Finding the Right Metaphor: Restructuring, Realigning, and Repackaging Today's Research Libraries

Abstract

To change from collection-centric to user-centered research libraries and to survive in tough economic times, libraries face 2 major challenges: 1st, libraries need to change how they are viewed by their constituencies so they are seen as indispensable; and 2nd, libraries need to help the librarians and staff change their own mental models of their roles to remain relevant in these changing times. Metaphors are one way to help people connect terms in new ways so they develop new images of those terms. For more than 100 years, libraries have used metaphors to seek connections that will help people see libraries as something other than warehouses for books. This article will explore various metaphors being used in the library field and how these metaphors can help libraries introduce change to improve their chances of receiving the support needed to survive.

Inheriting library cards to Babel and Alexandria: contemporary metaphors for the digital library

“…Metaphor has been deployed as an explanatory tool for the entire modern library era. Giesecke [17] argues that librarians have been consciously adopting metaphors to describe concepts in librarianship since the modern library movement's origins in the late nineteenth century. These metaphors appear to have been important in the formative period of modern libraries, with Nardini [18] claiming that it was common for librarians to choose figurative language to express their vision of libraries: "metaphor was not only a way to describe the role of the library but also a way to explore possibilities, even a way to imagine possibilities in the first place."…”

Circle the Wagons & Bust Out the Big Guns! Tame the “Wild West” of Distance Librarianship Using Quality MattersTMBenchmarks

“…If libraries need to change to be viewed as indispensable by their constituencies (Giesecke, 2011), then it stands to reason that librarians must redefine their roles to be viewed as essential team members for online instructional development. Zabel, Shank and Bell (2011) predicted that in order to "fulfill the evolving educational mission of the academic library, blended librarians must partner with faculty and staff to embed themselves and their instruction, as well as services, in courses and the campus curriculum" (p. 109).…”

Blended Librarianship

“…Moreover, by integrating fundamental instructional design skills and knowledge, "blended librarians become partners with faculty and other academic professionals in designing courses and incorporating information literacy and research skills into academic programs to achieve student learning outcomes." 37 As Joan Giesecke sums up, "Blended librarians therefore become part of the instructional development team." 38 Lastly, possessing the skills to use new web-based technologies as well as pedagogical knowledge to appropriately utilize these technology tools allows blended librarians to become instrumental participants in facilitating the conversations between administrators, faculty, information technology staff, instructional designers, and other educational support staff about being "knowledge-able" in the digital information age.…”