Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction to academic libraries. 2. Role of university libraries in education. 3. Status of academic libraries in India. 4. Resource sharing and collection management. 5. Automation in university libraries. 6. Virtual libraries and education. 7. User needs in academic libraries. 8. Competencies among academic library staff. 9. Academic libraries in digital age: challenges and opportunities. Index.

"Academic libraries include college and university libraries. Commonly referred to as research libraries, they are often used by students as a quiet place for study and research. As a result, when planning academic libraries, it is imperative for the design team to incorporate quiet, comfortable and adequate space for study.

The academic library must have enough power and budget to be able to feed the faculties with its services. Neglecting the library's role and importance in the university and disregarding its need to be able to provide worthy and adequate services to its users, will obviously bring malfunctions and deficiencies in the library services.

The present book discusses the status, role and the effectiveness of academic library system in a changing world. The new challenges and opportunities of academic libraries are also discussed in detail. This work will be a highly useful reference tool for all those concerned." (jacket)