This paper explores the body of professional knowledge for academic librarians by researching library staff in Japanese colleges and universities. The research was undertaken in two ways. Initially 23 focus-group interviews were conducted at eight academic libraries from 2003 to 2005. Secondly a paper survey was carried out in 2004. Both of these targeted the whole body of the library staff, ranging from the chief librarian to junior staff. The authors have identified the knowledge and skills required for todayâ s academic librarians and learning opportunities that they preferred. The body of professional knowledge and skills revealed through the analysis of the outcomes of the research is presented here.

Education aims to impart knowledge and makes good citizens. Libraries are the repositories of knowledge and form an integral part of education. Libraries have a long history, starting with the chained and closed-access libraries of earlier times to the present-day hybrid, digital, and virtual libraries that use the latest technology for provision of information through various services. Accordingly, librarians have also changed from storekeepers who were concerned with protection of books against theft, mutilation, and pilferage, to that of information officers, navigators, and cybrarians who find themselves in the vast ocean of reading material and are busy in satisfying their clients who want anytime and anywhere information. With the advent of computers, the nature of libraries has changed dramatically. Computers are being used in libraries to process, store, retrieve and disseminate information. As a result, the traditional concept of library is being redefined from a place to access books to one which houses the most advanced media including CD-ROM, Internet, and remote access to a wide range of resources. Libraries have now metamorphosed into digital institutions. Gone are the days when a library was judged by its quantitative resources. Today, libraries are surrounded by networked data that is connected to a vast ocean of Internet-based services. Moreover, electronic resources relevant to the professions are developing at an unprecedented pace. Academic libraries are considered to be the nerve centres of academic institutions, and must support teaching, research, and other academic programmes. The situation in academic libraries of India is the same as that of academic libraries the world over; however, Indian libraries must provide maximum information with limited resources.

Paper was presented in ULA of Sri Lanka, 2007 Conference / This was presented at the Third International Conference of the University Librarians Association of Sri Lanka, held on 8 and 9 June 2007, Galadari Hotel Colombo, Sri Lanka. The presentation briefly discusses the genesis of the education system in India from third century to present scenario. This includes formal and informal education, Gurukul and Traditional System, Scientific and Technical Education. The higher education system includes role of the guiding and quality controlling authorities such as UGC, AICTE, NACC etc. The state of libraries in higher education institutions in India and their role is the main consideration of the presentation. The development of academic institutions and their libraries have been discussed from the point of view of government as well as public sector. The presentation also discusses problems related to finance and other issues. The state owned academic institutions face severe financial crisis as the axe falls on the libraries affecting the higher education system and intellectual growth. The major issues of automation, digitization, copyright, institutional repository, consortium support, networks support, staff resistance, training etc. also find due attention in the presentation. It also emphasizes the need of overall restructuring and reframing higher education policies as envisaged by the D.S. Kothari commission expecting six percent budget allocation on higher education. A few recommendations to the UGC are included. The presentation closes with the remarks on emerging trends and future perspectives in the field of libraries in higher education in India.

Academic libraries exist in institutions of Higher learning to satisfy the information needs of their parent bodies. For libraries to offer quality service, they must implement total quality management and use customer service as a tool to achieve customer satisfaction which will in turn ensure participation and involvement of stakeholders resulting in continuous improvement to the satisfaction of customers. Customer satisfaction will change the negative perception of customers and ensure loyalty. Customer satisfaction requires expectations of customers be known to be satisfied and perceptions to be known,, if negative, be changed. The Study intended to investigate the perceptions of users towards library services of the North West University Library at Mafikeng Campus. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire administered to students and staff in all faculties of the University. A sample of 150 students and 150 staff members was used. The library services that were used in the questionnaire were those that impact on customer care such as circulations, information services, collection development, media and special collections and information access. The main findings showed that both staff and students' perceptions of the library services to be negative due to perceived lack of resources (Books and journals), lack of training on library use and e-resources and incompetent staff. The researcher recommended that the library must put in place structures that will be used to communicate information and educate stakeholders about the library and help identify problem areas to be solved. The recommended structures are a Library Council for students and Library Committee for staff. The researcher also recommends that the library consult with stakeholders on issues of common interest such as training, orientation, rules and regulations to ensure cooperation. The researcher further recommends performance evaluation of the library by stakeholders and benchmarking with other institutions. This study suggested an in depth study of user perceptions for each library service offered and a study of user expectations of different user categories of library services as areas of further research. / Thesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2010

Thesis (A.M.L.S.)--University of Michigan, 1954. Cf. Library literature, 1955-1957, p. 367. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 24-30).

Thesis (A.M.L.S.)--University of Michigan, 1942. Cf. Library literature, 1940-1042, p. 432. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [1]-2 (4th group)).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Texas Tech University, 1997. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 1984. / Typescript (photocopy). "Graduate Program in Library and Information Studies." Includes abstract. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-226).

Thesis--University of Michigan. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 271-276).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Minnesota, 1984. / Includes vita and abstract. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [191]-207).