What Academic Libraries Can Expect in 2008

Based on the recently released 2007 Environmental Scan by the Association of College and Research Libraries, here are the top ten assumptions for the future of academic libraries and librarians.

1. Increased emphasis on digitization, preservation, curation, and service.

2. Need for additional skills by librarians and an increasingly diverse library staff.

3. Demand for increased access, especially in digital resources and social computing.

4. More debate about intellectual property rights and management.

5. Additional demand for technology services and resources, requiring additional funds.

6. More accountability and quantitative services measures of the library’s contribution to the research, teaching and service sectors of the higher-education business.

7. Demand by student customers for higher-quality and relevant resources, facilities and services.

8. Expansion of online learning options requiring new or expanded resource and service delivery by the library.

9. Increased demand for free, public access to publicly funded research and data.

10. Increased importance of privacy and intellectual freedom issues.

Thanks to Stephen Abram [SirsiDynix, Toronto, Ontario, Canada] and his blog, Stephen’s Lighthouse, for calling my attention to this publication.

URLs:

Abram’s post: http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/archives/

2008/01/acrl_environmen.html

ACRL Environmental Scan, full 29-pages:

http://www.acrl.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/

Environmental_Scan_2.pdf