Meeting #17: The 21st Century Academic Library and Special Collections

When: Thursday, November 19th, 4-5 PM.

Where: SML 409

Text under discussion:

Lewis, David W. "A Strategy for Academic Libraries in the First Quarter of the 21st Century," College & Research Libraries 68 (5): 418-434.

Link to PDF:

http://ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/crljournal/2007/sep/Lewis07.pdf

Abstract:

What is the relationship between librarians and archivists?  Their similarities are obvious.  Librarians and archivists collect, preserve, and provide access to information resources, and they often share the same organizational structure, serve on the same committees, and have similar expectations in terms of promotion.  Yet librarians and archivists have their own professional literature, professional standards, and professional cultures, and these differences can lead to mutual misunderstanding. 

This session will focus on the future of the academic library, with special attention being paid to the division between librarians and archivists.  As new technologies, changing user habits, and an uncertain financial situation continue to change both the form and function of academic libraries, are librarians and archivists aware of each other enough to make common cause in terms of library advocacy?  Further still, do librarians and archivists actually have a common cause and a common future?

The jumping off point for this discussion will be David Lewis's article “A Strategy for Academic Libraries in the First Quarter of the 21st Century” from the September 2007 issue of College and Research Libraries.  In this article, which has received both high praise and strong criticism, Lewis lays out his vision of the future academic library and five specific actions that ought to be taken now to realize it.  And yes, he has special thoughts about special collections and archives . . .

Discussion leader:

Greg Eow