Role Reinvention, Structural Defense, or Resigned Surrender: Institutional Approaches to Technological Change and Reference Librarianship

LeMaistre, Tiffany; Embry, Rebecka L.; Zandt, Lindsey L. Van; Bailey, Di

doi:10.1086/665932

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The survey results also showed that academic libraries are placing a strong emphasis on making librarians' wisdom more accessible through in-person appointments and through online resources such as LibGuides, tutorials, and FAQs. This constitutes strong confirmation of trends recognized by Jaguszewski and Williams (2013) and by LeMaistre et al (2012).…”

Section: Recommendations and Conclusionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Several studies have shown that the number of "real" reference questions are declining (LeMaistre, Embry, VanZandt, & Bailey, 2012), and that many can in fact be answered by a well-trained employee without a library degree (Ryan, 2008).…”

Section: Reference Service Trends In Academic Librariesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many librarians are making online systems more user-friendly by delivering pre-packaged guidance to help patrons overcome obstacles. Examples include course guides, screencasts, widgets for library web pages, and blogging (Jaguszewski & Williams, 2013;LeMaistre et al, 2012).…”

Section: Faqsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Recent Changes to Reference Services in Academic Libraries and Their Relationship to Perceived Quality: Results of a National Survey

Coleman

Mallon

2015

Journal of Library Administration

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A national survey of academic librarians was conducted to examine relationships among reference service staffing changes, reference service innovations, adoption of reference technology, library type and size, and service quality. Analysis of the 606 response sets reveals trends toward reduced use of librarians and increased use of student staff at in-person service points, widespread increases in appointment-based and self-service reference, intensive efforts to reduce demand for reference by improving library instruction, and general improvements in reference service quality. Factors strongly associated with decreases or increases in quality are discussed in detail and implications for reference managers are provided.

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Section: Recommendations and Conclusionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Reference Service Trends In Academic Librariesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Recent Changes to Reference Services in Academic Libraries and Their Relationship to Perceived Quality: Results of a National Survey

Coleman

Mallon

2015

Journal of Library Administration

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“…Similar to Hendrick, Peacock (2008) theorizes that the effect of technology on museums depends on the degree to which internal conversations are open to diverse ideas. LeMaistre et al (2012) show how the advent of digital cataloguing systems in libraries caused reference librarians to shift their roles rather than rendering them obsolete. Other scholars focus on the ways in which museum staff interpret external pressures on their organizations.…”

Section: Disruptive Change?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive Institutional Change: Managing Digital Works at the Museum of Modern Art

2018

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From digital video to software-driven installations, digital art is now present in museums around the world. Museum systems designed for object-based collections like paintings and sculpture do not address the collections management and conservation requirements for these new technologies and their associated hardware. In this article the authors investigate processes through which digital art becomes embedded in museums. Based on original research conducted at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, we argue that the introduction of digital art to MoMA did not lead, as recent literature suggests, to disruptive or radical changes of existing institutional practices. Instead, the result has been organizational subunit proliferation and adjustments to established practices and procedures. Through our study of managing digital art at MoMA, we engage Science and Technology Studies and the institutional analysis tradition in the sociology of organizations to advance the understanding of processes of change in art museums.

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“…These developments have influenced not only how libraries are understood, but also the service roles of librarians. For instance, LeMaistre, Embry, Van Zandt, and Bailey () found that librarians were moving away from active public service work and embracing more “off‐desk” activities, such as collection development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Information technology, change and information professionals’ identity construction: A discourse analysis

Hicks

2014

Proc of Assoc for Info

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Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are often identified by librarians and information professionals as being a driving force behind the way they perform their day‐to‐day activities and how they interact with their clients. This study considers the role ICTs play in the shaping and constructing of the identities of librarians. Using data gathered from interviews, email discussion lists, and the professional literature, this study employed a discourse analysis to examine the language resources librarians use when constructing their professional identities, with particular attention to the role of ICTs in this construction. ICTs both challenged and enhanced the identities of librarians. While the changes related to ICTs have left librarians feeling insecure about their professional positions, they have also opened up new roles and opportunities for librarians to pursue. Librarians have a service‐oriented identity that is influenced by ICT‐related changes affecting their work. These changes will challenge and benefit librarians as they engage with ICTs and determine how, if at all, they can be incorporated into their day‐to‐day practice.

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Role Reinvention, Structural Defense, or Resigned Surrender: Institutional Approaches to Technological Change and Reference Librarianship

Cited by 13 publications

References 43 publications

Recent Changes to Reference Services in Academic Libraries and Their Relationship to Perceived Quality: Results of a National Survey

Recent Changes to Reference Services in Academic Libraries and Their Relationship to Perceived Quality: Results of a National Survey

Adaptive Institutional Change: Managing Digital Works at the Museum of Modern Art

Information technology, change and information professionals’ identity construction: A discourse analysis

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