Information Technology and the Evolution of the Library

The purpose of this research is to examine the current state of the practice of information technology use among academic and research libraries in order to gain insight into the level of maturity of various emerging technologies such as the Institutional Repository (IR) to be used to provide descriptive guidance and context to other institutions considering them for application. This research uses a case study methodology involving a single case design with multiple units of analysis, and draws evidence from individual interviews of research and education libraries chosen from a range of sizes, foci, and jurisdictions.