13 - The library users’ view

Summary

ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on scholars, rather than on all library users. In it I examine some of the key changes in scholarly practices and associated attitudes in recent years. What are some of the key aspects of the relationship between the academic library and those scholars who may make use of its collections and services? Against a shifting background of significant increases in the accessibility of a variety of information sources and services, how is that relationship changing? I will attempt to examine what it might mean to think of scholars as having the identity of ‘library users’, ultimately arguing that there has been a structural readjustment in the nature of the user's relationship with information services providers, including the library. The perspective presented in this chapter is rooted to some degree in the US higher education community. There, it has become clear in recent years that the principal differentiator among faculty members’ attitudes and practices is discipline, far more than institutional type, years in the field or other characteristics. In 2012, Ithaka S+R is conducting research programmes with components in both the USA and the UK. So far, these have identified no evidence of any essential differences in the views of academics in the UK and the USA that would bear substantively on the issues covered in this chapter.

Introduction

As previous chapters have made clear, scholars today have a vastly increased number of options available to them to meet their information services needs. The academic library has responded with a variety of new infrastructures, services and strategies. An understanding of the users’ views is ultimately vital for any information services organization that wishes to serve them.

Background

The nature of the scholar's relationship with information services organizations is, and always has been, multi-faceted. This relationship incorporates functions such as discovery of information, access to collections and the range of services necessary both to enable their use and to enable original research.

Traditionally, these functions were best, if not exclusively, provided in person. Discovery involved such tools as the card catalogue and reference collections. Collections of books, journals and other materials were usually developed for the ideal of locally maintained, on-site stacks. Services included the staffed reference desk, bibliographers with research expertise dedicated to individual fields and other advanced reference services.