Smooth or Choppy Seas: Smooth or Choppy Seas: What Does the Future Hold What Does the Future Hold

for Academia?for Academia?

Nancy ChismNancy Chism

March 9, 2007March 9, 2007

Schuster and FinkelsteinSchuster and Finkelstein

““American higher education and the American higher education and the academic profession that serve it are academic profession that serve it are on the edge of an unprecedented on the edge of an unprecedented restructuring that is changing the restructuring that is changing the face—indeed, even the very meaningface—indeed, even the very meaning—of higher learning.” (2006, p. 3). —of higher learning.” (2006, p. 3).

Of Ships and CoursesOf Ships and Courses

The University as Large Passenger The University as Large Passenger ShipShip

Beautiful, but hard to turn quicklyBeautiful, but hard to turn quickly

The Shoals and Hidden ObstaclesThe Shoals and Hidden Obstacles

Will the icebergs get us?Will the icebergs get us?

The Need for a TugThe Need for a Tug

Assistance from many is neededAssistance from many is needed

Some Past Changes of CourseSome Past Changes of Course

From elite to open accessFrom elite to open access From teaching to comprehensive From teaching to comprehensive

missionmission From tutors to professional facultyFrom tutors to professional faculty From local to globalFrom local to global From small to largeFrom small to large

And a Lot Has Remained Steady…And a Lot Has Remained Steady…Until RecentlyUntil Recently

Value on educated citizenry as key to Value on educated citizenry as key to democracydemocracy

Admiration for faculty professionAdmiration for faculty profession Teachers as mediators of informationTeachers as mediators of information Preparedness of student populationPreparedness of student population Classic campus architectureClassic campus architecture Global respect for U.S. higher Global respect for U.S. higher

educationeducation

But Oh, the Ship Is Being But Oh, the Ship Is Being Buffeted!Buffeted!

Some Major Forces for ChangeSome Major Forces for Change

Changes in public supportChanges in public support Changes in faculty professionChanges in faculty profession Changes in student populationChanges in student population Information technologyInformation technology ArchitectureArchitecture GlobalizationGlobalization

Public SupportPublic Support

From societal to private goodFrom societal to private good• Education for individual gainEducation for individual gain• Shift in funding expectationsShift in funding expectations

Students pay moreStudents pay more Public pays lessPublic pays less

From awe to skepticismFrom awe to skepticism• Calls for accountabilityCalls for accountability

Now you…Now you…

What effect will the change in What effect will the change in public perception have on public perception have on

reference libraries?reference libraries?

Faculty ProfessionFaculty Profession

Large-scale changes in appointment Large-scale changes in appointment typestypes• Increased reliance on non-tenure track Increased reliance on non-tenure track

Changes in demographic makeupChanges in demographic makeup• Increased diversityIncreased diversity• Generational differencesGenerational differences

““Ratcheting up” of responsibilitiesRatcheting up” of responsibilities• Workload increases and stressWorkload increases and stress

Now you…Now you…

What effect will the changes What effect will the changes in the faculty profession have in the faculty profession have

on reference libraries?on reference libraries?

Student PopulationStudent Population

Increases in numbersIncreases in numbers Increases in diversityIncreases in diversity Changes in traditional studentsChanges in traditional students

• Entry preparationEntry preparation• Life situationsLife situations• Work ethicWork ethic• Preferred modes of learningPreferred modes of learning

Now you…Now you…

What effect will the changes What effect will the changes in students have on reference in students have on reference

libraries?libraries?

Information TechnologyInformation Technology

Significant budget items for Significant budget items for universitiesuniversities

InfluencingInfluencing• ResearchResearch• Teaching and learningTeaching and learning• ServiceService• Administrative practicesAdministrative practices

Admissions, financial aid, bookstores—and Admissions, financial aid, bookstores—and especiallyespecially libraries libraries

Now you…Now you…

What What additional additional changes will changes will the growth of information the growth of information

technology have on reference technology have on reference libraries?libraries?

ArchitectureArchitecture

Delayed maintenanceDelayed maintenance Competition for studentsCompetition for students Functional changes prompted byFunctional changes prompted by

• New notions of teaching and learningNew notions of teaching and learning• Information technologyInformation technology• Student comfort and aestheticsStudent comfort and aesthetics

Decline of bricks and mortarDecline of bricks and mortar

Now you…Now you…

What effect will the changes What effect will the changes in concepts of learning spaces in concepts of learning spaces have on reference libraries?have on reference libraries?

GlobalizationGlobalization

Loss of prestige of U. S. institutionsLoss of prestige of U. S. institutions Internationalization Internationalization

• CurriculumCurriculum• ScholarshipScholarship• Civic engagementCivic engagement

Now you…Now you…

How will globalization affect How will globalization affect reference libraries?reference libraries?

Waves or Tsunamis? Flotsam or Waves or Tsunamis? Flotsam or Flotillas? Flotillas?

Questions about valueQuestions about value Less stable and more overloaded Less stable and more overloaded

facultyfaculty Differently-prepared studentsDifferently-prepared students Expense of technology and new ways Expense of technology and new ways

of learning and workingof learning and working New space configurationsNew space configurations Global pressures and possibilitiesGlobal pressures and possibilities

Send in the TugsSend in the Tugs

Reinforcement of worthwhile valuesReinforcement of worthwhile values Navigation through competing Navigation through competing

pressurespressures Support for the crew and passengersSupport for the crew and passengers Effective use of information channelsEffective use of information channels Collaboration with other shipsCollaboration with other ships

Your QuestionYour Question

Can Reference Librarians be Can Reference Librarians be good tugs?good tugs?

Credits and ReferencesCredits and References Copyright © copyright-free-pictures.org.uk Copyright © copyright-free-pictures.org.uk Microsoft Clip ArtMicrosoft Clip Art Bement, A. L. (2007, January 5). Cyberinfrastructure: The second Bement, A. L. (2007, January 5). Cyberinfrastructure: The second

revolution. revolution. TheThe Chronicle of Higher Education,Chronicle of Higher Education, pp. B5-B6. pp. B5-B6. Campbell, J. D. (2006). Changing a cultural icon: The academic Campbell, J. D. (2006). Changing a cultural icon: The academic

library as a virtual destination. library as a virtual destination. EDUCAUSE Review,EDUCAUSE Review, 4141(1), 16-30.(1), 16-30. The Chronicle of Higher Education (2006). The Chronicle of Higher Education (2006). The 2006-7 almanacThe 2006-7 almanac. .

5353(1).(1). Levine, A. (1999). How the academic profession is changingLevine, A. (1999). How the academic profession is changing.. In B. In B.

A. Pescosolido, & R. Aminzade (Eds.), A. Pescosolido, & R. Aminzade (Eds.), The social worlds of higher The social worlds of higher educationeducation (pp. 54-58). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. (pp. 54-58). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

McDonald, R. H., & Thomas, C. (2006). Disconnects between McDonald, R. H., & Thomas, C. (2006). Disconnects between library culture and millennial generation values. library culture and millennial generation values. EDUCAUSE EDUCAUSE QuarterlyQuarterly, , 2929(4), 4-6.(4), 4-6.

Schuster, J. H., & Finkelstein, M. J. (2006). Schuster, J. H., & Finkelstein, M. J. (2006). The American faculty: The American faculty: The restructuring of academic and work careers.The restructuring of academic and work careers. Baltimore: Johns Baltimore: Johns Hopkins.Hopkins.