Introduction to Library and Information Work
- Education
- 100 level
- 2 credit units
- 148 pages
- 19 units
This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of library and information work. It explores the historical development of information transfer, from ancient times to the information age. Key topics include the origin of man, intellectual history, types of libraries, information institutions, and the role of information workers. The course aims to equip students with a foundational understanding of information management and its significance in education and society.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Study hours
- 60 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of LIS103, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
- UNIT 1: IMPORTANCE OF LIBRARY/INFORMATION CENTRES IN LEARNING PROCESS AND PROFESSIONAL QUALITY OF INFORMATION WORKERPage 87
- UNIT 2: TYPES OF LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION CENTREPage 99
- UNIT 3: SOCIAL ISSUES RELATING TO LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION CENTRESPage 119
- UNIT 4: INFORMATION WORKER, INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONSPage 128
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
LIS103 · UNIT 1: LIBRARY
Each unit consists of table of contents, introduction, learning outcomes, main content summary, possible answers to self-assessment exercises as well as references/further studies/web resources. There are activities at every point that will assist you in achieving the stated objectives of the individual units of this course.
What you should be able to do
- Define key concepts in library and information science
- Describe the historical development of information transfer
- Identify different types of libraries and their functions
- Explain the role of information institutions and organizations
- Discuss the impact of technology on information dissemination
What it prepares you for
- Librarian
- Information Officer
- Archivist
- Information Manager
- Data Curator
- Education
- Government
- Research
- Non-profit
- Corporate
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2: The Background of Human Intelligence
Unit 1: Intellectual History and Philosophy
Understanding the nuances of different philosophical viewpoints requires careful analysis and critical thinking.
- Module 3: History, Foundation And Development Of Information
Unit 4 The Enlightenment Era/ Age of Reasoning
Requires synthesizing information from various historical periods and understanding their impact on modern information transfer.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 30 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Fundamental Concepts
Unit 1: Library · 2 hours
Read the definition of library and its evolution.. Identify different forms of libraries and their functions.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 2Module 1: Fundamental Concepts
Unit 2: The Origin of Man · 2 hours
Discuss the origin of man and the development of early human societies.. Analyze the archeological evidence of early human life.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 3Module 1: Fundamental Concepts
Unit 3: History of Information Creation · 2 hours
Examine the history of information creation from early ages to the invention of the printing press.. Define information transfer and its significance.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 4Module 1: Fundamental Concepts
Unit 4: Development of Tools and Language · 2 hours
Analyze the development of tools and language in early human history.. Discuss the significance of language in human coordination and learning.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 5Module 2: The Background of Human Intelligence
Unit 1: Intellectual History and Philosophy · 2 hours
Discuss the resemblance of Intellectual history and philosophy.. Evaluate the six methodological debates on intellectual history.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 6Module 2: The Background of Human Intelligence
Unit 2: Intellectual History · 2 hours
Discuss intellectual history and its types.. Evaluate the types of intellectual history.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 7Module 2: The Background of Human Intelligence
Unit 3: Human Intelligence · 2 hours
Analyze the concept of intelligence and its types.. Discuss factors that make intelligence differ.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 8Module 3: History, Foundation And Development Of Information
Unit 1: Ancient Period · 2 hours
Discuss information transfer in the ancient period.. Examine the stages of information transfer in ancient Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 9Module 3: History, Foundation And Development Of Information
Unit 2 The Middle or Medieval Period · 2 hours
Discuss information transfer in the medieval era.. Analyze the characteristics of the medieval era.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 10Module 3: History, Foundation And Development Of Information
Unit 3 The Renaissance Period · 2 hours
Discuss the Renaissance era and its characteristics.. Analyze information transfer during the Renaissance period.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 11Module 3: History, Foundation And Development Of Information
Unit 4 The Enlightenment Era/ Age of Reasoning · 2 hours
Analyze the Enlightenment era and the Age of Reasoning.. Evaluate the contributions of early philosophers to the Age of Reason.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 12Module 4: The Information Age and Information Society
Unit 1 Information Age · 2 hours
Discuss the concept of the Information Age.. Analyze the contributions of the Information Age to various segments of society.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
Unit 2 Information Society; Origin, Cause and Characteristics · 2 hours
Evaluate the origin and causes of the Information Society.. Analyze the characteristics of the Information Society.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
- Week 13Module 4: The Information Age and Information Society
Unit 3 Information networking · 2 hours
Discuss the history of information networking.. Analyze the needs and objectives of information networking.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
Unit 4 Information transfer and the role professional bodies/association · 2 hours
Discuss the role of various professional associations in the transfer of information.. Identify different types of professional associations.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..
Preparing for the exam
- Review all module introductions and summaries to reinforce key concepts
- Create timelines of historical periods discussed in Modules 1-3
- Focus on definitions and characteristics of different library types (Module 5)
- Practice answering essay questions on the role of information in society (Module 4)
- Prepare a glossary of key terms and concepts from each unit
Questions students ask about this course
What is LIS103 about?
This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of library and information work. It explores the historical development of information transfer, from ancient times to the information age. Key topics include the origin of man, intellectual history, types of libraries, information institutions, and the role of information workers. The course aims to equip students with a foundational understanding of information management and its significance in education and society.
How many units does LIS103 have?
LIS103, Introduction to Library and Information Work, has 19 units across 5 modules, over 148 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is LIS103?
LIS103 carries 2 credit units, at 100 level in Education.
Is LIS103 hard?
LIS103 is rated beginner level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical work.
How long does LIS103 take to study?
About 60 hours of study, spread across its 19 units.
How is LIS103 assessed?
LIS103 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with LIS103?
Librarian, Information Officer, Archivist, Information Manager and Data Curator.