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Editor's Note: With this issue we break with over two decades of tradition to publish a single citation. Also, it could be argued that we are breaking another of our traditions to not cite something twice (except in error). Last month we cited a Powerpoint presentation on a report that was behind a paywall. Afterwards the report was placed in a publicly-available area, thereby allowing us and anyone else to download and read the full report upon which the presentation was based.

We applaud this move by the Education Advisory Board. I felt, as did my contributors, that this report is so important to academic libraries that it merited our full attention this month. So if you do not care about academic libraries you get off free this month. Use your additional time wisely. But if you do care, as do we, read on. - Roy Tennant

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Redefining the Academic Library: Managing the Migration to Digital Information Services. Washington, DC: Education Advisory Board, 2011.(http://www.educationadvisoryboard.com/pdf/23634-EAB-Redefining-the-Academic-Library.pdf).

Here, in summary form, are the main points of this seminal report, delineated under the four broad areas under which they were organized. If you work for an academic library, we urge you to study this report and consider its potential implications for your own institution.

Transformational Change in the Information Landscape

• Collection size rapidly losing importance.
• Traditional library metrics fail to capture value to academic mission.
• Rising journal costs inspiring calls for alternative publishing models.
• Viable alternatives to the library now boast fastest growth and easiest access.
• Demand declining for traditional library services.
• New patron demands stretch budget and organizational culture.

Leveraging Digital Collections

• Ebook adoption reaching a tipping point.
• Large-scale digital collections offer promise of widespread, low-cost access.
• Technological constraints unlikely to prevent digital transition.
• Usage restrictions and copyright remain the largest obstacles to access.
• Patron-driven acquisition models allow "just in time" purchasing approach.

Rethinking the Scholarly Publishing Model

• Centralized purchasing authority essential in deriving savings from library consortia.
• Pay-per-article models emerging as an alternative to the "big deal".
• Pressure for open access likely to disrupt publishing business model.
• Many institutions incentivizing and providing infrastructure for open access.

Repurposing Library Space

• Local print collections are large, expensive, and rarely used.
• Emerging virtual discovery tools provide alternative paths to serendipity.
• Leverage data on usage, electronic access, and local holdings to prioritize local collections.
• Mitigate opposition to relocating resources by regularizing and systematizing deaccession.
• Avoid unnecessary duplication through collaborative storage and acquisition plans.
• Repurpose library space to support collaborative learning.

Redeploying Library Staff

• Cataloging no longer a local activity.
• Tiered reference services free up librarian time.
• Crowd-sourced reference matches supply to decreased demand.
• Successful integrated information technology/library units rely on expertise, mission congruence.
• Students in need of information literacy beyond "Library 101".
• Embedded librarians and services offer on-demand, online guidance to students and faculty.
• Data management standards require new information infrastructure.
• Targeted specialist provide expertise and flexibility.
• Publisher partnerships bring new life to special collections.