Academic Libraries
Academic libraries are integral components of colleges, universities, and similar institutions, designed to support the research and teaching needs of faculty and students. They cater to a diverse range of academic environments, from small, undergraduate-focused institutions to large universities emphasizing advanced research and graduate programs. Historically, academic libraries began as small collections, primarily centered on theology and classical literature, with limited access for students. Over time, particularly in the latter part of the nineteenth century, these libraries evolved significantly, influenced by the professionalization efforts of organizations like the American Library Association.
The introduction of innovative cataloging systems, such as the Dewey Decimal classification, enhanced the accessibility of library materials. By the twentieth century, advancements in publishing and technology allowed libraries to expand their collections substantially and improve user access. The shift from closed stacks to open stacks enabled students and faculty to browse materials directly, while the transition from card catalogs to computerized databases revolutionized search capabilities. Today, many materials are available online, allowing users to access essential resources remotely, reflecting the ongoing adaptation of academic libraries to meet the evolving needs of their communities.
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Academic Libraries
Academic libraries are those that are part of a college, university, or other academic institution that supports the research and teaching needs of faculty and students. Both research and teaching needs are accommodated by academic libraries, so librarians must make sure the collections and services offered meet their requirements. Academic libraries include those that serve small, teaching-oriented institutions that focus exclusively on undergraduates to large institutions that focus upon graduate programs and cutting-edge research.
Overview
Most colleges in the United States were founded by members of religious organizations, and a primary purpose of these colleges was to prepare students to become members of the clergy and school teachers. Throughout most of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, books were expensive and difficult to obtain. As a result, the libraries that were formed to serve colleges and universities were often quite small and focused mostly on theology and the classics. For example, in 1766 the Yale College Library had approximately 4,000 volumes, and was the second largest academic library on the North American continent.
Early academic libraries were very different from their modern equivalents. The collections were often non-circulating, and students only had access to them for several hours per week. Academic libraries often also charged students a fee for the right to use their services in addition to regular school tuition. Students often supplemented the academic libraries at their institutions by forming literary societies that made available a collection of books that were more useful to students than those volumes contained in the library itself.
During the latter half of the nineteenth century, as American universities became more interested in offering graduate degrees and conducting research, academic libraries changed for the better. The American Library Association (ALA) was formed in 1876 and contributed greatly to the professionalization of the field. ALA leaders such as Charles Ammi Cutter and Melville Dewey introduced innovations such as cataloging that made it much easier to access collection materials in academic libraries (Dewey Decimal classification). Increased demand for materials based on increased research productivity caused colleges and universities to spend more on books, journals, and other materials to meet the needs of students and faculty.
During much of the twentieth century, increased efficiency in publishing permitted many academic libraries to vastly increase the size of their collections of books and journals. Technological innovations changed how patrons searched for and worked with library materials. Before 1950, most books were stored in an academic library’s closed “stacks,” where they could be accessed only by librarians. Patrons who wished to use items stored in the stacks needed to request them at a central desk and then use them in a reading room. After 1960, open stacks where students and faculty could browse collections themselves became much more common. Card catalogues, which had been the primary means of searching for items in a collection for over a century, were supplemented and then supplanted by computer terminals that allowed patrons to search for titles electronically. As computerized databases became more sophisticated at the end of the twentieth century, academic libraries were at the forefront of the digital revolution. Large portions of their collections were placed online where they could be accessed from multiple locations, and students and faculty were able to access much of what they needed from anywhere via computer.
Bibliography
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Budd, J. M. The Changing Academic Library: Operations, Culture, Environments. 2nd ed. Chicago: Assoc. of College and Research Libraries, 2012. Print.
Chu, S. K., and H. S. Du. “Social Networking Tools for Academic Libraries.” Journal of Librarianship and Information Services 45.1 (2013): 64–75. Print.
Hernon, P., and J. R. Matthews, eds. Reflecting the Future of Academic and Public Libraries. Chicago: ALA, 2010. Print.
Janes, J., ed. Library 2020: Today’s Leading Visionaries Describe Tomorrow’s Library. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2013. Print.
McKnight, S. Envisioning Future Academic Library Services: Initiatives, Ideas, and Challenges. London: Facet, 2010. Print.
Oakleaf, M. The Value of Academic Libraries: A Comprehensive Research Review and Report. Chicago: Assoc. of College and Research Libraries, 2010. Print.
Taylor, A. G., and D. N. Joudrey. The Organization of Information. 3rd ed. Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited, 2008. Print.