Academic libraries in institutions of higher learning. Strategic issues and trends, including scholarly communication; publishing, funding and access models; and evolving technologies. User populations, their needs and information-seeking behaviour. Impact of digital resources on collections, access, services and instruction. The academic librarian as information specialist, educator; scholar and leader.
Program Content Areas
Managing and Working in Information Organizations
- To explore strategic issues, trends, challenges and opportunities for the academic library of today and tomorrow.
- To consider the institutional setting and the needs of various user populations within the academic community.
- To examine the role of the academic librarian as an information specialist, scholar, educator and leader.
Relationship to the Goals and Objectives of the MLIS Program
Students who complete this course will be able to:
Goals and Objectives of the MLIS Program
- respond to change in an open and flexible way, based on a thorough understanding of the academic environment and culture (from Goal 2, Obj. 1b);
- identify the needs of users within the academic community and develop appropriate collections and services to meet these needs (from Goal 2, Obj. 1h);
- employ relevant technologies within academic libraries (from Goal 2, Obj. 1i);
- communicate and work cooperatively and effectively with users, colleagues, employers and other members of the academic community (from Goal 2, Obj. 1j);
- apply contemporary management principles to the academic library setting (from Goal 2, Obj. 1f).
Sample Content (for information only)
The contemporary university and college. The library in its institutional context.
Scholarly communication and publishing. The role of libraries and librarians in scholarly communication. Publishing, access and funding models.
Collection development in academic libraries in an increasingly digital world. Just-in-time, just-in-case and just-for-you models. Resource sharing, document delivery, consortia, e-resources.
Information literacy competencies, standards, performance indicators and outcomes. Instructional design and pedagogical considerations for information literacy programs.
Reference services - traditional and electronic.
Planning and budgeting in an academic environment.
The role of technology. Current and emerging technologies.
The college library, its user populations and services.
Faculty status for librarians.
Performance measures and indicators.
Information seeking behaviour of students and researchers.
Marketing the library within the institution.
The academic library of the future.
Profiles of academic librarians. Academic librarian as information specialist, scholar, educator and leader.
Association of College and Research Libraries. (2010). Value of Academic Libraries: A Comprehensive Research Review and Report. http://www.acrl.ala.org/value/
Association of Research Libraries. (2010). The ARL 2030 Scenarios: A User’s Guide for Research Libraries. http://www.arl.org/bm~doc/arl-2030-scenarios-users-guide.pdf
Council on Library and Information Resources. (2008). No Brief Candle: Reconceiving Research Libraries for the 21st Century. http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub142/pub142.pdf
ITHAKA. (2010). Faculty Survey 2009: Key Strategic Insights for Libraries, Publishers, and Societies. http://www.ithaka.org/ithaka-s-r/research/faculty-surveys-2000-2009/faculty-survey-2009