Academic librarians as change champions: a framework for managing change
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-03-2017-0031 |
| Published date | 15 August 2017 |
| Date | 15 August 2017 |
| Pages | 294-301 |
| Author | Jennine A. Knight |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries,Library strategy,Library promotion |
Academic librarians as change
champions: a framework for
managing change
Jennine A. Knight
Sidney Martin Library, University of the West Indies, Bridgetown, Barbados
Abstract
Purpose –As is the case of all organizations, the academic library is a body reflecting the contribution of its
core employees. As such, the roles performed by academic librarians are crucial to its development and
existence. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of academic librarians as change champions in an
information age that has been, still is, and is expected to be continuously pervaded by varying and
widespread changes in librarianship and scholarship coupled with the ever changing and expanding user
needs and expectations. The paper also identifies a framework to perform this role.
Design/methodology/approach –This paper is informed by opinion and draws on relevant literature to
highlight the current climate and what is being perceived as valuable to the future direction of academic
libraries in order to bring credence to its trajectory.
Findings –Academic librarians must readily accept, be responsive to, and anticipate change to maintain and
justify their relevance to stakeholders. Yet, anecdotal evidence suggests that not all librarians are prepared to
embrace change.
Practical implications –Academic librarians must understand how their roles influence the decision-
making processes of the stakeholders and vice versa.
Originality/value –The paper advances five principles or 5As to guide the change process in academic
libraries: alignment, accountability, agility, accessibility, and assessment. Very briefly, it discusses the
relevance of a concept referred to as the competition-collaboration continuum to further academic
librarianship. These notions serve to assist academic librarians in determining the appropriate actions to be
taken now.
Keywords Change management, Collaboration, Competition, Academic libraries, Academic librarians,
Change champions
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
The realities of traditional academiclibrarieshave been forever changed by the evolution of the
internet corresponding with emerging technologies. Academic libraries are no longer confined
to a physicallocation or constrained by theperception of beingbuildings housingmaterials for
circulation that are systematically collected and organized by librarians who perform the roles
of interpreters, navigators, and gatekeepers of information. The emergence of electronic
catalogues and resources have shifted not only the boundaries of traditional academic libraries,
but have also created self-sufficient users by enabling them to access the collections and
services over distance via the internet, and without input from librarians. The internet has
further eroded the library’s position of prominence by consistently providing a wealth of
alternative, up-to-date, and user-friendlysources from which users can choose. Needless to say,
academiclibraries no longerenjoy the monopolisticreign as the principal information provider
within the academy as they must now actively and consistently compete for the attention of
their users (Sennyey et al., 2009). The rapidly and continuously changing environment in
which academic libraries now exist has resulted in, or accounted for their understanding of the
need to be transformed into social and communal learning spaces, thereby providing a new
generation of users, the millennials, “the ones who grew up with computers and the internet”
(Seal, 2015, p. 564), with seamless access to modern technologies and innovative support
services. Such features allow the academic library to regain its foothold as a valuable
contributor to the scholastic development of its users.
Library Management
Vol. 38 No. 6/7, 2017
pp. 294-301
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-03-2017-0031
Received 6 March 2017
Revised 11 April 2017
Accepted 19 April 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
294
LM
38,6/7
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