Lost in the Cloud: Research Library Collections and Community in the Digital Age

an article by Dan Hazen (Associate Librarian for Collection Development, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts) published in Library Resources & Technical Services Volume 55(Number 4 (October 2011)

Abstract

Digital technologies, renewed attention to the purposes of higher education, and changing models for scholarship and learning challenge our historic understandings of research libraries and their collections. Common assumptions and goals are giving way to diverse local agendas, many of which also reflect increasingly limited budgets. Cooperative ventures are taking new forms as well, with straitened resources again the rule. Our adaptation to this uncertain environment requires research libraries to reconsider the elements that are now necessary for success.

Hazel’s comment:
I read this article in the hard copy at the British Library, and then, rather than copy-type the abstract, tried finding it online together with the author affiliation(s).
I hit the jackpot! 
A couple of very favourable article reviews and then, joy of joys, a PDF of the whole thing.
Before doing anything other than reading the piece please note the copyright conditions:

Copyright of Library Resources & Technical Services is the property of American Library Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.

Read it here

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Digital libraries in the classroom: Secondary school teachers’ conception

an article by A Abrizah and AN Zainab (University of Malaya) published in Journal of Librarianship and Information Science Volume 43 Number 4 (December 2011)

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a case study investigating secondary school teachers’ understanding of the term digital libraries and their relationship with learning.
The study addresses two research questions:

1. How do teachers conceptualize digital libraries, their relevance and issues relating to their integration into the curriculum? and
2. What are the teachers’ perceptions of the initiative to develop a collaborative digital library for school projects?

A series of interviews were carried out on six history subject teachers which provide a detailed and succinct information on their understanding of digital libraries, their knowledge and use of the internet and digital resources, their perception of the possible impact of digital resources on teaching and learning, the benefits teachers seen in digital resources and the problems they have in using them. It also offers important insights on history subject teachers’ perceptions of the initiative to develop a collaborative digital library for history projects, perception of its potential use, pointing out the conditions that facilitate its use in the classrooms.

The paper also points out the relevance of digital libraries to the history curriculum which will make readers understand that using the technology is relevant to the teaching of all subjects.

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