Managing Academic Support Services in Universities: The Convergence Experience

The converged management of academic libraries and computer services emerged as a popular model in universities in the late 1980s. Today over half of the higher education sector in the UK has adopted a converged structure and yet there has been little analysis of this radical approach and what it means for the services involved. This timely book takes stock of some twenty years of experience of convergence. It explores management practice throughout the sector in order to assess how extensive the converged model has become, and what variations in the model exist: the reasons for converging - or de-converging, or deciding not to converge at all; the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the model adopted; and what lessons have been learned. Readership: This book is essential reading for all managers in academic libraries and computer service departments, and for all university staff with responsibility for policy in this area.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction: twenty years of convergence in the UK - Terry Hanson 2. A history of convergence in United Kingdom universities - Clive D. Field 3. Breaking the mould: convergence at the University of Wales Aberystwyth - Mike Hopkins 4. A decade of convergence: information services at the University of Birmingham - Michele Shoebridge 5. From two Brighton Piers to one: convergence at the University of Brighton - Mark Toole 6. Integration at the University of Bristol - Cathryn Gallacher 7. Flagship learning resources for the 21st century at the University of Hertfordshire - Di Martin 8. Convergence at King’s College London - Margaret Haines, Patricia Methven and Jean Yeoh 9. Converging to support learning at Newport - Janet Peters 10. Converged information services at Roehampton University - Sue Clegg 11. The place of useful learning: convergence at the University of Strathclyde - Derek Law 12. Convergence at Surrey University - Tom Crawshaw 13. Swansea University: successful convergence? - Christopher West 14. An evolutionary approach to convergence at Ulster University - Nigel Macartney 15. From de-convergence to convergence and back again: Aston University - Nick Smith 16. The turn of the wheel: projects and politics at the University of Southampton - Sheila Corrall 17. Choosing not to converge: a case study of Manchester University - Mark Clark 18. The non-convergence option: a case study of Bristol UWE - Ali Taylor 19. Convergence in Australia - Helen Hayes and Vic Elliott 20. Convergence in Europe outside the United Kingdom - Mel Collier 21. Convergence in the United States - Larry Hardesty

About the Author :
Terry Hanson is Director of Information Services at University College Chichester, and Chair of LeNSE (Learning Network South East) regional network.

Review :
"The service convergence debate has been going on for over 20 years and will continue – there is no single, “one size fits all” solution. That does not detract from the superb quality of this book, which must surely be regarded as the definitive UK study of this complex subject." "...highly recommended for anybody who are managing a convergence or who are considering one."