Research on Library Services for Distance Learning

Abstract

This paper examines the research that has been conducted to date on the topic of library support for distance learning programs and identifies some priorities for future research. The two main types of studies prevalent in the literature on this topic are surveys of libraries and user studies. Research findings from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada provide a perspective on the knowledge base in this area and enable some generalizations to be made about service provision and user needs. The results of a recent survey of librarians indicate that the number one research priority in distance learning library services is collaboration with faculty to integrate library and electronic resources into Web-based distance learning courses.