Basic Librarianship Courses

Course Content

MODULE 1

SPECIAL APPLICATIONS FOR GENEALOGISTS
Introduction
The Effective Genealogy Reference Interview
Cycle of the Genealogy Reference Interview

MODULE 2
THE PATRONS
Clarifying the Question
Determine Patron Level
User Identification

MODULE 3
THE QUESTIONS
Clarifying the Question … continued
Directional Requests
Knowledge-Based Strategies
Methodology

MODULE 4
COMMON SOURCES
Finding Sources
The Guides
The Data

MODULE 5
CONNECTING PATRONS WITH SOURCES - PART 1
Knowing the Collection & Access Points - Matching Sources and Patrons

MODULE 6
CONNECTING PATRONS WITH SOURCES - PART 2
Knowing the Collection & Access Points - Matching Sources and Patrons
Search Strategies

MODULE 7
PRACTICUM
Practicum Outline

MODULE 8
INTERPRETING MATERIALS: DECODING INTERMEDIARY SOURCES
Assisting with Sources

MODULE 9
PATRON SATISFACTION & CHALLENGES
Determining Patron Satisfaction
BARRIERS THAT LIBRARIANS CREATE

Course Content

MODULE 1 
PLANNING & MANAGING THE PROCESS
Introduction
Sources of Information for Planning  
Rapid Changes in Library Service
Accountability  
Evaluation

MODULE 2  
DEVELOPING THE ROAD MAP - THE STRATEGIC PLAN  
Introduction
The Mission  
Values  
Vision  
Environment
Goals/Objectives/Action Plans  
Timeliness  

MODULE 3 
ANTICIPATING & RESPONDING TO NEEDS  
Employee Input  
Brainstorming Sessions  
User Observation  

MODULE 4  
ANTICIPATING & RESPONDING TO NEEDS  
User Input  

MODULE 5  
ANTICIPATING & RESPONDING TO NEEDS  
Outside Research  
Literature Searches  
Library & Information Science Source  
Information Science & Library Issues Collection  

MODULE 6 
GAINING SUPPORT & EXPERTISE  
Connecting with Other Genealogy Librarians  
Conclusion  

MODULE 7  
PRACTICUM  

MODULE 8  
SELECTING THE MATERIALS & SERVICES  
Introduction  
Added Value  
Compatibility with Strategic Plan  
Economic Impact  
Using the Criteria to Select the Services  
Conclusion  

MODULE 9  
MEASURING & EVALUATING SERVICES  
Introduction  
Measurement  
Measurement Decisions  
Applying Quantitative & Qualitative Measures  
Conclusion

Course Content

MODULE 1  
INTRODUCTION  
1. Why was it created?
2. Under what circumstances was the information compiled?  
3. What system is used to access or organize the records?  
4. What special language, symbols or abbreviations are used?  
5. What problems/obstacles might the user encounter?  
6. Does it offer information beyond what is immediately apparent?  
7. Does it contain information that is suspect?
8. What is the physical condition of the source
9. Are there other format options?
10. What tools can the library use or develop to ease the search process?
11. What does the librarian need to know?
 
MODULE 2  
THE 1880 U.S. CENSUS  
1. Why was it created?  
2. Under what circumstances was the information compiled?
3. What system is used to organize or access the records? Enumeration Districts or Wards?  
4. What special language, symbols or abbreviations are used?
5. What problems/obstacles might the user encounter?
6. Does it offer information beyond what is apparent?  
7. Does it contain information that is suspect?
8. What is the condition of the physical source 
9. Are there other format options?  
10. What tools can the library use to ease the search process?
11. What else does the librarian need to know?

MODULE 3  
SOUNDEX INDEXING SYSTEMS  
1. Why was it created?  
2. Under what circumstances was the information compiled?  
3. What system is used to access or organize the records?  
Viewing the Soundex citations requires a three-step process
4. What special language, symbols or abbreviations are used?
5. What problems might the user encounter?
6. Does it offer information beyond what is apparent?  
7. Does it contain information that is suspect?  
8. What is the physical condition?  
9. Are there other format options?  
10. What tools can librarians use to ease the search process?
11. What does the librarian need to know?

MODULE 4  
PASSENGER & IMMIGRATION LISTS INDEX  
1. Why was it created?  
2. Under what circumstances was the information compiled?  
3. What system is used to organize or access the records?
4. What special language, symbols or abbreviations are used?
5. What problems might the user encounter?
6. Does it offer information beyond what is immediately apparent?  
7. Does it offer information that is suspect?  
8. What is the physical condition?  
9. Are there other format options?
10. What tools can librarians use to enhance the search for passenger lists?
11. What does the librarian need to know?  

MODULE 5  
PERSI  
1. Why was it created?
2. Under what circumstances was the information compiled?  
3. What system is used to organize or access the records?
4. What special language, symbols or abbreviations are used?
5. What problems might the user encounter?
6. Does it offer information beyond what is immediately apparent?  
7. Does it offer information that is suspect?  
8. What is the physical condition?
9. Are there other format options?  
10. What tools can librarians use to enhance the search for periodical
articles?  
11. What does the librarian need to know?

MODULE 6 
 
CITY DIRECTORIES  
1. Why were they created?  
2. Under what circumstances was the information gathered or compiled?
3. What system is used to organize and access data 
4. What special language, symbols or abbreviations are used?
5. What obstacles might users encounter?  
6. Does it offer information beyond what is immediately apparent?  
7. Does it offer information that is suspect?  
8. What is the physical condition?  
9. What other format options are available?  
10. What tools can librarians use to enhance the use of city directories? 
11. What does the librarian need to know?  

MODULE 7  
LAND OWNERSHIP ATLASES  
1. Why were they created?  
2. Under what circumstances was the information gathered or compiled?
3. What system is used to organize and access the data?  
4. What special language, abbreviations or symbols are used?  
5. What obstacles might users and librarians encounter?  
6. Does it contain information beyond what it immediately apparent?
7. Does it contain information that is suspect?  
8. What is the physical condition?  
9. Are other format options available?  
10. What tools can librarians use to enhance the use of land ownership maps?  
11. What does the librarian need to know?  

MODULE 8  
OBITUARY FILES & NEWSPAPER INDEXES  
1. Why were they created?  
2. Under what circumstances was the information gathered or compiled?
3. What system is used to organize and access the data?
4. What special language, abbreviations or symbols are used?  
5. What obstacles might users and librarians encounter?
6. Does it contain information beyond what it immediately apparent?
7. Does it contain information that is suspect?
8. What is the physical condition?  
9. Are other format options available?  
10. What tools can librarians use to enhance the use of newspapers? 
11. What does the librarian need to know?  

MODULE 9 
PRACTICUM

Course Content

MODULE 1
CREATING A COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY-PART I
The Overview and Parameters
Advantages
Elements of Collection Development Policies
Bounds or Parameters of the Collection

MODULE 2
CREATING A COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY-PART II
Describing and Evaluating the Collection
Collection Description
Evaluation
Analyzing existing collection strength and collection goals

MODULE 3
THE SELECTION PROCESS
Budget
Collection Profiles
Standards in the Field
Unnecessary Duplication of Information

MODULE 4
THE CORE COLLECTION-PART I
Standard Sources
Instructional Materials
Family Histories
Biographical Materials
Reference Guides
Encyclopedic Works
Historical, genealogical & foreign language dictionaries
Chronologies and General Histories
Geographic Dictionaries and Atlases
Guides to Other Repositories
Indexes
Bibliographies

MODULE 5
THE CORE COLLECTION-PART II
Local Collections
Local Records
Local Publications
Maps
Unique and Rare Materials

MODULE 6
BOOK SELECTION-PART I
Issues and Techniques for Collection Building
Classic Methods for Identifying Books & Publishers
New Ways to Locate and Acquire Books
Tracking Books in a Series
The Books Still Here

MODULE 7
BOOK SELECTION-PART II
Representative Titles
Abstracted Records
Ancestral Chart
Bibliographies
Directories
Encyclopedic Works
Family Histories
General Instructional Materials
Geographic Dictionaries and Atlases
Heraldry
Historical, Genealogical and Surname Dictionaries
Histories
Indexes
Libraries and Research Collections
Specialized Instructional Books and Reference Guides
Transcribed Records

MODULE 8
PERIODICALS
Genealogical periodicals fall into the following major categories
Librarians face a number of decisions and issues when selecting genealogical periodicals

MODULE 9
MICROFILM AND ELECTRONIC RECORDS
Electronic Records
CD-ROMs
Limitations of Subscription Databases
Electronic Evaluation