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Libraries as Spaces
Today’s librarian can feel fortunate to work in an environment constantly reaping the benefits of a digital and automated service. What has not changed, however, is the constant struggle to provide a learning space that inspires and aids readers. Increasingly, libraries are under pressure to provide comfortable environments that readers are likely to use, similar to coffee shops or the comfort of their homes. As this trend develops, there has been a swell in literature aimed at assisting library staff in their goals to provide the best learning environment possible.
It is also interesting to note the increasing interest in the design of new library buildings and their architecture. Libraries are turning from utilitarian buildings into identifiable masterpieces that entice and intrigue their readers. The Library Science Collection has a wealth of literature that covers all areas of library design, architecture and maintenance.
Better library and learning space : edited by Les Watson
Libraries driving access to knowledge / edited by Jesús Lau, Anna Maria Tammaro and Theo Bothma
Libraries designed for kids / Nolan Lushington
Planning academic and research library buildings / Philip D. Leighton, David C. Weber
Space planning / Roberta Freifeld and Caryl Masyr
Photo credit: Renaud Camus
Business and Law Libraries
For many of us that work in libraries, it is easy to focus on the type of institution we serve along with the traditions and conventions they hold. In Cambridge, this has led to a bias towards academic libraries and how they can serve the university and student community. As Cambridge and its surrounding areas increasingly transforms into a business focused district, it is interesting to discover that a wealth of information exists focusing on the attributes and developments of libraries in this field. Furthermore, many businesses depend on law libraries, which also offer a different perspective of modern librarianship.
For anyone studying information sciences or simply interested in seeing how different institutions operate, the University Library holds a diverse range of resources aimed at helping business and law libraries.
Business school libraries in the 21st century edited by Tim Wales
Manual of business library practice edited by Malcolm J. Campbell
Law firm librarianship by John Azzolini
International business reference sources by Cynthia C. Ryans
Business information sources by Christine O’Hare
Navigating business information sources by Maria E. Burke, Hazel Hall
Photo credit: Flazingo Photos
How-To-Do-It Manuals for Librarians
There are many interesting reads in the Library Science Collection but sometimes we don’t have as much time for in-depth research as we would like. Luckily the collection includes a number of volumes in the How-to-do-it Manuals for Librarians series.
For those who have never come across this series before, these books offer a guide on a wide variety of library subjects from cataloguing to customer service. As the title would imply what you will find is step-by-step guide to follow to help you towards your goal, whether it’s Conducting the Reference Interview or Diffusing the Angry Patron. The titles are written in clear and easy to follow language and offer lots of templates that you can use to accomplish your task. I found the templates especially useful as a way to get started on a project or assignment. By answering a few simple questions I had an outline for my work which really took the pressure off.
As the majoirty of the series was published around five to ten years ago some material is a little dated but that doesn’t mean that it’s not still useful. Some of the titles were a great help to me when I was in the middle of assignments for my library science degree as they gave you a place to start and didn’t overwhelm you. I would recommend them to both students and those getting started on a project who want some handy hints. If nothing else they can reassure you that you’re on the right track!
A full list of series titles in the collection can be found here.
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Library Technology Reports
It is almost universally accepted that any successful career in librarianship will involve a close relationship with modern technology. As our readers become ever more interested in what technology has to offer, so must we encourage this curiosity through embracing technological developments. It is therefore very useful to have a clear, descriptive and informative collection of reports on library technology, which is what the University Library has in the Library Technology Reports.
The American Library Association is responsible for producing what it calls ‘Expert guides to library systems and services’, and they are not wrong. Each report investigates a different area of developing technology by introducing a concept, analysing it in detail and then giving insight into its future application. The Library Technology Reports also boast a range of highly knowledgeable and widely known authors who bring a unique critique to each area the reports cover.
The University Library holds a complete set from 1965 and is useful for both historical and contemporary research. For a full list of titles, check the official website and order any material to the West Room.
Photo credit: Stuart Chalmers
Books on Periodicals
Whether digital or print, academic journals are standing the test of time as relevant and useful resources for academic study. Both in the world of librarianship and in its wider context, the debate over how libraries should manage and select journals continues. Cambridge University Library is fortunate enough to hold legal deposit status, meaning that it can claim any periodical published in the United Kingdom, but other libraries continue to struggle over issues surrounding both the digital divide and the economic factors caused by rising subscription costs.
As the ability to publish online becomes more widespread, so does the demand for information to be displayed on the internet. This includes access to scholarly journals for both contemporary and archived material, which can amount to costly subscription charges. Furthermore, failure to continue an online subscription can cause the complete removal of access to journals which have previously been paid for and enjoyed.
These debates over the future, cost and digitisation of journals are explained in the University Library’s Library Sciences Collection. These are just some of the relevant titles we hold in the area of digital and print periodicals:
E-journals access and management
Evaluating electronic resource programmes and provision : case studies from Africa and Asia
Blackwell’s guide to electronic journal management
Electronic journal literature : implications for scholars
Photo credit: Melenita via Flickr
Library Science Collection Blog
Welcome to the new Library Science Collection blog! In order to help you get to know the collection a little better, each month we’ll be highlighting resources on a selected topic. Planned topics currently include resources for new professionals, marketing your library and user-based services. We’re always open to suggestions so please let us know if there’s something you’d like to see featured. Similarly, if you’ve found a book in the collection especially useful then why not write a short review of it for us? Feel free to contact us either via the comments section or email.
We hope that you enjoy the blog and that it helps you to access some of the great resources that the collection has to offer.
UL Library Science Collection 