Astronomy Librarians - Quo Vadis?

TL;DR

This paper discusses the evolving roles of astronomy librarians as they adapt to technological changes, digital transformation, and open access in the field of astronomy librarianship.

Contribution

It provides an overview of recent developments and future directions for astronomy librarians based on discussions from a 2010 conference.

Findings

Librarians are adopting new technologies for bibliometrics.

Re-shaping library spaces for digital access.

Addressing challenges of open access in astronomy.

Abstract

"You don't look like a librarian" is a phrase we often hear in the astronomy department or observatory library. Astronomy librarians are a breed apart, and are taking on new and non-traditional roles as information technology evolves. This talk will explore the future of librarians and librarianship through the lens of the recent talks given at the sixth "Libraries and Information Services in Astronomy" conference held in Pune, India in February 2010. We will explore the librarian's universe, illustrating how librarians use new technologies to perform such tasks as bibliometrics, how we are re-fashioning our library spaces in an increasingly digital world and how we are confronting the brave new world of open access, to name but a few topics.