University libraries and on-screen reading

Changes in the attitudes of readers and the equipment they have at their disposal has a certain degree of influence on their use of library material. It is tempting for librarians to ignore digital natives rather than trying to get to grips with the challenges they represent. However, the attraction readers have for librarians will no doubt prove more powerful than the "resistance of materials". The development of new cultural practices leaves librarians no choice but to bring their collections closer to reader requirements as quickly as possible. University library action plans should strive to meet one main objective: to place the material on offer at the heart of university teaching. This will require a shift, or even a simplification, in library premises, working practices, and types of material on offer.
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