(Jun 2024) This article from ACRL explores the topics and issues that have been trending in academic libraries over the past two years. It draws on research and initiatives from librarians across the profession, highlighting the constant change libraries face. The launch of ChatGPT sparked discussions about the potential impact of artificial intelligence, open access…
(3 Apr 2023) Across countries in the global north the transition to open access to research has in recent years been driven largely through library consortia and national institutions striking transformative agreements with commercial publishers. Drawing on recent work on The University of Sheffield’s content strategy, Peter Barr argues that academic libraries can play a larger role…
(3 December 2018) No one says selling into the Chinese market is simple, but is it unmanageable, given that there are nearly 1.4 billion people speaking a very different language and sharing a very different culture? The answer is: not necessarily, if you know the basics, and then zoom in on the details. As in…
(28 November 2018) In 2018, the majority (six out of eight) of New Zealand academic libraries undertook the Ithaka S+R faculty survey in order to explore and deepen understanding of scholars’ research and teaching practices and needs. The project was initiated by the Council of New Zealand University Librarians (CONZUL) with the Ithaka S+R instrument…
(25 October 2018, Chicago) The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) announces the publication of Transforming Libraries to Serve Graduate Students, edited by Crystal Renfro and Cheryl Stiles. The book is a practical atlas of how librarians around the world are serving the dynamic academics that are today’s graduate students. In four sections—One Size…
(2 August 2018, ECNS) A library in Shenzhen, one of China’s booming modern metropolises and a technology hub, has become the focus of discussion after it closed its doors to children under-14. University Town Library of Shenzhen, also known as the Shenzhen Science and Technology Library, is the first library that functions as both a…
(30 April 2018, Chicago) Presenting financial management principles and best practices applicable to both public and academic libraries, William W. Sannwald’s “Financial Management for Libraries,” published by ALA Neal-Schuman, elucidates a broad array of issues crucial for those entering a managerial position. Both thorough and straightforward, Sannwald’s treatment: gives readers a solid grounding in the…
(20 February 2018) Six more universities have joined the EIFL eLibrary Myanmar project as part of an agreement between EIFL and the Myanmar Department of Higher Education to further develop university libraries and contribute to Myanmar’s national strategy for higher education reform. EIFL’s work in Myanmar is made possible by the Open Society Foundations Higher…
(19 October 2017) Like other greying professions, demographic data for ARL libraries warn us of a breaking wave of retirements, but may paint an unrealistic picture of what the beach will look like after the surf has settled. Read the article by Phil Davis in The Scholarly Kitchen.
(15 May 2017) Singapore has six universities, several polytechnics and a number of research institutes. In this article, Gulcin Cribb, University Librarian of Singapore Management University, highlights the collaborative and institutional activities and trends among Singapore’s academic libraries, including scholarly communication, space and architecture, information literacy and community engagement. The full article, Trends in Singapore, is…