R. David Lankes (with contributions from Wendy Newman, Sue Kowalski, Beck Tench, and Cheryl Gould). The New Librarianship Field Guide . Cambridge, Mass.; London, England: MIT Press, 2016. 226p. Paper, $22 (ISBN 978262529082). LC 2015-39943 (original) (raw)

Thirty trends shaping the future of academic libraries

Learned Publishing, 2013

This collection of observations, insights, and strategies summarizes the fi ndings from the Education Advisory Board's 2011 research initiative, 'Redefi ning the Academic Library: Managing the Migration to Digital Information Services', which was conducted on behalf of its membership of over 200 provosts and vice-presidents for academic affairs at institutions across North America. The full report is freely accessible at http://www.educationadvisoryboard. com/pdf/23634-EAB-Redefi ning-the-Academic-Library.pdf Transformational change in the information landscape While predictions of radical change in library and information services are by no means new, a confl uence of shifts in technology, changing

The Role of Libraries in a Changing Academic Environment

1999

This paper traces the roots of higher education from Ancient Greece to the first universities in European countries where the idea of upper education became centered on the interactive dialogue between a teacher and student. The report discusses the role of the university library today in an age of ever-developing technologies and ever-increasing information sources. The paper suggests that the classic mission and function of libraries--to provide students and staff with information they need--has not changed, but the scope and techniques to fulfill this function have broadened. Discussion then moves to the concept of flexible delivery of services; changing roles of library staff; and the value of librarians in working in course development teams. The new skill base that will be needed by the staff of the digital library is then described, and characteristics of the information professional of the 21st century (based on a pre-conference seminary of the 1997 European Business Information Conference) are summarized. (AEF)

After the Fireworks: Opportunities and Directions for University Libraries

2000

This paper discusses developments in information and communications technologies and their impact on university libraries. Topics addressed include: (1) background, including the Information Revolution, the Knowledge Economy, implications for education and information services, and responses to the challenges of globalization; (2) university libraries, including the role of libraries; (3) challenges of electronic information, including the shift to electronic publications and the creation of appropriate information architectures; (4) information skills, including provision of comprehensive and up-to-date training; (5) pedagogical change, including the dialog between teachers and librarians; (6) research, including provision of access to scholarly information and relevant data; (7) intellectual property, including policy and legislation, the ownership and use of copyrighted material, and the implications of the trend toward licensing; (8) infrastructure, including the implementation of increasingly integrated information resource access systems and adoption of knowledge management; and (9) technological university libraries. (MES) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Exploring the future of academic libraries

The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 2009

The central argument of the article is that while the building, the collection and the staff were inseparably linked, in a digital environment these facets of the library are diverging. This divergence clouds the process of envisioning a future for the library, but, if properly defined, it is a source of clarity, which sheds light on strategic opportunities.

Book Review: The Heart of Librarianship: Attentive, Positive, and Purposeful Change

Reference & User Services Quarterly, 2017

1-4422-6444-1). Today's librarians appear to be at a crossroads, offering traditional library services (such as reference) alongside digital library services, with some services overlapping the two areas. Change in the library profession occurs at a rapid pace in the twenty-first century, so how do librarians (particularly academic librarians) embrace this change successfully to serve their users effectively? And what technological changes can academic librarians expect in the next few years? Jeffrey G. Coghill and Roger G. Russell, librarians at East Carolina University, answer these questions in Developing Librarian Competencies for the Digital Age, a useful volume that identifies and provides assessments for librarian competencies in the digital age. Beginning with a short history of the library profession and its response to changing technologies, the editors (and their contributors) address how technologies have changed library skills in areas such as reference, information technology, library marketing, and library management, and they discuss specific skill sets that academic librarians will need to confront technological change in their libraries. One interesting chapter deals with online and distance-education students, addressing how librarians can best assist them and what potential trends and outcomes librarians can expect from this growing education area. Each chapter contains extensive references, and the book includes the contributors' contact information. Change is inevitable in any organization, and Developing Librarian Competencies for the Digital Age is a well-organized, content-rich book that gives academic librarians the necessary tools to adapt to technological changes to serve their patrons effectively. Highly recommended.