A recently published Guardian supplement explores the achievements of academic libraries in the UK, assesses current challenges and looks forward to the future. Sponsored by JISC and published free with the Education Guardian, the supplement begins with some of the questions raised by the recently published Google Generation report, commissioned by JISC and the British Library. The report explored the issue of 'information literacy', called for libraries to respond urgently to the changing needs of their users, and to understand the new means of searching and navigating information.
In a lead article, editor Stephen Hoare says that academic libraries are indeed rising to the challenges. The supplement further explores the ways in which libraries are changing physically as they incorporate functions more commonly associated with leisure activities and become more flexible and technology-rich 'learning spaces'. Other articles explores open access, the phenomenon of Library 2.0 - the integration of user generated content with traditional library content - e-books, new business models, digitisation and digital preservation.
Among the areas of activity funded or supported by JISC covered in the supplement are: the repositories partnership Sherpa; JISC's student expectations research; services such as Intute, copac and the Archives Hub; the digitisation programme, including projects such as the Archival Sound Recordings and the British Library 19th century newspapers project; the LOCKSS journals preservation project; the electronic e-theses online service EThOS; and the national e-books observatory project.
The supplement marks the start of 'Libraries of the Future', an attempt by JISC to initiate a debate about academic libraries. JISC also seeks to open up - with partner organisations and librarians themselves - a debate about the future of the academic and research library.
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