Information Studies: Welcome

Talking about why collaboration is so important is one thing--but taking an in-depth look at the ways it works (and sometimes doesn't work) in real-world design projects is both more revealing and instructive. Award-winning architect Gisolfi does exactly that in this essential new book, presenting detailed case studies of ten design projects from public, academic, and school libraries that identify paths to success as well as hazards to avoid. Inside, library planners, designers, and administrators will find practical guidance directly applicable to their own undertakings, regardless of size or complexity. This book examines ten library design projects from a range of institutions, such as an academic library recovering from a fire, a high school library transitioning into the 21st century, and a public library that was transformed over many decades from a one-room schoolhouse to a 48,000-square-foot building; includes plentiful illustrations, photos, diagrams, and plans that explain the buildings; presents essays for each project written by the board member or academic administrator who participated and contributed to the planning, and the architect who lead the design team; features honest evaluations of each project from a librarian responsible for the day-to-day operation in the new space, complete with observations of how patrons now use the facility; and offers a closing essay discussing new trends in library design that will help assure the library's position as a vital civic institution. Through the real-life examples in this book, readers will learn how the successful modification of existing library buildings or the creation of new buildings requires the active participation and effective collaboration of library board members, administrators, librarians, and architects.

Traditionally, academic librarians have delivered "beck and call" service to educators both in and out of the classroom. However, far from being merely auxiliary to the learning cycle, academic librarians are educators in their own right. If the primary challenge before them is to change how they're perceived within their institutions, Reale proposes, the key lies in becoming a proactive teacher and collaborator. Offering strategies applicable to many different areas, this book shows how the academic librarian can be an educator in both structured and unstructured spaces on campuses. Blending practice-based evidence with a warm approach, Reale discusses the changing perception of academic librarians, how they are seen and how they see themselves; shows how academic librarians can and should assert their rightful place in the learning cycle; looks at how to match teaching goals with academic librarians' mission; advocates for the indispensable roles the academic librarian should play, including co-collaborator, one-on-one research consultant, expert-at-large in non-structured spaces such as the dorm or student lounge, and embedded librarian in the classroom; offers talking points for self-advocacy, looking at the many ways academic librarians are making a difference; and explores activities and programming for engagement and learning. This book will empower and validate academic librarians by demonstrating their indispensable roles as educators.

The digital revolution fundamentally changed how cultural heritage is created, documented, analyzed, and preserved. The book focuses on this transformation's impact. How must museums and archives meet the challenges of digitally generated cultures and how does the digital revolution influence traditional object collection, research, and education? How do digital technologies and digital art and culture affect our interaction with images? Leading international experts from various disciplines break new ground. Pioneering interdisciplinary research results collected in this book are relevant to education, curators and archivists in the arts and culture sector and in the digital humanities.