Reflecting on the Future of Academic and Public Libraries
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 23. April 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
248 pages
978-1-85604-948-1 (ISBN)
Description
Academic and public libraries are much different today than they were even 15 years ago. And with even bigger changes on the horizon, what lies in store? In this systematic attempt to speak to academic and public librarians about the future of library services, Hernon and Matthews invite a raft of contributors to step back and envision the type of future library that will generate excitement and enthusiasm among users and stakeholders. Anyone interested in the future of libraries, especially library managers, will be engaged and stimulated as the contributors:
Examine the current state of the library, summarizing existing literature on the topic to sketch in historical background
Project into the future, using SWOT analysis, environmental scans, and other techniques to posit how library infrastructure (such as staff, collections, technology, and facilities) can adapt in the decades ahead
Construct potential scenarios that library leaders can use to forge paths for their own institutions.
The collection of knowledge and practical wisdom in this book will help academic and public libraries find ways to honour their missions while planning for the broader institutional changes already underway.
Readership: Library managers, academic and public librarians, LIS students and academics and anyone interested in the future of libraries.
Examine the current state of the library, summarizing existing literature on the topic to sketch in historical background
Project into the future, using SWOT analysis, environmental scans, and other techniques to posit how library infrastructure (such as staff, collections, technology, and facilities) can adapt in the decades ahead
Construct potential scenarios that library leaders can use to forge paths for their own institutions.
The collection of knowledge and practical wisdom in this book will help academic and public libraries find ways to honour their missions while planning for the broader institutional changes already underway.
Readership: Library managers, academic and public librarians, LIS students and academics and anyone interested in the future of libraries.
Reviews / Votes
This book is a great resource for library managers and for students of librarianship. The Internet really has changed everything. Google, Google Scholar and Wikipedia have changed peoples expectations about where information can be found along with their ability to find it for themselves. Facebook and Twitter are also self-help and have fundamentally altered the flow of information between people, especially young people. With libraries out of the loop, the survival of our species requires that we change them, restore their relevance and put them back in. This book is a handbook for that task; a hitchhikers guide to our galaxy. As a bonus, there is an 18-page double-column comprehensive index to ensure that the content of Reflecting on the Future will not be lost to the past. Hernon and Matthews have made a major practical and readable contribution to the literature of contemporary librarianship. This is a must-read for contemporary librarians. -- Australian Library Journal I recommend this book for those people who make the decisions in all libraries because advances in automation and the information age are coming to all of us whether we like it or not. -- Technicalities Hernon and Matthews are quick to point out that these scenarios are not exhaustive and may or may not be applicable to one's own library. What is continually emphasised is that failure to consider and prepare for the future of the library will result in library closures. Though focused on academic and public libraries, the argument could easily be adapted for special and school libraries. As such it is almost mandatory reading for any librarian who wants to ensure the survival of her library, be it an academic, public, special or school library. -- Australian Academic & Research LibrariesMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Professional Practice & Development
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
160 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-85604-948-1 (9781856049481)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Peter Hernon is a professor at Simmons College, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Boston, and the principal faculty member for the doctoral program Managerial Leadership in the Information Professions. He received his PhD degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, is the 2008 recipient of the ACRL's Academic/Research Librarian of the Year award, is the coeditor of Library & Information Science Research, and has taught, conducted workshops, and delivered addresses internationally. He is the author or coauthor of fifty-two books, including Assessing Service Quality and Viewing Library Metrics from Different Perspectives.
Joseph R. Matthews is a consultant specializing in strategic planning, assessment, evaluation of library services, customer service, use of performance measures, and the balanced scorecard. He was an instructor at the San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science. He is author of The Customer-Focused Library, The Evaluation and Measurement of Library Services, Scorecards for Results, Strategic Planning and Management for Managers, and Measuring for Results, and the coauthor (with Peter Hernon) of Listening to the Customer, among other books.
Joseph R. Matthews is a consultant specializing in strategic planning, assessment, evaluation of library services, customer service, use of performance measures, and the balanced scorecard. He was an instructor at the San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science. He is author of The Customer-Focused Library, The Evaluation and Measurement of Library Services, Scorecards for Results, Strategic Planning and Management for Managers, and Measuring for Results, and the coauthor (with Peter Hernon) of Listening to the Customer, among other books.
Content
1. Change-major to minor
Fundamental Change
Some Important Trends
Creating the Library Compass
Concluding Thoughts
2. Building a path to the future
Environmental Scanning Reports
Concluding Thoughts
3. Transforming the future
Impetus
Identifying Trends
Building Scenarios
Transformation
Concluding Thoughts
4. Related literature
Scenario Planning
Some Key Writings
Use of Scenarios in General
Writings Relevant to Academic Libraries
Writings Relevant to Public Libraries
Concluding Thoughts
5. Future views of academic libraries
Higher Education
Trends in Academic Libraries
Unfamiliarity with Libraries and the Role of Librarians
Exploring the Use of Different Scenarios
Six Academic Library Scenarios
Extending the Scenarios beyond Fifteen Years
Concluding Thoughts
6. Perspectives on trends and scenarios: academic libraries
Scholarly Communication and Liberal Arts College Libraries - Richard Fyffe
Scholarly Communication and the Role of the Liberal Arts College Library - Diane J. Graves
Toward Building an Embedded Academic Library: The Case of Shaping Drexel University
Libraries Spaces - Danuta A. Nitecki
Revisiting the Scenarios through Space Planning - Robert E. Dugan
Concluding Thoughts
7. Future views of public libraries
Public Library Association Planning Process
Scenarios and Public Libraries
Out-of-the-Box Thinking
Concluding Thoughts
8. Perspectives on trends and scenarios: public libraries
Scenario One: The "Status Quo" Library
Scenario Two: The Community "Living Room"
Scenario Three: The "Electronic" Library
Scenario Four: The "Happening Place" Library
Comments on the Scenarios
9. Preparing for the future: some final thoughts
Leadership
Staff Abilities for the Present and Future
Currents in Scenario Development
Privatizing Libraries
Libraries Merely Trying to Keep Up
Revisiting Space Planning
Issues of Importance to the Broader Organization
Concept of Scenarios Revisited
Concluding Thoughts
Appendix A: The Use of Scenarios in the Pierce County Library System - Neel Parikh
Appendix B: The Anythink Revolution - Pam Sandlian-Smith
Fundamental Change
Some Important Trends
Creating the Library Compass
Concluding Thoughts
2. Building a path to the future
Environmental Scanning Reports
Concluding Thoughts
3. Transforming the future
Impetus
Identifying Trends
Building Scenarios
Transformation
Concluding Thoughts
4. Related literature
Scenario Planning
Some Key Writings
Use of Scenarios in General
Writings Relevant to Academic Libraries
Writings Relevant to Public Libraries
Concluding Thoughts
5. Future views of academic libraries
Higher Education
Trends in Academic Libraries
Unfamiliarity with Libraries and the Role of Librarians
Exploring the Use of Different Scenarios
Six Academic Library Scenarios
Extending the Scenarios beyond Fifteen Years
Concluding Thoughts
6. Perspectives on trends and scenarios: academic libraries
Scholarly Communication and Liberal Arts College Libraries - Richard Fyffe
Scholarly Communication and the Role of the Liberal Arts College Library - Diane J. Graves
Toward Building an Embedded Academic Library: The Case of Shaping Drexel University
Libraries Spaces - Danuta A. Nitecki
Revisiting the Scenarios through Space Planning - Robert E. Dugan
Concluding Thoughts
7. Future views of public libraries
Public Library Association Planning Process
Scenarios and Public Libraries
Out-of-the-Box Thinking
Concluding Thoughts
8. Perspectives on trends and scenarios: public libraries
Scenario One: The "Status Quo" Library
Scenario Two: The Community "Living Room"
Scenario Three: The "Electronic" Library
Scenario Four: The "Happening Place" Library
Comments on the Scenarios
9. Preparing for the future: some final thoughts
Leadership
Staff Abilities for the Present and Future
Currents in Scenario Development
Privatizing Libraries
Libraries Merely Trying to Keep Up
Revisiting Space Planning
Issues of Importance to the Broader Organization
Concept of Scenarios Revisited
Concluding Thoughts
Appendix A: The Use of Scenarios in the Pierce County Library System - Neel Parikh
Appendix B: The Anythink Revolution - Pam Sandlian-Smith