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Mary E. Brown, Ph.D., Professor
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Resources:
University Calendar |
ATTN: My advisees and My 680 students: |
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What you don't know has power over you; knowing it brings it under your control, and makes it subject to your choice. Ignorance makes real choice impossible. Abraham Maslow, 1963 |
Beyond obsessions, curiosity, and creativity, lies a host of motivations not to seek information. David Johnson, 1997 |
An introduction to work in archives and museums including basic theories and methodologies and to the application of archival and museum theory in the digital world.
Two events have impacted the field of Information and Library Science: merging of federal offices of and funding for museums and libraries, creating a joint mission "to grown and sustain a 'Nation of Learners' because life-long learning is essential to a democratic society and individual success;" and natural disasters that brought to the forefront the value of and the awareness of the under-attention to archives and records management, as well as the role of museums and libraries in sustaining local and national cultures. This course will expand student awareness and knowledge of work in other memory institution (archives and museums) and in how their learning in ILS' traditional library science program can be applied to entry-level professional positions in archives and museums.
An overview of the concepts and practices of information architecture (IA). Students will develop an understanding of the concepts of IA through reading the existing literature related to IA and will reinforce those concepts by building complex web sites for real organizations that reflect our best understanding of the organization's mission, processes, goals, clients, suppliers. Students will form IA teams, identify a clinet, and design and build a web presence for the client.
Web-based services are becoming more common among librareis, whether public, academic, school, or special. These websites are also getting larger and more complex. Users often cannot find the information they need on the website and webmasters are more challenged to effectively develop and maintain their growing and evolving sites. Information Architecture is a theory-based course that will provice an overview of the concepts and practices of informaiton architecture (IA) and also provide students the opportunity to develop practical skills related to information architecture, through application of the tgheories studied, to human-centered design of websites.
Information Architecture has application to a broad range of information services. For example, "...officials [at Pittsburg's Carnegie Library] brought in 'information architects' who examined how the library could be designed to meet the needs of the people who used it." See the full story (Jennifer C. Yates, "Carnegie Library Putting Customers First" Associated Press Oct. 7, 2004).
Principles and methods of evaluation and research are systemically reviewed. Major research undertakings are considered, as well as landmark studies. This is a capstone course that fulfills one of the requirements for th Master of Library Science degree.
The purpose of this course is to give the student 1) basic research skills so that they can conduct competent research and 2) an opportunity to make a contribution to the field based on the knowledge they have gained in their master's program.
Work in this course may be used to satisfy the university's Special Project requirement for a graduate degree.
Study of the techniques, management, and assessment of exhibit work, and theories supporting those techniques including exhibit and education theory.
This course will prepare librarians to curate and create exhibits in their libraries by teaching the basic background and skills needed for exhibit work including exhibit and education theory; kinds of purposes of, and theme of exhibits; exhibit budgets and other administrative aspects; exhibit design and development; exhibit prototyping and evaluation; accessibility; conservation; exhibit labels; exhibit fabrication; and publicity and programming for exhibits. Instruction will emphasize the practice of exhibit skills, relying on lectures only for a brief introduction of topics. Students will follow the exhibit process to design and develop an exhibit. In some cases, the exhibit will be able to be fabricated and possibly displayed by the end of the course; in the case of large or costly exhibits, concentration will be on the design and prototyping only
Students who prefer to live on campus during the January winter session or summer session can make arrangements through Southern's Department of Residence Life (1-203-292-5870 or -5869). The cost is approximately $165 for the week (room only).
NOTE: A public bus goes from the Southern's campus (near overpass) to The Green (Yale's main campus); from there it is a short walk to museums, galleries, libraries, restaurants, art centers.
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Other courses Dr. Brown has taught: Graduate: Evaluation and Research, Action Research, Information Seeking Behavior, Information Architecture, Introduction to Archival and Museum Work, Library Exhibits, Library Management, Library Personnel Management, Digital Libraries, Programming for Libraries, Abstracting and Indexing, Introduction to Information Science and Technology, Introduction to Librarianship, Science-Technology: Literature and Sources Undergraduate: Literature for Children, Use of Library sources, Introduction to Information Science, Media Production, Internet Resources and Management, Information Service Technology, Book Trade, Technical Services, Cognitive Psychology |
Photograph by Kathy Wilson June 2006 |
This site is maintained as a primary resource for students enrolled in Dr. Brown's courses. This website strives to create a tool that 1) will aid the student in successfully completing courses in which he/she is enrolled and 2) is informative, navigable, and attractive.
The best way to contact Dr. Brown is through email at Brownm6@SouthernCT.edu. The next best way to contact Dr. Brown is to call the department office at (203) 392-5781 or toll free at (888) 500-SCSU, then press 4.
Last Modified
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
