Commentaries on 'Choosing Our Futures'

摘要

These commentaries are responding to the article by Carla J. Stoffle, Robert Renaud, and Jerilyn R. Veldof on page 213 of this issue. They were selected to provide a diverse point of view. As Carla Stoffle, Robert Renaud, and Jerilyn Veldof so rightlypoint out, the disagreement in the profession is not over whether academic libraries have to change, but over what, how, how fast, and how much change. They provide a comprehensive and rich discussion of the organizational elements, assumptions, and approaches that have to change. I take no issue with much of the what and how, or with the view that our libraries must initiate self-examination, focus on customers and their needs, emphasize continuous learning, and design new structures that are less hierarchical, more flexible, and more productive. My point of departure is with the how fast and how much. Librarians should draw on the authors' ideas, but must not be taken in by this corporate-model push for immediate revolutionary change.