terms of application, the main techniques of production of tools for bibliographic research, both analogical and digital, as well as the techniques of description and retrieval of documentary information and the procedures for measuring and evaluating the operation of cataloging services, bibliographic information and bibliographic databases.
In terms of autonomy of judgement, the student will have the ability to collect and manage the bibliographic tools in relation to the activities of analysis and interpretation of documents and organization of bibliographic sources.
In terms of communication and learning skills, the student will have obtained the skills and competences necessary to orient himself with confidence in the articulation of library economics, in the models and procedures of library services and to transmit the knowledge acquired both through traditional tools, such as inventories and catalogues drawn up in paper form, and through the dynamics related to new information technologies.
scheda docente | materiale didattico

Programma

Introduction

Various factors, such as political, environmental, economic, health, and social changes, characterize the complex societies of the 21st century, generating new opportunities but also crises, disorientation, and uncertainty at personal, productive, and social levels. These challenges can be exacerbated by the pervasiveness of technology and information overload. In such complexity, individuals are required to possess strong reading, information, media, and digital skills to "read," interpret phenomena, navigate, and learn throughout life in a globalized and interconnected context. Knowledge infrastructures—libraries, archives, documentation centers, and museums—increasingly function as learning environments that enable the acquisition, consolidation, and enhancement of information and media literacy to fully exercise the right to citizenship, including in the digital realm.

Course Objectives

The course aims to:
• Raise awareness of the relevance of information and media literacy (or Media and Information Literacy - MIL) and the role that different types of libraries play in lifelong learning in complex societies.
• Understand the basic theoretical foundations and acquire techniques in Bibliography, Library Science, and Documentation, focusing on:

Information
Documentation
Web 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0
Organization and management of libraries
Course Description

The course is divided into three modules:

Introductory module, providing an overview of informational complexity, the "docuverse," the importance of acquiring information and media literacy, and the role played by libraries and librarians in this process. It also introduces students to information research for the final project, different types of theses, and academic writing.
Bibliography
Library Science
The course covers:
• Definitions of "information literacy" and introduces the concept of "media and information literacy," based on recent UNESCO documents and library associations.
• Various approaches and methods in information research, considering phenomena such as information overload and the digital divide.
• Reflection on the role of libraries and librarians in addressing these phenomena through the development of personalized services (Reference Library) and user education, utilizing the new social interaction tools offered by web 2.0.
Basic concepts of bibliography, library science, and documentation are introduced:

MODULE 1) Information Literacy:
Definitions, standards, models. Information literacy for academic writing (e.g., thesis types).

MODULE 2) Bibliography:
Definition; areas of competence; historical overview; types; bibliographic citation and citation styles (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, etc.); compilation of repertoires: the "bibliographic chain"; tools; ISO standards.

MODULE 3) Library Science:

Definition; areas of competence; historical overview (library history with glimpses of the history of books and publishing); types of libraries (state, university, public, etc.) – Library legislation – Intellectual property and copyright.
From book to library
The public library
The library as a state institution
The library as a community institution
The library as an institution of communication and memory
The library as an organized structure
The five laws of library science
Library organization and collection growth
Cataloging: bibliographic description
Cataloging: formal and semantic access points
Management of periodicals
Electronic resources
Bibliographic data exchange formats: UNIMARC
Shelving, collection management, and lending
Reference service
Library digitization and its evolution

Testi Adottati

Exam texts (4 in total):

MODULE 1 (Information Literacy):
1) Luisa MARQUARDT, Handout on information literacy (available on the SdE online platform).

MODULE 2 (Bibliography):
2) Luisa MARQUARDT, Bibliography handout (available on the SdE online platform).

MODULE 3 (Library Science - 2 texts):
3a) Giorgio MONTECCHI and Fabio VENUDA, New manual of library science, Milano: Editrice Bibliografica, 2022.
3b) a volume of your choice from the "Conoscere la biblioteca" series (Milano: Editrice Bibliografica), OR Giovanni SOLIMINE, ervelli anfibi, orecchie e digitale : Esercizi di lettura futura, Fano: Aras, 2023, OPPURE Luisa MARQUARDT, Contrastare la povertà educativa : una Biblioteca In Ogni Scuola, Roma: Save the Children; Forum del Libro, 2022.

Handouts and teaching materials from the instructor will be available on the SdE online platform.

Modalità Erogazione

Classes will primarily take place remotely through synchronous lessons via the "Bibliography and Library Science L-19" Teams channel. Video recordings and educational materials will be provided to students on the Moodle e-learning platform "SdeOnline." The course may include, some in-person activities such as seminars, guided tours, workshops, and exercises at libraries and documentation centers.

Modalità Frequenza

Classes will primarily take place remotely through synchronous lessons via the "Bibliography and Library Science L-19" Teams channel. Video recordings and educational materials will be provided to students on the Moodle e-learning platform "SdeOnline." The course may include, some in-person activities such as seminars, guided tours, workshops, and exercises at libraries and documentation centers.

Modalità Valutazione

a) Ongoing Assessment: Assignment/exercise (to be posted on the platform) at the end of each of the three modules; participation in the forum and proposed activities. b) Final Evaluation: Administration of a battery of primarily closed-ended multiple-choice tests covering the three modules (1st information literacy; 2nd bibliography; 3rd library science). The exam also includes the online completion of a reading sheet with free fields related to the chosen text. For the list of institutional texts, refer to: #1, #2, #3, and #4 in "Teaching Materials" on the SdE online platform. Measures for foreign students: These are agreed upon on a case-by-case basis, depending on the curriculum completed at the student's home university.