Librarians taking liberties. The role of academic libraries in research

The mission of academic libraries is commonly defined as supporting research, learning and teaching at the institution they are part of. However, there is considerable variation in how academic libraries translate this mission statement into practice, and certainly in the ways they have shaped their services in response to the digital turn. Particularly revealing in this context is the ever-growing number of academic libraries which transform their physical spaces into (largely bookless) learning centres and seem to focus the public side of their services(almost) exclusively on learning/teaching. This paper argues for a continued attention to the research component within the mission of academic libraries and their public services, and highlights, in keeping with the conference theme, the hitherto untapped potential embedded in said libraries and their staff when it comes to supporting or even initiating research. It will present the various ways in which libraries (can)support ongoing research – e.g. by the establishment of research spaces – and, perhaps more surprisingly, will try to make the case why librarians should get involved in research projects from the earliest planning stages or should even initiate and lead research efforts.status: publishe