The New Academic Librarian

The new essays on today’s academic librarians examine above all their functions and responsibilities—since these have greatly changed just in recent years, especially in matters of technology. These librarians/essayists step away from yesterday’s stereotypes and explain at length their new roles. From digital resources and special collections, to web development and new outreach initiatives, the topics covered by the essays in this book will reassure new librarians and stimulate prospective librarians as they realize the enhanced and varied positions that are available in the 21st century academic library.

Providing perspectives of early- and mid-career librarians as well as highly seasoned professionals, this book offers leadership advice that will help academic librarians of all experience levels to surmount the issues they face and overcome new challenges. Academic libraries and librarianship have dramatically evolved in recent years—in everything from their collections and facilities to their relationships with faculty and internal and external partners. These changes demand different mindsets and new skills on the part of librarians. This book explains how the quality of leadership is the key component of successfully implementing innovative service and practices—and as a result, of the success of the library itself. To that end, it offers practical guidelines for implementing leadership principles and achieving success in this evolving culture. Coedited by a team of three highly experienced academic librarians, Leading in the New Academic Library gives actionable advice regarding subjects like helping staff gain new competencies, leading from the middle, and succession planning. The content also addresses hot topics such as the academic library's new role, the integration of IT into library organization and infrastructure, making data-driven decisions, renovating a library space to meet changing user needs, and collaborating with internal as well as external partners.

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.

Leading the 21st Century Academic Library: Successful Strategies for Envisioning and Realizing Preferred Futures will explore the new roles and directions academic libraries are taking in the 21st century as a consequence of visionary leadership in exploring diverse futures.

The role of academic librarian is far from cut-and-dried. There are numerous job classifications and widely varying academic focuses and cultures to contend with. While every academic librarian is expected to meet the research needs of an institution's faculty and students, many are expected to assume other obligations as part of a faculty or tenure system. Given the many variants, library school alone ccannot prepare individuals for every aspect and flavor of academic librarianship, and intrepid librarians who find themselves in new places and positions face unique challenges. The Successful Academic Librarian is an antidote to the stress and burnout that almost every academic librarian experiences at one time or another. In its pages, Gwen Meyer Gregory and nearly 20 of her peers take a practical approach to a range of critical topics. Their advice, war stories, tips, techniques, and inspiration will help you thrive in your academic library career. -- from back cover.

This book is needed now as a response to how much has changed in academic librarianship as a profession (from the smallest academic libraries to large research libraries). Topics covered include: state of the profession of librarianship today, status of librarians, how are librarians conducting research, and more.

Connection. Competition. Collaboration. These three words define management of college libraries, today and in the future. They also describe the contents of this book, which focus on planning for the multiple directions that college library managers must consider and act upon. Contributed chapters cover the challenges nearly all must face, such as understanding users, information literacy, staff alignment, and the integration of physical building and function. Some chapters contain studies and models that can be replicated at similar institutions. Others offer documentation that can be used in reports or presentations to administrators and boards. Together, they convey a plethora of good ideas for responding to customers, competitors, technologies, and stakeholders.

Here’s what you need to know to establish your library’s place in the new collaborative research arena by adapting existing library services and practices as well as adding new support services.