Subject vs. functional: Should subject librarians be replaced by functional specialists in academic libraries?

This paper focuses on the move by some academic libraries to replace subject-based organisational structures with new functional structures, introducing functional specialists instead of subject librarians. It reports 11 in-depth semi-structured interviews with senior managers in UK libraries discus...

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Veröffentlicht in:Journal of librarianship and information science Jg. 50; H. 4; S. 345 - 360
Hauptverfasser: Hoodless, Catherine, Pinfield, Stephen
Format: Journal Article
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: London, England SAGE Publications 01.12.2018
Sage Publications Ltd
Schlagworte:
Academic departments
Academic libraries
Attitudes
Consensus
Librarians
Libraries
Organizational structure
Positioning
Senior managers
Specialists
Subject specialists
United Kingdom > UK
organisational structures
restructuring
Academic libraries
higher education libraries
research support
subject librarians
ISSN:0961-0006, 1741-6477
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Zusammenfassung:This paper focuses on the move by some academic libraries to replace subject-based organisational structures with new functional structures, introducing functional specialists instead of subject librarians. It reports 11 in-depth semi-structured interviews with senior managers in UK libraries discussing their attitudes to this change. Key drivers for change included the desire to align the library more closely with institutional strategy and provide enhanced research support. However, there were also major concerns, particularly the loss of close relationships with academic departments. Little consensus emerged apart from agreement that this is a major current debate impacting significantly on the future positioning of libraries in their institutions.
Bibliographie:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
ISSN:0961-0006
1741-6477
DOI:10.1177/0961000616653647