This book advances the belief that the library--more than any other cultural institution--collects, curates and distributes the results of human thought. Essays broaden the debate about academic libraries beyond only professional circles, promoting the library as a vital resource for the whole of higher education. Topics range from library histories to explorations of changing media. Essayists connect modern libraries to the remarkable dream of Alexandria's ancient library--facilitating groundbreaking research in every imaginable field of human interest, past, present and future. Academic librarians who are most familiar with historical traditions are best qualified to promote the library as an important aspect of teaching and learning, as well as to develop resources that will enlighten future generations of readers. The intellectual tools for compelling, constructive conversation come from the narrative of the library in its many iterations, from the largest research university to the smallest liberal arts or community college.

The National Information Infrastructure will bring information to the doorstep of every household. Librarianship must respond to this development through the National Electronic Library. Librarianship as a profession must set the information agenda if it is to be a viable and influential entity in the electronic environment. Traditional library services are being redefined by technology, and the concept of the National Electronic Library must combine the roles of the academic institution, public enterprise, and library education. This professional reference is a guide to assist librarians in planning for the future. The volume maintains that the growing electronic environment is driving a cultural transformation in which libraries must examine and understand what libraries have been, what they are, and what they need to be. Libraries need to participate actively in this transformation in order to remain the central providers of information and related services. The book explores the National Electronic Library as a concept and formal organization. Library services, collections, and the physical facility are examined in terms of present and future needs based on the rapidly changing electronic environment, and the volume relates the future management of information to administrative structures, constituencies, public and technical services, collection development, education, and strategic planning.

Intended for use by both librarians and students in LIS programs, Academic Librarianship Today is the most current, comprehensive overview of the field available today. Key features include: Each chapter was commissioned specifically for this new book, and the authors are highly regarded academic librarians or library school faculty— or both Cutting-edge topics such as open access, copyright, digital curation and preservation, emerging technologies, new roles for academic librarians, cooperative collection development and resource sharing, and patron-driven acquisitions are explored in depth Each chapter ends with thought-provoking questions for discussion and carefully constructed assignments that faculty can assign or adapt for their courses The book begins with Gilman’s introduction, an overview that briefly synthesizes the contents of the contributors’ chapters by highlighting major themes. The main part of the book is organized into three parts: The Academic Library Landscape Today, Academic Librarians and Services Today, and Changing Priorities, New Directions.

Education and training for the library profession have changed over the decades, and this publication looks both at the past and the future of these developments at schools of library and information science as well as the role of IFLA's Section on Education and Training. The chapters cover regional developments in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas; special topics, such as quality assurance and case studies; and future considerations in LIS education.

This third edition of Information Services Today: An Introduction demonstrates the ever-changing landscape of information services today and the need to re-evaluate curriculum, competency training, professional development, and lifelong learning in order to stay abreast of current trends and issues, and more significantly, remain competent to address the changing user needs of information communities. Specifically, the Information Services Today: An Introduction: provides a thorough introduction, history, and overall state of the field, explores different types of information communities, the varying information needs within those communities, and the role of equity of access, diversity, inclusion, and social justice in those communities, addresses why information organizations and information and technological literacy are more important today than ever before, discusses how technology has influenced the ways that information professionals provide information resources and services in today’s digital environment, highlights current issues and trends and provides expert insight into emerging challenges, innovations, and opportunities for the future, and identifies career management strategies and leadership opportunities in the information professions. The new edition features chapter updates to address changes in information services, introducing new/updated topics such as emergency/crisis management/community resilience, sustainability, data analysis and visualization, social justice, and equity of access, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Information Services Today: An Introduction begins with an overview of libraries and their transformation as information and technological hubs within their local and digital communities, as well as trends impacting the information field. Information Services Today: An Introduction covers the various specializations within the field – emphasizing the exciting yet complex roles and opportunities for information professionals in a variety of information environments. With that foundation in place, it presents the fundamentals of information services, delves into management skills needed by information professionals today, and explores emerging issues related to the rapid development of new technologies. Information Services Today: An Introduction addresses how libraries and information centers serve different kinds of communities, highlighting the unique needs of increasingly diverse users. Information Services Today: An Introduction provokes discussion, critical thinking, and interaction to facilitate the learning process. The content and supplemental materials – discussion questions, rich sets of online accessible materials, multimedia webcast interviews featuring authors from this book discussing the trends and issues in their respective areas, and chapter presentation slides for use by instructors – give readers the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of and engagement with the topics.

Academic libraries are facing uncertain times. The international higher education environment is very volatile and academic libraries and librarians can play a major role in helping to strategically position their parent institution within it. In doing so, there needs to be clarity as to what the position of the academic library is with regard to the role and function it has within the university and how library leadership can have pan-institutional influence and impact. There are several ways in which the academic library can position itself and this collection demonstrates many of these. Strategic alignment with the university and its mission is a fundamental part of successful positioning, as is being flexible, adaptable and responsive to changing needs, requirements and expectations. Developments in research support and scholarly communications, as well as super-convergences with other academic support departments, are examples of such responsiveness. These topics along with other emerging themes, such as library functions and institutional partnerships and collaborations, are all discussed in the book and provide the reader with a rich variety of reflections and case studies on how academic libraries, from across the globe, have addressed their position within their institution. This book was originally published as a special issue of the journal New Review of Academic Librarianship.

Moving beyond simplistic equipment lists, this book provides contextual and practical information to help academic library personnel learn how to plan, collaborate, and sustain relevant makerspaces positioned within the broader ecology of campus innovation. The makerspace movement within academic libraries has largely focused on providing space and equipment for making. Academic libraries, however, have a unique opportunity to push beyond the 3D printer to create makerspaces that complement the broader ecology of innovation happening on campus. Intended for academic library personnel, this book is for those seeking guidance on how to establish a makerspace that is more than an equipment room. Katy Mathuews and Daniel Harper provide important context for the maker movement, a review of the process of making, and an overview of the various types of makerspaces, including the hub-and-spoke model, the centralized model, and the mobile makerspace. Additionally, the book provides practical steps to consider, including situating the academic library makerspace within the campus environment, creating valuable collaborations on campus, finding innovative ways to support the entire making process, programming, curriculum planning, and sustaining daily operations such as staffing, funding, and public service.

The amount of religious and theological material available on the Internet is enormous and can be daunting. Are you finding the information you need? This valuable book will assist theological librarians, instructors, researchers, and others in making sense of the vast amounts of religious and theological information available today on the Internet. It provides a general overview of what's out there and specific examples that you can access as you read. Beginning with a thorough discussion of information technology and theological libraries, Theological Librarians and the Internet: Implications for Practice compares and contrasts the state of the field in 1990 with the situation that theological librarians face today. Then you'll learn how theological libraries are beginning to utilize Web catalogs to improve access to their unique collections and how the major gateways to these catalogs can be accessed. This unique book also provides you with predictions for the future of Web OPACs. Theological Librarians and the Internet is filled with information on: electronic journals in religious studies Web-based online catalogs in theological libraries theological distance education Christian art on the Internet homiletics and liturgy on the Internet Web site design a Web-based tutorial on Judaism Theological Librarians and the Internet will familiarize you with the creation and structure of the Wabash Center Guide to Internet Resources in Religion. It will also instruct you in using the Internet in religious studies courses and show you how to design a user-friendly Web site for your library so that all of your patrons can navigate it efficiently. No one interested in finding religious information on the Web should be without this volume!

Survey of academic libraries, chiefly in the United States and Canada, on their use of classroom response systems (clickers); whiteboards, tablets, and other presentation aids; internet technologies such as instant messaging, blogs, wikis, podcasting, photo sharing, online simulations/tutorials, virtual classroom/reality software, virtual reference software, and course management systems; instructional budgets; instructional computer labs; and instructional furniture.