Reference Notes: The Future of Academic Libraries, An Interview ...

Paul Zenke > ?3/26/2012 I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Steven J. Bell, the Associate University Librarian for Research and Instruction at Temple University, and current Vice President and President Elect of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Steven received his Doctorate in Education from the University of Pennsylvania?s Graduate School of Education. Steven?s most recent book, coauthored with John Shank, Academic Librarianship by Design: A Blended Librarian?s Guide to the Tools and Techniques lays out a new vision for designing the future of academic libraries enabling librarians to become indispensable partners in the college teaching endeavor by integrating themselves into the instructional process.

?What can we do as academic librarians to better prepare ourselves for what is certainly an uncertain future? We just have to think more entrepreneurially and look for these opportunities.?

Unbundling of Higher Education

Steven thinks new learning initiatives like MITx and Udacity?s massive open online courses are an opportunity for academic libraries to serve non-traditional, potentially unaffiliated students, who he refers to as higher education?s new majority learners. In a recent article from his From the Bell Tower Library Journal column he suggested two possible scenarios for academic libraries within this emerging unbundled higher education landscape.

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Some in the press have suggested these initiatives will topple the ivory tower, knock down campus walls, crumble higher education?s monopoly, and start an Arab Spring of free online learning.
Steven has a more nuanced prediction:

Am I painting a scenario in which traditional higher education and their academic libraries have no future? If it reads that way that?s certainly not the intent. I believe many traditional colleges and universities will continue to thrive and provide the type of experience that many students still want, although the number of families who can afford the tuition is likely to decline. Just anticipate fewer traditional institutions, and fewer academic libraries supporting them.?

Rising costs are a major factor forcing change in academic libraries. Steven is working to address these issues directly through a new textbook project at Temple University.

Alt-Textbook Project

College students are spending on average $1,100 a year on books and supplies. Temple?s new Alt-Textbook Project is trying to change that. The initiative provides faculty members with a $1,000 grant to create new original digital learning materials with the goal of creating free, timely, high-quality resources for students. Steven recently spoke to Temple?s student radio WHIP about the project. Steven discusses the Alt-Textbook project as part of a larger Alt-Higher Education movement.

Blended Librarians

Steven, with his colleague John D. Shank, developed the concept of the Blended Librarian, a new form of academic librarianship that integrates instructional design and technology skills into the traditional librarian skill set

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User Experience

Steven?s recent work has focused on improving the user experience at the Temple University Libraries through researching the needs of students, and by gathering ideas from Library staff. Using the Study of Great Retail Shopping Experiences in North America Steven surveyed students on their expectations to ?gain insight into what would comprise a ?WOW? experience for student members of the academic library?s user community, ... .

[snip]

Academic Library Roles

In a previous post I discussed ARL?s 2030 Scenarios Project and ACRL?s ?Futures Thinking for Academic Librarians: Higher Education in 2025? report. Drawing on those projects, and my conversation with Steven Bell, I created this chart to summarize my current thoughts on the historical, emerging, and future roles of academic libraries across several topics.

Source and Fulltext Available At

[http://bit.ly/GSgwMd]

Source: http://ref-notes.blogspot.com/2012/03/future-of-academic-libraries-interview.html

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