Budd begins with the creation and transfer of information. This might be a good time to recall the information life cycle. Note that each similarity also contains a difference. For example, creation and transfer of scholarly information is often quite different that the process in general.
Much of the public, technical, and administrative processes in libraries also apply to academic libraries. What do you see as the fundamental responsibilities of ANY library?
In the beginning, Budd introduces some of the factors in the external environment that apply broadly to libraries. Can you define and discuss the external and internal environment of an academic library?
Budd notes that libraries generally have little power on those who produce the products that they buy. Name products where libraries have little power and those where they have considerable power? Where might academic libraries have the most power over the market? What difference does this make?
Budd also notes that most libraries share a similar administrative organization, one based on functions. Why might this be the case? What do you see as the major functional areas of the academic library? Might these change over time?
Budd comments that the governance of academic institutions constitutes a notable difference. In fact, what difference might governance make for the academic librarian?
Community differences or uniqueness is the other major difference mentioned. Can you identify and discuss differences in the community between a community college, a liberal arts college, and a research university? Is it true that higher education communities are unique? For example, what is really different between the University of Tennessee and the University of Georgia?
The Carnegie Classification of Higher Education Institutions places different types of institutions in different classes based primarily on their research emphasis. Note that the classification scheme has recently changed. Can you discuss the relative importance of research, teaching, and public service for the five different classes of academic institution mentioned by Budd?
Budd briefly mentions culture as something important in studying higher education and academic libraries. What does "culture" mean? Can you give an example? What difference might it make?
Competition is a fact of life for academic institutions. How do or might the academic institution compete? How might the academic library make the parent institution more competitive?
Funding the first variable mentioned here. How does the academic institution get money? What steps might be taken to increase funding?
Budd also notes that critical comment about higher education has increased in the last few years. Why might this be the case? Which aspects are most likely to be criticized? Note that much of this criticism comes from within the academy, but appeals to an external audience.
Traditionally, the academy relied upon full-time faculty and white male students aged 18-22. Over time, the number of female students has increased dramatically. Today, many institutions rely heavily on part-time faculty and there are a large number of non-traditional students. What is a non-traditional student? What impact might these two trends have on library services? You might consider the DE program at SIS as an example of change.
Academic libraries find themselves selecting less and less of more and more. Can you discuss the implications of this trend? How might the academic library respond?
With few exceptions, universities have placed more emphasis on research, really publication, than on teaching or public service during the last two decades. This is one of the major causes of the growth in publications. External funding also plays an important role in this trend. Is this a good thing? What might be done?
Information technology allows the university, including the library, to automate many internal processes and to provide community members with more and more convenient access to information. Does IT allow us to do new things or simply old things better?
Budd notes the rapid growth of higher education in the U.S. Is it likely that the growth will continue? Will nearly everyone become a college graduate? What impact does this growth have on higher education? On the academic library?
Although Budd does not mention it here, another model for the academy is the for-profit business one. Does it make sense to say the academy should be run like a business? If so, how would things be different.
As the academy attempts to deal with acute funding problems, it has outsourced non-core activities such as custodial or food services. What are the core activities of the academy? Could instruction be outsourced? Library services?
Non-traditional students appear here too. Are you a non-traditional student? How might we define non-traditional students? When do non-traditional students become traditional?
Budd also comments on the trend for students to major in "practical" disciplines rather than traditional ones in the humanities or social sciences. Why might this be the case? What difference might it make for the academy? For the library?
As the academic disciplines grow, fracture, and change, there is more interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary work. This is often difficult because the academic reward structure focuses on departments. Still, this trend toward mission oriented research has an impact on how the research academy is organized. What impact might this trend have on the academic library?
How would you answer this question? If the purpose of the academy is to teach, do research (publish), and engage in public service, how does the library help with each of these activities?
Is it likely that the academic library of the future will be notably different? How? Why?
