Review of Collaboration in Libraries and Learning Environments

Abstract

The problem with this book is that it is unfortunately titled. This book is not about librarians collaborating with faculty in online courseware, or even the merging of library and IT desks (alone). This book is a collection of interesting and relevant case studies, many involving what are often called Learning or Information Commons on a grand scale. Not all of them involve libraries, and for many that do, the library is not the focus. Most of the chapter authors are nonlibrary, or more-than-library, administrators. I suspect that, given the title, many librarians will pick up this book and be disappointed in the lack of library focus, and many others in higher education will not pick this book up at all. It is not a book for the average librarian or, despite the “learning environments” in the title, an online courseware administrator or instructional designer.