ACRL 2007 Environmental Scan

Last Spring the Research Committee of ACRL proposed their top ten assumptions for the future of academic and research libraries.  They’ve just released the latest version and are looking for comments for ALA Midwinter.

The 2007 environmental scan by the Research Committee of the
Association of College and Research Libraries (available at http://www.acrl.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/Environmental_Scan_2.pdf
) (29 pages)  explores the current atmosphere in the world of academic and research
libraries. It also considers trends that will define the future of academic and
research librarianship and the research environment. The document builds on
earlier ACRL reports, identifying several emerging issues that will
increasingly impact the work of academic and research libraries and librarians.

 Please share your thoughts and reactions to the issues
identified in the 2007 environmental scan in an open discussion during the 2008
ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan.
13,  at Loews, Congress C.

Assumption #8 deals with Online Learning – "Online Education will continue to expand as an option for students and faculty – both on campus and off – and libraries will gear resources and services for delivery to a distributed academic community."