Abstract
Academic librarians face challenges that come from the changes caused by the digital environment. These changes are reflected mainly through information and communication technologies that are in constant development and available to users remotely. This article discusses the profile of academic librarians as blended librarians and focuses specifically on the Brazilian context, which is at times in contrast with the international literature about the topic. The characteristics of this professional include the new the role as an educator, in addition to the roles as a manager and as a strategic mediator of information resources. In this new role, the teaching-learning process leads to the development of information literacy of the public. The professionals involved with this new configuration of academic libraries also must be adept at judging the suitability of products and services that are offered to a more demanding, connected, and dynamic public. The results indicate that academic librarians must develop continuously professionally, and be attentive to the demands of the libraries’ community of users, offering services that are specialized and can be remotely accessed.
Highlights
The aim of this paper is to present a new conception of academic librarians as blended librarians, i.e., creative managers, as strategic mediators of information and as educators, whose concerns are focused on the development of information literacy of the community served
An academic library is always linked to an institution of higher education, which may be public or private, having ”undoubtedly a collection of information resources for educational support, research, graduate and university extension“ (Lima, 1977)
As to provide good service to users, librarians should use all information available to help to learn the process of collecting quality and relevant information to the community served in multiple formats and from different sources
Summary
The rapid advancement of information technology allows a greater communication transfer and sharing of information resources, which has led to a bigger involvement of people in their own searches and provision of information, especially with the growing number of available information resources in the web environment This demands changes from the traditional services that have already been offered by the libraries. The aim of this paper is to present a new conception of academic librarians as blended librarians, i.e., creative managers, as strategic mediators of information and as educators, whose concerns are focused on the development of information literacy of the community served To fulfill these multiple activities, the blended librarian must possess technological skills and contribute to the development of information solutions. An overview of Brazilian libraries, and librarians is provided, but before the presentation of this new librarian profile, it is necessary to contextualize the professional in their traditional activities in academic libraries
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