Abstract:
University libraries are shifting from custodial to an access role in a rapidly evolving networked society. Within the campus, it is the library which seeks open access to aI1 types of information and encourages free intellectual inquiry. If the library is to make its claim as the “heart of the university” a reality, it is critical for librarians to obtain the needed skills in the provision and promotion of information services to meet the research, teaching and learning needs of the university. th e paper will examine a number of ways in which the rapid growth of the Internet, as well as the emergence of new information technologies, impact the university library's mission statement and goals. The paper concludes that the new environment requires a new technical set of competencies for librarians which were not previously required.
Machine summary:
If the library is to make its claim as the “heart of the university” a reality, it is critical for librarians to obtain the needed skills in the provision and promotion of information services to meet the research, teaching and learning needs of the university.
th e paper will examine a number of ways in which the rapid growth of the Internet, as well as the emergence of new information technologies, impact the university library's mission statement and goals.
, ELEC”I'kUK IC', AND IK1'ELLEC'1”1J AL ACCESS ”I"£J INFORMATION 'the university library seeks to provide faculty and students with iiltoi rr1‹ttit›n needed tti prepare students tti make positive contributions to the common bot›d o1‘ society tlnd to extend knowledge through research.
” [ 10] Librarians can promote learning in the university community by providing expert and innovative access to global information and knowledge.
Librarians can take a leadership role in the university and professional communities through the teaching of knowledge management skills and by facilitating access to the best information resources.
One of the main objectives of a university library in this context is “to develop information systems providing access to a coherent collection of material, more and more of which will be in digital form as time goes on.
The preservation of electronic and digital information resources creates new dilemmas for librarians and archivists.
Librarians with professional skills and knowledge, have ihe ability to navigate information resources successfully and assist library users in their intellectual queries and pursuits.