Trends In Academic Libraries Research Articles

Examining Publishing Trends in Academic Libraries

Examining Publishing Trends in Academic Libraries

Electronic resource staffing trends in academic libraries: competencies and collaboration

This study investigates staffing competencies and collaboration for electronic resource management (ERM) in public and private university libraries in Ghana. Interviews were conducted with twenty-four library staff from two public and two private universities and three consortium executives. The findings revealed similarities and differences in staffing competencies and collaboration at the public and private case libraries and the reciprocal impacts of these concepts in ERM. This is one of the few studies that considers public and private university library staff competencies for ERM. The study provides an avenue for research into the reciprocal effects of competencies and collaboration in libraries.

Makerspace as Emerging Trend in Academic Libraries: Advocacy for Adoption and Domestication in Nigeria

Makerspace as Emerging Trend in Academic Libraries: Advocacy for Adoption and Domestication in Nigeria

2024 Top Trends in Academic Libraries: A Review of the Trends and Issues

2024 Top Trends in Academic Libraries: A Review of the Trends and Issues

The level of digital competencies for the provision of smart information service at academic libraries in Jordan

PurposeTechnological advancement has forced academic libraries to change their traditional services and routines by adopting emerging technologies to respond to the changing information needs of their users who are now more technologically inclined and prefer to access information remotely and in a timely manner. Smart technologies are the recent trends in academic libraries. This research aims to investigate the level of smart information service implementation at academic libraries in Jordan. It also aimed to investigate the correlation between the level of smart information services offered by the libraries and the level of digital competencies among the library staff.Design/methodology/approachThis research is designed using survey design to collect comprehensive information from the study participants. A questionnaire was disseminated to 340 respondents, and 246 questionnaires were returned and were suitable for analysis with a response rate of 72.4%.FindingsThe results indicated a moderate level of smart information service offered by academic libraries, as well as a moderate level of digital skills associated with the advocacy of smart information services. The results also indicated a strong and positive relationship between the level of smart information services at the investigated libraries and the level of digital competencies among the librarians.Practical implicationsThe findings will help other academic libraries understand how to respond to the emergent change in users’ information-seeking behavior by understanding their available human resources competencies and the requirement to undergo this emergent change.Originality/valueThis paper provides insights and practical solutions for academic libraries in response to global information trends based on users’ behaviors. This research was conducted in Jordan as one of the developing countries and hence it provides insights of the situation there. It will help academic libraries in Jordan and the region to handle and cope with the challenges associated with technology acceptance based on its staff level of digital competencies. The contribution of this research that it was done in a developing country where progress in the filed can be considered slow because of many factors, mainly economics, where institutions focus on essential library objectives, which are information resources development and databases subscriptions.

The provision of smart service at academic libraries and associated challenges

Technological advancement has forced academic libraries to change their traditional services by adopting emerging technologies to respond to the changing information needs of their users, who are now more technologically inclined and prefer remote and timely access to scholarly information. Smart technologies are the recent trend in academic libraries. Smart technologies have the potential to enhance academic library services provision and also support the distance learning environment, especially now as higher education embraces online and distance learning. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the level of implementation of smart services at academic libraries and the challenges they face in developing and/or providing smart services. A questionnaire was developed to collect the required data from library staff ( N = 340) at academic libraries in Jordan, where (246) responded and completed the questionnaire. The results indicate a moderate level of implementation of smart services at academic libraries in Jordan ( M = 3.12). The result also shows that the challenges facing the libraries to implement and offer smart services was also moderate ( M = 3.57). Resistance to change was the main challenge libraries face in their attempt to embrace smart technology to offer smart services. Also, privacy and confidentiality appeared to be one of the top rated challenges libraries have to deal with when planning for smart services deployment. Moreover, financial-related issues, such as poor infrastructure and staff training were among the main challenges librarians face to develop/offer smart services. Most importantly, challenges negatively affect the level of smart services at academic libraries in Jordan. This paper provides insights for academic librarians and decision-makers in planning for the provision of smart services at their libraries. It highlights the main challenges that might hinder the implementation and provision of smart services.

Top trends in academic libraries: A review of the trends and issues

Top trends in academic libraries: A review of the trends and issues

In the News

Welcome to the April 2022 issue of C&RL News . We start out this month’s issue with highlights and key findings from the “2020 ACRL Academic Library Trends and Statistics Survey.” ACRL Academic Library Trends and Statistics Survey Editorial Board members Elizabeth Brown and Jeannette E. Pierce take a dive into the survey results, focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on academic libraries, trends in references and instruction, and EDI initiatives, including recruitment and retention. For a deeper dive into the state of academic libraries, watch for the 2022 edition of ACRL’s biennial “Top trends in academic libraries” article, coming up in the June issue of C&RL News .

Students and Parents: How Academic Libraries Serve a Growing Population

In recognition of the critical role that libraries play in the educational lives of student parents, there has been a noticeable trend in academic libraries to offer services and spaces for students and their children. This article reviews recent library and information science (LIS) literature on student parent initiatives in academic libraries. The purpose of this synthesis is to highlight demographic data, research findings, and case studies that, considered together, may significantly expand the profession’s knowledge about the barriers student parents face in accessing the academic library and its services. The article first lays out the rationale and urgency of providing library services and spaces to student parents. Then, a summary of existing LIS literature on student parents is provided. To enable individual libraries to undertake their own family-friendly initiatives, this section outlines the stages and steps identified by scholars and practitioners as necessary to design and implement successful policies, spaces, and services for student parents.

Readiness of academic libraries in South Africa to research, teaching and learning support in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

PurposeIn this paper, we refer to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in 2016, where the concept of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) was coined by Klaus Schwab, with the reference that it would be building on “the Third, the digital revolution” and would be “characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres”. While acknowledging that the 4IR will impact on everything, everywhere, including research and libraries, we conceptualize 4IR, and we compare current academic library services/trends in South Africa with 4IR requirements, through the analysis of 26 public university library websites.Design/methodology/approachBesides conceptualization of 4IR, a content analysis of websites of 26 public universities’ libraries in South Africa was achieved followed up with verification of the data by respective libraries through a preliminary research report circulated to them by email. 23 areas were identified as the trends in academic libraries, which included free Wi-Fi in the libraries; 24/7 study areas and access to library resources on and off campus; research commons; makerspace; borrowing ICTs (e.g. laptops); e-resources; e-catalogues; research data services (RDS; RDM, IR); open scholarship; information literacy and reference/bibliographic tools, library as a publisher, among others. Data obtained were captured in Excel and analyzed by the research questions.FindingsThe 4IR concept does not occur often in literature, in relation to academic libraries, but it is implied. The findings show that the libraries are responding well to the revolution through their services, with remarkable innovation and creativity on display. There was a 64% presence of the analyzed trends/services in the libraries, with emerging trends/services such as library as a publisher (4%), robotics/AI (4%), makerspace (8%), RDS (27%), borrowing of ICTs/devices (19%) and user experience (19%) scoring low, while information literacy and digital scholarship (e.g. IR) (88%), e-catalogue and e-resources (92%), group study area (85%) and off campus access (77%) scoring above 75%. The scatter of the trends/services among the university libraries is noted for knowledge sharing of best practice.Research limitations/implicationsIn order to improve accordance with trends, academic libraries have to be better resourced, accessed and used, as well as improve web visibility. The study expects library services to be responsive, resourced and accessible anytime and anywhere, and it provides a conceptual framework and a benchmark for further research and exploration in the country, region and perhaps elsewhere.Practical implicationsThe study can be used for benchmarking current and future academic library services in Africa. The conceptual framework provides an agenda for theoretical discussions and deliberations.Social implicationsThe trends, framework and 4IR representations in the study can inform theory and practice in LIS, particularly in Africa.Originality/valueLinking 4IR to current and future library services provides a tool for academic libraries services benchmarking and development and provides a conceptual framework for theoretical and practical debates and implementation. The study is quite current and appropriate for the ongoing discussions of 4IR implications to academic libraries.

2020 top trends in academic libraries: A review of the trends and issues affecting academic libraries in higher education

This article summarizes trending topics in academic librarianship from the past two years. These highlights provide a starting point or an update, depending on one’s familiarity with the topic. Overarching themes across the profession continue to emphasize the significant amount of change our institutions are driving, managing, and navigating.

In the News

Welcome to the June 2020 issue of C&RL News. Every two years, ACRL’s Research Planning and Review Committee produces their “Top trends in academic libraries.” The 2020 edition discusses change management; evolving integrated library systems; learning analytics; machine learning and AI; the state of open access and research data services; social justice, critical librarianship, and critical digital pedagogy; streaming media; and student wellbeing. Many thanks to the committee for pulling together this important survey of the current landscape of academic and research librarianship.

US academic libraries' staffing and expenditure trends (1996–2016)

PurposeThis paper explores trends over time in library staffing and staffing expenditures among two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States.Design/methodology/approachResearchers merged and analyzed data from 1996 to 2016 from the National Center for Education Statistics for over 3,500 libraries at postsecondary institutions. This study is primarily descriptive in nature and addresses the research questions: How do staffing trends in academic libraries over this period of time relate to Carnegie classification and institution size? How do trends in library staffing expenditures over this period of time correspond to these same variables?FindingsAcross all institutions, on average, total library staff decreased from 1998 to 2012. Numbers of librarians declined at master’s and doctoral institutions between 1998 and 2016. Numbers of students per librarian increased over time in each Carnegie and size category. Average inflation-adjusted staffing expenditures have remained steady for master's, baccalaureate and associate's institutions. Salaries as a percent of library budget decreased only among doctoral institutions and institutions with 20,000 or more students.Originality/valueThis is a valuable study of trends over time, which has been difficult without downloading and merging separate data sets from multiple government sources. As a result, few studies have taken such an approach to this data. Consequently, institutions and libraries are making decisions about resource allocation based on only a fraction of the available data. Academic libraries can use this study and the resulting data set to benchmark key staffing characteristics.

In the News

Welcome to the June 2019 issue of C&RL News. Open educational resources (OER) were featured as one of the top trends in academic libraries in last June’s issue and were still at the forefront of conversation at the recent ACRL 2019 conference. Steven J. Bell and Annie Johnson of Temple University discuss using a campus textbook listening tour to promote OER adoption in their article “We’re listening.”

We’re listening: Try a textbook listening tour to advance an OER initiative

It’s little surprise that academic librarians at institutions of every size and type are launching initiatives to encourage instructors to adopt Open Education Resources (OER). Whether these programs offer incentives to faculty or simply promote the benefits of OER and other textbook affordability options, they are a win for students who save money and gain a better learning experience. The textbook affordability movement in higher education also places academic librarians in a new leadership role as they manage campus-wide efforts to promote the benefits of OER. ACRL’s “2018 Top Trends in Academic Libraries” report identifies multiple challenges to faculty adoption, such as the lack of OER resources or perceived quality, but that these are also “opportunities for librarians to cultivate partnerships with faculty in the discovery, advocacy and preservation of OER.”

An approach to quality improvement of Nigerian university library services: A framework for effective quality management implementation

The paper explores the different strategies in managing operations and delivering services and compares them to current trends in academic libraries in Southwestern (SW) Nigeria. The author objectively and comparatively examined the different models of quality management (QM) and strategies, from which a framework of quality improvement for Nigerian university libraries was developed. The article employed a pragmatic approach to unearth the complexities of investigating the phenomenon in academic library environments. This paper discussed the findings of three studies (online survey, interview and focus groups) in this research and how they relate to the existing literature. A comprehensive analysis highlights challenges of university library operations in SW Nigeria while a pragmatic approach was used to achieve the objectives of the paper. The paper concluded that improvement in quality of service delivery and operations is certain if the proposed framework for QM implementation is embraced in Nigerian academic libraries. Recommendations were made on the way forward toward improving academic library services nationwide.

Evaluating the Impact of Web-scale Discovery Services on Scholarly Content Seeking

Web-scale discovery service is one of the primary trends in academic libraries. In this research, using referral data, we explore the main referring domains of DOIs, and evaluate the impact of web-scale discovery services on scholarly content seeking. The results show that web-scale discovery services play an important role in directing users to scholarly contents. ProQuest is found to be ranked the first among all the major referring domains. In addition, the time series analysis shows a significant growing trend of ProQuest as a referring service from 2011 to 2016. The monthly trends demonstrate seasonal fluctuations and daily periodicity of referral data. Specifically, there are two low ebbs throughout a year, corresponding to the Summer and Winter vacations. The lowest point in a week is found to be on Saturdays, while the peak normally occurs on Mondays or Tuesdays.

In the News

Welcome to the June 2018 issue of C&RL News. Every two years, ACRL’s Research Planning and Review Committee produces their “Top trends in academic libraries.” The 2018 edition discusses the publisher and vendor landscape, fake news and information literacy, project management, textbook affordability, the ethics of learning analytics and data collection, data sets and text mining, demand-driven acquisitions, open access, and legacy print collections. Many thanks to the committee for pulling together this important and popular survey of the current landscape of academic and research librarianship.

2018 top trends in academic libraries: A review of the trends and issues affecting academic libraries in higher education

Every other year, the ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee produces a document on top trends in higher education as they relate to academic librarianship. Topics in this edition of ACRL Top Trends will be familiar to some readers who will hopefully learn of new materials to expand their knowledge. Other readers will be made aware of trends that are outside of their experience. This is the nature of trends in our current technological and educational environments: change is continual, but it affects different libraries at different rates. The 2018 top trends share several overarching themes, including the impact of market forces, technology, and the political environment on libraries.

Trends in academic libraries graduate student services: A case study

Trends in academic libraries graduate student services: A case study