Date of Award

3-10-2009

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Systems Engineering and Management

First Advisor

Alan R. Heminger, PhD

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the current state of the practice of information technology use among academic and research libraries in order to gain insight into the level of maturity of various emerging technologies such as the Institutional Repository (IR) to be used to provide descriptive guidance and context to other institutions considering them for application. This research uses a case study methodology involving a single case design with multiple units of analysis, and draws evidence from individual interviews of research and education libraries chosen from a range of sizes, foci, and jurisdictions. This evidence is coupled with review of those institutions’ public documentation and that of their partners to assess what academic libraries are doing today to meet the needs of the institutions they serve, what they have planned to provide these services, and what unplanned activities they feel are important to continue to make the information they steward available. Respondents cited several key information technology applications including institutional repositories, federated searching, and other integrated library services as tools being migrated towards to help them fulfill their missions. Interview and archival search results demonstrate a marked drive toward increased collaboration among institutions and regional repositories, a desire to provide rich content and seamless interfaces to library customers, and a trend towards hybrid systems to meet institutional archive and faculty communication needs.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GRD-ENV-09M-01

DTIC Accession Number

ADA502475

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