Future teaching roles for academic librarians: a review

The reviewer argues that the future roles for academic librarians envisaged by the authors have always been the ideal intention. Librarians, at least in the UK, have long regarded their proper role as being that of partners of academic staff and as facilitators of learning in a research model, resource based, learning environment, rather than merely as providers of information services in a “supporting” role simply reacting to overt demands. Librarians have particular attitudes towards information use and skills within learning yet these cannot be separated entirely from subject content which is the jealously regarded province of academic staff. Librarians must become more like faculty in order to fulfil their role and potential, demonstrating their ability to contribute at all levels in the educational process. The book fails to explore adequately the practical, psychological, human, political and administrative problems involved in reaching this ideal.