oct09a.indd


October 2009 497 C&RL News

In theIn the

Welcome to the October 2009 issue of C&RL 
News. As fall semester gets into full swing, 
students begin to fi ll college and university 
libraries to study, work on projects, and 
connect with their fellow classmates. But 
are we providing the resources and spac-
es that meet the needs and work habits of 
the born digital generation? Bryan Sinclair 
provides an overview of this issue and the 
skills needed by today’s librarian in his ar-
ticle “The blended librarian in the learning 
commons.”

Laurie Alexander, Laurie A. Sutch, and 
Harold Tuckett provide a look at an example 
of how Sinclair’s ideas can be put into action 
in their article about “The Tech Deck” at the 
University of Michigan. In the latest install-
ment of the Job of a Lifetime feature, Erin 
Dorney profi les three librarians focused on 
emerging technologies at Towson University.

The need to match services and spaces 
with student needs isn’t confi ned to large 

research libraries. Bart Harloe and Helene 
Williams examine the impact of new models 
of learning and engagement on undergradu-
ate institutions in “The college library in the 
21st century.” Taking library skills instruction 
to new areas of the curriculum is another 
way to meet the needs of today’s students, as 
Carol Schuetz outlines in “Not your parents’ 
chemistry class.”

Also in this issue, ACRL President Lori 
A. Goetsch discusses her presidential focus 
on advocacy in “What is our value and who 
values us?” 

Make sure to take a look at all of the other 
great articles and columns, including Tim 
Hackman’s Scholarly Communication column 
on open access challenges at the University 
of Maryland and Internet Resources on “El-
dercare and aging” by Alexia Hudson. 

Thanks for reading the News! 
—David Free, editor-in-chief

dfree@ala.org