2000 Final Exams Questions

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April 7, 2000

ANSWER THREE OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, ALLOWING UP TO 60 MINUITES FOR EACH. ANSWER EACH ONE IN A SEPARTE EXAM BOOKLET WITH THE QUESTION'S NUMBER ON THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE EXAM BOOKLET. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON THE EXAM BOOKLET ITSELF.

1. The use of controlled vocabularies for searching bibliographic databases is best employed by those most familiar with such vocabularies and the indexing processes wherein they are employed. However, most users (that is non-information professionals) might struggle with, or otherwise misuse, such language systems. Discuss the pros and cons of using controlled vocabularies for online searching and provide your thoughts on what can be done to reconcile the desire of individuals to use a language more comfortable to them (i.e. natural language) with the qualities offered through controlled terminologies.

2. In July of 1999, the ALA president appointed a Core Values Task Force to articulate principles that "guide all types of librarians and information professionals." The Task Force cited the Library Bill of Rights, the ALA Code of Ethics, and Libraries: An American Values as policy statements that address these values. Identify and discuss four important foundations of the practice of librarianship that these items address.

3. A major theme in contemporary management is that of "customer orientation." That is, the client's needs should be the primary determinant in decisions to allocate resources or change procedures. What changes do libraries and information agencies need to adopt in order to focus their operations and information services more directly on the client?

4. Computer and information technology has transformed the business of libraries and the role of librarians. Identify what you think are the four most important computer, networking, or information technology developments in the last 20 years or so in terms of the impact each has had on libraries. From the perspective of a library type of your choice, describe and discuss the introduction of each of the four developments you have identified, the challenges and opportunities they have presented and where you think that technology will lead libraries in the future.

5. You have been given the assignment to develop a strategic plan for a library that has never has one. First define strategic planning and then describe both the process for developing the plan and the general content of it.

July 14, 2000

ANSWER THREE OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, EACH IN A SEPARATE EXAM BOOKLET. PLACE THE QUESTION'S NUMBER ON THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE EXAM BOOKLET. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON THE EXAM BOOKLET ITSELF.

1. Many librarians consider the development of a society that is information literate to be an important national goal. What does the information profession mean by the term "information literate"? What kinds of things could libraries and librarians do to contribute to the accomplishment of this goal?

2. Describe three or four important developments that have occurred over the last thirty years or so (either inside or outside of libraries) and discuss how these developments have significantly impacted the way in which all types of libraries are managed.

3. Reference service has been a primary information service of libraries for more than a century, and it is likely that reference service will continue to be an important service for libraries for many years into the future. What is reference service? Discuss the basic knowledge and skills that information professionals need to possess in order to provide their clients with effective, high quality, reference service.

4. With the availability of enormous amounts of information on the web, many metadata schemes, including AACR2R and several newly emerged standards, have been used to describe and organize web resources for effective and efficient access. What is metadata? Discuss different strategies for using metadata to organize and retrieve Internet data.

5. It is clear that access to digital resources is not equally available to all members of society. What have libraries done to address this equity issue? What other steps are needed to further ensure that there is greater equity of access to digital information?

November 17, 2000

1. Both Congress and the legislatures of many states have considered bills that would require school and/or public libraries to install Internet filtering software or risk the loss of certain funding. Several organizations including ALA and the ACLU have opposed such measures. Discuss the issue of Internet filtering in terms of the 1) technological, 2) legal, 3) social, and 4) professional aspects.

2. While libraries typically provide some fee-based services - e.g. on-line searching of data bases, photocopying - the profession has typically taken a stand against direct charging for library services. Why are many librarians and professional associations reluctant to assess fees for services? Provide several compelling arguments that are usually made for & against library service fees.

3. In an environment of increased demand for accountability, more than ever libraries and information organizations must be able to: 1) clearly define and justify the products and services they provide; 2) demonstrate that the services are having intended impacts; and 3) assure quality and value to the clients. In meeting this challenge, close attention to assessment is required. From the perspective of a library or information agency type of your choice, discuss how you might assess library services that will justify the organization's claim on human, fiscal, and other resources.

4. Over the past century, library and information professionals have developed elaborate methods for information storage and bibliographic control - describing and providing access to resources. Discuss the extent to which the traditional approach to organizing resources is applicable to organizing information in the electronic environment.

5. Reference service has been a cornerstone of library services for all types of information organizations for more than 100 years, with the reference interview as a central part. What is the reference interview and why does the profession consider it so important? Describe what the information professional tries to accomplish through the reference interview, and discuss the kinds of information about the client and his/her information need that the information professional typically seeks to acquire through the process.