Lecture 3: Role of

Academic Librarian
Prof. Dana P. Tugade
 The librarian as a TEACHER
ROLE OF • Based on his role as reference
THE specialist, information specialist

ACADEM and bibliographer.

• An expert in retrieving
IC information by means of
LIBRARI catalogs, indexes, reference books

AN and more recently,

technology.
modern

• Acts as provider of information

and referral services.
 ROLE OF THE ACADEMIC
LIBRARIAN

As subject specialist
• Responsibilities include selection
and collection development, library
instruction (including formal
courses), liaison with users and
technical services, research
assistance and bibliographic
services, current awareness and
use of machine-readable databases
and helping to improve
bibliographic control of the
collection.
As LEARNING ADVISOR and FACILITATOR

Acts as a HELPER and EDUCATIONAL COUNSELOR:

• advise faculty on available resources in special subject

areas
• provide resources on teaching units and resources for
• classroom use
• assist in locating materials
• compile bibliographies
• develop in-service training programs
• provide referral service
 develop orientation assist faculty in compiling provide individualized
program for new students reading lists or syllabi reading list

participate in team coordinate with faculty in assist in selecting reading

teaching book selection materials

provide reading guidance

through conference with
provide training programs orientation program for
individual student,
for faculty as well as new faculty
instructor and guidance
counselor
 INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY AND
THE ACADEMIC
LIBRARY
• The modes of library
operations have dramatically
changed with the advent of
information technology.
• Among these developments is the
introduction and acceptance of
microforms as storage of information
and the use of audiovisual in user
education as new information media.
• Computers further
revolutionized library
processes and delivery of vital
services.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
AND THE ACADEMIC LIBRARY

• Successful interfacing with telecommunications that

allows networking and remote access of online
databases.
• Another development which accelerated acceptance of
the use of computers in libraries is the recognition of
management of the role that ti mely and accurate
informati on plays in their work thus leading to
fuller support of informati on stores and to an
increasing demand for computer- literate
librarians.
•Hybrid Libraries
• Libraries that have both
physical collections and
digital collections.
• They consist of a combination
of traditional preservation
efforts such as microfilming
and new technologies
involving digital projects.
 • Books published in the traditional way,
HYBRID electronic books and mixed media books in
a variety of formats (e.g. paper, CD-ROM)

LIBRARIES: • Journals published in paper, electronic and

hybrid formats

INFORMATI • Reports, whether paper or electronic or

both

ON
• Patents, standards, etc. whether paper or
electronic or both
• Official documents, including legislation,

SOURCES again whether paper

• or electronic or both
ACCESSED • Slides and other images in analogue
formats
ACROSS • Images in digital formats
• Analogue audio tapes

NETWORKS • Digital audio

• Analogue video
HYBRID LIBRARIES: INFORMATION
SOURCES ACCESSED ACROSS
NETWORKS
• Digital video
• Geospatial information, such as paper-based and digital maps
• Collections of data, e.g. in demographic databases
• Grey literature, such as ‘junk’ mail, election addresses, etc.
• Websites and individual web pages
• Java applets
• Computer files of various types
• Streamed data, such as that from satellite observation or news-
feeds
• Semi-published or unpublished company records
• Dynamic documents created when they are requested
• Dynamic documents updated automatically from a remote source
•Digital Libraries
• Libraries in which
collections are stored in
digital formats (as opposed
to print, microforms, or
other media) and
accessible by computers.
• The digital content may be
stored locally, or accessed
remotely via computer
networks.
• A digital library is a type of
information retrieval
system.
 LEADERS
HIP
• Leadership for today is a
collaborative activity. It generates
the opportunity for all members of
an organization to engage in
visioning and motivating one
another to meet the challenges of
a continually changing
environment.
• The outcome is that the
organization moves forward
to achieve its goal of fulfilling
the information needs of the
community it serves.
• Leaders require specific
characteristics and skills to
make this happen.(Evans &
Ward, 2007)
Making the right decisions,
taking action at the right
time, and building trust with
the community have always
presented challenges, but
the way these can be
accomplished continues to
change dramatically.
 ICE
BREAKER!
Who am I?
EVALUATION OF ACADEMIC
LIBRARIES
•An academic library can be evaluated in the
following components:
(1) administration
(2) book collections
(3) staff
(4) finance
(5) library use
(6) reference services
(7) buildings and equipment
(1) ADMINISTRATION
Consideration should be given to such factors
as:

 evidence that the librarian and staff have a clear understanding of the
objectives of the library
 the existence of a definite statement of the responsibility and
authority of the librarian
 the efficiency of the library’s administrati ve
organization
 evidence that the major policies and procedures in technical processes and
public services have been clearly formulated and are thoroughly understood
by the staff responsible for carrying them out
 the efficiency of budget and accounting procedures
 the existence of close and cordial relationship
between the library, administration and faculty
(2) BOOK
COLLECTIONS
Some methods of evaluating book collection
are:
• checking the book collection against
standard lists
• checking the reference collection against
selected lists of reference books
• faculty appraisal of the book collection
through systematic study of bibliographic
and standard lists
• maintaining records of borrowings by
students and instructors of each
department
• study of student and faculty failure to
secure books they need from the library
collection during a given period
 Six (6) bases of
departmentalization
of library collections:
• function
• activity or process
• clientele
• geography
• subject
• form of material
 •There are two things of first importance in the evaluation of the staff:
• the ability of the staff to do work assigned, and;
• the conditions under which the staff works.
• Factors to consider:

(3) STAFF • Education and training

• Appropriate experience
• Personal qualities
• Attitudes toward work and service
• Participation in administrative committee work
• Staff size in relation to amount and kind of services
• rendered and the number of hours the library is open
 (4) FINANCE
The quantitative measurements include:
• The total expenditure for library
service in relation to:
• the total expenditures of the
college for educational
purposes
• the service load of the library
• the expenditures of other college
libraries of similar size, type and
function
• The per capita expenditures of the
library for specific purposes, such as
books and services
• The distribution of library
expenditures for specific purposes,
such as books and services
 (5) LIBRARY
USE
Circulation. The most
important measure of the
effectiveness of a library is
the extent to which it is
used.
• Circulation statistics
• The popularity of
photocopying parts of
books for study and
research would also
affect circulation
figures
 Keeping
quantitative
records of
(6) different types of
reference
REFEREN questions

CE Amount of time
SERVICE devoted to the
varied operations
of the reference
department.
Many college libraries keep regular statistics of the questions asked at
the reference desk:
The statistics may be further refined to show how many inquiries
were received from students, faculty, administrators, and non-
campus users.
A count and sometimes listing of typed bibliographies prepared by
the reference staff in response to specific inquiries is frequently
kept.
A record of unanswered questions has value in
building up the reference collection.
Records of inter-library loan afford an additional measure of one
part of the reference department’s work.
(7) BUILDING AND
EQUIPMENT
•Consider the following:
• Suitable site centrally located with reference to classroom
• buildings
• Provision for a growing collection of books with possibility for
future expansion
• Sufficient reading space for study, reference and research and
general reading purposes with provisions for future expansion
• Proper arrangement, space and relationships among areas
devoted to loan desk service, card catalog, book stack,
bibliographical tools, work rooms in which books are cataloged
and prepared for the shelves.
• Administrative and workroom space for the acquisition and
preparation of books
• Small conference rooms adjoining service departments for
working quarters and for consultation with readers by the
staff of the departments
• Special facilities such as carrels, seminar rooms, and
similar facilities placed as conveniently as possible to
the book stack collection
• Suitable lighting in reading rooms, working quarters,
and card catalog areas
• Storage and exhibit facilities for special materials, such
as finely printed and rare books, map collection and
other materials
• Special provision for audio-visual, computer services,
• photocopying services
• Book lifts and elevators
• Air conditioning and sound proofing
• Facilities/installations for automated library processes
• Other facilities as adequate toilet facilities, storage and
• receiving rooms, and janitor space
• Academic libraries should have
adequate space for the office of
the librarian and staff, readers
and collections.
• Whether occupying the building of its
own or only a part of a building, it
should be strategically located and
should be accessible to the students
and faculty.
•  The reading room should
have a seating capacity of  not
less than 10% of the total
enrolment computed at
• 1.86 sq. m. or 20 sq. ft. per
reader.
•  There should be space
provisions for work areas of the
library personnel computed at
50 sq. ft. or 4.6 sq.
• m. of floor space per staff
member
• Standard library furniture and equipment
should be provided for storage and
retrieval purposes of library materials.
• Shelving space to accommodate 7 books
per linear foot should be provided.
Shelves should not be more than 6 1/2
feet high.
• Space provision for hardware facilities
(cyber nooks, data centers, etc.)
LINKAGES / COOPERATION
Consortia, networking, inter-lending, resource sharing,
cooperative acquisition, shared or cooperative cataloging is
a welcome consequence in this era of rapid information
explosion and shrinking budget

Cooperative arrangements are in the form of interlibrary

loans, resource sharing on limited basis, staff in-service
training and use of bibliographic tools for reference,
acquisition, cataloging and classification purposes.
LIBRARY COOPERATION
IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
Most cooperative programs
are directed toward the
achievement of one or more
of three major goals:
• improving
bibliographical access to
library materials
• improving physical
access to library
materials
• engaging in cooperative
collection development
Bibliographic access is achieved through:
 Standardization of bibliographic data

 Authoritative serials database

 Union lists and union catalogs

 Cooperative cataloging utilizing computer

technology and producing computer-based

bibliographic databases
Physical access is achieved through:
 Interlibrary lending

 Regional networking

 Direct access through telecommunications,

photocopying service, special delivery or

communications, such as telefacsimile
Cooperative Collection Development

COOPERATIVE UNIVERSAL SERIALS AND SHARED OR COOPERATIVE

ACQUISITION BOOK EXCHANGE (USBE) PURCHASING
With Evaluation Results, you can now
redesign your library
Strategies in the ff areas:
 Access Services
 Public Services

 Technical Services

 Collection Development

 Technology [convergence/collaboratory]

 Resource Sharing

 Public Relations

 Special Services

 Non-Print Media

 Physical Facilities
LIBRARY CONSORTIUM/A
• A formal association of libraries usually
restricted to a geographical area, number of
libraries, type of library, or subject interest,
which is established to develop and
implement resource sharing among members
and thereby improve the library services and
resources available to their target groups.
Some degree of formalization of
administration and procedures is required.
REFERENCES
 Brophy, Peter. The academic library. -- London: Library Association
Publishing, c2000.
 Connor, Elizabeth. (Ed). An introduction to staff development in
academic libraries. NY: Routledge, 2009.
 Eden, Bradford Lee. (Ed.). More innovative redesign and
reorganization of library technical services. Westport, CT: Libraries
Unlimited, 2009.
 Evans, Edward and Patricia Layzell Ward. Leadership basics for
librarians
and information professionals. NY: Scarecrow Press, 2007.
 ____ . Management basics for information
professionals, 2 nd

ed. NY: Neal Schuman Publishers, 2007.

 Expectations of librarians in the 21st century/edited by Karl Bridges;
foreword by Leigh Estabrook. -- (The Greenwood Library management
Collection) -- Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, c2003.
 H u m a n re s o u rc e m a n a g e m e n t i n today’s a c a d e m i c library/edited by
Janice Simmons-Welburn and Beth McNeil. – (Libraries Unlimited Library
Management Collection) – Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited,
c2004.
 Rusbridge, C. Towards the hybrid library, D-Lib Magazine, July-August,
available at:
http://mirrored.ukoln.ac.uk/lis- journals/dlib/dlib/dlib/july98/rusbr
idge/07rusbridge.