Imagine Our Future http://blogpublic.lib.msu.edu/index.php?blog=53 en-US http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 The Evolving Research Library http://blogpublic.lib.msu.edu/index.php/2008/04/18/the-evolving-research-library?blog=53 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:04:44 +0000 VisionTeam General 14303@http://blogpublic.lib.msu.edu/ <p>The role of the academic library is to support the university's core missions of research and education through collecting, organizing, preserving and making knowledge accessible. The proliferation of information, both digital and print, now far exceeds the ability of the library to contain it-- in both the economic and physical senses. Economic constraints and technological change have modified the library's traditional role. Newer roles include: </p> <ul> <li>Digitizing collections, maintaining digital repositories, preserving digital archives, improving methods of data storage and retrieval, creating metadata.</li> <li>Negotiating electronic licensing agreements and designing web interfaces to present multiple e-resources in an understandable way. </li> <li>Designing interfaces and systems that are easier to use. A public relations problem for the library is that seamless access to e-resources makes these resources look like just another Internet source and students often do not understand the library's role in providing what they've found. </li> <li>Teaching information literacy skills. Students' Web access to both scholarly and questionable information necessitates the teaching of critical thinking and information literacy skills whenever possible.</li> <li>Managing copyright permissions, intellectual property consultations</li> <li>Offering virtual services</li> <li>Repurposing space to support the collaborative and technology-rich campus curricula and interdisciplinary research</li> </ul> <p>We invite the MSU community to react to these newer roles and suggest ones that would help you with your classwork, teaching or research.</p> The role of the academic library is to support the university's core missions of research and education through collecting, organizing, preserving and making knowledge accessible. The proliferation of information, both digital and print, now far exceeds the ability of the library to contain it-- in both the economic and physical senses. Economic constraints and technological change have modified the library's traditional role. Newer roles include:

  • Digitizing collections, maintaining digital repositories, preserving digital archives, improving methods of data storage and retrieval, creating metadata.
  • Negotiating electronic licensing agreements and designing web interfaces to present multiple e-resources in an understandable way.
  • Designing interfaces and systems that are easier to use. A public relations problem for the library is that seamless access to e-resources makes these resources look like just another Internet source and students often do not understand the library's role in providing what they've found.
  • Teaching information literacy skills. Students' Web access to both scholarly and questionable information necessitates the teaching of critical thinking and information literacy skills whenever possible.
  • Managing copyright permissions, intellectual property consultations
  • Offering virtual services
  • Repurposing space to support the collaborative and technology-rich campus curricula and interdisciplinary research

We invite the MSU community to react to these newer roles and suggest ones that would help you with your classwork, teaching or research.

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