Description

Library Technology Reports v.49 no.7. Innovation is a broad concept, frequently mentioned in circles at all levels-libraries, higher education, the corporate environment, and society in general. So frequently is the word used, and in so many contexts, that it can become confusing to clearly frame what the word means at present. Clarity is important, as it can help provide focus, direction, and strategy for organizations often under the shadow of limited resources. More bluntly, innovation is often synonymous with change, progress, and addressing user needs in new ways-critical concepts in today's volatile higher education environment. This issue of Library Technology Reports seeks to open or continue the discussion of what's meant by innovation, focusing specifically on innovation with a strong technological underpinning. A brief review of the literature-scholarly and mainstream-is accompanied by some more indirect methods to try to better grasp what librarians and the profession refer to when they use the word innovation. Later, results from a survey open to Association of Research Library members offer additional insights into what directors of large research libraries think about when considering the concept of technological innovation.