Academic libraries have come a long way since their early days. The days when the students and faculty who made up the university were of little consequence have gone. For many decades, the future of the university library has been closely connected with their associated students and faculty. University libraries across the world have strived to become hubs of research and socialization for their academic patrons, and for generations of students they have been. However, 21st century students have something previous generation did not have; a surge of rapidly changing technology which shapes and defines their social, personal, and academic lives. This emergence of fast paced and convenient technology has created a rift between many academic libraries and their patrons. Two papers by the OCLC membership and the New York University Libraries in conjunction with Katzenbach Partners LLC (KPL) have undergone the task of reporting how college students in the 21st century view their libraries and what they want in the library of the future.
A report prepared by New York University Libraries entitled NYU 21st Century Project: Designing a research library of the future for New York University was conducted by the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library using faculty and graduate student focus groups. The initial reason for the study was to determine how the library could improve their environment (both physically and intellectually) and improve services in the era of readily available access to research resources.
Through extensive literature review and focus groups consisting of faculty and graduate students selected with the assistance of university deans, the library was able to select several factors which would help support and nurture scholar...
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...he academic library community. Their role as leaders rely heavily on if they can implement the changes noted in their report and if they can continue to be a significant part of university life. While researching and acknowledging ways to efficiently service and enhance scholarship among their students and faculty is an admirable first step in meeting their goals, it is the long term implication of the research provided and the continual presence in the life of the university throughout the life of the library which will determine their role as leaders.
Works Cited
De Rosa, C. (2006). College students' perceptions of libraries and information resources: A report to the OCLC membership. Dublin, OH.
Marcus, C., Covert-Vail, L., & Mandel, C. A. (2007). NYU 21st century library project: Designing a research library of the futrue for New York University.
From my perspective as a library graduate student, however, my attention was drawn to the section titled "Library School is Revolting." This collection of essays explores questions such as "Are we really learning the practical skills necessary to be librarians, such as public relations and professional writing?" and "Is accreditation really a big deal?" While I felt fortunate that some of the not-so-subtle digs at library schools didn't really apply too heavily to SIRLS, some of it is familiar enough to make you laugh (or cry).
Sheih, C. S. (2009). A Qualitative Study of the Types and Characteristics of Difficult Patrons in University Libraries. Journal of Library and Information Science Research, 4(1), 99-132. ISSN 1990-9128
Learning can occur by design, through study or instruction, or unintentionally simply through experience (Driscoll, 2015). Capella University graduate programs build from the reflective-practitioner model to the practitioner-scholar methodology of learning. All U.S graduate degree programs are designed by faculty experts in their fields and involve advanced, focused study in a scholarly experience that goes beyond the bachelor’s degree. According to Gullahorn (2004), Students' active involvement in the learning and discovery process is promoted by faculty mentoring and frequent interaction between faculty and students as well as among students in structured and informal settings. Together, the faculty and students form a graduate community of scholars that enhances learning and discovery as well as personal growth and professional socialization (p. 204 – 207).
...ing scholarships, mentoring programs, and seminars for those who intend to become intellectual scholars. Many organizations also offer chances for current to become more visible and hold leadership positions.
The Leeds Scholars Program offers many academic benefits that I firmly believe will maximize the potential of any student. Because the Leeds Scholars Program is a rigorous process, the difference in my community of peers, the mentorship opportunities, and the specialized advising will essentially provide the proper guidance needed in order to fully succeed academically and professionally. For the reason that I have first hand experience, I have a strong belief that proper guidance is as valuable as the knowledge given in a classroom. Although I always saw myself as a scholar, coming from an underrepresented background I was always surrounded by pervasive situations. If it were not for the administration team at my high school mentoring me,
In a nutshell libraries exist to connect people with information. The purpose of this is to discuss similarities and differences between following libraries in terms of who they serve, collections held and what services are provided. All the information below are from their perspective websites.
...e pursuit of knowledge that thrived in the ancient library. The old library encouraged the public to debate, create and invent. The new library is carrying that legacy forward” (Mohsen Zahran).
...of Library and Information Sciences, Third Edition (pp. 1507–1517). Taylor & Francis. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1081/E-ELIS3-120043240
A library or information unit must have a dedicated plan on having an organized Collection Development Policy, represents the guideposts of all types of library institutions. Collection development is the process of planning, selecting, acquiring and evaluating the library collections’ convenience to print and electronic collection developments. Thus, it is essential to have a written collection development policy, a statement of general collection building principles with desalinating the purpose and content of a collection in terms of relevance and internal audiences (Clayton and Gorman 2007). Broadly, the international and local libraries have sketched written collection development policies which they are aware of its uses. Recently, the written policies consistently renewed with the rise of digital collections. However, the value of the written collection development plan shakes with the complexity of managing electronic resources, funding and time considerations, criticism on how it written and also its inflexibility. This essay will examine the arguments for having the advantages of the written collection development policy (CDP) and the issues evolve which against the latter.
Libraries are essential to a community especially in difficult times. Due to rising costs and job losses, patrons may have had to cut their own expenses such as buying books or cancelling their internet service. In order to continue to have access to these materials, patrons turn to their libraries. However, libraries are often the first to get cut in budget reforms. A library can survive a budget crisis by making cuts, fundraising, developing trust, and media exposure.
While the digital era emerged in the 1980’s, the practice of digitization has been around since the late 1990’s. Four North American institutions – The Smithsonian Institution, The Library Company of Philadelphia, Digital Public Library of America, & The Library of Congress – elected to develop their mission around the accessibility of their collections to all, by any means possible (Feigel, 2015, p. 5). As digital technology becomes more ubiquitous, museums need to incorporate the trend of digitization in order to sustain the interest of their
Despite the origins of metadata it has become common in the majority of academic libraries to apply metadata practices while cataloging electronic and digital resources. A study conducted by Laurie Lopatin on the metadata behaviors of academic and non-academic libraries showed that a 38% majority of academic libraries have been using metadata as part of their daily workflow for five to eight years while some academic libraries have been participating in metadata practices for as long as seventeen to twenty years.
Dilevko, J., & Gottlieb, L. (2002, November). Print sources in an electronic age: A vital part of the research process for undergraduate students. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 28(6), 381. Retrieved July 18, 2006, from the Academic Search Premier database. (AN: 8735647).
The Library Commons at Olathe Northwest is a natural extension of the secondary library’s traditional mission in a digital world. My library offers a wide range of elements to foster student learning in new and creative ways. My goal is that this space fits the need of every student. Students who need to complete an assigned task that calls for collaboration can meet in the library and plan, discuss and complete their assignment. At the same time other students can be searching for a great book or looking online for sports scores or prom dresses. The forty computers in the library offer access for any student who walks in the door. And just in case more computers are needed, a wireless laptop can be called into service.
Booth, Mal, Sally Schofield, and Belinda Tiffen. "Change And Our Future At Uts Library: It's Not Just About Technology." Australian Academic & Research Libraries 43.1 (2012): 32-45. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts. Web. 13 Sept. 2012.