Abstract

In a rapidly changing environment where increasingly the boundaries are blurring between librarians' roles and those of learning technologists, information technologists, educational developers, skill support specialists and, indeed, academic staff, the academic librarian needs not only to embrace new opportunities but also to influence proactively the development of learning environments. This essential book captures and critically discusses the librarian's changing learning support role in an educational context, providing guidance and practical support. Written by acknowledged experts across a broad range of roles in the new academic environment, it challenges thinking in this area as well as offering practice-based advice. This book is essential reading for practitioners at every level within the higher education and further education sectors, including information specialists, learning support professionals, academic liaison co-ordinators and subject specialists, academic service managers, and heads of library and information services. It will also be a valuable resource for all other professionals involved in the delivery of learning support, and for students of LIS and of education.
"This is a thought-provoking book...this work should form a part of the essential reading for those engaging with the implications of the new learning environment for librarians." - Ariadne
Philippa Levy BA MA MA PhD is Academic Director of the Centre for Inquiry-based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences (CILASS) and Senior Lecturer and Head of the Educational Informatics Research Group in the Department of Information Studies, at the University of Sheffield. Sue Roberts BA(Hons) DipLib MA MCLIP is Head of Learning Services at Edge Hill College of Higher Education in Lancashire, and is also co-author with Jennifer Rowley of Managing Information Services (Facet Publishing).