1. How I Perceive the Future
of Public Services in the
Academic Library
A presentation at the Thomas G. Carpenter Library
by Lisandra R. Carmichael
on February 5, 2013

2. “Always the beautiful answer
who asks a more beautiful question”
e. e. cummings

3. The Future of Public Services Includes:
Incorporating new technologies
(Johnson et al., 2013).

4. The Future of Public Services Includes:
Aligning services to user needs and preferences.

5. The Future of Public Services Includes:
Leading changes in the library
(Pew Research Center, 2012).

6. The Future of Public Services Includes:
Allocating resources strategically.

7. The Future of Public Services Includes:
Demonstrating assessment and accountability
(ACRL, 2011a).

8. The Future of Public Services Includes:
Articulating and demonstrating library impact.

9. The Value of Academic Libraries (Oakleaf, 2010)
Define outcomes.

10. The Value of Academic Libraries (Oakleaf, 2010)
Create or adopt systems for assessment management.

11. The Value of Academic Libraries (Oakleaf, 2010)
Determine what libraries enable others to do
(Johnson et al., 2013).

12. The Value of Academic Libraries (Oakleaf, 2010)
Link libraries to student retention and graduation rates
(Cain & Reynolds, 2006).

13. The Value of Academic Libraries (Oakleaf, 2010)
Track and increase library contributions to faculty research.

14. The Value of Academic Libraries (Oakleaf, 2010)
Investigate library impact on faculty grant proposals
and funding (Germano, 2011).

15. Other Considerations for Public Services in terms of
the future:
Each functional area in Public Services presents a unique
set of challenges and opportunities.

16. Other Considerations for Public Services in terms of
the future:
Collaboration is fundamental to successful implementation
of new programs and services.

17. Other Considerations for Public Services in terms of
future trends:
Public Services staff will increasingly need to:
• remain as intermediaries in the information
discovery process (Head & Eisenberg, 2010),

18. Other Considerations for Public Services in terms of
future trends:
Public Services staff will increasingly need to:
• remain as intermediaries in the information
discovery process (Head & Eisenberg, 2010),
• engage in scenario thinking (ACRL, 2010a),

19. Other Considerations for Public Services in terms of
future trends:
Public Services staff will increasingly need to:
• remain as intermediaries in the information
discovery process (Head & Eisenberg, 2010),
• engage in scenario thinking (ACRL, 2010a),
• participate in ongoing training and professional
development,

20. Other Considerations for Public Services in terms of
future trends:
Public Services staff will increasingly need to:
• remain as intermediaries in the information
discovery process (Head & Eisenberg, 2010),
• engage in scenario thinking (ACRL, 2010a),
• participate in ongoing training and professional
development,
• market library services, resources, and
programs, and;

21. Other Considerations for Public Services in terms of
future trends:
Public Services staff will increasingly need to:
• remain as intermediaries in the information
discovery process (Head & Eisenberg, 2010),
• engage in scenario thinking (ACRL, 2010a),
• participate in ongoing training and professional
development,
• market library services, resources, and
programs, and;
• reassess our role in the academic library of the
future.

22. “Think higher,
feel deeper”
Elie Wiesel

23. References
ACRL. (2010a). Futures thinking for academic librarians: Higher education in 2025. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/issues/value/futures2025.pdf
ACRL (2010b). The value of academic libraries: A comprehensive research review and report. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/issues/value/val_report.pdf
ACR L.(2011a). Environmental scan 2010. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/publications/whitepapers/EnvironmentalScan201.pdf
ACRL. (2011b). Standards for libraries in higher education. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/standardslibraries
Cain, D., & Reynolds , G. L. (2006). The impact of facilities on recruitment and retention of students. Facilities Manager, May/Jun,,
48-53.
OCLC. (2010). Perceptions of libraries, 2010: Context and community. Dublin, OH: OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
Germano, M. (2011). The library value deficit. The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, 24(2), 100–106.
Head, A. J., & Eisenberg, M. B. (2010). Truth be told: How college students evaluate and use information in the digital age. Project I
information literacy progress report. Retrieved from http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_Fall2010_Survey_FullReport1.pdf
Johnson, L., Adams, S., and Cummins, M. (2013). The NMC Horizon Report: 2012 Higher Education Edition. Austin, Texas:
The New Media Consortium
Pew Research Center. (2012). E-book reading jumps; Print book reading declines.Retrieved from
http://libraries.pewinternet.org/files/legacy-pdf/PIP_Reading%20and%20ebooks_12.27.pdf