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Mastering Digital Librarianship

Strategy, Networking and Discovery in Academic Libraries

Alison Mackenzie editor Lindsey Martin editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Facet Publishing

Published:15th Nov '13

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

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Mastering Digital Librarianship cover

This book examines the changing roles of the librarian and how working within a rich digital environment has impacted on the ability of professionals to develop the appropriate 'know how', skills, knowledge and behaviours required in order to operate effectively.
Expert specialists and opinion-makers from around the world discuss the challenges and successes of adapting existing practices, introducing new services and working with new partners in an environment that no longer recognizes traditional boundaries and demarcation of roles.
The book is structured thematically, with a focus on three key strands where the impact of digital technologies is significant:

  • Rethinking marketing and communication – this strand looks at strategic approaches and practices which harness social media and illustrate the importance of communication and marketing activities in these new online spaces.
  • Rethinking support for academic practice – this part examines the professional expertise required of librarians who engage with and support new academic and learner practices in digitally rich teaching, learning and research environments.
  • Rethinking resource delivery – this section investigates the use of strategies to maximize access to online resources and services: harnessing system data to enhance collection management and user choice, designing and managing mobile 'friendly' learning spaces and providing virtual resources and services to an overseas campus.

Readership: This timely and inspiring edited collection should make vital reading for librarians, library schools, departments of information science and other professional groups such as education developers, learning technologists and IT specialists.

...a lively and engaging set of papers on current thinking and practice on developing library policy and strategy. The cleverly chosen mix of authors from ancient and modern universities, from data and learning services, from three continents and with a wide range of skills and experience demonstrate that the issues discussed and debated are of universal and not particular interest. Messages on visibility, relevance and influence abound and many of the chapters have useful case studies. Perhaps most important is the reminder that libraries are support services and their focus must be on enabling users to meet their goals not imposing the library’s goals on users.

-- Liber Quarterly

Differentiating itself from countless other books available on digital librarianship Mastering Digital Librarianship provides a thematically focussed collection of research-based essays meant to provide academic librarians with a strategic primer for adapting library services for the digital age. In purposefully compiling essays contributed by academic librarians from universities around the world, editors Alison Mackenzie and Lindsey Martin, the Dean and the Assistant Head of Learning Services at Edge Hill University have leant a global perspective to the literature on digital librarianship...Mastering Digital Librarianship is not a rudimentary overview of new technologies. No doubt to maintain the collection's purpose as a guide to key topics on digital librarianship for academic and professionals, the essays use empirical research and case studies written by seasoned professionals that quickly delve into their respective topics.

-- Journal of Library & Information Services in Distance Learning

Each chapter presents a concrete case study of one or another university and the principles guiding marketing, service provision or resource delivery activities. This is the most interesting feature of the book that turns it into an effective tool of best practice promotion and sharing.

-- Information Research

This title is easy to read, grounded in real-life practice and presents multiple approaches and strategies for librarians and those working in libraries looking to develop the requisite skills required to bring change into their practice. Failure to engage in the digital environment risks the livelihood of the library in an age of ubiquitous information. This text is a must read for anyone involved in contemporary libraries, even beyond the academic sphere.

-- Australian Academic & Research Libra

ISBN: 9781856049436

Dimensions: 233mm x 155mm x 12mm

Weight: 145g

208 pages