The Academic Library

This authoritative and wide-ranging textbook provides a comprehensive overview of the changing functions of higher education libraries and the organizational cultures in which they operate. It offers an assessment of the impact of such changes on service delivery from both provider and user perspectives, and considers the future role of the academic library. The new edition has been completely updated, with a new chapter on performance measurement and more extensive coverage of: accessibility; information literacy; portals; digital libraries; copyright; institutional repositories; virtual and managed learning environments; and management of change.

Written in a readable and accessible style, the book focuses on:

the library in the institutionusers of the academic librarythe impacts and opportunities of ICTshuman resourcesmanagement and organization of resourcescollection and access managementthe academic library buildinglibrary systems and networksspecialist servicesmanagement and professional issuesperformance measurement. Readership: This textbook is an indispensable introduction to the range of issues facing academic libraries. Invaluable for new information professionals and for students on information and library studies courses, it also makes stimulating reading for education administrators and academic library managers in both higher and further education. While the book considers emerging scenarios in the United Kingdom in depth, it also draws examples from institutions elsewhere in the world, and is of broad international interest.