Dive Brief:
- In an atmosphere where resources for students are increasingly digital, academic library leaders are reporting that they feel less supported by institutional leadership, according to a Campus Technology analysis of a recently-released survey conducted by Ithaka S+R.
- The survey also found that the majority of library leaders considered supporting student success as being of paramount importance, but only half of those leaders who responded found that their own library was able to clearly explain how it was able to contribute to student success initiatives.
- The survey indicated that many libraries are moving toward more electronic resources, with many emphasizing policies that discontinue access for print materials that are digitally available for students — and about six in 10 library directors said these policies were being enacted in 2016, up from three in 10 in 2013.
Dive Insight:
As libraries transition away from being a repository for information for students, there is increased interest and communication as to what form or resource they could become. Some have suggested that libraries could adapt to becoming open-source hubs with information, but they could also be transformed to become venues of collaboration between students if outfitted with applicable tech (and loosening the rules on the need for silence may have to follow). Libraries can survive and thrive if viewed as learning spaces, as opposed to storage facilities for collections.
Western Michigan University Dean of Libraries Julie Garrison told VOA News in 2016 that “there is less of a need to protect a print collection in the way we did when it was the only way to get information, and we realized that if we let people bring in food and drink, they would stay longer." The article also cited ways libraries could transition into makerspaces with 3-D printing and other practical tools. Makerspaces and innovation centers are increasingly popular on college campuses, and for colleges and universities that find themselves strapped for space, utilizing the library in a way that will entice students and potential applicants to use its services will help the institution and ensure that libraries remain a center of knowledge for students.