School of Information Management & Systems
 Previously School of Library & Information Studies

 296a-1 Seminar: Information Access. Fall 2005.
 3 units. CCN# 42799. Fridays 3-5. 107 South Hall.

 Instructors: Ray Larson, Clifford Lynch and Michael Buckland.   buckland@sims.berkeley.edu   (510) 642 3159.

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Schedule.   Summaries of presentations.
The seminar explores selected advanced topics relating to "digital libraries" with special emphasis on:
- Access to networked resources
- Use of two or more resources in conjunction
- Combined use of two or more retrieval systems (e.g. use of pre- or post-processing to enhance the capabilities)
- The redesign of library services.
Also it is expected that these issues will require attention to a number of questions about the nature of information retrieval processes, the feasibility of not-yet-conventional techniques, techniques of making different systems work together, social impact, and the reconsideration of past practices. More generally, the seminar is intended to provide a forum for advanced students in the School. Anyone interested in these topics is welcome to join in -- and to talk about their own work. Registration on a Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory basis is recommended. Prerequisite for course credit: Consent of instructor for non-SIMS students.
    Students' Past Topics.
    Anyone interested in these topics is welcome to attend whether a student or not. To receive weekly email announcement send message subscribe friday to majordomo@sims.berkeley.edu. This is a continuation of the previous Larson / Lynch / Buckland seminars. e.g. Spring 2005 schedule.

Taking the Seminar for Credit.
    Students wishing to receive credit for the Seminar ordinarily do so for 3 units. These means that they must undertake an additional seven hours of work per week as well as participating in the seminar meetings. In the past students have undertaken preliminary designs for dissertations or MIMS Final Projects, but other options are possible. It could be an investigation of some topic relevant to the Seminar but not easily available elsewhere, or an opportunity to conduct some other small project separate from the intended dissertation of Final Project.
    The advantage to doing work within the Seminar instead of as 299 Individual Study is that there is a supportive group of seminar participants who usually have helpful suggestions.
    Students wishing to register for credit must submit a brief proposal to both instructors review and approval. At the end of the Semester they are be scheduled for each student to present what they have done or found – and some kind of written summary as evidence their work. During the semester they will be called upon at intervals to give brief progress reports. Students are encouraged to register for a Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory grade.
    Topics have varied widely. To see what kind of projects students have undertaken in the past, look at the Students' Topic in Previous Semesters or at the "Summary" pages of past semesters, where they are indicated with an asterisk (*).