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To describe the issues involved in the introduction of mandatory submission of electronic theses at Cranfield University.

Background information on how the availability of e‐theses has developed at Cranfield University is provided along with discussions and advice on issues such as the choice of software, thesis submission workflow and timeframes, particularly in relation to the publication of thesis‐related articles. It also looks at metadata issues as well as both retrieval and usage of electronic theses. Finally it describes how the service has expanded from e‐theses to other types of material and to the development and expansion of an institutional repository for Cranfield.

It is shown that there are a number of issues that will need to be addressed from the points of view of librarians, academic staff and registry staff and that one effective method of managing the process is to set up a working group with all stakeholders in the process. There is a clear need for administrative procedures to be discussed in detail and a recognition that the time involved in changing regulations may be significant.

It is clear that most of the issues that have arisen at Cranfield as outlined in the paper will be mirrored at other institutions that are considering the same changes, and so those institutions looking at the area of e‐thesis submission may gain some useful insights.

This paper provides useful advice on the issues that will arise as institutions go through the process of introducing the mandatory submission of electronic theses.

With the technological innovation dominating higher education, the university libraries, as physical spaces, continue to play a crucial role in connecting students with knowledge. The emergence of the “Learning Commons” serves as a catalyst in the design of library spaces, renewing libraries’ roles and missions and making them popular to Millennials for new reasons. This study aims to record Greek librarians' views on the current situation in Greek academic libraries regarding physical space design, services provided and the existence of the “Learning Commons” model characteristics.

This study was conducted through an online survey structured questionnaire (closed-ended, five-point Likert scale, multiple-choice and statements questions). This study population comprised librarians working in 37 academic institutions and colleges. The collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. The research questions were answered using variables creation and the tests, t-test, ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis. The groups of questions were tested for their reliability using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient.

In total, 186 librarians responded to this study. The responses revealed that participants were willing and ready to accept and support a different approach to academic library physical spaces use, according to the shared learning spaces model. However, this requires changes in the organization's vision, further growth and evolution. Although recently most Greek academic libraries have made significant progress in developing their services to function as information and digital hubs, they do not function as learning collaborative hubs, since the “Learning Commons” model is not reflected in their buildings.

The creation of new academic libraries according to the “common” model is a rapidly evolving issue that affects Greek libraries. This paper highlights the characteristics of libraries that should be adopted in the modern era, the new roles of academic librarians and the importance of an appropriate design of the physical space to achieve optimal learning outcomes. At the same time, this paper is one of the few that illustrates librarians', and not users', perceptions of these changes. This paper is a good research example, and the methodology for measuring this type of context could be used by other future research approaches in other countries.

Highlights problems of training and personnel development in the context of inadequate training facilities, and inadequately defined skills resulting in failure on the part of the professional to meet the needs of users. Covers the key attributes and attitudes required for the identification of skills in the context of African librarianship in general, and that of Tanzania in particular. Stresses the need for a concrete and appropriate training and personnel development programme.

A little over a decade ago, a major library problem was formulated in arresting and witty terms. The growth of library collections, and the consequent pressure for growth of library buildings, was the subject of a conference of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest; and the conference, which proved to be seminal to the next decade of managerial thought, proclaimed that we were “Touching Bottom in the Bottomless Pit.” So we bade Farewell to Alexandria—that is, to the purported dream of all libraries, infinite expansion. In the same period the University Grants Committee of Great Britain was studying the same question. They, with the authority of the governmental voice, mandated a fixed size for British university libraries—a “no growth” policy. In the ensuring years, “no growth” has been a policy for some libraries, an uncomfortable physical fact for many others.

A community outreach program called Surabaya Memory (SM) initiated by Petra Christian University’s Library in Indonesia is described in this chapter. It is dedicated to the preservation of Surabaya city’s historical and cultural heritage, and provides a case study of academic library leadership both in its campus setting and in society in general. The initiative started in 2001 as a heritage project dedicated to preserving resources digitally, but since then evolved into much broader initiatives involving various community outreach programs. These programs and activities have been held in the city’s malls in an effort to reach everyone, not just the learned and cultured groups of society. In organizing all those programs and activities, the Library found itself assuming expanding roles and functions. It has also found itself exercising leadership roles in facilitating various university academic departments and administrative units to reach out to the community at large. SM also served as a forum wherein academic departments could showcase the Surabaya-related work of faculties and students to the general public. In some cases SM’s programs and activities which could be integrated into academic courses in several academic departments. The chapter discusses a model for academic libraries to assume leadership roles on campus, and for redefining their roles and activities well beyond their campuses. Such newly redefined roles will, in the end, raise not only the public profile of academic libraries on campus but also of the entire university.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the emerging and innovative technologies which integrate together to form smart libraries. Smart libraries are the new generation libraries, which work with the amalgamation of smart technologies, smart users and smart services.

An extensive review of literature on “smart libraries” was carried to ascertain the emerging technologies in the smart library domain. Clarivate Analytic’s Web of Science and Sciverse Scopus were explored initially to ascertain the extent of literature published on Smart Libraries and their varied aspects. Literature was searched against various keywords like smart libraries, smart technologies, Internet of Things (IoT), Electronic resource management (ERM), Data mining, Artificial intelligence (AI), Ambient intelligence, Blockchain Technology and Augmented Reality. Later on, the works citing the literature on Smart Libraries were also explored to visualize a broad spectrum of emerging concepts about this growing trend in libraries.

The study confirms that smart libraries are becoming smarter with the emerging smart technologies, which enhances their working capabilities and satisfies the users associated with them. Implementing the smart technologies in the libraries has bridged the gap between the services offered by the libraries and the rapidly changing and competing needs of the humans.

The paper highlights the emerging smart technologies in smart libraries and how they influence the efficiency of libraries in terms of users, services and technological integration.

The paper tries to highlight the current technologies in the smart library set-ups for the efficient working of library set-ups.

On their own, marketers all too often create sales that the organisation does not want; and accountants, when left to their own devices, cut costs with cavalier regard for user consequences. As partners, marketers and accountants can make a very real impact on “better use of resources” — a phrase that in a commercial enterprise would frequently be translated as a better return on investment or improved profitability.

Provides a detailed account of the predicament of exchange librarians in developing countries. Publishing activity is relatively underdeveloped forcing the majority of the states to rely on foreign book imports. While exchanges may prove an excellent option for the acquisition of overseas materials, it cannot be a substitute for direct purchase as not all overseas titles can be exchanged for local materials. Exchanges stand to succeed only if the institutions concerned either have regular publications of their own that can be used as media for exchange, or if sufficient funds are made available for the library to purchase local materials to facilitate such a programme. Highlights problems inhibiting the growth of exchanges and concludes that communication can pose a serious threat if not properly contained.

Discusses nine areas for action in relation to improving services in libraries to ethnic minorities and heightening multiculturalism in libraries. Reviews the literature relating to these areas and considers some of the issues involved in implementing changes. Looks at some of the areas in which race relations can be improved through better organization of the various stock arrangements of reading matter and the employment of local ethnic/black librarian staff in front line positions.