Top ten assumptions for the future of academic libraries and librarians: A report from the ACRL research committee

There Is Always Tomorrow? Libraries on the Edge

“…The demand for technology-related services will grow. (Mullins, Allen, & Hufford, 2007) I doubt if that is the kind of proscriptive environmental scan that Google would generate for their business modeling.…”

All Together Now!

“…Another assumption was that "distance learning will be an increasingly more common option in higher education, and will coexist but not threaten the traditional bricks-and-mortal model." 21 With more material being digitized and made available online, and the growing number of students studying online or at a distance, users are now spending a greater proportion of their time online and not physically in the library.…”

Whose Decline?

“…The following items listed do not seem to anticipate any declines and in fact seem to predict increases: "Distance learning will be an increasingly more common option in higher education, and will coexist but not threaten the traditional bricks-and-mortar model," "Students and faculty will increasingly demand faster and greater access to services," and "The demand for technologyrelated services will grow and require additional funding." 7 What is not often a feature of the analysis or a subdivision of the data are the distinctive characteristics of the libraries involved. ARL library researchers and issues are well-represented in library literature.…”