As one might expect, visual literacy has particular necessity for the librarian who, like this author, works in a Visual Resources Center (VRC). Recently the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) published its updated "Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education." These standards succinctly introduce visual…

While libraries offer next generation public services such as mobile access and e-books, these services are often neither home-grown nor sustainable. Libraries have a history of lending and services built on a simple model: they purchase an item and then provide it to the community. Unfortunately, the latest generation of services offered by…

This article discusses possible future directions for academic libraries in the post Web/Library 2.0 world. These possible directions include areas such as data literacy, linked data sets, and opportunities for libraries in support of digital humanities. The author provides a brief sketch of the background information regarding the topics and…

Wise and careful selection of materials remains among the most important and enduring duties of the librarian--and also among the most difficult. The author has found this to be especially true in a specialized-subject library, where traditional collection development methods do not always yield good results. While collection development practices…

In March 2010, the first floor of the main library at The Florida State University was renovated as a learning commons. With this change in design, all tutoring that existed throughout the library was moved into the commons. The crown jewel of these programs is the library's in-house, late-night peer tutoring program that has seen incredible…

As academic librarians' professional and personal lives become busier and more varied, the need for tools to assist with accomplishing a myriad of tasks in a short time becomes even more necessary. Due to its ability to provide anytime and anywhere access to information, mobile technology offers a number of advantages for staying connected and…

At a recent conference on technology and education, the theory of connectivism was a hot topic. Proponents of this educational theory argue that technology has changed so substantially in the past several decades that they must review previous learning theories to ensure that they accommodate new processes that technology makes possible.…

As learners and information users are changing, so must library services. Meeting user needs and expectations is a priority within the academic library experience. Embracing a proactive approach to library service is necessary in order to be successful and relevant in the academic environment. Breaking out of the stereotypical librarian mold, this…

In their Top Trends of 2012, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) named data curation as one of the issues to watch in academic libraries in the near future (ACRL, 2012, p. 312). Data curation can be summarized as "the active and ongoing management of data through its life cycle of interest and usefulness to scholarship,…

As 21st century librarians, we have made apt adjustments for reaching out into the digital world, but we need to consider the students who still use library services within our walls. We can use available handheld, mobile technologies to help patrons too shy to approach the desk and free library staff to bring reference service directly to patrons.

As part of a focused, methodical, and evaluative approach to emerging technologies, QR codes are one of many new technologies being used by the UC Irvine Libraries. QR codes provide simple connections between print and virtual resources. In summer 2010, a small task force began to investigate how QR codes could be used to provide information and…

Reference transactions in academic libraries have been on the decline since mid-1990. The Academic Library Survey from the National Center for Education Statistics shows an average drop of 25% in reference use from 1996-2004 with higher numbers at some institutions such as the University of Maryland which plummeted 47% (Martell, 2008). The…

Embedded librarianship has emerged as one approach to meeting the ever-evolving information needs of our clients. The University of Arizona Health Sciences Library has endeavored to become more proactive by embedding librarians within each of the four colleges it serves. Although the process of establishing visibility, recognition, and developing…

While a great deal of literature on embedded librarians in academic libraries is focused on the role of instructor, there are many other services that could be provided by librarians working closely with students. The Kresge Business Administration Library (Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan) has created a unique…

The concept of the embedded librarian takes subject specialization to another plane. The article that follows discusses the embedded librarian as an evolutionary product and speculates on the reasons driving the change from the library to the department or center for the delivery of information services. Four drivers for change are explored with…