Students will gain an overview of the historical context, scope, and organization of the profession and the concepts and problems which define librarianship and information science as a field of study;pointers to some of the professional literature and jargon; and an introduction to the Rutgers MLS program and faculty.

Organization of the Course

1. Due to time constraints, only some of the topics below will be covered by faculty during the fall orientation. The faculty presentations will not be repeated for students entering in January. Much of the material listed below, however, is contained either in the School's catalog or in the course packet
2. Who we are -- Profile of the entering class; Rutgers, SCILS, Library and Information Studies Department; goals of the MLS program.
3. What we study and why -- domains of librarianship and information science; the knowledge base and how it is built.
4. The profession -- definition and profile; historical context; professional organizations; standards, certification,tenets and codes; career paths and professional development.
5. Tools of the trade -- glossaries, yearbooks, and other basic reference aids; journals and indexes; annual reviews.
6. Recurring issues and problems -- social function; economics; information policy; effectiveness; values and ethics.
7. Graduate study at Rutgers -- curriculum; academic standards; style manuals; advising; student participation in governance; student associations; Rutgers and New Brunswick.

Major Assignments

Students will be expected to attend the orientation, to read the course packet before orientation, and to retain the packet for future reference. At the completion of the orientation, they will write a brief reaction to one or more of the presentations(or to the course packet), highlighting new insights or raising questions they will wish to pursue during the course of their studies.

Methods of Assessment

Since no credit is granted, students will receive a "Pass" on the basis of attendance and completion of the brief reaction paper. The usefulness of this introduction will be evaluated periodically by means of brief feedback surveys.