Lean Library, a ‘Technology from SAGE’ company, has released “Librarian Futures,” a white paper based on a large-scale survey of 4,000 librarians and patrons that examines librarian-patron workflows and relationships. The report finds that while patrons are unaware of the full extent of librarian support (with 77% beginning research discovery outside of the library), more than 80% greatly appreciate librarians and would want the library more deeply embedded in their natural workflows.
Lean Library, a company that delivers library services into the patron’s workflow, is part of the newly launched Technology from SAGE portfolio of digital services alongside Quartex from Adam Matthew and Talis. Each of the services was created to improve the patron’s workflow using technology based on years of librarian feedback and research on patron needs.
“Librarian Futures” synthesizes survey results with unique data from Lean Library usage alongside data from a range of librarian and library stakeholder interviews, and valuable contributions from partners scite, Springshare, OpenAthens and OCLC. It builds on previous research into the future of the library, positioning the librarian at the center of the analysis. Examining current trends in librarian-patron interactions and understanding, the report poses ‘innovation provocations,’ or potential solutions to embed the library in the patron’s workflow, and recommendations for librarians to evaluate and debate.
The report notes that a knowledge gap exists between patrons and the full extent of librarian support available to them, and between librarians and the emerging needs of their patrons. The paper examines how this knowledge gap may be contributing to perceptions of the diminishing importance of the librarian to the patron experience. 79% of faculty and 74% of students now begin their discovery process outside the library, on websites such as Google Scholar, but appreciation and use of library services remain high, suggesting further appetite for librarians to meet patrons in their workflow.Librarians are highly appreciated by their patrons, significantly more so than librarians anticipated. 84% of faculty patrons appreciate librarians’ ‘a lot’ or ‘a great deal’.
Further, the report notes that 82% of librarians and 88% of patrons would want librarian and library services embedded throughout their workflow, available to call on when needed. Patrons may have preferred routes outside the library in recent years, but this does not diminish their demand for librarian support. It underscores the need for librarians to come to them.
The “Librarian Futures” report can be downloaded for free and shared online using #LibrarianFutures.
Technology from SAGE services include workflow services and resource access solutions from Lean Library; resource list management services and collaborative annotation services from Talis; and archival discovery solutions from Quartex.
Click here to read the original press release.
