RSR seeks articles for Volume 52, Issue 3: Beyond Downsizing: Rightsizing The Academic Library, a special issue on academic library rightsizing initiatives.
Rightsizing is the process of restructuring an organization to become more effective or meet new objectives, often involving reducing the number of employees, reorganizing upper management, cutting costs, changing job roles, and refining workflows. Colleges and universities face challenges such as declining enrollment, rising costs, political interference, fading public opinion, and threats to academic freedom and tenure. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted traditional staffing models, and recent advancements in generative artificial technologies demand continued attention in advancing research, supporting pedagogy, or improving internal workflows and documentation. Descriptions of initiatives or studies may occur at many levels and in many contexts, including, but not limited to, in-person, virtual, or hybrid research services; undergraduate or graduate levels; work-study programs or specially-funded internships or positions; general or specialized research support; and general or special collections.
Core questions for this issue focus on collections, spaces, services, technologies, and staffing.
Examples may include:
- What is the right mix of collections to support the teaching, research, and learning goals of a particular institution or university system?
- What is the right variety of spaces to support the teaching, research, and learning goals of a specific college or university?
- What is the right mix of on-ground and virtual services to support the teaching, research, and learning goals of a particular institution or university system?
- What are lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic about remote versus in-person staffing models?
- What are ways libraries can assess their efficacy and impact on strategic research, learning, or service goals?
- What technologies are needed to support the teaching, research, and learning goals of the college or university community?
- What is the right staffing model to support the teaching, research, and learning goals of a college or university community?
Interested? Abstracts are due November 3rd. The full call for papers is available on our website.
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