The Academic Library in the United States - by Mark L McCallon & John Mark Tucker (Paperback)

About the Book

"This book advances the belief that the library-more than any other cultural institution-collects, curates and distributes the results of human thought. Essays broaden the debate about academic libraries beyond only professional circles, promoting the library as a vital resource for the whole of higher education. Topics range from library histories to explorations of changing media. Essayists connect modern libraries to the remarkable dream of Alexandria's ancient library-facilitating groundbreaking research in every imaginable field of human interest, past, present and future. Academic librarians who are most familiar with historical traditions are best qualified to promote the library as an important aspect of teaching and learning, as well as to develop resources that will enlighten future generations of readers. The intellectual tools for compelling, constructive conversation come from the narrative of the library in its many iterations, from the largest research university to the smallest liberal arts or community college."--

Book Synopsis

This book advances the belief that the library--more than any other cultural institution--collects, curates and distributes the results of human thought. Essays broaden the debate about academic libraries beyond only professional circles, promoting the library as a vital resource for the whole of higher education. Topics range from library histories to explorations of changing media. Essayists connect modern libraries to the remarkable dream of Alexandria's ancient library--facilitating groundbreaking research in every imaginable field of human interest, past, present and future.

Academic librarians who are most familiar with historical traditions are best qualified to promote the library as an important aspect of teaching and learning, as well as to develop resources that will enlighten future generations of readers. The intellectual tools for compelling, constructive conversation come from the narrative of the library in its many iterations, from the largest research university to the smallest liberal arts or community college.

Review Quotes

"A major contribution to the history of academic libraries [and] the history of higher education; [and fills] an important niche in the larger arena of intellectual history. [Should be] revisited often by practicing librarians to understand and appreciate more fully the foundations of the profession...[and] the critical role of the academic library in the scholarly world."-Larry Hardesty, past-president, Association of College and Research Libraries.

"An impressively informative compendium...erudite and thought-provoking...unreservedly recommended...exceptional in organization and presentation"-Midwest Book Review

"Masterful introductory survey...comprehensive in its treatment, and superb in its inclusion of landmark contributions...by the most outstanding scholars in the field of American academic library history."-Donald G. Davis Jr., professor emeritus of library history, University of Texas

"This well-researched book demonstrates impressive scholarship from beginning to end. The editors are to be applauded for stitching together the right voices in a volume that will be referenced for years to come. Santayana's 1905 maxim, mentioned in this book's foreword-'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it'-certainly applies here, as the editors are committed to learning from the lessons of the past....This comprehensive and important work will be deeply appreciated by librarians and historians; a welcome addition to any higher-education library."-Library Journal; "The introductory chapter [is] a tour de force of scholarship. This is the book I have been waiting for! [It] will become an instant classic and a seminal work in the historiography of libraries and librarianship."-Edward A. Goedeken, professor of library and information science, library collections coordinator, Iowa State University

About the Author

Mark L. McCallon is a professor and associate dean for library information services at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. His interests include electronic resources management, the history and biography of reading and librarianship. John Mark Tucker, professor emeritus from Purdue University, served as Humanities, Social Science, and Education Librarian at Purdue and, later, as dean of library and information resources at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas.