2001 Final Exams Questions

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April 6, 2001

1. A recent syndicated newspaper column titled "Librarians wrong to oppose bills blocking children's access to porn", that opposed the ALA's participation in efforts challenging Federal laws to deny funding to libraries without filtering software in place, the columnist stated that "... librarians are teaming up to give kids access to porno on the Internet in the name of free speech...". They went on to give the argument that "if a child walked into an elementary school carrying a copy of Hustler, he would be disciplined, and the First Amendment would not be compromised". As a new professional, how would you respond to these arguments in favor of filters? Do you consider the example of the elementary school student particularly compelling in relation to the mission of public libraries? Consider how you would represent the position of ALA in the context of the profession's historical commitment to intellectual freedom, the technical/practical limitations of the technology, ! and possible differences in the mission of public, school, and academic libraries. 

2. Many associations have developed guidelines identifying important professional competencies such as SLA's Competencies for the 21st Century. One competency often identified relates to the ability to understand, use, and teach others about appropriate information technology to acquire, organize and disseminate information. From the perspective of a type of library of your choice, discuss in terms of practical examples what some of these important information technologies are in libraries as well as the knowledge and skills you believe you need to address the use and development of these technologies. 

3. Digital Reference Service (also called Virtual Reference Service or AskA Expert Service) represents an important recent development in library and information services. Describe the basic characteristics of Digital Reference Service, and discuss four important issues related to the implementation of Digital Reference Services by libraries. 

4. From the perspective of a type of library of your choice, identify three important staffing issues that are facing libraries and information agencies. Discuss why these challenges exist and possible approaches to addressing them. 

5. There is no doubt that the Internet makes information of all types more readily available to the general public. From the perspective of a type of library or information agency, discuss the likely evolving relationship between libraries and the Internet over the next decade. 

July 13, 2001

1. The library profession has generally concluded that mechanisms need to be developed that will provide better access to information on the Internet. Identify and discuss one or more existing metadata formats, how they are structured, their intended use by libraries, and how they differ from traditional bibliographic control methods in libraries. 

2. Explain what is meant by “outsourcing”. Provide examples of outsourcing by libraries and information agencies; set forth reasons for outsourcing; state whether or not you believe outsourcing is a good or bad resourcing tool; and develop the argument for the position you take. 

3. You have been given the task of developing an assessment mechanism that will provide you with information on the effectiveness of your agency in meeting the needs of your users. From the perspective of a type of library or information agency, identify the outcomes you would include as the best indicators of effectiveness. Describe how you would involve internal and external constituencies and how you would utilize the results in improving services. 

4. Trace the development of computer-based information storage and retrieval systems from approximately 1980 to date, highlighting 3 or 4 major developments that have greatly changed how libraries users search for and acquire needed information. 

5. Describe in detail the concept of “information literacy." Then, from the perspective of a type of library or information agency, explain the implications of information literacy for such libraries, including concrete examples of what librarians might do to positively impact information literacy for certain user populations. 

November 16, 2001
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. From the perspective of library type of your choice (e.g., school, public, academic, or special) identify an important user group that the library serves. Characterize or describe the most important information needs of your selected user group. Discuss several important problems or issues that serving the information needs of your selected users presents to the library.

2. Effective searching is directly dependent upon the type and quality of indexing. Discuss how the types of indexes and aspects of indexing contribute directly to the effective retrieval of information.

3. Several information-related professional associations have developed codes of ethics (e.g., American Library Assn., American Society for Information Science and Technology, Medical Library Assn., American Assn. Of Law Librarians, etc.) Identify and describe four important ethical issues that face the information professions. From the perspective of a type of library (e.g., school, public, academic or special), discuss how these issues affect the effective delivery of information services.

4. Historically, almost all libraries have used bureaucratic principles to structure and organize their work. Discuss how, in light of the views of modern management experts, libraries need to change their bureaucratic structures in order to make themselves more efficient and effective service organizations.

5. For more than a hundred years reference service has been a core information service in all types of libraries and information agencies. Describe several important problems and issues currently facing reference service and discuss how the service is likely to develop over the next decade.