A new text for academic librarianship courses written for today's complex library environment.

Academic libraries are the heart of academic communities and embrace their university or colleges' missions in complex, diverse, and dynamic circumstances. This text captures the essence of that complexity, demonstrates academic libraries' value, and provides a comprehensive resource for students and professional librarians.

The text's eight parts give LIS students a thorough overview of how academic libraries work:

· The Academic Environment
· Administration
· Library Spaces
· Scholarly Communication and Resources
· Research, Outreach, and Instruction
· Technology
· Promoting the Library
· Other Trends and Perspectives

Written by contributors experienced in both teaching academic librarianship and working in academic libraries, this text is reflective of changes within higher education, the library profession, and the expectations of stakeholders. Chapters include case studies and discussion questions written by the book's editors.

Nora J. Bird, PhD, is Associate Professor of Information Studies at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, USA.

Michael A. Crumpton, MLS, SHRM-SCP, is Professor and Dean for the University Libraries at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, USA.